2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class Owner's Manual

Door control panelFunctionPage:Opens the door78;%& Locks/unlocks
the vehicle
78
=Adjusts the seat electrically94?r 45=
Stores settings for the seat,
exterior mirrors and
steering wheel
102
A7 Zª\
Adjusts and folds the
exterior mirrors in/out
electrically
100
BW Opens/closes the
side windows
84
Cn Activates/
deactivates the override
feature for the side
windows in the rear
compartment
60
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Vehicle equipment ..............................34
Occupant safety .................................. 34
Children in the vehicle ........................55
Panic alarm .......................................... 61
Driving safety systems .......................61
Anti-theft systems .............................. 6633SafetyBA 204 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 5, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-20T09:17:30+02:00 - Seite 33

Vehicle equipment
i This manual describes all the standard
and optional equipment of your vehicle
which was available at the time of
purchase. Country-specific differences are
possible. Bear in mind that your vehicle
may not feature all functions described
here. This also refers to safety-related
systems and functions.
Occupant safety
Overview of occupant safety
In this section you will learn the most
important facts about the restraint system
components of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are:
R Seat belts
R Child restraint systems
R LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors
Additional protection is provided by:
R SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
R NECK-PRO head restraints
R Air bag system components with:
- PASSENGER air bag OFF indicator lamp
- USA only: front passenger seat with
Occupant Classification System (OCS)
- Canada only: front passenger seat with
BabySmart™ air bag deactivation system
The different air bag systems work
independently of each other. The protective
functions of the systems work in conjunction
with each other. Not all air bags are deployed
in an accident.
GWarning
Modifications to or work improperly
conducted on restraint system components
or their wiring, as well as tampering with
interconnected electronic systems, can lead
to the restraint systems no longer functioning
as intended.
Air bags or Emergency Tensioning Devices
(ETDs), for example, could deploy
inadvertently or fail to deploy in accidents
although the deceleration threshold for air
bag deployment is exceeded. Therefore,
never modify the restraint systems. Do not
tamper with electronic components or their
software.
i See "Children in the vehicle"
( Y page 55) for more information on
infants and children traveling with you in
the vehicle and restraints for infants and
children.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
Introduction
SRS reduces the risk of occupants coming
into contact with the vehicle's interior in the
event of an accident. It can also reduce the
effect of the forces to which occupants are
subjected during an accident.
SRS consists of:
R the 6 SRS warning lamp
R air bags
R air bag control unit (with crash sensors)
R belt tensioners
R belt force limiters
SRS warning lamps
SRS functions are checked regularly when
you switch on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Therefore, malfunctions
can be detected in good time.
The 6 SRS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out no later than a few seconds
after the engine is started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness when the 6 SRS warning lamp
is not lit while the engine is running.
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GWarning
The SRS self-check has detected a
malfunction if the 6 SRS warning lamp:
R does not come on at all
R fails to go out approximately 4 seconds
after the engine was started
R comes on after the engine was started or
while driving
For your safety, Mercedes-Benz strongly
recommends that you have the system
checked as soon as possible at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Otherwise the SRS
may not be activated when it is needed in an
accident, which could result in serious or fatal
injury. The SRS might also deploy
unexpectedly and unnecessarily which could
also result in injury.
In addition, improper work on the SRS creates
a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment. Work
on the SRS must therefore only be performed
by qualified technicians. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system
to accommodate a person with disabilities,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for details. USA only: Call our Customer
Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) for details.
Safety guidelines for seat belts,
Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)
and air bags
GWarning
R Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident
must be replaced. Their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use seat belts
installed or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency
Tensioning Devices (ETDs) contain
perchlorate material, which may require
special handling and regard for the
environment. Check your national disposal
guidelines. California residents, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/
Perchlorate/index.cfm .
R Air bags and ETDs are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD
that has deployed must be replaced.
R Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
R Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the seat belts.
R Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
R No modifications of any kind may be made
to any components or wiring of the SRS.
R Do not change or remove any component
or part of the SRS.
R Do not install additional trim material, seat
covers, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, front-passenger front air bag
cover, outer sides of the seat backrests,
door trim panels, or door frame trims.
R Do not install additional electrical/
electronic equipment on or near SRS
components and wiring.
R Keep area between air bags and occupants
free of objects (e.g. packages, purses,
umbrellas, etc.).
R Do not hang items such as coat hangers
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door. These items may be thrown around in
the vehicle and cause head and other
injuries when the window curtain air bag is
deployed.
R Air bag system components will be hot after
an air bag has inflated. Do not touch them.
R Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
R Improper repair work on the SRS creates a
risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment.
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performed by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R For your protection and the protection of
others, when scrapping the air bag unit or
ETD, our safety instructions must be
followed. These instructions are available
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R Given the considerable deployment speed,
required inflation volume, and the material
of the air bags, there is the possibility of
abrasions or other, potentially more serious
injuries resulting from air bag deployment.
