Get Maintenance and care -> Cleaning and care Guide for Mercedes C Class 4 Door Fourth Generation (2014-2021)

Maintenance and care 379

Active Parking Assist

Cleaning and care

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Information on washing the vehicle in a car

wash

To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate

these systems in the following or similar sit‐

uations:

&

WARNING Risk of an accident due to

reduced braking power after washing the

vehicle

#

during towing

#

in a car wash

Braking efficiency is reduced after washing

the vehicle.

NOTE Damage due to unsuitable car

wash

*

#

After the vehicle has been washed,

#

Before driving into a car wash make

sure that the car wash is suitable for

the vehicle dimensions.

brake carefully while paying attention to

the traffic conditions until braking

power has been fully restored.

#

Ensure there is sufficient ground clear‐

ance between the underbody and the

guide rails of the car wash.

Ensure that the clearance width of the

car wash, in particular the width of the

guide rails, is sufficient.

NOTE Damage from automatic braking

*

#

Remove cap 1 by the tab.

If one of the following functions is switched

on, the vehicle brakes automatically in cer‐

tain situations:

Top up the washer fluid.

Keeping the air-water duct free

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Active Brake Assist

Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC

HOLD function

#

Keep the area between the bonnet and the

windscreen free of deposits, e.g. ice, snow

and leaves.

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380 Maintenance and care

To avoid damage to your vehicle when using a

car wash, ensure the following beforehand:

% If, after the car wash, you remove the wax

from the windscreen and wiper rubbers, this

will prevent smearing and reduce wiper

noise.

To avoid damage to your vehicle, observe the fol‐

lowing when using a high-pressure cleaner:

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Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is deacti‐

vated.

keep the key at least 3 m away from the vehi‐

cle. Otherwise the boot lid could open unin‐

tentionally.

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The HOLD function is switched off.

Information on using a high-pressure cleaner

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maintain a distance of at least 30 cm to the

vehicle.

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the 360° Camera or the reversing camera is

switched off.

&

WARNING Risk of an accident when

using high-pressure cleaners with round-

spray nozzles

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vehicles with decorative foil: parts of your

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the side windows and sliding sunroof are

completely closed.

vehicle are covered with a decorative foil.

Maintain a distance of at least 70 cm

between the foil-covered parts of the vehicle

and the nozzle of the high-pressure cleaner.

Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle

around whilst cleaning. The water tempera‐

ture of the high-pressure cleaner must not

exceed 60°C.

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the blower for the ventilation/heating is

switched off.

The water jet can cause externally invisible

damage.

Components damaged in this way may unex‐

pectedly fail.

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the windscreen wiper switch is in position

g.

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the key is at a minimum distance of 3 m

#

Do not use a high-pressure cleaner with

round-spray nozzles.

away from the vehicle. Otherwise the boot lid

could open unintentionally.

R

observe the information on the correct dis‐

#

Have damaged tyres or chassis parts

replaced immediately.

tance in the equipment manufacturer's oper‐

ating instructions.

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in car washes with a conveyor system: neu‐

tral i is engaged.

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do not direct the nozzle of the high-pressure

% In car washes with a conveyor system: if you

leave the vehicle while it is being washed,

make sure the key is located in the vehicle.

The park position j is otherwise automati‐

cally engaged.

cleaner directly at sensitive parts, e.g. tyres,

gaps, electrical components, batteries, light

sources and ventilation slits.

Maintenance and care 381

Washing the vehicle by hand

Paint

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Do not use car wash programmes with a final

hot wax treatment.

Do not use paint cleaners, buffing or polish‐

ing products, gloss preservers, e.g. wax.

Always have paintwork repairs carried out at

a qualified specialist workshop.

R

Insect remains: soak with insect remover and

rinse off the treated areas afterwards.

NOTE Engine damage due to water

ingress

*

R

Bird droppings: soak with water and rinse off

afterwards.

Tree resin, oils, fuels and greases: remove by

rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in petro‐

leum ether or lighter fluid.

