2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 4MATIC service indicator

297 Controls in detail
Useful features
All information relevant to the emergency,
such as the location of the vehicle (deter-
mined by the GPS satellite location sys-
tem), vehicle model, identification number
and color are generated.
A voice connection between the Response
Center and the occupants of the vehicle
will be established automatically soon af-
ter the emergency call has been initiated.
The Response Center will attempt to deter-
mine more precisely the nature of the acci-
dent provided they can speak to an
occupant of the vehicle.The Tele Aid system is available if

it has been activated and is operation-
al. Activation requires a subscription
for monitoring services, connection,
and cellular air time

the relevant cellular phone network
and GPS signals are available and pass
the information on to the Response
Center

there is sufficient voltage in the vehicle
batteries
iDuring the emergency call message Emer-
gency Call Activated
is displayed, opera-
tion from audio system or COMAND* is not
possible. The automatic climate control can be
still adjusted using the switches on the climate
control panel.
iIf no vehicle occupant responds, an ambu-
lance will be sent to the vehicle immediately.
iLocation of the vehicle on a map is only pos-
sible if the vehicle is able to receive signals from
the GPS satellite network and pass the informa-
tion on to the Response Center.
Warning!G
If the indicator lamp in the SOS button is
flashing continuously and there was no
voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could
not initiate an emergency call (e.g. the rele-
vant telephone network is not available).
The message
Call failed appears in the
multifunction display for approximately
10 seconds.
Should this occur, assistance must be sum-
moned by other means.
iDuring the emergency call the telephone is
switched off automatically and must be switched
back on to make a call.
iThe “911” emergency call system is a public
service. Using it without due cause is a criminal
offense.

299 Controls in detail
Useful features
Roadside Assistance button*b
The Roadside Assistance buttonb is
located in the overhead control panel.
1Roadside Assistance buttonb
Press and hold Roadside Assistance
button b (for longer than
2 seconds).
A call to a Mercedes-Benz Roadside As-
sistance dispatcher will be initiated.
The button will flash while the call is in
progress. The message:

Connecting call appears in the
multifunction display
and the audio system is muted.When the connection is established, the
message:

Call connected appears in the multi-
function display
The Tele Aid system will transmit data gen-
erating the vehicle identification number,
model, color and location (subject to avail-
ability of cellular and GPS signals).
A voice connection between the Roadside
Assistance dispatcher and the occupants
of the vehicle will be established.
Describe the nature of the need for as-
sistance.
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
dispatcher will either dispatch a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or arrange to
tow your vehicle to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. For services such
as labor and/or towing, charges may ap-
ply. Refer to the Roadside Assistance Man-
ual for more information.
These programs are only available in the
USA:

Sign and Drive services: Services such
as jump start, a few gallons of fuel or
the replacement of a flat tire with the
vehicle spare tire are obtainable.
iThe indicator lamp in the Roadside Assis-
tance buttonb remains illuminated in red for
approximately 10 seconds during the system
self-check after switching on the ignition (togeth-
er with the SOS button and the Information
button*}).
See system self-check (
page 296) if the indi-
cator lamp does not come on in red or stays on
longer than approximately 10 seconds.
If the indicator lamp in the Roadside Assistance
buttonb is flashing continuously and no
voice connection to the Response Center was
established, the Tele Aid system could not ini-
tiate a Roadside Assistance call (e.g. the relevant
telephone network is not available). The mes-
sage:

Call failed appears in the multifunction
display for approximately 10 seconds
Roadside Assistance calls can be terminated us-
ing the t button on the multifunction steer-
ing wheel or the respective button for ending a
telephone call on the audio system or the
COMAND* head unit.

300 Controls in detail
Useful features
Information button*}
The Information button} is located in
the overhead control panel.
1Information button}
Press and hold Information button
} (for longer than 2 seconds).
A call to the Customer Assistance Cen-
ter will be initiated. The button will
flash while the call is in progress. The
message:

Connecting call appears in the
multifunction display
and the audio system is muted.When the connection is established, the
message:

