2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 Temperature

266 Controls in detail
3-zone automatic climate control* (Canada only)
Activating: Press button,
(
page 259).
The indicator lamp in the button comes
on.
Deactivating: Press button,
(
page 259) again.
The indicator lamp in the button goes
out.
Residual engine heat and ventilation
With the engine switched off, it is possible
to continue to heat or ventilate the interior
for approximately 30 minutes. This feature
makes use of the residual heat produced
by the engine.
Activating: Switch off the ignition.
Press buttonT (page 259).
The indicator lamp in the button comes
on.
Deactivating: Press buttonT
(
page 259) again.
The indicator lamp in the button goes
out.
iThe air recirculation mode is activated auto-
matically at high outside temperatures.
The indicator lamp on button, is not lit when
the air recirculation mode is automatically
switched on.
A quantity of outside air is added after approxi-
mately 30 minutes.
iThe air recirculation mode is deactivated au-
tomatically:

after 5 minutes if the outside temperature is
below approximately 7°C (45°F)

after 5 minutes if the air conditioning is
turned off

after 30 minutes if the outside temperature
is above approximately 5°C (41°F)
iIf you switch on the residual heat function
when outside temperatures are high, only the
ventilation will be switched on.
iRegardless of the selected air volume, the
blower operates at low speed when heating. In
case of ventilation the blower operates at higher
speed.
iHow long the system will provide heating de-
pends on

the coolant temperature

the temperature set by the operator
iThe residual heat is automatically turned off:

when the ignition is switched on

after approximately 30 minutes

if the battery voltage drops

if the coolant temperature is too low

268 Controls in detail
3-zone automatic climate control* (Canada only)
Rear climate control
The rear climate control panel is located in
the rear center console.
Setting temperature
Use temperature control 5 to adjust the
air temperature in the rear passenger com-
partment. You should raise or lower the
temperature setting in small increments,
preferably starting at 22°C (72°F). The cli-
mate control will adjust to the set temper-
ature as fast as possible.Increasing/decreasing: Press the re-
spective temperature control
button5.
The 3-zone automatic climate control
system will correspondingly adjust the
temperature in the rear passenger
compartment.
Adjusting air volume
Use button· orQ (
page 268) to
adjust the air volume.
Press button· to decrease, or
buttonQ to increase air volume to
the desired level.
The air volume is adjusted correspond-
ing to the set blower speed.
Warning!G
Follow the recommended settings for heat-
ing and cooling as given in the instructions
for the front 3-zone automatic climate con-
trol (
page 259). Otherwise the windows
could fog up, impairing visibility for the driv-
er and endangering you and others.
Item
1Decreasing/increasing air volume
for rear center air vents
2Right rear center air vent, adjustable
3Decreasing/increasing air volume
for rear center air vents
4Display
5Temperature control
6Left rear center air vent, adjustable
iAt low outside temperatures or if you have
switched off the cooling function, you cannot
cool the rear passenger compartment.
iIf you have switched off the cooling function
with the front 3-zone automatic climate control
panel, the cooling of the rear passenger com-
partment is also switched off. Adjusting with the
rear control panel is not possible.

314 Operation
Driving instructions
Driving off
Apply the brakes to test them briefly after
driving off. Perform this procedure only
when the road is clear of other traffic.
Warm up the engine smoothly. Do not
place full load on the engine until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.Parking
!When driving off on a slippery surface, do
not allow a drive wheel to spin for an extended
period with the ESP
® switched off. Doing so may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited War-
ranty.
!Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brakes reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake and
drivetrain wear.
Warning!G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where
combustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury, or
damage to the vehicle or the vehicle
drivetrain, as a result of vehicle movement,
always do the following before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.

Manual transmission: Move the gear
shift lever to neutral position (no gear
selected).

Firmly depress the parking brake.

Manual transmission: Move the gear
shift lever into first or reverse gear.

Automatic transmission*: Move the
gear selector lever to positionP.

Slowly release brake pedal.

When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.

Turn the SmartKey or the SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) to
starter switch position0 and remove, or
press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop but-
ton.

Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO
* with you and lock the
vehicle when leaving.

315 Operation
Driving instructions
Tires
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and be-
come visible at a tread depth of approxi-
mately
1/16in (1.6 mm), at which point the
tire is considered worn and should be
replaced.The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
Specified tire inflation pressures must be
maintained. This applies particularly if the
tires are subject to extreme operating con-
ditions (e.g. high speeds, heavy loads, high
ambient temperatures).For more information, see “Tires and
wheels” (
page 331).
Hydroplaning
Depending on the depth of the water layer
on the road, hydroplaning may occur, even
at low speeds and with new tires. Reduce
vehicle speed, avoid track grooves in the
road and apply brakes cautiously in the
rain.
Warning!G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possi-
ble damage to your vehicle has occurred,
you should turn on the hazard warning flash-
ers, carefully slow down, and drive with cau-
tion to an area which is a safe distance from
the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center or tire
dealer for repairs.
Warning!G
Although the applicable federal motor vehi-
cle safety laws consider a tire to be worn
when the treadwear indicators (TWI) be-
come visible at approximately
1/16 in
(1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not al-
low your tires to wear down to that level. As
tread depth approaches
1/8 in (3 mm), the
adhesion properties on a wet road are
sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
Warning!G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high
speed with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.

316 Operation
Driving instructions
Tire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or
icy road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperatures are close to the freezing
point.Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(
page 360) with a minimum tread depth
of approximately 1/6in (4 mm) on all four
wheels for the winter season to ensure
normal balanced handling characteristics.
On packed snow, they can reduce your
stopping distance compared to summer
tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still consid-
erably greater than when the road is not
covered with snow or ice. Exercise appro-
priate caution.
Tire speed rating
Regardless of the tire speed rating, local
speed limits should be obeyed. Use pru-
dent driving speeds appropriate to prevail-
ing conditions.
Warning!G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake
with extreme caution.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Warning!G
Even when permitted by law, never operate
a vehicle at speeds greater than the maxi-
mum speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure, causing loss of vehicle control and pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or serious
personal injury and possible death, for you
and for others.

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.

321 Operation
Driving instructions
Coolant temperature
During severe operating conditions,
e.g. stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise to approximately 248°F
(120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature over 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious en-
gine damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!G

Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids, which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment, to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.

Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the hood. Stay away from
the engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of
the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle
until the engine has cooled down.

329 Operation
Engine compartment
Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
The coolant expansion tank is located on
the passenger side of the engine compart-
ment.
1Cap
2Coolant expansion tank
3Fluid level bridgeUsing a rag, turn cap1 slowly approx-
imately a half-turn counterclockwise to
release any excess pressure.
Continue turning the cap1 counter-
clockwise and remove it.
The coolant level is correct if the level

for cold coolant: reaches the white
marking (plastic bridge)3 inside the
coolant expansion tank2

for warm coolant: is approximately
0.6 in (1.5 cm) higher
Add coolant as required.
Replace and tighten cap1.
For more information on coolant, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 484).
Warning!G
In order to avoid potentially serious burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.

Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.

Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately a half-turn to relieve excess
pressure. If opened immediately, scald-
ing hot fluid and steam will be blown out
under pressure.

Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.