2014 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS SALOON Owners Manual

arately and disposed of in an
environmentally responsible
recycling system. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used batter-
ies.
! Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the service intervals in the Service
Booklet or contact a qualified specialist
workshop for more information.
! Always have work on the batteries carried
out at a qualified specialist workshop.
Should it, in exceptional circumstances, be absolutely necessary to disconnect the 12-
volt battery yourself, please observe the
following:
R secure the vehicle to prevent it from roll-
ing away.
R switch off the engine and remove the
key. Make sure the ignition is switched
off. Check that all the indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster are off. Otherwise,
you may damage electronic components such as the alternator, for example.
R first, disconnect the negative terminal
clamp, followed by the positive terminal
clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
The vehicle electronics may otherwise be
damaged.
R the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The vehi-
cle is secured against rolling away. You
can then no longer move the vehicle.
The batteries and the covers of the positive
terminal clamps must always be fitted
securely during operation.
Comply with safety precautions and take pro-
tective measures when handling batteries. Comply with safety precautions and take pro-
tective measures when handling batteries. WARNING
Fire, naked flames and smoking
are prohibited when handling the
battery. Avoid creating sparks. Battery acid is caustic. Avoid con-
tact with the skin, eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective clothing,
in particular gloves, an apron and a face mask.
Immediately rinse acid splashes
off with clean water. Consult a doc-tor if necessary. Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Owner's Manual.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use batteries which have been tested and approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz. These batteries provide
increased impact protection to prevent vehi-
cle occupants from suffering acid burns
should the battery be damaged in the event of
an accident.
In order for the battery to achieve the maxi-
mum possible service life, it must always be
sufficiently charged.
The vehicle battery, like other batteries, can
discharge over time if you do not use the
vehicle. In such cases, have the battery dis-
connected at a qualified specialist workshop. You can also charge the battery with a
charger recommended by Mercedes-Benz. 414
Battery (vehicle)Breakdown assistance

For more information, please contact a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Have the battery charge checked more fre-
quently if you use the vehicle mainly for short
trips or if you leave it standing idle for a
lengthy period. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop if you wish to leave your vehicle
parked up for a long period of time.
When you park the vehicle, remove the key if you do not require any electrical consumers.
The vehicle will then use very little energy,
thus conserving battery power.
Hybrid vehicles: if the battery charge is suf-
ficient, the high-voltage battery can also sup- ply the 12 V battery with energy. This only
happens if the battery charge of the 12 V bat-
tery requires this, e.g. after using electrical
consumers for an extended period with the
engine switched off. As the on-board voltage
is continuously monitored this can also be
performed when the engine is switched off.
The battery charge of the 12 V battery and the
on-board voltage are thereby kept stable for a
longer period. High-voltage battery - important
safety notes
Only hybrid vehicles are equipped with a high-
voltage battery. G
DANGER
The vehicle's high voltage electrical system is under high voltage. If you modify components
in the vehicle's high-voltage electrical system or touch damaged components, you may be
electrocuted. The components in the vehi-
cle's high-voltage electrical system may be
damaged in an accident, although the damage
is not visible. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Do not touch any high-voltage components
after an accident and never modify the vehi-
cle's high-voltage electrical system. Have the vehicle towed away after an accident and the vehicle's high-voltage electrical system
checked by a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
In the event of a vehicle fire, the internal pres- sure of the high-voltage battery could exceeda critical value. In this case, flammable gas
escapes through a vent valve in the vehicle's
underbody. The gas can ignite. There is a risk
of injury.
Leave the danger area immediately. Secure
the danger area at a suitable distance, whilst
observing legal requirements. G
WARNING
If the housing of the high-voltage battery has
been damaged, electrolyte and gases may
leak out. These are poisonous and caustic.
There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing. Immediately rinse electrolyte splashes off
with water and seek medical attention
straight away.
! Only charge the high-voltage battery in
the "Charging when stationary" operating
mode. Do not connect a battery charger to
the high-voltage battery. Otherwise, the
vehicle's high-voltage electrical system
could be damaged.
! Exhaustive discharge caused by the vehi-
cle standing idle for lengthy periods can
damage the high-voltage battery.
If the vehicle is idle for lengthy periods, run
it for a few minutes once every six weeks to
charge up the high-voltage battery.
During the charging process, switch off all
electrical consumers, e.g. the automatic
climate control or the seat heating.
If you wish to park your vehicle for several
weeks, ensure that the battery is at least 30 %
charged. If necessary, charge the high-volt-
age battery while stationary before parking
the vehicle (Y page 416).
Consult a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre if
you wish to leave your vehicle parked up for a
long period of time. Battery (vehicle)
415Breakdown assistance Z

