2014 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class SEDAN Owner's Manual

Useful information
..............................40
Panic alarm .......................................... 40
Occupant safety .................................. 40
Children in the vehicle ........................59
Driving safet ysystems ....................... 65
Theft deterrent locking system .........72 39Safety

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Read the information on qualified
specialist workshops: (Y page 25).Panic alarm
X
To activate: press000Cbutton 0002for
approximately one second.
An alarm sounds and the exterior lighting
flashes.
X To deactivate: press000Cbutton 0002
again.
or
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or
X Press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button.
The KEYLESS-GO key must be in the
vehicle. Occupant safety
Overview of occupant safety
In this section, you will learn the most
important facts about the restraint system
components of the vehicle.
The restraint system consists of:
R seat belts
R child restraint systems
R LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors
Additional protection is provided by:
R SRS (Supplemental Restrain tSystem)
R NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO
luxury head restraints
R air bag system components with:
-PASSENGER AI RBAG OFF indicator lamp
- front-passenge rseat with Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
The differen tair bag systems work
independently of each other. The protective
functions of the system work in conjunction
with each other. Not all air bags are always
deployed in an accident. G
WARNING
Modifications to or work improperly
conducted on restraint system components
or their wiring, as well as tampering with
interconnected electronic systems, can lead
to the restraint systems no longer functioning
as intended.
Air bags or Emergency Tensioning Devices
(ETDs), for example, could deploy
inadvertently or fail to deploy in accidents
although the deceleration threshold for air
bag deploymen tis exceeded. Therefore,
never modify the restraint systems. Do not
tamper with electronic components or their
software.
i For information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle restraint
systems for infants and children, see
"Children in the vehicle" (Y page 59).40
Occupant safetySafety

SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
Introduction SRS consists of:
R
The 001E SRS warning lamp
R Air bags
R Air bag control unit (with crash sensors)
R Emergency Tensioning Devices
R Belt force limiters
SRS reduces the risk of occupants coming
into contact with the vehicle's interior in the
event of an accident. It can also reduce the
effect of the forces to which occupants are
subjected during an accident.
SRS warning lamp G
WARNING
If SRS is malfunctioning, child restraint
system components may be triggered
unintentionally or might not be triggered at all
in the event of an accident with a high rate of
vehicle deceleration. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Have SRS checked and repaired immediately
at a qualified specialist workshop.
SRS functions are checked regularly when
you switch on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Therefore, malfunctions
can be detected in good time.
The 001E SRS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out no later than a few seconds
after the engine is started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness when the 001ESRS warning lamp
goes out while the engine is running. There is a malfunction if:
R
the 001E SRS warning lamp does not light
up when the ignition is switched on
R the engine is running and the 001ESRS
warning lamp does not go out after a few
seconds
R the engine is running and the 001ESRS
warning lamp lights up again
Safety guidelines for seat belts,
Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)
and air bags G
WARNING
R Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident
must be replaced. Their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use seat belts
installed or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency
Tensioning Devices (ETDs) contain
perchlorate material, which may require
special handling and regard for the
environment. Check your national disposal
guidelines. California residents, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/
Perchlorate/index.cfm .
R Air bags and ETDs are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD
that has deployed must be replaced.
R Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
R Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the seat belts.
R Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
R No modifications of any kind may be made
to any components or wiring of the SRS.
R Do not change or remove any component
or part of the SRS.
R Do not install additional trim material, seat
covers, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, front-passenger front air bag Occupant safety
41Safety
Z

