2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 Time

94 Controls in detail
Steering wheel
To lock the steering wheel, push
handle1 all the way up until it
engages.
The steering wheel is locked into posi-
tion again.
Make sure the steering wheel is
securely locked by trying to move it up
and down, and in and out before driving
off.Steering wheel adjustment, electrical*
(Canada only)
1Adjusting steering wheel, up or down
2Adjusting steering wheel, in or out
Adjusting steering wheel in or out:
Move stalk forward or back in the direc-
tion of arrow2 until a comfortable
steering wheel position is reached with
your arms slightly bent at the elbow.
Adjusting steering wheel up or
down: Move stalk up or down in the di-
rection of arrow1.
!Do not drive the vehicle until you have
properly locked the steering wheel.
iThe memory function* is operational at any
time. Seat and steering wheel adjustment is al-
ways possible.
The memory function* (
page 102) lets you
store settings for the steering wheel together
with the settings for the seat position and the
exterior rear view mirrors.


103 Controls in detail
Memory function* (Canada only)
MMemory button
1 2 3Memory position buttons
Storing positions into memory*
Adjust the seat (page 85) to the de-
sired position.
On the driver’s side: Adjust the steering
wheel (
page 93) and the exterior rear
view mirrors (
page 97) to the desired
position.
Press memory buttonM.
Release memory buttonM and press
one of the memory position buttons
within 3 seconds.
An acoustic signal sounds to confirm.
The settings are stored with the select-
ed position.
Recalling positions from memory*
Press and hold memory position
button until the seat, steering wheel
and exterior rear view mirrors have
completely moved to the stored
positions.
iThe memory function* is operational at any
time. Seat and steering wheel adjustment is al-
ways possible.
!Do not operate the power seats using the
memory position button if the seat backrest is in
an excessively reclined position. Doing so could
cause damage to front or rear seats.
First move seat backrest to an upright position.
iReleasing the memory position button
immediately stops movement to the stored
positions.

105 Controls in detail
Fastening the seat belts
Fastening the seat belts
For additional information on children in
the vehicle, see “Children in the vehicle”
(
page 51).
Warning!G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure all of your passengers
are properly restrained.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt greatly increases
your risk of injuries and their likely severity
in an accident. You and your passengers
should always wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are wearing your
seat belt. The air bags can only provide the
protection they were designed to afford if
the occupants are using their seat belts
(
page 36).
Warning!G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats
whenever possible. Regardless of seating
position, children 12 years old and under
must be seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Warning!G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Be sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly re-
strained with a separate seat belt. Never use
a seat belt for more than one person at a
time.
Warning!G
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position
as this can be dangerous. You could slide
under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the seat belt would apply force at
the abdomen or neck. That could cause se-
rious or even fatal injuries. The seat back-
rest and seat belt provide the best restraint
when the wearer is in a nearly upright posi-
tion and the seat belt is properly positioned
on the body.

106 Controls in detail
Fastening the seat belts
1Seat belt outlet
2Latch plate
3Release button
4Buckle
Pull the seat belt smoothly from the
seat belt outlet1.
Place the shoulder portion of the seat
belt across the top of your shoulder
and the lap portion across your hips.
Push latch plate2 into buckle4 until
it clicks.
If necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
correct height (
page 107).
If necessary, tighten the lap portion to
a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion
up.
To release the seat belt, press release
button3 and guide latch plate2
back to seat belt outlet1.
Proper use of seat belts

Do not twist the seat belt when fasten-
ing.

Adjust seat belt so that the shoulder
portion is located as close as possible
to the middle of the shoulder (it should
not touch the neck). Never pass the
shoulder portion of the seat belt under
your arm.

Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips (over hip joint) and not
across the abdomen.

Place the seat backrest in a nearly up-
right position.

Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time.

Do not fasten a seat belt around a per-
son and another object at the same
time. When using a seat belt to secure
infant restraints or toddler restraints or
children in booster seats, always follow
the child seat manufacturer’s instruc-
tions.
Warning!G
Read and observe the additional warning no-
tices printed in the “Safety and Security”
section.

108 Controls in detail
Lighting
Exterior lamp switch
Low beam headlamps
The low beam headlamps can be switched
on and off with the exterior lamp switch us-
ing the manual headlamp mode.
Switching on: Turn the exterior lamp
switch to positionB.
The green indicator lampC in the
exterior lamp switch comes on.
iIf you drive in countries where vehicles drive
on the other side of the road than the country in
which the vehicle is registered, you must have
the headlamps modified for symmetrical low
beams. Relevant information can be obtained at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.1‚Standing lamps, left (turn left two
stops)
2ˆStanding lamps, right (turn left
one stop)
3MOff
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 110)
4*Automatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 110)
5CParking lamps (also side marker
lamps, tail lamps, license plate
lamps, instrument panel lamps)
6BLow beam headlamps or high
beam headlamps
7‡Front fog lamps
8†Rear fog lamp
iIf you hear a warning signal you have
forgotten to switch off the low beam headlamps
or the parking lamps before opening the driver’s
door.
In addition the message
Switch Off Lights
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the low beam headlamps or the park-
ing lamps.
If the message
Switch Off Lights or Re-
move Key
appears in the multifunction display
remove the SmartKey from the starter switch or
switch off the automatic headlamp mode.
!Failure to switch off the exterior lamps when
leaving the vehicle may result in a discharged
battery.

