engine MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS COUPE 2011 Owner's Manual
Page 71 of 373
If ESP
®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
WARNING
If the ÷ warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R adapt yourd riving style to suitt he prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Otherwise, the vehicle could go into a skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident if
you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override the
laws of physics.
! Switch the ignition off when:
R the parking brake is being tested using a
dynamometer
R the vehicle is being towed with the front/
rear axle raised
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ETS (Electronic Traction Support) Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side.
Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate ESP ®
. G
WARNING
Traction control cannot reduce the risk of an
accident if you drive too fast. Traction control
cannot override the laws of physics. Deactivating/activating ESP
®
(except
AMG vehicles) You cannot activate and deactivate ESP
®
on
vehicles with a 4-button multifunction steer-
ing wheel.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
i Vehicles with ECO start/stop function:
the ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
comes to a stop. The engine starts auto-
matically when the driver wants to pull
away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously
selected status. Example: if ESP ®
was
deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated
when the engine is switched on again.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
WARNING
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply.E SP®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides bette rgrip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle. 68
Driving safety systemsSafety
Page 72 of 373
X
To deactivate:( Ypage 221).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. G
WARNING
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and åwarning
lamp are li tcontinuously, ESP ®
is not availa-
ble due to a malfunction.
There is an increased risk of your vehicle skid-
ding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.
X To activate:(Y page 221).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(AMG
vehicles) Activating/deactivating SPORT handling
mode
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
It may be best to activate SPORT handling
mode in the following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
Otherwise, you should only use SPORT han-
dling mode on designated race circuits. G
WARNING
Deactivate SPORT handling mode and acti-
vate ESP ®
as soon as the situations described
above no longer apply.O therwise, SPORT
handling mode will only be able to stabilise
the vehicle to a limited degree if the vehicle
starts to skid or a whee lstarts to spin. When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R
ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R the engine's torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels can spin. The
spinning of the wheels results in a cutting
action, which provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a
limited degree. X
To activate: briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluste rlights up.
The SPORT handling mode message
appears in the multifunction display.
X To deactivate: briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrumen tcluster goes out.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel Driving safety systems
69Safety Z
Page 73 of 373
G
WARNING
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply.E SP®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels are able to spin. The spin-
ning of the wheels results in a cutting
action, which provides bette rgrip.
R traction control is still activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available and is
also not activated if you brake firmly with
the assistance of ESP ®
.
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available and
is also not activated if you brake firmly with
the assistance of ESP ®
.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle. X
To deactivate: press button:until the
å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster.
The ÷OFF message appears in the mul-
tifunction display. G
WARNING
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and åwarning
lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not availa-
ble due to a malfunction.
There is an increased risk of yourv ehicle skid-
ding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.
X To activate: briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ON message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation ESP
®
trailer stabilisation is not available in
AMG vehicles.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer
combination) begins to lurch, you can only
stabilise the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
In this situation, ESP ®
assists you and can
detec tifthe vehicle/trailer combination
begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down
by braking and limiting the engine output until
the vehicle/trailer combination has stabi-
lised.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 65 km/h. G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent
the trailer from swerving and will thus be
unable to reduce the risk of an accident. Trail-
ers with a high centre of gravity can tip over
before ESP ®
can detect this. 70
Driving safety systemsSafety
Page 76 of 373
Vehicles with COMAND and navigation sys-
tem: the radar sensor system is switched off
automatically in the vicinity of radio telescope
facilities (Y page 363).
Vehicles without COMAND and a navigation
system and vehicles for Australia:t he radar
sensor system and on-board computer must
be switched off in the vicinity of radio tele-
scope facilities (Y page 226).
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when driv-
ing, the radar sensor system must be
switched on (Y page 226) and be opera-
tional.
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle. Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
X To activate with the key: remove the key
from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated
when you start the engine. ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Av isual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is primed and you open:
R a door
R the vehicle with the emergency key ele-
ment
R the boot lid
R the bonnet The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that has triggered it, for
example.
X
To prime: lock the vehicle with the key or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes .The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately 15 sec-
onds.
X To deactivate: unlock the vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
X To stop the alarm using the key: insert
the key into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Press the %or& button on the key.
The alarm is switched off.
X To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The key
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The key must be inside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off. Tow-away protection
An audible and visual alarm is triggered if your
vehicle's angle of inclination is altered while
tow-away protection is primed. This occurs if
the vehicle is jacked up on one side, for exam-
ple. Anti-theft systems
73Safety Z
Page 81 of 373
Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment
available to your vehicle at the time of pub-
lication of the Owner's Manual. Country-
specific deviations are possible. Please
note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all features described. This also
applies to safety-relevan tsystems and
functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 26).Key
Key functions
Locking an dunlocking centrally The key centrally locks/unlocks:
R
the doors
R the boot lid
R the fuel filler flap G
WARNING
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key, the double lock
function is activated as standard. It is then not
possible to open the doors from inside the
vehicle.
