2005 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE window

Contents
Manual transmission ......................... 157Shifting into reverse ..................... 158
Automatic transmission* ................... 159 One-touch gearshifting................. 160
Gear ranges ................................. 161
Gear selector lever position ......... 162
Automatic shift program .............. 164
Driving tips ................................... 165
Emergency operation
(Limp Home Mode) ...................... 166
Good visibility .................................... 167 Headlamp cleaning system* ........ 167
Rear view mirrors ......................... 167
Sun visors .................................... 169
Rear window defroster ................. 170
Climate control .................................. 172 Deactivating the climate control
system ......................................... 175
Setting the temperature ............... 175
Adjusting air distribution and
volume ......................................... 176
Defrosting .................................... 177
Air recirculation mode.................. 177
Air conditioning ............................ 179
Rear passenger compartment
adjustable air vents...................... 180 Automatic climate control* ................ 182
Deactivating the automatic
climate control system ................. 185
Setting the temperature................ 185
Adjusting air distribution............... 186
Adjusting air volume ..................... 187
Defrosting ..................................... 188
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL ........ 188
Air recirculation mode .................. 189
Charcoal filter ............................... 191
Air conditioning............................. 192
Residual heat and ventilation
(available on automatic climate
control panel design A only).......... 193
Rear passenger compartment
adjustable air vents....................... 194 Audio system...................................... 195
Audio and telephone, operation .... 195
Operating safety ........................... 195
Operating and display elements ... 196
Button and soft key operation ...... 198
Operation...................................... 198
Radio operation ............................ 203
Introduction to satellite radio*
(USA only) ..................................... 208
CD mode....................................... 213
GSM network phones ................... 220
TDMA or CDMA network phones .. 227
Emergency calls “911” ................. 234
Power windows .................................. 237 Opening and closing the windows 237
Synchronizing power windows ...... 240

30 At a glanceDoor control panel
Item
Page
1
Door handle
94
2
Memory function* (for
storing seat, exterior rear
view mirror and steering
wheel settings)
107
3
Seat adjustment*
38
4
Switches for opening/clos-
ing door windows
237

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.

61
Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Air bags
Warning!
G
In the event that the 1
indicator lamp
comes on during driving or does not come
on at all, the SRS self-check has detected a
malfunction. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may
not deploy when needed in an accident,
which could result in serious or fatal injury,
or it might deploy un expectedly and unnec-
essarily which could also result in injury.
In addition, improper work on the SRS
creates a risk of rendering the SRS inopera-
tive or causing unintended air bag deploy-
ment. Work on the SRS must therefore only
be performed by qualified technicians. Con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system
to accommodate a person with disabilities,
contact your local authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call our Customer
Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) for details.
Warning!
G
Air bags are designed to reduce the poten-
tial of injury and fatality in certain frontal im-
pacts (front air bags) or side impacts (side
impact air bags and head protection window
curtain air bags). However, no system avail-
able today can totally eliminate injuries and
fatalities.
The deployment of the air bags temporarily
releases a small amount of dust from the air
bags. This dust, however, is neither injurious
to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in
the vehicle. The dust might cause some tem-
porary breathing difficulty for people with
asthma 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 air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.

63
Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!
G
Accident research shows that the safest
place for children in an automobile is in the
rear seat.
It should be noted that with respect to both
front and rear side impact air bags there is a
possibility for a side impact air bag related
injury if occupants, especially children, are
not properly seated or restrained when next
to a side impact air bag which needs to de-
ploy rapidly in a side impact in order to do its
job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their
heads in the area of the door where the
side impact air bag inflates. This could
result in serious injuries or death should
the side impact air bag be deployed.
(2) Always sit nearly upright, properly use the seat belts and for children 12 years
old and under, use an appropriately
sized infant or toddler restraint or boost-
er seat recommended for the size and
weight of the child.
(3) Always wear seat belts properly.
If you believe that, even with the use of
these guidelines, it would be safer for your
rear seat occupants to have the rear mount-
ed side impact air bags deactivated, then
deactivation can be accomplished upon
your written request to do so at your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center at an additional
cost.
Please contact your local authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call our Customer
Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) for details.
iAir bags are designed to deploy only in
certain frontal impacts (front air bags)
and in side impacts (side impact and
head protection window curtain air
bags) which exceed preset thresholds.
Only during these events will they
provide their supplemental protection.
The driver and passengers should
always wear their seat belts. Otherwise
it is not possible for air bags to provide
their supplemental protection.
In case of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, air bags will not deploy. The
driver and passenger will then be
protected to the extent possible by a
properly fastened seat belt. A properly
fastened seat belt is also needed to
provide the best possible protection in
a rollover.
We caution you not to rely on the pres-
ence of the air bags in order to avoid
wearing your seat belt.

