2014 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS SALOON ignition

There is an increased risk of serious or even
fatal injuries.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Hybrid vehicles: G
DANGER
If the restraint system is malfunctioning,
restraint system components may be trig-
gered unintentionally or might not be trig-
gered at all in the event of an accident with a high rate of vehicle deceleration. This can
effect belt tensioners or airbags, for example. In addition, the vehicle's high-voltage electri-
cal system may not be deactivated as inten-
ded in the event of an accident. Touching
damaged components of the vehicle's high-
voltage electrical system could result in an
electric shock. There is an increased risk of
injury, possibly even fatal.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. After an accident, immediately
switch the ignition off and remove the key
from the ignition lock. PASSENGER AIRBAG indicator lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
:
and PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp ;are part of the deactivation system of
the front-passenger front airbag. The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front airbag.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG ON :lights up: the
front-passenger front airbag is enabled. If,
in the case of an accident, all deployment
criteria are met, the front-passenger front
airbag is deployed.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF ;lights up: the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled. It
will then not be deployed in the event of an accident.
Depending on the person in the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger front air-
bag must either be disabled or enabled; see
the following points. You must make sure of
this both before and during a journey.
R Children in a rearward-facing child
restraint system: the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp must be lit. The
front-passenger front airbag is disabled.
Always observe the information on the
"Automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system" (Y page 54) and on
"Children in the vehicle" (Y page 63).
R Children in a forward-facing child
restraint system: depending on the instal-
led child restraint system, the age and size of the child the front-passenger front airbag
is either disabled or enabled. Therefore,
always observe the information on the
"Automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system" (Y page 54) and on
"Children in the vehicle" (Y page 63).
R All other persons: the PASSENGER AIR
BAG ON indicator lamp must be lit. The
front-passenger front airbag is enabled.
Depending on the build of the person on the front-passenger seat, the PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp may light up. The
front-passenger front airbag is disabled. It
will then not be deployed in the event of an
accident. In this case, the front-passenger
seat should not be used.
Always observe the information on the
"Automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system" (Y page 54) as well46
Occupant safetySafety

mechanism. This could damage the door,
the door trim panel and the seat belt. Dam-
aged seat belts can no longer fulfil their
protective function and must be replaced.
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. X
Press release button :, hold belt
tongue ;firmly and guide it back towards
belt outlet =.
Seat belt adjustment The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function. This
function adjusts the driver's and front-
passenger seat belt to the upper body of the
occupants.
The belt strap is tightened slightly when:
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle
and
R the ignition is switched on
The seat-belt adjustment will apply a certain
tightening force if any slack is detected
between the vehicle occupant and the seat
belt. Do not hold on to the seat belt tightly
while it is adjusting.
You can switch the seat-belt adjustment on
and off using COMAND Online or Audio 20.
Information on activating and deactivating
the seat-belt adjustment function can be
found in the Digital Owner's Manual or in the separate COMAND Online or Audio 20 oper-
ating instructions.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger The
7 seat belt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster is a reminder for all vehicle occu-
pants to fasten their seat belts. It may light up continuously or flash. A warning tone may
also sound.
The 7 seat belt warning lamp goes out and
the warning tone switches off as soon as the driver and co-driver have fastened their seat
belts.
i For more information on the
7seat
belt warning lamp, see the "Warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
seat belt" section (Y page 351).
Rear seat belt status indicator The rear seat belt status indicator is only
available for certain countries.
For approximately 30 seconds, the rear seat
belt status indicator informs you which rear
seat belt is not fastened.
The rear seat belt status indicator appears if:
R you drive off and reach a speed of approx-
imately 10 km/h.
R the rear passengers fasten or unfasten
their seat belts while the vehicle is in
motion.
R someone gets in or out of the vehicle and
you pull away again. 50
Occupant safetySafety

