2005 MERCEDES-BENZ C COUPE brake light

283 Operation
Driving instructions
Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid
abrupt acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
move gear selector lever to positionN or,
in case of manual transmission declutch.
Try to keep the vehicle under control by
corrective steering action.Road salts and chemicals can adversely
affect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce
the normal braking effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn
roads can bring road-salt-impaired braking
efficiency back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible
after driving is resumed.
For more information on winter driving, see
“Winter driving” (
page 328).
iFor information on driving with snow
chains, see “Snow chains”
(page 329).
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.
Warning!
G
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking
maneuvers.
Warning!
G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe
and from around the vehicle with the engine
running. Otherwise, deadly carbon monox-
ide (CO) gases may enter vehicle interior
resulting in unconsciousness and death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the
vehicle not facing the wind.Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice.

290 OperationAt the gas stationCheck regularly and before a long trip
1Coolant level
2Brake fluid (fuse box cover removed)
3Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*Brake fluid
Remove fuse box cover before checking
brake fluid (
page 410).
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (page 292).
Opening hood, see (
page 291).Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information on
coolant, see “Coolant level” (
page 296)
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For infor-
mation on replacing light bulbs, see “Re-
placing bulbs” (
page 384).
Exterior lamp switch, see (
page 110).
Tire inflation pressure
For information on tire inflation pressure,
see “Checking tire inflation pressure”
(
page 311).
Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
For more information on filling up the
washer reservoir, see “Windshield washer
system and headlamp cleaning system*”
(page 299).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks immediately. Noti-
fy an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately. Do not add brake fluid as
this will not solve the problem. For
more information, see “Practical Hints”
(page 341).

386 Practical hintsReplacing bulbs
Notes on bulb replacement

Use only 12-volt bulbs of the same type
and with the specified watt rating.


Switch lights off before replacing a bulb
to prevent short circuits.


Always use a clean lint-free cloth when
handling bulbs.


Your hands should be dry and free of oil
and grease.


If the newly installed bulb does not
come on, visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have the LEDs and bulbs for the following
lamps replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


Additional turn signals in the exterior
rear view mirrors


High mounted brake lamp


Xenon* lamps


Front fog lamps
Replacing bulbs for front lamps
Before you start to replace a bulb for a
front lamp, do the following first:
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionM (
page 110).

Open the hood (
page 291) (except
for side marker lamps).
Halogen headlamps
Left headlamp, mirror-image of right
headlamp1Housing cover for low beam headlamp
2Housing cover for high beam head-
lamp, parking and standing lamp
Warning!
G
Bulbs and bulb sockets can be very hot. Al-
low the lamp to cool down before changing
a bulb.
Keep bulbs out of reach of children.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas.
A bulb can explode if you

touch or move it when hot


drop the bulb


scratch the bulb
Wear eye and hand protection.
Because of high voltage in Xenon lamps, it is
dangerous to replace the bulb or repair the
lamp and its components. We recommend
that you have such work done by a qualified
technician.

405 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 positionP
(manual transmission to Neutral).1Positive terminal of charged battery
2Positive under hood terminal in front of
discharged battery
3Negative terminal of charged battery
4Negative under hood terminal in front
of discharged battery

Connect positive terminal1 of the
charged battery with positive under
hood terminal2 in front of the dis-
charged battery with the jumper ca-
bles. Clamp cable to charged
battery1 first.

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

Connect negative terminal3 of the
charged battery with negative under
hood terminal4 in front of the dis-
charged battery with the jumper
cables. Clamp cable to charged
battery3 first.

Start the engine of the disabled
vehicle.
Now you can turn on the electrical con-
sumers. Do not turn on the lights under
any circumstances.

Remove the jumper cables first from
negative terminals4 and3 and then
from positive terminals2 and1.
You can now turn on the lights.

Have the battery checked at the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!
G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery.
Do not smoke.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 297).
!Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Do not tow-start the vehicle.

437 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.
Accessory weight
(
page 323)
Air pressure
(page 323)
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.
Aspect ratio
(page 323)
Bar
(page 323)
BAS
(Brake 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.Bead
(
page 323)
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
(Customer 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.
Cold tire inflation pressure
(
page 323)
Collapsible tire
An especially compact spare tire that
must be inflated with a provided air
pump before using. It should only be
used to bring the vehicle to the nearest
service station.
COMAND*
(Cockpit M
anagement and D
ata Sys-
tem)
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio and navi-
gation system, as well as other optional
equipment (CD changer, telephone,
etc.).

