warning MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS CABRIOLET 2016 Owners Manual

Before handling the battery, touch the vehicle
body to remove any existing electrostatic
build-up.
The highly flammable gas mixture is created
while the battery is charging and when jump-
starting.
Always make sure that neither you nor the bat-
tery is electrostatically charged. Electrostatic
charge is created, for example:
R by wearing synthetic-fibre clothing
R by friction between clothing and the seat
R if you pull or push the battery across carpet or
other synthetic materials
R if you rub the battery with a cloth G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery produ- ces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or
sparks are created, the hydrogen gas can
ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
R Make sure that the positive terminal of a
connected battery does not come into con- tact with vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a bat-
tery.
R It is important that you observe the descri-
bed order of the battery terminals when
connecting and disconnecting a battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the
battery poles with identical polarity are
connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the
described order when connecting and dis-
connecting the jump leads.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery
terminals while the engine is running. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury. Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing.
Do not breathe in any battery gases. Do not
lean over the battery. Keep the batteries out
of the reach of children. Immediately rinse off
battery acid thoroughly with plenty of clean
water and seek medical attention at once. All vehicles: H
Environmental note Batteries contain pollutants.
It is illegal to dispose of them
with the household rubbish.
They must be collected sep-
arately and disposed of in an environmentally responsible
recycling system. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used batter-
ies.
! Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the service intervals in the Service
Booklet or contact a qualified specialist work- shop for more information.
! Always have work on the batteries carried
out at a qualified specialist workshop. Should
it, in exceptional circumstances, be abso-
lutely necessary to disconnect the 12-volt
battery yourself, please observe the follow-
ing:
R secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
R switch the ignition off.
R first, disconnect the negative terminal, fol-
lowed by the positive terminal.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
transmission is locked in position Pafter dis-
connecting the battery.
After the work has been completed, firmly
reinstall the battery and the cover of the pos- itive terminal.
Comply with safety notes and take protective
measures when handling batteries. Risk of explosion.
Fire, naked flames and smoking are
prohibited when handling the bat-
tery. Avoid creating sparks. Battery (vehicle)
331Breakdown assistance Z

Electrolyte or battery acid is corro-
sive. Avoid contact with the skin,
eyes and clothing.
Wear suitable protective clothing; in
particular, gloves, an apron and a
face mask.
Immediately rinse electrolyte or acid
splashes off with clean water. Con-
sult a doctor if necessary. Wear eye protection.
Keep children at a safe distance.
Observe this Owner's Manual.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use only batteries that have
been tested and approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz. These batteries provide
increased impact protection to prevent vehicle
occupants from suffering acid burns should the battery be damaged in the event of an accident.
In order for the battery to achieve the maximum possible service life, it should always be suffi-
ciently charged.
Like other batteries, the vehicle battery may
discharge over time if you do not use the vehicle.In such cases, have the battery disconnected ata qualified specialist workshop. However, you
can also charge the battery with a charger rec-
ommended by Mercedes-Benz. For more infor-
mation, please contact a qualified specialist
workshop.
Have the battery charge checked more fre-
quently if you use the vehicle mainly for short
trips or if you leave it standing idle for an exten-
ded period. Consult a qualified specialist work-
shop if you wish to leave your vehicle parked up for a long period of time.
When you park the vehicle, remove the key if you
do not require any electrical consumers. The
vehicle will then use very little energy, thus con- serving battery power. 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 ve hicles except vehicles with a lithium-
ion battery:
! Only use battery chargers with a maximum
charging voltage of 14.8 V. G
WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive
gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, naked 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 the skin, eyes or clothing.
Do not breathe in any battery gases. Do not
lean over the battery. Keep the batteries out
of the reach of children. Immediately rinse off
battery acid thoroughly with plenty of clean
water and seek medical attention at once. 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.
All vehicles: ! Only charge the battery using the jump-start
connection point.
The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment (Y page 333).
X Open the bonnet.
X Connect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and earth point in the same order as
when connecting the donor battery in the
jump-starting process (Y page 333).332
Battery (vehicle)Breakdown assistance

