warning light MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS SALOON 2011 Owner's Manual

measures (PRE-SAFE
®
) are activated simul-
taneously.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
R you release the brake pedal.
R there is no longer any dange rofarear-end
collision.
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
BAS PLUS is then deactivated.
Vehicles with COMAND and navigation sys-
tem: the rada rsensor system is switched off
automatically in the vicinity of radio telescope
facilities (Y page 389).
Vehicles without COMAND and a navigation
system and vehicles for Australia: the radar
sensor system and on-board computer must
be switched off in the vicinity of radio tele-
scope facilities ( Ypage 242).
For BASP LUS to assist you when driving, the
radars ensor system must be switched on and
operational; see "Rada rsensor system" in the
index. G
WARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations. BAS
PLUS cannot intervene in these cases.
There is a risk of an accident. Always pay
careful attention to the traffic situation and be
ready to brake.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else cover-
ing the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example in multi-storey car parks R
a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line G
WARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, BAS PLUS may not intervene in
critical situations. There is a risk of an acci-
dent .Always pay careful attention to the traf-
fic situation and be ready to brake.
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
If BA SPLUS is not available due to a malfunc-
tion in the radars ensor system, the brake
system remains available with full brake
boosting effect and BAS. Adaptive brake lamps
i Adaptive brake lamps are only available in
certain countries.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/ho rifbraking is assisted by BAS
or BAS PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly.
In this way, traffic travelling behind you is
warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically.Ift he
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously.T he hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h .You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning switch button (Y page 121).74
Driving safety systemsSafety

if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited, and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
star tto spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
X To deactivate:(Y page 237).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. G
WARNING
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and åwarning
lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not availa-
ble due to a malfunction.
There is an increased risk of your vehicle skid-
ding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.
X To activate:(Y page 237).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(AMG
vehicles) Activating/deactivating SPORT handling
mode
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started. It may be best to activate SPORT handling
mode in the following situations:
R
when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
Otherwise, you should only use SPORT han-
dling mode on designated race circuits. G
WARNING
Deactivate SPORT handling mode and acti-
vate ESP ®
as soon as the situations described
above no longer apply. Otherwise, SPORT
handling mode will only be able to stabilise
the vehicle to a limited degree if the vehicle
starts to skid or a wheel starts to spin.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R the engine's torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels can spin. The
spinning of the wheels results in a cutting
action, which provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a
limited degree. 76
Driving safety systemsSafety

X
To activate: briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
The SPORT handling mode message
appears in the multifunctio ndisplay.
X To deactivate: briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrumen tcluster goes out.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
WARNING
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels are able to spin .The spin-
ning of the wheels results in a cutting
action, which provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; it is also
not activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
intervenes.
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available;
nor is it activated if you brake firmly and
ESP ®
intervenes.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrumentc luster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle. X
To deactivate: press button:until the
å ESP®
OFF warning lamp light sup in
the instrument cluster.
The ÷OFF message appears in the mul-
tifunction display. G
WARNING
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and åwarning
lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not availa-
ble due to a malfunction.
There is an increased risk of your vehicle skid-
ding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.
X To activate: briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ON message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation ESP
®
trailer stabilisation is not available in
AMG vehicles.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer
combination) begins to lurch, you can only
stabilise the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
In this situation, ESP ®
assists you and can
detec tifthe vehicle/trailer combination Driving safety systems
77Safety Z

begins to lurch. ESP
®
slows the vehicle down
by braking and limiting the engine output until
the vehicle/trailer combination has stabi-
lised.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 65 km/h. G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent
the trailer from swervin gand will thus be
unable to reduce the ris kofanaccident. Trail-
ers with a high centre of gravity can tip over
before ESP ®
can detect this.
Trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function. EBD (electronic brake forc
edistribu-
tion)
i Observe the "Importan tsafety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 72).
EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking. G
WARNING
If EB Dhas malfunctioned, the braking system
remains available with full brake boosting
effect .However, the rear wheels can still lock,
e.g. under full braking. This could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and cause an
accident .You should therefore adapt your
driving style to the different handling charac-
teristics.
X Observe the notes on warning and indicator
lamps (Y page 293) as well as display mes-
sages (Y page 251) (4-button multifunc-
tion steering wheel) and ( Ypage 257) (12-
button multifunction steering wheel). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In addi-
tion to the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE
also has the HOLD function (Y page 193) and
hill start assist (Y page 156). For further
information, see Driving tips (Y page 175). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 72).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimise
the risk of a frontal collision with a vehicle
ahead or reduce the effect sofsuch a colli-
sion. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk
of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically as well as by automatic braking.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot prevent a collision
without your intervention.
This function will issue a warning at speeds of
around 30 km/h or more if:
R for a period of several seconds, the dis-
tance to the vehicle in fron tis too short for
the speed at which you are travelling. The
· distance warning lamp then lights up
in the instrument cluster.
R you are rapidly approaching the vehicle in
front. An intermittent warning tone will
then sound and the ·distance warning
lamp will light up in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so. 78
Driving safety systemsSafety

