air condition MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS 2016 User Guide

Problems with the Occupant Classification System (OCS) Be sure to observe the notes on "System self-test" ( Y
page 56).
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp
lights up and remains lit,
even though the front-
passenger seat is occu-
pied by an adult or a per-
son of a stature corre-
sponding to that of an
adult. The classification of the person on the front-passenger seat is incor-
rect. X
Make sure the conditions for a correct classification of the person
on the front-passenger seat are met ( Y
page 54).X
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit, the front-
passenger seat may not be used. X
Have OCS checked as soon as possible at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
The PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up and/or
does not stay on.
The front-passenger seat
is: R
unoccupied R
occupied with the
weight of a child up to
twelve months old in a
child restraint system OCS is malfunctioning. X
Make sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the child
seat. X
Make sure that the entire base of the child restraint system rests on
the seat cushion of the front-passenger seat. The backrest of the
forward-facing child restraint system must lie as flat as possible
against the backrest of the front-passenger seat. If necessary,
adjust the position of the front-passenger seat. X
Make sure that the seat cushion length is fully retracted. X
When installing the child restraint system, make sure that the seat
belt is tight. Do not pull the seat belt tight using the front-passenger
seat adjustment. This could result in the seat belt and the child
restraint system being pulled too tightly. X
Check for correct installation of the child restraint system.
Make sure that the head restraint does not apply a load to the child
restraint system. If necessary, adjust the head restraint accord-
ingly. X
Make sure that no objects are applying additional weight onto the
seat. X
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains off and/or
the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp lights up, do not install
a child restraint system on the front-passenger seat. It is recom-
mended that you install the child restraint system on a suitable rear
seat. X
Have OCS checked as soon as possible at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Deployment of Emergency Tensioning
Devices and air bags
Important safety notes
G WARNING
The air bag parts are hot after an air bag has
been deployed. There is a risk of injury. Do not touch the air bag parts. Have a
deployed air bag replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop as soon as possible.
G WARNING
A deployed air bag no longer offers any pro-
tection and cannot provide the intended pro-58
Occupant safety
Safety

air bag must be deployed on time, at the start of
the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration
and the direction of the force are essentially
determined by: R
distribution of the force during the impact R
collision angle R
deformation characteristics of the vehicle R
characteristics of the object with which the
vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after the collision has occurred do not play a
decisive role in the deployment of an air bag, nor
do they provide an indication of air bag deploy-
ment.
The vehicle may be considerably deformed with-
out an air bag being deployed. This is the case if
only relatively easily deformable parts have
been hit and a high rate of deceleration has not
been reached. Conversely, an air bag may be
deployed even though the vehicle suffers only
minor deformation. This is the case if, for exam-
ple, very rigid vehicle parts such as the longitu-
dinal body members are hit in an accident and
the rate of deceleration is sufficient.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side
impact or that the vehicle is rolling over, the rel-
evant restraint system components are
deployed independently of one another depend-
ing on the anticipated type of accident. R
Side impact air bags on the side of the colli-
sion, regar dless of Emergency Tensioning
D evice and use of the seat belt on the driver's
side and the outer seats on the second row
The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side deploys under the following
conditions: -
the OCS system detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied or -
the belt tongue has engaged in the belt
buckle of the front-passenger seat. R
Window curtain air bag on the side of the col-
lision, regardless of seat belt use and whether
front-passenger seat is occupied R
Front Emergency Tensioning Devices, if the
system determines that they can offer addi-
tional protection for the vehicle occupants in
this situation R
Rear Emergency Tensioning Devices in cer-
tain situations if the vehicle rolls over R
Window curtain air bags on the driver's and
front-passenger sides in certain rollover sit- uations if the system determines that they
can offer additional protection to that provi-
ded by the seat belt
i Not all air bags are deployed in an accident.
The various air bag systems work independ-
ently of each other.
How the air bag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, and the apparent type of accident: R
frontal collision R
side impact R
rollover
PRE-SAFE ®
(anticipatory occupant
protection system)
Introduction PRE-SAFE ®
takes preemptive measures to pro-
tect occupants in certain hazardous situations.
Important safety notes
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats. There is a danger
that the seats and/or objects could be dam-
aged when PRE-SAFE ®
is activated.
Despite your vehicle being equipped with the
PRE-SAFE ®
system, the possibility of personal
injuries occurring as a result of an accident can-
not be eliminated. Always adapt your driving
style to suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
Function PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes: R
in emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated R
in critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under-
steers or oversteers severely R
vehicles with the Driving Assistance package:
when a driver assistance system intervenes
powerfully or the radar sensor system detects
an imminent danger of collision in certain sit-
uations60
Occupant safety
Safety

Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, th e driving safet y systems can nei-
ther reduce th e ris k of an acciden t no r override
th e laws of physics . Drivin g safet y systems are
merely aids designed to assist driving . You are
responsible for maintainin g th e distanc e to th e
vehicl e in front, for vehicl e speed, for braking in
goo d time, and for staying in lane. Always adapt
your driving style to suit th e prevailing road and
weather condition s and maintai n a saf e distanc e
from th e vehicl e in front. Drive carefully.
The driving safet y systems describe d only wor k
as effectivel y as possible when there is ade-
quat e contact between th e tires and th e road
surface. Pay particular attention to th e informa-
tion regarding tires , recommended minimum
tire tread depths etc. in th e "Wheels and tires "
section ( Y
page 360).
In wintr y driving conditions, always use winte r
tires (M+ S tires )a nd if necessary, snow chains.
Only in this way will the driving safety systems
described in this section work as effectively as
possible.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General information ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that
the wheels do not lock when you brake. This
allows you to continue steering the vehicle when
braking.
The % ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface conditions.
ABS works on slippery surfaces, even when you
only brake gently.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 68).
G WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition-
ally, further driving safety systems are deac- tivated. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp ( Y
page 289) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster ( Y
page 256).
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking sit-
uation is over. X
To make a full brake application: depress
the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions, and functions as a
reminder to take extra care while driving.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
General information BAS operates in emergency braking situations.
If you depress the brake pedal quickly, BAS
automatically boosts the braking force, thus
shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 68).
G WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.68
Driving safety systems
Safety

R
PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
inter-
venes. R
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available, it is
also not activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
intervenes. R
ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilizationGeneral information ESP ®
trailer stabilization is not available in
Mercedes-AMG vehicles.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
swerve, ESP ®
assists you in this situation. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and limiting
the engine output until the vehicle/trailer com-
bination has stabilized.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high center of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer com-
bination) begins to lurch, you can only stabilize
the vehicle/trailer combination by depressing
the brake firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization is active above speeds
of about 65 km/h.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization does not work if ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a malfunc-
tion.
Crosswind Assist
General information
Strong crosswinds can cause your vehicle to
deviate from a straight course. The crosswind
driving assistance function integrated in ESP ®
noticeably reduces these impairments. ESP ®
intervenes automatically according to the
direction and intensity of the crosswinds affect-
ing your vehicle.
ESP intervenes with stabilizing braking to assist
you in keeping the vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 50 mph (80 km/ h) when driving straight
ahead or cornering gently.
Important safety notes Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP ®
is deac-
tivated or disabled because of a malfunction.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
on the rear wheels to improve driving stability
while braking.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 68).
G WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps ( Y
page 289) as well as display
messages ( Y
page 258).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety and
offers increased braking comfort. In addition to
the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has
the HOLD function ( Y
page 194) and hill start
assist ( Y
page 150).76
Driving safety systems
Safety

PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
General information PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize the
risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or a
pedestrian, and reduce the effects of such a
collision. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk
of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically as well as by automatic braking.
i Pay attention to the important safety notes
in the "Driving safety systems" section
( Y
page 68).
PRE ‑ SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance Plus package.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when driving,
the radar sensor system and the camera system
must be switched on and be operational.
With the help of the radar sensor system and the
camera system, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect
obstacles that are in front of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-
cle can be detected.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects pedestrians using
typical characteristics such as the body con-
tours and posture of a person standing upright.
i Observe the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes" section
( Y
page 77).
Important safety notes
G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brake your vehi-
cle by a partial application of the brakes if a
danger of collision is detected. There may be
a collision unless you brake yourself. Even
after subsequent full application of the brakes
a collision cannot always be avoided, partic-
ularly when approaching at too high a speed.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action, provided it is safe to do
so.
In the event of a partial application of the brakes,
the vehicle is braked with up to 50% of the full
braking pressure. G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify objects and complex traffic conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:R
give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle R
not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify people, especially if they are moving. In
these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot inter-
vene. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance to
the vehicle in front and thus prevent a collision,
you must apply the brakes yourself.
G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react: R
to small people, e.g. children R
to animals R
to oncoming vehicles R
to crossing traffic R
when cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical sit-
uations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the rec-
ognition can be impaired.Driving safety systems 77
Safety Z

If you come into contact with the electrolyte,
observe the following: R
Rinse off the electrolyte from your skin
immediately with water. R
Immediately rinse the electrolyte out of
your eyes thoroughly with clean water. R
If the electrolyte is swallowed, immediately
rinse your mouth out thoroughly. Do not
induce vomiting. R
If electrolyte comes into contact with your
skin or hair or is swallowed, seek medical
attention immediately. R
Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with electrolyte. R
If an allergic reaction occurs, seek medical
attention immediately.
The rear-view mirror and the exterior mirror on
the driver's side automatically go into anti-glare
mode if the following conditions are met simul-
taneously: R
the ignition is switched on R
incident light from headlamps strikes the sen-
sor in the rear-view mirror
The mirrors do not go into anti-glare mode if
reverse gear is engaged or if the interior lighting
is switched on.
Parking position for the exterior mir-
ror on the front-passenger side
Storing the parking position You can position the front-passenger side exte-
rior mirror in such a way that you can see the
rear wheel on that side as soon as you engage
reverse gear. You can store this position. Using reverse gear
C
Memory button MD
Adjustment button

Overview of climate control systems
General notes Observe the settings recommended on the fol-
lowing pages. The windows could otherwise fog
up.
To prevent the windows from fogging up: R
switch off climate control only briefly R
switch on air-recirculation mode only briefly R
switch on the cooling with air dehumidifica-
tion function R
switch on the defrost windshield function
briefly, if required
Climate control regulates the temperature and
air humidity in the vehicle interior. The interior
filter cleans the air, thus improving the interior
climate.
The "Cooling with air dehumidification" function
is only available when the engine is running.
Optimum climate control is only achieved with
the side windows and roof closed.
If you start the engine using your smartphone,
the last selected climate control setting is reac-
tivated ( Y
page 149).
The residual heat function can only be activated
or deactivated with the ignition switched off
( Y
page 137).
i Ventilate the vehicle for a brief period during
warm weather, e.g. using the convenience
opening feature ( Y
page 96). This will speed
up the cooling process and the desired inte-
rior temperature will be reached more
quickly.
i The integrated filter filters out most parti-
cles of dust and soot and completely filters
out pollen. It also reduces gaseous pollutants
and odors. A clogged filter reduces the
amount of air supplied to the vehicle interior.
For this reason, you should always observe
the interval for replacing the filter, which is
specified in the Maintenance Booklet. As it
depends on environmental conditions, e.g.
heavy air pollution, the interval may be
shorter than stated in the Maintenance Book-
let.
i It is possible that the blower may be activa-
ted automatically 60 minutes after the Smart-
Key has been removed depending on various
factors, e.g. the outside temperature. The
vehicle is then ventilated for 30 minutes to dry
the climate control system. Overview of climate control systems 129
Climate control

X
To switch off: press the ! rocker switch
up or down.
The indicator lamp above the ! rocker
switch goes out.
Residual heat is deactivated automatically: R
after approximately 30 minutes R
when the ignition is switched on R
if the battery voltage drops
Perfume atomizer
Operating the perfume atomizer
G WARNING
If children open the vial, they could drink the
perfume or it could come into contact with
their eyes. There is a risk of injury. Do not
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
If the perfume liquid has been drunk, consult
a doctor. If perfume comes into contact with
your eyes or skin, rinse the eyes with clean
water. If you continue to experience difficul-
ties, consult a doctor.
H Environmental note
Full vials must not be dis-
posed of with household
waste. They must be collec-
ted separately and recycled
to protect the environment.
Dispose of full vials in an
environmentally responsible
manner and take them to a
harmful substance collec-
tion point. C
Vial lid D
Vial
The perfume atomizer helps to improve driving
comfort.
Via the multimedia system you can: R
switch the perfume atomizer on or off
( Y
page 303) R
regulate the perfume intensity ( Y
page 303).
The following conditions can affect your percep-
tion of the perfume intensity: R
operating mode of the climate control system R
interior temperature R
time of year or day R
air humidity R
physiological condition of occupants, e.g. fati-
gue or hunger
The perfume atomizer can only be operated
when the climate control system is switched on
and is only active when the glove box is closed.
The perfume atomizer is provided with a pre-fil-
led vial. You can also choose from a variety of
filled perfume vials and an empty vial which you
can fill yourself.
If you refill an empty perfume vial, observe the
separate information sheet attached to the vial.
! If you do not use genuine Mercedes-Benz
interior perfumes, observe the manufactur-
ers' safety notices on the perfume packaging.
Do not refill the pre-filled perfume vial when it is
empty. Dispose of the used vial after use. X
To insert the perfume vial: open the glove
box ( Y
page 309). X
Slide the perfume vial into the holder as far as
i t will go. X
To remove the perfume vial: pull out the
perfume vial.138
Operating the climate control systems
Climate control

The HOLD function can also be activated if the
engine has been switched off automatically. It is
then not necessary to continue applying the
brakes during the automatic stop phase. When
you depress the accelerator pedal, the engine
starts automatically and the braking effect of
the HOLD function is deactivated.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): automatic engine switch-off can take
place a maximum of four times in a row (initial
stop, then three subsequent stops).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the number of con-
secutive automatic engine switch-offs is unlimi-
ted.
Automatic engine start The engine starts automatically if: R
you switch off the ECO start/stop function by
pressing the ECO button R
you switch to drive program S+ (all vehicles
except Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
you switch to drive program RACE
(S ‑ MODEL), S+ or S (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)R
you permanently activate manual gearshifting
( Y
page 161) (Mercedes-AMG vehicles) R
in transmission position D or N the brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is not
active R
you depress the accelerator pedal R
you engage reverse gear RR
you move the transmission out of position PR
you unfasten your seat belt or open the driv-
er's door R
the vehicle starts to roll R
the brake system requires this R
the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range R
the system detects moisture on the wind-
shield when the air-conditioning system is
switched on R
the battery's condition of charge is too low
Shifting the transmission to position P does not
start the engine. Deactivating or activating the ECO
start/stop function All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles) X
To deactivate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D goes out.X
To activate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.
If indicator lamp D is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction. The engine will then
not be switched off automatically when the vehi-
cle stops.
Selecting drive program S+ deactivates the ECO
start/stop function. If you press ECO button C ,
the ECO start/stop function is activated.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
X
To deactivate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D goes out.X
To activate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.
If indicator lamp D is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction. The engine will then Driving 151
Driving and parking Z

Drive program S+ (Spor t Plus)Drive progra m S+ is characterized by th e fol-
lowing: R
th e vehicl e exhibits particularl y sport y drivin g
characteristics .R
th e vehicl e pullin g away in first gear .R
th e automati c transmissio n shiftin g up later.
th e fue l consumption possibl y bein g higher as
a result of th e later automati c transmissio n
shift points .R
th e suspensio n exhibits particularl y stiff
springin g and dampin g setting s (vehicles wit h
AIRMATIC) .R
th e ECO start/sto p function is no t available.
Drive program S (Sport)Drive progra m S is characterized by th e follow-
ing: R
th e vehicl e exhibits sport y drivin g character-
istics .R
th e vehicl e pullin g away in first gear .R
th e automati c transmissio n shiftin g up later.
th e fue l consumption possibl y bein g higher as
a result of th e later automati c transmissio n
shift points .R
th e suspensio n exhibits har d springin g and
dampin g setting s (vehicles wit h AIRMATIC) .
Drive program C (Comfort)Drive progra m C is characterized by th e follow-
ing: R
th e vehicl e deliver s comfortable, economical
handlin g characteristics .R
th e vehicl e pullin g away mor e gentl y i n
forwar d and revers e gears, unless th e accel-
erato r peda l is depressed fully.R
th e vehicl e havin g improved drivin g stability,
fo r exampl e on slipper y roa d surfaces.R
optimal fue l consumption resultin g from th e
automati c transmissio n shiftin g up sooner.
The vehicl e is driven in th e low engin e speed
range and th e wheels are less likely to spin . Drive program E (Economy)Drive progra m E is characterized by th e follow-
ing: R
th e vehicl e exhibits comfortable, economical
handlin g characteristics .R
th e vehicl e pullin g away mor e gentl y in
forwar d and revers e gears, unless th e accel-
erato r peda l is depressed fully. R
th e vehicl e havin g improved drivin g stability,
fo r exampl e on slipper y roa d surfaces.R
optimal fue l consumption resultin g from th e
automati c transmissio n shiftin g up sooner.
The vehicl e is driven in th e low engin e speed
range and th e wheels are less likely to spin .R
during deceleration , th e engin e is disconnec-
te d from th e drive train . The vehicl e uses
kineti c energ y and consumes less fue l (over-
run mode). R
th e performanc e of air-conditionin g system
and heatin g are reduced.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
Drive program RACE (S ‑ MODEL)The RACE drive progra m is characterized by th e
following : R
th e vehicl e exhibits drivin g characteristics
suitable fo r th e racetrack. R
all vehicl e systems are set fo r maximum
sportiness . R
th e gearshift recommendation gives you
information fo r slowly warmin g up th e drive
assemblies and fo r adopting a fuel-efficien t
drivin g style ( Y
page 161). You can follow th e
gearshift recommendation s at all times and
shift gear accordingly usin g th e steerin g
whee l paddl e shifters . On th e basi s of th e
gearshift recommendation , usin g th e steerin g
whee l paddl e shifters , you can optimiz e th e
drive train and engin e operatin g mod e at any
time. R
if you hav e selected a gear manually, this will
be maintaine d until th e vehicl e speed increa-
ses or decreases dramatically. R
th e vehicl e pullin g away in first gear .R
th e automati c transmissio n shiftin g up later.
th e fue l consumption possibl y bein g higher as
a result of th e later automati c transmissio n
shift points .160
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking