2016 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class SEDAN Brake

Drivingabroad
An extensive Mercedes-Ben zServic enetwor kis
also available in other countries. You can obtain
further information from any authorized
Mercedes-Ben zCenter.
Car e
General notes
HEnvironmental not e
Dispose of empty packagin gand cleanin g
cloths in an environmentally responsible man -
ner.
!Fo rcleanin gyour vehicle, do no tuse any of
th efollowing:
Rdry, rough or har dcloths
Rabrasiv ecleanin gagents
Rsolvents
Rcleanin gagents containin gsolvents
Do no tscrub .
Do no ttouch th esurfaces or protective films
wit hhar dobjects ,e.g. arin gor ic escraper.
You could otherwise scratch or damage th e
surfaces and protective film.
!Do no tpar kth evehicle fo ran extended
period straight after cleanin git,particularly
after havin gcleaned th ewheels wit hwhee l
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increase dcorrosion of th ebrake discs and
brake pads/linings. Fo rthis reason ,you
should drive fo r afew minutes after cleaning.
Brakin gheat sth ebrake discs and th ebrake
pads/linings, thus drying them. The vehicle
can then be parked.
Regular car eof your vehicle is acondition fo r
retainin gth equalit yin th elon gterm .
Use car eproducts and cleanin gagents recom -
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Washing th evehicle an dcleaning th e
paintwor k
Automatic car was h
GWARNING
Brakin gefficiency is reduce dafter washin g
th evehicle. There is aris kof an accident.
Afte rth evehicle has bee nwashed, brake
carefully whil epayin gattention to th etraffic
condition suntil full braking powe ris restored .
!If DISTRONIC PLU Sor th eHOLD function is
activated, th evehicle brake sautomatically in
certain situations.
To preven tdamage to th evehicle, deactivat e
DISTRONIC PLU Sand th eHOLD function in
th efollowin gor other similar situations:
Rwhen towin gth evehicle
Rin th ecar wash
!Never clean your vehicle in aTouchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleanin gagents .These cleanin gagents can
damage th epaintwor kor plasti cparts .
!Makesur ethat :
Rthesid ewindows and th eslidin gsunroof
are full yclosed.
Rth eventilation/heatin gis switched of f(the
OF Fbutto nhas bee npressed).
Rth ewindshield wipe rswitch is at position 0.
Rthe360° camera or rea rvie wcamera is
switched off.
The vehicle may otherwise be damaged .
!If theSmartKey is within th erea rdetection
range of KEYLESS-GO ,th efollowin gsitua-
tions, fo rexample, co uld l
ead to th
euninten -
tional opening of th etrunk :
Rusing acar wash
Rusin g apowe rwasher
Mak esur ethat th eSmartKey is at leas t10 ft
(3 m) away from th evehicle.
!Mak esur ethat th eautomatic transmissio n
is in neutral position Nwhen washin gyour
vehicle in atow-through car wash .The vehicle
may otherwise be damaged .
ROperatingwit hth eSmartKey:
Do no tremov eth eSmartKey from th eigni-
tion lock. Do no tope nth edriver's doo r
Care335
Maintenance and care
Z

when the engine is switched off or at very
low speeds. Otherwise, when in transmis-
sion positionDor Rthe automatic trans-
mission will automatically switch to park
position Pand block the wheels.
ROperating with the Start/Stop button:
Do not open the driver's door when the
engine is switched off or at very low
speeds. Otherwise, when in transmission
position Dor Rthe automatic transmission
will automatically switch to park position P
and block the wheels.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission stays in position Nneu-
tral:
Operating with the SmartKey and Start/Stop
button:
XMake sure that the ignition is switched on.
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary.
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
Operating with the Start/Stop button only:
XEngage park position P.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRemove Start/Stop button from ignition lock
(Ypage 146).
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XSwitch on the ignition.
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
Operating with the SmartKey and Start/Stop
button:
XShift to neutral N.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake, if neces-
sary.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre- wash it bef
ore
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off wax
from the windshield and the wiper blades. This
will prevent smears and reduce wiping noises
caused by residue on the windshield.
Washing by hand
In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements in each country.
XDo not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
XUse a soft sponge to clean.
XUse a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
XThoroughly hose down the vehicle with a gen-
tle jet of water.
XDo not point the water jet directly towards the
air inlet.
XUse plenty of water and rinse out the sponge
frequently.
XRinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
XDo not let the cleaning agent dry on the paint- work.
Carefully remove all deposits of road salt as
soon as possible when driving in winter.
Power washers
GWARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately.
!Always maintain a distance of at least
11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the
power washer nozzle. Information about the
correct distance is available from the equip-
ment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around when
cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
Rtires
Rdoor gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc.
Relectrical components
Rbattery
Rconnectors
336Care
Maintenance and care

