check engine light MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS CABRIOLET 2016 User Guide

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The starter motor was exposed to excessively high thermal load.
X Start the engine again (Y page 134).
If the engine still does not start: X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Vehicles with a petrol
engine:
The engine is not running
smoothly and is misfir-
ing. The engine electronics or a mechanical component of the engine
management system are/is malfunctioning.
X Depress the accelerator pedal only slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic converter
and damage it.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop. The coolant temperature
display is showing more
than 120 †. A display
message may also
appear on the multifunc-
tion display and a warn-
ing tone may sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine is not
being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 312). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty. The
coolant is too hot and the engine is not being cooled sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue driving
to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in moun-
tainous terrain and stop-start traffic. DYNAMIC SELECT switch
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
General information Use the DYNAMIC SELECT switch to select the
drive program.
Available drive programs:
RACE
(S‑MODEL)
Driving characteristics suit-
able for a race circuit
S+
Sport Plus Particularly sporty driving
characteristics
S
Sport Sporty driving characteris-
tics
C
Comfort Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics
I
Individual Individual settings Depending on the drive program selected, the
following vehicle characteristics will change:
R the engine management
R the transmission management
R the suspension
R the position of the exhaust flap
R the steering
R the availability of the ECO start/stop function
R climate control
R the driver assistance systems
R the availability of gliding mode
Further information for automatic drive program
characteristics (Y page 148).
Additionally, in drive program Iyou can config-
ure the respective vehicle characteristics via the
multimedia system. You can find information
about this in the Digital Owner's Manual.
If the ignition is switched off for less than four
hours, the previously selected drive program is DYNAMIC SELECT switch
141Driving and parking Z

Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or the system is malfunc-
tioning, it may not be possible to apply the
released parking brake. X If this is the case, park the vehicle only on
level ground and secure it to prevent it from
rolling away.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to position
P.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first gear.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or if
there is a malfunction in the system. Contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
The electric parking brake carries out a function check at regular intervals when the engine is
switched off. Noises that occur are normal. Applying or releasing manually X
To apply: push handle :.
When the electric parking brake is applied,
red indicator lamp !lights up on the
instrument cluster.
The electric parking brake can also be applied when the key is removed.
X To release: pull handle:.
Red indicator lamp !on the instrument
cluster goes out.
The electric parking brake can be released only:
R when the key is in position 1or 2in the igni-
tion lock (Y page 133) or
R if the ignition was switched on using the
Start/Stop button
Applying automatically (vehicles with
automatic transmission) The electric parking brake is automatically
applied when the transmission is in position P
and:
R the engine is switched off or
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
To prevent the electric parking brake from being
applied automatically, pull handle :.
The electric parking brake is also applied auto-
matically if:
R DISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
R the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle sta-
tionary or
R Active Parking Assist is keeping the vehicle
stationary Parking
161Driving and parking Z

Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed or calling up the
last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower speed
A To switch between cruise control and varia-
ble SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control is
selected
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown on the multifunction display for five seconds. The ésymbol appears on the
multifunction display.
Speedometer with segments: when cruise
control is activated, the segments from the
stored speed to the end of the scale or to a per-
manently set speed limit light up.
Selecting cruise control X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected. Storing and maintaining the current
speed You can store the current speed if you are driv-
ing faster than 30 km/h.
X Accelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the speed.
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically braking the vehicle.
i Vehicles with manual transmission:
R Always drive at adequate, but not exces-
sive, engine speeds.
R Change gear in good time.
R If possible, do not change down several
gears at a time.
Storing the current speed or re-calling
the last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the vehicle could decelerate unexpectedly. There
is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously stored
speed. 168
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Variable SPEEDTRONIC
General notes
:
To store the current speed or a higher speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed or calling up the
last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower speed
A To switch between cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS and variable SPEED-
TRONIC
B Deactivating variable SPEEDTRONIC
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS and variable SPEEDTRONIC.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected
You can use the cruise control lever to limit the speed to any speed above 30 km/h while the
engine is running. If you have set a permanent
limit speed, you can variably limit the speed up
to the fixed limit speed (Y page 171).
Selecting variable SPEEDTRONIC
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the limit speed stored.
X Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is on.
If it is on, variable SPEEDTRONIC is already
selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever is on. Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selec-
ted. Storing the current speed
You can use the cruise control lever to limit the
speed to any speed above 30 km/h while the
engine is running.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?.
The current speed is stored and shown in the
multifunction display.
Speedometer with segments: the seg-
ments light up from the start of the scale up to
the stored speed limit.
Storing the current speed or re-calling the last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the vehicle could decelerate unexpectedly. There
is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
Setting a speed
X To adjust the set speed in10 km/hincre-
ments:briefly press the cruise control lever
up : beyond the pressure point for a higher
speed, or down ?for a lower speed.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed beyond
the pressure point until the desired speed is
set. Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ?for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in1 km/hincre-
ments:
briefly press the cruise control lever
up : to the pressure point for a higher speed
or down ?for a lower speed.
or X Keep the cruise control lever pressed to the
pressure point until the desired speed is set.
Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ?for a lower speed. 170
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

