door information MERCEDES-BENZ C280 2006 W203 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting Safety Defects ............... 18
Vehicle data recording......................... 19
Information regarding electronic
recording devices........................... 19
At a glance.......................................... 21
Cockpit ................................................. 22
Instrument cluster ................................ 24
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 26
Center console ..................................... 27
Upper part ...................................... 27
Lower part ...................................... 28
Overhead control panel ........................ 29
Door control panel................................ 30
Getting started................................... 31
Unlocking ............................................. 32
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 32
Starter switch positions .................. 33
Adjusting .............................................. 35
Seats .............................................. 35
Steering wheel ................................ 40
Mirrors ............................................ 43
Driving .................................................. 45
Fastening the seat belt ................... 45
Starting the engine ......................... 48
Parking brake ................................. 50
Driving ............................................ 51
Switching on headlamps ................. 52
Turn signals .................................... 53
Windshield wipers ........................... 53
Problems while driving.................... 56
Parking and locking .............................. 57
Parking brake ................................. 58
Switching off headlamps................. 59
Turning off engine ........................... 59
Releasing seat belts........................ 59
Locking ........................................... 60

32 Getting startedThe “Getting started” section provides an
overview of the vehicle’s most basic func-
tions. First-time Mercedes-Benz owners
should pay special attention to the infor-
mation given here.
If you are already familiar with the basic
functions described here, the “Controls in
detail” section (
page 98) will provide you
with further information. The correspond-
ing page references are located at the end
of each segment.
Unlocking
Unlocking with the SmartKeySmartKey with remote control 1‹Lock button
2ŠOpening button for trunk
3ŒUnlock button
4ÂPanic button* (
page 86)

Press unlock buttonΠon the
SmartKey.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
locking knobs in the doors move up.
The anti-theft alarm system* is
disarmed.

Get in the vehicle and insert the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 98).
iCanada only:
Only vehicles equipped with an
anti-theft alarm system* have
SmartKeys with integrated panic
button*4.

35 Getting started
Adjusting
Adjusting
Seats
The seats can be adjusted either manually
or electrically, depending on the vehicle’s
equipment.
For more information, see “Seats”
(page 109).Warning!
G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
back in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide un-
der the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the belt would apply force at the ab-
domen or neck. That could cause serious or
fatal injuries. The seat back and seat belts
provide the best restraint when the wearer
is in a nearly upright position and belts are
properly positioned on the body. Your seat
must be adjusted so that you can correctly
fasten your seat belt (
page 45).
Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being
adjusted.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle.
Even with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch, the power seats* can be
operated when the respective door is open.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

38 Getting startedAdjustingHead restraint tilt
Manually adjust the angle of the head
restraint.
Push or pull on the lower edge of the
head restraint cushion.
For more information, see “Seats”
(
page 109).Power seat* adjustment
The seat adjustment switches are located
on the respective front door.
1Head restraint height
2Seat height
3Seat cushion tilt
4Seat fore and aft adjustment
5Seat backrest tilt

Switch on the ignition (
page 33).
or

Open the respective door.Seat fore and aft adjustment

Press switch forward or backward in
direction of arrow4.
Adjust seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach
the accelerator/brake pedal safely.
The position should be as far rearward
as possible, consistent with ability to
properly operate controls.iThe memory function* (
page 115)
lets you store the settings for the pow-
er seat*, the steering wheel adjust-
ment (electrical*) and the exterior rear
view mirrors.

48 Getting startedDriving
Starting the engine Manual transmission
Gearshift pattern for manual transmissionFor more information, see “Manual trans-
mission” (
page 160).
Warning!
G
Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the effective-
ness of the belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as garage) which are not properly ven-
tilated. If you think that exhaust gas fumes
are entering the vehicle while driving, have
the cause determined and corrected imme-
diately. If you must drive under these condi-
tions, drive only with at least one window
fully open.

59 Getting started
Parking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn exterior lamp switch
toM(
page 52).
For more information, see “Lighting”
(
page 118).
Turning off engine 
Manual transmission: Move the gear-
shift lever into first or reverse gear.

Automatic transmission*: Place the
gear selector lever in positionP.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0.

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
The immobilizer is activated.
Releasing seat belts
Press the seat belt release button
(page 46).
Allow the retractor to completely
rewind the seat belt by guiding the
latch plate.
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to positionP (manual
transmission: first or reverse gear).
On slopes, turn the front wheels
towards the road curb. iVehicles with automatic transmission:
The SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in positionP.
!Make sure the seat belt retracts fully so
that the seat belt and/or latch plate
cannot get caught or pinched in the
door or in the seat mechanism. This
can damage the seat belt and impair
the effectiveness of the seat belt,
and/or cause damage to the door
and/or door trim panel. Such damage
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

60 Getting startedParking and lockingLocking

Exit the vehicle and close all doors.

Press the lock button‹ on the
SmartKey (
page 32).
With the hood, trunk and all doors
closed, all turn signal lamps flash three
times. The locking knobs in the doors
move down.
The anti-theft alarm system* is armed.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 98).
Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, make sure there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsuper-
vised use of vehicle equipment may cause
an accident and/or serious personal injury.iWith the SmartKey removed and the
driver’s door open, a warning sounds if
the vehicle’s exterior lamps are not
switched off.
The message
Switch off lights
ap-
pears in the multifunction display.

71 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Enhanced seat belt reminder system
When the engine is started, the seat belt
telltale< illuminates for a maximum of
6 seconds and a warning chime sounds to
remind you and your passengers to fasten
your seat belts.
If after these 6 seconds the driver’s or the
front passenger’s seat belt (with the front
passenger seat occupied) are not fastened
with all doors closed,

and the vehicle speed does not exceed
25 km/h, the seat belt telltale<
remains illuminated for as long as ei-
ther the driver's or front passenger’s
seat belt is not fastened.


and the vehicle speed exceeds
25 km/h, the seat belt telltale<
starts flashing and a warning chime
sounds with increasing intensity until
both the driver’s and front passenger’s
seat belt are fastened, or for a maxi-
mum of 60 seconds from the time the vehicle speed exceeded 25 km/h if ei-
ther the driver’s or front passenger's
seat belt remains unfastened.
If the driver’s or front passenger’s seat
belt remains unfastened after
60 seconds, the seat belt telltale<
stops flashing and the warning chime
stops sounding. The seat belt
telltale< then continues to be illu-
minated for as long as either the driv-
er’s or front passenger’s seat belt are
not fastened.
The seat belt telltale< will only go out
if both the driver and front passenger’s
seat belt (with the front passenger seat oc-
cupied) are fastened, or the vehicle is
standing still and a front door is opened.
For more information on the seat belt
telltale<, see “Practical hints”
(
page 355).


Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat
belt around a person and another per-
son or other objects.


Belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you wouldn’t have the full width
of the belt to manage impact forces. The
twisted belt against your body could
cause injuries.


Pregnant women should also use a
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible
on the hips to avoid any possible pres-
sure on the abdomen.


Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.

81 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Self-test Occupant Classification
System
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2, the
56indicator lamp1 located in
the center console illuminates. If an adult
occupant is properly sitting on the front
passenger seat and the system senses the
occupant as being an adult, the
56indicator lamp will illuminate
and go out after approximately 6 seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the system
senses the front passenger seat as being
empty, the 56indicator lamp will
illuminate and not go out. For more information, see “Lamp in center
console” (
page 357).
In order to ensure proper operation of the air
bag system and OCS:

Have the system checked as soon as
possible by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


Sit properly belted in a nearly upright
position with your back against the seat
backrest.


Do not lean on the armrests or lift your-
self from the seat by using the handle
over the door as this may cause the OCS
to be unable to correctly approximate
the occupant weight category.


Only have the seat repaired or replaced
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.


Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.
Warning!
G
If the 56indicator lamp should not
illuminate, the system is not functioning.
You must see an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center before seating any child on the front
passenger seat.
Warning!
G
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the Occupant Classifi-
cation System. The bottom of the child seat
must make full contact with the passenger
seat cushion. An incorrectly mounted child
seat could cause injuries to the child in case
of an accident, instead of increasing protec-
tion for the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of child seats.

85 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Blocking of rear door window operation
You can block the rear door window
operation (for instance when you have
children riding in the rear passenger
compartment).
The override switch is located on the door
control panel of the driver’s door.
1Deactivating override switch
2Activating override switch
3Override switchActivating override switch

Slide override switch3 to the right.
The rear door windows can no longer
be operated using the respective
switch located in the rear doors.
Deactivating override switch

Slide override switch3 to the left.
The rear door windows can be operated
again using the respective switch
located in the rear doors.
For more information, see “Power win-
dows” (
page 240).
Warning!
G
Activate the override switch when children
are riding in the back seats of the vehicle.
The children may otherwise injure them-
selves, e.g. by becoming trapped in the win-
dow opening.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsuper-
vised use of vehicle equipment can cause an
accident and/or serious personal injury.
iOperation of the rear door windows
with the switches located on the door
control panel of the driver’s door is still
possible.