2011 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class Wheel

Cornering light function
The cornering light function improves the
illumination of the road over a wide angle in
the direction you are turning, enabling better
visibility in tight bends, for example. It can
only be activated when the low-beam
headlamps are switched on.
Active: if you are driving at speeds below
25 mph (40 km/h) and switch on the turn
signals or turn the steering wheel.
Not active: if you are driving at speeds above
25 mph (40 km/h) or switch off the turn
signal or turn the steering wheel to the
straight-ahead position.
The cornering light function may remain lit for
a short time, but is automatically switched off
after no more than three minutes.
Headlamps fogged up on the inside
The headlamps may fog up on the inside if
there is high atmospheric humidity.
XDrive with the headlamps switched on.
The headlamps clear up after a short
distance.
If the moisture does not disappear, the
headlamp casing is not sealed correctly and
moisture has been able to enter.
XHave the headlamps checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.Interior lighting
Overview of interior lighting
:u To switch the rear interior lighting
on/off
;| To switch the automatic interior
lighting control on/off
=p To switch the right-hand front
reading lamp on/off
?c To switch the front interior lighting
on/off
Ap To switch the left-hand front reading
lamp on/off
BFront reading lampsCFront interior lighting110Interior lightingLights and windshield wipers
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iAir-recirculation mode is activated
automatically at high outside
temperatures. When air-recirculation mode
is activated automatically, the indicator
lamp in the g button is not lit.
Outside air is added after about 30
minutes.
XTo deactivate: press the g button.
The indicator lamp in the g button goes
out.
iAir-recirculation mode switches off
automatically:
Rafter approximately five minutes if
outside temperatures are under about
41 ‡ (5 †)
Rafter approximately five minutes if
cooling with air dehumidification is
deactivated
Rafter approximately 30 minutes if outside
temperatures are over about
41 ‡ (5 †)
Setting the air vents
Important safety notes
GWarning
When operating the climate control, the air
that enters the passenger compartment
through the air vents can be very hot or very
cold (depending on the set temperature). This
could cause burns or frostbite to unprotected
skin in the immediate area of the air vents.
Always keep sufficient distance between
unprotected parts of the body and the air
vents. If necessary, use the air distribution
adjustment to direct the air to air vents in the
vehicle interior that are not in the immediate
area of unprotected skin.
In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air vents into the vehicle interior,
please observe the following notes:
Rkeep the air inlet between the windshield
and the hood free of blockages, such as ice,
snow or leaves
Rnever cover the vents or air inlet and outlet
grilles in the vehicle interior.
iFor virtually draft-free ventilation, adjust
the sliders of the air vents to the center
position.
Setting the center air vents
:Center air vent, left;Center air vent, right=Center vent thumbwheel, right?Center vent thumbwheel, leftXTo open/close: turn thumbwheels =
and ? up or down.
Setting the side air vents
126Setting the air ventsClimate control
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XTo open/close: turn thumbwheel = up or
down.
iSide window defroster vent : is never
completely shut, even if side air vent ; is
shut.
Setting the air vent in the glove box
When automatic climate control is activated,
the glove box can be ventilated, for instance
to cool its contents. The level of airflow
depends on the airflow and air distribution
settings.
! Close the air vent when heating the
vehicle.
At high outside temperatures, open the air
vent and activate the "cooling with air
dehumidification" function. Otherwise,
temperature-sensitive items stored in the
glove box could be damaged.
:Air vent thumbwheel;Air ventXTo open/close: turn thumbwheel :
clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Setting the rear-compartment air
vents
Setting the center vents in the rear
compartment
:Rear-compartment air vent thumbwheel;Rear-compartment air vent, right=Rear-compartment air vent, leftXTo open/close: turn thumbwheel : up or
down.
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GWarning
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle's ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
GWarning
Manual transmission: Wait until the vehicle is
stationary before removing the SmartKey
from the starter switch. The vehicle cannot be
steered when the SmartKey is removed from
the starter switch.
GWarning
It is dangerous to shift the automatic
transmission out of parking position P or
neutral position N if the engine speed is
higher than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly
on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to
the desired drive position when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
! AMG vehicles: at low engine oil
temperatures (below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the
maximum engine speed is restricted in
order to protect the engine. To protect the
engine and maintain smooth engine
operation, avoid driving at full throttle when
the engine is cold.
SmartKey positions
SmartKeygTo remove the SmartKey
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position P.1Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers2Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position3To start the engine
Once the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up. The indicator lamps of the low-beam
headlamps, high-beam headlamps, turn
signal lamps or front fog lamps only light up
if the low-beam headlamps, high-beam
headlamps, turn signal lamps or front fog
lamps are switched on. If an indicator lamp
does not light up when the ignition is switched
on, check it and replace it if necessary. If an
indicator lamp does not go out after starting
the engine or lights up while the vehicle is in
motion, see ( Y page 203).
If the SmartKey is in position 0 in the ignition
lock for an extended period of time, it can no
longer be turned in the ignition lock. The
steering is then locked. To unlock, remove the
SmartKey and reinsert it in the ignition lock.
The steering is locked when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XRemove the SmartKey when the engine is
switched off.
The battery may otherwise discharge.Driving131Driving and parkingBA 204 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 5, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-20T09:17:30+02:00 - Seite 131Z

XThe Start/Stop button must be inserted in
the ignition lock.
i To start the engine with the SmartKey
instead of with KEYLESS-GO, remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.XPress the Start/Stop button once
( Y page 132).
The engine starts.
Pulling away
Manual transmission
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.XFully depress the clutch pedal.XShift to either 1st gear or reverse gear R.XRelease the parking brake ( Y page 149).XRelease the brake pedal.XSlowly release the clutch pedal and gently
depress the accelerator pedal.
! If a warning signal sounds and the
Release the parking brake message
appears in the instrument cluster, the
parking brake is still applied. Release the
parking brake.
! Change gear in good time and avoid
spinning the wheels. You could otherwise
damage the vehicle.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature ( Y page 181).
Automatic transmissionGWarning
It is dangerous to shift the automatic
transmission out of parking position P or
neutral position N if the engine speed is
higher than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly
on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position P to the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then is
the selector lever lock released.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.XShift the transmission to position D or R.XWait until the gear change is completed
before pulling away.XRelease the parking brake ( Y page 149).XRelease the brake pedal.XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
!
If a warning tone sounds and the
Release Park. Brake message appears
in the instrument cluster, the parking brake
is still applied. Release the parking brake.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature ( Y page 181).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
134DrivingDriving and parking
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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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