2002 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK320 CABRIOLET brake

199 Automatic transmission
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Dependent on the program mode selector switch
position “S” or “W” the maximum speed in the
reverse gear is different. However, it is not
possible to change the program mode while in
reverse.
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the engine to the
drive axle. When the brakes are released, the
vehicle can be moved freely (pushed or towed). Do
not engage “N” while driving except to coast
when the vehicle is in danger of skidding (e.g. on
icy roads, see winter driving instructions on
page 211).
Important!
Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other
reason with selector lever in “N” can result in
transmission damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
The transmission automatically upshifts through
5th gear. Position “D” provides optimum driving
characteristics under all normal operating
conditions.Gear selection for special circumstances
The transmission gear ranges for special circumstances
can be selected by pressing the selector lever to the
right or the left with the selector lever in position “D”.
The gear range currently selected is indicated in the
instrument cluster display.
Briefly press selector lever in the ç direction:
The transmission downshifts, one gear at a time, in the
order “4”, “3”, “2”, “1”.
Press and hold selector lever in the ç direction:
The selector lever position display will switch to the
gear range currently selected by the automatic
transmission.
The transmission will only shift down one gear if the
gear range currently selected has already shifted to its
highest possible gear.
Briefly press selector lever in the æ direction:
The transmission will shift from the current gear range
to the next higher gear range. If the transmission is
already in gear range “D”, an additional upshift of one
gear is possible.
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200 Automatic transmission
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Press and hold selector lever in the æ direction:
The transmission will shift from the current gear
directly to gear range “D”.
Important!
With transmission in gear range “D”, “4” or “3”,
upshifting from 1st to 2nd to 3rd gear is delayed
depending on vehicle speed and engine temperature.
This allows the catalytic converter to heat up more
quickly to operating temperatures.During the brief warm-up period this delayed upshift
and increased engine noise might be perceived as a
malfunction. However, neither the engine nor
transmission are negatively affected by this mode of
operation.
The delayed upshift is effective with vehicle speeds
below 31 mph (50 km/h) at partial throttle and engine
temperatures below 95
°F (35
°C).
To avoid overrevving the engine when the selector lever
is m ove d to a lower gear range , t he tran smi ss ion will n ot
shift to a lower gear, if the engine’s revolutions per
minute limit would be exceeded. In this case there will
be no downshift, even when the vehicle speed reaches
the engine’s RPM limit of that gear, e.g. by applying the
service brakes.
To prevent the engine from laboring at low RPM when
driving uphill gradients or with your vehicle heavily
loaded, the automatic transmission will downshift when
necessary to maintain engine RPM within the best
torque range.
Wa r n i n g !
O n s l i p p e ry ro a d s u rfa c es , n eve r d ow n s h i f t i n o rd e r
to obtain braking action. This could result in drive
wheel slip and reduced vehicle control. Your
vehicle’s ABS will not prevent this type of loss of
control.
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204 Parking brake
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Parking brakeTo engage, firmly depress parking brake pedal. When
the electronic key is in steering lock position 2, the
brake warning lamp in the instrument cluster should
come on brightly.
To release the parking brake, pull handle on instrument
panel. The brake warning lamp in the instrument
cluster should go out.
A warning sounds, if you start to drive without having
released the parking brake.
Also see brake warning lamp on page 229.
Wa r n i n g !
When leaving the vehicle always remove the
electronic key from the steering lock, and lock the
vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could release the parking brake, which
could result in an accident or serious injury.
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206 Driving instructions
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Power assistance
BrakesExcessive use of salt and other snow melting chemicals
spread on roads during the winter months may cause a
build up of moisture or residue to form on the braking
components. This build up or residue could cause light
corrosion of the braking components if the vehicle is
parked with the brakes cold. Apply steady and even
braking pressure when stopping the vehicle to warm up
and dry the brake components.
Important!
Please pay attention to the function of the brake assist
system (BAS), see page 216.
The condition of the parking brake system is checked
each time the vehicle is in the shop for the required
maintenance service at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If the parking brake is released and the brake warning
lamp in the instrument cluster stays on, the brake fluid
level in the reservoir is too low.
Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may be the
reason for low brake fluid in the reservoir.
Have the brake system inspected at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
Wa r n i n g !
When the engine is not running, the brake and
steering systems are without power assistance.
Under these circumstances, a much greater effort is
necessary to stop or steer the vehicle.Wa r n i n g !
After driving in heavy rain for some time without
applying the brakes or through water deep enough
to wet brake components or salty road conditions,
the first braking action may be somewhat reduced
and increased pedal pressure may be necessary to
obtain expected braking effect. Be sure to maintain
a safe distance from vehicles in front.Resting your foot on the brake pedal will cause
excessive and premature wear of the brake pads.It can also result in the brakes overheating thereby
significantly reducing their effectiveness. It may
not be possible to stop the vehicle in sufficient time
to avoid an accident.
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207 Driving instructions
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index All checks and service work on the brake system should
be carried out by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Install only brake pads and brake fluid recommended by
Mercedes-Benz.
Caution!
When driving down long and steep grades, relieve the
load on the brakes by shifting into a lower gear to use
the engine’s braking power. This helps prevent
overheating of the brakes and reduces brake pad wear.
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive on for some
time, rather than immediately parking, so the air stream
will cool down the brakes faster.Driving off
Apply the service brakes to test them briefly after
driving off. Perform this procedure only when the road
is clear of other traffic.
Warm up the engine smoothly. Do not place full load on
the engine until the operating temperature has been
reached.
When starting off on a slippery surface, do not allow one
drive wheel to spin for an extended period with the ESP
switched off. Doing so may cause serious damage to the
drive train which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Wa r n i n g !
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake fluid
is us ed, t he b ra ki ng properti es of the vehic l e c an be
degraded to an extent that safe braking is
substantially impaired. This could result in an
accident.
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208 Driving instructions
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Parking
Important!
It is advisable to set the parking brake whenever
parking or leaving the vehicle. In addition, move
selector lever to position “P”.
When parking on hills, always set the parking brake.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 !
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a result of
vehicle movement, before
turning off the engine
and leaving the vehicle, always:
1. Keep right foot on the service brake pedal.
2. Firmly depress parking brake pedal.
3. Move the selector lever to position “P”.
4. Slowly release the service brake pedal.
5. Turn front wheels towards the road curb.
6. Turn the electronic key to steering lock
position 0 and remove.
7. Take the electronic key and lock vehicle when
leaving.
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.
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209 Driving instructions
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care IndexSpecified 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.
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.
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.
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210 Driving instructions
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
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.Tire speed rating
CLK 320:
Your vehicle is factory equipped with “H”-rated tires,
which have a speed rating of 130 mph (210 km/h).
CLK 430:
Your vehicle is factory equipped with “W”-rated tires,
which are permissible for speeds up to 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 “Y”-rated tires,
which have a speed rating of 188 mph (300 km/h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your vehicle from
exceeding a speed of 155 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 !
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction will be
substantially reduced. Under such weather
conditions, drive, steer and brake with extreme
caution.
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.
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