2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C320 WAGON light

39 Getting started
Adjusting
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.

Press button 1 for the left mirror or but-
ton 3 for the right mirror.

Push adjustment button 2, up, down,
left or right according to the setting de-
sired.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 141).
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.
!If an exterior rear view mirror housing
is forcibly pushed forward or rearward,
reposition it by applying firm pressure
until it snaps into place. The mirror
housing is now properly positioned and
you can adjust the mirror normally.iWith the memory function*, you can
store seat positions together with set-
tings for the steering wheel and the ex-
terior rear view mirrors (
page 95).
S203 MY03_A.book Page 39 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

48 Getting startedDrivingHigh beam
Push the combination switch forward.
The high beam symbol
A
in the
instrument cluster lights up.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 101).
Windshield wipers
The combination switch is on the left of the
steering column.Combination switch1Single wipe
2Switching on windshield wipers 
Make sure that the ignition is switched
on.Switching on windshield wipers

Turn the combination switch to the de-
sired position depending on the inten-
sity of the rain.
0Windshield wipers off
IIntermittent wiping
IINormal wiper speed
IIIFast wiper speed
iTo signal minor directional changes,
move combination switch to point of
resistance only and release. The turn
signal blinks three times.
iVehicles without rain sensor*: Fast
wiper speed III goes to setting II when
the vehicle is standing still.
Vehicles with rain sensor*: Intermittent
wiping interval dependent on wetness
of windshield. Wiping will not occur
with a door open.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 48 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

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 oth-
er.The
1
warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up:


for about 4 seconds when you turn the
key in the starter switch to position1.


for about 4 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 de-
tected if the
1
warning lamp:


fails to extinguish after approximately
4seconds.


does not come on at all.


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving.
For safety reasons, we strongly recom-
mend 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 253).
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.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 56 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

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 inju-
ry.
Improper work on the restraint systems, in-
cluding 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.
W o r k o n t h e S R S m u s t t h e r e f o r e o n l y b e p e r -
formed 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:

Sit properly belted in an upright position
with your back against the seat back-
rest.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 57 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

61 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The front passenger airbag will only be de-
ployed if:

the front passenger seat is occupied


the
7
indicator lamp in the center
console is not lit (
page 67)
1Driver airbag
2Passenger airbagSide impact airbags, window curtain
airbags
The side impact airbags and window cur-
tain airbags are deployed:


on the impacted side of the vehicle


in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold


independently of the front airbags
The side impact airbags are not deployed
in impacts which do not exceed the sys-
tem’s deployment threshold.The front passenger side airbag will only
deploy if the system senses that the front
passenger seat is occupied.
1Window curtain airbag
2Side impact airbags
Seat belts
The seat belt nonusage warning lamp
<

in the instrument cluster lights up and a
warning sounds for a short time when you
turn the key in the starter switch to
position2 and the driver’s seat belt is not
fastened.
!Do not place objects heavier than
20 lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger
seat. This could cause the front or side
impact airbag on the front passenger
side to deploy in a crash which exceeds
the system’s deployment threshold.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 61 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

67 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
BabySmart
TM
airbag deactivation
system
Special BabySmart
TM compatible child
seats, designed for use with the
Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center are
required for use with the BabySmart
TM air-
bag deactivation system. With the special
child seat properly installed, the passenger
front airbag will not deploy.
BabySmartTM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
The
7
indicator lamp located in the
center console will be illuminated, except
with the key removed or in the starter
switch position0.
Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special
child seat installed
After turning the key in the starter switch
to position1 or2, the 7
indicator lamp
located in the center console lights up for
approx. 6 seconds and then goes out.
If the indicator lamp should not come on or
is continuously lit, the system is not func-
tioning. You must see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center before seating any
child on the passenger seat.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (page 259).
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle; even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system. Unsupervised chil-
dren in a child restraint system may use ve-
hicle equipment and may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iThe system does not deactivate the
side impact airbag and the emergency
tensioning device.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 67 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

68 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyWarning!
G
The BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation sys-
tem will ONLY work with a special child seat
designed to operate with it. It will not work
with child seats which are not BabySmart
TM
compatible.
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the deactivation sys-
tem. The bottom of the child seat must
make full contact with the passenger seat
cushion. An incorrectly mounted child seat
could cause injuries to the child in case of an
accident, instead of protecting the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of special child seats.
Warning!
G
When using a BabySmart
TM compatible
child seat on the front passenger seat, the
front passenger airbag will not deploy only if
the
7
indicator lamp remains illuminat-
ed.
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
BabySmartTM 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.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 68 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

73 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)


BAS (B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)


ESP (E
lectronic S
tability P
rogram)


4MATIC* (Four Wheel Electronic Trac-
tion System)
ABS
The ABS regulates the brake pressure so
that the wheels do not lock during braking.
This allows you to maintain the ability to
steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode. Keep firm and steady
pressure on the brake pedal while experi-
encing the pulsation.
iIn winter operation, the maximum ef-
fectiveness of the ABS, ESP and
4MATIC* is only achieved with winter
tires (M + S tires), or snow chains as re-
quired.
Warning!
G
The following factors increase the risk of ac-
cidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns


Wet and slippery road surfaces


Following another vehicle too closely
ABS, BAS, ESP and 4MATIC* cannot reduce
this risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
Warning!
G
Do not pump the brake pedal, rather use
firm, steady brake pedal pressure. Pumping
the brake pedal defeats the purpose for ABS
and significantly reduces braking effective-
ness.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 73 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM