2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE brake

311
Practical hints
Jump starting
The battery is located in the engine com-
partment on the right hand side. The
terminals for jump starting are located in
front of the battery.
Make sure the two vehicles do not
touch.

Turn off the engine.
On both vehicles:

Turn off all electrical consumers.

Apply parking brake.

Shift gear selector lever to position P
(manual transmission to Neutral). 1
Positive terminal of charged battery
2 Positive under hood terminal in front of
discharged battery
3 Negative terminal of charged battery
4 Negative under hood terminal in front
of discharged battery

Connect positive terminal 1 of the
charged battery with positive under
hood terminal 2 in front of the dis-
charged battery with the jumper ca-
bles. Clamp cable to charged
battery 1 first.

Start engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.

Connect negative terminal 3 of the
charged battery with negative under
hood terminal 4 in front of the dis-
charged battery with the jumper ca-
bles. Clamp cable to charged
battery 3 first.

Start the engine of the disabled vehi-
cle.
Now you can turn on the electrical con-
sumers. Do not turn on the lights under
any circumstances.
Warning!
G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery.
Do not smoke.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 242).

313
Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
 Towing the vehicle
Mercedes-Benz recommends that the vehi-
cle be transported with all wheels off the
ground using flatbed or appropriate wheel
lift/dolly equipment. This method is pref-
erable to other types of towing. When circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the vehi-
cle may be towed with all wheels on the
ground or front wheels raised only so far as
necessary to have the vehicle moved to a
safe location where the recommended
towing methods can be employed.
!Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equip-
ment with SmartKey in starter switch
turned to position
0.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
Towing with sling-type equipment over
bumpy roads will damage radiator and
supports.
To prevent damage during transport,
do not tie down vehicle by its chassis or
suspension parts.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 79) and deactivate the auto-
matic central locking (
page 129).
!Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!If the vehicle is towed with the front
axle raised, the engine must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0
or 1). Otherwise, the ESP will immedi-
ately be engaged and will apply the rear
wheel brakes.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, the gear selector lever
must be in position N (manual trans-
mission: gears disengaged) and the
SmartKey must be in starter switch
position 2.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground or the front axle raised,
the vehicle may be towed only for dis-
tances up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a
speed not to exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h).

315
Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, please note the follow-
ing:
With the automatic central locking acti-
vated and the SmartKey in starter
switch position
2, the vehicle doors
lock if the left front wheel as well as the
right rear wheel are turning at vehicle
speeds of approx. 9 mph (15 km/h) or
more.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 79).
To prevent the vehicle doors from lock-
ing, deactivate the automatic central
locking (
page 129).
Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the properly installed tow-
ing eye bolt. Never attach tow cable,
tow rope or tow rod to vehicle chassis,
frame or suspension parts.
iIf the battery is disconnected or dis-
charged

the SmartKey will not turn in the
starter switch. See notes on the
battery (
page 307) or on jump
starting (page 310).


the gear selector lever will remain
locked in position P. See notes on
manual unlocking of gear selector
lever (
page 291).

332 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines. Therefore, use
only engine oils approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Information on approved
products is available in the Factory Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet, or at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Please follow FSS recommendations for
scheduled oil changes. Failure to do so
could result in engine damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
blending oil additives are not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil is used in the air condition-
ing system.Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating oil. Otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere. Under extremely strenu-
ous operating conditions, this moisture
content can lead to the formation of bub-
bles in the system, thus reducing the sys-
tem’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be re-
placed every two years, preferably in the
spring.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center will pro-
vide you with additional information.
!Always check the oil filler cap
(page 240) for important informa-
tion pertaining to the engine oil need-
ing to meet a specific Mercedes-Benz
specification (e.g. MB 229.5). If such
information is printed on the oil filler
cap, only use an engine oil from the list
of approved engine oils in the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet
that meets the specification indicated
on the oil filler cap.
!Using engine oils of other specification
may cause the FSS to incorrectly deter-
mine the next service interval and will
result in engine damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

