
3 ContentsAutomatic transmission  ............... 195
Parking brake  .................................204
Driving instructions  ......................205
Drive sensibly – 
save fuel  .......................................205
Drinking and driving .................205
Pedals  ...........................................205
Power assistance  ........................206
Brakes  ..........................................206
Driving off  ...................................207
Parking  ........................................208
Tires  .............................................208
Snow chains  ................................ 211
Winter driving 
instructions  ................................. 211
Deep water  .................................. 213
Passenger compartment  ........... 213
Traveling abroad  ........................ 213
Cruise control  ................................. 214
Brake assist system 
(BAS)  ........................................... 216
Antilock brake system 
(ABS)  ........................................... 218Electronic stability program 
(ESP)  ........................................... 220
What you should know 
at the gas station  ...................... 224
Check regularly and 
before a long trip  ...................... 226
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  ............................ 231ABS malfunction 
indicator lamp ............................. 231
Telescoping steering column – 
indicator lamp .............................232
Seat belt warning lamp  .............232
Malfunction and 
indicator lamps in the 
center console  ...........................232
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp .....232
Roll bar warning lamp  ...............233
Malfunction and 
warning messages in the 
multifunction display  ...............234
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE 
(engine control unit) ..................235
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE 
(several systems)  ........................235
BATTERY/ALTERNATOR  ...........236
ABS-SYSTEM ...............................237
BRAKE ASSIST  ...........................237
BRAKE LINING WEAR  ..............238
BRAKE FLUID .............................238
PARKING BRAKE  .......................239
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177 Contents – Driving
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
DrivingControl and operation of 
radio transmitters  ..................... 178
The first 1 000 miles 
(1 500 km)  ................................. 179
Maintenance  ................................... 179
Catalytic converter  ........................ 180
Emission control  ............................ 181
Tele Aid  ........................................... 182
Steering lock  ................................... 192
Starting and turning off 
the engine  .................................. 194
Automatic transmission  ............... 195
Parking brake  .................................204Driving instructions ...................... 205
Drive sensibly – 
save fuel  ...................................... 205
Drinking and driving  ................ 205
Pedals  .......................................... 205
Power assistance ........................ 206
Brakes .......................................... 206
Driving off ................................... 207
Parking  ........................................ 208
Tires  ............................................. 208
Snow chains  ................................ 211
Winter driving 
instructions  ................................. 211
Deep water  ...................................213
Passenger compartment  ............ 213
Traveling abroad  ......................... 213Cruise control  ................................. 214
Brake assist system 
(BAS)  ........................................... 216
Antilock brake system 
(ABS)  ........................................... 218
Electronic stability program 
(ESP)  ...........................................220
What you should know 
at the gas station  .......................224
Check regularly and 
before a long trip  ......................226
J_A208.book Seite 177 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

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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211 Driving instructions
Technical
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 222.
Important!
Use of snow chains is not permissible with tire sizes 
225 / 45 R17 and 245 / 40 R17.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.
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.
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212 Driving instructions
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
If the vehicle is parked after being driven on salt treated 
roads, the braking efficiency should be tested as soon as 
possible after driving is resumed while observing the 
safety rules in the previous paragraph.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 318.
•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 259.
•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.
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.
J_A208.book Seite 212 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

213 Driving instructions
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index 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 211.
Deep water
Caution!
Do not drive through flooded areas or water of unknown 
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.
Block heater (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block heater.
The electrical cable may be installed at your authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center.Passenger compartment
Traveling abroad
Abroad, there is a widely-spread Mercedes-Benz service 
network at your disposal. If you plan to travel into areas 
which are not listed in the index of your Mercedes-Benz 
Center directory, you should request pertinent 
information from your authorized Mercedes-Benz 
Center.
Wa r n i n g !
Always fasten items being carried as securely as 
possible.In an accident, during hard braking or sudden 
maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around 
inside the vehicle, and cause injury to vehicle 
oc cu pa nt s u nl ess  t he i tem s  are s ecurely  fastened  i n  
the vehicle.The trunk is the preferred place to carry objects.
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221 Driving systems
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Notes:
The malfunction indicator lamp¿ for the ESP is 
combined with that of the BAS.
The yellow BAS/ESP malfunction indicator lamp in the 
instrument cluster and the yellow ESP warning 
lampv in the speedometer dial come on with the 
electronic key in steering lock position 2. They should 
go out with the engine running.
If the BAS/ESP malfunction indicator lamp comes on 
continuously with the engine running, a malfunction 
has been detected in either system. Only partial engine 
output will be available.
If the BAS malfunctions, the brake system functions in 
the usual manner, but without BAS.
If the ESP warning message is displayed, have the BAS 
or ESP checked at your authorized Mercedes-Benz 
Center as soon as possible.
For ESP warning message, see page 245.
With the ABS malfunctioning, the ESP is also switched 
off.Driving the vehicle with varied size tires will cause the 
wheels to rotate at different speeds, therefore the ESP 
may activate (yellow ESP warning lamp in speedometer 
dial c omes  on ). For  t his  r eason , all wheels , i nclud in g t he 
spare wheel, must have the same tire outside diameter.
When testing the parking brake on a brake test 
dynamometer, the engine must be shut off. Otherwise, 
the ESP will immediately be engaged and will apply the 
rear wheel brakes.
In winter operation, the maximum effectiveness of the 
ESP is only achieved with Mercedes-Benz recommended 
M+S rated radial-ply tires and/or snow chains.
Synchronizing ESP
If the power supply was interrupted (battery 
disconnected or empty), the BAS/ESP malfunction 
indicator lamp may be illuminated with the engine 
running.
Turn steering wheel completely to the left and then to 
the right. The BAS/ESP malfunction indicator lamp 
should go out.
J_A208.book Seite 221 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

262 Tires, Wheels
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index
Wheels
Replace rims or tires with the same designation, 
manufacturer and type as shown on the original part. 
See your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for further 
information.
See your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for 
information on tested and recommended rims and tires 
for summer and winter operation. They can also offer 
advice concerning tire service and purchase.
Tire replacement
Front tires should be replaced in sets. Rims and tires 
must be of the correct size and type. For dimensions, 
see “Technical Data” (page 314).
We recommend that you break in new tires for approx. 
60 miles (100 km) at moderate speed.It is imperative that the wheel mounting bolts be 
fastened to a tightening torque of 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm) 
whenever wheels are mounted.
For rim and tire specifications, refer to “Technical Data” 
(page 314).
Wa r n i n g !
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the tire tread 
is badly worn, or if the tires have sustained 
damage, replace them.When replacing rims, use only genuine 
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the 
particular rim type. Failure to do so can result in 
the bolts loosening and possibly an accident.
J_A208.book Seite 262 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09