bonnet MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS SALOON 2011 Owner's Manual

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
# The battery is no
tbeing charged.
Aw arning tone also sounds.
Possible causes:
R faulty alternator
R torn poly-V-belt
R a malfunction in the electronics
X Stop the vehicle immediately, paying attentio ntoroad and traf-
fic conditions, and switch off the engine.
X Open the bonnet.
X Check whether the poly-V-belt is torn.
If the poly-V-belt is torn:
! Do not continue driving. The engine could otherwise overheat.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
If the poly-V-belt is OK:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 4
Check eng. oil
level when next
refuelling The oil level has dropped to the minimum level.
Aw
arning tone also sounds.
X Chec kthe oil level, at the latest when next refuelling
(Y page 323).
X If necessary, top up the engine oil (Y page 324).
X Have the engine checked at a qualified specialist workshop if
the engine oil needs topping up more often than usual. 8
Reserve fuel level The fuel level has dropped into the reserve range.
Operation of the auxiliary heating is deactivated when the fuel level
drops into the reserve range.
X
Refuel at the nearest filling station. C There is only a very small amount of fuel in the fuel tank.
The auxiliary heating cannot be operated.
X
Refuel at the nearest filling station without fail. ¸
Replace
air cleaner Vehicles with a diesel engine: the engine air filter is dirty and must
be replaced.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. !
Clean
the fuel fil‐
ter Vehicles with a diesel engine: there is water in the fuel filter. The
water must be drained off.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Display messages
271On-board computer and displays Z

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
With the Hold function activated, you have either:
R
opened the driver's doo rand released the sea tbelt or
R switched off the engine or
R opened the bonnet
At one may also sound at regular intervals. The tone becomes
louder if you attempt to lock the vehicle.
You cannot start the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
You can restart the engine. N Saloon: the boot lid is open.
X
Close the boot lid. A Estate: the tailgate is open.
X
Close the tailgate. Mor? G
Risk of accident
Vehicles with an anti-theft alarm system: the bonnet is open. A
warning tone also sounds.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Close the bonnet. C At least one door is open.
Awarning tone also sounds.
X Close all doors. Rear left seat
backr. not locked
or
Rear right seat backrest not locked G
Risk of injury
Vehicles with the through-loading feature in the rear bench seat:
The backres tinthe rear is not engaged on the left-hand and/or
right-hand side. Awarning tone also sounds.
X Push the backres tback until it engages . 284
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
While the HOLD function or DISTRONIC PLU
Sis active, you have:
R opened the driver's door and released the seat belt or
R switched off the engine or
R opened the bonnet
At one may also sound at regular intervals. The tone becomes
louder if you attempt to lock the vehicle.
You cannot start the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
You can restart the engine. N Saloon: the boot lid is open.
X
Close the boot lid. A Estate: the tailgate is open.
X
Close the tailgate. Mor? G
Risk of accident
Vehicles with an anti-theft alarm system: the bonnet is open. A
warning tone also sounds.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Close the bonnet. C At least one door is open.
Awarning tone also sounds.
X Close all doors. _
Rear left seat
backrest not locked
or
Rear right seat backrest not locked G
Risk of injury
Saloon with through-loading feature in the rear bench seat:
The backres tinthe rear is not engaged on the left-hand and/or
right-hand side. Awarning tone also sounds.
X Push the backres tback until it engages. 286
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays

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 28).Engine compartment
Bonnet
Opening the bonnet G
WARNING
Do no tpull the release leve rwhile the vehicle
is in motion. If you do so, the bonnet may open
up and block your view. G
WARNING
There is a risk of injury if the bonnet is open,
even if the engine is not running.
Some engine components can become very
hot.
To avoid the risk of burns, only touch those
components described in the Owner's Manual
and observe the relevant safety notes. G
WARNING
The radiator fan between the radiator and the
engine can start automatically, even if the key
has been removed from the ignition lock. For
this reason, you must not reach into the fan
rotation area. You could otherwise be injured. Vehicles with
apetrol engine: The elec-
tronic ignitio nsystem uses high voltage. For
this reason, you mus tnever touch ignition
system components (ignition coil, ignition
cables, spark plug connectors or test socket)
while:
R the engine is running
R the engine is being started
R the ignition is switched on and the engine
is being cranked by hand
You could otherwise suffer an electric shock
and be seriously or even fatally injured.
Vehicles with adiesel engine: The elec-
tronic injection control uses high voltage. For
this reason, you must never touch injection
system components while:
R the engine is running
R the engine is being started
R the ignition is switched on
You could otherwise suffer an electric shock
and be seriously or even fatally injured.
X Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
switched off. G
WARNING
The windscreen wipers and wiper linkage
could be set in motion.
When the bonnet is open, you or others could
be injured by the wiper linkage.
Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
switched off. Remove the key or make sure
that no ignition position has been selected
with KEYLESS-GO. All indicator lamps must be
off in the instrument panel. 322
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care

X
Pull release lever :on the bonnet.
The bonnet is released.
! Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
not folded away from the windscreen .Oth-
erwise, you could damage the windscreen
wipers or the bonnet. X
Reach into the gap, pull bonnet catch han-
dle ;up and lift the bonnet.
If you lift the bonnet by approximately
40 cm, the bonnet is opened and held open
automatically by the gas-filled strut.
Closing the bonnet G
WARNING
Make sure tha tnobody can become trapped
as you close the bonnet. X
Lower the bonnet and let it fall from a
height of approximately 20 cm.
X Check that the bonnet has engaged prop-
erly.
If the bonnet can be raised slightly, it is not
properly engaged. Open it again and close
it with a little more force. Radiator
i Vehicles with diesel engine: do not
cover the radiator. Do not use thermal
mats, insect protection covers or anything
similar. Doing so can cause the Onboard
Diagnostics System to display inaccurate
values. Some of these values are legally
required and must be correct. Engine oil
Notes on the oil level Depending on driving style, the vehicle con-
sumes a maximum of 0.8 l oil per 1000 km.
The oil consumption may be higher than this
when the vehicle is new or if you frequently
drive at high engine speeds.
Checking the oil level using the oil dip-
stick
Example: vehicles with a petrol engine Engine compartment
323Maintenance and care Z

X
Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin,
oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently
with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or
lighte rfluid.
X Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
X Use silicone remover to remove wax.
! Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Care and treatment of matt paintwork If your vehicle has a clear mat
tfinish, observe
the following instructions in order to avoid
damage to the paintwork due to incorrect
care.
These notes also apply to light alloy wheels
with a clear mat tfinish.
! Neve rpolish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishing makes the paintwork
shiny.
! The following may cause the paint to
become shiny and thus reduce the matt
effect:
R Vigorous rubbing with unsuitable mate-
rials.
R Frequent use of car washes.
R Washing the vehicle in direct sunlight.
! Never use paint cleaner, buffing or pol-
ishing products, or gloss preserver, e.g.
wax. These products are only suitable for
high-gloss surfaces. Their use on vehicles
with matt finish leads to considerable sur-
face damage (shiny, spotted areas).
Always have paintwork repairs performed
at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
! Do not use wash programs with a hot wax
treatment under any circumstances. i
The vehicle should preferably be washed
by hand using a soft sponge, car shampoo
and plenty of water.
i Use only insect remover and car shampoo
from the range of recommended and
approved Mercedes-Benz care products.
Cleaning the windows G
WARNING
Switch off the windscreen wipers and remove
the key from the ignition lock before cleaning
the windscreen or the wiper blades. On vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop
button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster have gone off. The
windscreen wipers could otherwise move and
injure you.
! Only fold the windscreen wipers away
from the windscreen when vertical. Other-
wise, you will damage the bonnet.
X Clean the inside and outside of the win-
dows with a damp cloth and a cleaning
agent that is recommended and approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
! Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows.
Do not touch the insides of the windows
with hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or
ring. There is otherwise a risk of damaging
the windows.
! Clean the water drainage channels of the
windscreen and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals
and pollen may under certain circumstan-
ces prevent water from draining away.T his
can lead to corrosion damage and damage
to electronic components.
Cleaning the wiper blades G
WARNING
Switch off the windscreen wipers and remove
the key from the ignition lock before cleaning Care
329Maintenance and care
Z

the windscree
northe wiper blades. On vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop
button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster have gone off. The
windscreen wipers could otherwise move and
injure you.
! Only fold the windscreen wipers away
from the windscreen when vertical. Other-
wise, you will damage the bonnet.
! Do not pull on the wiper blade. Otherwise,
the wiper blade could be damaged.
! Do not clean wiper blades too often and
do not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the
graphite coating could be damaged. This
could cause wiper noise.
X Fold the wiper arms away from the wind-
screen.
X Cleant he wiper blades carefully using a
damp cloth.
X Fold the windscreen wipers back again
before switching on the ignition.
! Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windscreen could be damaged if
the wiper arm hits against it suddenly.
Cleaning the exterior lighting X
Cleant he plastic lenses of the exterior
lighting using a wet sponge and a mild
cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Ben zcar
shampoo or cleaning cloths.
! Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths could scratch or damage the plastic
lenses of the exterior lighting. Cleaning the sensors
X
Clean sensors :of the driving systems
with water, car shampoo and a sof tcloth.
! If you clean the sensors with a high-pres-
sure cleaner, make sure that you keep a
distance of at least 30 cm between the
vehicle and the high-pressure cleaner noz-
zle. Information about the correct distance
is available fro mthe equipment manufac-
turer.
Cleaning the reversing camera Example: Saloon
X
Use clear water and a soft cloth to clean
camera lens :.
! Do not clean the camera lens and the area
around the reversing camera with a high-
pressure cleaner. 330
CareMaintenance and care

recycled in an environmen-
tally responsible manner.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre, or to a special col-
lection point for old batter-
ies.
G
WARNING
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use batteries which have
been tested and approved for yourv ehicle by
Mercedes-Benz .These batteries provide
increased impact protection to prevent vehi-
cle occupants from suffering acid burns
should the battery be damaged in the event
of an accident.
To prevent acid burns, observe the following
safety notes when handling batteries:
R do not lean over the battery.
R do not place any metal objects on a battery.
Otherwise, you could cause a short circuit
and the battery's gas mixture could ignite.
R make sure that you do not create an elec-
trostatic charge, e.g. by wearing synthetic
clothing or as a result of friction on fabrics.
Therefore, you should not pull or slide the
battery over carpets or other synthetic
materials.
R never touch the battery first. To discharge
a possible electrostatic charge, step out of
the vehicle first and touch the bodywork.
R do not wipe the battery using a cloth. The
battery may explode as a result of electro-
static charge or due to flying sparks.
! Switch off the engine and remove the key
before disconnecting the terminal clamps
from the battery. On vehicles with KEY-
LESS-GO, make sure that the ignition is
switched off. Check that all the indicator
lamps in the instrumentc luster are off.You may otherwise destroy electronic compo-
nents, such as the alternator.
i When you park the vehicle, remove the
key if you do not require any electrical con-
sumers. The vehicle will then use very little
energy, thus conserving battery power.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you do not
carry out work on batteries yourself, e.g.
removing or charging. Have this work per-
formed at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g.
a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Installation location of the battery
Your vehicle is equipped with a battery in the
engine compartment. It is fitted in front of the
front bulkhead on the right-hand side of the
vehicle when viewed in the direction of travel.
AMG vehicles: the battery is in the boot/
luggage compartment in the spare wheel well
on the right-hand side under the boot/lug-
gage compartment floor.
X Apply the parking brake firmly and, on vehi-
cles with automatic transmission, shift the
transmission to position P.
X Switch off all electrical consumers (e.g.
radio, blower, etc.).
X Turn the key to position 0(Ypage 153) in
the ignition lock and remove it, or, on vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO, make sure that the
ignition has been switched off
(Y page 153). All indicator lamps in the
instrument cluster must be off.
X Battery in the engine compartment:
open the bonnet (Y page 322). Battery
347Breakdown assistance Z

X
Switch off all electrical consumers (e.g.
radio, blower, etc.).
X Connect the positive terminal clamp and
secure the cover.
X Connect the negative terminal clamp.
X Battery in the engine compartment: put
the filter box back in place.
X Clip in the filter box's retaining clamps and
close them.
X Close the bonnet.
X AMG vehicles: fold downand close the
boot/luggage compartment floor.
X Close the boot/luggage compartment.
i If the powe rsupply has been interrupted,
e.g. if you reconnect the battery, you will
have to:
R set the clock; see the separate operating
instructions.
R reset the function for automatically fold-
ing the exterio rmirrors in/out by folding
the mirrors out once (Y page 113).Charging the battery
G
WARNING
Only charge the battery in a well-ventilated
area. As the battery is being charged, gases
can escape and generate minor explosions.
This could injure you and other persons or
cause damage to the paintwork or acid cor-
rosio nont he vehicle.
You can obtain information about battery
chargers which allow the battery to be
charged while still installed from a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. aMercedes-Benz
Service Centre. G
WARNING
There is a risk of acid burns during the charg-
ing process due to the gases which escape
from the battery. Do not lean over the battery
during the charging process. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. Avoid contact with the
skin, eyes or clothing.
! Only charge the installed battery with a
battery charger which has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz .These battery
chargers allow the battery to be charged
while still installed.
! Only use battery chargers with a maxi-
mum charging voltage of 14.8 V.
! Only charge the battery using the jump-
start connection point.
The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment (Y page 350).
X Open the bonnet (Y page 322).
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 procedure
(Y page 350).
X Read the battery charger's operating
instructions before charging the battery. Battery
349Breakdown assistance Z

Jump-starting
G
WARNING
There is a risk of acid burns when jump-starting a vehicle due to the gases which escape from
the battery. Do not lean over the battery while the engine is being jump-started. G
WARNING
Gases escaping from the battery during jump-starting may cause minor explosions. Avoid cre-
ating sparks. Keep naked flames away from the battery, and do not smoke.
Comply with safety precautions when handling batteries. You will find these under "Battery" in
the index.
! Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may dam-
age the catalytic converter 18
and create a risk of fire.
Do not use a rapid-charging device to start the engine.
Make sure the jump leads are not damaged.
Make sure the jump leads are not touching any other metal objects when they are connected
to the battery.
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:
X The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible,
jump-start the vehicle using a second battery or ajump-starting device.
X Only jump-start the vehicle when the engine is cold and the catalyti cconverter system has
cooled down 19
.
X Do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
X Jump-starting may only be performed from batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
X Only use jump leads which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
X Make sure that the jump leads cannot come into contact with parts, such as the pulley or
the fan. These parts move when the engine is started and while it is running.
X 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.T his charges the empty battery a little.
i Jump leads and further information about jump-starting can be obtained from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, for example.
X Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
X Apply the parking brake firmly.
X Manual transmission: engage neutral.
X Automatic transmission: move the selector lever toP.
X Switch off all electrical consumers (e.g. radio, blower, etc.).
X Open the bonnet (Y page 322).
18 Only vehicles with a petrol engine.
19 Only vehicles with a petrol engine. 350
Jump-startingBreakdown assistance