2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE steering wheel

Contents
Introduction ......................................... 9
Product information ............................... 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10 Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership .... 12
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada ......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16 Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects ...................... 18 Reporting Safety Defects ............... 18
At a glance .......................................... 19
Cockpit .................................................20
Instrument cluster ................................22
Multifunction steering wheel ................24
Center console .....................................25
Overhead control panel ........................26
Door control panel ................................27Getting started ...................................29
Unlocking .............................................30 Unlocking with the SmartKey ..........30
Adjusting ..............................................32 Seats ...............................................32
Steering wheel ................................37
Mirrors ............................................39
Driving ..................................................41 Fastening the seat belt ...................41
Starting the engine .........................44
Switching on headlamps .................47
Turn signals and high beam ............47
Windshield wipers ...........................48
Problems while driving ....................50 Parking and locking .............................. 51
Parking brake .................................. 51
Switching off headlamps ................. 52
Turning off engine ........................... 52
Safety and Security ........................... 55
Occupant safety ................................... 56Airbags ........................................... 57
Seat belts ....................................... 62
Children in the vehicle .................... 65
Panic alarm* ........................................ 72 Activating ........................................ 72
Deactivating .................................... 72
Driving safety systems ......................... 73 ABS ................................................. 73
BAS ................................................. 74
ESP ................................................. 75
Anti-theft systems ................................ 78 Immobilizer ..................................... 78
Anti-theft alarm system* ................ 78
Tow-away alarm* ............................ 79

ContentsControls in detail ............................... 81
Locking and unlocking ......................... 82 SmartKey ........................................ 82
Opening the doors from the inside . 85
Opening the trunk lid ...................... 85
Closing the trunk lid ....................... 86
Trunk lid emergency release .......... 86
Automatic central locking .............. 87
Locking and unlocking from
the inside ....................................... 87
Seats .................................................... 89 Easy-entry/exit feature* ................ 89
Head restraints............................... 90
Heated seats* ................................ 91
Memory function* ................................ 93 Storing positions into memory ....... 94
Recalling positions from memory ... 94
Storing exterior rear view mirror
parking position ............................. 95
Lighting ................................................ 96 Exterior lamp switch ....................... 96
Combination switch ........................ 99
Hazard warning flasher ................... 99
Interior lighting ............................. 100 Instrument cluster ............................. 102
Instrument cluster illumination .... 102
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 102
Trip odometer .............................. 103
Tachometer .................................. 103
Outside temperature indicator ..... 104
Control system .................................. 105 Multifunction display .................... 105
Multifunction steering wheel ........ 106
Menus .......................................... 108
Standard display menu ................ 110
AUDIO menu ................................ 110
NAV menu .................................... 112
Malfunction memory menu .......... 112
Settings menu .............................. 114
Trip computer menu ..................... 125
TEL menu* ................................... 126
Manual transmission ......................... 130 Shifting into reverse ..................... 131
Automatic transmission* ................... 132 One-touch gearshifting ................. 133
Gear ranges .................................. 134
Gear selector lever position ......... 135
Program mode selector switch ..... 136
Accelerator position ..................... 137 Emergency operation
(Limp Home Mode) ...................... 137
Good visibility .................................... 138 Rear view mirror ........................... 138
Headlamp cleaning system* ........ 140
Sun visors .................................... 141
Climate control .................................. 142 Setting the temperature ............... 145
Adjusting air distribution and
volume ......................................... 145
Defrosting .................................... 146
Air recirculation mode .................. 146
Rear window defroster ................. 147
Air conditioning ............................ 148
Ventilated storage compartment . 148
Rear passenger compartment
adjustable air vents ...................... 149
Deactivating the climate control
system ......................................... 149
Automatic climate control*
(Canada only) .................................... 150 Setting the temperature ............... 152
Adjusting air distribution .............. 153
Adjusting air volume .................... 153
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL ....... 154
Defrosting .................................... 154

19
At a glance
Cockpit
Instrument cluster
Multifunction steering wheel
Center console
Overhead control panel Door control panel

