2016 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS brake

R
PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
inter-
venes. R
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available, it is
also not activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
intervenes. R
ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilizationGeneral information ESP ®
trailer stabilization is not available in
Mercedes-AMG vehicles.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
swerve, ESP ®
assists you in this situation. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and limiting
the engine output until the vehicle/trailer com-
bination has stabilized.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high center of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer com-
bination) begins to lurch, you can only stabilize
the vehicle/trailer combination by depressing
the brake firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization is active above speeds
of about 65 km/h.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization does not work if ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a malfunc-
tion.
Crosswind Assist
General information
Strong crosswinds can cause your vehicle to
deviate from a straight course. The crosswind
driving assistance function integrated in ESP ®
noticeably reduces these impairments. ESP ®
intervenes automatically according to the
direction and intensity of the crosswinds affect-
ing your vehicle.
ESP intervenes with stabilizing braking to assist
you in keeping the vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 50 mph (80 km/ h) when driving straight
ahead or cornering gently.
Important safety notes Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP ®
is deac-
tivated or disabled because of a malfunction.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
on the rear wheels to improve driving stability
while braking.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 68).
G WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps ( Y
page 289) as well as display
messages ( Y
page 258).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety and
offers increased braking comfort. In addition to
the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has
the HOLD function ( Y
page 194) and hill start
assist ( Y
page 150).76
Driving safety systems
Safety

PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
General information PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize the
risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or a
pedestrian, and reduce the effects of such a
collision. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk
of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically as well as by automatic braking.
i Pay attention to the important safety notes
in the "Driving safety systems" section
( Y
page 68).
PRE ‑ SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance Plus package.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when driving,
the radar sensor system and the camera system
must be switched on and be operational.
With the help of the radar sensor system and the
camera system, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect
obstacles that are in front of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-
cle can be detected.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects pedestrians using
typical characteristics such as the body con-
tours and posture of a person standing upright.
i Observe the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes" section
( Y
page 77).
Important safety notes
G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brake your vehi-
cle by a partial application of the brakes if a
danger of collision is detected. There may be
a collision unless you brake yourself. Even
after subsequent full application of the brakes
a collision cannot always be avoided, partic-
ularly when approaching at too high a speed.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action, provided it is safe to do
so.
In the event of a partial application of the brakes,
the vehicle is braked with up to 50% of the full
braking pressure. G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify objects and complex traffic conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:R
give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle R
not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify people, especially if they are moving. In
these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot inter-
vene. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance to
the vehicle in front and thus prevent a collision,
you must apply the brakes yourself.
G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react: R
to small people, e.g. children R
to animals R
to oncoming vehicles R
to crossing traffic R
when cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical sit-
uations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the rec-
ognition can be impaired.Driving safety systems 77
Safety Z

Recognition by th e radar sensor system is also
impaire d if:R
there is dirt on th e sensor s or anythin g else
covering th e sensor sR
there is interferenc e by other radar source sR
there are stron g radar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages R
a narrow vehicl e is traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike R
a vehicl e is traveling in fron t on a differen t lin e
relative to th e center of your vehicl e
Recognition by th e camera system is also
impaire d in th e event of:R
dirt on th e camera or if th e camera is coveredR
glar e on th e camera system, e.g. from th e sun
bein g low in th e sk yR
darkness R
or if: -
pedestrian s mov e quickly, e.g. int o th e pat h
of th e vehicl e-
th e camera system no longer recognizes a
pedestrian as a person due to special cloth -
ing or other objects -
a pedestrian is concealed by other objects -
th e typical outlin e of a person is no t distin-
guishable from th e backgroun d
Followin g damag e to th e fron t en d of th e vehicle,
hav e th e configuration and operation of th e
radar sensor s checke d at a qualified specialist
workshop. This also applie s to collision s at slow
speeds wher e there is no visible damag e to th e
fron t of th e vehicle.
Followin g damag e to th e w indshield, hav e th e
co nfiguration and operation of th e camera sys-
te m checke d at a qualified specialist workshop.
Function X
To activate/deactivate: activat e or deacti -
vat e PRE-SAF E ®
Brake in th e on-board com-
puter ( Y
page 247).
If th e PRE-SAF E ®
Brake is no t activated, th e

