tow MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS 2016 Workshop Manual

Drivin g abroadAn extensive Mercedes-Ben z Servic e networ k is
also available in other countries. You can obtain
further information from any authorized
Mercedes-Ben z Center.
Car e
General notes
H Environmental not e
Dispose of empty packagin g and cleanin g
cloths in an environmentally responsible man -
ner.
! Fo r cleanin g your vehicle, do no t use any of
th e following: R
dry, rough or har d clothsR
abrasiv e cleanin g agentsR
solvents R
cleanin g agents containin g solvents
Do no t scrub .
Do no t touch th e surfaces or protective films
wit h har d objects , e.g. a rin g or ic e scraper.
You could otherwise scratch or damage th e
surfaces and protective film.
! Do no t par k th e vehicle fo r an extended
period straight after cleanin g it , particularly
after havin g cleaned th e wheels wit h whee l
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increase d corrosion of th e brake discs and
brake pads/linings. Fo r this reason , you
should drive fo r a fe w minutes after cleaning.
Brakin g heat s th e brake discs and th e brake
pads/linings, thus drying them. The vehicle
can then be parked.
Regular car e of your vehicle is a condition fo r
retainin g th e qualit y in th e lon g term .
Use car e products and cleanin g agents recom -
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz. Washing th e vehicle an d cleaning th e
paintwor k
Automatic car was h
G WARNING
Brakin g efficiency is reduce d after washin g
th e vehicle. There is a ris k of an accident.
Afte r th e vehicle has bee n washed, brake
carefully whil e payin g attention to th e traffic
condition s until full braking powe r is restored .
! If DISTRONIC PLU S or th e HOLD function is
activated, th e vehicle brake s automatically in
certain situations.
To preven t damage to th e vehicle, deactivat e
DISTRONIC PLU S and th e HOLD function in
th e followin g or other similar situations: R
when towin g th e vehicle R
in th e car wash
! Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleanin g agents . These cleanin g agents can
damage th e paintwor k or plasti c parts .
! Mak e sur e that : R
th e sid e windows and th e slidin g sunroof
are full y closed. R
th e ventilation/heatin g is switched of f (the
OF F butto n has bee n pressed).R
th e windshield wipe r switch is at position 0 .R
th e 360° camera or rea r vie w camera is
switched off.
The vehicle may otherwise be damaged .
! If th e SmartKey is within th e rea r detection
range of KEYLESS-GO , th e followin g situa-
tions, fo r example, co uld l ead to th e u
ninten -
tional opening of th e trunk :R
usin g a car wash R
usin g a powe r washer
Mak e sur e that th e SmartKey is at leas t 10 ft
(3 m) away from th e vehicle.
! Mak e sur e that th e automatic transmissio n
is in neutral position N when washin g your
vehicle in a tow-through car wash . The vehicle
may otherwise be damaged .R
Operatin g wit h th e SmartKey:
Do no t remov e th e SmartKey from th e igni-
tion lock. Do no t ope n th e driver's doo rCare 335
Maintenance and care Z

when the engine is switched off or at very
low speeds. Otherwise, when in transmis-
sion position D or R the automatic trans-
mission will automatically switch to park
position P and block the wheels.R
Operating with the Start/Stop button:
Do not open the driver's door when the
engine is switched off or at very low
speeds. Otherwise, when in transmission
position D or R the automatic transmission
will automatically switch to park position P
and block the wheels.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission stays in position N neu-
tral:
Operating with the SmartKey and Start/Stop
button: X
Make sure that the ignition is switched on. X
Make sure that the vehicle is stationary. X
Depress and hold the brake pedal.
Operating with the Start/Stop button only: X
Engage park position P .X
Release the brake pedal. X
Remove Start/Stop button from ignition lock
( Y
page 146).X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock. X
Switch on the ignition. X
Depress and hold the brake pedal.
Operating with the SmartKey and Start/Stop
button: X
Shift to neutral N .X
Release the brake pedal. X
Release the electric parking brake, if neces-
sary. X
Switch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre- wash it bef ore
c leaning it in an automatic car wash.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off wax
from the windshield and the wiper blades. This
will prevent smears and reduce wiping noises
caused by residue on the windshield. Washing by hand In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements in each country. X
Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight. X
Use a soft sponge to clean. X
Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz. X
Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a gen-
tle jet of water. X
Do not point the water jet directly towards the
air inlet. X
Use plenty of water and rinse out the sponge
frequently. X
Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois. X
Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the paint-
work.
Carefully remove all deposits of road salt as
soon as possible when driving in winter.
Power washers
G WARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the
power washer nozzle. Information about the
correct distance is available from the equip-
ment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around when
cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following: R
tires R
door gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc. R
electrical components R
battery R
connectors336
Care
Maintenance and care

