2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK CABRIOLET flat tire

5 ContentsSpare wheel, vehicle tools,
storage compartment ................260
Vehicle jack ..................................... 261
Wheels .............................................262
Tire replacement ........................262
Rotating wheels ..........................263
Spare wheel ....................................264
Changing wheels ...........................266
Tire inflation pressure .................. 271
Battery .............................................272
Jump starting .................................. 274
Towing the vehicle ......................... 276
Exterior lamps ................................280
Headlamp assembly ................... 281
Taillamp assemblies ..................283
Adjusting headlamp aim ...............285
Changing batteries in
the electronic main key ...........288
Synchronizing
remote control ...........................290Raising soft top manually ............ 291
Antenna .......................................... 298
Manual release for
fuel filler flap ............................ 298
Trunk lamp ..................................... 299
Replacing wiper
blade insert ............................... 299
Vehicle careCleaning and care
of the vehicle ............................. 302
Power washer ............................. 303
Paintwork, painted body
components ................................ 303
Engine cleaning ......................... 304
Tar stains .................................... 304
Vehicle washing ......................... 304
Ornamental moldings ............... 304
Headlamps, taillamps,
turn signal lenses ...................... 305Window cleaning .......................305
Plastic and rubber parts ............305
Wiper blade .................................305
Light alloy wheels ......................305
Instrument cluster .....................306
Steering wheel and
gear selector lever ......................306
Cup holder ...................................306
Seat belts .....................................306
Headliner .....................................306
Upholstery ...................................307
Hard plastic trim items .............307
Plastic and rubber parts ............307
Wind screen ...............................307
Rubber weatherstrip .................307
Soft top .........................................308

205 Driving instructions
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Driving instructions
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Fue l consumption, to a g rea t ex tent, depends on driv ing
habits and operating conditions.
To save fuel you should:
•keep tires at the recommended inflation pressures,
•remove unnecessary loads,
•allow engine to warm up under low load use,
•avoid frequent acceleration and deceleration,
•have all maintenance work performed at regular
intervals by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Fuel consumption is also increased by driving in cold
weather, in stop-and-go traffic, on short trips and in hilly
country.Drinking and driving
Pedals
Wa r n i n g !
Drinking or taking drugs and driving can be a very
dangerous combination. Even a small amount of
alcohol or drugs can affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgement.The possibility of a serious or even fatal accident is
sharply increased when you drink or take drugs
and drive.Please don’t drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive after drinking or taking drugs.Wa r n i n g !
Keep driver’s foot area clear at all times. Objects
stored in this area may impair pedal movement.

209 Driving instructions
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Specified tire pressures must be maintained. This
applies particularly if the tires are subjected to high
loads (e.g. high speeds, heavy loads, high ambient
temperatures).
Aquaplaning
Depending on the depth of the water layer on the road,
aquaplaning may occur, even at low speeds and with
new tires. Reduce vehicle speed, avoid track grooves in
the road and apply brakes cautiously in the rain.Tire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy road is
always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the condition of
the road whenever the outside temperatures are close to
the freezing point.
We recommend M+S rated radial-ply tires for the winter
season for all four wheels to insure normal balanced
handling characteristics. On packed snow, they can
reduce your stopping distance as compared with
summer tires. Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is not snow or
ice covered.
Wa r n i n g !
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects the
ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You may lose
control of the vehicle. Continued driving with a flat
tire or driving at high speed with a flat tire will
cause excessive heat build-up and possibly a fire.
Wa r n i n g !
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction will be
substantially reduced. Under such weather
conditions, drive, steer and brake with extreme
caution.

249 Contents – Practical hints
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index
Practical hintsFirst aid kit .....................................250
Shelf below rear window ..............250
Stowing things in
the vehicle ..................................250
Luggage cover .................................250
Fuses ................................................252
Hood .................................................254
Checking engine oil level .............256
Automatic transmission
fluid level ...................................257
Coolant level ...................................257
Adding coolant ...........................258
Windshield washer / headlamp
cleaning system .........................259Windshield and headlamp
washer fluid mixing ratio ........ 259
Spare wheel, vehicle tools,
storage compartment ............... 260
Vehicle jack .................................... 261
Wheels ............................................ 262
Tire replacement ....................... 262
Rotating wheels ......................... 263
Spare wheel .................................... 264
Changing wheels ........................... 266
Tire inflation pressure ..................271
Battery ............................................. 272
Jump starting ..................................274
Towing the vehicle .........................276
Exterior lamps ............................... 280
Headlamp assembly .................. 281
Taillamp assemblies .................. 283Adjusting headlamp aim ...............285
Changing batteries in
the electronic main key ...........288
Synchronizing
remote control ...........................290
Raising soft top manually ............. 291
Antenna ...........................................298
Manual release for
fuel filler flap .............................298
Trunk lamp .....................................299
Replacing wiper
blade insert ................................299

263 Tires, Wheels
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Rotating wheels
CLK 430:
Wheel rotation applies only when winter tires are
mounted on all four wheels.
The wheels can be rotated according to the degree of
tire wear while retaining the same direction of travel.
Rotating, however, should be carried out as
recommended by the tire manufacturer, before the
characteristic tire wear pattern (shoulder wear on front
wheels and tread center wear on rear wheels) becomes
visible, as otherwise the driving properties deteriorate.
Important!
Unidirectional tires must always be mounted with arrow
on tire sidewall pointing in direction of vehicle forward
movement.Notes:
Thoroughly clean the inner side of the wheels any time
you rotate the wheels or wash the vehicle underside.
The use of retread tires is not recommended. Retread
tires may adversely affect the handling characteristics
and safety of the vehicle.
Dented or bent rims can cause tire pressure loss and
dam age to t he tire bead s. For this reason, ch eck rims for
damage at regular intervals. The rim f langes must be
checked for wear before a tire is mounted. Remove
burrs, if any.
Check and ensure proper tire inflation pressure after
rotating the wheels. For tire inflation pressure see
inside of fuel filler f lap and also page 271.

265 Tires, Wheels
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Spare wheel CLK 430
Important!
The spare wheel rim size is 7
1/2J x 17 H 2.
The spare wheel rim is mounted with a full size tire of
the same type as on the vehicle’s front axle, and is fully
functional. However, that spare wheel rim is weight
optimized and has a limited service life of 12 000 miles
(20 000 km) use before a standard wheel rim must
replace it.
If the arrow on tire side wall does not point in direction
of vehicle forward movement when using the spare
wheel, observe the following restriction:
•Drive to the nearest tire repair facility as soon as
possible.
In the case of a rear axle f lat tire, you may temporarily
use the spare wheel, when observing the following
restrictions:
•Do not exceed vehicle speed of 50 mph (80 km/h)
•Drive to the nearest tire repair facility to have the
flat tire repaired or replaced as appropriate.Do not operate vehicle with more than one spare wheel
mounted.
Unid irectional tires must a lways be mou nted w it h a rrow
on tire sidewall pointing in direction of vehicle forward
movement.
For rim and tire specifications, refer to “Technical Data”
(page 314).
Wa r n i n g !
The spare wheel rim is for temporary use only. Use
for over a total of 12 000 miles (20 000 km)
(aggregate of all uses) may cause wheel rim failure
leading to an accident and possible injuries.The dimensions of the spare wheel are different
from those of the road wheels for the rear axle. As a
result, the vehicle handling characteristics change
when driving with a spare wheel mounted on the
rear axle.The spare wheel should only be used temporarily,
and replaced with a regular road wheel as quick as
possible.

271 Tires, Wheels
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Tire inflation pressure
A table (see fuel filler f lap) lists the tire inflation
pressures specified for Mercedes-Benz recommended
tires as well as for the varying operating conditions.
Important!
Tire pressure changes by approx. 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per
18°F (10°C) of air temperature change. Keep this in
mind when checking tire pressure inside a garage –
especially in the winter.
Example:
If garage temperature = approx. +68°F (+20°C) and
ambient temperature = approx. +32°F (0°C) then the
adjusted air pressure = specified air pressure +3 psi
(+0.2 bar).Tire pressures listed for light loads are minimum values
offering high driving comfort. Increased inflation
pressures for heavy loads produce favorable handling
characteristics with lighter loads and are perfectly
permissible. The ride of the vehicle, however, will
become somewhat harder.
Tire temperature and pressure increase with the vehicle
speed. Tire pressure should therefore only be checked
and corrected on cold tires. Correct tire pressure in
warm tires only if pressure has dropped below the
pressure listed in the table and the respective operating
conditions are taken into consideration.
An underinf lated tire due to a slow leak (e.g. due to a
nail in the tire) may cause damage such as tread
separation, bulging etc.. Regular tire pressure checks
(including the spare tire) at intervals of no more than
14 days are therefore essential.

272 Battery
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index
If a tire constantly loses air, it should be inspected for
damage.
The spare tire should be checked periodically for
condition and inflation. Spare tire will age and become
worn over time even if never used, and thus should be
inspected and replaced when necessary.Battery
Important!
Battery replacement information:
The maintenance-free battery is located in the trunk
under the trunk floor.
The service life of the battery is dependent on its
condition of charge. The battery should always be kept
sufficiently charged, in order to last an optimum length
of time.
Wa r n i n g !
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflating tires can
result in sudden deflation (blowout) because they
are more likely to become punctured or damaged
by road debris, potholes etc.. Follow recommended
inflation pressures.Do not overload the tires by exceeding the specified
vehicle capacity weight (as indicated by the label
on the driver’s door latch post). Overloading the
tires can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout.
Wa r n i n g !
Failure to follow these instructions can result in
severe injury or death.Never lean over batteries while connecting, you
might get injured.Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not allow
this fluid to come in contact with eyes, skin or
cloth ing. In c ase it does, im mediately f lush affected
area with water and seek medical help if necessary.A battery will also produce hydrogen gas, which is
flammable and explosive. Keep flames or sparks
away from battery, avoid improper connection of
jumper cables, smoking etc..