This steering assistance 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 68).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if: R
ESP ®
is deactivatedR
ESP ®
is malfunctioning.R
the lighting is faulty.
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will be assisted
further by the electrical power steering.
Protection against theft
Immobilizer The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey. X
To activate with the SmartKey: remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. X
To activate with KEYLESS-GO start-func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: switch the ignition off
and open the driver's door. X
To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone
can start the engine if a valid SmartKey has been
left inside the vehicle.
i The immobilizer is always deactivated when
you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be started
(yet the vehicle's battery is charged), the sys-
tem is not operational. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA) or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada). ATA (anti-theft alarm system) X
To arm: lock the vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp C flashes. The alarm system
is armed after approximately 10 seconds. X
To disarm: unlock the vehicle with the Smart-
Key or KEYLESS-GO.
or X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open: R
a door R
the vehicle with the mechanical key R
the trunk lid R
the hood X
To turn the alarm off with the SmartKey:
press the 6 or 7 button on the Smart-
Key.
The alarm is switched off.
or X
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-function
or KEYLESS-GO: remove the Start/Stop but-
ton from the ignition lock ( Y
page 146).X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off. X
To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or X
Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The SmartKey must be inside the vehi-
cle.
The alarm is switched off.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you close
the open door that triggered it, for example.Protection against theft 79
Safety Z

SmartKey
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
shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position PR
Start 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
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally turned in the ignition lock. This could
cause the engine to be switched off. There is a
risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
! Keep the SmartKey away from strong mag-
netic fields. Otherwise, the remote control
function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the vicin-
ity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the SmartKey: R
with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another SmartKey. R
with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal foil. R
inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case.
This can affect the functionality of the Smart-
Key. Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function: do
not keep the SmartKey on the parcel shelf or in
the trunk. Otherwise, the SmartKey may not be
detected, e.g. when starting the engine using
the Start/Stop button.
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the Smart-
Key determines whether a valid SmartKey is in
the vehicle. This occurs, for example: R
when starting the engine R
while driving R
when the external door handles are touched R
during convenience closing
SmartKey functions
C
7 To lock the vehicleD
T To open/close the trunk lid

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The engine cannot be
started using the Smart-
Key. The on-board voltage is too low. X
Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work: X
Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary ( Y
page 350).
or X
Jump-start the vehicle ( Y
page 352).
or X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using the Start/
Stop button. The Smart-
Key is in the vehicle. The vehicle is locked. X
Unlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again.
The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged. X
Check the SmartKey battery ( Y
page 84) and replace it if necessary
( Y
page 84).
If this does not work: X
Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves. X
Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
You have lost a Smart-
Key. X
Have the SmartKey deactivated at a qualified specialist workshop. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers. X
If necessary, have the locks changed as well.
You have lost the
mechanical key. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers. X
If necessary, have the locks changed as well.
Doors
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
shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P R
Start 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. Doors 87
Opening and closing Z

Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle
Important safety notes The sensor system of some driving and driving
safety systems adjusts automatically while a
certain distance is being driven after the vehicle
has been delivered or after repairs. Full system
effectiveness is not reached until the end of this
teach-in procedure.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after several
hundred kilometers of driving. Compensate for
this by applying greater force to the brake pedal.
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its per-
formance in the future. R
You should therefore drive at varying vehicle
and engine speeds for the first 1000 miles
(1500 km). R
Avoid heavy loads, e.g. driving at full throttle,
during this period. R
When changing gears manually, change up in
good time, before the tachometer needle rea-
ches

G WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
G WARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can: R
overheat and cause a fire R
lose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
! Do not warm up the engine with the vehicle
stationary. Drive off immediately. Avoid high
engine speeds and driving at full throttle until
the engine has reached its operating temper-
ature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to the
desired drive position when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery roads.
You could otherwise damage the drive train.
! Mercedes-AMG vehicles: at low engine oil
temperatures below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the max-
imum engine speed is restricted in order to
protect the engine. To protect the engine and
maintain smooth engine operation, avoid driv-
ing at full throttle when the engine is cold.
Observe the important safety notes for PLUG-IN
HYBRID vehicles ( Y
page 44). SmartKey positions
SmartKey
Z
To remove the SmartKey G
Power supply for some consumers, such as
the windshield wipers H
Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position I
To start the engine
i The SmartKey can be turned in the ignition
lock even if it is not the correct SmartKey for
the vehicle. The ignition is not switched on.
The engine cannot be started.
Vehicles with AIRPANEL: you can open the
shutters in the radiator trim by turning the
SmartKey to position 2 in the ignition lock. After
approximately 120 seconds the shutters open
automatically. Further information on opening
and cleaning the shutters ( Y
page 339).
Start/Stop button
General notes
When you insert the Start/Stop button into the
ignition lock, the system needs approximately
two seconds recognition time. You can then use
the Start/Stop button.
Pressing the Start/Stop button several times in
succession corresponds to the different key
positions in the ignition lock. This is only the
case if you are not depressing the brake pedal.
If you depress the brake pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts immedi-
ately.
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the Smart-
Key determines whether a valid SmartKey is in
the vehicle. This occurs, for example, when
starting the engine.146
Driving
Driving and parking