Page 5 of 442

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting Safety Defects ............... 18
Vehicle data recording......................... 19
Information regarding electronic
recording devices........................... 19
At a glance.......................................... 21
Cockpit ................................................. 22
Instrument cluster ................................ 24
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 26
Center console ..................................... 27
Upper part ...................................... 27
Lower part ...................................... 28
Overhead control panel ........................ 29
Door control panel................................ 30
Getting started................................... 31
Unlocking ............................................. 32
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 32
Starter switch positions .................. 33
Adjusting .............................................. 35
Seats .............................................. 35
Steering wheel ................................ 39
Mirrors ............................................ 41
Driving .................................................. 43
Fastening the seat belt ................... 43
Starting the engine ......................... 46
Switching on headlamps ................. 49
Turn signals .................................... 50
Windshield wipers ........................... 51
Problems while driving.................... 53
Parking and locking .............................. 54
Parking brake ................................. 54
Switching off headlamps................. 55
Turning off engine ........................... 56
Page 9 of 442

Contents
Practical hints................................ 301
What to do if … .................................. 302
Lamps in instrument cluster ........ 302
Lamp in center console................ 308
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display .................... 309
Where will I find ...? ........................... 329
First aid kit ................................... 329
Vehicle tool kit ............................. 329
Minispare wheel
(except C 55 AMG)....................... 333
Collapsible tire
(C 55 AMG only)........................... 334
Spare wheel bolts ........................ 336
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 337
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 337
Locking the vehicle ...................... 338
Fuel filler flap ............................... 339
Manually unlocking the
transmission gear selector lever .. 340
Opening/closing in an emergency..... 341
Power tilt/sliding sunroof* .......... 341Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 342
SmartKey ...................................... 343
Replacing bulbs .................................. 344
Bulbs ............................................. 344
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 347
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 351
Replacing wiper blades....................... 352
Removing wiper blades ................. 352
Installing wiper blades .................. 352
Flat tire ............................................... 353
Preparing the vehicle .................... 353
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 353
Battery................................................ 360
Disconnecting the battery............. 361
Removing the battery.................... 361
Charging and reinstalling
the battery .................................... 361
Reconnecting the battery.............. 362Jump starting...................................... 363
Towing the vehicle.............................. 365
Installing towing eye bolt .............. 368
Fuses.................................................. 369
Aids for changing fuses ................ 369
Main fuse box in passenger
compartment ................................ 370
Fuse box in engine
compartment ................................ 370
Fuse box in trunk .......................... 371
Page 23 of 442
21 At a glance
Cockpit
Instrument cluster
Multifunction steering wheel
Center console
Overhead control panel
Door control panel
Page 25 of 442

23 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Steering wheel gearshift
control (C 55 AMG only)
164
2
Cruise control lever
231
3
Multifunction steering
wheel
26,
122
4
Horn
5
Instrument cluster
24,
117
6
Lever for voice control
system*
1, see separate
operating instructions
1Feature description is based on preliminary infor-
mation at time of printing. At time of printing, no
date for availability of voice control had been set.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
details and availability for your vehicle model.7
Overhead control panel
29
Item
Page
8
Glove box lid release
241
9
Glove box lock
241
a
Center console
27
b
Starter switch
33
c
Hood lock release
278
d
Steering wheel adjustment
handle (manual)
40
e
Steering wheel adjustment
stalk (electrical)*
40
f
Parking brake pedal
48, 54
g
Remote trunk lid switch
93
Item
Page
h
Door control panel
30
j
Parking brake release
48
k
Combination switch
Turn signals
50
Windshield wipers
51
High beam
50
l
Exterior lamp switch
49,
109
m
Exterior rear view mirror
adjustment
41,
108
n
Headlamp washer switch*
168
Page 29 of 442
27 At a glance
Center console
Center console
Upper part
Item
Page
1
Seat heating*, driver’s side
105
2
Rear window sunshade
switch*
172
3
ESP control switch
79
4
Hazard warning flasher
switch – switching on/off
114
5
Central locking switch
96
Central unlocking switch
96
6
Switch for folding back
rear seat head restraints
102
7
Tow-away alarm switch*
85
Anti-theft alarm system
indicator lamp*
84
Item
Page
8
Seat heating*, passenger
side
105
9
Front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
70,
308
a
Audio system,
183
orCOMAND* (see separate
operating instructions)
b
Climate control
174
Rear window defroster
173
Page 30 of 442
28 At a glanceCenter consoleLower part
Item
Page
1
Ashtray
245
Cigarette lighter
246
2
Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission*
47,
160
Gearshift lever for manual
transmission
46,
154
3
Cup holders
243
4
Armrest
242
5
Program mode selector
switch for automatic
transmission*
Automatic shift
program
162
Manual shift program
(C 55 AMG only)
165
Page 65 of 442

63 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
When you sell your vehicle we strongly
urge you to give notice to the subsequent
owner that it is equipped with an SRS by
alerting them to the applicable section in
the Operator’s Manual.
Front air bags
1Driver’s air bag
2Passenger front air bagDriver and front passenger air bags are
deployed:
in the event of a frontal impact
if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold
independently of the side impact
air bags
The air bags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s
deployment thresholds. You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belts.
The passenger front air bag will only be
deployed if:
the front passenger seat is occupied
the56 indicator lamp in the
center console is not lit (
page 70)
the impact exceeds a preset
deployment treshold
Do not hang items such as coat hangers
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door. These items may turn into projec-
tiles and cause head and other injuries
when curtain air bag is deployed.
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.
Air bag system components will be hot
after an air bag has inflated. Do not
touch.
In addition, improper repair work on the
SRS creates a risk of rendering the SRS
inoperative or causing unintended
air bag deployment. Work on the SRS
must therefore only be performed by
qualified technicians. Contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
For your protection and the protection
of others, when scrapping the air bag
unit or emergency tensioning device,
our safety instructions must be fol-
lowed. These instructions are available
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Given the considerable deployment
speed and the textile structure of the
air bags, there is the possibility of abra-
sions or other injuries resulting from
air bag deployment.
Page 72 of 442

70 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyBabySmart
TM1
air bag deactivation
system
The56 indicator lamp is located on
the center console.
1Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lampSpecial BabySmart
TM compatible child
seats, designed for use with the
Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center are
required for use with the BabySmart
TM
air bag deactivation system. With the
special child seat properly installed, the
passenger front air bag will not deploy.
The56 indicator lamp will be
illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed or in starter switch position0.Self-test BabySmart
TM without special
child seat installed
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2,
the56indicator lamp comes on
for approximately six seconds and then
goes out.
If the56indicator lamp should not
come on or is continuously lit, the system
is not functioning. You must see an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center before
seating any child on the front passenger
seat.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 308).
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle; even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system. Unsupervised chil-
dren in a child restraint system may use ve-
hicle equipment and may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iThe system does not deactivate the
side impact air bag and the emergency
tensioning device.