2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 KOMPRESSOR Check light

31 Getting started
Unlocking
Starter switch positionsStarter switch0For 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.
1Power supply to some electrical
consumers, such as seat adjustment
2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position
3Starting 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 positionP.
!If the key is left in starter switch
position0 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 240).


Get a jump start (
page 306).
To prevent accelerated battery dis-
charge and a possible dead battery, al-
ways remove the key from the starter
switch.

33 Getting started
Adjusting
Manual seat
1Seat fore and aft adjustment
2Seat cushion tilt
3Backrest tilt
4Seat heightSeat fore and aft adjustment

Lift handle1.

Slide seat to the desired position.

Allow handle1 to reengage.

Check for proper engagement before
driving.
Adjust to a comfortable seating position
that still allows you to reach the accelera-
tor/brake pedal safely. The position
should be as far rearward as possible,
consistent with ability to properly operate
controls.
Seat cushion tilt

Turn handwheel2 forward or backward
until your upper legs are lightly sup-
portedBackrest tilt

Press switch3 in direction of arrow un-
til your arms are slightly angled when
holding the steering wheel.
Seat height

Press switch4 in direction of arrow un-
til your legs are lightly supported.
Head restraint height
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.
iWhen moving the seat, be sure that
there are no items in the footwell or be-
hind the seats. Otherwise you could
damage the seats.
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint to support the back of
the head approximately at ear level.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are intend-
ed to help reduce injuries during an acci-
dent.

39 Getting started
Adjusting
Mirrors
Adjust the inside and exterior rear view
mirrors before driving so that you have a
good view of the road and traffic condi-
tions.Inside rear view mirror

Manually adjust the inside rear view
mirror.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 144).
Exterior rear view mirrorThe buttons are located above the exterior
lamp switch.
1Driver’s side mirror
2Adjustment button
3Passenger side mirror

Make sure that the ignition is switched
on.
All the lights in the instrument cluster
light up.
Warning!
G
In the case of an accident liquid electrolyte
may escape the mirror housing if the mirror
glass breaks.
Electrolyte has an irritating effect. Do not al-
low the liquid to come into contact with
eyes, skin, clothing, or respiratory system.
In case it does, immediately flush affected
area with water, and seek medical help if
necessary.
Warning!
G
Exercise care when using the passenger
side exterior rear view mirror. The mirror
surface is convex (outwardly curved surface
for a wider field of view). Objects in mirror
are closer than they appear. Check your in-
side rear view mirror or glance over your
shoulder before changing lanes. !Electrolyte drops coming into contact
with the vehicle paint finish can only be
completely removed while in their liq-
uid state by applying plenty of water.


56 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Occupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seats


Child seat recognition


Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH)
As independent systems their protective
effects work in conjunction with each
other.The
1
warning lamp in the instrument
cluster (page 22) lights up:


for about four seconds when you turn
the key in the starter switch to
position1.


for about four seconds when you start
the engine by turning the key.The warning lamp goes out shortly after
you start the engine. This shows that the
restraint systems are operational.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the
1
warning lamp:


fails to extinguish after approximately
four seconds.


does not come on at all.


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving.
For safety reasons, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to
have the system checked.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 257).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 65).
iThe warning lamp remains lit if the key
is turned to position2 and left there.
The warning lamp will go out when you
start the engine.

57 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Airbags
Warning!
G
In the event that the SRS malfunction indica-
tor lamp lights up during driving or does not
come on at all, the SRS may not be opera-
tional. For your safety, we strongly recom-
mend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may
not be activated when needed in an acci-
dent, which could result in serious or fatal
injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in
injury.
Improper work on the restraint systems,
including incorrect installation and removal,
can lead to possible injury through an unin-
tended activation of the SRS.
In addition, through improper work there is
a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended airbag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be
performed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!
G
Airbags are designed to reduce the potential
of injury in certain frontal (front airbags) im-
pacts, or side (side impact and head protec-
tion window curtain airbags) impacts which
may cause significant injuries. However, no
system available today can totally eliminate
injuries and fatalities.
The activation of the SRS temporarily releas-
es a small amount of dust from the airbags.
This dust, however, is neither injurious to
your health, nor does it indicate a fire in the
vehicle. The dust might cause some tempo-
rary breathing difficulty for people with asth-
ma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this,
you may wish to get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the airbag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
Warning!
G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
airbags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and front passenger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear your
seat belts.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the backrest. Fasten
your seat belt and ensure that it is properly
positioned on your body.
Since the airbag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating and hands
on steering wheel position will help to keep
you at a safe distance from the airbag. Oc-
cupants who are unbelted, out of position or
too close to the airbag can be seriously in-
jured by an airbag as it inflates with great
force in the blink of an eye:

