2006 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 door lock

341 Operation
Vehicle care
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external
influences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the under-
body and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by
extreme and varying climatic conditions,
but also by:


Air pollution


Road salt


Tar


Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should
immediately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


Bird droppings


Insects


Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:


near the ocean


in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)


during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
Any damage should be repaired as soon as
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others
applied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.
Always lock away cleaning products and
keep them out of reach of children.

389 Practical hints
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Unlocking the vehicle
If you are unable to unlock the vehicle with
the SmartKey, open the driver’s door and
the trunk using the mechanical key. Removing the mechanical key
1Mechanical key locking tab
2Mechanical key

Move locking tab1 in direction of
arrow.

Slide mechanical key2 out of the
housing.Unlocking the driver’s door
1Unlocking

Insert the mechanical key into the
driver’s door lock until it stops.

Turn the mechanical key counterclock-
wise to position1.
The driver’s door is unlocked.
iUnlocking and opening the driver’s
door and/or the trunk with the
mechanical key will trigger the
anti-theft alarm system*.
To cancel the alarm, do one of the
following:

Press buttonŒ or‹ on the
SmartKey.


Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.

390 Practical hintsUnlocking/locking in an emergencyUnlocking and opening the trunk
A minimum height clearance of 5.71 ft
(1.74 m) is required to open the trunk lid.
The trunk lid lock is located next to the
handle above the rear license plate recess.
1Unlocking in an emergency
2Handle

Insert the mechanical key into the
trunk lid lock until it stops.

Turn the mechanical key
counterclockwise to position1.
The trunk lid unlocks.

Pull on handle2.
The trunk opens.

Turn the mechanical key back and
remove it from the trunk lid lock.
Locking the vehicle
If you can not lock the vehicle with the
SmartKey, do the following:
Close the passenger door, the rear
doors and the trunk.

Press the central locking switch in the
center console (
page 107).

Check to see whether the locking
knobs on the doors have moved down.

If necessary push them down manually.

Remove the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (
page 389).

Check whether the trunk is locked.

If necessary, lock the trunk with the
mechanical key (
page 106).
Except for the driver’s door, the vehicle
should now be locked.
!The trunk lid swings open upwards
automatically. Always make sure there
is sufficient overhead clearance.

391 Practical hints
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
1Locking
Insert the mechanical key into the
driver’s door lock until it stops.

Turn the mechanical key clockwise to
position1.
The driver’s door is locked.
Fuel filler flap
In case the central locking system does
not release the fuel filler flap, you can open
it manually.
The release button is on the right-hand
side of the luggage compartment behind
the side trim.1Side trim
2Release button

Open the trunk.

Remove the side trim1 from the
right-hand side of the luggage compart-
ment.

Turn release button2 clockwise as far
as will go.
The fuel filler flap is released.

Open the fuel filler flap from outside.
Warning!
G
If you operate the emergency release but-
ton, be careful of the sharp edges so that
you do not injure yourself.

419 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, please note the
following:
With the automatic central locking
activated and the SmartKey in starter
switch position2, the vehicle doors
lock if the left front wheel as well as the
right rear wheel are turning at vehicle
speeds of approx. 9 mph (15 km/h) or
more.
Switch off the tow-away alarm*
(page 95).
To prevent the vehicle doors from
locking, deactivate the automatic
central locking (
page 152).
Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the properly installed
towing eye bolt. Never attach tow
cable, tow rope or tow rod to vehicle
chassis, frame or suspension parts.
iIf the battery is disconnected or
discharged

the SmartKey will not turn in the
starter switch. For more informa-
tion, see “Battery” (
page 412)
and “Jump starting” (page 415).


the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP. For informa-
tion on manually unlocking the
transmission gear selector lever
see (
page 392).

422 Practical hintsFusesMain fuse box in passenger compartment
The main fuse box is located in the passen-
ger compartment on the driver’s side of
the cockpit.
1Main fuse box cover
Opening fuse box
Open the driver’s door.

Pull fuse box cover1 open with a
screw driver or similar tool (see arrow).

Remove fuse box cover1 rearward.Closing fuse box

Attach fuse box cover1 in the front.

Fold fuse box cover1 in until it
engages.
Fuse box in engine compartment
The fuse box is located in the engine
compartment on the driver’s side.
1Cover
2Screws
3RetainerRemoving cover

Twist screws2
90° counterclockwise.

Lift the rear of cover1.

Slide out retainer3 and remove
cover1 by pulling towards front.
Opening fuse box
4Fuse box cover
5Clamps

With a dry cloth, remove any moisture
from the fuse box.

Release clamps5.

Remove fuse box cover4.

449 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 331)
Air pressure
(page 331)
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 331)
Bar
(page 331)
BAS
(Brake A
ssist S
ystem)
System for potentially reducing braking
distances in emergency braking
situations. The system is activated
when it senses an emergency based on
how fast the brake is applied.Bead
(
page 331)
Bi-Xenon headlamps*
Headlamps which use an electric arc as
the light source and produce a more
intense light than filament headlamps.
Bi-Xenon headlamps produce low
beam and high beam.
CAC
(Customer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service
center, which can help you with any
questions about your vehicle and
provide assistance in the event of a
breakdown.
CAN system
(C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control
vehicle functions such as door locking
or windshield wiping depending on
vehicle settings and/or ambient
conditions.Cockpit
All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator/warning lamps in the
passenger compartment needed for
vehicle operation and monitoring.
Cold tire inflation pressure
(
page 331)
COMAND*
(Cockpit M
anagement and D
ata
System)
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio and the
navigation system, as well as other
optional equipment (CD changer*,
telephone*, etc.).

451 Technical terms
GPS
(G
lobal P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special
receivers. Employs CD digital maps for
navigation.
GVW
(G
ross V
ehicle W
eight) (
page 332)
GVWR
(G
ross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
(
page 332)
Instrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision,
including the tachometer, speedo-
meter, engine temperature display and
fuel gauge.Kickdown
Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the transmis-
sion down to the lowest possible gear.
This very quickly accelerates the
vehicle and should not be used for
normal acceleration needs.
Kilopascal (kPa)
(
page 332)
Locking knob
Knob on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or un-
locked. Pushing the locking knob down
on an individual door from inside will
lock that door.Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles)
Maintenance service indicator in the
multifunction display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. The Maintenance
System in your vehicle tracks distance
driven and the time elapsed since your
last maintenance service, and calls for
the next maintenance service accord-
ingly.
Maximum tire inflation pressure
(
page 332)
Maximum load rating
(page 332)
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
(page 332)
Memory function*
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and mirror positions.