2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE tow

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

ContentsTires and wheels ................................ 233Important guidelines .................... 233
Life of tire ..................................... 234
Direction of rotation ..................... 234
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 234
Rotating wheels ............................ 235
Winter driving..................................... 236 Winter tires ................................... 236
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 237
Snow chains ................................. 237
Maintenance ...................................... 238 Clearing the service indicator....... 238
Service term exceeded ................. 238
Calling up the service indicator .... 239
Resetting the service indicator ..... 239
Vehicle care ....................................... 240 Cleaning and care of vehicle ........ 240
Practical hints .................................. 245
What to do if … .................................. 246 Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 246
Lamp in center console ................ 251
Messages in the display ............... 252
Where will I find ... ............................. 271 First aid kit ................................... 271
Spare wheel ................................. 271
Vehicle tool kit ............................. 272
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 274 Unlocking the vehicle ................... 274
Locking the vehicle ...................... 275
Changing batteries ....................... 276
Fuel filler flap ............................... 277
Manually unlocking the
transmission selector lever .......... 277
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 278 Panorama sliding/pop-up roof ..... 278
Replacing bulbs ................................. 280 Bulbs ............................................ 280
Replacing bulbs for front lamps ... 282
Side marker lamp bulb ................. 285
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 285 Replacing wiper blades ...................... 287
Removing ..................................... 287
Installing ...................................... 287
Flat tire .............................................. 288 Preparing the vehicle ................... 288
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 288
Battery ............................................... 294 Disconnecting the battery ............ 295
Removing the batteries ................ 295
Charging and reinstalling
batteries ...................................... 295
Reconnecting the batteries .......... 295
Jump starting ..................................... 297
Towing the vehicle ............................. 299 Installing towing eye bolt ............. 302
Fuses ................................................. 303 Fuse box in passenger
compartment ............................... 303
Fuse box in engine compartment . 303
Auxiliary fuse box in trunk ............ 304

25
At a glance
Center console
Center console
Item
Page
1
Seat heater*, driver‘s side
91
2
ESP control switch
75
3
Hazard warning flasher
switch – switching on/off
99
4
Central locking switch
87
5
Anti-theft alarm system in-
dicator lamp
78
Tow-away alarm switch
79
6
Seat heater*, passenger
side
91
7
Indicator lamp
7
67
8
Audio system, or
159
COMAND* (see separate
operating instructions)
Item
Page
9
Climate control
142
10
Ashtray
198
11
Storage compartment
196
12
Armrest
197
13
Program mode selector for
automatic transmission
136
14
Gearshift lever for manual
transmission
Selector lever for automat-
ic transmission
44
45

42 Getting startedDriving
The seat belt presenter for driver and pas-
senger makes it easier to put on the seat
belt.1 Seat belt presenter
Manually adjust the seat belt presenter
to the desired position
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint. Warning!
G
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest reclined. Sitting in an excessively
reclined 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 even fatal injuries. The seat
backrest and seat belt provide the best re-
straint when the wearer is in an upright po-
sition and the belt is properly positioned on
the body.
Warning!
G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Be sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly re-
strained with a separate seat belt - even
those in the rear.Warning!
G
Read and observe the additional warning no-
tices printed in the “Safety and Security”
section (
page 60).
iThe seat belt presenter must be put
back to its original position before lean-
ing the seat backrest toward the rear or
letting someone enter the rear passen-
ger compartment.

51
Getting started
Parking and locking
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.
Parking brake
1 Release handle
2 Parking brake
Step firmly on parking brake 2.
When the engine is running, the indica-
tor lamp
;
(USA only) or
3
(Canada only) in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated.
Warning!
G
Wait until the vehicle is stationary before re-
moving the key from the starter switch. The
vehicle cannot be steered when the key is
removed.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
system. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to stop or steer the vehi-
cle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the selector lever to position P
(manual transmission: first or reverse
gear).


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards road curb.


Turn the key to starter switch position 0
and remove.


Take the key and lock vehicle when leav-
ing.

52 Getting startedParking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
M

(
page 47).
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 96).
Turning off engine 
Place the gear selector lever in
position P (manual transmission: first
or reverse gear).
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch and lock the ve-
hicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Children could release the parking
brake and/or move the gear selector lever
from position P, either of which could result
in an accident and/or serious injury.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the selector
lever not fully engaged in position P is dan-
gerous. Also, when parked on an incline,
position P alone may not prevent your vehi-
cle from moving, possibly hitting people or
objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to position P (manual transmission:
first or reverse gear).
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to position P (manual
transmission: first or reverse gear). iOn steep slopes, turn the front wheels
towards the road curb.

76 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systems
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 246).Switching off the ESP
To improve the vehicle’s traction, turn off
the ESP in driving situations where it would
be advantageous to have drive wheels spin
and thus cut into surfaces for better grip
such as:


starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains


sand or gravel
Warning!
G
The ESP cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ESP equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the us-
er’s safety or the safety of others.
!Because of the ESP’s automatic opera-
tion, the engine must
be shut off (key in
starter switch position 0 or 1) when

the parking brake is being tested on
a brake test dynamometer


the vehicle is being towed with the
front axle raised
Active braking action through the ESP
may otherwise seriously damage the
rear axle brake system.
The ESP will only function properly if
you use wheels of the recommended
tire size.
Warning!
G
The ESP should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.

78 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systems
Anti-theft systemsImmobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating

Removing the key from the starter
switch activates the immobilizer.
Deactivating


Inserting the key in the starter switch
deactivates the immobilizer.
Anti-theft alarm system*
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens

a door


the trunk lid


the hood.
The alarm will stay on even if the activating
element (a door, for example) is immedi-
ately closed.
The alarm system will also be triggered
when


someone attempts to raise the vehicle


the vehicle is opened with the mechan-
ical key. Arming the alarm system
The alarm system is armed after locking
the vehicle with the SmartKey. The turn
signal lamps blink three times to indicate
that the alarm system is activated. The in-
dicator lamp
in the switch for the tow-away
alarm will blink after approximately 10 sec-
onds when the alarm system is completely
armed (
page 80).
iIn case the engine cannot be started
(yet the vehicle’s battery is charged),
the system is not operational. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or call 1-800-FOR-MER-Cedes (in the
USA), or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
iIf the alarm stays on for more than
20 seconds, an emergency call is initi-
ated automatically by the Tele Aid sys-
tem* provided Tele Aid service was
subscribed to and properly activated,
and that necessary cellular service and
GPS coverage are available.iIf the turn signal lamps do not blink
three times one of the following ele-
ments may not be properly closed:

a door


the trunk lid


the hood
Close the respective element and lock
the vehicle again.