2005 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE brake

48 Getting startedDrivingStarting the engineManual transmission
Gearshift pattern for manual transmissionFor more information, see “Manual trans-
mission” (
page 157).Starting

Depress brake pedal.

Make sure the gearshift lever is in neu-
tral position (no gear selected).

Fully depress clutch pedal.
Otherwise the engine cannot be start-
ed due to the integrated safety inter-
lock.

Do not depress accelerator.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position
3 and hold until the engine
starts (
page 33).
For information on turning off the engine,
see “Turning off the engine” (
page 58).
Warning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and lead to death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as garage) which are not properly ven-
tilated. If you think that exhaust gas fumes
are entering the vehicle while driving, have
the cause determined and corrected imme-
diately. If you must drive under these condi-
tions, drive only with at least one window
fully open.

49
Getting started
Driving
Automatic transmission*Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmissionP
Park position with gear selector lever
lock
R Reverse gear
N Neutral
D Drive position
For more information, see “Automatic
transmission*” (
page 159). Starting

Make sure the gear selector lever is set
to
P.

Do not depress accelerator.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position 3 and hold until the engine
starts (
page 33).

Depress brake pedal.
The selector lever lock is released.
For information on turning off the engine
with the SmartKey, see “Turning off the en-
gine” (
page 58). Starting difficulties
If the engine does not start as described,
carry out the following steps:

Turn SmartKey in starter to position
0
and repeat starting procedure.
Remember that extended starting
attempts can drain the battery.

Get a jump start (
page 404).
If the engine does not start after several
starting attempts, there could be a mal-
function in the engine electronics or in the
fuel supply system.

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
iYou can also use the “touch-start”
function. Turn the SmartKey to
position 3 and release it again immedi-
ately. The engine then starts automati-
cally.

50 Getting startedDrivingParking brake 1 Release handle
2 Parking brake

Release the parking brake by pulling on
handle 1.
The indicator lamp ; (USA only) or
3 (Canada only) in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Driving

Depress brake pedal.

Move gear selector lever to position D
or R (manual transmission: first or re-
verse gear).

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
Once the vehicle is in motion, the auto-
matic central locking system engages
and the locking knobs drop down.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey 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 release the parking brake, which
could result in an accident and/or serious
injury.
iVehicles with automatic transmission*:
Wait for the gear selection process to
complete before setting the vehicle in
motion.
iYou can open a locked door from the
inside. Open doors only when condi-
tions are safe to do so.
You can deactivate the automatic lock-
ing using the control system
(page 148).
!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and applying the brake re-
duces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear.!If you hear a warning signal when driv-
ing off, you have forgotten to release
the parking brake.
Release the parking brake.

51
Getting started
Driving
After a cold start, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts at a higher engine revolution.
This allows the catalytic converter to reach
its operating temperature earlier.
For more information on driving, see “Driv-
ing instructions” (
page 277).
Switching on headlamps
For more information on headlamps, see
“Lighting” (
page 110).
Low beam headlamps
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.
Exterior lamp switch1 Off
2 Low beam headlamps on
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.!Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
Place the gear selector lever in
position P or R only when the vehicle is
stopped in order to avoid damaging the
transmission.
!Do not run cold engine at high engine
speeds. Running a cold engine at high
speeds may shorten the service life of
the engine.Warning!
G
Vehicles with automatic transmission*: It is
dangerous to shift the gear selector lever
out of P or N if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on
the brake pedal, the vehicle could acceler-
ate quickly forward or in reverse. You could
lose control of the vehicle and hit someone
or something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.

56 Getting startedParking and lockingYou have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.
Parking brake1 Release handle
2 Parking brake
Step firmly on parking brake 2.
When the engine is running, the indica-
tor lamp ; (USA only) or 3
(Canada only) in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated.
Warning!
G
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Wait until the vehicle is stationary before
removing the SmartKey from the starter
switch. The vehicle cannot be steered when
the SmartKey is removed.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
system. 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.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the gear selector lever to
position P (manual transmission: first or
reverse gear).


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards road curb.


Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position 0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.


Take the SmartKey with you and lock
the vehicle when leaving.

57
Getting started
Parking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
M
(page 51).
For more information on headlamps, see
“Lighting” (
page 110).
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear
selector lever not fully engaged in position P
(manual transmission: first or reverse gear)
is dangerous. Also, when parked on an
incline, position P (manual transmission:
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
shifting to position P (manual transmission:
first or reverse gear).
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey 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 release the parking brake and/or
move the gear selector lever from position P
(manual transmission: into neutral), either of
which could result in an accident and/or se-
rious injury.

58 Getting startedParking and lockingTurning off the engine 
Place the gear selector lever in
positionP (manual transmission: first
or reverse gear).

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position 0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.
The immobilizer is activated.

Press the seat belt release button
(page 44).
Allow the retractor to completely
rewind the seat belt by guiding the
latch plate.

After exiting the vehicle, press the lock
button ‹ on the SmartKey
(page 32).
With the hood, trunk and all doors
closed, all turn signal lamps flash three
times. The locking knobs in the doors
move down. The anti-theft alarm sys-
tem* is armed.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 90).
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to position P (manual
transmission: first or reverse gear).
On slopes, turn the front wheels to-
wards the road curb.iVehicles with automatic transmission*:
The SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in position P.
iWith the SmartKey removed and the
driver’s door open, a warning sounds if
the vehicle’s exterior lamps are not
switched off.Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, make sure there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey 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. Unsuper-
vised use of vehicle equipment may cause
an accident and/or serious personal injury.

81
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)
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (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. On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even to light brake pressure.
The
- indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 24) comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
Braking
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 experiencing the pul-
sation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving.
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
The ABS, BAS and ESP cannot reduce this
risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
iIn winter operation, the maximum ef-
fectiveness of the ABS and ESP is only
achieved with winter tires (M + S tires),
or snow chains as required.Warning!
G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.