2015 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class SEDAN suspension

Stowage well beneath the trunk
floor
....................................................3 05
Summer tires In winter ........................................ 360
Sun visor ............................................ 307
Suspension tuning AIRMATIC ...................................... 198
Switching air-recirculation mode
on/off ................................................. 149 T
Tachometer ........................................ 231
Tail lamps Display message ............................ 265
see Lights
Tank content
Fuel gauge ....................................... 33
Technical data
Capacities ...................................... 397
Information ................................... .396
Tires/wheels ................................. 386
Vehicle data ................................... 403
Telephone
Accepting a call (multifunction
steering wheel) .............................. 242
Display message ............................ 282
Introduction ................................... 242
Menu (on-board computer) ............ 242
Number from the phone book ....... .243
Redialing ........................................ 243
Rejecting/ending a call ................. 242
Temperature
Coolant (display in the instrumentcluster) .......................................... 231
Coolant (display in the on-board
computer) ...................................... 244
Outside temperature ..................... .231
Setting (climate control) ................ 145
Through-loading feature ................... 301
TIREFIT kit .......................................... 342
Tire pressure Calling up (on-board computer) ..... 365
Checking manually ........................ 365
Display message ............................ 277
Important safety notes .................. 365
Maximum ....................................... 364 Notes ............................................. 363
Not reached (TIREFIT) .................... 344
Reached (TIREFIT) .......................... 344
Recommended ............................... 361
Tire pressure loss warning sys-
tem
General notes ................................ 368
Important safety notes .................. 368
Restarting ...................................... 369
Tire pressure monitor
Checking the tire pressure elec-
tronically ........................................ 367
Function/notes ............................ .365
General notes ................................ 365
Important safety notes .................. 365
Radio type approval for the tire
pressure monitor ........................... 368
Restarting ...................................... 367
Warning lamp ................................. 294
Warning message .......................... 367
Tires
Aspect ratio (definition) ................. 380
Average weight of the vehicle
occupants (definition) .................... 379
Bar (definition) ............................... 378
Changing a wheel .......................... 381
Characteristics .............................. 378
Checking ........................................ 359
Curb weight (definition) ................. 380
Definition of terms ......................... 378
Direction of rotatio n...................... 381
Display message ............................ 277
Distribution of the vehicle occu-
pants (definition) ............................ 381
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................... 378
DOT (Department of Transporta-
tion) (definition) ............................. 379
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
(definition) ..................................... 379
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) (def-
inition) ........................................... 379
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-
ing) (definition) .............................. 379
Important safety notes .................. 358
Increased vehicle weight due to
optional equipment (definition) ...... 379
Kilopascal (kPa) (definition) ........... 379 18
Index

0044 Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
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:
shift the transmission to position N
if the vehicle is in danger of skid-
ding, e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch off the engine using
the SmartKey or the Start/Stop
button, the automatic transmission shifts to neutral Nautomatically.
! Rolling in neutral
Ncan damage
the drive train. 003A Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. This automatic gear shift-
ing behavior is determined by:
R the selected drive program (Y page 167)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts Double-clutch function When shifting down, the double-clutch func-
tion is active regardless of the currently selec-
ted drive program. The double-clutch functionreduces load change reactions and is condu-cive to a sporty driving style. The sound gen-
erated by the double-clutch function depends
on the drive program selected.
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Rocking the vehicle free Rocking the vehicle free by shifting back and
forth between transmission positions Dand R
can help to free a vehicle that has become
stuck in mud or snow.
The vehicle's engine management restricts
switching between transmission positions D
and Rto speeds up to a maximum of 5 mph
(9 km/h).
To shift back and forth between transmission
positions Dand R, move the DIRECT SELECT
lever up and down past the point of resist-
ance. AGILITY SELECT switch
Use the AGILITY SELECT switch to change the
drive program. Depending on the drive pro-
gram selected the following vehicle charac-
teristics will change:
R the drive (engine and transmission man-
agement)
R the suspension
R the steering Automatic transmission
167Driving and parking Z