In the event of a side impact, the windowbag
is deployed on the side on which the impact
occurs.
If the system determines that they can offer
additional protection to that provided by the
seat belt, a windowbag may be deployed in
other accident situations (Y page 60).Automatic front-passenger front air-
bag deactivation
Introduction In order to recognise a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat, the automatic
front-passenger front airbag deactivation sys- tem categorises the person in the front-
passenger seat. Depending on that result, the
front-passenger front airbag is either enabled or disabled. If a rearward-facing child
restraint system is fitted to the front-
passenger seat, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp must light up after the
system self-test and remain lit. The front-
passenger front airbag is disabled.
The system does not disable:
R the sidebag
R the windowbag
R the seat belt tensioner
Make sure that your vehicle is equipped with
the automatic front-passenger front airbag
deactivation system (Y page 66). If this is
not the case, always fit the child restraint sys- tem on a suitable rear seat (Y page 68).
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat,
be sure to observe the correct positioning of
the child restraint system. Never place
objects under or behind the child restraint
system, e.g. cushions. Fully retract the seat
cushion length. The entire base of the child
restraint system must always rest on the seat cushion of the front-passenger seat. The
backrest of the forwards-facing child restraint
system must, as far as possible, be resting on the backrest of the front-passenger seat. The child restraint system must not touch the roof
or be put under strain by the head restraint.
Adjust the angle of the seat backrest and the
head restraint position accordingly. Only then is the correct function of the automatic front- passenger front airbag deactivation system
guaranteed. Always observe the information
on suitable positioning of the child restraint
system (Y page 68) in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions.
Operation of automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation :
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
; PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
The indicator lamps inform you whether the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled or
enabled.
X Press the Start/Stop button once or twice,
or turn the key to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock.
The system carries out a self-diagnosis.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamps
must light up simultaneously for approx-
imately six seconds.
The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front airbag.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG ON :lights up: the
front-passenger front airbag is enabled. If,
in the case of an accident, all deployment 54
Occupant safetySafety

Deployment of belt tensioners and air-
bags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
After the airbag deploys, the airbag parts are
hot. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the airbag parts. Have a
deployed airbag replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop as soon as possible. G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners that have
been deployed are no longer operational and
are unable to perform their intended protec-
tive function. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
Therefore, have pyrotechnic belt tensioners
which have been triggered immediately
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the vehicle towed to a qualified specialist
workshop after an accident. Take this into
account, particularly if a seat belt tensioner
was triggered or an airbag was deployed.
An electric motor is used by PRE-SAFE ®
to
trigger the tightening of the seat belt in haz-
ardous situations. This procedure is reversi-
ble.
If the belt tensioners are triggered or an air-
bag is deployed, you will hear a bang, and a
small amount of powder may also be
released. The 6restraint system warning
lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your
hearing. In general, the powder released is
not hazardous to health but may cause short- term breathing difficulties to persons suffer-
ing from asthma or other pulmonary condi-
tions. Provided it is safe to do so, you should
leave the vehicle immediately or open the
window in order to prevent breathing difficul- ties. Operation During the first stage of a collision, the
restraint system control unit evaluates impor- tant physical data relating to vehicle deceler-
ation or acceleration, such as:
R duration
R direction
R intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the seat
belt tensioners in the event of a head-on or
rear collision.
A seat belt tensioner can only be triggered if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the components of the restraint system are
operational; see "Restraint system warning
lamp" (Y page 45)
R the belt tongue has engaged in the belt
buckle of the respective front seat
The seat belt tensioners in the rear compart-
ment are triggered independently of the lock
status of the seat belts.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
high severity of an accident, in certain head-
on collisions, additional components of the
restraint system are deployed independently
of each another:
R front airbags and driver's kneebag
R windowbag, if the system determines that
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
On vehicles with the automatic front-
passenger front airbag deactivation system:
depending on the person in the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger front air-
bag is either disabled or enabled. The front-
passenger front airbag can only be deployed
in an accident if the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is lit. Observe the information
on the PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps
(Y page 46).
Your vehicle has two-stage front airbags. In
the first deployment stage, the front airbag is
filled with propellant gas to reduce the risk of 60
Occupant safetySafety

