MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE 2004 Owners Manual
Page 101 of 376
101
Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching on fog lamps
Switching on front fog lamps
Make sure the low beam headlamps
are switched on.
Pull out exterior lamp switch to first
stop.
The green indicator lamp‡ in the
lamp switch comes on. Switching on rear fog lamps
Make sure the low beam headlamps
are switched on.
Pull out exterior lamp switch to second
stop.
The yellow indicator lamp
† in the
lamp switch comes on.
iFog lamps will operate with the parking
lamps and/or the low beam headlamps
on. Fog lamps should only be used in
conjunction with low beam headlamps.
Consult your State or Province Motor
Vehicle Regulations regarding allow-
able lamp operation.
Warning!
G
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from position
U
to
B
with the vehicle at a standstill. Switching
from
U
to
B
will briefly switch off
the headlamps. Doing so while driving in low
ambient lighting conditions may result in an
accident.
Page 102 of 376
102 Controls in detailLightingCombination switch
The combination switch is located on the
left side of the steering column.1 High beam
2 High beam flasher
Switching on high beams
Turn exterior lamp switch to
position B or to U (
page 98).
Push the combination switch in
direction 1.
The high beam indicator B on the
instrument cluster is illuminated
(page 22). High beam flasher
Pull the combination switch briefly in
direction
2.
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be activat-
ed with the ignition switched on or off. It is
activated automatically when an airbag is
deployed.
The switch is located on the center con-
sole.
1 Hazard warning flasher switch Switching on the hazard warning
flasher
Press the hazard warning flasher
switch.
All turn signals will flash.
Switching off the hazard warning
flasher
Press hazard warning flasher switch
again.iWith the hazard warning flasher acti-
vated and the combination switch set
for either left or right turn, only the re-
spective left or right turn signals will
operate when the SmartKey in the
starter switch is in position 1 or 2.iIf the hazard warning flasher was acti-
vated automatically press switch 1
twice.
Page 103 of 376
103
Controls in detail
Lighting
Interior lighting
The controls are located in the overhead
control panel.
1 Rear interior lights
2 Right front reading lamp
3 Rocker switch for automatic control
system
4 Left front reading lamp Activating automatic control
Press the rocker switch
3 to center
position.
Interior lamps are switched on in dark-
ness, when you
unlock the vehicle
open a door
remove the SmartKey from starter
switch
The interior lamps are switched off follow-
ing a preset time (
page 128). Deactivating automatic control
Press the
=symbol on rocker
switch 3.
The interior lighting remains switched
off, even when you
unlock the vehicle
open a door
remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch
Manual control
Switching all front interior lights on and
off
Press the Wsymbol on rocker
switch 3.
The front interior lights come on.
Press rocker switch 3 to center
postion to activate the automatic
control.
iIf the door remains open, the interior
lamps switch off automatically after ap-
proximately five minutes, when the
SmartKey is removed or in the starter
switch position 0.
An interior lamp switched on manually
does not go out automatically.
Page 104 of 376
104 Controls in detailLightingSwitching rear interior lights on and off
Press buttonV.
The lights in the rear passenger
compartment come on.
Press button Vagain.
The lights in the rear passenger
compartment go out. Switching right front reading lamp on
and off
Press right button
X.
The right reading lamp comes on.
Press right button X again.
The right reading lamp goes out.
Switching left front reading lamp on and
off
Press left button X.
The left reading lamp comes on.
Press left button X again.
The left reading lamp goes out.
iThe setting selected for the interior
lighting is used for the trunk lighting as
well.
If you leave the trunk lid open for an ex-
tended period of time, the trunk light-
ing will switch off automatically after
approximately ten minutes.
Page 105 of 376
105
Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Instrument cluster
For a full view illustration of the instrument
cluster, see “At a glance” (
page 22).
The instrument cluster is activated when
you:
open a door
turn on the ignition
press the reset button (
page 22)
switch on the exterior lamps
You can change the instrument cluster
settings in the Instrument cluster submenu
of the control system (
page 122).
Instrument cluster illumination
Use the reset button (
page 22) to adjust
the illumination brightness for the instru-
ment cluster. To brighten illumination
Turn the reset button in the instrument
cluster (
page 22) clockwise.
The instrument cluster illumination will
brighten.
To dim illumination
Turn the reset button in the instrument
cluster (
page 22) counterclockwise.
The instrument cluster illumination will
dim.
iThe instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to
suit ambient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will
also be adjusted automatically when
you switch on the vehicle’s exterior
lamps.
Page 106 of 376
106 Controls in detailInstrument clusterCoolant temperature displayTurn the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position1 or 2.
Call up the trip odometer and main
odometer by pressing button è
or ÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel (
page 110).
Press button j ork until the
coolant temperature display appears. During severe operating conditions e.g.
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious en-
gine damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the engine hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until it has
cooled down.
iExcessive coolant temperature trigger
a warning in the multifunction display.
Page 107 of 376
107
Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip
odometer and main odometer
(page 109) in the multifunction dis-
play.
If it is not displayed, press button è
or ÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel (
page 110) repeatedly until
the trip odometer appears.
Press and hold the reset button on the
instrument cluster (
page 22) until
the trip odometer is reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer de-
notes excessive engine speed.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated
within the red marking.
Outside temperature indicator
The outside temperature is displayed in
the instrument cluster (
page 22). For in-
formation how to select the unit of the dis-
played temperature, i.e. degrees Celsius
(°C) or degrees Fahrenheit (°F) see “Se-
lecting temperature display mode”
(
page 123).
!Avoid driving at excessive engine
speeds, as it may result in serious en-
gine damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
Page 108 of 376
108 Controls in detailInstrument clusterThe temperature sensor is located in the
front bumper area. Due to its location, the
sensor can be affected by road or engine
heat during idling or slow driving. This
means that the accuracy of the displayed
temperature can only be verified by com-
parison to a thermometer placed next to
the sensor, not by comparison to external
displays (e.g. bank signs, etc.).When moving the vehicle into colder ambi-
ent temperatures (e.g. when leaving your
garage), you will notice a delay before the
lower temperature is displayed.
A delay also occurs when ambient temper-
atures rise. This prevents inaccurate tem-
perature indications caused by heat
radiated from the engine during idling or
slow driving.
Page 109 of 376
109
Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position 1. The control system
enables you to
call up information about your vehicle
change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control sys-
tem to find out when your vehicle is next
due for service, to set the language for
messages in the instrument cluster dis-
play, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1 Outside temperature
2 Main odometer
3 Trip odometer
4 Automatic transmission program mode
5 Current gear selector lever position
6 Digital clock
iThe displays for the audio systems (ra-
dio, CD player, cassette player) will ap-
pear in English, regardless of the
language selected.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his /her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others, se-
lecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions per-
mit it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 13.5 m) every second.
Page 110 of 376
110 Controls in detailControl systemMultifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display
and the settings in the control system are
controlled by the buttons on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel.Pressing any of the buttons on the multi-
function steering wheel will alter what is
shown in the multifunction display.
The information available in the multifunc-
tion display is arranged in menus, each
containing a number of functions or sub-
menus.
The individual functions are then found
within the relevant menu (radio or CD op-
erations under
AUDIO
, for example). These
functions serve to call up relevant informa-
tion or to customize the settings for your
vehicle.
1
Multifunction display in the speed-
ometerOperating the control system
2
Selecting the submenu or setting
the volumeç down / to decreaseæup / to increase
3
Telephone*íto take a callìto end a call
4
Menu systemsèfor next menuÿfor previous menu
5
Moving within a menujfor next displaykfor previous display