2006 MERCEDES-BENZ C350 Owner's Manual

344 OperationVehicle care
Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of ornamen-
tal moldings, use a damp cloth.Headlamps, tail lamps, side markers,
turn signal lenses

Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water.
iAfter running the vehicle through an au-
tomatic car wash, wipe any wax off of
the windshield (
page 345). This will
prevent smears and reduce wiping
noise which can be caused by residual
wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure
that the mirrors are folded out. Other-
wise they may vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on orna-
mental moldings. Although ornamental
moldings may have chrome appear-
ance, they could be made of anodized
aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead,
use a damp cloth to clean those orna-
mental moldings.
For very dirty ornamental moldings of
which you are sure are chrome-plated,
use a chrome cleaner. If in doubt
whether an ornamental molding is
chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
!Only use window cleaning solutions
that are suitable for plastic lamp lens-
es. Window cleaning solutions which
are not suitable may damage the plas-
tic lamp lenses of the headlamps.
Therefore, do not use abrasives, sol-
vents or cleaners that contain solvents.
Never apply strong force and only use a
soft, non-scratching cloth when clean-
ing the lenses. Do not attempt to wipe
dirty lenses with a dry cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage
the lens surface.

345 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
Switch on the ignition (
page 33).

Turn combination switch to wiper
settingII (
page 53).

With wiper arms in vertical position,
switch off the ignition (
page 33).

Fold the wiper arms forward until they
snap into place.

Clean the wiper blade inserts with a
clean cloth and detergent solution.

Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.
!The windshield wipers must be in a ver-
tical position before folding them away
from the windshield. They could other-
wise damage the hood.
Never open the hood when the wiper
arms are folded forward.
Warning!
G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and re-
move SmartKey from starter switch before
cleaning the windshield and/or the wiper
blades. Otherwise, the wiper motor could
suddenly turn on and cause injury.
!Fold the windshield wiper arms back
onto the windshield before turning the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Hold on to the wiper when folding the
wiper arm back. If released, the force
of the impact from the tensioning
spring could crack the windshield.!To clean the window interior, do not
use a dry cloth, abrasives, solvents or
cleaners containing solvents. Do not
touch the inside of the front, rear or
side windows with hard objects such as
an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.

346 OperationVehicle careLight alloy wheels
If possible, clean wheels once a week.
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel
Care, a soft bristle brush and a strong
spray of water for cleaning the light al-
loy wheels.Plastic and rubber parts

Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.
Instrument cluster and cup holders

Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.

Wipe with a cloth moistened in a luke-
warm solution.
!Only use acid-free cleaning materials.
Acid may cause corrosion or damage
the clear coat.
!The vehicle should not be parked for an
extended period of time immediately
after it has been cleaned, especially not
after the wheel rims have been cleaned
with wheel rim cleaner. Wheel rim
cleaners can lead to increased corro-
sion of the brake disks and brake pads.
Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system
should always be warmed-up before it
is parked after cleaning. To do so,
please drive your vehicle for several
minutes to allow the brakes to dry.
When applying Mercedes-Benz ap-
proved Tire Care and Mercedes-Benz
approved Wheel Care products, take
care not to spray them on the brake
disks.
!Do not use oil or wax on these parts.!To prevent scratches, do not use scour-
ing agents.

347 Operation
Vehicle care
Hard plastic trim items
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care, a soft, lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.
Steering wheel and gear selector lever

Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thor-
oughly or clean with Mercedes-Benz
approved Leather Care.Carpets

Use Mercedes-Benz approved Carpet
and Fabric Care for cleaning the car-
pets.
Headliner and shelf below rear window

Use a soft bristle brush or a dry-sham-
poo cleaner in case of excessive dirt. Seat belts

Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.
!To prevent scratches, do not use scour-
ing agents.
!The webbing must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry
the webbing at temperatures above
176°F (80°C) or in direct sunlight.Warning!
G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.

348 OperationVehicle careUpholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
Leather upholstery
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp
cloth and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather
Care.
Exercise particular care when cleaning per-
forated leather as its underside should not
become wet.MB Tex upholstery

Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care onto a soft, lint-free cloth and ap-
ply with light pressure for cleaning the
upholstery.
Wood trims

Dampen cloth using water and use
damp cloth to clean wood trims in your
vehicle.!Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as
these may be abrasive.

349 Practical hints
What to do if …
Where will I find ...?
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Opening/closing in an emergency
Resetting activated head restraints
Replacing SmartKey batteries
Replacing bulbs
Replacing wiper blades
Flat tire
Battery
Jump starting
Towing the vehicle
Fuses

350 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during thebulb self-check when switching on the
ignition, have the respective bulb checked
and replaced if necessary.Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
-
The yellow ABS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
The ABS has detected a malfunction and
has switched off. The BAS and the ESP
®
are also switched off (see messages in dis-
play).
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS available.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning,
other systems such as the navigation
system* or the automatic transmission*
may also be malfunctioning.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.

Read and observe messages in the dis-
play (
page 358).

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below ten
volts. The ABS has switched off.
The battery might not be charged suffi-
ciently.

Switch off electrical consumers that are
currently not needed, e.g. seat heating*.

If necessary, have the generator
(alternator) and battery checked.
When the voltage is above this value again,
the ABS is operational again.

351 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
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 50).
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.

Risk of accident! Carefully stop the vehi-
cle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the prob-
lem.
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.