2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 ESP

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 11
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle
outside the USA or Canada ............ 12
Where to find it .................................... 13
Symbols ............................................... 14
Operating safety .................................. 15
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 15
Problems with your vehicle .................. 16
Reporting safety defects...................... 17
Reporting safety defects ................ 17
Vehicle data recording ......................... 18
Information regarding electronic
recording devices ........................... 18At a glance.......................................... 19
Exterior view ......................................... 20
Storage compartments ......................... 22
Cockpit ................................................. 24
Instrument cluster ................................ 26
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 28
Center console ..................................... 29
Upper part ...................................... 29
Lower part ...................................... 30
Overhead control panel ........................ 31
Driver’s door control panel
and seat adjustment/memory*............ 32Safety and Security........................... 33
Occupant safety ................................... 34
Air bags .......................................... 36
Occupant Classification System ..... 41
Seat belts ....................................... 46
Active head restraints ..................... 50
Children in the vehicle .................... 51
Blocking of
rear door window operation............ 57
Panic alarm .......................................... 58
Driving safety systems ......................... 59
ABS ................................................. 59
Adaptive Brake ............................... 60
BAS ................................................. 60
EBP ................................................. 61
ESP
®............................................... 62
Four wheel electronic traction
system (4MATIC) with the ESP
®..... 65
Anti-theft systems ................................ 66
Immobilizer ..................................... 66
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 66
Canceling the alarm ........................ 67

9
Product information

Introduction
Product information
Please observe the following in your own
best interest:
We recommend using Genuine
Mercedes-Benz Parts as well as conversion
parts and accessories explicitly approved
by us for your vehicle model.
We have tested these parts to determine
their reliability, safety and special suitabili-
ty for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.We are unable to make an assessment for
other products and therefore cannot be
held responsible for them, even if in indi-
vidual cases an official approval or authori-
zation by governmental or other agencies
should exist. Use of such parts and acces-
sories could adversely affect the safety,
performance or reliability of your vehicle.
Please do not use them.Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts, as well as
approved conversion parts and accesso-
ries are available at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Here they can be
properly installed and you will receive com-
prehensive information, including advice
on permissible technical modifications.

14 Introduction
Symbols
Trademarks:

ESP® is a registered trademark of
DaimlerChrysler.

HomeLink® is a registered trademark
of Prince, a Johnson Controls
Company.

SIRIUS and related marks are trade-
marks of SIRIUS Satellite Radio Inc.The following symbols are found in this
Operator’s Manual:
* Optional equipment is identified
with an asterisk. Since standard
equipment varies between models,
the descriptions and illustrations in
this manual may differ slightly from
the actual equipment of your vehi-
cle.
This symbol points to instructions for
you to follow.
A number of these symbols appearing
in succession indicates a multiple-step
procedure.
 page This symbol tells you where to
look for further information on a
topic.
This continuation symbol marks
a warning which is continued on
the next page.
This continuation symbol marks
a procedure which is continued
on the next page.
-> This symbol is used to indicate
cross-references to term defini-
tions.
DisplayWords appearing in the multi-
function display and COMAND
display are printed in the type
shown here.
Warning!G
Warning notices draw your attention to haz-
ards that may endanger your health or life,
or the health or life of others.
!Highlights hazards that may result in dam-
age to your vehicle.
iHelpful hints or further information you may
find useful.

18 Introduction
Vehicle data recording
Information regarding electronic
recording devices
(Including notice pursuant to California Code § 9951)
Please note that your vehicle is equipped with devices that can record vehicle systems data and, if equipped with the Tele Aid* system,
may transmit some data in certain accidents.
This information helps, for example, to diagnose vehicle systems after a collision and to continuously improve vehicle safety.
DaimlerChrysler may access the information and share it with others

for safety research or vehicle diagnosis purposes

with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee

in response to an official request by law enforcement or other government agency

for use in dispute resolution involving DaimlerChrysler, its affiliates or sales/service organization and/or

as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Please check the Tele Aid* subscription service agreement for details regarding the information that may be recorded or transmitted
via that system.

27 At a glance
Instrument cluster
ItemPage
1Combination gauge with:
Fuel gauge
4Fuel tank reserve
warning lamp
Coolant temperature gauge
ÌCoolant temperature
warning lamp
Indicator/warning lamps:
AHigh beam headlamp
indicator lamp
±Engine malfunction
indicator lamp
380
112
374
382
378
;
USA only
3
Canada onlyBrake warning
lamp376
2LLeft turn signal
indicator lamp131
ItemPage
3vElectronic Stability
Program (ESP®)
warning lamp
380
4Speedometer
5Multifunction display
6KRight turn signal
indicator lamp131
7Tachometer with:
HCombination low tire
pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale,
USA only380
=SRS indicator lamp382
-Antilock Brake System
(ABS) indicator lamp59
8Outside temperature
(manual transmission)
Outside temperature /
additional speedometer
(automatic transmission*)149
149,
169
ItemPage
9Outside temperature
(automatic transmission*)149,
169
aSelected program mode
indicator
(automatic transmission*)140
bGear position/range
indicator
(automatic transmission*)
Additional speedometer
(manual transmission)143
169
cDigital clock151
dInstrument cluster
illumination148

29 At a glance
Center console
Center console
Upper partItemPage
1Audio display cover180
2Hazard warning flasher
switch – switching on/off114
3Anti-theft alarm system
indicator lamp66
4Front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp45,
385,
393
5ESP® control switch64
6Audio system,176
or
COMAND* (see separate
operating instructions)
ItemPage
7Seat heating*, passenger
side91
8Rear window sunshade
switch*290
9Dual-zone automatic
climate control250
3-zone automatic climate
control* (Canada only)259
Rear window defroster256,
265
aSeat heating*, driver’s side91

32 At a glance
Driver’s door control panel and seat adjustment/memory*
ItemPage
1Inside door handle79
2Central unlocking switch81
3Seat adjustment (at side of
the respective front seat)
Seat adjustment*
(Canada only)85
85
4Memory function* for storing
seat, exterior mirror, and
steering wheel settings
(Canada only)102
5Exterior rear view mirrors
adjustment97
6Switches for opening/ closing
side windows120
7Rear door window override
switch57
8Remote trunk opening switch269
9Central locking switch81

36 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Air bags
Warning!G
Air bags are designed to reduce the poten-
tial of injury and fatality in certain frontal im-
pacts (front air bags), side impacts (front
side impact air bags, rear side impact air
bags* and window curtain air bags) or roll-
overs (window curtain air bags). However,
no system available today can totally elimi-
nate injuries and fatalities.
The deployment of the air bags temporarily
releases a small amount of dust from the air
bags. This dust, however, is neither injurious
to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in
the vehicle. The dust might cause some tem-
porary breathing difficulty for people with
asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle
as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
Warning!G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
air bags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and front passenger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear their
respective seat belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the backrest. Fasten
your seat belt and make sure it is properly
positioned on your body.
Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating and hands
on steering wheel position will help to keep
you at a safe distance from the air bag.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the air bag can be seriously
injured or killed by an air bag as it inflates
with great force in the blink of an eye:

Sit properly belted in a nearly upright
position with your back against the seat
backrest.

Adjust the driver’s seat as far as possi-
ble rearward, still permitting proper op-
eration of vehicle controls. The distance
from the center of the driver’s breast-
bone to the center of the air bag cover
on the steering wheel must be at least
10 inches (25 cm) or more. You should
be able to accomplish this by a combina-
tion of adjustments to the seat and
steering wheel. If you have any prob-
lems, please see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Do not lean your head or chest close to
the steering wheel or dashboard.

Keep hands on the outside of steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms in-
side the rim can increase the risk and
potential severity of hand/arm injury
when driver’s front air bag inflates.

Adjust the front passenger seat as far as
possible rearward from the dashboard
when the seat is occupied.