R
the availability of the ECO start/stop func-
tion (Y page 161)
R the climate control settings
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
(Y page 140)
- vehicles for Canada: three-zone auto-
matic climate control (Y page 142)
R the rear window defroster operation period
(Y page 148)
R the performance of the seat heating
(Y page 112)
Each time you start the engine using the
SmartKey or the Start/Stop button, drive pro-
gram Cis activated. For further information
about starting the engine, see (Y page 159).X
Push AGILITY SELECT switch 0043up or
down, until the desired drive program is
selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds
the display goes out and the status icon of the selected drive program appears.
In addition, the current drive program set-
tings are displayed in the Audio 20/
COMAND display.
Available drive programs: I
Individual Individual settings
S+
Sport Plus Extremely sporty driving
characteristics
S
Sport Sporty driving character-
istics C
Comfort Comfortable and econom-
ical driving characteristics E
Eco Particularly economical
driving characteristics
Additional information for drive programs
(Y page 168).
Using the steering wheel paddle shifters, you can temporarily change gears yourself. For
further information on the manual drive pro-
gram (Y page 169). Drive programs
Drive program I (Individual) In drive program
Ithe following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine and transmission man-
agement)
R the suspension
R the steering
To permanently select the gears in the drive
program Iusing the steering wheel paddle
shifters, select the permanent manual gear-
shift program.
Information about the selection of drive pro-
gram Iwith COMAND or Audio 20 can be
found in the Digital Operator's Manual.
Drive program S+ (Sport Plus) Drive program
S+is characterized by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle delivers extremely sporty han-
dling characteristics
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmis- sion shift points 168
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

R
the suspension exhibits particularly stiff
springing and damping settings (vehicles
with AIRMATIC)
R the ECO start/stop function is not available
Drive program S (Sport) Drive program
Sis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle exhibits sporty driving charac-
teristics
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmis- sion shift points
R the suspension exhibits hard springing and
damping settings (vehicles with AIRMATIC)
Drive program C (Comfort) Drive program
Cis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle delivers comfortable, economi-
cal handling characteristics.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. The vehicle is driven in the low
engine speed range and the wheels are less
likely to spin. Drive program E (Eco) Drive program
Eis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle exhibits comfortable, economi-
cal handling characteristics
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. The vehicle is driven in the low
engine speed range and the wheels are less
likely to spin.
R during deceleration, the engine is discon-
nected from the drive train. The vehicle
uses kinetic energy and consumes less fuel (overrun mode).
R the performance of air-conditioning system
and heating are reduced Manual gear shifting
General notes 0043
Left steering wheel paddle shifter: shifts
down
0044 Right steering wheel paddle shifter: shifts
up
Using the steering wheel paddle shifters, you can temporarily change gears yourself. The
transmission must be in position D. Automatic transmission
169Driving and parking Z

Activating the HOLD function
X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until 0043appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R.
R the transmission is in position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until 0043disap-
pears from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service brake. The HOLD function is then deacti-
vated. The electric parking brake automatically
secures the vehicle if the HOLD function is
activated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
If a malfunction occurs, then the transmission may be shifted into position Pautomatically. AIRMATIC
General notes AIRMATIC is an air suspension with variable
damping for improved driving comfort. All-
round level control ensures the best possible
suspension and constant ground clearance,
even with a laden vehicle. When you drive
fast, the vehicle is lowered automatically to
improve driving safety and to reduce fuel con-
sumption. There is also the option to manually
adjust the vehicle level. AIRMATIC consists of level setting, level control and the Adaptive
Damping System ADS.
The vehicle level can be set using the AGILITY
SELECT switch (Y page 167) or the level but-
ton (Y page 198). The setting always corre-
sponds to the last selected function.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered. Driving systems
197Driving and parking Z