68 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Installation of infant and child restraint
systems
This vehicle is equipped with tether an-
chorages for a top tether strap at each of
the rear seating positions.
1Cover of top anchorage ring
Make sure that the rear backrest is
locked in its upright position
(page 200).

Remove cover1 from anchorage
ring3.

Guide tether strap between head
restraint and top of seat back.
Head restraint must be installed (if
removable) and positioned such that
the top tether strap can pass freely
between the head restraint and top of
seat back.
Make sure that the tether strap is not
twisted.
Warning!
G
Please be sure to check the indicator every
time you use the special system child seat.
Should the light go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. If the
light remains out, do not use the
BabySmart
TM restraint to transport children
on the front passenger seat until the system
has been repaired.
Warning!
G
Do not place powered-on laptops, cell
phones and like electronic devices on the
front passenger seat. Signals from such de-
vices may interfere with the BabySmart
TM
system. Such signal interference may cause
the
7
indicator lamp not to come on
during self-test or be continuously lit, indi-
cating that the system is not functioning.
Warning!
G
Always lock backrest in its upright position
when rear seat bench is occupied by pas-
sengers, or the extended cargo area is not in
use. Check for secure locking by pushing
and pulling on the backrest.


86 Controls in detailLocking and unlocking
Checking the batteries
Press button
‹
or
Œ
.
Battery check lamp5 lights up briefly
to indicate that the key batteries are in
order.Unlocking the trunk lid
You can unlock the trunk separately.
A minimum height clearance of 5.75 ft.
(1.75 m) is required to open the trunk lid.

Press button
Š
until trunk opens.
The trunk can also be opened from its in-
side in an emergency, see “Trunk lid emer-
gency release” (
page 89).
!If you can no longer lock or unlock the
vehicle with the key, then either the
batteries in the SmartKey are dis-
charged, the key is malfunctioning or
the vehicle battery is drained.

Check the batteries in the key
(page 86) and replace them if
necessary (
page 286).


Use the mechanical key to lock and
unlock the doors (
page 285) and
the trunk lid (
page 91) as re-
quired.


Check the vehicle battery
(page 303)
If the key is malfunctioning, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!If battery check lamp5 does not light
up briefly during check, then the key
batteries are discharged.
Replace the batteries (
page 286).
You can obtain the required batteries
at any authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
!The trunk lid swings open upwards au-
tomatically. Always make sure that
there is sufficient overhead clearance.iIf the vehicle was previously centrally
locked, the trunk lid will lock automati-
cally when closed (
page 89). The
turn signals will flash three times to
confirm locking.
If the trunk lid was previously
separately locked (page 90), the
trunk lid will remain locked.

96 Controls in detailSeatsMulticontour seat*
Some models may be equipped with driv-
er’s multicontour seat. This seat has a
movable seat cushion and inflatable air
cushions built into the backrest to provide
additional lumbar and side support.
The seat cushion movement, backrest
cushion height and curvature can be con-
tinuously varied with regulators on the
right side of the seat after turning the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position2.1Seat cushion depth
2Backrest bottom
3Backrest center
4Side bolster adjustment
Adjusting the multicontour seat in the or-
der listed above is recommended.

Check that the ignition is switched on.
All lamps in the instrument cluster light
up.The seat cushion movement, backrest
cushion height and curvature can be con-
tinuously varied with regulators1, 2 and3.
The side bolsters of the backrest can be
adjusted with rocker switch4.

Press to the left.
Side support will be increased.

Press to the right.
Side support will be decreased.iWhen the engine is turned off, the last
cushion setting is retained in memory,
and the cushion is automatically ad-
justed to this setting when the engine
is restarted.