2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class tow

ESP®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notesGWarning
Observe "Important safety notes"
( Y page 61).
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize 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
slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the
vehicle during braking.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ä warning lamp
flashes in the instrument cluster.
GWarning!
Never switch off the ESP when you see the
ESP warning lamp ä flashing in the
instrument cluster. In this case proceed as
follows:
R When driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid. The ESP cannot
prevent accidents resulting from excessive
speed.
! Vehicles without 4MATIC: switch the
ignition off when:
R the parking brake is being tested using a
dynamometer
R the vehicle is being towed with the front
axle raised
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: switch off the
ignition when the parking brake is being
tested on a brake dynamometer.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or
performance tests may only be carried out
on a 2-axle dynamometer. If you wish to
operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center in
advance. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)GWarning
Observe "Important safety notes"
( Y page 61).
Traction control is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individually 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. On vehicles with 4MATIC, more
drive torque is also transferred to the wheel
or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
AMG vehicles)
GWarning
The ESP ®
should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the
circumstances described below. Disabling
the system will reduce vehicle stability in
driving maneuvers.
Do not switch off the ESP ®
when a spare
wheel is mounted.
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lock yourself out if the vehicle is being
pushed, towed, or located on a test rig.
XTo deactivate: press and hold button :
for about five seconds until a tone sounds.
XTo activate: press and hold button ; for
about five seconds until a tone sounds.
iWhen you push either of the two buttons
and an audible warning signal does not
sound, the relevant setting has already
been selected.
On vehicles with a luxury multifunction
steering wheel, you can also activate and
deactivate the automatic locking using the
on-board computer (Y page 181).
Unlocking the driver's door
(mechanical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be unlocked
centrally with the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO:
XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 73).
XInsert the mechanical key into the lock of
the driver's door as far as it will go.
XTurn the mechanical key counter-clockwise
to position 1.
The door is unlocked.
XTurn the mechanical key back and remove
it.
Locking the vehicle (mechanical key)
Emergency locking
If the vehicle can no longer be locked
centrally with the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO:
XOpen the driver's door.XClose the front-passenger door, the rear
doors and the trunk lid.
XPress the locking button (Y page 78).XMake sure that the locking knobs on the
doors are still visible. Press down the
locking knobs by hand, if necessary.
XClose the driver's door.XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 73).
XInsert the mechanical key into the lock of
the driver's door as far as it will go.
XTurn the mechanical key clockwise as far
as it will go to position 1.
XTurn the mechanical key back and remove
it.
XMake sure that the doors and the trunk lid
are locked.
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Drive program display:Drive program display
Transmission positions
BPark position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P unless the vehicle is
stationary. The parking lock should
not be used as a brake when
parking. In addition to engaging the
parking lock, you must always
apply the parking brake to secure
the vehicle.
The SmartKey can only be removed
if the transmission is in position P.
If the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock, the selector lever
is locked.
In the event of a fault in the vehicle
electronics, the selector lever can
be locked in position P. To release
the selector lever lock, see
"Releasing the parking lock
manually" ( Y page 144).CReverse
Only shift the transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary.ANeutral
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. The transmission
could otherwise be damaged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to
position N if the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
! Driving in neutral N can
damage the drive train.7Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Gearshifting
The automatic transmission shifts to the
individual gears automatically when it is in
transmission position D. This automatic
gearshifting behavior is determined by:
R a shift range restriction, if selected
R the selected drive program
E/S or M (vehicles with the dynamic
handling package and AMG vehicles)
( Y page 140)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
Driving tips
AMG vehicles
When shifting down, the double-clutch
function is active regardless of the currently
selected drive program. The double-clutch
function reduces load change reactions and
is conducive to a sporty driving style. The
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Steering wheel paddle shifters:Left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter;Right-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
In the automatic drive program, you can
restrict or derestrict the shift range by using
the steering wheel paddle shifters
(Y page 141).
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear using the steering wheel paddle shifters
or the selector lever (Y page 141).
iYou can only change gear with the
steering wheel paddle shifters when the
transmission is in position D.
Automatic drive program
Drive program E is characterized by the
following:
Rthe vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully
Rincreased sensitivity, which improves
driving stability on slippery road surfaces,
for example
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up
sooner, which results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin
In drive program S, the automatic
transmission shifts up later.
Shift ranges
Introduction
When the automatic transmission is in
position D, it is possible to restrict or
derestrict the shift range (Y page 141).
The shift range selected is shown in the
multifunction display. The automatic
transmission shifts only as far as the selected
gear.
Driving situations=You can use the engine's braking
effect.
5To use the braking effect of the
engine on downhill gradients and
for driving:
Ron steep mountain roads
Rin mountainous terrain
Rin arduous conditions
4To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches
Restricting the shift range
XPress the selector lever to the left towards
D–.
or
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The shift range is restricted.
iIn order to prevent the engine from
overrevving, the automatic transmission
does not shift down when the engine speed
is too high.
iIf the maximum engine speed for the shift
range is reached and you continue to
accelerate, the automatic transmission
shifts up in order to prevent the engine
from overrevving, even if the shift range is
restricted.