If you sell your vehicle, Mercedes-Benz
strongly recommends that you inform the
subsequent owner that the vehicle is
equipped with SRS. Also refer them to the
applicable section in the Operator's Manual.
Air bags
Important safety notes
GWarning
Air bags are designed to reduce the incidence
of injuries and fatalities in certain situations:
R frontal impacts (driver's and front-
passenger front air bags and driver's knee
bag)
R side impacts (side impact air bags, window
curtain air bags and pelvis air bags)
However, no system available today can
completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
When the air bags are deployed, a small
amount of powder is released. The powder
generally does not constitute a health hazard
and does not indicate that there is a fire in the
vehicle. In order to prevent potential
breathing difficulties, you should leave 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.
GWarning
To reduce the risk of injuries during front air
bag inflation, the driver and front-passenger
must always be seated correctly and have
their seat belts fastened accordingly.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision, you must always be in the normal
seat position with your back against the
backrest. Fasten your seat belt and make sure
that it is correctly positioned on your body.
Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
not wearing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
R Sit with the seat belt properly fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
R Move the driver's seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver's chest 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
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
R Only hold the steering wheel by the rim.
Placing hands and arms inside the rim can
increase the risk and potential severity of
hand/arm injury when the driver front air
bag inflates.
R Adjust the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible from the dashboard when the
seat is occupied.
R Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door where the side
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impact air bag inflates. This could result in
serious injuries or death should the side
impact air bag be deployed. Always sit as
upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized
child restraint, infant restraint or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight
of the child.
R Canada only: children under 12 years may
only sit in the front-passenger seat if they
are seated in a child restraint system which
is compatible with BabySmart™ and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. If the child
restraint system is installed properly, the
front-passenger front air bag is deactivated
in conjunction with the BabySmart™
system installed in the vehicle. Otherwise,
the child could be struck by the air bag
when it inflates in a crash. This could lead
to serious or fatal injuries.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you
make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator's Manual.GWarning
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children in an automobile is in a rear seat.
A side impact air bag related injury may occur
if occupants, especially children, are not
properly seated or restrained when next to a
side impact air bag which needs to deploy
rapidly in a side impact in order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1)Always sit as upright as possible
and use the seat belts properly.
Make sure that children 12 years
old and under use an appropriately
sized child restraint, infant
restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and
weight of the child.(2)Always wear seat belts properly.The air bags are only deployed if the airbag
control unit detects the need for deployment.
Only in the event of such a situation will they
provide their supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always wear
their seat belts. Otherwise, it is not possible
for the air bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In the event of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, air bags will not deploy. The driver
and passengers will then be protected to the
extent possible by a properly fastened seat
belt. A properly fastened seat belt is also
needed to provide the best possible
protection in a rollover.
Air bags offer supplemental protection but
are not a substitute for seat belts. All vehicle
occupants must fasten their seat belts
regardless of whether your vehicle is
equipped with airbags or not.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air
bags continue to perform their protective
function for the vehicle occupants in the
event of a crash.
Front air bagsGWarning
Observe "Important safety notes"
( Y page 36).
The front air bags increase protection for the
driver's and front-passenger's head and
chest.
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Driver's air bag : deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger air bag ;
deploys in front of and above the glove box.
They are deployed:
Rin the event of certain frontal impacts
Rif the system determines that air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
Rif the seat belt is fastened
Rindependently of other air bags in the
vehicle
If the vehicle overturns, the front air bags are
generally not deployed unless the system
detects high vehicle deceleration in a
longitudinal direction.
Your vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air
bags. In the event of a collision, the air bag
control unit evaluates the vehicle
deceleration. When the first deployment
threshold is reached, the front air bag is filled
with enough propellant gas to reduce the risk
of injuries. The front air bag is fully deployed
if a second deployment threshold is exceeded
within a few milliseconds.
Vehicles with OCS (USA only): front-
passenger front air bag deployment is also
influenced by the passenger's weight
category as identified by the Occupant
Classification System (OCS) (Y page 41).
Vehicles with OCS (USA only): the lighter the
passenger side occupant, the higher the
vehicle deceleration rate required for second
stage inflation of the front-passenger front air
bag. In the second stage, the front air bags
are inflated with the maximum amount of
propellant gas available.
In impact situations with deceleration or
acceleration values lower than the vehicle
deceleration or acceleration values preset in
the system, the front air bags are not
deployed. You will then be protected by the
seat belt.
! Vehicles with BabySmart™ (Canada only):
do not place any objects which weigh more
than 20 lb (9 kg) on the front-passenger
seat. This could cause the system to
identify the seat as being occupied. In the
event of an accident, the restraint systems
on the front-passenger side are triggered.
Have restraint systems that have been
triggered replaced.
The front-passenger air bag will only deploy
if:
Rthe system, based on the OCS weight
sensor readings, detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied (USA only).
Rthe 45 indicator lamp in the center
console is not lit, USA: (Y page 41),
Canada: (Y page 46).
Rthe impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold.
Driver's knee bag
GWarning
Observe "Important safety notes"
(Y page 36).
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