?
To activate at the current speed/last stored
speed
A To activate or reduce speed
B To switch between DISTRONIC PLUS and
variable SPEEDTRONIC
C Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
You can operate variable SPEEDTRONIC and
DISTRONIC PLUS with the cruise control lever.
LIM indicator lamp =on the cruise control lever
indicates which function you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp= =lit:variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp =
=off:DISTRONIC PLUS
is selected
When you activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the
stored speed will appear on the multifunction display for five seconds.
Speedometer with segments: when
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the segments
from the stored speed to the end of the scale or to a permanently set speed limit light up.
Selecting DISTRONIC PLUS X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp =is off.
If it is off, DISTRONIC PLUS is already selec-
ted.
X If it is not, move the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow B.
LIM indicator lamp =in the cruise control
lever goes out. DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS Activation conditions
To activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the following con-
ditions must all be fulfilled:
R The engine must be running. It may take up to
two minutes of driving before DISTRONIC
PLUS is ready for use.
R The electric parking brake must be released.
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but must not cur-
rently be engaged.
R Active Parking Assist must not be activated.
R The transmission must be in position D.
R The driver's door must be closed or your seat
belt must be fastened when you shift the
transmission from position Pto D.
R The front-passenger door and the rear doors
must be closed. R
The vehicle must not be skidding.
R The DISTRONIC PLUS function must be selec-
ted (Y page 173).
Switching on X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, up :or down A.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
X Release the accelerator pedal.
The vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed as a maximum.
If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC
DISTRONIC PLUS PLUSsuspended
suspended mes-
sage appears on the multifunction display.
The set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in front will then not be maintained. The position
of the accelerator pedal will determine the
speed.
You can also select DISTRONIC PLUS when sta-
tionary. The lowest speed that can be set is
30 km/h.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, up :or down A.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up a stored speed and this is dif-
ferent from the current speed, the vehicle
accelerates or brakes. If you do not know
what the stored speed is, the vehicle may
accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a
risk of an accident.
Take the traffic conditions into account
before calling up the stored speed. If you do
not know what the stored speed is, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
X Release the accelerator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. The first time it
is activated, the current speed is stored. Oth-
erwise, it sets the vehicle cruise speed to the
previously stored value. Driving systems
173Driving and parking Z

Reversing camera
General notes Reversing camera
:is a visual parking and
manoeuvring aid. It shows the area behind the
vehicle with guide lines in the multimedia sys-
tem.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear-view mirror.
i The text shown in the multimedia system
depends on the language setting. The follow-
ing are examples of reversing camera displays
in the multimedia system.
Important safety notes The reversing camera is only an aid. It is not a
substitute for your attention to the immediate
surroundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you.
Make sure that there are no persons, animals or
objects in range while manoeuvring and parking.
The reversing camera will not function or will
function only in a limited manner:
R if the boot lid is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent lamps or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in win- ter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed.
Observe the notes on cleaning
(Y page 320)
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In this
case, have the camera position and setting
checked at a qualified specialist workshop The field of vision and other functions of the
reversing camera may be restricted due to addi-
tional accessories on the rear of the vehicle (e.g. licence plate holder, rear-mounted bicycle
rack).
The reversing camera is protected from rain-
drops and dust by a flap. When the reversing
camera is activated, this flap opens.
The flap closes again when:
R you have finished the manoeuvring process
R you switch off the engine
R you open the boot
See the notes on cleaning (Y page 320).
For technical reasons, the flap may remain open
briefly after the reversing camera has been
deactivated.
Activating/deactivating the reversing
camera X
To activate: make sure that the Activa‐ Activa‐
tion by R gear
tion by R gear function is selected in the
multimedia system (see Digital Owner's Man-
ual).
X Engage reverse gear.
The reversing camera flap opens. The area
behind the vehicle appears with guide lines in
the multimedia system.
The image from the reversing camera is avail-
able throughout the manoeuvring process.
X To switch the function mode for vehicles
with trailer tow hitch:using the controller,
select symbol :for the "Reverse parking"
function or symbol ;for "Coupling up a
trailer".
The symbol of the selected function is high-
lighted. Driving systems
193Driving and parking Z