109 Controls in detail
Lighting
The following lamps switch on:

Low beam headlamps

Tail and parking lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lamps
Switching off: Turn the exterior lamp
switch to positionM.
The green indicator lampC in the
exterior lamp switch goes out.
Automatic headlamp mode
The following lamps switch on and off au-
tomatically depending on the brightness of
the ambient light:

Low beam headlamps

Tail and parking lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position*.
With the SmartKey in starter switch
position1 or the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button (Canada only)
pressed once, the tail and parking
lamps, the license plate lamps and the
side marker lamps will switch on and
off depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps, the tail and parking
lamps, the license plate lamps, and the
side marker lamps will switch on and
off depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
Warning!G
If the exterior lamp switch is set to*,
the headlamps will not be automatically
switched on under foggy conditions.
To minimize risk to you and to others,
activate headlamps by turning exterior lamp
switch to positionB when driving or
when traffic and/or ambient lighting condi-
tions require you to do so.
In low ambient lighting conditions, only
switch from position * to B with the
vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from position* to B will
briefly switch off the headlamps. Doing so
while driving in low ambient lighting condi-
tions may result in an accident.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid to the driver. The driver is responsible for
the operation of the vehicle’s lights at all
times.
iCanada only:
High beam headlamps are only available with the
exterior lamp switch in position B.

110 Controls in detail
Lighting
Daytime running lamp mode
In Canada the daytime running lamp mode
is mandatory and therefore in a constant
mode.
In the USA the daytime running lamp mode
is deactivated by default. Activate the day-
time running lamp mode using the control
system, see “Setting daytime running lamp
mode (USA only)” (
page 171).
Turn exterior lamp switch to
positionM or*.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps are switched on.
In low ambient light conditions, the fol-
lowing lamps will switch on additional-
ly:

Tail and parking lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lampsCanada only
Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
When the engine is running and you shift
from a driving position to positionN orP,
with the vehicle at a standstill the low
beam headlamps will switch off with a de-
lay of 3-minutes.
When the engine is running, and you

turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionC, the low beam head-
lamps, the tail and parking lamps, the
license plate lamp and the side marker
lamps switch on.

turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB, the manual headlamp
mode has priority over the daytime run-
ning lamp mode.The corresponding exterior lamps
switch on (
page 108).
USA only
When the engine is running, and you turn
the exterior lamp switch to position C
orB, the manual headlamp mode has
priority over the daytime running lamp
mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps switch
on (
page 108).
iWith the daytime running lamp mode activat-
ed and the engine running, the low beam head-
lamps cannot be switched off manually.
iWith the exterior lamp switch in
positionM or *, you cannot switch on the
high beam headlamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all times.
For nighttime driving you should turn the exterior
lamp switch to positionB to permit activa-
tion of the high beam headlamps.
iWith the daytime running lamp mode
activated and the exterior lamp switch in
position M, you cannot switch on the high
beam headlamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all times.
For nighttime driving you should turn the exterior
lamp switch to positionB or * to permit
activation of the high beam headlamps.

112 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching on high beams
Combination switch
1High beam
2High beam flasher
High beam: Turn the exterior lamp
switch to positionB (
page 108).
Push the combination switch in the di-
rection of arrow1.
The high beam indicatorA in the in-
strument cluster comes on
(
page 26).
High beam flasher: Pull the combina-
tion switch briefly in the direction of
arrow2.
Headlamp cleaning system*
The headlamps are automatically cleaned
with a high-pressure water jet when, at the
same time,

the engine is running

the headlamps are switched on

the windshield wipers have wiped the
windshield with washer fluid for the
first time.
The headlamps are cleaned every tenth
time the windshield is washed with washer
fluid.
When you switch off the headlamps or the
ignition, the automatic function is reset
and will start counting the next time from
the beginning.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 330).Corner-illuminating front fog lamps*
(With Bi-Xenon* headlamps only)
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps
improve illumination of the area in the
direction into which you are turning.
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
operate with the engine running and with:

the exterior lamp switch in
positionB or* (
page 108)
or

the daytime running lamp mode acti-
vated (
page 110).
iThe corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
only come on in low ambient lighting conditions.
iIf you are driving faster than 25 mph
(40 km/h) or have the front fog lamps switched
on, the corner-illuminating front fog lamps
function is not available.