Therefore, do not leave any people behind in
the vehicle, particularly children, elderly peo-
ple or people in need of special assistance if
the vehicle has been locked with the key. As
a result, they may not be able to free them-
selves in the event of an emergency. As a
result, they could be seriously or even fatally
injured by prolonged exposure to extremely
high or low temperatures, for example. In this
case, rescuing people from outside the vehi-
cle is difficult.
Deactivate the interior motion sensor before
you lock the vehicle with the key. The doors
can then be opened from the inside after the vehicle has been locked from the outside with
the key.
G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open a door from inside the vehicle at any
time, even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using akey which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake
They could thereby endanger themselves and
others. Never leave children unsupervised in
the vehicle. Always take the key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time. G
WARNING
If a key ring is too heavy or too large, the
weight acting on the key could cause it to turn
in the ignition lock or catch on the steering
wheel. This could cause the engine to be
switched off suddenly. You may lose control
of the vehicle and cause an accident. Do not
attach any heavy or large key rings to the key
that is inserted in the ignition. :
& To lock the vehicle
; F To unlock the boot lid
= % To unlock the vehicle
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer (Y page 225).78
KeyOpening and closing
Page 82 of 373
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked or unlocked.
The audible signal can be activated and deac-
tivated using the on-board computer
(Y page 226).
X To unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton.
If you do not open the vehicle within approx-
imately 40 seconds of unlocking:
R the vehicle is locked again.
R the anti-theft system is primed again.
X To lock centrally: press the&button. KEYLESS-GO
You can start, lock or unloc kthe vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry
the key with you. When you touch the surface
of the sensors on the vehicle's outside door
handles, KEYLESS-GO establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the key.
When the engine is started and whilst you are
driving, KEYLESS-GO also checks whether a
valid key is in the vehicle by periodically
establishing radio contact.
When locking or unlocking with KEYLESS-GO,
the distance between the key and the door
handle you wish to lock or unlock must not
be greater than 1 m. X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
X To lock the vehicle: touch sensor sur-
face :.
X Convenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface ;for an exten-
ded period (Y page 89).
If you pull on the handle of the boot lid, only
the boot of the vehicle is unlocked. Changing the settings of the locking
system
You can change the settingoft he locking
system in such a way that only the driver's
door and the fuel filler flap are unlocked. This
is useful if you frequently travel on your own.
X To change the setting: press and hold
down the %and& buttons simulta-
neously for approximately six seconds until
the battery check lamp (Y page 81)
flashes twice.
i If the setting of the locking system is
changed within the signal range of the vehi-
cle, pressing the &or% button locks
or unlocks the vehicle.
The key now functions as follows:
X To unlock the driver's door: press the
% button once.
X To unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton twice.
X To lock centrally: press the&button.
The KEYLESS-GO function is changed as fol-
lows:
X To unlock the driver's door: touch the
inner surface of the door handle on the
driver's door.
X To unlock centrally: touch the inner sur-
face of the front-passenger door handle.
X To lock centrally: touch the outer sensor
surface on one of the door handles. Key
79Opening and closing Z
Page 86 of 373
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The engine cannot be
started using the 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 325).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 329).
or
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine cannot be
started using the key. The steering lock is mechanically blocked.
X
Remove the key and reinsert it into the ignition lock. While doing
this, turn the steering wheel in both directions. The engine cannot be
started using KEYLESS-
GO. The key is in the
vehicle. Ad
oor is open. Therefore, the key cannot be detected as easily.
X Close the door and try to start the vehicle again. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. Doors
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key, the double lock
function is activated as standard. It is then not
possible to open the doors from inside the
vehicle.
Therefore, do not leave any people behind in
the vehicle, particularly children, elderly peo-
ple or people in need of special assistance if
the vehicle has been locked with the key. As
a result, they may not be able to free them-
selves in the event of an emergency. As a
result, they could be seriously or even fatally
injured by prolonged exposure to extremely
high or low temperatures, for example. In this
case, rescuing people from outside the vehi-
cle is difficult. Deactivate the interior motion sensor before
you lock the vehicle with the key. The doors
can then be opened from the inside after the
vehicle has been locked from the outside with
the key.
G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open a door from inside the vehicle at any
time, even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using akey which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake
They could thereby endanger themselves and
others. Never leave children unsupervised in
the vehicle. Always take the key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time. Doors
83Opening and closing Z
Page 88 of 373
Unlocking the driver's door (emer-
gency key element)
If the vehicle can no longer be unlocked with
the key, use the emergency key element.
If you use the emergency key element to
unlock and open the driver's door, the anti-
thef talarm system will be triggered
(Y page 73).
X Take the emergency key elemen tout of the
key (Y page 80).
X Inser tthe emergency key element into the
lock of the driver's door as far as it will go. X
Turn the emergency key element anti-
clockwise to position 1.
The door is unlocked.
i On right-hand-drive vehicles, turn the
emergency key element clockwise.
X Turn the emergency key element back and
remove it.