Charging the 12 V battery
G
WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive
gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient
ventilation while charging and jump-starting.
Do not lean over a battery. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury. Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing.
Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean
over the battery. Keep children away from
batteries. Wash battery acid immediately with water and seek medical attention. G
WARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at tempera-
tures below freezing point. When jump-start-
ing the vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of
an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before
charging it or jump-starting.
! Only use battery chargers with a maxi-
mum charging voltage of 14.8 V.
! Only charge the battery using the jump-
start connection point.
The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment (Y page 418).
X Open the bonnet.
X Connect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and earth point in the same order
as when connecting the donor battery in
the jump-starting procedure (Y page 418).
Never charge the battery if it is still fitted to
the vehicle, unless you use a battery charger which has been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. A battery charger unit spe-
cially adapted for Mercedes-Benz vehicles
and tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz is available as an accessory. This device per-
mits charging of the battery in position. Con-
tact a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for
information and availability. Read the battery charger's operating instructions before
charging the battery.
If the indicator/warning lamps do not light up
at low temperatures, it is very likely that the
discharged battery has frozen. In this case
you may neither jump-start the vehicle nor
charge the battery. The service life of a bat-
tery that has been thawed may be reduced.
The starting characteristics may be impaired, especially at low temperatures. Have the
thawed battery checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Hybrid vehicles: if the battery charge is suf-
ficient, the high-voltage battery can also sup-
ply the 12 V battery with energy. This only
happens if the battery charge of the 12 V bat-
tery requires this, e.g. after using electrical
consumers for an extended period with the
engine switched off. As the on-board voltage
is continuously monitored this can also be
performed when the engine is switched off.
The battery charge of the 12 V battery and the
on-board voltage are thereby kept stable for a longer period. Charging the high-voltage battery
when stationary
Only hybrid vehicles are equipped with a high-
voltage battery. 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 with-
out sufficient ventilation.
! Only charge the high-voltage battery in
the "Charging when stationary" operating
mode. Do not connect a battery charger to
the high-voltage battery. Otherwise, the 416
Battery (vehicle)Breakdown assistance

vehicle's high-voltage electrical system
could be damaged.
X Stop the vehicle if the internal combustion
engine is running.
The internal combustion engine drives the
electric motor. The electric motor is oper-
ating as an alternator. The high-voltage bat- tery is charging.
If the high-voltage battery is too heavily dis-
charged, recharge the high-voltage battery to
at least 60% of its capacity. In the "Charging
when stationary" operating mode, you can
observe the charge status of the high-voltage battery up to a maximum of 70% in the
COMAND display and in the multifunction dis-
play (Y page 274). Battery (vehicle)
417Breakdown assistance Z

Jump-starting
For the jump-starting procedure, use only the jump-starting connection point, consisting of a positive terminal and an earth point, in the engine compartment. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over the battery. Keep children away from batteries. Wash battery acid immediately with water and seek
medical attention. G
WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, naked flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient
ventilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery. G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or sparks
are created, the hydrogen gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
R Make sure that the positive terminal of a connected battery does not come into contact with
vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a battery.
R It is important that you observe the described order of the battery terminals when connecting
and disconnecting a battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the battery poles with identical polarity are connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the described order when connecting and disconnecting
the jump leads.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running. G
WARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point. When jump-starting the
vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before charging it or jump-starting.
! Vehicles with a petrol engine:
avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise,
the non-combusted fuel may damage the catalytic converter.
If the indicator/warning lamps do not light up at low temperatures, it is very likely that the
discharged battery has frozen. In this case you may neither jump-start the vehicle nor charge
the battery. The service life of a battery that has been thawed may be reduced. The starting
characteristics may be impaired, especially at low temperatures. Have the thawed battery
checked at a qualified specialist workshop. 418
Jump-startingBreakdown assistance

