2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS COUPE Owners Manual

Seat positions
Weight catego-
ries Front-passenger seat Rear seat
Front-
passenger air-
bag is not disa-
bled: The front-
passenger air-
bag is disa-
bled
2 Left, right
Group 0: up to
10 kg
X
U
3
, L 3 U, L
Group 0+: up
to 13 kg
X
U
3
, L 3 U, L
Group I: 9 to
18 kg
U
3
, L 3 U
3
, L 3 U, L
Group II: 15 to
25 kg
U
3
, L 3 U
3
, L 3 U, L
Group III:2
2 to
36 kg U
3
, L 3 U
3
, L 3 U, L
"Universal" category child restraint systems can be recognised by their orange approval label.
Approval label on the child restraint system (example)
Key to the letters used in the table:
XI
SOFIX position tha tis not suitable for ISOFIX child restraint systems in this weight cat-
egory and/or size category.
IUF Suitable for forward-facing ISOFIX child seat securing systems that belong to the "uni- versal" category which are approved for use in this weight category.
IL Suitable for ISOFIX child restraint systems as recommended; see the following table of "Recommended child restraint systems" (Y page 63).
2 Vehicles with automatic child seat recognition in the front-passenger seat: a child restraint system of the
"Universal" category with a transponder for automatic child seat recognition must be fitted. The 4
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp must be lit.
3 Adjust the front-passenger seat to the rearmost position and the seat backrest to a position as close to
vertical as possible. 62
Children in the vehicleSafety

Suitability of the rea
rseats for attaching ISOFIX child restraint systems Weight categories Size category Equipment Rear seat, left and
right
Carry-cot
F ISO/L1 X
G ISO/L2 X
0: up to 10 kg
up to approximately 6
months
E ISO/R1 IL
0+: up to 13 kg
up to approximately
15 months
E ISO/R1 IL
D ISO/R2 IL
C ISO/R3
IL
4 I: 9 to 18 kg
between approx-
imately 9 months and
4 years D ISO/R2 IL
C ISO/R3
IL
4 B ISO/F2 IUF
B1 ISO/F2X IUF
A ISO/F3 IUF
Recommended child restraint systems
If you fit a child restraint system without a transponder for automatic child seat recognition
to the front-passenger seat, position the front-passenger seat in its rearmost position. Weight catego-
ries Manufac-
turer Type Approval
number
(E1 ...) Order num-
ber
(A 000 ...) Automatic
child seat
recognition
Group 0: up to
10 kg
up to approx-
imately 6
months Britax
Römer BABY
SAFE
PLUS 03 301146
04 301146 970 10 00 Yes
Group 0+: up
to 13 kg
up to approx-
imately 15
months Britax
Römer BABY
SAFE
PLUS 03 301146
04 301146 970 10 00 Yes
4
Adjust the front-passenger seat to the central upper position and the seat backrest to a position as close to
vertical as possible. Children in the vehicle
63Safety Z

Weight catego-
ries Manufac-
turer Type Approval
number
(E1 ...) Order num-
ber
(A 000 ...) Automatic
chil
dseat
recognition Group I: 9 to
18 kg
between
approximately
9 months and
4 years
Britax
Römer DUO
PLUS 03 301133
04 301133 970 11 00 Yes
970 16 00 No
Category II/III:
15 to 36 kg
between
approximately
4 and 12 years Britax
Römer KIDFIX 04 301198 970 18 00 Yes
970 19 00 No
Suggested ISOFIX child restrain
tsystems from the Universal category. Weight
catego-
ries Size cate-
gory Manufac-
turer Type Approval
number
(E1 ...) Order
number Auto-
matic
chil
dseat
recogni-
tion Carry-cot
F – – – – –
G – – – – –
Group 0:
up to
10 kg
E – – – – –
Group 0+:
up to
13 kg
E Britax
Römer BABY SAFE
ISOFIX
PLUS 04 301146 B6 6 86
8224 No
D – – – – –
C – – – – –
Group I:
9 to 18 kg
D – – – – –
C – – – – –
B – – – – –64
Children in the vehicleSafety

Weight
catego-
ries Size cate-
gory Manufac-
turer Type Approval
number
(E1 ...) Order
number Auto-
matic
chil
dseat
recogni-
tion B1 Britax
Römer DUO PLUS 03 301133
04 301133 A 000 970
11 00 Yes
A – – – – –
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find informatio nabout
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem)
R BAS PLUS ( BrakeAssist System Plus*)
R Adaptive brake lamps
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, the driv-
ing safety systems can neither reduce the risk
of acciden tnor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are responsi-
ble for the distance to the vehicle in front, for
vehicle speed and for braking in good time.
Always adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions, as
well as the traffic conditions and maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front. Drive
carefully.
i Please note that the driving safety sys-
tems described only work as effectively as
possible when there is adequate contact
between the tyres and the road surface.
Pay particular attention to the information regarding tyres, recommended minimum
tyre tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and
tyres" section (Y
page 336).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tyres (M+S tyres) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section
work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 65).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road-surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently. G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. This limits the steerability of the vehi-
cle when braking and the braking distance
may increase.
If ABS is deactivated due to a malfunction,
then BAS and ESP are also deactivated. There
is an increased risk of your vehicle skidding in
certain situations. Driving safety systems
65Safety
Z