cover, outer sides of the sea
tbackrests,
door trim panels, or door frame trims.
R Do no tinstall additional electrical/
electronic equipment on or near SRS
components and wiring.
R Keep area between ai rbags and occupants
free of objects (e.g. packages, purses,
umbrellas, etc.).
R Do no thang items such as coat hangers
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door .These items may be thrown around in
the vehicle and cause head and other
injuries when the window curtain air bag is
deployed.
R Air bag system components will be hot after
an air bag has inflated. Do not touch them.
R Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
R Improper repair work on the SRS creates a
risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be
performed by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R For your protection and the protection of
others, when scrapping the air bag unit or
ETD, our safety instructions must be
followed. These instructions are available
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R Given the considerable deployment speed,
required inflation volume, and the material
of the air bags, there is the possibility of
abrasions or other, potentially more serious
injuries resulting from air bag deployment.
If you sell your vehicle, Mercedes-Benz
strongly recommends that you inform the
subsequent owner that the vehicle is
equipped with SRS. Also, refer them to the
applicable section in the Operator's Manual. Air bags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Using unsuitable seat covers could restrict or
even prevent deployment of the air bags
integrated into the seats. Consequently, the
air bags cannot protect vehicle occupants as
they are designed to do. In addition, the
function of the air bag deactivation system
could be restricted. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for the respective seat by
Mercedes-Benz. G
WARNING
The air bag parts are hot after the airbag has
been deployed. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the air bag parts. Have the
deployed air bags replaced at a qualified
specialist workshop as soon as possible. G
WARNING
Air bags are designed to reduce the incidence
of injuries and fatalities in certain situations:
R frontal impacts (driver's and front-
passenger front air bags and driver's knee
bag)
R side impacts (side impact air bags, window
curtain air bags and pelvis air bags)
However, no system available today can
completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
When the air bags are deployed, a small
amount of powder is released. The powder
generally does not constitute a health hazard
and does not indicate that there is a fire in the
vehicle. In order to prevent potential
breathing difficulties, you should leave the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you
have any breathing difficulty but cannot get
out of the vehicle after the air bag inflates,
then get fresh air by opening a window or
door. 42
Occupant safetySafety

G
WARNING
In order to reduce the potential dange rof
injuries caused during the deploymen tofthe
front air bags, the driver and front passenger
must always be correctly seated and wear
their seat belts.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision, you must always be in the normal
seat position with your back against the
backrest. Fasten your seat belt and make sure
that it is correctly positioned on your body.
As the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
not wearing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag, as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
R sit with the seat belt fastened correctly and
in a position that is as upright as possible
with your back against the backrest.
R move the driver's seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver's chest to the center of
the air bag cover on the steering wheel
must be at least 10 inches (25 cm). You
should be able to accomplish this by
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter.
R do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
Placing hands and arms inside the rim can
increase the risk and potential severity of
hand/arm injury if the driver front air bag
inflates.
R adjust the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible from the dashboard when the
seat is occupied.
R occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door where the side impact air bag inflates
.This could result in
serious or fatal injuries should the side
impact air bag be deployed. Always sit as
upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized
infant restraint, toddler restraint or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight
of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you
make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator's Manual.
The air bag installation locations are
identified by the AIR BAG symbol.
The air bags are deployed if the air bag control
unit detects the need for deployment.O nly in
the event of such a situatio nwill the air bags
provide their supplemental protection.
If the drive rand front passenge rdo not wear
their seat belts, it is not possible for the air
bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In the event of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, the air bags will not deploy. The
driver and passenger will then be protected
to the extentp ossible by a properly fastened
seat belt. Aproperly fastened seat belti s also
needed to provide the best possible
protection in a rollover.
Air bags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
All vehicle occupants must fasten their seat
belts regardless of whether your vehicle is
equipped with air bags or not.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air
bags continue to perform their protective
function for the vehicle occupants in the
event of a crash. Occupant safety
43Safety Z

i
After an ai rbag has been deployed, have
the vehicle towed to the neares tqualified
specialist workshop, eve nifyour vehicle is
ready to drive.
Front air bags The front air bags increase protection for the
driver's and front passenger's head and
chest.
Driver's air bag
0002deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air
bag 0003deploys in front of and above the glove
box.
They are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
longitudinal direction
R if the system determines that air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R independently of other air bags in the
vehicle
The release time of the front air bags is
dependent upon the use of the seat belt.
Your vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air
bags. In the event of a collision, the air bag
control unit evaluates the vehicle
deceleration. In the first deployment stage,
the front air bag is filled with enough
propellant gas to reduce the risk of injuries.
The front air bag is fully deployed if a second
deployment threshold is exceeded within a
few milliseconds. The deployment of front-passenger front air
bag
0003is also influenced by the weight
category of the front passenger, which is
determined by the Occupant Classification
System (OCS) (Y page 47).
The lighter the passenger-side occupant, the
higher the vehicle deceleration rate required
(predicted at the start of the impact) for
second stage inflation of the front-passenger
front air bag. In the second stage, the front
air bags are inflated with the maximum
amount of propellant gas available.
The front air bags are not deployed in
situations where a low impact severity is
predicted. You will then be protected by the
fastened seat belt.
The front-passenger front air bag will only be
deployed if:
R the system, based on the OCS weight
sensor readings, detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied
R the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp on the center console is not lit
(Y page 47)
R the air bag control unit predicts a high-
impact severity
Driver's knee bag Driver's knee bag
0002increases the driver's
protection against:
R knee injuries
R thigh injuries
R lower leg injuries 44
Occupant safetySafety

