2003 MERCEDES-BENZ CL55AMG service

271 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
ABC
ACTIVE BODY CONTROL
DRIVE CAREFULLY
!
The capability of the ABC system is restrict-
ed. This can impair the handling.

Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h).

Visit a service center as soon as pos-
sible.
The vehicle is losing oil.

Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so.
ACTIVE BODY CONTROL
STOP, CAR TOO LOW!
The vehicle is parked on an extremely un-
even surface.

Press the vehicle level control button
to select raised level 2 (
page 192).
ABC is malfunctioning.

Stop and press the vehicle level con-
trol button to select a higher vehicle
level (
page 192).

Do not turn steering wheel too far to
avoid damaging the front fenders.

Listen for scraping noises.

Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h).

Visit a service center as soon as pos-
sible.
DISPLAY MALFUNCTION
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The display for ABC or the ABC system it-
self is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.

272 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?ABC
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The capability of the ABC system is restrict-
ed.

Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h).

Visit a service center as soon as pos-
sible.
ABS
MALFUNCTION!
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The ABS has detected a malfunction and
has switched off. The ESP and the BAS are
also deactivated.
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS available.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard brak-
ing, reducing steering capability.

Have the system checked at an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
DISPLAY MALFUNCTION
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The ABS or the ABS display is malfunction-
ing.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard brak-
ing, reducing steering capability.

Have the system checked at an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
Display
Possible cause
Possible solution

275 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
2
BRAKE WEAR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The brake pads have reached their wear
limit.

Have the brake pads replaced as
soon as possible.
Except Canada:;Canada only:3
BRAKE FLUID
VISIT WORKSHOP!
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle
and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
iBrake pad thickness must be visually
checked by a qualified technician at the
intervals specified in the Service Book-
let.
Warning!
G
Driving with this message displayed can re-
sult in an accident. Have your brake system
checked immediately. Don’t add brake fluid
before checking the brake system. Overfill-
ing the brake fluid reservoir can result in
spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts and
the brake fluid catching fire. You can be se-
riously burned.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks.

282 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?When the
ENGINE OIL LEVEL – CHECK LEV-
EL!
message appears while the engine is
running and at operating temperature, the
engine oil level has dropped to approxi-
mately the minimum mark on the dipstick.When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.
If no oil leaks are noted, continue to drive
to the nearest service station where the
engine oil should be topped to the “full”
mark on the dipstick with an approved oil.
Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK LEVEL!
The engine oil level is too low.

Check the engine oil level
(page 238) and add oil as required.
!The engine oil level warnings should
not be ignored. Extended driving with
the symbol displayed could result in se-
rious engine damage that is not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

290 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
H
TIRE PRES. MONITOR
NOT ACTIVE
The tire inflation pressure monitor* is un-
able to monitor the tire pressure due to

the presence of several wheel sensors
in the vehicle.


excessive wheel sensor temperatures.


a nearby radio interference source.


unrecognized wheel sensors mounted.

Check the tire pressure at the next
service station.
TIRE PRES. MONITOR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The tire inflation pressure monitor* is mal-
functioning.

Have the tire inflation pressure mon-
itor* checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Change the wheel (
page 308).
A wheel without proper sensor was in-
stalled.

Check and correct tire pressure as
required (
page 248).
Warning!
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. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.

308 Practical hintsFlat tire
Flat tirePreparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.

Turn on the hazard warning flashers.

Engage the steering wheel lock in the
straight ahead position and set the
parking brake.

Move the selector lever toP.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Mounting the spare wheel
Spare wheel
Spare wheel CL 500 and CL 600 (except
Sport Package*)
The spare wheel rim is mounted with a full
sized tire of the same type as on the vehi-
cle, and it 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.
More information can be found in the
“Technical data” section (
page 333).Spare wheel CL 55 AMG and
Sport Package*
Warning!
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 acci-
dent and possible injuries.
Drive to the nearest Mercedes-Benz-Center
as soon as possible to have the spare wheel
replaced with a regular road wheel.
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the spare wheel are dif-
ferent from those of the road wheels. As a
result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a mounted spare
wheel. Adapt your driving style accordingly.
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 acci-
dent and possible injuries.
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
When driving with spare wheel mounted, en-
sure proper tire pressure and do not exceed
vehicle speed of 50 mph (80 km).
Drive to the nearest Mercedes-Benz-Center
as soon as possible to have the spare wheel
replaced with a regular road wheel.

313 Practical hints
Battery
Battery
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult 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 clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush 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.
!Never loosen or detach battery termi-
nal clamps while the engine is running
or the key is in the starter switch. Oth-
erwise the alternator and other elec-
tronic components could be severely
damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Refer to Service Booklet for mainte-
nance intervals or contact your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for further
information.Warning!
G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof battery only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Warning!
G
With a disconnected battery

y o u w i l l n o l o n g e r b e a b l e t o t u r n t h e k e y
in the starter switch and pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button on the
selector lever will have no effect


the selector lever will remain locked in
positionP

325 Technical data
Spare parts service
Warranty coverage
Identification labels
Layout of poly-V-belt drive
Engine
Rims and Tires
Electrical system
Main Dimensions
Weights
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Consumer information