2005 Mercedes C-Class Owner's Manual - Page 178

Controls in detail Climate control The climate control is operational whenever the engine is running. You can operate the climate control system in either the automatic or manual mode. The system cools or heats the interior depending on the selected interior temperature and the current outside temperature. Warning! Nearly all dust particles, pollutants and odors are filtered out before outside air enters the passenger compartment through the air distribution system. The air conditioning will not engage (no cooling) if the mode ACOFF is selected ( page 181). Warning! i Severe conditions (e.g. strong air pollution) may require replacement of the filter before its scheduled interval. A clogged filter will reduce the air volume to the interior. If the vehicle interior is hot, ventilate the interior before driving off, see "Opening (Summer opening feature)" ( page 229). Keep the air intake grille in front of the windshield free of snow and debris. Do not obstruct air flow by placing objects on the air flow-through exhaust slots below the rear window. G G When operating the climate control, the air that enters the passenger compartment through the air vents in the footwell can be very hot or very cold (depending on the set temperature). This may cause burns or frostbite on unprotected skin in the immediate area of the air vents. Always keep sufficient distance between unprotected parts of the body and the footwell air vents. If necessary, change the air flow using the air distribution controls to direct the air away from the footwell air vents ( page 178). Follow the recommended settings for heating and cooling given on the following pages. Otherwise the windows could fog up, impairing visibility and endangering you and others. 176