warning MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS SALOON 2011 Owners Manual

Problems with the engine
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The engine does not
start. The HOLD function or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
X
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 193) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Y page 183).
X Try to start the engine again. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.
X Before attempting to start the engine again, turn the key in the
ignition back to position 0or press the Start/Stop button
repeatedly until all indicator lamps in the instrumen tcluster go
out.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 154). Avoid excessively
long and frequent attempts to start the engine, as this will drain
the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. The engine does not
start
.The starter motor
can be heard. The
reserve fuel warning
lamp is lit and the fuel
gauge display shows 0. The fuel tank is empty.
X
Refuel the vehicle. The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak
or discharged.
X
Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 350).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
X Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two
minutes.
X Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. Driving
159Driving and parking Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Vehicles with a petrol
engine:
The engine is not run-
ning smoothly and is
misfiring. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X
Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic con-
verter and damage it. The coolant tempera-
ture display is showing
more than 120 †. The
coolant warning lamp
may also be lit and a
warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer 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 324). 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 no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X
At coolant temperatures under 120 †, drive on to the nearest
qualified specialist workshop, e.g. to a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving on
mountain roads and stop-start traffic. Manual transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The movement of the pedals must not be
impaired in any way. Do not keep any objects
in the driver's footwell. Make sure that floor-
mats or carpets are correctly secured and
that there is sufficient clearance for the ped-
als.
Do not place several floormats on top of one
another. G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle and cause an
accident.
Gear lever
Gear lever
!
Only engage gear when the clutch pedal
is depressed. 160
Manual transmissionDriving and parking

!
When shifting between 5thand 6thgear,
you should always push the gear lever all
the way to the right. Otherwise, you could
shift unintentionally into 3rdor4th gear
and damage the transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine
to overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
clutch.
! On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is ladenort owing
a trailer, you must shift into gear 1, 2or3
in good time. This uses the engine's braking
effect .This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. Shifting to neutral N
X
Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Move the gear lever to position N:.Neutral N with ECO start/stop func-
tion activated
In neutral N, the engine is switched off if the
vehicle speed is below a certain threshold and
the clutch pedal is not depressed.
For further information on the ECO start/stop
function, see (Y page 156). Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear Rwhen the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
i The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
For further information on the ECO start/
stop function, see (Y page 156).
X Move the gear lever firmly to the left
beyond the point of resistance and then
forwards. Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display. X
Shift gear according to gearshift recom-
mendation :shown in the multifunction
display of the instrumentc luster. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The movemen tofthe pedals must not be
impaired in any way.D o not keep any objects
in the driver's footwell. Make sure that floor-
mats or carpets are correctly secured and
that there is sufficient clearance for the ped-
als. Automatic transmission
161Driving and parking
Z

Do not place several floormats on top of one
another.
G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery roa dsurface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. This could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and cause an
accident.
i Bear in mind that th epower transmission
between the engine and the transmission
is interrupted when the engine is switched
off. Therefore, to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, shift the automatic transmis-
sion to position Pand apply the parking
brake when the engine is switched off and
the vehicle is stationary. Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions Selector lever (example)
P Park position with selector lever lock
R Reverse gear
N Neutral
D Drive Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
:
Transmission position display
; Drive program display
The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display. Transmission positions
B
Park position
Prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped. Do not shift
the transmission into position
P
(Y page 174) unless the vehicle is
stationary.
The key can only be removed if the
transmission is in position P. If the
key is removed from the ignition
lock, the selector lever is locked. C
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. 162
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, immediately. Releasing the parking lock manually
In the event of an electrical fault, it is possible
to release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P, e.g. if you wish to
tow the vehicle away. !
Do not use any sharp-edged objects to
remove the selector lever gaiter from the
centre console. This could damage the
selector lever gaiter.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Prise out selector lever gaiter :with a flat,
blunt object, (e.g. ascrewdriver wrapped in cloth) from the right-hand edge, pulling it
up and out.
X Press release button ;dow nand simul-
taneously move the selecto rlever out of
position P.
The selector lever can now be moved freely
until it is returned to position P. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. Fire, naked flames
and smoking are therefore prohibited when
handling fuels.
Switch off the engine and the auxiliary heating
before refuelling. G
WARNING
Do not come into contact with fuels.
It is hazardous to your health if your skin
comes into direct contact with fuels or you
breathe in fuel vapours. 168
RefuellingDriving and parking

G
WARNING
Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a die-
sel engine. Do not mix diesel with petrol. This
would result in damage to the fuel system and
engine, which could lead to a vehicle fire.
! Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not use diesel to refuel
vehicles with a petrol engine. Even small
amounts of the wrong fuel result in damage
to the fuel system and the engine.
! Do not switch on the ignition if you acci-
dentally refuel with the wrong fuel .Other-
wise, the fuel will ente rthe fuel lines. Notify
a qualified specialist workshop and have
the fuel tank and fuel lines drained com-
pletely. Petrol (EN 228, DIN 51626)
Fuel grade !
Only refuel using unleaded premium-
grade petrol with at least
95 RON/85 MON, which conforms to Euro-
pean standard EN 228 or an equivalent
specification.
! Do not use the following:
R E85 (petrol with 85% ethanol)
R E100 (100% ethanol)
R M15 (petrol with 15% methanol)
R M85 (petrol with 85% methanol)
R M100 (100% methanol)
R Petrol with metallic additives
R Diesel
Do not mix fuels such as this with petrol
and do not use any additives. Doing so may
cause engine damage. This does not
include additives for the removal and pre-
vention of residue build-up. Petrol must
only be mixed with additives recommended
by Mercedes-Benz. More information about
recommended additives can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. !
Use a filter when adding fuel from a fuel
can. The fuel lines and/or the diesel injec-
tion system could otherwise be blocked by
particles from the fuel can.
i E10 fuel contains up to 10% bioethanol.
Your vehicle is E10 compatible. You can
refuel your vehicle using E10 premium-
grade petrol.
i If the recommended fuel is not available,
but only as a temporary measure, you may
also use regular unleaded petrol,
91 RON/82.5 MON. This may reduce
engine performance and increase fuel con-
sumption. Avoid driving at full throttle.
In some countries, the fuel grade available
may not be adequate and could cause
deposits to build up. In consultation with a
Mercedes-Ben zService Centre, this petrol
may be mixed with the additive recommen-
ded by Mercedes-Benz( part no.
A000989254510). You must observe the
notes and mixing ratios specified on the
container.
For further information on "Fuel", see
(Y page 380).
AMG vehicles !
Only refuel using super-grade unleaded
petrol with at least 98 RON/88 MON,
which conforms to European standard EN
228 or equivalent.
You can otherwise impair engine output or
damage the engine.
i If the recommended fuel is not available
and only as a temporary measure, you may
also use premium-grade unleaded petrol,
95 RON/85 MON. This may reduce engine
performance and increase fuel consump-
tion. Avoid driving at full throttle.
! In emergencies, and only if the recom-
mended fuel is not available, you may also
use standard unleaded petrol, 91 RON/
82.5 MON. Refuelling
169Driving and parking Z

i
Close the fuel fille rflap before locking the
vehicle. Alocking pin otherwise prevents
the fuel filler flap from closing after the
vehicle has been locked. Fuel filler flap emergency release
G
WARNING
The edges on the inside of the vehicle body
can be sharp. You could injure yourself when
using the fuel filler flap emergency release.
Avoid contact with the edges on the inside of
the vehicle body.
The emergency release is located in the
boot/luggage compartment behind the side
trim on the right-hand side, when viewed in
the direction of travel.
X Open the boot lid/tailgate.
X Saloon: open the right-hand side trim panel
(Y page 356).
X Estate: open the right-hand side trim panel
(Y page 356). Example: Saloon
X
Pull emergency release :in the direction
of the arrow.
The fuel filler flap is released.
X Open the fuel filler flap. 172
RefuellingDriving and parking

Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only remove the key from the ignition lock
when the vehicle is stationary, as you cannot
steer the vehicle when the key is removed.
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. They could release the parking brake. This
could lead to a serious or fatal accident. G
WARNING
Under no circumstances should the exhaust
system come into contact with flammable
materials such as dry grass or petrol, for
example. Do not park the vehicle on dry grass-
land or harvested grain fields. The hot exhaust
system could otherwise ignite the flammable
material and set the vehicle on fire.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied.
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage first gear or reverse gear.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in position Pand
the key must be removed from the ignition
lock.
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, turn
the front wheels towards the kerb. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is not running, there is no power
assistance for the steering and brakes. Steer-
ing and braking then requires significantly
greater effort.
As a result, you might lose control of the vehi-
cle, cause an accident and injure yourself and
others. Therefore, do not switch off the engine while
you are driving.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Apply the parking brake firmly.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the parking brake firmly.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Using the key
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
i The key can only be removed if the trans-
mission is in position P.
Using KEYLESS-GO
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 153).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrumen tcluster go out.
i When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0, i.e. key removed.
i The engine can be turned off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for three seconds.
This function operates independently of the
ECO start/stop automatic engine switch-
off function. 174
ParkingDriving and parking

Parking brake
X
To apply: depress parking brake ;firmly.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
X To release: depress the brake pedal and
keep it depressed.
X Pull release handle :.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than four weeks, the battery may be damaged
by exhaustive discharge.
X Disconnect the battery (Y page 348) or
connect it to a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, the vehicle may suffer dam-
age as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
General driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off G
WARNING
Never switch the engine off while the vehicle
is in motion.
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the service brake when the engine is not
running.
You will require considerably more effort to
steer and brake, and you could therefore lose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident. Engine oil
! Vehicles with adiesel particle filter:
If the vehicle is mostly driven for short dis-
tances, it is possible that malfunctions may
occur during the automatic cleaning of the
diesel particle filter. This can lead to engine
damage. Therefore, if you frequently drive
short distances, make sure to drive on
motorways or country roads for 20 minutes
at least every 500 km. Brakes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
WARNING
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking.
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must shift to a lower gear in good time or, Driving tips
175Driving and parking Z

on vehicles with automatic transmission,
select shift range
1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
Never depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by applying constant slight
pedal pressure. This causes the brake system
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet road surface If driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes when brak-
ing for the first time. This may also occur after
the vehicle has been washed.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion. Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads G
WARNING
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in the
braking effect, resulting in a significantly lon-
ger braking distance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you are
driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake discs.
New brake pads/linings G
WARNING
New brake pads/linings only reach their opti-
mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Before this optimum brak-
ing effect is reached, you should compensate
for the reduced braking effect by applying
greater pressure when braking. This also
applies after the brake discs or the brake
pads/linings have been replaced.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety. 176
Driving tipsDriving and parking