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Derestricting the shift rangeXBriefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
XPull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The shift range is derestricted.
Clearing the shift range restriction
XPress and hold the selector lever towards
D+ until D is shown once more in the
multifunction display.
or
XPull and hold the right-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter until D is shown again in the
multifunction display.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.
Selecting the ideal shift range
XPress the selector lever to the left towards
D– and hold it in position.
or
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter and hold it in position.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
gear which allows ideal acceleration and
deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission shifts down one or more
gears.
Manual drive program
Switching on the manual drive program
The manual drive program is only available for
vehicles with the dynamic handling package
and for AMG vehicles.
Manual drive program M is different from
drive program S with regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
Manual drive program M can be selected
using the program selector button. You can
change gears using the steering wheel paddle
shifters or the selector lever in manual drive
program M if the transmission is in position
D . The gear selected is shown in the
multifunction display.XPress program selector button
( Y page 140) repeatedly until M appears in
the multifunction display.
Upshifting
i Vehicles with the dynamic handling
package: if the maximum engine speed for
the shift range is reached and you continue
to accelerate, the automatic transmission
shifts up, except when manual program M
is selected.
Vehicles with AMG engines
XBriefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
XPull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter ( Y page 141).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
AMG vehicles: before the engine speed
reaches the red area, you will see an upshift
indicator in the multifunction display.
:Gear indicator;Upshift indicator142Automatic transmissionDriving and parking
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DownshiftingXBriefly press the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
or
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter ( Y page 141).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you brake the vehicle or stop without
shifting down, the automatic transmission
will shift down to a gear that will allow the
vehicle to accelerate or pull away again.
i Vehicles with the dynamic handling
package: to avoid overrevving the engine
when downshifting, the automatic
transmission does not shift to a lower gear
if this would result in the maximum engine
speed being exceeded.
i If you desire maximum acceleration, push
the selector lever to the left or pull and hold
the left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
until the transmission shifts to the optimal
gear for the current speed.
Kickdown
i Vehicles with an AMG engine: it is not
possible to use kickdown in manual drive
program M.
You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program M.
XVehicles for USA: fully depress the
accelerator pedal.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.XVehicles for Canada: depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the pressure
point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.
i During kickdown, you cannot change gear
using the steering wheel paddle shifters or
the selector lever.
Switching off the manual drive programXAMG vehicles: press the program selector
button ( Y page 140) repeatedly until E or
S appears in the multifunction display.XVehicles with the dynamic handling
package: press the program selector
button ( Y page 140). M is no longer shown
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Problems with the transmissionProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into 2nd gear and reverse gear.XStop the vehicle.XShift the transmission to position P.XSwitch off the engine.XWait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.XShift the transmission to position D or R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into 2nd gear; if R is
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately.Releasing the parking lock manually
In the event of an electrical malfunction, it is
possible to release the selector lever lock
manually to move it out of position P, e.g. if
you wish to tow the vehicle away.
! Do not use any sharp-edged objects to
remove the selector lever cover in the
center console. This can damage the
selector lever cover.
XDepress the parking brake firmly.XPry out selector lever gaiter : with a flat,
blunt object (e.g. a screwdriver wrapped incloth) from the right-hand edge, pulling it
up and out.XPress release button ; down and
simultaneously move the selector lever out
of position P.
The selector lever can now be moved freely
until it is returned to position P.
Transfer case
This section is only valid for vehicles with 4-
wheel drive (4MATIC). Power is always
transmitted to both axles.
! Performance tests may only be carried
out on a 2-axle dynamometer. The brake
system or transfer case could otherwise be
damaged. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for a performance
test. Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
use an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for this purpose.
! If the parking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamometer, the ignition must be
switched off (SmartKey or Start/Stop
button in position 0 or 1), as ESP ®
will
otherwise automatically intervene. The
brake system could otherwise be damaged.
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Problems with the fuel and fuel tankProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsFuel is leaking from the
vehicle.GRisk of explosion or fire
The fuel line or the fuel tank is defective.
XTurn the key to position 0(Y page 131) in the ignition lock
immediately and remove it.XDo not restart the engine under any circumstances.XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.The fuel filler flap
cannot be opened.The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The key batteries are discharged.XUnlock the vehicle using the mechanical key ( Y page 73).XOpen the trunk lid.XManually unlock the fuel filler flap using the emergency release
( Y page 146).The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is
jammed.XManually unlock the fuel filler flap using the emergency release
( Y page 146).XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.Parking
Important safety notes
GWarning
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. These materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
Vehicle movement can cause serious
personal injury or damage to the vehicle or
the vehicle drivetrain. Therefore, always do
the following before turning off the engine and
leaving the vehicle:
R Keep right foot on the brake pedal.
R Engage the parking brake.
RManual transmission: Shift the manual
transmission into 1st gear or reverse gear
R .
R Automatic transmission: Shift the
automatic transmission into park position
P .
R Slowly release the brake pedal.
R When parked on an incline, always turn the
front wheels towards the road curb.
R Turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock to
position 0 and remove it from the ignition
lock or press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop
button.
R Take the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle when leaving.148ParkingDriving and parking
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