Towing a trailer
If you couple up a trailer, make sure that you
have correctly established the electrical con-
nection. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting. Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination if it begins to swerve. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even overturn.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten out the vehicle/trailer combina-
tion by increasing speed. Decrease your
speed and do not countersteer. Brake if nec-
essary. G
WARNING
If the maximum permissible load for a carrier system is exceeded, the carrier could come
loose from the vehicle and endanger other
road users. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never exceed the maximum permissible load
when using a carrier.
! If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the engine cooling system may be necessary, depending on the vehicle type.
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
observe the anchorage points on the chassis.
Retrofitting a trailer tow hitch is only permissible
if a trailer load is specified in your vehicle docu-
ments. If this is not the case, then the vehicle is not approved for towing a trailer.
For more information, please contact a qualifiedspecialist workshop.
Exceeding the maximum permissible nose-
weight of the trailer drawbar on the ball coupling
may cause damage.
Damage may be caused to the following:
R towing vehicle
R trailer R
ball coupling
R trailer tow hitch
The vehicle/trailer combination could become
unstable.
The vehicle/trailer combination could also
become unstable if the noseweight used is lower
than the minimum permissible noseweight.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R make sure to check the noseweight before
each journey
R use a noseweight as close as possible to the
maximum noseweight
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
noseweight
R do not use a noseweight lower than the min-
imum noseweight
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which must
not be exceeded, can be found:
R in your vehicle documents
R on the type plates for the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
You will find permissible trailer loads under
"Technical data" (Y page 369). G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that the ball coupling engages when folding in.
When reversing the towing vehicle, make sure
there is nobody between the trailer and the vehi- cle. Towing a trailer
213Driving and parking Z

A connected trailer is only detected when the
electrical connection is established correctly
and the lighting system is working properly. The
function of other systems also depends on this, for example:
R ESP ®
R PARKTRONIC
R Active Parking Assist
R Active Blind Spot Assist
R Active Lane Keeping Assist Uncoupling a trailer
G
WARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with an engaged over- run brake, you could trap your hand between
the vehicle and the trailer drawbar. This poses a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
If you disconnect the trailer cable, the vehicle is lowered. This can cause you or others to
become trapped between the vehicle body
and tyres, or underneath the vehicle. This
poses a risk of injury.
Make sure that no-one is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel arch or underneath the
vehicle when disconnecting the trailer cable.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your vehicle could
be damaged by the rebounding of the overrun
brake.
! Remove the installed adapter cable before
folding in the ball coupling. Otherwise, dam-
age may occur to the rear bumper and the
adapter cable.
X Apply the electric parking brake manually.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and engage first
or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine. X
Secure the vehicle and trailer against rolling
away.
X Remove the trailer cable and uncouple the
trailer. Trailer power supply
! You can connect accessories to the perma-
nent power supply up to a maximum of 240 W.
You cannot charge a trailer battery using the
power supply.
When it leaves the factory, your vehicle's trailer
socket is equipped with a permanent power
supply and a power supply that is switched on
via the ignition lock.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 9.
The power supply that is switched on via the
ignition lock is supplied via trailer socket pin 10.
The trailer's permanent power supply is
switched off in the event of low on-board voltage and after six hours at the latest.
You can find more information about installing
the trailer electrics at a qualified specialist work- shop.
To activate the switched power supply:
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition lock
(Y page 133).
or X Press the Start/Stop button twice on vehicles
with KEYLESS-GO or the KEYLESS-GO start
function (Y page 133).
To deactivate the switched power supply: X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock
(Y page 133).
or X Press the Start/Stop button once on vehicles
with KEYLESS-GO or the KEYLESS-GO start
function (Y page 133). Failure check for LEDs
If LED lamps are fitted in the trailer, a malfunc-
tion message may appear in the multifunction
display even if there is no fault. The reason for
the error message may be that the current has
fallen below the minimum of 50 mA. 216
Towing a trailerDriving an
d parking