21
At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Headlamp washer switch*
140
2
Combination switch
47


Turn signals
47


Windshield wipers
48


High beam
99
3
Cruise control lever
189
4
Instrument cluster
22,
102
5
Multifunction steering
wheel
24,
106
6
Horn
7
Lever for voice control
system*, see separate op-
erating instructions
8
Overhead control panel
26
9
Glove box lid release
195
Item
Page
10
Glove box lid
195
11
Center console
25
12
Starter switch
31
13
Steering wheel adjustment
handle, manual
38
14
Hood lock release
226
15
Parking brake pedal
46
16
Power window switches
182
17
Steering wheel adjustment
stalk, electrical*
38
18
Parking brake release
46
19
Door control panel
27
20
Exterior lamp switch
47, 96
21
Exterior mirror adjustment
39

24 At a glanceMultifunction steering wheel
Multifunction steering wheel
Item
Page
1
Multifunction display in
speedometer
105
Operating control sys-
tem
106
2
Selecting the submenu or
setting the volumeç
down/to decrease
æ
up/to increase
3
Telephone*: Press buttoní
to take a call
ì
to end a call
Item
Page
4
Menu systems: Press but-
tonè
for next system
ÿ
for previous system
5
Moving within a menu:
Press buttonj
for next display
k
for previous display

31
Getting started
Unlocking
Starter switch positionsStarter switch0
For removing key
The steering is locked when the key is
removed from the starter switch. If
necessary, move steering wheel slight-
ly to allow the locking mechanism to
engage.
1 Power supply to some electrical con-
sumers, such as seat adjustment
2 Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position
3 Starting position
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch and lock
the vehicle. Do not leave children unattend-
ed in the vehicle, or with access to an un-
locked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle
equipment may cause an accident and/or
serious personal injury.iVehicles with automatic transmission:
The SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in position P.
!If the key is left in the starter switch
position 0 for an extended period of
time, it can no longer be turned in the
starter switch.

Remove the key from the starter
switch and reinsert.
If the key can still not be turned, the
battery may not be sufficiently
charged.


Check the battery and charge it if
necessary (
page 294).


Get a jump start (
page 297).
To prevent accelerated battery dis-
charge and a possible dead battery, al-
ways remove the key from the starter
switch.

32 Getting startedAdjusting
AdjustingSeats
The seats can be adjusted either manually
or electrically, depending on the vehicle’s
equipment.Warning!
G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.Warning!
G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
back reclined. Sitting in an excessively re-
clined position can be dangerous. You could
slide under the seat belt in a collision. If you
slide under it, the belt would apply force at
the abdomen or neck. That could cause
serious or fatal injuries. The seat back and
seat belts provide the best restraint when
the wearer is in an upright position and belts
are properly positioned on the body. Your
seat must be adjusted so that you can cor-
rectly fasten your seat belt (
page 41).
Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being ad-
justed.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch and lock your ve-
hicle.
The power seats* can also be operated with
the driver’s or passenger door open. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsu-
pervised use of vehicle equipment may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
Warning!
G
Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat, which operates with
the BabySmart
TM system installed in the ve-
hicle to deactivate the passenger side front
airbag when it is properly installed. Other-
wise they will be struck by the airbag when
it inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious
or fatal injury will result.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. Infants and small children
must ride in back seats and be seated in an
appropriate infant or child restraint system,
which is properly secured with the vehicle’s
seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via
lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in
accordance with the child seat manufactur-
er’s instructions.

34 Getting startedAdjusting1Release knob
Manually adjust the height of the head
restraint by pulling it upward. To lower
the head restraint, push release knob 1
and press down on the head restraint.
Head restraint tilt

Manually adjust the angle of the head
restraint. Push or pull on the lower
edge of the head restraint cushion.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 89) Power seat*

Turn the key in the starter switch to
position
1 or 2.
or

Open the driver’s or front passenger
door.
The seat adjustment switches are located
in each front door.
1 Head restraint height
2 Seat height
3 Seat cushion tilt
4 Seat fore and aft adjustment
5 Backrest tilt Seat fore and aft adjustment

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow
4.
Adjust to a comfortable seating posi-
tion that still allows you to reach the
accelerator / brake pedal safely. The
position should be as far to the rear as
possible, consistent with ability to
properly operate controls.iWhen moving the seat, be sure that
there are no items in the footwell or be-
hind the seat. Otherwise you could
damage the seat.
With the memory function*
(page 93) you can store seat posi-
tions together with settings for the
steering wheel and the exterior rear
view mirrors.