2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C240 engine

125 Controls in detail
Control system
Lighting submenu
Access the
LIGHTING
submenu via the
SETTINGS
menu. Use the
LIGHTING
submenu to change the lamp and lighting
settings on your vehicle. The following
functions are available:Setting daytime running lamp mode
(USA only)

Move the selection marker with
the
æ
or
ç
button to the
LIGHTING
submenu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see this message in the
display:
LAMP CIRCUIT HEADLAMP MODE
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Press
æ
or
ç
to select manual
or daytime running lamp (constant)
mode. This function is not available in
countries where daytime running
lamps are mandatory.With daytime running lamp mode
selected and the exterior lamp switch
at position0, the following lamps will
come on automatically when the
engine is turned on:


Parking lamps and low beam
headlamps


License plate lamps (in low ambient
light conditions)
Function
Page
Set daytime running lamp mode
(USA only)
see
below
Set locator lighting
126
Exterior lamps delayed shut-off
126
Interior lighting delayed shut-off
127
iIf you turn the exterior lamp switch to
another position, the corresponding
lamp(s) will switch on.
For safety reasons, resetting the LIGHTING
submenu to factory settings
(
page 120) will not reset the daytime
running lamp mode.
In the display you will then see the
message:
LIGHTING – CANNOT BE
COMPLETELY RESET TO FACTORY
SETTINGS WHILE DRIVING
!.

129 Controls in detail
Control system
Setting automatic locking
Use this function to activate or deactivate
the automatic central locking. With the
automatic central locking system
activated, the vehicle is centrally locked at
vehicle speeds of approximately 9 mph
(15 km/h).
Move the selection marker with
the
æ
or
ç
button to the
VEHICLE
submenu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see this message in the
display:
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Press
æ
or
ç
to switch
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK
ON or
OFF
.Convenience submenu
Access the
CONVENIENCE
submenu via the
SETTINGS
menu. Use the
CONVENIENCE

submenu to change the settings for a
number of convenience features. The
following functions are available:
Activating easy-entry/exit feature*
Use this function to activate and
deactivate the easy-entry/exit feature.
When the feature is activated, the steering
wheel and driver’s seat will move back to
facilitate exiting when you


remove the key from the starter switch


open the driver’s door
However, the engine must be turned off.
Function
Page
Activate easy-entry/
exit feature*
see
below
Set key dependency
131
Set parking position for exterior
rear view mirror
131
Warning!
G
You must make sure that no one can be-
come trapped or injured by the moving
steering wheel and the driver’s seat when
the easy-entry/exit feature* is activated
and the driver’s door is being opened and
the engine is turned off or the SmartKey is
removed from the starter switch. 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.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver’s door and
unintentionally activate the easy-entry/exit
feature*, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

133 Controls in detail
Control system
Resetting fuel consumption statistics
Press button
ÿ
or
è
repeatedly
until you see the first function of the
Trip computer menu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see the reading that you want
to reset in the display.

Press and hold the reset knob in the
instrument cluster (
page 22) until
the value is reset to0.Call up range (distance to empty)

Press button
ÿ
or
è
repeatedly
until you see the first function of the
Trip computer menu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see this message in the
display:
RANGE
.
In the display you will see the
calculated range based on the current
fuel tank level.
iAll statistics stored since the last
engine start will be reset approximately
four hours after the key in the starter
switch is turned to position0 or
removed from the starter switch.
Resetting will not occur if you turn the
key back to position1 or2 within this
time period.

134 Controls in detailControl systemTEL menu*
You can use the functions in the
TEL
menu
to operate your telephone, provided it is
connected to a hands-free system and
switched on.

Switch on the telephone and
COMAND*.

Press button
ÿ
or
è
on the
steering wheel repeatedly until you see
the
TEL
menu in the display.Which messages will appear in the display
field depends on whether your telephone is
switched on or off:


If the telephone is off, the message in
the multifunction display is:
TEL OFF
.


If the telephone is on:
The telephone will then search for a
network. During this time the display is
empty.
As soon as the telephone has found a
network,
READY
is indicated in the
display.
1Signal strength
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road must always
be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we
recommend that you pull over to a safe
location and stop before placing or taking a
telephone call. If you choose to use the
telephone while driving, please use the
hands-free device and only use the
telephone when weather, road and traffic
conditions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving a
vehicle.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of approximately
44 feet (approximately 13.5 m) every
second.
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system,
possibly resulting in an accident and
personal injury.