Call connected appears in the multi-
function display
The Tele Aid system will transmit data gen-
erating the vehicle identification number,
model, color and location (subject to avail-
ability of cellular and GPS signals).
A voice connection between the Customer
Assistance Center representative and the
occupants of the vehicle will be estab-
lished. Information regarding the operation
of your vehicle, the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or Mercedes-Benz
USA products and services is available to
you.
For more details concerning the Tele Aid
system, please visit www.mbusa.com and
use your ID and password (sent to you sep-
arately) to learn more (USA only).
iThe indicator lamp on the Information
button} remains illuminated in red for ap-
proximately 10 seconds during the system
self-check after switching on the ignition (togeth-
er with the SOS button and the Roadside Assis-
tance button*b).
See system self-check (
page 296) if the indi-
cator lamp does not come on in red or stays on
longer than approximately 10 seconds.
If the indicator lamp in the Information
button} is flashing continuously and no
voice connection to the Response Center was
established, then the Tele Aid system could not
initiate an Information call (e.g. the relevant tele-
phone network is not available). The message:

Call failed appears in the multifunction
display for approximately 10 seconds
Information calls can be terminated using the
t button on the multifunction steering wheel
or the respective button for ending a telephone
call on the audio system or the COMAND* head
unit.

301 Controls in detail
Useful features
Call priority
If other service calls such as a Roadside
Assistance call or Information call are ac-
tive, an emergency call is still possible. In
this case, the emergency call will take pri-
ority and override all other active calls.
Remote door unlock
In case you have locked your vehicle unin-
tentionally (e.g. SmartKey inside vehicle),
and the reserve SmartKey is not handy:
Contact the Mercedes-Benz Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA)
or 1-888-923-8367 (in Canada).You will be asked to provide your pass-
word which you provided when you
completed the subscriber agreement.
or
Contact the Tele Aid web page via In-
ternet using the ID and password sent
to you shortly after the completion of
your acquaintance call.
Then return to your vehicle and pull the
trunk lid handle for a minimum of
20 seconds until the SOS button is
flashing.
The message:
Call connecting ap-
pears in the multifunction display.
The Response Center will then unlock
your vehicle with the remote door un-
locking feature.
!If the indicator lamps do not start flashing
after pressing one of the buttons or remain illu-
minated (in red) at any time, the Tele Aid system
has detected a fault or the service is not current-
ly activated, and may not initiate a call. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center and have
the system checked or contact the Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA) or
1-888-923-8367 (in Canada) as soon as possi-
ble.
iThe indicator lamp in the respective button
flashes until the call is concluded. Calls can only
be terminated by a Response Center or Custom-
er Assistance Center representative except
Roadside Assistance and Information calls,
which can also be terminated by using the t
button on the multifunction steering wheel or the
respective button for ending a telephone call on
the audio system or the COMAND* head unit.
!If the indicator lamp continues to flash or
the system does not terminate the call at all,
contact the Response Center at
1-800-756-9018 (in the USA) or
1-888-923-8367 (in Canada), or Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) in the USA or Customer Ser-
vice at 1-800-387-0100 in Canada.
iWhen a Tele Aid call has been initiated, the
audio system is muted. The optional cellular
phone (if installed) switches off. If you must use
this phone, the vehicle must be parked. Unplug
the telephone, switch it on and place the call.
The COMAND* navigation system (if engaged)
will continue to run. The multifunction display in
the instrument cluster is available for use, but
spoken commands are not available.
iThe remote door unlock feature is available
if the relevant telephone network is available and
data connection is possible.
The SOS button will flash and the message:
Call
connecting
appears in the multifunction dis-
play to indicate receipt of the door unlock com-
mand.


318 Operation
Driving instructions
For more information on winter driving, see
“Winter driving” (
page 360).
Standing waterPassenger compartment
Driving abroad
Abroad, there is an extensive
Mercedes-Benz service network at your
disposal. If you plan to drive into areas
which are not listed in the index of your
Mercedes-Benz Center directory, you
should request pertinent information from
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure that snow is kept clear of the exhaust
pipe and from around the vehicle while the
engine is running. Otherwise, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle in-
terior resulting in unconsciousness and
death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.
Warning!G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. In-
dicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice.
!Do not drive through flooded areas or water
of unknown depth. Before driving through water,
determine its depth. Never accelerate before
driving into water. The bow wave could force wa-
ter into the engine and auxiliary equipment, thus
damaging them.
If you must drive through standing water, drive
slowly to prevent water from entering the pas-
senger compartment or the engine compart-
ment. Water in these areas could cause damage
to electrical components or wiring of the engine
or transmission, or could result in water being in-
gested by the engine through the air intake caus-
ing severe internal engine damage. Any such
damage is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and cause injury
to vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
The trunk is the preferred place to carry
objects.