66 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyThe air bags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protect-
ed by the fastened seat belts.
The passenger front air bag will only be
deployed if:

the system, based on OCS weight sen-
sor readings, senses that the front pas-
senger seat is occupied


the 56 indicator lamp in the
center console is not lit (
page 76)


the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment threshold Side impact air bags, window curtain
air bags
1 Window curtain air bag
2 Side impact air bags
The side impact air bags and window cur-
tain air bags are deployed:


on the impacted side of the vehicle


in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold


independently of the front air bags
The side impact air bags and window cur-
tain air bags are not deployed in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment threshold. The front passenger side impact air bag
will only deploy if the system senses that
the front passenger seat is occupied.
Seat belts
When the engine is started, the seat belt
telltale
< illuminates to remind you and
your passengers to fasten your seat belts.
If the driver’s seat belt is not fastened
before the engine is started, the seat belt
telltale < illuminates and a warning
chime sounds for approximately six
seconds when the engine is started.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in all
50 states, the District of Columbia, the
U.S. territories and all Canadian provinces.
Even where this is not the case, all vehicle
occupants should have their seat belts fas-
tened whenever the vehicle is in motion.
For more information, see “Fastening the
seat belt” (
page 44).

68 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyWarning!
G
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced
and their anchoring points must also be
checked.
Only use seat belts which have been
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat
belts. This can lead to unintended activation
of the ETDs or to failure.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Have all work carried out only by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY

Seat belts can only work when used
properly. Never wear seat belts in any
other way than as described in this sec-
tion, as that could result in serious inju-
ries in case of an accident.


Each occupant should wear their seat
belt at all times, because seat belts help
reduce the likelihood of and potential
severity of injuries in accidents, includ-
ing rollovers. The integrated restraint
system includes SRS (driver air bag, pas-
senger front air bag, side impact air
bags, head protection window curtain
air bags for side windows), ETD (seat
belt emergency tensioning device), and
front seat knee bolsters.
The system is designed to enhance the
protection offered to properly belted
occupants in certain frontal (front air
bags and ETD) and side (side impact and
window curtain air bags and ETD) im-
pacts which exceed preset deployment
thresholds.


Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, against your neck or off your shoul-
der. In a frontal crash, your body would
move too far forward. That would in-
crease the chance of head and neck
injuries. The belt would also apply too
much force to the ribs or abdomen,
which could severely injure internal
organs such as your liver or spleen.


Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eyeglasses, pens, SmartKeys etc., as
these might cause injuries.


Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips and not across the abdo-
men. If the belt is positioned across your
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries
in a crash.


Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat
belt around a person and another per-
son or other objects.

73
Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Occupant Classification System
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
automatically turns the front passenger
front air bag on or off based on the classi-
fied occupant weight category determined
by weight sensor readings from the front
passenger seat.
Occupants must sit properly belted in a
nearly upright position with their back
against the seat backrest and feet on the
floor to be correctly classified. If the occu-
pant's weight is transferred to another
object in the vehicle (e.g. by leaning on
armrests), the OCS may not be able to
properly approximate the occupant’s
weight category.
Both driver and the front passenger should
always use the 56
indicator lamp
as an indication of whether or not the front
passenger is properly positioned.
iThe system does not deactivate the
front passenger side impact air bag,
the window curtain air bag and the
emergency tensioning device.
iIf your seat, including your trim cover
and cushion needs to be serviced in
any way, take the vehicle to your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only seat accessories approved by
Mercedes-Benz may be used. Warning!
G
If the 56 indicator lamp illuminates
when an adult or someone larger than a
small individual is in the front passenger
seat, have the front passenger re-position
himself or herself in the seat until the
56 indicator lamp goes out.
More information about air bag display mes-
sages (
page 349).
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow front passenger front air
bag deployment when the OCS classified
the front passenger seat occupant as being
up to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child re-
straint or if the front passenger seat is
sensed as being empty.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat occupant is classified as being up
to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child re-
straint, the 56 indicator lamp will il-
luminate when the engine is started and
remain illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat is classified as being empty, the
56 indicator lamp will illuminate
when the engine is started and remain illu-
minated, indicating that the front passenger
front air bag is deactivated.