X Insert the emergency key element into the
key. Locking the vehicle (emergency key
element)
If the vehicle can no longer be locked with the
key, use the emergency key element.
X Open the driver's door.
X Close the front-passenger door and the
boot lid.
X Press the locking button (Y page 84).
X Check whether the locking knob on the
front-passenger door is still visible. Press down the locking knob by hand, if neces-
sary.
X Close the driver's door.
X Take the emergency key element out of the
key (Y page 80).
X Insert the emergency key element into the
lock of the driver's door as far as it will go. X
Turn the emergency key element clockwise
as far as it will go to position 1.
i On right-hand-drive vehicles, turn the
emergency key element anti-clockwise.
X Turn the emergency key element back and
remove it.
X Make sure that the doors and the boot lid
are locked.
X Insert the emergency key element into the
key. Boot
Important safety notes
Do not leave the key in the boot. You could
otherwise lock yourself out. G
WARNING
Exhaust fumes could enter the vehicle interior
if the engine is running and the boot lid is
open. This could poison you. Therefore, you
should make sure that the boot lid is always
closed when the engine is running.
! The boot lid swings upwards when
opened. Therefore, make sure that there is
sufficient clearance above the boot lid. Boot
85Opening and closing Z
Page 91 of 373
Side windows
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
between the side window and the door frame
when a side window is opened. Do not touch
or lean against the side window during the
opening procedure. You could become trap-
ped between the side window and the door
frame as the side window moves down. If
there is a risk of becoming trapped, release
the switch or pull the switch upwards to close
the side window again. G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as you close a side window. If there is a risk
of becoming trapped, release the switch or
press it again to open the side window again. G
WARNING
Children may injure themselves if they open
or close the side windows.
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. Always take the key with you when leaving
the vehicle, even if you are only leaving it for
a short time. G
WARNING
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. The children could:
R be seriously or even fatally injured on parts
of the vehicle
R be seriously or even fatally injured by pro-
longed exposure to extremely high or
extremely low temperatures
If children open a door, they could:
R seriously or even fatally injure other people
R get out of the vehicle and injure them-
selves, or be seriously or even fatally
injured by a passing vehicle Opening and closing the side win-
dows
:
Left
; Right
The switches for all side windows are located
on the driver's door. There is also a switch for
the front-passenger side window on the front-
passenger door.
The switches on the driver's door take prec-
edence.
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X To open: press the corresponding switch.
X To close: pull the corresponding switch.
i If you press the switch beyond the point
of resistance, an automatic opening/clos-
ing process is started in the corresponding
direction. You can stop automatic opera-
tion by pressing again.
i You can continue to operate the side win-
dows after switching off the engine or
removing the key. This function remains
active for five minutes or until the driver's
or front-passenger door is opened. Convenience opening feature
You can ventilate the vehicle before you start
driving. To do this, the key is used to carry out
the following functions simultaneously:
R unlock the vehicle
R open the side windows 88
Side windowsOpening and closing
Page 112 of 373
If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
X Turn the lights witch toÃ.
Dipped-beam headlamps X
To switch on the dipped-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to L.
The L indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
Daytime driving lights You can activate or deactivate the daytime
driving lights function using the on-board
computer (Y page 224).
X To activate the daytime driving lights:
you can activate the daytime driving lights
function using the on-board computer
(vehicles with a 12-butto nmultifunction
steering wheel).
X Turn the light switch to Ã.
When the engine is on :depending on the
ambient light conditions, the daytime driv-
ing lights or the parking and dipped-beam
headlamps are switched on.
When the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on, the Lindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
Automatic headlamp mode X
To switch on automatic headlamp
mode: turn the light switch to Ã.
Key in position 1in the ignition lock: the
side lamps are switched on or off automat-
ically depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
With the engine running: depending on the
brightness of the ambient light, the daytime
driving lights 6
or the dipped-beam head-
lamps are switched on or off automatically. When the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on, the
Lindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. G
WARNING
If the light switch is set to Ã, the dipped-
beam headlamps will not come on automati-
cally if it is foggy. This could endanger you and
others. Therefore, turn the light switch to
L in fog.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid. The driver is responsible for the vehicle's
lighting at all times.
Foglamps and rear foglamp Front foglamps
Only vehicles with fron
tfoglamps have the
"Foglamps" function. G
WARNING
If you suspect that driving conditions will be
foggy, turn the light switch to Lbefore you
start your journey. Otherwise, your vehicle
may not be visible and you could endanger
yourself and others.
X To switch on the front foglamps: turn the
key in the ignition lock to position 2or start
the engine.
X Turn the light switch to T,Lor
Ã.
X Press the Nbutton.
The green Nindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
X To switch off the front foglamps: press
the N button.
The green Nindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Rear foglamp
X To switch on the rear foglamp: turn the
key in the ignition lock to position 2or start
the engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ.
6 Only if daytime driving lights have been activated via the on-board computer. Exterior lighting
109Lights and windscreen wipers Z