2001 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 tires

3 Contents
DrivingControl and operation of
radio transmitters ..................... 176
The first 1 000 miles
(1 500 km) ................................. 177
Maintenance ................................... 177
Catalytic converter ........................ 178
Emission control ............................ 179
Tele Aid ........................................... 180
Steering lock ................................... 190
Starting and turning off
the engine .................................. 192
Automatic transmission ............... 193
Parking brake .................................202
Driving instructions ......................203
Drive sensibly – save fuel .........203
Drinking and driving .................203
Pedals ...........................................203
Power assistance ........................204
Brakes ..........................................204Driving off ................................... 205
Parking ........................................ 205
Tires ............................................. 206
Snow chains ............................... 209
Winter driving
instructions ................................ 209
Deep water ...................................210
Passenger compartment ............ 211
Traveling abroad ......................... 211
Cruise control .................................212
Brake assist system
(BAS) ...........................................215
Antilock brake system
(ABS) ...........................................217
Electronic stability program
(ESP) ............................................ 219
What you should know
at the gas station ...................... 223
Check regularly and
before a long trip ...................... 225
Instrument cluster displayMalfunction and indicator
lamps in the
instrument cluster ....................228
On-board diagnostic system
Check engine malfunction
indicator lamp .............................228
Brake warning lamp ..................229
Supplemental restraint
system (SRS)
indicator lamp .............................230
Fuel reserve and fuel cap
placement warning ....................230
Electronic stability program
(ESP) — warning lamp ............... 231
BAS/ESP malfunction
indicator lamp ............................. 231
ABS malfunction
indicator lamp ............................. 231
Telescoping steering column –
indicator lamp .............................232
Seat belt warning lamp .............232

175 Contents – Driving
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
DrivingControl and operation of
radio transmitters ..................... 176
The first 1 000 miles
(1 500 km) ................................. 177
Maintenance ................................... 177
Catalytic converter ........................ 178
Emission control ............................ 179
Tele Aid ........................................... 180
Steering lock ................................... 190
Starting and turning off
the engine .................................. 192
Automatic transmission ............... 193
Parking brake .................................202Driving instructions ...................... 203
Drive sensibly – save fuel ........ 203
Drinking and driving ................ 203
Pedals .......................................... 203
Power assistance ........................ 204
Brakes .......................................... 204
Driving off ................................... 205
Parking ........................................ 205
Tires ............................................. 206
Snow chains ............................... 209
Winter driving
instructions ................................ 209
Deep water ...................................210
Passenger compartment ............ 211
Traveling abroad ......................... 211Cruise control ................................. 212
Brake assist system
(BAS) ........................................... 215
Antilock brake system
(ABS) ........................................... 217
Electronic stability program
(ESP) ........................................... 219
What you should know
at the gas station .......................223
Check regularly and
before a long trip ......................225

203 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,
•remove roof rack when not in use,
•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.

206 Driving instructions
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Tires
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by law. These
indicators are located in six places on the tread
circumference and become visible at a tread depth of
approximately
1/16in (1.5 mm ), at which point the tire is
considered worn and should be replaced.
The tread wear indicator appears as a solid band across
the tread.
Wa r n i n g !
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or ride
disturbance, or you suspect that possible damage to
your vehicle has occurred, you should turn on the
hazard warning flashers, carefully slow down, and
drive with caution to an area which is a safe
distance from the roadway.Inspect the tires and under the vehicle for possible
damage. If the vehicle or tires appear unsafe, have
it towed to the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center or
tire dealer for repairs.
Wa r n i n g !
Do not allow your tires to wear down too far. As
tread depth approaches
1/16in (1.5 mm), the
adhesion properties on a wet road are sharply
reduced.
Depending upon the weather and / or road surface
(conditions), the tire traction varies widely.

207 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 rec omme nd M+S rated rad ia l-ply tires for t he 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.

208 Driving instructions
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Tire speed rating
CLK 430:
Your vehicle is factory equipped with “W”-rated tires,
which have a speed rating of 168 mph (270 km/h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your vehicle from
exceeding a speed of 130 mph (210 km/h).
CLK 55 AMG:
Your vehicle is factory equipped with “Z”-rated tires,
which are permissible for speeds over 148 mph
(240 km/h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your vehicle from
exceeding a speed of 156 mph (250 km/h).Despite the tire rating, local speed limits should be
obeyed. Use prudent driving speeds appropriate to
prevailing conditions.
Wa r n i n g !
Even when permitted by law, never operate a
vehicle at speeds greater than the maximum speed
rating of the tires.Exceeding the maximum speed for which tires are
rated can lead to sudden tire failure causing loss of
vehicle control and resulting in personal injury
and possible death.

209 Driving instructions
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Snow chains
Use only snow chains that are tested and recommended
by Mercedes-Benz. Your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center will be glad to advise you on this subject.
Chains should only be used on the rear wheels. Follow
the manufacturer’s mounting instructions.
Snow chains should only be driven on snow covered
roads at speeds not to exceed 30 mph (50 km/h).
Remove chains as soon as possible when driving on
roads without snow.
When driving with snow chains, press the ESP control
switch to OFF, refer to page 221.
Use of snow chains is only permissible when winter
tires are mounted, see technical data on page 303.
Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy roads is to
drive sensibly and to avoid abrupt acceleration, braking
and steering maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding, move
selector lever to position “N”. Try to keep the vehicle
under control by corrective steering action.Road salts and chemicals can adversely affect braking
efficiency. Increased pedal force may become necessary
to produce the normal brake effect. We therefore
recommend depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn roads. This can
bring road salt impaired braking efficiency back to
normal. A prerequisite is, however, that this be done
without endangering other drivers on the road.
If t he veh icle is pa rked af te r b eing driven on sal t trea ted
road s, th e braking ef f ic iency should be tested as soon a s
possible after driving is resumed while observing the
safety rules in the previous paragraph.
Wa r n i n g !
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make sure
that snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around the vehicle with engine running.
Otherwise, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in unconsciousness
and death.To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open a
window slightly on the side of the vehicle not
facing the wind.

210 Driving instructions
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Winter driving
Have your vehicle winterized at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center before the onset of winter.
•Change the engine oil if the engine contains an oil
which is not approved for winter operation. For
viscosity (SAE/CCMC class) and filling quantity,
see page 305.
•Check engine coolant anticorrosion/antifreeze
concentration.
•Additive for the windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system: Add MB Concentrate “S” to a
premixed windshield washer solvent/antifreeze
which is formulated for below freezing
temperatures, see page 256.
•Test battery: Battery capacity drops with decreasing
ambient temperature. A well charged battery helps
to ensure that the engine can be started, even at low
ambient temperatures.
•Tires: We recommend M+S rated radial-ply tires on
all four wheels for the winter season. Observe
permissible maximum speed for M+S rated
radial-ply tires and the legal speed limit.In winter operation, the maximum effectiveness of the
antilock brake system (ABS) or of the electronic stability
program (ESP) can only be achieved with M+S rated
radial-ply tires and / or snow chains recommended by
Mercedes-Benz. Snow chains maximize performance.
For driving instructions with snow chains see page 209.
Deep water
Caution!
Do not drive t hrou gh f lood ed a rea s or water of u nk nown
depth.
If you must drive through deep water, drive slowly to
prevent water from entering the engine compartment or
passenger compartment, being ingested by the air
intake, possibly causing damage to electrical
components or wiring, to engine or transmission that is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.