You should always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.
Braking If AB
Sintervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
X If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uatio nis over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions and func-
tions as a reminder to take extra care while
driving. G
WARNING
Do not depress the brake pedal several times
in quick succession (pumping). Pumping the
brake pedal reduces the braking effect. You
might otherwise not be able to stop the vehi-
cle in time and could cause an accident.
Depress the brake pedal firmly and smoothly. BAS (Brake Assist)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 65).
BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
X Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal.B AS is deactivated.G
WARNING
If BAS has malfunctioned, the braking system
remains available with full brake boosting
effect. However, braking force is not auto-
matically increased in emergency braking sit- uations and the stopping distance may
increase.
BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS)
BAS PLU Sis only available on vehicles with
DISTRONIC PLUS.
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 65).
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in haz-
ardous situations at speeds of over
30 km/h and uses radar sensor technology
to assess the traffic situation.
With the help of the radar sensor system, BAS
PLUS can detect obstacles that are in the
path of your vehicle for an extended period of
time.
At speeds up to approximately 70 km/h, BAS
PLUS may also detect stationary obstacles,
for example, stopped or parked vehicles.
Should you approach an obstacle and BAS
PLUS has detected a risk of collision, BAS
PLUS calculates the braking force necessary
to avoid a rear-end collision. Should you apply
the brakes forcefully, BAS PLUS can auto-
matically increase the braking force to a level
suitable for the traffic conditions.
If BAS PLUS demands particularly high brak-
ing force, preventative passenger protection
measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated simul-
taneously.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally againi f:
R you release the brake pedal.
R there is no longe rany dange rofarear-end
collision.
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
BAS PLUS is then deactivated. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety

Vehicles with COMAND and navigation sys-
tem: the radar sensor system is switched off
automatically in the vicinity of radio telescope
facilities (Y page 363).
Vehicles without COMAND and a navigation
system and vehicles for Australia:t he radar
sensor system and on-board computer must
be switched off in the vicinity of radio tele-
scope facilities (Y page 226).
For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the
radar sensor system must be switched on and
operational; see "Radar sensor system" in the
index. G
WARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations. BAS
PLUS cannot intervene in these cases.
There is a risk of an accident. Always pay
careful attention to the traffic situation and be
ready to brake.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else cover-
ing the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example in multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line G
WARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, BAS PLUS may not intervene in
critical situations. There is a risk of an acci-
dent. Always pay careful attention to the traf-
fic situation and be ready to brake. Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
If BAS PLUS is not available due to a malfunc-
tion in the radar sensor system, the brake
system remains available with full brake
boosting effect and BAS.
Adaptive brake lamps
i Adaptive brake lamps are only available in
certain countries.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS
or BAS PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly.
In this way, traffic travelling behind you is
warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically .Ifthe
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously.T he hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h .You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning switch button (Y page 111). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes i
See the "Important safety notes" section
(Y page 65).
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. If necessary, the engine output is also
modified to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or slip-
pery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise the vehi-
cle during braking. Driving safety systems
67Safety Z

If ESP
®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
WARNING
If the ÷ warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R adapt yourd riving style to suitt he prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Otherwise, the vehicle could go into a skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident if
you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override the
laws of physics.
! Switch the ignition off when:
R the parking brake is being tested using a
dynamometer
R the vehicle is being towed with the front/
rear axle raised
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ETS (Electronic Traction Support) Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side.
Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate ESP ®
. G
WARNING
Traction control cannot reduce the risk of an
accident if you drive too fast. Traction control
cannot override the laws of physics. Deactivating/activating ESP
®
(except
AMG vehicles) You cannot activate and deactivate ESP
®
on
vehicles with a 4-button multifunction steer-
ing wheel.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
i Vehicles with ECO start/stop function:
the ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
comes to a stop. The engine starts auto-
matically when the driver wants to pull
away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously
selected status. Example: if ESP ®
was
deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated
when the engine is switched on again.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
WARNING
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply.E SP®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides bette rgrip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle. 68
Driving safety systemsSafety

X
To deactivate:( Ypage 221).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. G
WARNING
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and åwarning
lamp are li tcontinuously, ESP ®
is not availa-
ble due to a malfunction.
There is an increased risk of your vehicle skid-
ding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.
X To activate:(Y page 221).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(AMG
vehicles) Activating/deactivating SPORT handling
mode
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
It may be best to activate SPORT handling
mode in the following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
Otherwise, you should only use SPORT han-
dling mode on designated race circuits. G
WARNING
Deactivate SPORT handling mode and acti-
vate ESP ®
as soon as the situations described
above no longer apply.O therwise, SPORT
handling mode will only be able to stabilise
the vehicle to a limited degree if the vehicle
starts to skid or a whee lstarts to spin. When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R
ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R the engine's torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels can spin. The
spinning of the wheels results in a cutting
action, which provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a
limited degree. X
To activate: briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluste rlights up.
The SPORT handling mode message
appears in the multifunction display.
X To deactivate: briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrumen tcluster goes out.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel Driving safety systems
69Safety Z