Keep away from fire and naked flames. Do not
lean over the battery. Never charge the battery
if it is still fitted to the vehicle, unless you are
using a battery charger that 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. This device
permits charging of the battery while it is instal- led. Contact a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre
for information and availability. Read the battery charger's operating instructions before charg-
ing the battery.
All vehicles except vehicles with a lithium-
ion battery: if the warning and indicator lamps
on the instrument cluster do not light up at low temperatures, it is very likely that the dis-
charged battery has frozen. In this case, you
may neither jump-start the vehicle nor charge
the battery. The service life of a battery that has
been thawed may be reduced. The starting char-
acteristics may be impaired, especially at low
temperatures. Have the thawed battery
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Vehicles with a lithium-ion battery: at low
temperatures, do not use a battery charger to
charge a battery that has been removed. Allow
the battery to warm up gently first, if necessary. Otherwise, the service life may be reduced and
the starting characteristics impaired, especially
at low temperatures. Jump-starting
For the jump-starting procedure, use only the jump-starting connection point, consisting of a pos- itive terminal and an earth point, in the engine compartment.
All vehicles except vehicles with a lithium-ion battery: G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing. Do not breathe in any battery gases. Do not lean over the battery. Keep the batteries out of the reach of children. Immediately rinse off battery acid
thoroughly with plenty of clean water and seek medical attention at once. G
WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, naked flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient
ventilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery. G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or sparks
are created, the hydrogen gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
R Make sure that the positive terminal of a connected battery does not come into contact with
vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a battery.
R It is important that you observe the described order of the battery terminals when connecting
and disconnecting a battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the battery poles with identical polarity are connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the described order when connecting and disconnecting
the jump leads.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running. Jump-starting
333Breakdown assistance Z

G
WARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point. When jump-starting 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.
If the warning and indicator lamps do not light up on the instrument cluster when temperatures are low, it is probably because the discharged battery has frozen. In this case, you may neither jump-
start the vehicle nor charge the battery. The service life of a battery that has been thawed may be
reduced. The starting characteristics may be impaired, especially at low temperatures. Have the
thawed battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
All vehicles:
! Vehicles with a petrol engine:
avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the
non-combusted fuel may damage the catalytic converter.
Do not use a rapid charging device to start the vehicle. If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jump leads.
Observe the following points:
R The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible, jump-
start the vehicle using a donor battery or a jump-starting device.
R Vehicles with a petrol engine: jump-start the vehicle only when the engine and exhaust system
are cold.
R All vehicles except vehicles with a lithium-ion battery: do not start the engine if the battery
is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
R Jump-starting may be performed only using batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
R Use only jump leads that have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
R If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected for
a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the empty battery a little.
R Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
R The jump leads are not damaged.
R Non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps do not come into contact with other metal parts while
the jump leads are connected to the battery.
R The jump leads cannot come into contact with parts that can move when the engine is running,
such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
X Secure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
X Automatic transmission: shift the transmission to position P.
X Manual transmission: depress the clutch pedal fully and engage neutral.
X Make sure that the ignition is switched off . All indicator lamps on the instrument cluster must be
off. When using the key, turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock and remove it (Y page 133).
X Switch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window heating, lighting etc.
X Open the bonnet. 334
Jump-startingBreakdown assistance

Towing away and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Safety relevant functions are restricted or no
longer available if:
R the engine is not running
R the brake system or power steering is mal-
functioning
R there is a malfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system
When your vehicle is towed away or towed
started, you may require considerably more
effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an
accident.
In such cases use a rigid towing bar. Before
being towed away or tow started, make sure
the steering moves freely. G
WARNING
If the steering wheel lock is engaged, the vehi- cle can no longer be steered. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always switch on the ignition when towing
with a tow rope or a towing bar. G
WARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible gross weight of your vehicle, the:
R towing eye may be torn off
R car/trailer combination may swerve or
even overturn
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle weight
of your vehicle can be found on the vehicle iden-
tification plate (Y page 359).
! When Active Brake Assist, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC or the HOLD function is activated, the vehicle brakes automatically in certain
situations. To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
these systems in the following or similar sit-
uations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
! Make sure that the electric parking brake is
released. If the electric parking brake is faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
! Only secure the tow cable or tow bar to the
towing eyes or, if available, to the trailer tow
hitch. You could otherwise damage the vehi-
cle.
! Observe the following points when towing
with a tow rope:
R Secure the tow rope on the same side on
both vehicles.
R Make sure that the tow rope is not longer
than legally permitted. Mark the tow rope in
the middle, e.g. with a white cloth
(30 x 30 cm). This will make other road
users aware that a vehicle is being towed.
R Only secure the tow cable to the towing
eyes or, if available, to the trailer tow hitch.
R Observe the brake lamps of the towing
vehicle while driving. Always maintain a dis-
tance a distance so that the tow rope does not sag.
R Do not use steel cables or chains to tow
your vehicle. You could otherwise damage
the vehicle.
! Do not use the trailer tow hitch for recovery
or towing. Do not use the towing eye for
recovery. This could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, have the vehicle recovered using a
crane.
! Pull away smoothly when towing away or
tow-starting a vehicle. If the tractive power is
too high, the vehicles could be damaged.
! Shift the automatic transmission to
Nand
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.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum of
50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must not
be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the entire
vehicle must be lifted up and transported. 336
Towing away and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

Observe the legal requirements in each individ-
ual country when towing.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission damage, have it transported on a transporter or trailer.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: 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 key to position 2in the igni-
tion lock
R cannot release the electric parking brake
R cannot shift the transmission to position Non
vehicles with automatic transmission
Deactivate the automatic locking feature before
towing the vehicle (Y page 88). You could oth-
erwise be locked out when pushing or towing
the vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection before the vehi-
cle is towed away (Y page 79). Fitting/removing the towing eye
Fitting the towing eye G
WARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be extremely hot.
There is a risk of burning when removing the
rear cover.
Do not touch the exhaust tail pipe. Use
extreme caution when removing the rear
cover. The brackets for the screw-in towing eye are
located in the bumpers. They are located at the
rear and at the front, under covers :.
X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle tool
kit (Y page 325).
X Press the mark on cover :inwards and
remove.
X Screw in the towing eye clockwise as far as it
will go and tighten it.
Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch do not have a
bracket at the rear for the screw-in towing eye.
Connect the towbar to the trailer tow hitch
(Y page 214).
Removing the towing eye X
Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Attach cover :to the bumper and press until
it engages. Towing the vehicle away with the rear
axle raised
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the important safety notes
(Y page 336).
Only vehicles without 4MATIC can be towed
with the rear axle raised.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged. Towing away and tow-starting
337Breakdown assistance Z

Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed with
both axles on the ground or be loaded and trans- ported.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission must
not be towed with the rear axle raised. The
car/trailer combination may otherwise
swerve or even overturn.
! The ignition must be switched off if you are
towing the vehicle with the rear axle raised.
Intervention by ESP ®
could otherwise dam-
age the brake system.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 116).
X Move the front wheels to the straight-ahead
position.
X If necessary, turn the key to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove the key from the
ignition lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the key with
you. Towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground
Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
automatic transmission automatically shifts to
position Pwhen you open the driver's or front-
passenger door or when you remove the key
from the ignition lock. In order to ensure that the
automatic transmission stays in position N
when the vehicle is being towed, you must
observe the following points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission to position
N.
Vehicles with manual transmission: X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully and shift to
neutral.
All vehicles:
X Leave the key in position 2in the ignition lock.
X Release the brake pedal. X
Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 116).
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 turn signals for
the desired direction flash. When you reset the
combination switch, the hazard warning lamps
start flashing again. Transporting the vehicle
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 or trailer tow hitch can be used
to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or transporter if you wish to transport it.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and engage
neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
turn the key to position
2in the ignition lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to position
N. 338
Towing away and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
X Vehicles with manual transmission: fully
depress the clutch pedal and engage first or
reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to position
P.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock
and remove it.
X Secure the vehicle. Notes for 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed away
with both axles on the ground or be loaded up
and transported.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or dam- age to the front or rear axle, have it transportedon a transporter 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 333).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter or
trailer. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Do not tow-start vehicles with automatic
transmission. You could otherwise damage
the automatic transmission.
i You can find information on "Jump-starting"
under (Y page 333).
Before tow-starting, the following conditions
must be fulfilled:
R the battery is connected
R the engine has cooled down
R the exhaust system has cooled down When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety notes (Y
page 336) and the
legal requirements in each respective country.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 116).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 337).
X Secure the rigid towing bar or the towing
rope.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully, engage 2nd
gear and continue to keep the clutch pedal
fully depressed.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Tow-start the vehicle.
X Release the clutch pedal slowly; do not
depress the accelerator pedal while doing so.
X When the engine has been started, immedi-
ately depress the clutch pedal fully and shift
to neutral.
X Pull over at a suitable place and stop the vehi-
cle safely, paying attention to road and traffic
conditions.
X Use the electric parking brake to secure the
vehicle and prevent it from rolling away.
X Remove the rigid towing bar or towing rope.
X Remove the towing eye (Y page 337).
X Switch off the hazard warning lamps. Fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you manipulate, bridge or replace a faulty
fuse with a fuse of a higher amperage, the
electric cables could be overloaded. This may result in a fire. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with specified newfuses of the correct amperage.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of the same rating, which you can recognise by the
colour and fuse rating. The fuse ratings are listed
in the fuse allocation chart.
The fuse allocation chart is on the fuse box in the boot (Y page 341). Fuses
339Breakdown assistance Z

If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified special- ist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
! 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 disconnect faulty cir-
cuits. If a fuse blows, all the components on the
circuit and their functions will fail. Before replacing a fuse
Observe the important safety notes
(Y page 339)
X Switch off the engine.
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Make sure that the ignition is switched off
(Y page 133).
or X When using the key, turn the key to position 0
in the ignition lock and remove it
(Y page 133).
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 159).
All indicator lamps on 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 boot floor on the right-
hand side of the vehicle, when viewed in the
direction of travel Dashboard fuse box
The fuse box is under a cover on the side of the dashboard. You can obtain further information
from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Fuse box in the front-passenger foot-
well
X
Open the front-passenger door.
X To open: fold cover :out towards the rear
and remove it.
X To close: clip in cover :at the rear.
X Fold cover :forwards until it engages. Fuse box in the engine compartment
G
WARNING
When the bonnet is open, and the windscreen wipers are set in motion, you can be injured by
the wiper linkage. There is a risk of injury.
Always switch off the windscreen wipers and
the ignition before opening the bonnet. 340
FusesBreakdown assistance

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If wheels and tyres of the wrong size are used, the wheel brakes or suspension components
may be damaged. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always replace wheels and tyres with those
that fulfil the specifications of the original
part.
When replacing wheels, make sure to fit the
correct:
R designation
R type
When replacing tyres, make sure to fit the
correct:
R designation
R manufacturer
R type G
WARNING
A flat tyre severely impairs the driving, steer-
ing and braking characteristics of the vehicle.
There is a risk of accident.
Tyres without run-flat characteristics:
R do not drive with a flat tyre.
R immediately replace the flat tyre with your
emergency spare wheel or spare wheel, or
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Tyres with run-flat characteristics:
R pay attention to the information and warn-
ing notices on MOExtended tyres (tyres
with run-flat characteristics).
Accessories that are not approved for your vehi-
cle by Mercedes-Benz or are not being used cor- rectly can impair operating safety.
Before purchasing and using non-approved
accessories, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop and enquire about:
R suitability
R legal stipulations
R factory recommendations Further information regarding wheels and tyres
can be found under "Wheel/tyre combinations"
(Y page 355).
You can ask for information regarding permitted
wheel/tyre combinations at a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
Information on tyre pressure can be found:
R in the tyre pressure table in the fuel filler flap
(Y page 155)
R under "Tyre pressure" (Y page 345)
Modifications to the brake system and wheels
are not permitted. The use of spacers or brake
dust shields is not permitted. This invalidates
the general operating permit for the vehicle.
i Further information on wheels and tyres can
be obtained at any qualified specialist work-
shop. Operation
Information on driving
When the vehicle is heavily laden, check the tyre pressures and adjust them prior to a trip.
While driving, pay attention to vibrations, noises
and unusual handling characteristics, e.g. pull-
ing to one side. This may indicate that the
wheels or tyres are damaged. If you suspect that a tyre is defective, reduce your speed immedi-
ately. Stop the vehicle as soon as possible to
check the wheels and tyres for damage. Hidden tyre damage could also be causing the unusual
handling characteristics. If you find no signs of
damage, have the tyres and wheels checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
When parking your vehicle, make sure not to
squash the tyre. If you cannot avoid driving over obstacles, e.g. kerbs, do so slowly and at an
obtuse angle only. You could otherwise damage
the wheel rims and tyres. Notes on sports tyres
G
WARNING
Due to the special tyre tread in combination
with the optimised rubber compound, there is an increased risk of aquaplaning and skidding
on a damp or wet road surface. Tyre grip is
also noticeably reduced at low outside tem- 342
OperationWheels and ty
res