137 Controls in detail
Manual transmission
Manual transmission
Information for driving with a manual
transmission is found in the “Getting start-
ed” section (
page 44).
Gearshift leverDo not exceed the maximum speed in the
individual gears. Refer to tachometer
(page 109) for engine speeds.
Shifting into reverse
Stop the vehicle completely.

Pull gearshift lever up and shift inR
reverse.
Warning!
G
For vehicles equipped with a manual trans-
mission, getting out of your vehicle with the
gearshift lever not engaged in first or re-
verse gear and parking brake engaged is
dangerous.
Also, when parked on an incline, an engaged
first or reverse gear alone may not prevent
your vehicle from moving, possibly hitting
people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
engaging first or reverse gear (
page 51).
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch, take it with you
and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. Children could move
the gearshift lever, which could result in an
accident and/or serious injury.Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action.
This could result in drive wheel slip and
reduced vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS
will not prevent this type of loss of control.!Downshifting gears leading to overrev-
ving the engine can result in engine
damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Never hold the vehicle stopped on a hill
by using the clutch pedal. The clutch
may be damaged which is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warran-
ty.
Do not exceed the engine speed limits
(page 109).

138 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission*
Automatic transmission*Information for driving with an automatic
transmission is found in the “Getting start-
ed” section (
page 44).
Your transmission adapts its gear shifting
process to your individual driving style by
continually adjusting the shift points up or
down. These shift point adjustments are
performed based on current operating and
driving conditions.
If the operating conditions change the au-
tomatic transmission reacts by adjusting
its gear shift program.The automatic transmission selects indi-
vidual gears automatically, depending on


the selector lever positionD with gear
ranges4, 3, 2, 1 (
page 140)


the selected shift program (W/S)
(page 142)


the position of the accelerator pedal
(page 143)


the vehicle speed
The current selector lever position and
shift program (W/S) appear in the speed-
ometer display (
page 111).
An additional indication of the current se-
lector lever position can be found on the
cover of the shifting-gate. The indicators
come on when you activate a switch (e.g.
unlocking the vehicle or opening a door)
and go out after approximately
15 minutes.When the selector lever is in positionD,
you can influence transmission shifting by


limiting the gear range


changing gears yourself
iDuring the brief warm-up the transmis-
sion upshifting is delayed. This allows
the catalytic converter to heat up more
quickly to operating temperatures.
Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out
ofP orN if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the en-
gine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.

139 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission*
One-touch gearshifting
Even with an automatic transmission you
can change the gears yourself when the
selector lever is in positionD.
Downshifting
Briefly press the selector lever to the
left in the D–direction.
The transmission will shift from the current
gear to the next lower gear. This action si-
multaneously limits the gear range of the
transmission (
page 140).Upshifting

Briefly press the selector lever to the
right in the D+direction.
The transmission will shift from the current
gear to the next higher gear as permitted
by the shift program. This action simulta-
neously extends the gear range of the
transmission.Canceling gear range limit

Press and hold the selector lever in the
D+direction untilD reappears in the
tachometer display field.
The transmission will shift from the current
gear range directly to gear rangeD.
Shifting into optimal gear range

Press and hold the gear selector lever
in the D–direction.
The transmission will automatically select
the gear range suited for optimal accelera-
tion and deceleration. This will involve
shifting down one or more gears.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when
the selector lever is moved to the
D–direction, the transmission will not
shift to a lower gear if the engine’s
max. speed would be exceeded.

140 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission*Gear ranges
With the selector lever in positionD, you
can limit the transmission’s gear range by
pressing the lever to the left (D-), and re-
verse the gear range limit by pressing the
lever to the right (D+).
The selected gear range will appear in the
tachometer display field. If you press on
the accelerator when the engine has
reached its rpm limit, the transmission will
upshift beyond any gear range limit
selected.
Gear
range
Effect
é
The transmission shifts
through fourth gear only.
è
The transmission shifts
through third gear only.
With this selection you can
use the braking effect of the
engine.
ç
The transmission shifts
through second gear only.
Allows the use of engine’s
braking power when driving

on steep downgrades


in mountainous regions


under extreme operating
conditions
æ
The transmission operates
only in first gear.
For maximum use of engine’s
braking effect on very steep
or lengthy downgrades.
Gear
range
Effect