i
If one of the doors is open, the vehicle is
not lowered.
Vehicle level Setting the raised vehicle level
It is possible to choose between the "Normal"
and "Raised" vehicle levels below a speed
50 mph (80 km/h). Select the "Normal" set-
ting for normal road surfaces and "Raised" for
driving with snow chains or on particularly
poor road surfaces. Your selection remains
stored even if you remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0044is not lit:
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up. The vehicle is
raised by 0.6 in (15 mm) compared to the
normal level.
The Vehicle Rising
Vehicle Rising message appears in
the multifunction display.
i The message disappears after ten sec-
onds, irrespective of the level reached. If
necessary, the vehicle is raised further.
The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
R drive faster than 75 mph (120 km/h).
R drive for approximately three minutes at a
speed over 50 mph (80 km/h).
The "Raised level" remains active when you
are not driving within these speed ranges. Setting the normal vehicle level
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0044is lit:
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to the height of the currently
selected drive program (Y page 167).
Suspension tuning General notes
The Adaptive Damping System automatically
controls the calibration of the dampers.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection, i.e. sports or com-
fort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
In the "Sport" and "Sport Plus" drive pro-
grams, the firmer suspension setting ensures
even better contact with the road. Select this mode when employing a sporty driving style,
e.g. on winding country roads.
X Select the Sor S+ drive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 167).
The vehicle is lowered by 0.6 in (15 mm)
compared to the normal level.
Comfort tuning
In the "Eco" and "Comfort" drive programs,
the driving characteristics of your vehicle are
more comfortable. Therefore, select this
mode if you favor a more comfortable driving
style. Select comfort mode also when driving
fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight
stretches of highway.
X Select the Eor Cdrive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 167).
The vehicle is raised to the normal level. 198
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip- ment 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 special-
ist workshops (Y page 26). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If wheels and tires of the wrong size are used, the wheel brakes or suspension components
may be damaged. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always replace wheels and tires with those
that fulfill the specifications of the original
part.
When replacing wheels, make sure to use the
correct:
R designation
R model
When replacing tires, make sure to use the
correct:
R designation
R manufacturer
R model G
WARNING
A flat tire severely impairs the driving, steer-
ing and braking characteristics of the vehicle.
There is a risk of accident.
Tires without run-flat characteristics:
R do not drive with a flat tire.
R immediately replace the flat tire with your
emergency spare wheel or spare wheel, or
consult a qualified specialist workshop. Tires with run-flat characteristics:
R pay attention to the information and warn-
ing notices on MOExtended tires (tires with
run-flat characteristics).
Accessories that are not approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz or are not being
used correctly can impair the operating
safety.
Before purchasing and using non-approved
accessories, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop and inquire about:
R suitability
R legal stipulations
R factory recommendations
Information on the dimensions and types of
wheels and tires for your vehicle can be found in the "Wheel/tire combinations" section
(Y page 386).
Information on air pressure for the tires on
your vehicle can be found:
R on the vehicle's Tire and Loading Informa-
tion placard on the B-pillar (Y page 369)
R on the tire pressure label on the fuel filler
flap (Y page 172)
R under "Tire pressure" (Y page 361) Operation
Information on driving
If the vehicle is heavily loaded, check the tire pressures and correct them if necessary.
While driving, pay attention to vibrations,
noises and unusual handling characteristics,
e.g. pulling to one side. This may indicate that the wheels or tires are damaged. If you sus-
pect that a tire is defective, reduce your
speed immediately. Stop the vehicle as soon
as possible to check the wheels and tires for
damage. Hidden tire damage could also be
causing the unusual handling characteristics.
If you find no signs of damage, have the tires and wheels checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. 358
OperationWheels and tires

Occupant distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle at
their designated seating positions.
Total load limit
Nominal load and luggage load plus 68 kg
(150 lbs) multiplied by the number of seats in the vehicle. Changing a wheel
Flat tire
The "Breakdown assistance" section
(Y page 341) contains information and notes
on how to deal with a flat tire. Information on driving with MOExtended tires in the event of
a flat tire can be found under "MOExtended
tires (tires with run-flat characteristics"
(Y page 341). Rotating the wheels
G
WARNING
Interchanging the front and rear wheels may
severely impair the driving characteristics if
the wheels or tires have different dimensions. The wheel brakes or suspension components
may also be damaged. There is a risk of acci-
dent.
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the wheels and tires are of the same dimensions.
! On vehicles equipped with a tire pressure
monitor, electronic components are loca-
ted in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used
near the valve. This could damage the elec- tronic components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified spe-cialist workshop.
Always observe the instructions and safety
notes in the "Mounting a wheel" section
(Y page 381).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tires
differ, depending on the operating conditions. Rotate the wheels before a clear wear pattern
has formed on the tires. Front tires typically
wear more on the shoulders and the rear tires in the center.
If your vehicle's tire configuration allows, you can rotate the wheels according to the inter-
vals in the tire manufacturer's warranty book
in your vehicle documents. If no warranty
book is available, the tires should be rotated
every 3,000 to 6,000 miles (5,000 to
10,000 km), or earlier if tire wear requires.
Ensure the direction of rotation is maintained.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is rotated. Check the tire pressure and, if nec-
essary, restart the tire pressure loss warning system (Y page 369) or the tire pressure
monitor (Y page 367). Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk
of hydroplaning. You will only gain these ben-
efits if the correct direction of rotation is
maintained.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates its correct direction of rotation. Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool,
dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tires from oil, grease, gasoline and diesel. Mounting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle X
Stop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
X Apply the electric parking brake manually.
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Shift the transmission to position P. Changing a wheel
381Wheels and tires Z