Do not use a rapid charging device to start the vehicle. If your vehicle's battery is discharged,
the engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jump
leads. Observe the following points:
R The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible,
jump-start the vehicle using a second battery or a jump-starting device.
R Vehicles with a petrol engine: only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust
system are cold.
R Do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
R Jump-starting may only be performed using batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
R Only use jump leads that have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
R If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected
for a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the empty battery a little.
R Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
R The jump leads are not damaged.
R Non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps do not come into contact with other metal parts
while the jump leads are connected to the battery.
R The jump leads cannot come into contact with parts which can move when the engine is
running, such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
X Secure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
X Automatic transmission: shift the transmission to position P.
X Manual transmission: depress the clutch pedal fully and shift to neutral.
X Make sure the ignition is switched off (Y page 181). All indicator lamps in the instrument
cluster must be off. When using the key, turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock and
remove it (Y page 181).
X Switch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window heating, lighting etc.
X Open the bonnet. Jump-starting
419Breakdown assistance Z

Position number
Bidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-
starting device.
X Slide cover Aof positive terminal :in the direction of the arrow.
X Connect positive terminal :on your vehicle to positive terminal ;of donor battery B
using the jump lead. Always begin with positive terminal :on your own vehicle first.
X Start the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
X Connect negative terminal =of donor battery Bto earth point ?of your vehicle using the
jump lead, connecting the jump lead to donor battery Bfirst.
X Start the engine.
X Before disconnecting the jump leads, let the engines run for several minutes.
X First, remove the jump leads from earth point ?and negative terminal =, then from pos-
itive clamp :and positive terminal ;. Begin each time at the contacts on your own vehicle
first.
X Close cover Aof positive clamp :after removing the jump leads.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Hybrid vehicles: if your vehicle has been jump-started, it may not be possible to use the
electric drive for approximately 30 minutes.
Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jump-starting cables and further information regarding jump starting can be obtained at
any qualified specialist workshop. Towing away and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Safety relevant functions are restricted or no
longer available if:
R the engine is not running
R the brake system or power steering is mal-
functioning
R there is a malfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system
When your vehicle is towed away or towed
started, you may require considerably more
effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an
accident.
In such cases use a rigid towing bar. Before
being towed away or tow started, make sure
the steering moves freely. G
WARNING
If the steering wheel lock is engaged, the vehi- cle can no longer be steered. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always switch on the ignition when towing
with a tow rope or a towing bar. G
WARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible gross weight of your vehicle, the:
R towing eye may be torn off
R car/trailer combination may swerve or
even overturn
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle. 420
Towing away and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

!
When COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS, DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func- tion is activated, the vehicle brakes auto-
matically in certain situations. To avoid
damage to the vehicle, deactivate these
systems in the following or similar situa-
tions:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
! Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
! Only secure the tow cable or tow bar to
the towing eyes or, if available, to the trailer
tow hitch. You could otherwise damage the
vehicle.
! Observe the following points when towing
with a tow rope:
R secure the tow rope on the same side on
both vehicles.
R make sure that the tow rope is not longer
than legally permitted. Mark the tow rope
in the middle, e.g. with a white cloth
(30 x 30 cm). This makes other road
users aware that a vehicle is being
towed.
R only secure the tow rope to the towing
eye.
R observe the brake lamps of the towing
vehicle while driving. Always maintain a
distance so that the tow rope does not
sag.
R do not use steel cables or chains to tow
your vehicle. You could otherwise dam-
age the vehicle.
! Do not use the towing eyes for recovery
purposes as this could damage the vehicle.
If in doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! Pull away smoothly when towing away or
tow-starting a vehicle. If the tractive power
is too high, the vehicles could be damaged.
! Shift the automatic transmission to
Nand
do not open the driver's or front passeng- er's door during towing. The automatic
transmission may otherwise shift to posi-
tion
P, which could damage the transmis-
sion.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum of
50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must not
be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the entire vehicle must be lifted up and transported.
! If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per- missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle
weight of your vehicle can be found on the
vehicle identification plate (Y page 468).
Observe the legal requirements for the rele-
vant countries when towing.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission dam-
age, have it transported on a transporter or
trailer.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
when towing a vehicle, the automatic trans-
mission must be in position N. If the auto-
matic transmission cannot be shifted to posi- tion N, have the vehicle transported on a
transporter or trailer.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2
R cannot release the electric parking brake
R cannot shift the transmission to position N
on vehicles with automatic transmission
Deactivate the automatic locking feature
before the vehicle is towed (Y page 98). You
could otherwise be locked out when pushing
or towing the vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection (Y page 86)
before the vehicle is towed. Towing away and tow-starting
421Breakdown assistance Z