341
Technical terms
ABS
(A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)
Prevents the wheels from locking up
during braking so that the vehicle can
continue to be steered.
Alignment bolt Metal pin with thread. The centering
pin is an aid used when changing a tire
to align the wheel with the wheel hub.
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system This system detects if a special system
compatible child restraint seat is in-
stalled on the front passenger seat. The
system will automatically deactivate
the passenger front airbag when such a
seat is properly installed (indicator
lamp PASS. AIRBAG OFF in the center
console comes on). See your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for avail-
ability. BabySmart
TM compatible child seats
Special restraint system for children.
The sensor system for the passenger
seat prevents deployment of the pas-
senger front airbag if a BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat is installed.
BAS (B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)
System for potentially reducing braking
distances in emergency braking situa-
tions. The system is activated when it
senses an emergency based on how
fast the brake is applied.
Bi-Xenon headlamps* Headlamps which use an electric arc as
the light source and produce a more in-
tense light than filament headlamps.
Bi-Xenon headlamps produce low
beam and high beam. CAC
(C
ustomer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service cen-
ter, which can help you with any ques-
tions about your vehicle and provide
assistance in the event of a break-
down.
CAN system (C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control ve-
hicle functions such as door locking or
windshield wiping.
Cockpit All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator/warning lamps in the passen-
ger compartment needed for vehicle
operation and monitoring.

344 Technical termsPower trainCollective term designating all compo-
nents used to generate and transmit
motive power to the drive axles, includ-
ing


engine


clutch/torque converter


transmission


transfer case


drive shaft


differential


axle shafts/axles Poly-V-belt drive
Drives engine-components (alternator,
AC compressor, etc.) from the engine.
Program mode selector switch Used to switch the automatic transmis-
sion between standard operation S and
winter operation C.
Remote Vehicle Diagnostics Transmission of vehicle data and cur-
rent location to the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center for sub-
scribers to Tele Aid service.
Restraint systems Seat belts, belt tensioners, airbags and
child restraint systems. As indepen-
dant systems, their protective func-
tions complement one another. RON
(R
esearch O
ctane N
umber)
The Research Octane Number for gaso-
line as determined by a standardized
method. It is an indication of a gaso-
line's ability to resist undesired detona-
tion (knocking). The average of both
the ->MON (Motor Octane Number)
and RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as AN-
TI-KNOCK INDEX.
Shift lock When the vehicle is parked, this lock
prevents the gear selector lever from
being moved out of position P without
SmartKey turned and brake pedal de-
pressed.

348 IndexAir distributionAdjusting 153
Air outlets Rear passenger compartment 158
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure 245
Air recirculation mode 154 Activating 154
Deactivating 155
Air volume Adjusting 153
Airbags 57 BabySmartTM airbag deactivation system 67, 341
Children 58
Front 61
PASS.AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp 67, 263
Passenger 61
Safety guidelines 60
Side impact 61
Window curtain 61
Alarm Audible 72, 79 Canceling 79
Visual 78
Alarm system Anti-theft 78
Alignment bolt 303
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 341
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 337
Antiglare Automatic 146
Antilock brake system (ABS) 341
Anti-theft alarm system Arming 78
Canceling alarm 79
Disarming 79
Anti-theft systems 78 Anti-theft alarm system 78
Immobilizer 78
Tow-away alarm 79
Aquaplaning 227
Armrest Storage compartment in front of 201
Storage spaces 202 Ashtray 203
ATF (automatic transmission fluid) 241
AUDIO menu 114
Selecting radio station 115
Audio system 159 Audio and telephone, operation 159
Button and soft key operation 162
Cassette operation 172
CD operation 175
Operating and display elements 160
Operating safety 159
Operation 162
Radio operation 165
Switching off 162
Switching on 162
Telephone operation 179
Automatic antiglare for rear view mirror 146
Automatic central locking Activating/deactivating (control system) 129

349
Index
Automatic climate control
Deactivating 156
Automatic headlamp mode 99
Automatic lighting control Activating 103
Deactivating 103
Automatic locking when driving 87
Automatic transmission 139 Accelerator position 145
Emergency operation (Limp Home Mode) 145
Fluid level 241
Gear ranges 141
Gear selector lever position 142
Gear shifting malfunctions 145
Kickdown 145
Manual shifting 140
One-touch gearshifting 140
Program mode selector switch 144
Selector lever position 139 Starting with 45
Transmission fluid 241
Winter program mode 144
Auxiliary fuse box 318
B
BabySmartTM Airbag deactivation system 67, 341
Compatible child seats 67, 341
Self-test 68
Backrest Folding forward 198
Folding rearward 198
BAS 74, 341 Messages in display 265
Batteries, SmartKey Changing 290
Check lamp 83
Checking 84
Battery discharged Jump starting 310 Battery, vehicle 242, 307
Charging 308
Disconnecting 308
Messages in display 269
Reconnecting 308
Reinstalling 308
Removing 308
Bi-Xenon headlamps* 341
Bi-Xenon type Front lamp bulbs 296
Block heater 248
Bolts For spare wheel 287
Brake assist system (BAS) 341
Brake fluid 234, 332
Brake lamp bulbs 294
Brake lamp, high mounted 294
Brake pads Message in display 270
Brakes 224