Page 68 of 442

66 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyWarning!
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, 
passenger front air bag, side impact 
air bags, head protection window cur-
tain air bags for side windows), ETD 
(seat belt emergency tensioning device), 
and front seat knee bolsters. The sys-
tem is designed to enhance the protec-
tion offered to properly belted 
occupants in certain frontal (front 
air bags and ETD) and side (side impact, 
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 crash, your body would move 
too far forward. That would increase the 
chance of head and neck injuries. The 
belt would also apply too much force to 
the ribs or abdomen, which could se-
verely 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, keys, 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.
Belts should not be worn twisted. In a 
crash, you wouldn’t have the full width 
of the belt to manage impact forces. The 
twisted belt against your body could 
cause injuries.
Pregnant women should also use a 
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion 
should be positioned as low as possible 
on the hips to avoid any possible pres-
sure on the abdomen.
Never place your feet on the instrument 
panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always 
keep both feet on the floor in front of the 
seat. 
     
        
        Page 299 of 442

297 Operation
Vehicle care
Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment, 
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from the intrusion of 
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax, should be applied to the 
engine compartment after every engine 
cleaning. Before applying, all control 
linkage bushings and joints should be 
lubricated. The poly-V-belt and all pulleys 
should be protected from any wax.Vehicle washing
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle 
in direct sunlight. Only use a mild car wash 
detergent, such as Mercedes-Benz 
approved Car Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water. Direct only a very weak 
spray towards the ventilation intake. Use 
plenty of water and rinse the sponge and 
chamois frequently.
Rinse with clear water and thoroughly dry 
with a chamois. Do not allow cleaning 
agents to dry on the finish.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in 
exterior rear view mirrors prior to running 
the vehicle through an automatic car wash 
to prevent damage to the mirrors.
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces 
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the underbody, do not 
forget to clean the inner sides of the 
wheels.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of very dirty 
chrome-plated parts, use a chrome 
cleaner.
Headlamps, tail lamps, side markers, 
turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as 
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo, 
with plenty of water.
To prevent scratches, never apply strong 
force and only use a soft, non-scratchy 
cloth when cleaning the lenses. Do not 
attempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry 
cloth or sponge. 
     
        
        Page 387 of 442
385 Technical data
Main dimensions
Main dimensions
Model
C 230 Kompressor
C240
C 240 4MATIC
C320
C 320 4MATIC
C230KompressorSport
C 320 Sport
C55AMG
Overall vehicle length
178.4 in (4 531 mm)
178.4 in (4 531 mm)
181.8 in (4 617 mm)
Overall vehicle width
68.0 in (1 728 mm)
68.0 in (1 728 mm)
68.7 in (1 744 mm)
Overall vehicle height
56.3 in (1 429 mm)
55.6 in (1 413 mm)
55.6 in (1 412 mm)
Wheelbase
106.9 in (2 715 mm)
106.9 in (2 715 mm)
106.9 in (2 715 mm)
Track, front
59.3 in (1 505 mm)
59.3in (1505mm)
59.3 in (1 507 mm)
Track, rear
58.1 in (1 476 mm)
58.1 in (1 476 mm)
58.0 in (1 474 mm) 
     
        
        Page 399 of 442

397 Technical data
Consumer information
Consumer information
The following text is published as required 
of all manufacturers of passenger cars 
under Title 49, Code of U.S. Federal 
Regulations, Part 575 pursuant to the 
“National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety 
Act of 1966”.Uniform tire quality grading
Quality grades can be found, where 
applicable, on the tire sidewall between 
tread shoulder and maximum section 
width. For example:
All passenger car tires must conform to 
federal safety requirements in addition to 
these grades.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative 
rating based on the wear rate of the tire 
when tested under controlled conditions 
on a specified government test course. For 
example, a tire graded 150 would wear 
one and one-half (1
1/2) times as well on 
the government course as a tire 
graded 100. The relative performance of 
tires depends upon the actual conditions 
of their use, however, and may depart 
significantly from the norm due to varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices 
and differences in road characteristics and 
climate.Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest 
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades 
represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet 
pavement as measured under controlled 
conditions on specified government test 
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire 
marked C may have poor traction 
performance.
Treadwear
Traction
Temperature
200
AA
A
Warning!
G
The traction grade assigned to this tire is 
based on straight ahead braking traction 
tests, and does not include acceleration, 
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction 
characteristics.