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).Key
Key functions
Locking an dunlocking centrally The key centrally locks/unlocks:
R
the doors
R the boot lid/tailgate
R the fuel filler flap G
WARNING
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key, the double lock
function is activated as standard. It is then not
possible to open the doors from inside the
vehicle.
Therefore, do not leave any people behind in
the vehicle, particularly children, elderly peo-
ple or people in need of special assistance if
the vehicle has been locked with the key. As
a result, they may not be able to free them-
selves in the event of an emergency. As a
result, they could be seriously or even fatally
injured by prolonged exposure to extremely
high or low temperatures, for example. In this
case, rescuing people from outside the vehi-
cle is difficult.
Deactivate the interior motion sensor before
you lock the vehicle with the key. The doors
can then be opened from the inside after the vehicle has been locked from the outside with
the key. G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open a door from inside the vehicle at any
time, even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using akey which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake
They could thereby endanger themselves and
others. Never leave children unsupervised in
the vehicle. Always take the key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time. G
WARNING
If a key ring is too heavy or too large, the
weight acting on the key could cause it to turn
in the ignition lock or catch on the steering
wheel. This could cause the engine to be
switched off suddenly. You may lose control
of the vehicle and cause an accident. Do not
attach any heavy or large key rings to the key
that is inserted in the ignition. :
& To lock the vehicle
; F To unlock the boot lid/tailgate
= % To unlock the vehicle
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer (Y page 241).84
KeyOpening and closing

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The engine cannot be
started using the key. The on-board voltage is too low.
X
Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
X Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Y page 346).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 350).
or
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine cannot be
started using the key. The steering lock is mechanically blocked.
X
Remove the key and reinsert it into the ignition lock. While doing
this, turn the steering wheel in both directions. The engine cannot be
started using KEYLESS-
GO. The key is in the
vehicle. Ad
oor is open. Therefore, the key cannot be detected as easily.
X Close the door and try to start the vehicle again. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X
Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. Doors
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key, the double lock
function is activated as standard. It is then not
possible to open the doors from inside the
vehicle.
Therefore, do not leave any people behind in
the vehicle, particularly children, elderly peo-
ple or people in need of special assistance if
the vehicle has been locked with the key. As
a result, they may not be able to free them-
selves in the event of an emergency. As a
result, they could be seriously or even fatally
injured by prolonged exposure to extremely
high or low temperatures, for example. In this
case, rescuing people from outside the vehi-
cle is difficult. Deactivate the interior motion sensor before
you lock the vehicle with the key. The doors
can then be opened from the inside after the
vehicle has been locked from the outside with
the key.
G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open a door from inside the vehicle at any
time, even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using akey which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake
They could thereby endanger themselves and
others. Never leave children unsupervised in
the vehicle. Always take the key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time. Doors
89Opening and closing Z

If the side window opens again slightly:
X Immediately pull the corresponding switch
on the door control panel until the side win-
dow is completely closed (Y page 97).
X Hold the switch for an additional second.
X If the corresponding side window remains
closed after the button has been released,
the side window has been reset correctly.
If this is not the case, repeatt he steps
above again. Problems with the side windows
Problem: aside window cannot be closed
because it is blocked by objects, e.g.
leaves in the window guide.
X Remove the objects.
X Close the side window.
Problem :aside window cannot be closed
and you cannot see the cause. G
WARNING
Closing the side windows with increased force
or without the anti-entrapment feature could
lead to serious or even fatal injury. Make sure
that nobody can become trapped when clos-
ing the side windows.
If a side window is obstructed during closing
and reopens again slightly:
X Immediately afte rthe window blocks, pull
the corresponding switch again until the
side window has closed.
The side window is closed with increased
force.
If a side window is obstructed again during
closing and reopens again slightly:
X Immediately after the window blocks, pull
the corresponding switch again until the
side window has closed.
The side window is closed without the anti-
entrapment feature. Sliding sunroof
Important safety notes
Your vehicle may be fitted with a sliding sun-
roof or a panorama sliding sunroof. In the fol-
lowing section, the term "sliding sunroof"
refers to both types of sliding sunroof. G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
when opening and closing the sliding sunroof.
If there is a risk of entrapment, release the
switch immediately. During automatic opera-
tion, push the switch briefly in any direction
to stop the sliding sunroof. G
WARNING
Children could injure themselves if they oper-
ate the sliding sunroof.
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. Always take the key with you when leaving
the vehicle, even if you are only leaving it for
a short time. G
WARNING
The glass in the panorama sunroof could
break in an accident. If you are not wearing a
seat belt, there is a risk that you could be
thrown through the opening in the event of the
vehicle overturning. Therefore, always wear a
seat belt to reduce the risk of injuries.
! Only open the panorama sliding sunroof
if it is free of snow and ice. Otherwise, mal-
functions may occur.
Do not allow anything to protrude from the
sliding sunroof. Otherwise, the seals could
be damaged.
i Resonance noises can occur in addition
to the usual airflow noises when the sliding
sunroof is open. They are caused by minor
pressure fluctuations in the vehicle interior.
Change the position of the sliding sunroof
or open a side window slightly to reduce or
eliminate these noises. Sliding sunroof
99Opening and closing Z

Operating the panorama sliding sun-
roof
Opening and closing Overhead control panel
:
To raise
; Opening
= To close/lower
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X Push or pull the 3switch in the corre-
sponding direction.
i If you press the 3switch beyond the
point of resistance, an automatic opening/
closing process is started in the corre-
sponding direction. You can stop automatic
operation by pressing again.
Rain closing feature When the key is in position
0in the ignition
lock or is removed, the panorama sliding sun-
roof closes automatically:
R if it starts to rain
R at extreme outside temperatures
R after six hours
R if there is a malfunction in the power supply
The panorama sliding sunroof remains raised
at the rear in order to allow ventilation of the
vehicle interior.
i If the panorama sliding sunroof is obstruc-
ted when being closed by the rain closing
feature, it opens again slightly. The rain
closing feature is then deactivated. The panorama sliding sunroof does not close
if:
R
it is raised at the rear.
R it is blocked.
R no rain is falling on the area of the wind-
screen being monitored by the rain sensor
(e.g. because the vehicle is under a bridge
or in a carport). Operating the panorama sliding sun-
roof roller sunblinds
General notes The roller sunblinds shield the vehicle interior
from sunlight. The two roller sunblinds can
only be opened and closed together when the
panorama sliding sunroof is closed.
G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as you open or close the roller sunblinds.
Opening and closing Overhead control panel
:
To open
; To open
= To close
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press or pull the 3switch in the corre-
sponding direction.
i If you press the 3switch beyond the
point of resistance, an automatic opening/ Sliding sunroof
101Opening and closing Z

closing process is started in the corre-
sponding direction. You can stop automatic
operation by pressing again.
Resetting the panorama sliding sunroof
and the rolle rsunblinds Reset the panorama sliding sunroo
fand the
rolle rsunblinds if the panorama sliding sun-
roo fort he roller sunblinds do not move
smoothly.
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press the 3switch to the point of resist-
ance in the direction of arrow ;and hold
it until the panorama sliding sunroof has
opened about 10 cm.
X Pull the 3switch repeatedly to the point
of resistance in the direction of arrow =
until the panorama sliding sunroof is fully
closed.
X Keep the 3switch pulled for an addi-
tional second.
X Press the 3switch to the point of resist-
ance in the direction of arrow ;and hold
it until the roller sunblinds are open 10 cm.
X Pull the 3switch repeatedly to the point
of resistance in the direction of arrow =
until the roller sunblinds are fully closed.
X Keep the 3switch pulled for an addi-
tional second.
X Make sure that the panorama sliding sun-
roof and the roller sunblinds can be fully
opened and closed again (Y page 101).
X If this is not the case, repeat the steps
above again.
! If the panorama sliding sunroof and the
roller sunblind cannot be fully opened or
closed after resetting, contact a qualified
specialist workshop. Problems with the sliding sunroof
Your vehicle may be fitted with a sliding sun-
roof or a panorama sliding sunroof. In the fol- lowing section, the term "sliding sunroof"
refers to both types of sliding sunroof.
Problem: the sunroof cannot be closed
and you cannot see the cause. G
WARNING
You could be severely or even fatally injured
when closing the sliding sunroof with
increased closing force or if the anti-entrap-
ment feature is deactivated. Make sure that
nobody can become trapped when closing the
sliding sunroof.
If the sliding sunroof is obstructed during
closing and reopens again slightly:
X Immediately after the sliding sunroof
blocks, pull the 3switch in the over-
head control panel down to the point of
resistance and hold it until the sliding sun-
roof is closed.
The sliding sunroof is closed with increased
force.
If the sliding sunroof is obstructed again dur-
ing closing and reopens again slightly:
X Immediately after the sliding sunroof
blocks, pull the 3switch in the over-
head control panel down to the point of
resistance and hold it until the sliding sun-
roof is closed.
The sliding sunroof is closed without the
anti-entrapment feature. 102
Sliding sunroofOpening and closing

X
To lower: press release catch :and push
the head restraint down until it is in the
desired position.
Adjusting the rear seat head restraint
angle
Adjust the head restraints so tha tthey are as
close as possible to your head.
You can only adjust the two outer head
restraints. X
Pull or push the bottom of the head
restraint until it is in the desired position.
Fitting/removing the rear seat head
restraints 7 G
WARNING
Occupants should only travel sitting on seats
which have the head restraints installed. This
reduces the risk of injury to the passengers in
the rear in the event of an accident. X
Release the rear seat backrest and fold it
slightly forwards (Y page 305).
X To remove: pull the head restraint up to
the stop.
X Press release catch :and pull the head
restraint out of the guides.
X To refit: insert the head restraint so that
the notches on the bar are on the left when
viewed in the direction of travel.
X Push the head restraint down until you hear
it engage in position.
X Fold back the rear seat backrest until it
engages. Adjusting the multicontour seat
You can adjust the contour of the front seats
individually so as to provide optimum support
for your back and sides. :
To adjust the thigh cushion
; To adjust the backrest contour in the lum-
bar region
= To adjust the backrest contour in the
upper back region
? To adjust the side bolsters of the seat
backrest
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
7 Except for Saloons without the through-loading feature. 108
SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors