MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS SALOON 2012 Owners Manual

#
Drain off any excess engine oil that has been
added. Todo so, consult a qualified specialist
wo rkshop.
R For engine oil level turn on ignition #
Switch on the ignition tocheck the engine oil
le ve l.
R Engine oil level System inoperative : The oil
le ve l sensor is defective or not connecte d.#
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
R Engine oil level System currently unavail. #
Close the bonn et.
To pping up engine oil &
WARNING Risk of burn s from hot com‐
ponent parts in the engine compartment
Cer tain component parts in the engine com‐
partment can be very hot, e.g. the engine,
th e cooler and parts of theex haust sy stem. #
Allow the engine tocool down and only
to uch co mponent parts described in
th efo llowing. &
WARNING Risk offire and injury from
engine oil
If engine oil comes into con tact with hot
component parts in the engine compart‐
ment, it may ignite. #
Make sure that no engine oil is spilled
next tothefiller opening. #
Allow the engine tocool off and thor‐
oughly clean the engine oil from compo‐
nent parts before starting theve hicle. *
NO
TEEngine damage causedbyan
incor rect oil filter, incor rect oil or addi‐
tives #
Do not use engine oils or oil filters
which do not cor respond tothe specifi‐
cations explicitly prescribed forthe
service inter vals. #
Follow the instructions on the service
inter val display forch anging the engine
oil and obser vethe prescribed change
inter vals. #
Do not use additives. *
NO
TEDama gecaused bytopping up too
much engine oil To
o much engine oil can damage the engine
or the catalytic con verter. #
Have excess engine oil remo ved at a
qu alified specialist workshop. %
Depending on driving style, theve hicle con‐
sumes up to0.8 litr e of oil pe r10 00 km. The
oil consum ption may be higher than this
when theve hicle is new or if you frequently
drive at high engine speeds. 378
Maintenance and care
Internal use only

#
Turn cap 1anti-clockwise and remo veit. #
Top up the engine oil. #
Replace cap 1and turn it clockwise until it
engages. #
Check the oil le vel again (/ page376). Checking
the coolant le vel &
WARNING Risk of burn s from hot com‐
ponent parts in the engine compartment
Cer tain component parts in the engine com‐
partment can be very hot, e.g. the engine,
th e cooler and parts of theex haust sy stem. #
Allow the engine tocool down and only
to uch co mponent parts described in
th efo llowing. &
WARNING Risk of scalding from hot
coolant
If yo u open the cap, you could be scalded. #
Let the mo tor cool down before opening
th e cap. #
When opening the cap, wear pr otective
gl ove s and saf etygl asses. #
Open the cap slowly torelease pres‐
sure. #
Park theve hicle on a le vel sur face. #
Check the coolant temp erature display in the
instrument clus ter.
The coolant temp erature must be below
70°C. #
Slowly turn cap 1anti-clockwise torelease
ove rpressure. Maintenance and care
37 9
Internal use only

#
Continue turning cap 1anti-clockwise and
re mo veit.
The coolant le vel is cor rect in thefo llowing
cases:
R Ifth e engine is cold, the coolant is up to
mar ker bar 2.
R Ifth e engine is warm,th e coolant is up to
1. 5 cm overth e mar ker bar 2. #
If necessar y,top up with coolant that has
been appr ovedfo r Mercedes-Benz.
% Further information on coolant
(/ page 438) To
pping up the windsc reen washer sy stem &
WARNING Risk of burn s from hot com‐
ponent parts in the engine compartment
Cer tain component parts in the engine com‐
partment can be very hot, e.g. the engine,
th e cooler and parts of theex haust sy stem. #
Allow the engine tocool down and only
to uch co mponent parts described in
th efo llowing. &
WARNING ‑ Risk of fire and injury due to
windscreen washer concentrate
Wi ndsc reen washer concentrate is highly
fl ammable. It could ignite if it comes into
con tact with hot engine component parts or
th eex haust sy stem. #
Make sure that no windscre enwasher
concentrate spills out next tothefiller
opening. #
Remo vecap 1bytheta b. #
Top up thewa sher fluid.
% Further information about the windscreen
wa sher fluid (/ page 439) 380
Maintenance and care
Internal use only

Ke
eping the air-water duct free #
Keep the area between the bonn etand the
windscreen free of deposits, e.g. ice, snow
and lea ves. Cleaning and care
Information on
washing theve hicle in a car
wa sh &
WARNING Risk of an accident due to
re duced braking po wer af terwa shing the
ve hicle
Braking ef ficiency is reduced af terwa shing
th eve hicle. #
Afterth eve hicle has been washed,
brake carefully while paying attention to
th e traf fic conditions until braking
po we r has been fully restored. *
NO
TEDama gefrom auto matic braking If one of
thefo llowing functions is switched
on, theve hicle brakes automatically in cer‐
ta in situations:
R Active Brake Assi st
R Active Dis tance Assi stDISTRONIC
R HOLD function
R Active Parking Assist
To avo id damage totheve hicle, deactivate
th ese sy stems in thefo llowing or similar sit‐
uations: #
during towing #
in a car wash *
NO
TEDama gedue tounsuitable car
wa sh #
Before driving into a car wash make
sure that the car wash is suitable for
th eve hicle dimensions. #
Ensure there is suf ficient ground clear‐
ance between the underbody and the
guide rails of the car wash. #
Ensure that the clearance width of the
car wash, in particular the width of the
guide rails, is suf ficient. To
avo id damage to yourvehicle when using a
car wash, ensure thefo llowing beforehand:
R Active Dis tance Assi stDISTRONIC is deacti‐
va ted.
R the HOLD function is switched off.
R the 360° Camera or there ve rsing camera is
switched off.
R the side windo wsand sliding sun roof are
comple tely closed.
R the blo werfo rth eve ntilation/heating is
switched off.
R the windscreen wiper switch is in position
g.
R theke y is at a minimum dis tance of 3 m
aw ay from theve hicle. Otherwise the boot lid
could open unintentionally. Maintenance and care
381
Internal use only

R
for car washes with a con veyo r sy stem:
- neutral iis engaged.
- Ifyo uwo uld like tolea vetheve hicle while
it is being washed, make sure theke y is
located in theve hicle. The park position
j isotherwise automatically engaged.
% If, af terth e car wash, youre mo vethewax
from the windscreen and wiper rubbers, this
will pr event smearing and reduce wiper
noise. Information on using a high-p
ressure cleaner &
WARNING Risk of an accident when
using high-pressure cleane rswith round-
spray nozzles
The wate r jet can cause extern ally invisible
damage.
Components damaged in this wa y may unex‐
pec tedly fail. #
Do not use a high-pressure cleaner with
round-spr aynozzles. #
Have damaged tyres or chassis parts
re placed immediatel y. To
avo id damage to yourvehicle, obser vethefo l‐
lowing when using a high-pressure cleaner:
R The key is at a minimum distance of 3 m
aw ay from theve hicle. Otherwise the boot lid
could open unintentionall y.
R Maintain a dis tance of at least 30 cm tothe
ve hicle.
R Vehicles with decora tivefoil: parts of your
ve hicle are co vered with a decorative foil.
Maintain a dis tance of at least 70 cm
between thefo il-c ove red parts of theve hicle
and the nozzle of the high-pressure cleaner.
Mo vethe high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around whilst cleaning. The waterte mp era‐
ture of the high-pressure cleaner must not
exc eed 60°C.
R Obser vethe information on the cor rect dis‐
tan ce in the equipment manufacturer's oper‐
ating instructions.
R Do not direct the nozzle of the high-pressure
cleaner directly at sensitive parts, e.g. tyres, ga
ps, elect rical components, batteries, light
sou rces and ventilation slits. Wa
shing theve hicle byhand *
NO
TEEngine damage duetowa ter
ing ress #
Take care not topoint thewate r jet
directly towa rdsth e air inlet grille below
th e bonn et. obser
vethe legal requ irements, e.g. in a number
of countries, washing byhand is only permitted
in specially designated wash ba ys. #
Use a mild cleaning agent, e.g. car shampoo. #
Washtheve hicle with luk ewarmwate r using
a soft car sponge. When doing so, do not
ex pose theve hicle todirect sunlight. #
Carefully hose theve hicle off with water and
dry using a chamois.
% Obse rveth e no tes on the care of car parts
(/ page 384). 382
Maintenance and care
Internal use only