er's door. If indicator lamp
:is off, oper-
ation is possible using the switches in the
rear compartment. Pets in the vehicle
G
WARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may push a button
or a switch, for example.
They could:
R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R switch vehicle systems on or off, thus
endangering other road users
In the event of an accident, sudden braking or
abrupt changes of direction, unsecured ani-
mals could be flung around the vehicle, injur-
ing the vehicle occupants. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals correctly during a
journey, e.g. in an animal transport box. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 74)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 75)
R BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist ( Brake
Assist System PLUS with Cross-Traffic
Assist) (Y page 75)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(distance warning function and adaptive
Brake Assist) (Y page 77)
R Adaptive brake lamps (Y page 80)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 80) R
EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 82)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 82)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 82)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 85) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor
override the laws of physics. Driving safety
systems are merely aids designed to assist
driving. You are responsible for the distance
to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed and
for braking in good time. Always adapt your
driving style to suit the prevailing road,
weather and traffic conditions and maintain a
safe distance from the vehicle in front. Drive
carefully.
The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there is
adequate contact between the tyres and the
road surface. Please pay special attention to
the notes on tyres, recommended minimum
tyre tread depths etc. (Y page 428).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary, snow
chains. Only in this way will the driving safety systems described in this section work as
effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched on. It goes out when the engine is running. 74
Driving safety systemsSafety

Adaptive brake lamps
The adaptive brake lights warn following traf- fic in an emergency braking situation:
R by flashing brake lamps
R by activating the hazard warning lamps
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS
or BAS PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way, traffic travelling behind you is
warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning button (Y page 137).ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tyres
and the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. 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 stabilise the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehi-
cles with 4MATIC, 4ETS is a component of
ESP ®
. Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually 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. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate ESP ®
.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! If you test the parking brake using a brake
dynamometer, switch the ignition off.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 422).
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up and:
R the vehicle is moving
R the ECO start/stop function is activated
If the ÷ warning lamp lights up continu-
ously, ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunc-
tion.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 357) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 315).
Only use wheels with the recommended tyre
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly. 80
Driving safety systemsSafety

The braking action of PRE-SAFE
®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you manoeuvre to avoid the obstacle
R there is no longer a risk of collision
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle STEER CONTROL
General notes STEER CONTROL is only available in vehicles
without 4MATIC.
STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a noticeable steering force to the steering
wheel in the direction required for vehicle
stabilisation.
This steering support is provided in particular
if:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake
R the vehicle starts to skid
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if:
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning
R the steering is faulty
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will be assisted
further by the electrical power steering. Protection against theft
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key. X
To activate with the key: remove the key
from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO start-
function or KEYLESS-GO: switch the igni-
tion off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone can
start the engine if a valid key has been left
inside the vehicle.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated
when you start the engine. ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
X
To prime: lock the vehicle with the key or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately
15 seconds.
X To switch off: unlock the vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
or X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is primed and you open: R a door
R the vehicle with the emergency key ele-
ment
R the boot lid
R the bonnet Protection against theft
85Safety Z

X
To turn the alarm off with the key: press
the % or& button on the key.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: remove the Start/
Stop button from the ignition lock
(Y page 181).
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
X To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The key
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or X Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The key must be inside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that has triggered it, for
example.
i If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, the Mercedes‑Benz emer-
gency call system automatically sends a
message to the Customer Assistance
Centre. This is done by means of a text
message or a data connection. The emer-
gency call system sends a message or
establishes a data connection provided
that:
R you have subscribed to the
Mercedes‑Benz emergency call system
R the Mercedes‑ Benz emergency call sys-
tem has been activated properly
R the necessary mobile phone network is
available Tow-away protection
Function An audible and visual alarm is triggered if your
vehicle's angle of inclination is altered while
tow-away protection is primed. This can occur if the vehicle is jacked up on one side, for
example.
Priming X
Make sure that:
R the doors are closed
R the boot lid is closed
Only then is the tow-away protection
primed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or KEYLESS-
GO.
Tow-away protection is primed after
approximately 60 second s.
Switching off X
Unlo ck the vehicle with the key or KEY-
LESS-GO.
or X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
Tow-away protection is switched off auto-
matically.
Deactivating You can deactivate the tow-away protection
using COMAND Online or Audio 20. You can
find information about deactivating the tow-
away protection in the separate COMAND
Online or Audio 20 operating instructions. Interior motion sensor
Function When the interior motion sensor is primed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered if move-
ment is detected in the vehicle interior. This
can occur if someone reaches into the vehicle
interior, for example.
Priming X
Make sure that: 86
Protection against theftSafety