2003 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500 COUPE check engine

287 Practical hints
What to do if …?
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Possible cause
Suggested solution
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
Brake fluid
Visit workshop
There is insufficient brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle and
notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Do not add brake fluid! This
will not solve the problem.
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.

288 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
F
Key
Check battery!
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* batter-
ies are discharged.

Change the batteries (
page 312).
Key
not recognized!
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is not
recognized while the engine is running be-
cause

the key is not in the vehicle


there is strong radio-frequency inter-
ference

S t o p t h e v e h i c l e a s s o o n a s i t i s s a f e t o
do so.

Search for the key.
Otherwise the vehicle cannot be centrally
locked nor can the engine be started
again after the engine has been stopped.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is mo-
mentarily not recognized.

Change the position of the key in the
vehicle.

Operate the vehicle with the key in the
starter switch if necessary.
Key recognized
in vehicle
A SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* left in the
vehicle was recognized while locking the
vehicle from the outside.

Take the key out of the vehicle.
Keyless Go
Check system
The KEYLESS-GO* system is malfunction-
ing.

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

289 Practical hints
What to do if …?
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Possible cause
Suggested solution
F
Key
do not forget key
This display appears (for a maximum of
60 seconds) if the driver’s door is opened
with the engine shut off and no key in the
starter switch.
Message is only a reminder.

Insert key in the starter switch.

Take the SmartKey with KEY-
LESS-GO* with you when leaving the
vehicle.
B
Coolant
Check level
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 256).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You can be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount
of coolant in the cooling system. The
engine will overheat, causing major en-
gine damage.

291 Practical hints
What to do if …?
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Ï
Coolant
Stop, engine off!
The poly-V-belt could be broken.

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:

Do not continue to drive. Otherwise
the engine will overheat due to an in-
operative water pump which may re-
sult in damage to the engine. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is intact:

Do not continue to drive the vehicle
with this message displayed. Doing so
could result in serious engine damage
that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Ï
Coolant
Visit workshop
The cooling fan for the coolant is malfunc-
tioning.

Observe the coolant temperature dis-
play.

Have the fan replaced as soon as pos-
sible.

292 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Distronic
External interference
Reactivate!
Distronic* is switched off and is tempo-
rarily unavailable.

Try activating Distronic* again later.
Unavailable!
see oper. manual
Distronic* is switched off because the
Distronic* cover in the radiator grille is
dirty.

Clean the Distronic* cover in the radi-
ator grille (
page 271).

Restart the vehicle.
Visit workshop!
Distronic* is malfunctioning or the display
is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
P
Selector lever
in park position
You have turned off the engine with the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button and
opened the driver’s door.

Place the selector lever in positionP.
J
Doors open!
You are attempting to drive with one or
more doors open.

Close the doors.
?
Visit workshop!
There may be a malfunction in the

fuel injection system


ignition system


exhaust system


fuel system

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.

295 Practical hints
What to do if …?
When the
Engine oil – Visit workshop!

message appears while the engine is run-
ning and at operating temperature, the en-
gine oil level has dropped to approximately
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
Suggested solution
:
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level!
You have added too much engine oil.
There is a risk of damaging the engine or
the catalytic converter.

Have oil siphoned. Observe all legal re-
quirements with respect to its dispos-
al.
Engine oil
Visit workshop!
The engine oil has dropped to a critical
level.

Check the engine oil level
(page 254) and add oil as required.

If you must add engine oil frequently,
have the engine checked for possible
leaks.
There is water in the oil.

Have the oil checked.
Engine oil level
Visit workshop!
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.!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.

302 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
#
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The battery was charged with a battery
charger or jump started.

Have the battery checked at a service
station.
The battery is no longer charging.
Possible causes:

alternator malfunctioning


broken poly-V-belt
Do not forget that the brake system re-
quires electrical energy and may be oper-
ating with restricted capability.
Considerably greater brake pedal force is
required and the stopping distance is in-
creased.

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:

Do not continue to drive. Otherwise
the engine will overheat due to an in-
operative water pump which may re-
sult in damage to the engine. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is intact:

Drive immediately to the nearest au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Ad-
just driving to be consistent with
reduced braking responsiveness.

303 Practical hints
What to do if …?
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Possible cause
Suggested solution
#
Undervoltage
Charge battery
The battery has insufficient voltage.

Start the engine (
page 43).
Undervoltage
Switch off
consumers
The battery has insufficient voltage.

Turn off unnecessary electrical con-
sumers.
Cruise Control
Visit workshop!
Cruise control or Distronic* is malfunc-
tioning.

Have cruise control or Distronic*
checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
1
Restraint system
defective
Visit workshop!
The system is malfunctioning.

Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the
SRS may not be activated when needed in
an accident, which could result in serious or
fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly
and unnecessarily which could also result in
injury.