446 IndexBolts
For spare wheel 376
Brake
Indicator lamp 25
Brake assist system (BAS) 437
Brake fluid 290, 428
Checking 290
Message in display 358
Brake lamp bulbs 385
Brake pads
Message in display 358
Brakes 278
Warning lamp 341
Break-in period 276
Bulbs, replacing 384
Additional turn signals 385
Brake lamps 385
Fog lamps 385
Front lamps 385
High beam 385
High beam flasher 385
License plate lamps 385, 392
Low beam 385
Parking lamps 385, 388, 390
Rear fog lamp 385, 390
Rear lamps 385Side marker lamp 391
Side marker lamps 385, 390
Standing lamps 385, 388, 390
Tail lamp assemblies 385
Tail lamp unit 390
Turn signal lamps 385
Button
Audio system 198
C
CAC (Customer Assistance Center) 437
Calling up
Range (distance to empty) 152
Service indicator 331
CAN system 437
Capacities
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. 426
Cargo compartment
Lighting 118
Tie-down rings 253
Cargo tie-down rings 253
Catalytic converter 285
CD changer* 213
CD changer* operation 215
CD player
Operating 131
CD* operation 213Center console 27
Front passenger front air bag off indica-
tor lamp 27, 76, 345
Lower part 28
Upper part 27
Centigrade
Setting temperature units 137
Central locking
Automatic 97
From inside 98
Switch 98
Switching on/off (control
system) 148
Unlocking from inside 98
Central locking switch 98
Changing
CDs 213
Key setting 148
Charcoal filter 191
Activating 191
Deactivating 192
Charging
Vehicle battery 402
CHECK ENGINE malfunction indicator
lamp 342

447 Index
Checking
Brake fluid 290
Coolant level 290, 296, 359
Headlamp cleaning fluid 290
Oil level 290, 292
Tire inflate pressure 290
Vehicle lighting 290
Windshield washer fluid 290
Child safety 70
Air bags 62
Front passenger front air bag off indica-
tor lamp 27, 76, 345
Infant and child restraint systems 66,
70
LATCH child seat anchors 78
OCS 73
Child seat anchors see LATCH child seat
anchors
Cigarette lighter 259
Cleaning
Cup holders 337
Gear selector lever 337
Hard plastic trim items 337
Headlamps 167
Headliner 337
Instrument cluster 337Leather upholstery 338
Light alloy wheels 336
MB Tex upholstery 338
Plastic and rubber parts 338
Seat belts 337
Steering wheel 337
Upholstery 338
Windows 336
Windshield 54
Wiper blades 336
Wood trims 338
Cleaning tires 302
Climate control 172
Adjusting air distribution and
volume 176
Defogging windshield 176
Defrosting 177
Rear window defroster 170
Setting the temperature 175
Clock 25, 139
Closing
Ashtray, center console 258
Cup holder 257
Glove box 254
Hood 292
Luggage compartment 95Panorama roof with power tilt/sliding
panel* in an emergency 381
Panorama roof with power tilt/sliding
panel* with SmartKey 244
Storage compartment, armrest 255
Trunk lid 95
Windows 238
Windows with SmartKey 239
Cockpit 22, 437
Cockpit management and data system
(COMAND*) 437
Cold tire inflation pressure 323
Collapsible tire 437
Collapsible wheel chock 375
COMAND* see separate operating
instructions 437
Combination switch 114
Turn signals 52
Windshield wipers 53
Comfort driving
Transmission program mode 164
Control and operation of radio
transmitters 284

454 IndexInstrument cluster 24, 119, 439
Cleaning 337
Coolant temperature display 120
Illumination 119
Lamps in 343–344
Multifunction display 123
Outside temperature indicator 121
Selecting language 138
Instrument lighting 119
Instruments and controls see Cockpit
Interior lighting 117
Activating automatic control 117
Deactivating automatic control 117
Delayed shut-off (Control
system) 147
Manual operation 118
Interior rear view mirror
Adjusting 42
Antiglare (manual) 167
Interior storage spaces
Armrest 255
Cup holders 256
Intermittent wiping 54J
Jack 373
Jump starting 404
K
Key dependency memory
Settings 149
Key positions in starter switch 33
Key, mechanical 377
Key, SmartKey
Battery check lamp 92
Checking the batteries 93
Factory setting 92
Global locking 92
Global unlocking 92
Loss of 94
Messages in display 365
Positions in starter switch 33
Remote control 90
Restoring to factory setting 93
Selective setting 92
Starting the engine 48, 49
Unlocking with 32
Kickdown 165, 439
Kilometers/miles in speedometer 137
Kilopascal 324
Km/h or mph in speedometer 137L
Labels, identification 416
Lamp bulbs, exterior 384
Lamps, exterior
Front 385
Light sensor 367
Messages in display 366–370
Rear 385
Lamps, indicator and warning
ABS 340
Air bag Off 66
Battery (SmartKey) 92
Brake 25
Brakes 341
CHECK ENGINE 342
Engine diagnostics 342, 344
ESP 343
Fuel reserve 344
Instrument cluster 343–344
Low beam 25
Seat belts 344
Service indicator 330
SRS 61, 344
Language
Multifunction display 138
Setting 138