Driver's knee bag
0002deploys under the
steering column. If, during a frontal collision,
the syste mdetermines that air bag
deployment can offer additional protection to
that provided by the seat belt, driver's knee
bag 0002is deployed along with the driver's air
bag. Driver's knee bag 0002operates best in
conjunction with correctly positioned and
fastened seat belts.
Side impact air bags G
WARNING
Using unsuitable seat cover scould restric tor
even preven tdeployment of the air bags
integrated into the seats. Consequently, the
air bags cannot protec tvehicle occupants as
they are designed to do. In addition, the
function of the air bag deactivation system
could be restricted. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for the respective seat by
Mercedes-Benz. G
WARNING
Sensors to control the air bags are located in
the doors. Modifications or work not
performed correctly to the doors or door
paneling, as well as damaged doors, can lead
to the function of the sensors being impaired.
The air bags might therefore not function
properly any more. Consequently, the air bags
cannot protec tvehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. There is an increased risk of
injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door
paneling carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.
You should only use seat covers that have
been approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-
Benz .The seat covers must have a special
tear seam for side impact air bags. Otherwise,
the side impact air bags cannot deploy
correctly and therefore cannot provide the intended protection in the event of an
accident.
When deployed, the side impact air bags offer
additional protection for the thorax of the
vehicle occupants on the side of the vehicle
on which the impact occurs. However, they
do not protect the:
R
head
R neck
R arms Front side impact air bags
0002and rear side
impact air bags 0003deploy next to the outer
seat cushions.
The side impact air bags are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, e.g. in aside impact
R independently of the use of the seat belt
R independently of the front air bags
R independently of the ETDs
Side impac tair bags will not deploy in side
impacts which do not exceed the system's
prese tdeployment thresholds for lateral
acceleration/deceleration .You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belt.
The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side is not deployed in the
following situations:
R OCS has detected that the front-passenger
seat is unoccupied.
R the front-passenger seat belt is not
fastened. Occupant safety
45Safety Z

The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side will deploy if the front-
passenger seat belt is fastened, regardless of
whether the front-passenger seat is occupied
or not.
Pelvis air bags
Pelvis air bags are not available for AMG
vehicles. G
WARNING
Only use seat covers which have been tested
and approved by Mercedes-Benz for your
vehicle model. Using seat covers or other seat
coverings can cause a malfunction of the side
impact air bags and/or the pelvis air bags.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for availability.
Pelvis air bag deployment enhances the level
of protection of the vehicle occupants on the
side of the vehicle on which the impact
occurs. Pelvis air bags
0002deploy next to and below
the outer seat cushions. They are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, e.g. in aside impact
R independently of the use of the seat belt
R independently of the front air bags
R independently of the ETDs
Pelvis air bags 0002will not deploy in side
impacts which do not exceed the system's
prese tdeployment thresholds for lateral acceleration/deceleration
.You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belt.
The pelvis air bag on the front-passenger side
is not deployed in the following situations:
R OCS has detected that the front-passenger
seat is unoccupied.
R the front-passenger seat belt is not
fastened.
The pelvis air bag on the front-passenger side
will deploy if the front-passenger seat belt is
fastened, regardless of whether the front-
passenger seat is occupied or not.
Window curtain air bags The window curtain air bags enhance the level
of protection for the head, but not chest or
arms, of the vehicle occupants on the side of
the vehicle on which the impact occurs.
The window curtain air bags are integrated
into the side of the roof frame and deploy in
the area from the A-pillar to the C-pillar.
Window curtain air bags
0002are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, e.g. in aside impact
R regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of the use of the seat belt
R independently of the front air bags
Window curtain air bags 0002will not deploy in
the even tofimpacts which do not exceed the
system's preset deployment thresholds for 46
Occupant safetySafety