2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C320 WAGON wheel

126 Controls in detailControl systemConvenience submenu
Access the
CONVENIENCE
submenu via the
SETTINGS
menu. Use the
CONVENIENCE
sub-
menu 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 deacti-
vate the easy-entry/exit feature. When the
feature is activated, the steering wheel and
driver’s seat will move back to facilitate ex-
iting when you


remove the key from the starter switch


open the driver’s door
However, the engine must be turned off.After entering the vehicle, the steering
wheel and seat will move into the position
stored in memory when


the driver’s door is closed


you put the key in the starter switch
and


press the appropriate stored position
button on the memory switch
(page 95)
Function
Page
Activate easy-entry/exit feature
see
below
Set key dependency
127
Set parking position for exterior
rear view mirror
128
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.
iTo cancel seat/steering wheel move-
ment, do one of the following:

press the seat adjustment switch*
(page 34)


move the steering column stalk*
(page 38)


press the memory switch
(page 96)
S203 MY03_A.book Page 126 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

127 Controls in detail
Control system

Move the selection marker with
the
æ
or
ç
button to the
CONVE-
NIENCE
submenu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see this message in the dis-
play:
EASY-ENTRY FEATURE ACTIVATE
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Press
æ
or
ç
to change the
easy-entry/exit setting.The following settings are available for
the easy-entry/exit feature:Setting key dependency
Use this function to set whether the mem-
ory settings for the seats, the steering
wheel and the mirrors should be stored
separately for each key (
page 95).

Move the selection marker with
the
æ
or
ç
button to the
CONVE-
NIENCE
submenu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see this message in the dis-
play:
SETTINGS KEY-DEPENDENT
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Press
æ
or
ç
to set key depen-
dency to
ON or
OFF
.
OFF
The easy-entry/ex-
it feature is deacti-
vated.
STEERING COLUMN
Only the steering
column is moved.
STEERING COLUMN +
SEAT
Both the steering
column and the
seat are moved.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 127 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

131 Controls in detail
Control system
TEL 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 dis-
play.
1Signal strength
This standby message indicates that your
telephone is ready for use and you can op-
erate it using the control system.
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 rec-
o m m e n d t h a t y o u p u l l o v e r t o a s a f e l o c a t i o n
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call. If you choose to use the tele-
phone while driving, please use the
hands-free device and only use the tele-
phone when weather, road and traffic condi-
tions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving a ve-
hicle.
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 sec-
ond.
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, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 131 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

134 Controls in detailManual transmission
Manual transmissionInformation 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 105) for engine speeds.
Shifting into reverse
Stop the vehicle completely.

Pull gearshift lever up and shift in
Rreverse.
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, possi-
bly 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, and lock the ve-
hicle. 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 vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent 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.
Do not exceed the engine speed limits
(page 105).
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.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 134 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

136 Controls in detailAutomatic 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 137).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 until D 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.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 136 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

138 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission*Gear selector lever position
Effect
P
Park position
Selector position when the vehicle is
parked. Only place selector lever in
positionP when vehicle is stopped.
The park position is not intended to
serve as a brake when the vehicle is
parked. Rather, the driver should al-
ways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to placing the selector lever in
positionP to secure the vehicle.
The key can only be removed from
the starter switch with the selector
lever in positionP. With the key re-
moved the selector lever is locked in
positionP.
Effect
R
Reverse gear
Place selector lever in positionR only
when vehicle is stopped.
N
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the en-
gine to the drive axle. When the
brakes are released, the vehicle can
be moved freely (pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the transmission,
never engageN while driving.
If ESP is deactivated or malfunction-
ing:
Only move selector lever toN if the
vehicle is in danger of skidding (e.g.
on icy roads).
D
Drive
The transmission shifts automatical-
ly. All five forward gears are avail-
able.
!Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any
other reason with selector lever inN
can result in transmission damage that
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the selector
lever not fully engaged in positionP is dan-
gerous. Also, positionP alone is not intend-
ed to or capable of preventing your vehicle
from moving, possibly hitting people or ob-
jects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (
page 51).
When parked on an incline, turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 138 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

139 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission*
Program mode selector switch
1Program mode selector switch
S Standard For regular driving
W Winter For winter driving

Press the program mode selector
switch repeatedly until the letter of the
desired shift program appears in the
multifunction display (
page 107).
Select
Wfor winter driving:


The vehicle starts out in second
gear (both forward and reverse) for
gentler starts. This does not apply if
full throttle is applied or gear
range1 is selected.


Traction and driving stability are im-
proved on icy roads.


Upshifts occur earlier even when
you give more gas. The engine then
operates at lower rpms and the
wheels are less likely to spin.


The power transmission ratio for se-
lector lever positionR changes de-
pending on the program mode
selected (
W or
S).
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 move the selector le-
ver from positionP, which could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.
!Never change the program mode when
the selector lever is out of positionP. It
could result in a change of driving char-
acteristics for which you may not be
prepared.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 139 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

151 Controls in detail
Climate control
Opening the air vent
Raise lever1.
Closing the air vent

Lower lever1.Rear passenger compartment
adjustable air vents
1Center air vent, left
2Thumbwheel for air volume control for
center air vents
3Center air vent, rightTo open center air vents:

Turn thumbwheel2 upward.
iThe compartment can get very warm
due to its confined space. When storing
heat sensitive objects in the compart-
ment, close the air vent while heating
the passenger compartment.
iThe temperature at the air vents for
rear passenger compartment1 and3
is the same as at the dashboard center
air vents.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 151 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM