tow MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS 2016 User Guide

Hybrid vehicles
General notes Hybrid technology combines a fuel efficient
internal combustion engine with a powerful
electric motor.
Important safety notes
Danger of electric shock
G DANGER
The vehicle's high-voltage electrical system is
under high voltage. If you modify components
in the vehicle's high-voltage electrical system
or touch damaged components, you may be
electrocuted. The components in the vehi-
cle's high-voltage electrical system may be
damaged in an accident, although the damage
is not visible. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Following an accident, do not touch any high-
voltage components and never modify the
vehicle's high-voltage electrical system. Have
the vehicle towed away after an accident and
the vehicle's high-voltage electrical system
checked by a qualified specialist workshop.
When towing a vehicle after an accident, be sure
to observe the following sections: R
Transporting the vehicle ( Y
page 356)R
Towing the vehicle with the rear axle raised
( Y
page 355)R
Towing a vehicle with both axles on the
ground ( Y
page 356)
Read the safety instructions on towing and tow-
starting ( Y
page 354). All components of the hybrid drive system are
marked with yellow warning stickers that warn
you of the danger of high voltage. The cables of
the vehicle's high-voltage electrical system are
orange in color.
The ignition must be switched off when carrying
out general tasks, such as changing bulbs or
checking the coolant level.
Automatic switching off of the hybrid
drive system If components of the restraint system are acti-
vated during an accident, the hybrid drive sys-
tem is automatically deactivated.
The hybrid drive system is not activated when
the vehicle is started if: R
an electrical short circuit is detected in the
hybrid drive system R
an electrical connection in the hybrid drive
system is disconnected
This ensures that you do not come into contact
with high voltage.
Manual switching off of the hybrid drive
system The hybrid drive system can be deactivated
manually using the high voltage switch-off
device.
! To prevent damage to the hybrid drive sys-
tem please observe the following instruc-
tions: R
only deactivate the hybrid drive system
manually in the following situations. R
work on the hybrid drive system may only
be carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop, even when it has been deactivated
manually.
Deactivate the hybrid system manually if: R
the u restraint system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up after an accident R
the vehicle is badly damaged, e.g. after an
accident, and the restraint system compo-
nents were not activated R
the vehicle is badly damaged and has to be
towed or transported44
Hybrid vehicles
Safety

seat, the front-passenger front air bag is ena-
bled or deactivated ( Y
page 54). Be sure to
observe the notes on "Seat
belts“ ( Y
page 48) and "Air bags"
( Y
page 51). There you can also find infor-
mation on the correct seat position.
Seat belts
Introduction A correctly fastened seat belt is the most effec-
tive means of restraining the movement of vehi-
cle occupants in the event of an accident or the
vehicle rolling over. This reduces the risk of
vehicle occupants coming into contact with
parts of the vehicle interior or being thrown from
the vehicle. Furthermore, the seat belt helps to
keep the vehicle occupants in the best position
in relation to the air bag.
The seat belt system consists of: R
Seat belts R
Emergency Tensioning Devices for the front
seat belts and the outer seat belts in the rear
compartment R
Seat belt force limiters for the front seat belts
and the outer seat belts in the rear
If the seat belt is pulled quickly or suddenly from
the belt outlet, the inertia reel locks. The belt
strap cannot be pulled out further.
Emergency Tensioning Devices tighten the seat
belts in an accident, pulling them close against
the occupant's body. They do not, however, pull
vehicle occupants back towards the backrest.
Emergency Tensioning Devices do not correct
an incorrect seat position or incorrectly worn
seat belts.
When triggered, the seat belt force limiter
reduces the force exerted by the seat belt on the
vehicle occupant.
The seat belt force limiters for the front seats are
synchronized with the front air bags, which
absorb part of the deceleration force. This
makes it possible to reduce the forces to which
vehicle occupants are subjected during an acci-
dent.
! If the front-passenger seat is unoccupied,
do not insert the belt tongue into the buckle of
the front-passenger seat. This may otherwise
lead to the triggering of the Emergency Ten-
sioning Device in the event of an accident,
which will then need to be replaced. Important safety notes The use of seat belts and child restraint systems
is required by law in: R
all 50 states R
the U.S. territories R
the District of Columbia R
all Canadian provinces
Even where this is not required by law, all vehicle
occupants should correctly fasten their seat
belts before starting the journey.
G WARNING
If the seat belt is incorrectly fastened, it can-
not protect as intended. Furthermore, an
incorrectly fastened seat belt can cause addi-
tional injury, for example, in an accident, dur-
ing braking or when abruptly changing direc-
tion. This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury.
Make sure that all vehicle occupants are
seated properly with a correctly fastened seat
belt.
G WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level
of protection if you have not moved the back-
rest to an almost vertical position. When brak-
ing or in the event of an accident, you could
slide underneath the seat belt and sustain
abdomen or neck injuries, for example. This
poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal
injury.
Adjust the seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always ensure that the backrest
is in an almost vertical position and that the
shoulder section of your seat belt is routed
across the center of your shoulder.
G WARNING
Persons under 5 ft (1.50 m) in height cannot
fasten the seat belt correctly without an addi-
tional suitable restraint system. If the seat
belt is incorrectly fastened, it cannot protect
as intended. Furthermore, an incorrectly fas-
tened seat belt can cause additional injury, for
example, in an accident, during braking or an48
Occupant safety
Safety

If these items are on or in your clothing, e.g.
eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., stow these items
in a more suitable location. R
Only one person should use each seat belt at
any one time.
On no account should babies or children
travel sitting on the lap of another vehicle
occupant. During an accident, they could be
crushed between the occupant and seat belt. R
Objects are not secured with a seat belt if the
seat belt is being used by one of the vehicle’s
occupants.
Also make sure that there are no objects, e.g.
cushions, between the occupant and the seat.
Seat belts are solely intended for the protection
and restraint of the vehicle occupants. To
secure objects, luggage or loads, always
observe the "Loading guidelines" ( Y
page 308).
Fastening and adjusting the seat belts Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
( Y
page 48) and the notes on correct use of seat
belts ( Y
page 49).
If the center rear seat belt is being used, also
observe the information about the seat belt for
the center rear seat ( Y
page 50).
Basic illustration X
Adjust the seat ( Y
page 104).
The seat backrest must be in an almost ver-
tical position. X
Pull the seat belt smoothly from the belt outlet
and engage belt tongue D into belt
buckle C .
The seat belt on the driver’s seat and the
front-passenger seat may be tightened auto-
matically, see "Belt adjustment"
( Y
page 51). X
If necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the seat belt to tighten the belt
across your body.
The shoulder section of the seat belt must
always be routed across the center of the shoul-
der. Adjust the belt outlet if necessary. X
To raise: slide the belt outlet upwards.
The belt outlet will engage in various posi-
tions. X
To lower: hold belt outlet release

tection in an accident. There is an increased
risk of injury.
Have the vehicle towed to a qualified special-
ist workshop in order to have a deployed air
bag replaced.
It is important for your safety and that of any
passengers to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air bags
continue to perform their protective function for
the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash.
G WARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed are no longer opera-
tional and are unable to perform their inten-
ded protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Therefore, have pyrotechnic Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices which have been triggered
immediately replaced at a qualified specialist
workshop.
An electric motor is used by PRE-SAFE ®
to trig-
ger the tightening of the seat belt in hazardous
situations. This procedure is reversible.
If the Emergency Tensioning Devices or air bags
are deployed, you will hear a bang and a small
amount of powder may also be released. The
u restraint system warning lamp will light up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. The powder released is generally not haz-
ardous to health, it could however cause short-
term breathing difficulties in people with asthma
or other respiratory problems. If it is safe to do
so, you should leave the vehicle immediately or
open a window in order to prevent breathing
difficulties.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ET Ds) co ntain perchlorate material,
w
hich may require special handling and regard
for the environment. Check with your local gov-
ernment’s disposal guidelines. California resi-
dents, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/index.cfm .Method of operation During the first stage of a collision, the restraint
system control unit evaluates important physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as: R
Duration R
Direction R
Intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices in the event of a fron-
tal or rear-end collision.
An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be
triggered if: R
the ignition is switched on R
the components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under "Restraint system warning lamp"
( Y
page 46) R
the belt tongue is inserted into the buckle on
the respective front seat
The Emergency Tensioning Devices in the rear
compartment are triggered independently of the
lock status of the seat belts.
If the restraint system control unit detects a high
accident severity, additional components of the
restraint system are deployed independently of
one another in certain frontal collision situa-
tions: R
Front air bags and driver's knee bag R
Window curtain air bag, if the system deter-
mines that it can offer additional protection to
that provided by the seat belt
Depe nding on the person occupying the front-
p assenger seat, the front-passenger air bag is
activated or deactivated. The front-passenger
front air bag can only be deployed in an accident
if the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is
lit. Observe the information on the PASSENGER
AIR BAG indicator lamps ( Y
page 47).
Your vehicle has dual-stage front air bags. Dur-
ing the first deployment stage, the front air bag
fills with propellant gas which reduces the risk of
injury. The second stage is then triggered within
milliseconds, filling the front air bag with the
maximum amount of propellant gas.
The deployment thresholds for the Emergency
Tensioning Devices and air bags are calculated
on the basis of the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration occurring at various points in the vehi-
cle. This process is pre-emptive in nature. TheOccupant safety 59
Safety Z

Installing a child restraint system: X
Make sure you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions. X
Pull the seat belt smoothly from the belt out-
let. X
Engage seat belt tongue in belt buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor: X
Pull the seat belt out fully and let the inertia
reel retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat belt
retractor is enabled. X
Push the child restraint system down so that
the seat belt is tight and does not loosen.
Removing the child restraint system and deac-
tivating the special seat belt retractor: X
Make sure you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions. X
Press the release button of the seat belt
buckle and guide the seat belt tongue back
towards the belt sash guide.
The special seat belt retractor is deactivated.
Child restraint system The use of seat belts and child restraint systems
is required by law in: R
all 50 states R
the U.S. territories R
the District of Columbia R
all Canadian provinces
You can obtain further information about the
correct child restraint system from any author-
ized Mercedes-Benz Center.
G WARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly on a suitable seat, it cannot protect as
intended. The child cannot then be restrained
in the event of an accident, heavy braking or
sudden changes of direction. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Make sure that you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions and the notes on use. Please ensure,
that the base of the child restraint system is always resting completely on the seat cush-
ion. Never place objects, e.g. cushions, under
or behind the child restraint system. Only use
child restraint systems with the original cover
designed for them. Only replace damaged
covers with genuine covers.
G WARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly or is not secured, it can come loose in
the event of an accident, heavy braking or a
sudden change in direction. The child
restraint system could be thrown about, strik-
ing vehicle occupants. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, even if they are not being used. Make
sure that you observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instructions.
You will find further information on stowing
objects, luggage or loads under "Loading guide-
lines" ( Y
page 308).
G WARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems which have been damaged or subjected
to a load in an accident can no longer protect
as intended. The child cannot then be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. There
is an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Replace child restraint systems which have
been damaged or subjected to a load in an
accident as soon as possible. Have the secur-
ing systems on the child restraint system
checked at a qualified specialist workshop,
before you install a child restraint system
again.
The securing systems of child restraint systems
are: R
the seat belt system R
the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings R
the Top Tether anchorages
If it is absolutely necessary to carry a child on
the front-passenger seat, be sure to observe theChildren in the vehicle 63
Safety Z

G WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react: R
to people or animals R
to oncoming vehicles R
to crossing traffic R
when cornering
As a result, the Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause Brake Assist to intervene.
If adaptive Brake Assist is not available due to a
malfunction in the radar sensor system, the
brake system remains available with full brake
boosting effect and BAS.
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 68).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.
power transmission between the tires and the
road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating from
the direction desired by the driver, one or more
wheels are braked to stabilize the vehicle. The
engine output is also modified to keep the vehi-
cle on the desired course within physical limits.
ESP ®
assists the driver when pulling away on
wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize
the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 68).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehicles
with 4MATIC, 4ETS 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. In addition, more drive torque is transfer-
red to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 68).
G WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv-
ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
When towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the notes on ESP ®
( Y
page 355).
If the

Aut oma tic locking featu reX
To deactivate: press and hold butto n C for
approximately fiv e seconds until a tone
sounds. X
To activate: press and hold butto n D for
approximately fiv e seconds until a tone
sounds.
If you press on e of th e two buttons and do no t
hear a tone , th e relevan t setting has already
been selected.
The vehicl e is locke d automatically when th e
ignition is switched on and th e wheels are turn-
ing .
You could therefor e be locke d out if:R
th e vehicl e is bein g pushed.R
th e vehicl e is bein g towed.R
th e vehicl e is on a roller dynamometer.
i You can also activat e and deactivat e th e
automatic locking function via COMAND or
Audio 20 (see th e Digital Operator' s Manual).
Unlocking/locking driver's door with
mechanical key
i If you want to centrally loc k th e vehicl e usin g
th e mechanical key, begi n by pressing th e
locking butto n for th e interior locking mech-
anism while th e driver's door is open . The n
loc k th e driver's door usin g th e mechanical
key. X
Inser t th e mechanical ke y int o opening C in
th e protective cap .X
Pull and hold th e door handle. X
Pull th e protective cap on th e mechanical ke y
as straight as possibl e away from th e vehicl e
until it releases. X
Releas e th e door handle.
X
To unlock: tur n th e mechanical ke y counter-
clockwise as far as it will go to position G .X
To lock: tur n th e mechanical ke y clockwise as
far as it will go to position G .
If you use th e mechanical ke y to unloc k and
open th e driver's door , th e anti-thef t alarm sys-
te m will be triggered . Switc h off th e alarm
( Y
page 79).
Trunk
Import ant safety notes
G WARNIN G
Combustion engines emi t poisonous exhaust
gase s suc h as carbon monoxide. Exhaust
gase s can ente r th e vehicl e interior if th e
trunk lid is open when th e engin e is running,Trunk 89
Opening and closing Z

There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children. X
If the transmission is in position D or R : push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the
first point of resistance. X
If the transmission is in position P : depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up or down to the first point of resist-
ance.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position R or D , the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to N automatically.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the driv-
er's door or the front-passenger door or remove
the SmartKey from the ignition, the automatic
transmission shifts to P automatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts to P automat-
ically.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N , e.g. when having the vehicle
cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing
system: X
Vehicles with the Start-Stop button:
remove the Start-Stop button from the igni-
tion lock. X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock. X
All vehicles: switch the ignition on.X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed. X
Shift to neutral N .X
Release the brake pedal. X
Release the electric parking brake. X
Switch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position R or N : push
the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first
point of resistance. X
If the transmission is in position P : depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever down past the first point of resistance. Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear in the multifunction display.
C
Status symbol drive program D
Transmission position

Transmission positions E Park position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped.
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion P when the vehicle is stationary
( Y
page 156). The parking lock
should not be used as a brake when
parking. Always apply the electronic
parking brake in addition to the park-
ing lock in order to secure the vehi-
cle.
Park position P is automatically
engaged if: R
you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the Smart-
Key R
you switch off the engine using the
key or using the Start/Stop button
and open the driver's door or front-
passenger door R
the driver's door is opened when
the vehicle is stationary or driving
at very low speed and the trans-
mission is in position D or R
If the vehicle electronics are malfunc-
tioning, the transmission may be
locked in position P . Have the vehicle
electronics checked immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop.
F Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion R when the vehicle is stationary. D Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brake pedal will allow
you to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission to position N if the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position R or D , the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train.
: Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D . This automatic gear shifting
behavior is determined by: R
the selected drive program R
the position of the accelerator pedal R
the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear: R
little throttle: early upshifts R
more throttle: late upshifts
Double-clutch function
When shifting down, the double-clutch function
is active regardless of the currently selected
drive program. The double-clutch function158
Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Problems with the transmission Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil. X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into second gear and reverse gear.X
Stop the vehicle. X
Shift the transmission to position P .X
Switch off the engine. X
Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine. X
Shift the transmission to position D or R .
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into second gear; if R is
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear. X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
Problems with PLUG-IN HYBRID operation ( Y
page 233).
Transfer case This section is only valid for vehicles with 4-
wheel drive (4MATIC). Power is always trans-
mitted to both axles.
! Performance tests may only be carried out
on a 2-axle dynamometer. The brake system
or transfer case could otherwise be damaged.
Contact a qualified specialist workshop for a
performance test.
! Since ESP ®
engages automatically, the igni-
tion must be switched off (the SmartKey or
Start/Stop button must be in position 0 or 1 )
if: R
the electric parking brake is being tested
on a brake dynamometer R
the vehicle is being towed with only one
axle raised (not permitted for vehicles with
4MATIC).
The brake system could otherwise be dam-
aged.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as
doing so will damage the transmission. Refueling
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before
refueling.
G WARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
You must make sure that fuel does not come
into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
and that it is not swallowed. Do not inhale fuel
vapors. Keep fuel away from children.164
Refueling
Driving and parking