#

Take care not to point the water jet

directly towards the air inlet grille below

the bonnet.

Notes on cleaning decorative foils

observe the legal requirements, e.g. in a number

of countries, washing by hand is only permitted

in specially designated wash bays.

R

Coolant and brake fluid: remove with a damp

cloth and clean water.

Observe the notes on matt finish care in the

chapter "Notes on paintwork/matt finish paint‐

work care" (/ page 381). They also apply to

matt decorative foils.

Observe the notes on cleaning decorative foils to

avoid vehicle damage.

R

Tar stains: use tar remover.

Wax: use silicone remover.

Do not attach stickers, films or similar mate‐

rials.

#

Use a mild cleaning agent, e.g. car shampoo.

#

Wash the vehicle with lukewarm water using

a soft car sponge. When doing so, do not

expose the vehicle to direct sunlight.

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Remove dirt immediately, where possible.

#

Carefully hose the vehicle off with water and

dry using a chamois.

Cleaning

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For cleaning, use plenty of water and a mild

cleaning agent without additives or abrasive

substances, e.g. a car shampoo approved for

Mercedes-Benz.

Remove dirt immediately, where possible,

whilst avoiding rubbing too hard. There is

otherwise a risk of damaging the decorative

foil irreparably.

Matt finish

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Only use care products approved for

Mercedes-Benz.

Notes on paintwork/matt finish paintwork

care

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Do not polish the vehicle and light-alloy

wheels.

Only use car washes that correspond to the

latest engineering standards.

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Observe the notes on cleaning and care to avoid

damaging the paintwork.

382 Maintenance and care

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Notes on care of car parts

If there is dirt on the finish or if the decora‐

tive foil is dull: use the Paint Cleaner recom‐

mended and approved for Mercedes-Benz.

Insect remains: soak with insect remover and

rinse off the treated areas afterwards.

Bird droppings: soak with water and rinse off

afterwards.

To prevent water stains, dry a foil-wrapped

vehicle with a soft, absorbent cloth after

every car wash.

Do not treat matt or structured decorative

foils with wax. Permanent stains may occur.

&

WARNING Risk of entrapment if the

windscreen wipers are switched on while

the windscreen is being cleaned

Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected by

corrosion and damage caused by incorrect care

cannot always be completely repaired. In such

cases, visit a qualified specialist workshop.

You can obtain more information on care and

cleaning products from the manufacturer.

In the case of foil-wrapped surfaces, optical dif‐

ferences may occur between the surfaces that

were not protected by a decorative foil after

removing a decorative foil.

% Have work or repairs to decorative foils car‐

ried out at a qualified specialist workshop,

e.g. in a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

R

If the windscreen wipers are set in motion

while you are cleaning the windscreen or

wiper blades, you can be trapped by the

wiper arm.

#

Always switch off the windscreen wip‐

ers and the ignition before cleaning the

windscreen or wiper blades.

Avoiding damage to the decorative foil

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The service life and colouring of decorative

foils are impaired by:

&

WARNING Risk of burns from the tail‐

pipe and tailpipe trims

-

sunlight

-

temperature, e.g. hot air blower

The exhaust tailpipe and tailpipe trims can

become very hot. If you come into contact

with these parts of the vehicle, you could

burn yourself.

-

weather conditions

-

stone chippings and dirt

-

chemical cleaning agents

#

Always be particularly careful around

-

oily products

the tailpipe and the tailpipe trims and

supervise children especially closely in

this area.

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Do not use polish on matt decorative foil.

Polishing will have the effect of shining the

foil-wrapped surface.

Maintenance and care 383

Wiper blades

Tailpipes

#

Allow vehicle parts to cool down before

touching them.

R

Fold out the wiper blades and clean them

using a damp cloth.

Clean with a cleaning agent recommended

for Mercedes-Benz, especially in the winter

and after washing the vehicle.

To avoid damage to the vehicle, observe the

notes on cleaning and care of the following vehi‐

cle parts.

R

Do not clean the wiper blades too often.

R

Do not use acidic cleaning agents.

Exterior lighting

R

Trailer hitch

Clean the lenses with a wet sponge and mild

cleaning agent, e.g. car shampoo.

Only use cleaning agents or cleaning cloths

that are suitable for plastic lenses.

Wheels and rims

R

Remove traces of rust on the ball, e.g. with a

wire brush.

R

Use water and acid-free wheel cleaners.

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Do not use acidic wheel cleaners to remove

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Remove dirt with a lint-free cloth.

After cleaning, oil or grease the ball head

lightly.

brake dust. This could damage wheel bolts

and brake components.

Sensors

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Clean the sensors in the front and rear

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To avoid corrosion of the brake discs and

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bumpers with a soft cloth and car shampoo

Observe the notes on care in the trailer hitch

manufacturer's operating instructions.

Do not clean the ball neck with a high-pres‐

sure cleaner or solvent.

brake pads, drive the vehicle for a few

minutes after cleaning before parking it. The

brake discs and brake pads warm up and dry

out.

(/ page 184).

R

When using a high-pressure cleaner, maintain

a minimum distance of 30 cm.

Reversing camera and 360° Camera

Windows

R

Open the camera cover with the multimedia

system (/ page 221).

R

Clean windows inside and outside with a

damp cloth and with a cleaning agent recom‐

mended for Mercedes-Benz.

R

Use clean water and a soft cloth to clean the

camera lens.

R

Do not use dry cloths or abrasive or solvent-

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Do not use a high-pressure cleaner.

based cleaning agents to clean the inside of

windows.

384 Maintenance and care

Notes on care of the interior

Seat belts

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Black piano-lacquer look: clean with a damp

cloth and soapy water.

For heavy soiling: use a care product recom‐

mended for Mercedes-Benz.

Do not use solvent-based cleaning agents,

polishes or waxes.

R

Clean with lukewarm and soapy water.

&

WARNING Risk of injury from plastic

parts breaking off after the use of sol‐

vent-based care products

R

Do not use chemical cleaning agents.

Do not dry seat belts by heating them to over

80°C or exposing them to direct sunlight.

Care and cleaning products containing sol‐

vents can cause surfaces in the cockpit to

become porous. When the airbags are

deployed, plastic parts may break away.

Display

R

Roof lining

R

Switch off the display and let it cool down.

Clean with a brush or dry shampoo.

R

Clean the surface carefully with a microfibre

cloth and a suitable display care product

(TFT-LCD).

#

Carpet

R

Do not use any care or cleaning prod‐

ucts containing solvents to clean the

cockpit.

Use a carpet and textile cleaning agent rec‐

ommended for Mercedes-Benz.

R

Do not use any other agents.

Plastic trim

Genuine leather seat covers

&

WARNING Risk of injury or death from

bleached seat belts

R

Clean with a damp microfibre cloth.

Clean with a damp cloth and then wipe with a

dry cloth.

R

For heavy soiling: use a care product recom‐

mended for Mercedes-Benz.

Do not attach stickers, films or similar mate‐

rials.

Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent or

sun cream to come in contact with the plas‐

tic trim.

R

Bleaching or dyeing seat belts can severely

weaken them.

This can, for example, cause seat belts to

tear or fail in an accident.

Leather care: use a leather care agent that

has been recommended for Mercedes-Benz.

R

Do not allow the leather to become too

damp.

#

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Never bleach or dye seat belts.

Do not use a microfibre cloth.

DINAMICA seat covers

To avoid damage to the vehicle, observe the

notes on cleaning and care.

Real wood and trim elements

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Clean with a damp cloth.

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Clean with a microfibre cloth.

Maintenance and care 385

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Do not use a microfibre cloth.

Imitation leather seat covers

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Clean with a damp cloth and 1% soapy water.

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Do not use a microfibre cloth.

Cloth seat covers

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Clean with a damp microfibre cloth and 1%

soap solution and allow to dry.

Maintenance and care -> Cleaning and care for Your Mercedes C Class 4 Door Fourth Generation (2014-2021)

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