Where will I find...?
Reflective safety jacket
Removing/stowing the reflective
safety jackets
The reflective safety jackets are located in the
safety jacket compartments in the stowage
compartments of the front doors. There are also
safety jacket compartments in the stowage
compartments of the rear doors, in which reflec-
tive safety jackets can be stowed. X
To remove: pull out safety jacket bag C with
the reflective safety jacket by loop D .X
Open safety jacket bag C and pull out the
reflective safety jacket. X
To stow: fold the reflective safety jacket, roll
it up and stow it in safety jacket bag C .X
Slide safety jacket bag C along the lower
edge of the armrest into the safety jacket
compartment. Meanwhile, ensure that
loop D hangs out well within reach.
i Remove a new reflective safety jacket from
its packaging material before sliding it into
the safety jacket compartment. The packag-
ing material may otherwise cause it to slip out
or make removing it difficult.
Observe the legal requirements in each country. Notes on the reflective safety jackets
C
Maximum number of washes D
Maximum wash temperature

Vehicle tool kit
General notes In vehicles with MOExtended tires (tires with
run-flat characteristics) and on PLUG-IN HYBRID
vehicles, the towing eye is in a bracket under the
parcel shelf.
Apart from certain country-specific variations,
the vehicles are not equipped with a tire-change
tool kit.
Some tools for changing a wheel are specific to
the vehicle. For more information on which tire
changing tools are required and approved to
perform a wheel change on your vehicle, consult
a qualified specialist workshop.
Tools required for changing a wheel may
include, for example: R
Jack R
Wheel chock R
Lug wrench R
Ratchet wrench R
Alignment bolt
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit
C
Tire inflation compressorD
Tire sealant filler bottle

Do not drive the vehicle. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
G WARNING
The tire sealant is harmful and causes irrita-
tion. It must not come into contact with your
skin, eyes or clothing or be swallowed. Do not
inhale TIREFIT fumes. Keep tire sealant away
from children. There is a risk of injury.
If you come into contact with the tire sealant,
observe the following: R
Rinse off the tire sealant from your skin
immediately with water. R
If the tire sealant comes into contact with
your eyes, immediately rinse them thor-
oughly with clean water. R
If tire sealant is swallowed, immediately
rinse your mouth out thoroughly and drink
plenty of water. Do not induce vomiting,
and seek medical attention immediately. R
Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with tire sealant. R
If an allergic reaction occurs, seek medical
attention immediately.
! Do not operate the tire inflation compressor
for longer than ten minutes at a time without
a break. It may otherwise overheat.
The tire inflation compressor can be operated
again once it has cooled down.
Comply with the manufacturer’s safety instruc-
tions on the sticker on the tire inflation com-
pressor.
Using the TIREFIT kit X
Do not remove any foreign objects which have
penetrated the tire, e.g. screws or nails. X
Remove the tire sealant bottle, the accompa-
nying TIREFIT sticker and the tire inflation
compressor from the stowage well under-
neath the trunk floor ( Y
page 343).X
Affix part C of the TIREFIT sticker to the
instrument cluster within the driver's field of
vision. X
Affix part D of the TIREFIT sticker near the
valve on the wheel with the defective tire.
X
Remove filler hose