Rlights
Rseals
Rtrim
Rventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components can
lead to leaks or failures.
!If the SmartKey is within the rear detection
range of KEYLESS-GO, the following situa-
tions, for example, could lead to the uninten-
tional opening of the trunk:
Rusing a car wash
Rusing a power washer
Make sure that the SmartKey is at least 10 ft
(3 m) away from the vehicle.
!Edition 1 special model: parts of your vehi-
cle are covered with a decorative foil. Main-
tain a distance of at least 70 cm between the foil-wrapped parts of the vehicle and the noz-
zle of the high pressure cleaner.
Information about the correct distance is
available from the equipment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around when
cleaning your vehicle.
Cleaning the paintwork
!Do not affix:
Rstickers
Rfilms
Rmagnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected by corrosion and damage caused by inadequate
care cannot always be completely repaired. In
such cases, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
XRemove dirt immediately, where possible,
while avoiding rubbing too hard.
XSoak insect remains with insect remover and
rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
XSoak bird droppings with water and rinse off
the treated areas afterwards.
XRemove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin, oils,
fuels and greases by rubbing gently with a
cloth soaked in petroleum ether or lighter
fluid.
XUse tar remover to remove tar stains.
XUse silicone remover to remove wax. If water no longer forms "beads" on the paint
surface, use the paint care products recommen-
ded and approved by Mercedes-Benz. This is the
case approximately every three to five months,
depending on the climate conditions and the
care product used.
If dirt has penetrated the paint surface or if the
paint has become dull, the paint cleaner recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz
should be used.
Do not use these care products in the sun or on
the hood while the hood is hot.
XUse a suitable touch-up stick, e.g. MB Touch-
Up Stick, to repair slight damage to the paint-
work quickly and provisionally.
Matte finish care
!Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishing causes the finish to shine.
!The following may cause the paint to
become shiny and thus reduce the matte
effect:
Rstrong rubbing of the paintwork with
unsuitable materials
Rfrequent use of automatic car washes
Rwashing the vehicle in direct sunlight
!Never use paint cleaner, buffing or polishing
products, or gloss preserver, e.g. wax. These
products are only suitable for high-gloss sur-
faces. Their use on vehicles with matte finish
leads to considerable surface damage (shiny,
mottled areas).
Always have paintwork repairs carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
!Do not use wash programs with a hot wax
treatment under any circumstances.
Observe these notes if your vehicle has a clear
matte finish. This will help you to avoid damage
to the paintwork due to incorrect treatment.
These notes also apply to light alloy wheels with a clear matte finish.
The vehicle should preferably be washed by
hand using a soft sponge, car shampoo and
plenty of water.
Use only insect remover and car shampoo from
the range of approved Mercedes-Benz care
products.
Care337
Maintenance and care
Z

Cleaning the vehicle parts
Cleaning the wheels
GWARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately.
!Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
!Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after cleaning.
Braking heats the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings, thus drying them. The vehicle
can then be parked.
Cleaning the windows
GWARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
!Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows. Do
not touch the insides of the windows with
hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or ring. There
is otherwise a risk of damaging the windows.
!Clean the water drainage channels of the
windshield and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals and pollen may under certain circumstances pre- vent water from draining away. This can lead
to corrosion damage and damage to elec-
tronic components.
XClean the inside and outside of the windows
with a damp cloth and a cleaning product that
is recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
Cleaning wiper blades
GWARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
!Do not pull the wiper blade. Otherwise, the
wiper blade could be damaged.
!Do not clean wiper blades too often and do
not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the graph-
ite coating could be damaged. This could
cause wiper noise.
!Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if the
wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.
XFold the windshield wiper arms away from the
windshield (Ypage 126).
XCarefully clean the wiper blades with a damp
cloth.
XFold the windshield wiper arms back again
before switching on the ignition.
Cleaning the exterior lighting
!Only use cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
which are suitable for plastic light lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
could scratch or damage the plastic light len- ses.
XClean the plastic lenses of the exterior light-
ing using a wet sponge and a mild cleaning
agent, e.g. Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or
cleaning cloths.
338Care
Maintenance and care

Do not start the vehicle using a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jumper cables.
Observe the following points:
RThe 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.
RYou may only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust system are cold.
ROnly jump-start from batteries with a 12 V voltage rating.
ROnly use jumper cables which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
RIf 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 battery slightly.
RMake sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
Rthe jumper cables are not damaged.
Rwhen the jumper cables are connected to the battery, uninsulated sections of the terminal clamp
do not come into contact with other metal sections.
Rthe jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts which can move when the engine is
running, such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
XSecure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XMake sure that the ignition is switched off. All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster must be
off. When using the SmartKey, turn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition lock and remove it
(
Ypage 146).
XSwitch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window defroster, lighting, etc.
XOpen the hood.
Position number Bidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-starting
device.
XSlide cover Aof positive terminal :in the direction of the arrow.
XConnect positive terminal :on your vehicle to positive terminal ;of donor battery Busing the
jumper cable. Always begin with positive terminal :on your own vehicle first.
XStart the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
Jump-starting353
Breakdown assistance
Z

XConnect negative terminal=of donor battery Bto ground point ?of your vehicle using the
jumper cable, connecting the jumper cable to donor battery Bfirst.
XStart the engine.
XBefore disconnecting the jumper cables, let the engine run for several minutes.
XFirst, remove the jumper cables from ground point? and negative terminal =, then from pos-
itive clamp :and positive terminal ;. Begineach time at the contacts on your own vehicle first.
XClose cover Aof positive terminal :after removing jumper cables.
XHave the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles: ifyour veh iclehas been jump-starte d, itmay not be possible to use the
electr ic driv e forapproximately 30 minutes.
Jump-starting isnot cons idered to bea normal operating condition.
iJumper cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any qualified
specialist workshop.
Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer availab leif:
Rthe engine isnot running.
Rthe brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
Rthere isa malfunction inthe voltage supply
or the veh icle's electrical system.
If your veh icle is bein g towed, much more
force may benecessary to steer or brake.
There isa risk of an acc ident.
In such cases, use a tow bar. Before to wing,
make sure that the steering moves freely.
GWAR NING
You can no longer steer the veh icle ifthe
steering wheel lock has been engaged. There
is a risk of an acc ident.
Alwa ysswit ch off the ignition when to wingthe
veh icle wit h a tow cable or a tow bar.
GWARNING
When to wingor tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight isgreater than the permissible
gross weight of your vehicle, the:
Rthe to wingeye could detach itself
Rthe vehicle /trailer combination could roll-
over.
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.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle weight
of your vehicle can be found on the vehicle iden-
tification plate (
Ypage 387).
!When COLLIS ION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS, DI STRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automatically
in certain situations. To avoid damage to the
vehicle, deactivate these systems in the fol-
lowing or similar situations:
Rwhen to wingthe vehicle
Rinthe car wash
!Make sure that the electric parking brake is
released. If the electric parking brake is faulty,
visit a qualified specialist workshop.
!Secure the tow rope or tow bar to the to wing
eye only. Otherwise, the vehicle could
become damaged.
!Do not use the to wingeye for recovery. This
could damage the vehicle. If indoubt, have
the vehicle recovered using a crane.
354Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

!When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. 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 passenger's
door during towing. The automatic transmis-
sion may otherwise shift to position P, which
could damage the transmission.
!Do not tow with sling-type equipment. This
could damage the vehicle.
!The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of 30 mph (50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed away.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission damage,
have it transported on a transporter or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in position N when the vehicle is being towed. If the auto-
matic transmission cannot be shifted to position
N, have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
Rcannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock
Rcannot release the electric parking brake
Rcannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
Disarm the automatic locking feature before the vehicle is towed (
Ypage 89). You could other-
wise be locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle.
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles:
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles may not be towed
away but must instead be transported, if:
Rthe multifunction display is not working or
Rthe á Towing Not Permitted SeeOperator'sManualmessage appears in the
multifunction display
If the vehicle is in a dangerous area, it can be
towed out of that area with both axles on the
ground. In this case, the towing distance must
not be greater than 165 ft (50 m)and must not
exceed a towing speed of 6 mph (10 km/h). For longer distances, have the vehicle loaded and
transported.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
The brackets for the screw-in towing eye are
located in the bumpers. They are at the rear and
at the front, under covers :.
XRemove the towing eye from the vehicle tool
kit (Ypage 343).
XPress the mark on cover:inwards and
remove.
XScrew in the towing eye clockwise as far as it
will go and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye
XUnscrew and remove the towing eye.
XAttach cover :to the bumper and press until
it engages.
XPut the towing eye back into the vehicle tool
kit.
Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only vehicles without 4MATIC can be towed
with the rear axle raised.
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles: towing the vehicle
away with the rear axle raised should only be
carried out by professional recovery companies.
Towing and tow-starting355
Breakdown assistance
Z

!Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as
doing so will damage the transmission.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed away
with both axles on the ground or be loaded up
and transported.
!Vehicles with automatic transmission must
not be towed with the rear axle raised. The
vehicle/trailer combination may otherwise
swerve or even roll over.
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
The automatic transmission automatically shifts
to position Pwhen you open the driver's or front-
passenger door or when you remove the Smart-
Key from the ignition lock. In order to ensure
that the automatic transmission stays in posi-
tion Nwhen towing the vehicle, you must
observe the following points:
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock.
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
N.
XLeave the SmartKey in position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
(Ypage 120).
In order to signal a change of direction when
towing the vehicle with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination switch
as usual. In this case, only the indicator lamps
for the direction of travel flash. After resetting
the combination switch, the hazard warning
lamp starts flashing again.
Transporting the vehicle
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles
Transportation of the vehicle should only be car-
ried out by professional recovery companies.
4MATIC vehicles/vehicles with auto-
matic transmission
!When the vehicle is loaded for transport, the
front and rear axles must be stationary and on
the same transportation vehicle. Positioning
over the connection point of the transport
vehicle is not permitted. The drive train may
otherwise be damaged.
All vehicles
!You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as
axle or steering components. Otherwise, the
vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting pur-
poses.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
XSecure the vehicle.
Notes on 4MATIC vehicles
!
Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as
doing so will damage the transmission.
356Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance