steering MERCEDES-BENZ C350S 2010 W204 User Guide

FunctionPageFHands-free microphone for
Tele Aid (emergency call
system), telephone and
Voice Control System4
GRoadside Assistance
button (Tele Aid system)214
HLeft reading lamp on/off95IFront interior lighting on/
off95Door control panel, seat adjustment
Door control panel, vehicles with memory function
FunctionPage:Inside door handle 74;Central unlocking switch75=Seat adjustment82?Memory function (for
storing seat, exterior
mirror, and steering wheel
settings)89
AExterior rear view mirrors
adjustment86
Power-folding exterior rear
view mirrors, Canada only88
BSwitches for opening/
closing front and rear door
windows98
CRear door window override
switch594The Voice Control System is only available with the COMAND system. Refer to separate operatinginstructions.
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GWarning!
The SRS self-check has detected a
malfunction when the SRS indicator lamp
6
R does not come on at all
R fails to go out after approximately
4 seconds after the engine was started
R comes on after the engine was started or
while driving
For your safety, we strongly recommend that
you contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center immediately to have the system
checked. Otherwise the SRS may not be
activated when needed in an accident, which
could result in serious or fatal injury. The SRS
might also deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in injury
as well.
In addition, improper work on the SRS creates
a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment. Work
on the SRS must therefore only be performed
by qualified technicians. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system
to accommodate a person with disabilities,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
USA only: Call our Customer Assistance
Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) for details.
Air bags
GWarning!
Air bags are designed to reduce the potential
of injury and fatality in certain
R frontal impacts (front air bags and driver’s
side knee bag)
R side impacts (side impact air bags, window
curtain air bags and pelvis air bags)
However, no system available today can
completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
Deployment of the air bags temporarily
releases a small amount of dust from the air
bags. This dust, however, is neither harmful
to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in the
vehicle. The dust might cause some
temporary breathing difficulty for people with
asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get fresh
air by opening a window or door.GWarning!
To reduce the risk of injury when the front air
bags inflate, it is very important for the driver
and front passenger to always be in a properly
seated position and to wear their respective
seat belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the seat backrest.
Fasten your seat belt and make sure it is
properly positioned on your body.
Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
not wearing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
R Sit with the seat belt properly fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
R Move the driver’s seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver’s chest to the center of
the air bag cover on the steering wheel
must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) or more.
You should be able to accomplish this by
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
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you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
R Keep hands on the outside of the steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms inside
the rim can increase the risk and potential
severity of hand/arm injury when the driver
front air bag inflates.
R Adjust the front passenger seat as far as
possible rearward from the dashboard
when the seat is occupied.
R Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door where the side
impact air bag inflates. This could result in
serious injuries or death should the side
impact air bag be deployed. Always sit as
upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the size and
weight of the child.
R Canada only: Children 12 years old and
under must never ride in the front seat,
except in a Mercedes-Benz authorized
BabySmart™ compatible child seat, which
operates with the BabySmart™ air bag
deactivation system installed in the vehicle
to deactivate the front passenger front air
bag when it is installed properly. Otherwise
they will be struck by the air bag when it
inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious
or fatal injury will result.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you
make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator’s Manual.GWarning!
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children in an automobile is in a rear seat.
There is a possibility for a side impact air bag-
related injury if occupants, especially
children, are not properly seated or restrained
when next to a side impact air bag which
needs to deploy rapidly in a side impact in
order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:(1)Always sit as upright as possible,
wear the seat belt properly, and for
children 12 years old and under,
use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the
size and weight of the child.(2)Always wear seat belts properly.
Air bags are designed to deploy only in certain
R frontal impacts (front air bags and driver’s
side knee bag)
R side impacts (side impact air bags, pelvis
air bags and window curtain air bags) if the
system determines the need for air bag
deployment
Only in the event of such a situation will they
provide their supplemental protection.
The driver and passengers should always
wear their seat belts. Otherwise it is not
possible for the air bags to provide their
supplemental protection.
In case of other types of impacts and impacts
below air bag deployment thresholds, air
bags will not deploy. The driver and
passengers will then be protected to the
extent possible by a properly fastened seat
belt. A properly fastened seat belt is also
needed to provide the best possible
protection in a rollover.
Air bags are not a substitute for seat belts.
Always wear your seat belt, regardless of
whether or not your vehicle is equipped with
air bags.
It is important to your safety and that of your
passengers to have deployed air bags
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replaced and to have any malfunctioning air
bags repaired. This will help to make sure the
air bags will continue to provide supplemental
crash protection for occupants.
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD)
and air bag GWarning!
R Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident
must be replaced. Their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use seat belts
installed or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency
Tensioning Devices (ETDs) contain
perchlorate material, which may require
special handling and regard for the
environment. Check with your local
government’s disposal guidelines.
California residents, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/
Perchlorate/index.cfm .
R Air bags and ETDs are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD
that has deployed must be replaced.
R Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
R Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the seat belts.
R 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.
R No modifications of any kind may be made
to any components or wiring of the SRS.
R Do no change or remove any component or
part of the SRS.
R Do not install additional trim material, seat
covers, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, front passenger front air bag
cover, outboard sides of the seat
backrests, door trim panels, or door frame
trims.
R Do not install additional electrical/
electronic equipment on or near SRS
components and wiring.
R Keep area between air bags and occupants
free of objects (e.g. packages, purses,
umbrellas, etc.).
R Do not hang items such as coat hangers
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door. These items may be thrown around in
the vehicle and cause head and other
injuries when the window curtain air bag is
deployed.
R Air bag system components will be hot after
an air bag has inflated. Do not touch them.
R 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.
R Improper repair work on the SRS creates a
risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be
performed by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R For your protection and the protection of
others, when scrapping the air bag unit or
ETD, our safety instructions must be
followed. These instructions are available
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R Given the considerable deployment speed,
required inflation volume, and the material
of the air bags, there is the possibility of
abrasions or other, potentially more serious
injuries resulting from air bag deployment.
If you sell your vehicle, we strongly
recommend that you inform the subsequent
owner that the vehicle is equipped with SRS.
Also refer them to the applicable section in
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NECK-PRO active front head restraints and/
or the deployment of the front side impact air
bags or pelvis air bags.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for availability.
When the NECK-PRO active front head
restraints have been triggered in an accident,
the NECK-PRO active front head restraints
must be reset. Otherwise, the NECK-PRO
active front head restraints cannot offer any
additional protection in the event of another
rear-end collision.
For information on resetting the activated
NECK-PRO active front head restraints, see
“Resetting activated head restraints”
(Y page 311).
You cannot remove the NECK-PRO active
front head restraints.
GWarning!
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint so that it is as close
to the head as possible and the center of the
head restraint supports the back of the head
at eye level. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and neck in the event of an
accident or similar situation.
For information on head restraint adjustment,
see “Head restraint height” (Y page 82), or
see “Head restraint fore and aft adjustment”
(Y page 82).
Correct driver seat adjustment
GWarning!
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control the following must be done before the
vehicle is put into motion:
Rseat adjustment
Rhead restraint adjustment
Rsteering wheel adjustment
Rrear view mirror adjustment
Rfastening of seat belts
Steering wheel
GObserve Safety notes, see page 84.XPosition steering wheel : properly. See
(Y page 85) for manual adjustment and
(Y page 85) for electrical adjustment.
Make sure:
RYou can reach the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent at the elbows.
RYou can move your legs freely.
RAll displays (including malfunction and
indicator lamps) on the instrument cluster
are clearly visible.
Seat belt
GObserve Safety notes, see page 48.XFasten and position your seat belt ;
correctly (Y page 50).
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Make sure:
R The seat belt is always fitted snugly.
R Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder.
R Place the lap portion of the seat belt as low
as possible on your hips.
Seat and head restraintGObserve Safety notes, see page 79.XPosition seat = and head restraint
properly. See ( Y page 80) for seat and
head restraint adjustment.
Observe the following points:
R Always be in a properly seated position.
R The position should be as far rearward from
the front air bag in the steering wheel as
possible, while still permitting proper
operation of vehicle controls.
R Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely.
R The seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten and position your seat belt.
R The seat backrest must be in a position that
is as nearly upright as possible.
R Adjust the seat cushion so that the front
edge of the seat cushion lightly supports
your legs.
R Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the
center of the head restraint supports the
back of the head at eye level.
R Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while the seat is being
adjusted.
Children in the vehicle
Safety notes
If an infant or child is traveling with you in the
vehicle:
XSecure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and size of
the child.XMake sure the infant or child is properly
secured at all times while the vehicle is in
motion.GWarning!
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch. Always
take the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system’s
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned by these
parts.
GWarning!
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment or trunk unless they
are firmly secured in place.
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vehicle. They cannot increase braking or
steering efficiency beyond that afforded by
the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires
or the traction afforded.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents.
The capabilities of a vehicle equipped with the
driving safety systems described in this
section must never be exploited in a reckless
or dangerous manner which could jeopardize
the user’s safety or the safety of others.
Always adjust your driving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions and
keep a safe distance to other road users and
objects on the street.
If a driving system malfunctions, other driving
safety systems may also switch off. Observe
indicator and warning lamps that may come
on as well as messages in the multifunction
display that may appear.
ABS
GObserve Safety notes, see page 60.GWarning!
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm, steady
brake pedal pressure instead. Pumping the
brake pedal defeats the purpose of the ABS
and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do not
lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of
approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will
respond even to light brake pressure.
The ABS indicator lamp ! in the
instrument cluster comes on when you switch
on the ignition. It goes out when the engine
is running.
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal. The pulsation indicates that the
ABS is in the regulating mode.
XKeep firm and steady pressure on the brake
pedal while you feel the pulsation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to steer
the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving.
Emergency brake maneuver
XKeep continuous full pressure on the brake
pedal.GWarning!
If the ABS malfunctions, other driving safety
systems such as the BAS or the ESP ®
are also
switched off. Observe indicator and warning
lamps that may come on as well as messages
in the multifunction display that may appear.
If the ABS malfunctions, the wheels may lock
during hard braking, reducing steering
capability and extending the braking distance.
BAS
GObserve Safety notes, see page 60.
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the brakes
very quickly, the BAS provides full brake
boost automatically, thereby potentially
reducing the braking distance.
XApply continuous full braking pressure until
the emergency braking situation is over.
The ABS will prevent the wheels from
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When you release the brake pedal, the brakes
function again as normal. The BAS is then
deactivated.GWarning!
If the BAS malfunctions, the brake system still
functions, but without the additional brake
boost available that the BAS would normally
provide in an emergency braking maneuver.
Therefore, the braking distance may increase.
Adaptive Brake
Adaptive Brake provides a high level of
braking safety as well as increased braking
comfort. Adaptive Brake takes driver and
vehicle characteristics into consideration,
thus achieving an optimal braking effect.
In addiditon, Adaptive Brake provides the hill-
start assist system ( Y page 183).
For more information on the brake system,
see ( Y page 255).
EBP
GObserve Safety notes, see page 60.
The Electronic Brake Proportioning (EBP)
enhances braking effectiveness by allowing
the rear brakes to supply a greater proportion
of the braking effort in straight-line braking
without a loss of vehicle stability.
GWarning!
If the EBP malfunctions, the brake system will
still function with full brake boost. However,
the rear wheels could lock up during
emergency braking situations, for example.
You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident.
Adapt your driving style to the changed
driving characteristics.
ESP ®GObserve Safety notes, see page 60.
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®
) is
operational as soon as the engine is running.
It monitors the vehicle’s traction (force of
adhesive friction between the tires and the
road surface) and handling.
The ESP ®
recognizes that the vehicle deviates
from the direction of travel as intended by the
driver. By applying brakes to individual
wheels and by limiting the engine output, the
ESP ®
works to stabilize the vehicle. The
ESP ®
is especially useful while driving off and
on wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP ®
also stabilizes the vehicle during braking and
steering maneuvers.
The ESP ®
warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster comes on when you switch
on the ignition. It goes out when the engine
is running.
The ESP ®
warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster flashes when the ESP ®
is
engaged.
GWarning!
Never switch off the ESP ®
when you see the
ESP ®
warning lamp d flashing in the
instrument cluster. In this case proceed as
follows:
R When driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid. The ESP ®
cannot
prevent accidents resulting from excessive
speed.
i Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display ( Y page 270) will
refer to the ESP ®
as ESC.
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Vehicle equipment ..............................70
Locking and unlocking .......................70
Starter switch positions .....................77
Seats ....................................................79
Multifunction steering wheel .............84
Mirrors .................................................86
Memory function .................................89
Lighting ................................................90
Wipers ..................................................96
Power windows ...................................98
Driving and parking ..........................101
Manual transmission ........................107
Automatic transmission ...................108
Transfer case ....................................116
Instrument cluster ............................116
Control system ..................................118
Audio system ....................................136
Driving systems ................................180
Climate control system ....................189
Rear window defroster .....................196
Power tilt/sliding sunroof ...............196
Panorama roof with power tilt/
sliding panel ......................................199
Loading and storing ..........................202
Useful features .................................207
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2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position
3Starting position
When you switch on the ignition, all lamps in
the instrument cluster come on. The low-
beam headlamp indicator lamp, high-beam
headlamp indicator lamp, turn signal
indicator lamps, and the indicator lamps for
the fog lamps will only come on if activated.
If a lamp in the instrument cluster fails to
come on when the ignition is switched on,
have it checked and replaced if necessary. If
a lamp in the instrument cluster remains on
after starting the engine or comes on while
driving, refer to “Lamps in instrument cluster”
(Y page 297).
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position 0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the starter switch.
In this case, the steering is locked. To unlock,
remove SmartKey from the starter switch and
reinsert.
The steering is locked when the SmartKey is
removed from the starter switch.
XAlways remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch when the engine is not in
operation.
This will help to prevent accelerated vehicle
battery discharge or a completely
discharged vehicle battery.
If the SmartKey cannot be turned in the
starter switch, the vehicle battery may not be
sufficiently charged.
XCheck the vehicle battery and charge it if
necessary (Y page 323).
or
XGet a jump start (Y page 323).
iIf the SmartKey does not belong to the
vehicle, the SmartKey can be turned in the
starter switch. However, the ignition does
not switch on and the engine does not start.
KEYLESS-GOGObserve Safety notes, see page 54.
Vehicles equipped with the KEYLESS-GO
feature are supplied with a SmartKey with
integrated KEYLESS-GO function and a
removable KEYLESS-GO start/stop button.
The KEYLESS-GO start/stop button must be
inserted in the starter switch and the
SmartKey present in the vehicle.
Pressing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
without depressing the brake pedal
corresponds to the various starter switch
positions (Y page 77).
Pressing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
with the brake pedal firmly depressed will
start the engine (Y page 101).
The KEYLESS-GO start/stop button can be
pulled out of the starter switch easily. You can
then insert the SmartKey into the starter
switch.
iThe KEYLESS-GO start/stop button does
not need to be removed from the starter
switch when you leave the vehicle.
However, always take the SmartKey with
you when you leave the vehicle. As long as
the SmartKey is in the vehicle, the vehicle’s
electrical systems can be switched on or
the engine can be started using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button.
:KEYLESS-GO start/stop button;Starter switch78Starter switch positionsControls in detail
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