X
Stow the tire sealant bottle and the tire infla-
tion compressor. X
Pull away immediately .X
Stop after driving for approximately ten
minutes and check the tire pressure with the
tire inflation compressor.
The tire pressure must now be at least
130 kPa (1.3 bar/19 psi).
G WARNING
If the required tire pressure is not reached
after driving for a short period, the tire is too
badly damaged. The tire sealant cannot repair
the tire in this instance. Damaged tires and a
tire pressure that is too low can significantly
impair the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics. There is a risk of accident.
Do not continue driving. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
i In cases such as the one mentioned above,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter. Or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada). X
Correct the tire pressure if it is still at least
130 kPa (1.3 bar/19 psi). See the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the driver's
side B-pillar or the tire pressure table in the
fuel filler flap for values. X
To increase the tire pressure: switch on the
tire inflation compressor.
X
To reduce the tire pressure: depress pres-
sure release button C next to pressure
gauge D .X
When the tire pressure is correct, unscrew the
filler hose from the valve of the sealed tire. X
Screw the valve cap onto the tire valve of the
sealed tire. X
To remove the tire sealant bottle from the tire
inflation compressor, press together the lock-
ing tabs on the yellow cap. X
Pull the tire sealant bottle out of the tire infla-
tion compressor.
The filler hose remains attached to the tire
sealant bottle. X
Drive to the nearest qualified specialist work-
shop and have the tire changed there. X
Have the tire sealant bottle and the filler hose
replaced as soon as possible at a qualified
specialist workshop. X
Have the tire sealant bottle replaced every
four years at a qualified specialist workshop.
Battery (vehicle)
12 V battery – important safety notes PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles are equipped with a
12 V battery and a high-voltage battery. The fol-
lowing notes refer to the 12 V battery. Notes on
the high-voltage battery can be obtained in the
"High-voltage battery – important safety notes"
section ( Y
page 349).
Special tools and expert knowledge are required
when working on the battery, e.g. removal and
installation. You should therefore have all work
involving the battery carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
G WARNING
Work carried out incorrectly on the battery
can lead, for example, to a short circuit and
thus damage the vehicle electronics. This can
lead to function restrictions applying to
safety-relevant systems, e.g the lighting sys-
tem, the ABS (anti-lock braking system) or theBattery (vehicle) 347
Breakdown assistance Z

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.
G WARNING
In the event of a vehicle fire, the internal pres-
sure of the high-voltage battery can exceed a
critical value. In this case flammable gas
escapes through a ventilation valve on the
underbody. The gas can ignite. There is a risk
of injury.
Leave the danger zone immediately. Secure
the danger area at a suitable distance, whilst
observing legal requirements.
G WARNING
If the housing of the high-voltage battery has
been damaged, electrolyte and gases may
leak out. These are poisonous and caustic.
There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing.
Immediately rinse electrolyte splashes off
with water and seek medical attention
straight away.
! Exhaustive discharge caused by the vehicle
standing idle for lengthy periods can damage
the high-voltage battery. If the vehicle is idle
for lengthy periods leave the high-voltage bat-
tery connected to a charging station.
Consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center if
you wish to leave your vehicle parked for a long
period of time.
Charging the 12 V battery
Vehicles with a lithium-ion battery:
! Only use battery chargers with a maximum
charging voltage of 14.4 V.
All other vehicles: G WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive
gases can escape from the battery. There is a
risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient
ventilation while charging and jump-starting.
Do not lean over a battery.
G WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do
not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over
the battery. Keep children away from batter-
ies. Wash away battery acid immediately with
plenty of clean water and seek medical atten-
tion.
G WARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at tempera-
tures below freezing point. When jump-start-
ing the vehicle or charging the battery, gases
can escape from the battery. There is a risk of
an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before
charging it or jump-starting.
! Only use battery chargers with a maximum
charging voltage of 14.8 V.
All vehicles:
! Only charge the battery using the jump-
starting connection point.
The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment ( Y
page 352).X
Open the hood. X
Connect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and ground point in the same order
as when connecting the donor battery in the
jump-starting procedure ( Y
page 352).
Keep away from fire and open flames. Do not
lean over a battery. Never charge the battery if it
is still installed in the vehicle, unless you use a
battery charger which has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. A battery charger
unit specially adapted for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles and tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz is available as an accessory. It permits the350
Battery (vehicle)
Breakdown assistance

! When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high, the
vehicles could be damaged.
! Shift the automatic transmission to N and
do not open the driver's or front passenger's
door during towing. The automatic transmis-
sion may otherwise shift to position P , which
could damage the transmission.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment. This
could damage the vehicle.
! The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of 30 mph
(50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed away.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission damage,
have it transported on a transporter or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in position
N when the vehicle is being towed. If the auto-
matic transmission cannot be shifted to position
N , have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you: R
cannot turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock R
cannot release the electric parking brake R
cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
Disarm the automatic locking feature before the
vehicle is towed ( Y
page 89). You could other-
wise be locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle.
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles:
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles may not be towed
away but must instead be transported, if: R
the multifunction display is not working or R
the á Towing Not Permitted See
Operator's Manual message appears in the
multifunction display
If the vehicle is in a dangerous area, it can be
towed out of that area with both axles on the
ground. In this case, the towing distance must
not be greater than 165 ft (50 m) and must not
exceed a towing speed of 6 mph (10 km/ h) . For longer distances, have the vehicle loaded and
transported.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
The brackets for the screw-in towing eye are
located in the bumpers. They are at the rear and
at the front, under covers C .X
Remove the towing eye from the vehicle tool
kit ( Y
page 343). X
Press the mark on cover C inwards and
remove. X
Screw in the towing eye clockwise as far as it
will go and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye X
Unscrew and remove the towing eye. X
Attach cover C to the bumper and press until
it engages. X
Put the towing eye back into the vehicle tool
kit.
Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only vehicles without 4MATIC can be towed
with the rear axle raised.
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles: towing the vehicle
away with the rear axle raised should only be
carried out by professional recovery companies.Towing and tow-starting 355
Breakdown assistance Z

! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as
doing so will damage the transmission.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed away
with both axles on the ground or be loaded up
and transported.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission must
not be towed with the rear axle raised. The
vehicle/trailer combination may otherwise
swerve or even roll over.
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground The automatic transmission automatically shifts
to position P when you open the driver's or front-
passenger door or when you remove the Smart-
Key from the ignition lock. In order to ensure
that the automatic transmission stays in posi-
tion N when towing the vehicle, you must
observe the following points: X
Make sure that the vehicle is stationary. X
Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the ignition
lock. X
Depress and hold the brake pedal. X
Shift the automatic transmission to position
N . X
Leave the SmartKey in position 2 in the igni-
tion lock. X
Release the brake pedal. X
Release the electric parking brake. X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
( Y
page 120).
In order to signal a change of direction when
towing the vehicle with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination switch
as usual. In this case, only the indicator lamps
for the direction of travel flash. After resetting
the combination switch, the hazard warning
lamp starts flashing again.
Transporting the vehicle
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles
Transportation of the vehicle should only be car-
ried out by professional recovery companies. 4MATIC vehicles/vehicles with auto-
matic transmission
! When the vehicle is loaded for transport, the
front and rear axles must be stationary and on
the same transportation vehicle. Positioning
over the connection point of the transport
vehicle is not permitted. The drive train may
otherwise be damaged.
All vehicles
! You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as
axle or steering components. Otherwise, the
vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting pur-
poses. X
Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the ignition
lock. X
Shift the automatic transmission to position
N .
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded: X
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake. X
Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P . X
Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the ignition
lock and remove it. X
Secure the vehicle.
Notes on 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as
doing so will damage the transmission.356
Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed away
with both axles on the ground or be loaded up
and transported.
If the vehicle's transmission, front, or rear axle is
damaged, have the vehicle transported on a
truck or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical sys-
tem: if the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P . To shift
the automatic transmission to position N , you
must provide power to the vehicle's electrical
system in the same way as when jump-starting
( Y
page 352).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter or
trailer.
Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission must
not be tow-started. You could otherwise dam-
age the automatic transmission.
i You can find information on "Jump-starting"
under ( Y
page 352).
Fuses
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If you manipulate or bridge a faulty fuse or if
you replace it with a fuse with a higher amper-
age, the electric cables could be overloaded.
This could result in a fire. There is a risk of an
accident and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with the specified
new fuses having the correct amperage.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of the
same rating, which you can recognize by the
color and value. The fuse ratings are listed in the
fuse allocation chart.
The fuse allocation chart is on the fuse box in the
trunk ( Y
page 357).
If a newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified special-
ist workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. ! Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which have the
correct fuse rating for the system concerned.
Otherwise, components or systems could be
damaged.
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it is
lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture seep-
ing in or dirt could otherwise impair the oper-
ation of the fuses.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions stop
operating.
Before changing a fuse Observe the important safety notes
( Y
page 357) X
Secure the vehicle against rolling away
( Y
page 177). X
Switch off the engine. X
Switch off all electrical consumers. X
Remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
or, in vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-function
or KEYLESS ‑ GO X
Open the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status 0 .
This is the same as the SmartKey having been
removed.
The driver’s door can be closed again.
All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
must be off.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes: R
Fuse box on the driver's side of the dashboard R
Fuse box in the front-passenger footwell R
Fuse box in the engine compartment on the
driver's side R
Fuse box under the trunk floor on the right-
hand side of the vehicle, when viewed in the
direction of travel
Dashboard fuse box
! Do not use a pointed object such as a screw-
driver to open the cover in the dashboard. You
could damage the dashboard or the cover. Fuses 357
Breakdown assistance Z