park assist MERCEDES-BENZ C240 4MATIC WAGON 2004 S203 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting Safety Defects ............... 18
At a glance.......................................... 19
Cockpit ................................................. 20
Instrument cluster ................................ 22
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 24
Center console ..................................... 25
Upper part ...................................... 25
Lower Part ...................................... 26
Overhead control panel ........................ 27
Door control panel................................ 28
Getting started................................... 29
Unlocking ............................................. 30
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 30
Adjusting .............................................. 32
Seats .............................................. 32
Steering wheel ................................ 36
Mirrors ............................................ 38
Driving .................................................. 40
Fastening the seat belt ................... 40
Starting the engine ......................... 43
Switching on headlamps ................. 46
Turn signals and high beam ............ 46
Windshield wipers ........................... 47
Rear window wiper/washer ............ 49
Problems while driving.................... 50
Parking and locking .............................. 51
Parking brake ................................. 51
Switching off headlamps................. 52
Turning off engine ........................... 53

ContentsOperation......................................... 237
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km) ......... 238
Driving instructions ............................ 239
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 239
Drinking and driving ..................... 239
Pedals .......................................... 239
Power assistance ......................... 239
Brakes .......................................... 240
Driving off..................................... 241
Parking ......................................... 241
Tires ............................................. 242
Hydroplaning ................................ 242
Tire traction .................................. 243
Tire speed rating .......................... 243
Winter driving instructions ........... 244
Standing water ............................. 245
Passenger compartment .............. 245
Driving abroad .............................. 245
Control and operation of radio
transmitter ................................... 246
Catalytic converter ....................... 246
Emission control........................... 247
Coolant temperature .................... 248At the gas station .............................. 249
Refueling ...................................... 249
Check regularly and before
a long trip ..................................... 251
Engine compartment ......................... 252
Hood ............................................ 252
Engine oil ..................................... 254
Transmission fluid level ................ 256
Coolant level ................................ 257
Battery ......................................... 258
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system* ......... 259
Tires and wheels ................................ 260
Important guidelines .................... 260
Life of tire..................................... 261
Direction of rotation ..................... 261
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 261
Rotating wheels ........................... 262Winter driving .................................... 263
Winter tires .................................. 263
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 264
Snow chains................................. 264
Maintenance...................................... 265
Clearing the service indicator ...... 265
Service term exceeded ................ 265
Calling up the service indicator .... 266
Resetting the service indicator .... 266
Vehicle care....................................... 267
Cleaning and care of the vehicle .. 267

51 Getting started
Parking and locking
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.
Parking brake
1Release handle
2Parking brake
Step firmly on parking brake2.
When the engine is running, the
warning lamp; (USA only)
or3(Canada only) in the
instrument cluster will be illuminated.
Warning!
G
Wait until the vehicle is stationary before
removing the SmartKey from the starter
switch. The vehicle cannot be steered when
the SmartKey is removed.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
system. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the
vehicle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.


Turn the SmartKey to starter switch
position0 and remove.


Take the SmartKey and lock vehicle
when leaving.

240 OperationDriving instructionsBrakesTo help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet road surfaces (particularly
salted roads), it is advisable to brake the
vehicle with considerable force prior to
parking. The heat generated serves to dry
the brakes.
If your brake system is normally only
subjected to moderate loads, you should
occasionally test the effectiveness of the
brakes by applying above-normal braking
pressure at higher speeds. This will also
enhance the grip of the brake pads.
If the parking brake is released and the
brake warning lamp in the instrument
cluster stays on, the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is too low.Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the
reservoir.
Have the brake system inspected
immediately. Contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only install brake pads and brake fluid rec-
ommended by Mercedes-Benz.Warning!
G
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components,
the first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may
be necessary to obtain expected braking ef-
fect. Maintain a safe distance from vehicles
in front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their effec-
tiveness. It may not be possible to stop the
vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an acci-
dent.
!Be very careful not to endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Refer to the description of the Brake
Assist System (BAS) (
page 75).
Warning!
G
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can be degraded to an extent that
safe braking is substantially impaired. This
could result in an accident.

360 Technical termsPower train
Collective term designating all
components used to generate and
transmit motive power to the drive
axles, including


engine


clutch/torque converter


transmission


transfer case


drive shaft


differential


axle shafts/axles
Program mode selector switch
Used to switch the automatic trans-
mission between standard operationS
and comfort operationC.Remote Vehicle Diagnostics
Transmission of vehicle data and
current location to the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center for
subscribers to Tele Aid service.
REST
(Residual engine heat utilization)
Feature that uses the engine heat
stored in the coolant to heat the
vehicle interior for a short time after
the engine has been turned off.
Restraint systems
Seat belts, belt tensioners, airbags and
child restraint systems. As inde-
pendent systems, their protective
functions complement one another.RON
(R
esearch O
ctane N
umber)
The Research Octane Number for gaso-
line as determined by a standardized
method. It is an indication of a gaso-
line's ability to resist undesired deto-
nation (knocking). The average of both
the ->MON (Motor Octane Number)
and RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Shift lock
When the vehicle is parked, this lock
prevents the transmission gear
selector lever from being moved out of
positionP without SmartKey turned
and brake pedal depressed.
SRS
(S
upplemental R
estraint S
ystem)
Seat belts, emergency tensioning
device and airbags. Though indepen-
dent systems, they are closely inter-
faced to provide effective occupant
protection.

366 IndexBattery discharged
Jump starting 327
Battery, vehicle 258, 324
Charging 325
Disconnecting 325
Messages in display 285
Reconnecting 326
Reinstalling 325
Removing 325
Bi-Xenon headlamps* 357
Bi-Xenon type
Front lamp bulbs 313
Block heater 264
Blocking
Rear door window operation 72
Bolts
For Minispare wheel 304
Brake assist system (BAS) 357
Brake fluid 251, 348Brake lamp bulbs 311
Brake lamp, high mounted 311
Brake pads
Message in display 286
Brakes 240
Warning lamp 275
Break-in period 238
Bulbs, replacing 310
Additional turn signals 310
Backup lamps 311
Brake lamps 311
Fog lamps 310
Front lamps 310
High beam 310
High mounted brake lamp 311
License plate lamps 311, 316
Low beam 310
Parking lamps 310, 311, 313, 314
Rear fog lamp 311
Rear fog lamps 315Side marker lamps 310, 315
Standing lamps 310, 311, 313, 314
Tail lamp assemblies 311, 315
Turn signal lamps 310, 311
Button
Audio system 172
C
CAC (Customer assistance center) 357
California
Important notice 11
Calling up
Range (distance to empty) 136
Service indicator 266
CAN system 357
Capacities
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. 346
Cargo area see Cargo compartment
Cargo compartment
Auxiliary fuse box 334
Lighting 106
Parcel net 208

380 IndexP
Paintwork 268
Panic alarm 73
Panic button on SmartKey 73
Parcel net
In cargo compartment 208
In front passenger footwell 219
Parking 51, 241
Parking brake 44, 51
Engaging 51
Message in display 286
Releasing 44
Parking lamps
Replacing bulbs 310, 311, 313, 314
Switching on 100
Parking position
Exterior rear view
mirrors 99, 134, 147
Partition net 209
Parts see Spare parts service
PASS. AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp 279Passenger compartment 245
Fuse box in 333
Interior lighting 105
Interior rear view mirror 38
Parcel net in
front passenger footwell 219
Passenger safety see Occupant safety
Pedals 239
Performance
In cold weather 351
In hot weather 351
Phone book*
Loading 138
Quick search 138
Phone number*
Dialing 138
Redialing 138
Plastic and rubber parts
Cleaning 272
Playing
CDs 187Poly-V-belt drive 359
Layout 339
Positions (Memory function*)
Recalling from memory 98
Storing into memory 98
Power assistance 239
Power seat*
Adjusting backrest tilt 35
Adjusting head restraint height 35
Adjusting head restraint tilt 36
Adjusting seat cushion tilt 35
Adjusting seat height 35
Removing/installing head
restraints 92
Seat fore and aft adjustment 35
Power train 360
Power washer 268
Power windows 196
Blocking of
rear door window operation 72
Side windows 196
Synchronizing 198

382 IndexRear view mirror automatic antiglare 146
Rear view mirrors see Mirrors
Rear window defroster 149
Rear window wiper/washer 49
Reconnecting
Vehicle battery 326
Refrigerant
Air conditioning 348
Refueling 249
Regular checks 251
Reinstalling vehicle battery 325
Remote control
SmartKey 84
Remote door unlock
With Tele Aid* 229
Remote Vehicle Diagnostics 360
Removing
Parcel net in cargo compartment 208
Ski sack 207
Twin-reel roller blind 210
Vehicle battery 325
Wheel 320
Wiper blades 317Replacing
Backup lamp bulbs 315
Brake lamp bulbs 315
Bulbs 310
Front lamp bulbs 312
Front turn signal bulbs 312, 313
Fuses 334
High beam bulbs 312
High beam bulbs
(xenon-type headlamps) 313
License plate lamp bulbs 316
Low beam bulbs 312
Parking lamp bulbs 313, 314
Rear fog lamp bulbs 315
Rear lamp bulbs 311, 315
Rear turn signal bulbs 315
Side marker lamp bulbs 315
Standing lamp bulbs 313, 314
Wiper blades 317
Reporting
Safety defects 18
Reset button in the instrument
cluster 121, 122Resetting
All functions (control system) 121
All functions of a submenu 122
Fuel consumption 135
Service indicator (FSS) 266
Trip odometer 109
Residual heat utilization 167
Residual ventilation 167
REST 360
Restraint system see Infant
and child restraint systems
Restraint systems 360
Rims 341
Roadside Assistance 12
Roadside assistance
Tele Aid* 226
RON 250
RON (Research Octane Number) 360
Roof rack 205
Rotating wheels 262
Rubber parts
Cleaning 272