2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class brake

iCruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by
automatically applying the brakes.
i Vehicles with manual transmission:
R Always drive at adequate, but not
excessive, engine speeds.
R Change gear in good time.
R If possible, do not change down several
gears at a time.
Storing the current speed or calling up
the last stored speedGWarning
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set again if prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleration differences
arising from returning to the preset speed
could cause an accident and/or serious injury
to you and others.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously
stored speed.
Setting a speed
GWarning
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others.
XPress the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.XRelease the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For
example, if you accelerate briefly to
overtake, cruise control adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking.
Setting in 1 mph (Canada: 1 km/h)
increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Setting in 5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h)
increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up : for a
higher speed or down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
forwards =.
or
XBrake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you depress the parking brake.
R you are driving below 20 mph (30 km/h).
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
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4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to
insufficient grip.GWarning!
If a drive wheel is spinning due to insufficient
traction:
R While 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 4MATIC cannot prevent accidents
resulting from excessive speed.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires ( M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary.
PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes
i PARKTRONIC is only available in Canada.
GWarning!
The PARKTRONIC is a supplemental system.
It is not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver.
GWarning!
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be
injured.
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition.
R shift the transmission to position D, R or
N on vehicles with automatic transmission.
R release the parking brake.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper.
:Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example)
Range of the sensors
The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and
slush; otherwise they may not function
correctly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
( Y page 247).
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Side view
Top view
Front sensors
CenterApprox. 40 in (100 cm)CornersApprox. 24 in (60 cm)
Rear sensors
CenterApprox. 48 in (120 cm)CornersApprox. 32 in (80 cm)
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, a truck's compressed-air brakes
or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
Minimum distanceCenterApprox. 8 in (20 cm)CornersApprox. 6 in (15 cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, all
warning displays light up and a warning tone
sounds. If the distance falls below the
minimum, the distance may no longer be
shown.
Warning displays
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located
on the dashboard above the center air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is
located on the headliner in the rear
compartment.
Warning display for the front area
:Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
;Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
=Segments showing operational readiness
The warning display for each side of the
vehicle is divided into five yellow and two red
segments. PARKTRONIC is operational if
yellow segments showing operational
readiness = light up.
The gear lever position or the transmission
position of the automatic transmission
determines which warning display is active
when the engine is running.
160Driving systemsDriving and parking
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Safety systemsDisplay messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions÷
Inoperative See
Operator's ManualGRisk of accident
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program), BAS (Brake Assist) and hill
start assist are not available due to a malfunction. In addition, the
ä and å warning lamps light up in the instrument cluster.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above.
XDrive on carefully.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.÷
ESC Currently
Unavailable See
Operator's ManualGRisk of accident
ESP ®
, BAS and hill start assist are temporarily unavailable. In
addition, the ä and å warning lamps light up in the
instrument cluster.
The self-diagnosis function might not be complete, for example.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above.
XCarefully drive a suitable distance making slight steering
movements at a speed above 12 mph (20 km/h).
If the display message disappears, the functions mentioned
above are available again.
If the display message continues to be displayed:
XDrive on carefully.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.GRisk of accident
ESP ®
, BAS and hill start assist are temporarily unavailable. In
addition, the ä and å warning lamps light up in the
instrument cluster.
The on-board voltage may be insufficient, for example.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above.
XDrive on carefully.
If the display message disappears, the functions mentioned
above are available again.
If the display message continues to be displayed:
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.184Display messagesOn-board computer and displays
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Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsGRisk of accident
If the display message is shown and the ä warning lamp flashes
at the same time, ETS (Electronic Traction System) is deactivated.
The brakes on the drive wheels could otherwise overheat.
XLet the brakes cool down until the display message disappears
and the ä warning lamp goes out.
ETS is active again.G
Tele Aid
InoperativeUSA only: one or more main functions in the mbrace system are
malfunctioning.
Canada only: one or more of the main functions of the TELEAID
system is malfunctioning.XUSA only: have the mbrace system checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.XCanada only: have the TELEAID system checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.Check Child Seat
Pos.
See Operator's
ManualGRisk of injury
Vehicles with BabySmart™ (Canada only):
The BabySmart™ child seat is positioned incorrectly.
XInstall the child seat in the correct position.GRisk of injury
Vehicles with BabySmart™ (Canada only):
The sensor for automatic child seat recognition is faulty.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.6
SRS Malfunction
Service RequiredGRisk of injury
There is a malfunction in the SRS (Supplemental Restraint
System). The 6 warning lamp also lights up in the instrument
cluster.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.6
Front Left SRS
Malfunction
Service Required
or
Front Right SRS
Malfunction
Service RequiredGRisk of injury
SRS has malfunctioned at the front on the left or right. The 6
warning lamp also lights up in the instrument cluster.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.Display messages185On-board computer and displaysBA 204 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 5, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-20T09:17:30+02:00 - Seite 185Z

Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsFront Passenger
Airbag Enabled
See Operator's
ManualThe front-passenger air bag is enabled during the journey,
although:
R there is a child, a small adult or an object weighing less than the
system's weight threshold on the front-passenger seat.
R the front-passenger seat is unoccupied.
The system may detect the additional weight of objects on the
seat or forces acting on the seat.XPull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.XEngage the parking brake.XSwitch off the ignition.XOpen the front-passenger door.XRemove the child and the child restraint system from the front-
passenger seat.XIf necessary, secure the child in a child restraint system on a
suitable rear seat.XMake sure that there are no objects adding to the weight applied
to the seat. The system may otherwise detect the additional
weight and interpret the seat occupant's weight as greater than
it actually is.XMake sure that the seat is unoccupied and has no objects placed
on it, close the front-passenger door, and switch on the ignition.
Observe the 45(Y page 41) indicator lamps and the
multifunction display and check the following:
Seat unoccupied and ignition switched on:
R the 45 indicator lamp must light up and remain lit. When
the indicator lamp is on, OCS ( Y page 41) has deactivated the
front-passenger air bag.
R The Front Passenger Airbag Enabled See Operator's
Manual or Front Passenger Airbag Disabled See
Operator's Manual display messages must not appear. Wait
for at least 60 seconds until the necessary system checks have
been completed and to make sure that the display messages do
not appear in the multifunction display.
If these conditions are met, the front-passenger seat can be
occupied again. Whether the 45 indicator lamp remains lit
or goes out depends on how OCS classifies the occupant.
If the conditions are not met, the system is not operating correctly.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop immediately.Display messages187On-board computer and displaysBA 204 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 5, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-20T09:17:30+02:00 - Seite 187Z

GWarning
If the 45 indicator lamp remains off even after performing the above corrective steps, do
not have any children 12 years old and under and other small individuals use the front-passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsFront Passenger
Airbag Disabled
See Operator's
ManualThe front-passenger air bag is deactivated during the journey even
though an adult or a person larger than a certain size is occupying
the front-passenger seat. If additional forces are applied to the
seat, the system may interpret the occupant's weight as lower
than it actually is.XPull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.XEngage the parking brake.XSwitch off the ignition.XHave the occupant get out of the vehicle.XMake sure that the seat is unoccupied and has no objects placed
on it, close the front-passenger door, and switch on the ignition.
Observe the 45(Y page 41) indicator lamps and the
multifunction display and check the following:
Seat unoccupied and ignition switched on:
R the 45 indicator lamp must light up and remain lit. When
the indicator lamp is on, OCS ( Y page 41) has deactivated the
front-passenger air bag.
R The Front Passenger Airbag Enabled See Operator's
Manual or Front Passenger Airbag Disabled See
Operator's Manual display messages must not appear. Wait
for at least 60 seconds until the necessary system checks have
been completed and to make sure that the display messages do
not appear in the multifunction display.
If these conditions are met, the front-passenger seat can be
occupied again. Whether the 45 indicator lamp remains lit
or goes out depends on how OCS classifies the occupant.
If the conditions are not met, the system is not operating correctly.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop immediately.GWarning
If the 45 indicator lamp remains lit with an adult occupant on the front-passenger seat
even after performing the above corrective steps, do not have any passenger use the front-
passenger seat until the system has been repaired.
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BrakesDisplay messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions$ (USA only)
J (Canada only)
ABS and ESC
Currently
Unavailable See
Operator's ManualGRisk of accident
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), ESP ®
(Electronic Stability
Program), BAS (Brake Assist) and hill start assist are temporarily
unavailable. The self-diagnosis might not be finished, for example.
In addition, the ä, å and ! warning lamps light up in
the instrument cluster.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
XCarefully drive a suitable distance making slight steering
movements at a speed above 12 mph (20 km/h).
If the display message disappears, the functions mentioned
above are available again.
If the display message continues to be displayed:
XDrive on carefully.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.GRisk of accident
ABS, ESP ®
, BAS and hill start assist are temporarily unavailable.
The on-board voltage may be insufficient, for example. In addition,
the ä , å and ! warning lamps light up in the instrument
cluster.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
XDrive on carefully.
If the display message disappears, the functions mentioned
above are available again.
If the display message continues to be displayed:
XDrive on carefully.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.Display messages189On-board computer and displaysBA 204 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 5, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-20T09:17:30+02:00 - Seite 189Z