X
Confirm by pressing aon the steering
wheel.
The assistance graphic shows you the status
of and/or information from the following driv-
ing systems or driving safety systems:
R DISTRONIC PLUS distance display
(Y page 171)
R Traffic Sign Assist (Y page 202)
R Distance warning function and autono-
mous braking system of COLLISION PRE-
VENTION ASSIST PLUS (Y page 69)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 76)
R Blind Spot Assist (Y page 204) or Active
Blind Spot Assist (Y page 207)
R ATTENTION ASSIST (Y page 201)
R Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 206) or Active
Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 210)
X Press :to display the ATTENTION ASSIST
assessment. Service menu
Introduction Depending on the equipment fitted in the vehi-
cle, you have the following options on the Ser‐ Ser‐
vice
vice menu:
R Call up display messages in the message
memory (Y page 241)
R Restart the tyre pressure loss warning system
(Y page 347) or checking the tyre pressure
electronically (Y page 349)
R Call up the service due date (Y page 313)
R Display the AdBlue ®
level and range
(Y page 232)
Displaying the AdBlue ®
level and range X
Press òon the steering wheel to open the
menu list.
X Press :or9 on the steering wheel to
select the Service
Service menu.
X Confirm by pressing aon the steering
wheel.
X Press :or9 to select the AdBlue
AdBlue
submenu.
X Press ato confirm your selection.
The range and AdBlue ®
level appear in a bar
display in the multifunction display. Observe the information and notes on "Refuel-
ling" (Y page 156). Settings menu
Introduction Depending on the equipment fitted in the vehi-
cle, you have the following options on the Set‐ Set‐
tings
tings menu:
R Changing assistant settings (Y page 232)
R Changing head-up display settings
(Y page 234)
R Changing the light settings (Y page 235)
R Changing the instrument cluster settings
(Y page 236)
R Changing the vehicle settings (Y page 237)
R Restoring the factory settings (Y page 237)
Assistance submenu Activating/deactivating ESP
®
Observe the "Important safety notes" section in the description of ESP ®
(Y page 72). G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the follow-
ing situations:
R when snow chains are used
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
Activate/deactivate ESP ®
in Mercedes-AMG
vehicles (Y page 74).
Further information about ESP ®
(Y page 72).
X Start the engine.
X Press òon the steering wheel to open the
menu list.
X Press :or9 on the steering wheel to
select the Settings
Settings menu.
X Confirm by pressing aon the steering
wheel. 232
Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays

Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions !
Parking brake inop‐ Parking brake inop‐
erative erative The yellow
!warning lamp lights up. The red !indicator lamp
flashes for about ten seconds after the electric parking brake has been applied or released. It then goes out or remains lit.
The electric parking brake is malfunctioning, e.g. because of over-
voltage or undervoltage.
X Rectify the cause of the overvoltage or undervoltage, e.g. by charg-
ing the battery or restarting the engine.
X Apply or release the electric parking brake.
If the electric parking brake still cannot be applied or released: X Switch off the ignition and switch it back on.
X Apply or release the electric parking brake.
If the electric parking brake still cannot be released: X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
If the electric parking brake still cannot be applied:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The yellow
!warning lamp lights up and the red !indicator
lamp flashes.
The electric parking brake cannot be applied manually.
X Vehicles with manual transmission: engage first gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission: shift the transmission to
position P.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. J
Check brake fluid Check brake fluid
level level There is insufficient brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir.
In addition, the red Jwarning lamp lights up on the instrument
cluster and a warning tone sounds.
G WARNING
Braking efficiency may be impaired.
There is a risk of an accident!
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions. Do not continue driving.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 159).
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
X Do not top up the brake fluid. This does not correct the fault. #
Check Check
brake
brakepad
padwear
wear The brake pads/linings have reached their wear limit.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. G
Inoperative Inoperative Vehicles with Audio 20 multimedia system:
Malfunction of one or more main functions of the MB Contact system.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Display
messages
247On-board computer and displays Z