2013 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class SEDAN warning lights

The active light function is a system that
moves the headlamps according to the
steering movements of the front wheels. In
this way, relevant areas remain illuminated
while driving. This allows you to recognize
pedestrians, cyclists and animals.
Active: when the lights are switched on. 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. The
cornering light function can only be activated
when the low-beam headlamps are switched
on.
Active:
R
if you are driving at speeds below
25mph (40 km/h) and switch on the turn
signal or turn the steering wheel.
R if you are driving at speeds between
25 mph (40 km/h) and 45 mph (70 km/h)
and turn the steering wheel.
Not active: if you are driving at speeds above
25 mph (40 km/h) or switch off the turn
signals 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. Adaptive Highbeam Assist
G
WARNING
Adaptive Highbeam Assist does not recognize
road users:
R who have no lights, e.g. pedestrians
R who have poor lighting, e.g. cyclists
R whose lighting is blocked, e.g. by a barrier
In very rare cases, Adaptive Highbeam Assist
may fail to recognize other road users that
have lights, or may recognize them too late.
In this or similars ituations, the automatic
high-beam headlamps will not be deactivated
or activated regardless. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always carefully observe the traffic conditions
and switch off the high-beam headlamps in
good time.
You can use this function to set the
headlamps to change betwee nlow beam and
high beam automatically. The system
recognizes vehicles with their lights on, either
approaching from the opposite direction or
traveling in front of your vehicle, and
consequently switches the headlamps from
high beam to low beam.
The system automatically adapts the low-
beam headlamp range depending on the
distance to the other vehicle. Once the
system no longer detects any other vehicles,
it reactivates the high-beam headlamps.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windshield near the overhead control
panel. 114
Exterior lightingLights and windshiel
dwipers

0021
0004 Switches the front interior lighting
on/off
001F 0013 Switches the left-hand front reading
lamp on/off Rear-compartment overhead control panel
0002
0013 Switches the right-hand reading
lamp on/off
0003 0013 Switches the left-hand reading lamp
on/off Interior lighting control
General notes In order to prevent the vehicle's battery from
discharging, the interio
rlighting functions are
automatically deactivated after some time
unless the SmartKey is in position 2in the
ignition lock.
Automatic interior lighting control X
To activate/deactivate: press the001C
button.
When the automatic interior lighting
control is activated, the button is flush with
the overhead control panel.
The interior lighting automatically switches
on if you:
R unloc kthe vehicle
R open a door
R remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
The interior light is activated for a short while
when the SmartKey is removed from the ignition lock. You can activate this delayed
switch-off using the on-board computer
(Y
page 210).
Manual interior lighting control X
To switch the front interior lighting on/
off: press the 0004button.
X To switch the interior lighting on/off:
press the 0001button.
X To switch the reading lamps on/off:
press the 0013button. Crash-responsive emergency lighting
The interior lighting is activated automatically
if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
X To switch off the crash-responsive
emergency lighting: press the hazard
warning lamp button.
or
X Lock and then unlock the vehicle using the
SmartKey. Replacing bulbs
Important safety notes
Xenon bulbs G
DANGER
Xenon bulbs carry a high voltage. You can get
an electric shock if you remove the cover of
the Xenon bulb and touch the electrical
contacts. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Never touch the parts or the electrical
contacts of the Xenon bulb. Always have work
on the Xenon bulbs carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
If your vehicle is equipped with Xenon bulbs,
you can recognize this by the following: the
cone of light from the Xenon bulbs moves
from the top to the bottom and back again
when you start the engine. For this to be 116
Replacing bulbsLights and windshield wipers

observed, the lights must be switched on
before starting the engine.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly.
Other bulbs G
WARNING
Bulbs, lamps and connectors can get very hot
when operating. If you change a bulb, you
could burn yourself on these components.
There is a risk of injury.
Allow these components to cool down before
changing a bulb.
There are bulbs other than the Xenon bulbs
that you cannot replace. Replace only the
bulbs listed (Y page 117). Have the bulbs that
you cannot replace yourself changed at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If you require assistance changing bulbs,
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not touch the glass tube of new bulbs with
your bare hands. Even minor contamination
can burn into the glass surface and reduce
the service life of the bulbs. Always use a lint-
free cloth or only touch the base of the bulb
when installing.
Only use bulbs of the correc ttype.
If the new bulb still does no tlight up, consult
a qualified specialist workshop.
Bulbs and lamps are an importan taspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly. Overview:c
hanging bulbs/bulb types
You can change the following bulbs. The bulb
type can be found in the legend. Halogen headlamps
0002
Parking lamp/standing lamp: W 5W
0003 High-bea mheadlamp: H7 55 W
0022 Low-beam headlamp: H7 55 W Bi-Xenon headlamps
0002
Cornering lamp: H7 55 W Tail lamp
0002
Backup lamp: P 21 W
0003 Brake lamp: P 21 W
0022 Brake lamp/parking lamp: P 21 W Replacing bulbs
117Lights and windshield wipers Z

Changing the front bulbs
Low-bea mheadlamps (halogen
headlamps) G
WARNING
These bulbs are pressurized.
They can explode when being changed if:
R they are still hot
R they hit an object when being removed
R they are dropped
There is a risk of injury.
You should wear eye protection and clean
gloves when you are changin gabulb. If
necessary, have bulbs changed at a qualified
specialist workshop. X
Switch off the lights.
X Open the hood.
X Turn housing cover 0002counter-clockwise
and pull it out.
X Turn bulb holder 0003counter-clockwise and
pull it out.
X Take the bulb out of bulb holder 0003.
X Inser tthe new bulb into bulb holder 0003.
X Insert bulb holder 0003into the lamp and turn
it clockwise.
X Align housing cover 0002and turn it
clockwise until it engages. High-beam headlamps (halogen
headlamps) G
WARNING
These bulbs are pressurized.
They can explode when being changed if:
R they are still hot
R they hit an object when being removed
R they are dropped
There is a risk of injury.
You should wear eye protection and clean
gloves when you are changing a bulb. If
necessary, have bulbs changed at a qualified
specialist workshop. X
Switch off the lights.
X Open the hood.
X Turn housing cover 0002counter-clockwise
and pull it out.
X Turn bulb holder 0003counter-clockwise and
pull it out.
X Take the bulb out of bulb holder 0003.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder 0003.
X Insert bulb holder 0003into the lamp and turn
it clockwise.
X Align housing cover 0002and turn it
clockwise until it engages. 118
Replacing bulbsLights and windshield wipers

Parking lamps/standing lamps
(halogen headlamps)
X
Switch off the lights.
X Open the hood.
X Turn housing cover 0002counter-clockwise
and pull it out.
X Pull out bulb holder 0003.
X Take the bulb out of bulb holder 0003.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder 0003.
X Insert bulb holder 0003.
X Align housing cover 0002and turn it
clockwise until it engages.
Cornering light function (Bi-Xenon
headlamps) G
WARNING
These bulbs are pressurized.
They can explode when being changed if:
R they are still hot
R they hit an object when being removed
R they are dropped
There is a risk of injury.
You should wear eye protection and clean
gloves when you are changing a bulb. If
necessary, have bulbs changed at a qualified
specialist workshop. X
Switch off the lights.
X Open the hood.
X Turn housing cover 0002counter-clockwise
and pull it out.
X Turn bulb holder 0003counter-clockwise and
pull it out.
X Take the bulb out of bulb holder 0003.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder 0003.
X Insert bulb holder 0003into the lamp and turn
it clockwise.
X Align housing cover 0002and turn it
clockwise until it engages. Changing the rear bulbs
Opening and closing the side trim
panels You must open the side trim panel in the trunk
and remove the first-aid kit before you can
change the bulbs in the tail lamps.
Right-hand side trim panel Replacing bulbs
119Lights and windshieldw ipers Z

Windshield wipers
Switching the windshield wipers on/
off
! Do not operate the windshield wipers
whe nthe windshield is dry, as this could
damage the wiper blades. Moreover, dust
that has collected on the windshield can
scratch the glass if wiping takes place when
the windshield is dry.
! If the windshield wipers leave smears on
the windshield after the vehicle has been
washed in an automatic car wash, wax or
other residues may be the reason for this.
Cleant he windshield using washer fluid
after washing the vehicle in an automatic
car wash. Combination switch
0005
0008 Windshield wiper off
0006 0001 Intermittent wipe, low 5
0007 0002 Intermittent wipe, high 6
000B 0016 Continuous wipe, slow
000C 0010 Continuous wipe, fast
0020 0005 Single wipe/0006 To wipe the
windshield using washer fluid
X Switch on the ignition.
X Turn the combination switch to the
corresponding position.
! Intermittent wiping with rain sensor: due
to optical influences and the windshield
becoming dirty in dry weather conditions, the windshield wipers may be activated
inadvertently. This could then damage the
windshield wiper blades or scratch the
windshield.
For this reason, you should always switch
off the windshield wipers in dry weather.
In the 0001or0002 position, the appropriate
wiping frequency is set automatically
according to the intensity of the rain. In
the 0002 position, the rain sensor is more
sensitive than in the 0001position, causing
the windshield wipers to wipe more
frequently.
If the wiper blades are worn, the windshield
will no longer be wiped properly. This could
prevent you from observing the traffic
conditions. Replace the wiper blades twice a
year, ideally in spring and fall. Replacing the wiper blades
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the windshield wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiper blades, you could
be trapped by the wiper arm. There is a risk
of injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades.
! Never open the hood if a windshield wiper
arm has been folded away from the
windshield.
Never fold a windshield wiper arm without
a wiper blade back onto the windshield.
Hold the windshield wiper arm firmly when
you change the wiper blade. If you release
the windshield wiper arm without a wiper
blade and it falls onto the windshield, the
windshield may be damaged by the force of
the impact.
5 Rain sensor set to low sensitivity.
6 Rain sensor set to high sensitivity. Windshield wipers
121Lights and windshield wipers Z

X
Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the
ignition lock (Y page 141) or remove it.
X To activate: press the0002button.
The indicator lamp in the 0002button lights
up.
i If the residual heat function is activated,
the windows may fog up on the inside.
X To deactivate: press the0002button.
The indicator lamp in the 0002button goes
out.
i Residual heat is deactivated
automatically:
R after approximately 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops
R when the auxiliary heating is activated Setting the air vents
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Very hot or very cold air can flow from the air
vents. This could result in burns or frostbite in
the immediate vicinity of the air vents. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that all vehicle occupants always
maintain a sufficient distance to the air
outlets. If necessary, redirect the airflow to
another area of the vehicle interior.
In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air vents into the vehicle interior,
please observe the following notes:
R keep the air inlet between the windshield
and the hood free of blockages, such as ice,
snow or leaves.
R never cover the air vents or air intake grilles
in the vehicle interior.
i For virtually draft-free ventilation, adjust
the sliders of the air vents to the center
position. Setting the center air vents
0002
Center air vent, left
0003 Center air vent, right
0022 Center vent thumbwheel, right
0021 Center vent thumbwheel, left
X To open/close: turn thumbwheels 0022
and 0021up or down. Setting the side air vents
0002
Side window defroster vent
0003 Side air vent
0022 Control for side air vent
X To open/close: turn thumbwheel 0022to the
left or right. Setting the glove box air vent
When automatic climate control is activated,
the glove box can be ventilated, for instance
to cool its contents. The level of airflow Setting the air vents
137Climate control Z

i
The power supply is switched off again if:
R the driver's door is opened and
R you press Start/Stop button 0002once
when in this position
As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving,
see (Y page 244). Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of
parking position P.
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces
without sufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
General notes i
The catalytic converter is preheated for
up to 30 seconds after a cold start. The
sound of the engine may change during this
time.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P.
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows P.
i You can also start the engine when the
transmission is in position N.
Starting procedure with the SmartKey i
To start the engine using the SmartKey
instead of KEYLESS-GO, pull the Start/
Stop button out of the ignition lock.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 3in the
ignition lock (Y page 141) and release it as
soon as the engine is running.
Using KEYLESS-GO to startt he engine You can start the engine if a valid SmartKey
with the integrated KEYLESS-GO function is
in the vehicle. Always take the SmartKey with
you whe
nleaving the vehicle, even if you only
leave it for a short time. Pay attention to the
important safety notes. Driving
143Driving and parking Z