warning MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS COUPE 2011 Owner's Manual

Centre console
Function Page
:
Audio system/COMAND
Online; see separate oper-
ating instructions
;
c
Seat heating 100
=
s
Seat ventilation 100
?
c
PARKTRONIC 179
A
¤
ECO start/stop but-
ton 140
B
£
Hazard warning
lamps 111
C
4
PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp 57
D
M
Dynamic driving
package with sports mode 176
å
AMG vehicles: ESP ® 69 Function Page
E
&
Auxiliary heating 128
F
Stowage compartment 284
Ashtray 290
Cigarette lighter 291
Power socket 291
G
Gear lever 144
Selector lever 146
H
Stowage compartment 284
Cup holder 289
I
Stowage compartment 284
J
Audio/COMAND controller
K
Selects the drive program 14740
Centre consoleAt a glance

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment
available to your vehicle at the time of pub-
lication of the Owner's Manual. Country-
specific deviations are possible. Please
note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all features described. This also
applies to safety-relevan tsystems and
functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 26).Occupant safety
Important safety notes
Seat belts, together with the Supplemental
Restraint System – SRS (Y page 45), are
complementary, co-ordinated restrain tsys-
tems .They reduce the risk of injury in spe-
cific, pre-defined types of accident situations
and thereby increase occupant safety. How-
ever, seat belts and airbags generally do not
protect against objects penetrating the vehi-
cle from the outside.
To ensure that the restraint systems can
deliver their full potential protection, make
sure that:
R the seat and head restraint are adjusted
properly (Y page 96).
R the seat belt has been fastened properly
(Y page 53).
R the airbags can inflate unrestricted if
deployed (Y page 46).
R the steering wheel is adjusted properly
(Y page 96).
R the restraint systems have not been modi-
fied.
i An airbag increases the protection of
vehicle occupants wearing a seat belt. As
such, they are only an additional restraint
system which complements, but does not
replace, the seat belt. All vehicle occupants must wear their seat belt correctly at all
times, even if the vehicle is equipped with
airbags. The airbags are not deployed in all
types of accidents. For example, if the pro-
tective capacity of correctly fastened seat
belts is not increased by deploying the air-
bags, the airbags will not deploy.A
irbag
deploymen tonly provides increased pro-
tection if the seat belt is worn correctly
because:
R the sea tbelt helps to keep the vehicle
occupan tinthe best position in relation
to the airbag.
R in a head-on collision, for example, the
seat belt prevents the vehicle occupant
from being propelled towards the point
of impact. It can thus reduce the risk of
injury.
In accidents in which an airbag is deployed,
it provides increased protection only if the
seat belt is worn correctly. G
WARNING
If service work is not carried out correctly, the
operating safety of your vehicle may be affec-
ted. This could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle and cause an accident. More-
over, the safety systems may no longer be
able to protect you or others as they are
designed to do.
Always have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. The workshop
must have the necessary specialist knowl-
edge and tools to carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Ben zrecommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety or
on safety-related systems must be carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop. 44
Occupant safetySafety

G
WARNING
Modifications to or work performed incor-
rectly on the following parts can result in the
restraint systems not functioning as intended:
R the restraint system, consisting of seat
belts and their anchorage points, beltt en-
sioners, belt force limiters and airbags
R the wiring
R networked electronic systems
Airbags and belt tensioners could fail to
deploy or be triggered in an acciden tdespite
the deceleration force being sufficien tto trig-
ger the systems, or could be triggered unin-
tentionally. For this reason, never make any
modifications to the restraint systems.
Therefore, you must not tamper with elec-
tronic components or their software. SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
Introduction SRS consists of:
R
the 6 SRS warning lamp
R airbags
R airbag control unit (with crash sensors)
R belt tensioners
R belt force limiters
SRS reduces the risk of occupants coming
into contact with the vehicle's interior in the
event of an accident. It can also reduce the
effect of the forces to which occupants are
subjected during an accident.
SRS warning lamp SRS functions are checked regularly when
you switch on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Therefore, malfunctions
can be detected in good time.
The 6 SRS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out no later than a few seconds
after the engine is started. G
WARNING
If SRS is malfunctioning, individual systems
may be activated unintentionally or may not
be triggered in the event of an accident with
a high rate of vehicle deceleration.
A malfunction has occurred if:
R the 6 SRS warning lamp does not light
up when the ignition is switched on.
R the engine is running and the 6SRS
warning lamp does not go out after a few
seconds.
R the engine is running and the 6SRS
warning lamp lights up again.
In this case, have SRS checked immediately
at a qualified specialist workshop. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre for this purpose.
In particular, work relevant to safety or on
safety-related systems must be carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop.
Triggering of belt tensioners, belt force
limiters and airbags During the first stage of a collision, the airbag
control unit evaluates important physical
data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
R
duration
R direction
R magnitude
Based on the evaluation of this data, the air-
bag control unit pre-emptively triggers the
belt tensioners in the first stage.
i The front belt tensioners can only be trig-
gered if the seat belt tongues on the front
seats are correctly engaged in the seat belt
buckles.
If there is an even higher rate of vehicle decel-
eration or acceleration in a longitudinal direc-
tion, the front airbags are also deployed.
Your vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air-
bags. The airbag control unit evaluates vehi-
cle deceleration or acceleration in the event Occupant safety
45Safety Z

of a collision. In the first deployment stage,
the front airbag is filled with enough propel-
lant gas to reduce the risk of injuries. The
front airbag is fully deployed if a second
deployment threshold is exceeded within a
few milliseconds.
The belt tensioner and airbag triggering
thresholds are variable and are adapted to the
rate of deceleration or acceleration of the
vehicle. This process is pre-emptive in nature.
The triggering process must take place in
good time at the start of the collision.
i Airbags are not deployed in all types of
accidents. Also, not all airbags are
deployed together in an accident .The dif-
ferent airbag systems work independently
of each other.
How the airbag system works is deter-
mined by the severity of the collision detec-
ted, especially the vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, and the apparent type of acci-
dent:
R head-on collision
R side impact
R rear impact
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are essen-
tially determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the colli-
sion
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
cle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a
decisive role in the deployment of an airbag,
nor do they provide an indication of airbag
deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly,
e.g. the bonnet or the wing, without an airbag
being deployed. This is the case if only parts
which are relatively easily deformed are affec- ted and the rate of deceleration is not high.
Conversely, airbags may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor defor-
mation. This is the case if, for example, very
rigid vehicle parts such as longitudinal body
members are hit, and sufficient deceleration
occurs as a result.
Airbags
Important safety notes Airbag deployment slows down and restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant.
If the airbags are deployed, you will hear a
bang and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The 6SRS warning lamp
lights up.
The airbag installation locations are identified
by the AIRBAG symbol. G
WARNING
Airbags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
Observe the following notes to reduce the risk
of serious or even fatal injury caused by airbag
deployment:
R all vehicle occupants –inparticular, preg-
nant women – must wear their seat belt
correctly at all times and lean back against
the backrest, which should be positioned
as close to the vertical as possible. The
head restraint must support the back of the
head at about eye level.
R always secure childre nless than 1.50mt all
and unde r12years of age in suitable child
restraint systems.
R all vehicle occupants must select a seat
position that is as far away from the airbag
as possible. The driver's seat position must
allow the vehicle to be driven safely. The
driver's chest should be as far away from 46
Occupant safetySafety

the centre of the driver's airbag cover as
possible.
R move the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible. This is especially important if
you have secured a child in a child restraint
syste mont he front-passenger seat.
R vehicle occupants –inparticular, children
–m ust no tlean their heads into the area of
the window in which the sidebag/window-
bag is deployed.
R rearward-facing child restraint systems
must not be fitted to the front-passenger
seat unless the front-passenger airbag has
been disabled. On the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger airbag is disabled
if a child restraint system with a trans-
ponder for automatic child seat recognition
is fitted to the front-passenger seat in a
vehicle equipped with automatic child seat
recognition. The 4PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp must be continuously
lit.
If the front-passenger seat of your vehicle
does not have automatic child seat recog-
nition, or your rearward-facing child
restraint system does not have automatic
child seat recognition, children must be
secured in a child restraint system on a
suitable seat in the rear. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint system to the
front-passenger seat, you must move the
front-passenger seat as far back as possi-
ble.
R make sure there are no heavy or sharp-
edged objects in the pockets of clothing.
R do not lean forwards, e.g. over the cover of
the driver's/front-passenger airbag, partic-
ularly when the vehicle is in motion.
R do not put your feet on the dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the airbag to be fully deployed.
You could be injured if the airbag is
deployed and you are holding the inside of
the steering wheel. R
do not lean on the doors from inside the
vehicle.
R make sure that there are no people, ani-
mals or objects between the vehicle occu-
pants and the area where the airbags are
deployed.
R do not place any objects between the seat
backrest and the door.
R do not hang any hard objects, for example,
coat hangers, on the grab handles or coat
hooks.
R do not attach accessories, e.g. cup holders,
to the doors.
It is not possible to rule out a risk of injury
being caused by an airbag, due to the high
speed at which the airbag must be deployed. G
WARNING
Airbag functionality can only be assured if the
following parts are not covered and no badges
or stickers are attached to them:
R padded steering wheel boss
R kneebag cover below the steering column
R front-passenger airbag cover
R outer side of fron tseat bolsters
R side trim next to the rear seat backrest
R roof frame cover between the fron tA-pillar
and the C-pillar in the rear compartment G
WARNING
As mall amount of powder is released when
an airbag is deployed. The powder could
cause short-term breathing difficulties in peo-
ple with asthma or other respiratory prob-
lems.
In order to prevent breathing difficulties, you
should leave the vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so. You can also open the window to
allow fresh air to enter the interior. The pow-
der does not constitute ahealth hazard and
does not indicate that there is a fire in the
vehicle. Occupant safety
47Safety Z

G
WARNING
The airbag parts are hot after the airbag has
been deployed. Do not touch them as you
could burn yourself.
Have the airbags replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Otherwise, occupants are
not protected by the airbags in the event of
another accident.
Fron tairbags The fron
tairbags increase protection for the
driver's and front-passenger's head and
chest. Driver's airbag
:deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger airbag ;
deploys in front of and above the glove com-
partment.
They are deployed:
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
longitudinal direction
R if the system determines that airbag
deploymen tcan offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R if the seat belt is fastened
R independently of other airbag sinthe vehi-
cle
Front-passenger airbag ;is only activated if
the system determines that the front-
passenger seat is occupied. The 4
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp on
the centre console is not lit (Y page 57).
This means that a child restraint system with- out automatic child seat recognition has been
fitted or that a child restraint system with
automatic child seat recognition is incorrectly
fitted.
!
Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat. The system may then
detect that the seat is occupied and if there
is an accident, the restraint systems on the
front-passenger side could be deployed.
Have restraint systems that have been trig-
gered replaced.
Driver's kneebag i
The driver's kneebag is only available in
certain countries.
The driver's kneebag increases protection of
the driver against:
R knee injuries
R thigh injuries
R lower leg injuries Driver's kneebag
:is always deployed along
with the driver's airbag and inflates under-
neath the steering column.
Sidebags G
WARNING
If you wish to use seat covers, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that, for safety reasons, you
only use seat covers that have been approved
for Mercedes-Ben zvehicles.
The seat covers must have a special tear seam
for sidebags/pelvisbags. Otherwise, the side-
bag/pelvisbag cannot deploy correctly and 48
Occupant safetySafety

would fail to provide the intended protection
in the event of an accident. Appropriate seat
covers can be obtained, for example, from a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
When deployed, the sidebags offer additional
protection for the thorax of the vehicle occu-
pants on the side of the vehicle on which the
impac toccurs .However, they do not protect
the:
R head
R neck
R arms Fronts
idebags :and rear sidebags ;
deploy nex tto the outer seat cushions.
The sidebags are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R independently of seat belt use
R independently of the front airbags
R independently of the belt tensioners
Pelvisbags i
Pelvisbags are only available in certain
countries. G
WARNING
If you wish to use seat covers, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that, for safety reasons, you
only use seat covers that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The seat covers must have a special tear seam
for sidebags/pelvisbags. Otherwise, the side-
bag/pelvisbag cannot deploy correctly and
would fail to provide the intended protection
in the event of an accident. Appropriate seat
covers can be obtained, for example, from a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Pelvisbag deployment enhances the level of
protection of the vehicle occupants on the
side of the vehicle on which the impact
occurs. Pelvisbags
:deploy next to and below the
outer seat cushions. They are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R independently of seat belt use
R independently of the front airbags
R independently of the belt tensioners
Windowbags The windowbags enhance the level of protec-
tion for the head, but not chest or arms, of the
vehicle occupants on the side of the vehicle
on which the impact occurs.
The windowbags are integrated into the side
of the roof frame and deploy in the area
extending from the front door (A-pillar) to the
rear sidewall (C-pillar). Occupant safety
49Safety Z

Windowbags
:are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of seat belt use
R independently of the fron tairbags PRE-SAFE
®
(preventative occupant
protection)
PRE-SAFE ®
takes pre-emptive measure sto
protect occupants in certain hazardous sit-
uations.
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. if BAS
is activated or for vehicles with DISTRONIC
PLUS, BAS PLUS intervenes powerfully
R if the radar senso rsystem detects an immi-
nent danger of collision in certain situa-
tions (on vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS)
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when phys-
ical limits are exceed and the vehicle under-
steers or oversteers severely PRE-SAFE
®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detec-
ted:
R the fron tseat belts are pre-tensioned.
R vehicles with the memory function :it
adjusts the front-passenger seat if it is in
an unfavourable position.
R if the vehicle skids, the panorama sliding
sunroo fand the side windows are closed so
tha tonly a small gap remains.
If the hazardous situatio npasses without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pretensioning .All settings made by
PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belts are not released:
X Move the backrest or seat back slightly, but
only when the vehicle is stationary.
The belt pretensioning is reduced and the
locking mechanis mis released. G
WARNING
When adjusting the seat, make sure that
nobody can become trapped.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when moving
the seat back. There is a risk that the seats
and/or the objects could be damaged.
More information abouts eat-belt adjust-
ment ,aconvenience function integrated into
PRE-SAFE ®
, can be found in the "Seat-belt
adjustment" section (Y page 53). NECK-PRO head restraints
The NECK-PRO head restraints increase pro-
tection to the driver's and front passenger's
head and neck.T o this end, the NECK-PRO
head restraints on the driver's and front-
passenger seats are moved forwards and
upwards in the event of a rear-end collision of
a certain severity. This provides better head
support. 50
Occupant safetySafety

G
WARNING
Only use head restraint covers which have
been tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz
for yourv ehicle model.
The use of non-approved head restraint cov-
ers may prevent NECK-PRO head restraints
from triggering properly. Consequently, the
NECK-PRO head restraints cannot provide the
intended level of protection.
Consult a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre
regarding availability.
If the NECK-PRO head restraints have been
triggered in an accident, reset the NECK-PRO
head restraints on the driver’s and front-
passenger seat (Y page 51). Otherwise, the
additional protection will not be available in
the event of another rear-end collision. You
can recognise when NECK-PRO head
restraints have been triggered by the fact that
they have moved forwards and can no longer
be adjusted. Resetting triggered NECK-PRO head
restraints
Following a rear-end collision, Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you have NECK-PRO
head restraints checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
i Resetting the NECK-PRO head restraints
requires a lot of strength. If you have diffi-
culty resetting the NECK-PRO head
restraints, have this work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. X
Tilt the top of the NECK-PRO head restraint
cushion forwards in the direction of
arrow :.
X Push the NECK-PRO head restraint cushion
down in the direction of arrow ;as far as
it will go.
X Firmly push the NECK-PRO head restraint
cushion back in the direction of arrow =
until the cushion engages.
X Repeat this procedure for the second
NECK-PRO head restraint. Seat belts
Important safety notes Seat belts are the most effective means of
restraining the movement of vehicle occu-
pants in the event of an accident. This
reduces the risk of vehicle occupants coming
into contact with parts of the vehicle interior. G
WARNING
A seat belt which is not worn correctly, or
which has not been engaged in the seat belt
buckle correctly, cannot perform its intended
protective function. Under certain circum-
stances, this could cause severe or even fatal
injuries in the event of an accident.
Make sure that all occupants –inparticular,
pregnant women – wear their seat belt cor-
rectly at all times.
R The seat belt must fit snugly on your body
and must no tbe twisted. Therefore, avoid
wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter coat. Occupant safety
51Safety
Z

The shoulder belt section must be routed
across the centre of your shoulder – on no
account across your neck or under your
arm
–and pulled tight against your upper
body .The lap belt must always pass across
your lap as low down as possible, i.e. over
your hip joints –not across your abdomen.
If necessary, push down the belt strap
slightly and then retighten it in the roll-up
direction.
R Do not route the belt strap across sharp
edges or fragile objects, especially if these
are located on or in your clothing, e.g. spec-
tacles, pens, keys, etc. The seat belt strap
could be damaged and tear in an accident,
and you or other vehicle occupants could
be injured.
R Only one person should use each seat belt
at any one time. Children must never travel
sitting on the lap of other occupants. It
would not be possible to restrain the child
in the event of a sudden change in direc-
tion, braking or an accident .This could
result in severe or even fatal injuries to the
child and other occupants.
R Persons less than 1.50 m tall cannot wear
the seat belts correctly. For this reason,
secure persons less than 1.50 mtall in spe-
cially designed, suitable restraint systems.
R Children less than 1.50 m tall or under 12
years of age canno twear the seat belts
properly. Therefore, they should always be
secured in a suitable child restraint system
on a suitable vehicle seat. You can find
more information under "Children in the
vehicle" in the "Safety" section of the Own-
er's Manual. Follow the manufacturer's
installation instructions when fitting a child
restraint system.
R Do not secure any objects with a seat belt
if the seat belt is also being used by one of
the vehicle's occupants. G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level
of protection unless the backrest is almost vertical. Under certain circumstances, this
could cause severe or even fatal injuries in the
event of an accident.
Before starting a journey, make sure that the
seat is properly adjusted and that the back-
rest is almost vertical.
G
WARNING
Ad irty or damaged seat belt or a seat belt that
has been subjected to a load in an accident
or which has been modified no longer offers
the intended level of protection. Under certain
circumstances, this could cause severe or
even fatal injuries in the even tofanaccident.
For this reason, check regularly that the seat
belts are not damaged or dirty.
Always have damaged sea tbelts or seat belts
that have been subjected to a load in an acci-
dent replaced at a qualified specialist work-
shop. Consult a qualified specialist workshop
which has the necessary specialist knowledge
and tools to carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use seat belts which have
been approved by Mercedes-Benz for your
vehicle. 52
Occupant safetySafety