2005 MERCEDES-BENZ C320 parking brake

303 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and
you hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the
parking brake set.

Release the parking brake
(page 48).
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid
in the reservoir.

Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Don’t add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You can be seriously burned.
!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.

304 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.
There is a malfunction in:

The fuel management
system


The ignition system


The emission control
system


Systems which affect
emissions
Such malfunctions may result
in excessive emissions values
and may switch the engine to
its limp-home (emergency
operation) mode.

Have the vehicle checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is
used by the service station to link the
vehicle to the shop diagnostics sys-
tem. It allows the accurate identifica-
tion of system malfunctions through
the readout of diagnostic trouble
codes. It is located in the front left
area of the footwell next to the
parking brake pedal.

315 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
;
(USA only)
!
(Canada only)
Parking brake
Release brake.
You are driving with the parking brake
set.

Release the parking brake
(page 48).
2
Brake wear
Visit workshop.
The brake pads have reached their wear
limit.

Have the brake pads replaced as soon
as possible.
3
Brake fluid
Visit workshop.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the
reservoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle and
notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Do not add brake fluid! This
will not solve the problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with this message displayed can
result in an accident. Have your brake
system checked immediately. Do not add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You can be seriously burned.
!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.
!Brake pad thickness must be visually
checked by a qualified technician at the
intervals specified in the Maintenance
booklet.

331 Practical hints
Where will I find ...?
1Vehicle jack
2Collapsible wheel chock and spare
wheel bolts
3Towing eye bolt
4Alignment bolt
5Wheel wrench
6Spare fuses and valve extractor
7Electric air pumpVehicle jackThe vehicle jack is located in the storage
compartment underneath the trunk floor.
Storage position
Remove vehicle jack from its
compartment.

Push crank handle up.
Warning!
G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets
built into both sides of the vehicle. To help
avoid personal injury, use the jack only to lift
the vehicle during a wheel change. Never
get beneath the vehicle while it is supported
by the jack. Keep hands and feet away from
the area under the lifted vehicle. Always
firmly set parking brake and block wheels
before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage parking brake while the
vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is
always vertical (plumb line) when in use,
especially on hills. Always try to use the jack
on level surface. Make sure the jack arm is
fully seated in the jack take-up bracket.
Always lower the vehicle onto sufficient
capacity jackstands before working under
the vehicle.

345 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Front lamps Rear lamps
Lamp
Type
1
Additional turn signal
lamp
LED
2
Halogen headlamp:
Turn signal lamp
Bi-Xenon* headlamp:
Turn signal lamp
1156 A
2357 A
3
Halogen headlamp:
Low beam
Bi-Xenon* headlamp:
Low and high beam
1
1Vehicles with Bi-Xenon* headlamps: Low beam
and high beam use the same D2S-35W lamp. Do
not replace the Xenon bulbs yourself. See an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
H7 (55 W)
D2S-35 W
Lamp
Type
4
Halogen headlamp:
High beam/high beam
flasher
Bi-Xenon* headlamp:
High beam flasher
H7 (55 W)
H7 (55 W)
Parking and standing
lamp
W5W
5
Front fog lamp
HB4/9006
(55 W)
6
Side marker lamp
W5W
Lamp
Type
7
High mounted brake
lamp
LED
8
Brake lamp
P21W
9
Turn signal lamp
PY 21 W
a
Parking and side
marker lamp
P 21/5 W
b
Backup lamp
P21W
c
License plate lamps
C5W
d
Rear fog lamp (driver’s
side only), tail and
standing lamp
P 21/4 W

351 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps
Before you start to replace a bulb for a rear
lamp, do the following first:
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionM (
page 109).

Open the trunk lid (
page 92).
Tail lamp unit
1Latch

Fold the corresponding trim panel to
the side.

Turn latch1 to vertical position and
remove the bulb carrier.
Bulb carrier2Brake lamp bulb
3Backup lamp bulb
4Rear fog lamp (driver’s side only),
tail and standing lamp bulb
5Parking and side marker lamp bulb
6Turn signal lamp bulb
Press gently onto the respective bulb
and turn counterclockwise out of its
bulb socket.

Press the new bulb gently into its bulb
socket and turn clockwise until it
engages.

Reinstall the bulb carrier and lock it
again with latch1.

Reinstall the trim panel.
License plate lamp
1Screw

Loosen both screws1.

Remove the license plate lamp.

Replace the bulb.

Reinstall the license plate lamp.

Retighten screws1.

353 Practical hints
Flat tire
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.

Turn on the hazard warning flasher
(page 114).

Turn the steering wheel so that the
front wheels are in a straight ahead
position.

Set the parking brake (
page 54).

Move the gear selector lever toP
(manual transmission to first or reverse
gear).

Turn off the engine (
page 56).

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Mounting the spare wheel
Preparing the vehicle
Prepare the vehicle as described
(page 353).
Vehicles with Minispare wheel:

Take the wheel wrench, the wheel
bolts, and the jack out of the trunk
(page 329).

Take the Minispare wheel out of the
trunk (
page 333).
Vehicles with collapsible tire
(C 55 AMG only):

Take the collapsible tire, wheel wrench,
wheel bolts, jack, and electric air pump
out of the trunk (
page 330).
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the spare wheel
(Minispare or collapsible tire) are different
from those of the road wheels. As a result,
the vehicle handling characteristics change
when driving with a spare wheel mounted.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
The spare wheel is for temporary use only.
When driving with spare wheel mounted,
ensure proper tire pressure and do not ex-
ceed a vehicle speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
Drive to the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible to have the spare wheel
replaced with a regular road wheel.
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
iOpen doors only when conditions are
safe to do so.

354 Practical hintsFlat tireLifting the vehicle
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
or other sizable objects.
One wheel chock is included with the
vehicle tool kit (
page 329).
When changing wheel on a level surface:

Place the wheel chock in front of and
another sizable object behind the
wheel that is diagonally opposite to the
wheel being changed.
When changing wheel on a hill:

Place the wheel chock and another
sizable object on the downhill side
blocking both wheels of the other axle.

On wheel to be changed, loosen but do
not yet remove the wheel bolts
(approximately one full turn with
wrench).
Warning!
G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets
built into both sides of the vehicle. To help
avoid personal injury, use the jack only to lift
the vehicle during a wheel change. Never
get beneath the vehicle while it is supported
by the jack. Keep hands and feet away from
the area under the lifted vehicle. Always
firmly set parking brake and block wheels
before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage parking brake while the
vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is
always vertical (plumb line) when in use,
especially on hills. Always try to use the jack
on level surface. Make sure the jack arm is
fully seated in the jack take-up bracket. Al-
ways lower the vehicle onto sufficient ca-
pacity jackstands before working under the
vehicle.