Note
s on paint work/matt finish paintwork
care Obse
rveth e no tes on cleaning and care toavo id
damaging the paintwor k.
Pa int
R Insect remains: soak with insect remo ver and
ri nse off the treated areas af terw ards.
R Bird droppings: soak with water and rinse off
af te rw ards.
R Tree resin, oils, fuels and greases: remo veby
ru bbing gently wi tha clo thsoaked in petro‐
leum ether or lighter fluid.
R Coolant and brake fluid: remo vewith a damp
clo thand clean water.
R Tarst ains: use tar remo ver.
R Wax: use silicone remo ver.
R Do not attach sticke rs,fi lms or similar mate‐
ri als.
R Remo vedirt immediately, where possible.
Matt finish
R Only use care products appr ovedfor
Mercedes-Benz. R
Do not polish theve hicle and light-alloy
wheels.
R Only use car washes that cor respond tothe
latest engineering standards.
R Do not use car wash programmes with a final
hot wax treatment.
R Do not use paint cleane rs, buf fing or polish‐
ing products, gloss preser vers, e.g. wax.
R Alw ays ha vepaintwork repairs car ried out at
a qu alified specialist workshop. Note
s on cleaning decorative foils Obser
vethe no tes on matt finish care in the
ch ap ter "No tes on paintwork/matt finish paint‐
wo rkcare" (/ page 383). They also apply to
matt decorative foils.
Obser vethe no tes on cleaning decorative foils to
av oid vehicle damage.
Cleaning
R For cleaning, use plenty of water and a mild
cleaning agent without additives or abrasive
subs tances, e.g. a car sha mpoo appr ovedfor
Mercedes-Benz. R
Remo vedirt immediatel y,where possible,
whilst avoiding rubbing too hard. There is
ot herwise a risk of damaging the decorative
fo il ir reparabl y.
R Ifth ere is dirt on thefinish or if the decora‐
tive foil is dull: use thePa int Cleaner recom‐
mended and appr oved for Mercedes-Benz.
R Insect remains: soak with insect remo ver and
ri nse off the treated areas af terw ards.
R Bird droppings: soak with water and rinse off
af te rw ards.
R Topreve ntwate rst ains, dry a foil-wrapped
ve hicle with a soft, absorbent clo thafter
eve rycar wash.
Av oiding dama getothe decorative foil
R The service life and colouring of decorative
foils are impaired by:
- sunlight
- temp erature, e.g. hot air blo wer
- weather conditions
- stone chippings and dirt
- chemical cleaning agents Maintenance and care
383
Internal use only

-
oily products
R Do not use polish on matt decorative foil.
Po lishing will ha vethe ef fect of shining the
fo il-wrapped sur face.
R Do not treat matt or stru ctured deco rative
fo ils with wax.Pe rm anent stains may occur.
Sc ratches, cor rosive deposits, areas af fected by
cor rosion and damage caused byincor rect care
cannot al ways be comple tely re paired. In such
cases, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
Yo u can obtain more information on care and
cleaning products from the manufacturer.
In the case of foil-wrapped sur faces, optical dif‐
fe re nces may occur between the sur faces that
we renot pr otected bya decorative foil af ter
re moving a decorative foil.
% Have wo rkor repairs todecorative foils car‐
ri ed out at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. in a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Note
s on care of car parts &
WARNING Risk of entrapment if the
windscreen wipers are swit ched on while
th e windscreen is being cleaned
If th e windscreen wipers are set in motion
while you are cleaning the windscreen or
wiper blades, you can be trapped bythe
wiper arm. #
Alw ays switch off the windscreen wip‐
ers and the ignition before cleaning the
windscreen or wiper blades. &
WARNING Risk of burn s fromtheta il‐
pipe and tailpipe trims
The exhaust tailpipe and tailpipe trims can
become very hot. If you come into contact
with these parts of theve hicle, you could
burn yourself. #
Alw ays be particular lycareful around
th eta ilpipe and theta ilpipe trims and
supervise children especially closely in
th is area. #
Allow vehicle parts tocool down before
to uching them. To
avo id damage totheve hicle, obser vethe
no tes on cleaning and care of thefo llowing vehi‐
cle parts:
Wheels and rims
R Use wate r and acid-free alloy wheel cleaners.
R Do not use acidic alloy wheel cleaners to
re mo vebrake dust. This could damage wheel
bolts and brake components.
R Toavo id cor rosion of the brake disks and
brakepads, drive theve hicle for a few
minutes af ter cleaning before parking it. The
brake disks and brakepads warm up and dry
out.
Wi ndo ws
R Clean the windo wsinside and outside with a
damp clo thand with a cleaning agent recom‐
mended for Mercedes-Benz.
R Do not use dry clo ths or abrasive or sol vent-
based cleaning agents toclean the inside of
windo ws. 384
Maintenance and care
Internal use only

Wi
per blades
R Movethe wiper arms into there placement
position (/ page139).
R With th e wiper arms folded out, clean the
wiper blades with a damp clo th.
R Do not clean the wiper blades too of ten.
Ex terior lighting
R Clean the lenses with a wet sponge and mild
cleaning agent, e.g. car sha mpoo.
R Only use cleaning agents or cleaning clo ths
th at are suitable for plast ic lenses.
Sensors
R Clean the sensors in the front and rear
bumpers with a soft clo thand car shampoo
(/ page 186).
R When using a high -pressure cleaner,maintain
a minimum dis tance of 30 cm.
Re versing camera and 360° Camera
R Open the camera co ver with the multimedia
sy stem (/ page 227).
R Use clean water and a soft clo thtoclean the
came ralens. R
Do not use a high-pressure cleaner.
Ta ilpipes
R Clean with a cleaning agent recommended
fo r Mercedes-Benz, especially inthe winter
and af terwa shing theve hicle.
R Do not use acidic cleaning agents.
Tr ailer hitch
R Obse rveth e no tes on care in the trailer hitch
manufacturer's operating instructions.
R Do not clean the ball neck with a high-pres‐
sure cleaner or solvent.
R Remo vetraces of rust on the ball, forex am‐
ple, with a wire brush.
R Remo vedirt with a lint-free clo th.
R After cleaning, lightly oil or grease the ball
head.
% Before using trailers with anti- torsional cou‐
pling, obser vethe manufacturer's operating
instructions. Note
s on care of the interior &
WARNING Risk of injury from plastic
parts breaking off af terth e use of sol‐
ve nt-based care products
Ca reand cleaning products con taining sol‐
ve nts can cause su rfaces in the cockpit to
become porous. When the airbags are
deplo yed, plastic parts may break away. #
Do not use any care or cleaning prod‐
ucts containing sol vents toclean the
cockpit. &
WARNING Risk of injury or death from
bleached seat belts
Bleaching or dyeing seat belts can se verely
we aken them.
This can, forex ample, cause seat belts to
te ar or fail in an accident. #
Never blea chor dye seat belts. To
avo id damage totheve hicle, obser vethefo l‐
lowing no tes on cleaning and care: Maintenance and care
385
Internal use only

Seat belts
R Clean with luk ewarmand soapy water.
R Do not use chemical cleaning agents.
R Do not dry byheating them toove r 80°C or
ex posing them todirect sunlight.
Display
R Switch off the display and let it cool down.
R Clean the sur face carefully with a microfibre
clo thand a suitable display care product
(TF T-LC D).
R Do not use any other agents.
Plastic trim R Clean with a damp microfibre clo th.
R For heavy soiling: use a cleaner recommen‐
ded for Mercedes-Benz.
R Do not attach sticke rs,fi lms or similar mate‐
ri als.
R Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent or
sun cream tocome in contact wi th the plas‐
tic trim.
Re alwo od and trim elements
R Clean with a mic rofibre clo th. R
Blackpiano-lac quer look: clean with a damp
clo thand soapy water.
R For heavy soiling: use a cleaner recommen‐
ded for Mercedes-Benz.
R Do not use sol vent-based cleaning agents,
polishes or waxes.
Ro of lining
R Clean with a brush or dry shampoo.
Carpet
R Use a carpet and textile cleaning agent rec‐
ommended for Mercedes-Benz.
St eering wheel made of genuine leather or
DINAMICA
* NO
TEDama gecaused bywrong cleaners #
Do not use solvent-based cleaning
agents such as tarre mo ver or wheel
cleaner; neither should you use pol‐
ishes or waxes. Otherwise you may
damage thefinish. R
Clean wi tha damp clo thand 1% soapy water
solution and then wipe with a dry clo th.R
For heavy soiling: use a cleaner recommen‐
ded for Mercedes-Benz.
R Leather care: use a leath er care agentthat
has been recommended for Mercedes-Benz.
R Do not allow the leather tobecome too
damp.
R Do not use a microfibre clo th.
% Leather is a natural product. It has natural
surface propert ies, such as dif fere nces in
st ru cture, mar kscaused bygrow thand
injury or subtle colour dif fere nces.
Genuine leather seat co vers
R Clean with a damp clo thand then wipe with a
dry clo th.
R Leather care: use a leath er care agentthat
has been recommended for Mercedes-Benz.
R Do not allow th e leathertobecome too
damp.
R Do not use a microfibre clo th.
DINAMICA seat co vers
R Clean with a damp clo th.
R Do not use a mic rofibre clo th. 386
Maintenance and care
Internal use only

Imitation leather seat co
vers
R Clean with a damp clo thand 1% soapy water.
R Do not use a mic rofibre clo th.
Fa bric seat co vers
R Clean with a damp mic rofibre clo thand 1%
soapy water and allow todry. Maintenance and care
387
Internal use only