323 Operation
At the gas station
Turn off the engine.
Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
Move the gear selector lever to
positionP (
page 140).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Vehicles with SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*:
Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* button once.
Open the driver’s door (this puts
the starter switch in position0,
same as with the SmartKey re-
moved from the starter switch). The
driver’s door then can be closed
again.
Open the fuel filler flap by pushing at
the point indicated by arrow 1.The fuel filler flap springs open.
Turn the fuel cap counterclockwise and
hold on to it until possible pressure is
released.
Take off the fuel filler cap and set it in
the direction of arrow 2 and place it
into holder 4 located on the inside of
the fuel filler flap.
To prevent fuel vapors from escaping
into open air, fully insert filler nozzle
unit.
Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out – do not top off or over-
fill.
Replace the fuel cap by turning it clock-
wise until it audibly engages.
Close the fuel filler flap.
You should hear the latch close shut.
For more information on gasoline or E85, see
“Premium unleaded gasoline” (
page 481) or
the Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet (USA only) in your vehicle literature
portfolio, or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could cause personal injury.
iMake sure to close the fuel filler flap before
locking your vehicle as the flap locking pin pre-
vents closing after you have locked the vehicle.
iLeaving the engine running and the fuel cap
open can cause the yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp ± to illuminate.
For more information, see the “Practical hints”
section (
page 378).

343 Operation
Tires and wheels
Restart the Run Flat Indicator
The tire inflation pressure monitor must be
restarted in the following situations:

If you have changed the tire inflation
pressure

If you have replaced the wheels or tires

If you have installed new wheels or
tires
Using the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 334) or, if available, the
supplemental tire inflation pressure
information on the inside of the fuel
filler flap (
page 322), make sure the
tire inflation pressure of all four tires is
correct.
Switch on the ignition (page 82).
Press button( or& on the
multifunction steering wheel to select
the menu
Service(page 164).
Press button $or% to select
Run Flat Indicator.
Press the button# to confirm. The
following message appears in the mul-
tifunction display:
Run Flat Indicator
Active
Menu: OK-Button
Press button#.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Restart
Run Flat Indicator?
Yes
or No
Press button $or% to select
Yes.
Press button# to confirm.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Run Flat Indicator
Restarted
After a certain “learning phase”, the
Run Flat Indicator checks the set pres-
sure values for all four tires.
Warning!G
The Run Flat Indicator can only warn you in
a reliable manner if you have set the correct
tire inflation pressures for each tire.
If an incorrect tire inflation pressure was
set, the system will monitor the pressure
according to the incorrect value.


362 Operation
Maintenance
We strongly recommend that you have
your vehicle serviced at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, in accordance with
the Maintenance Booklet at the times
called for by the maintenance service
indicator.
Maintenance service indicator
message
The maintenance service indicator
message will notify you when the next
maintenance service is due.
Starting approximately 1 month before the
next maintenance service is due, one of
the following messages will appear in the
multifunction display while you are driving
or when you switch on the ignition
(example service A):
Next Service A Due in XXXX miles (km)
Next Service A Due in XXX days
Service A Due
The type of maintenance service due is
indicated in the message that appears in
the multifunction display:
ABasic service
(approximately 1 hour)
BExtended service
(approximately 8 hours)
An additional number or a further letter in
combination with the maintenance type
can be indicated. This indicates that
further auxiliary maintenance work is
required. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for more
information.
To clear the maintenance service
indicator message: Press
buttonL or button# on the
multifunction steering wheel
(
page 152).
The maintenance service indicator
message is cleared and the standard
display appears in the multifunction
display (
page 151).
!Failure to have the vehicle maintained in
accordance with the Maintenance Booklet and
maintenance service indicator at the designated
times /mileage will result in vehicle damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
iThe Maintenance System in your vehicle
tracks distance driven and the time elapsed
since the last maintenance service and calcu-
lates other maintenance service work required.
iThe maintenance service indicator message
is automatically cleared

after approximately 10 seconds when you
switch on the ignition or when reaching the
maintenance service threshold while driving

after approximately 30 seconds, once the
suggested maintenance service term has
passed
You can also clear it yourself.