2003 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500 COUPE steering

335 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
!To be certain to avoid a possibility of
damage to the transmission, however,
we recommend the drive shaft be dis-
connected at the rear axle drive flange
for any towing beyond a short tow to a
nearby garage.
Warning!
G
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make certain that the key is in
starter switch position2.
If the key is left in starter switch position 0
for an extended period of time, it can no
longer be turned in the switch. In this case,
the steering is locked. To unlock, remove
key from starter switch and reinsert.
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run


there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
as that will be necessary to adequately con-
trol the towed vehicle.
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the braking and steer-
ing systems. In this case, it is important to
keep in mind that a considerably higher de-
gree of effort is necessary to brake and
steer the vehicle. Adapt your driving accord-
ingly.iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use, turn
key in starter switch to position2 and
activate the combination switch for the
left or right turn signal in the usual
manner – only the selected turn signal
will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the haz-
ard warning flasher will operate again.

343 Technical data
Layout of poly-V-belt drive
Layout of poly-V-belt drive
CLK 320 / CLK 500 / CLK 55 AMG
1Automatic belt tensioner
2Power steering pump
3Air conditioning compressor
4Crankshaft
5Coolant pump
6Generator (alternator)
7Idler pulley

351 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
CapacitiesVehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match. Therefore only use
brands tested and recommended by us.Please refer to the Factory Approved Ser-
vice Products pamphlet, or inquire at your
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine with oil filter
CLK 320
CLK 500
CLK 55 AMG
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
8.0 US qt (7.5 l)
9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
Recommended engine oils
Automatic transmission
CLK 320
CLK 500
CLK 55 AMG
8.0 US qt (7.5 l)
9.3 US qt (8.7 l)
9.3 US qt (8.7 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Oil
1
1MB part no. 001 989 21 03 10Rear axle
CLK 320
CLK 500
CLK 55 AMG
1.28 US qt (1.2 l)
1.5 US qt (1.4 l)
1.5 US qt (1.4 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Power steering
approx. 1.1 US qt (1.0 l)
MB Power Steering Fluid (Pentosin
CHF 11S)
Front wheel hubs
approx. 3.0 oz (85 g) each
High temperature roller bearing grease
Brake system
0.64 US qt (0.6 l)
MB Brake Fluid (DOT 4+)

362 Technical termsCAC
(C
ustomer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service cen-
ter, which can help you with any ques-
tions about your vehicle and provide
assistance in the event of a break-
down.
CAN system
(C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control ve-
hicle functions such as door locking or
windshield wiping.
Cockpit
All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator/warning lamps in the passen-
ger compartment needed for vehicle
operation and monitoring.COMAND
(C
ockpit M
anagement and D
ata Sys-
tem)
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio and navi-
gation, as well as for other optional
equipment (CD changer, telephone,
etc.).
Control system
The control system is used to call up
vehicle information and to change
component settings. Information and
messages appear in the multifunction
display. The driver uses the buttons on
the multifunction steering wheel to
navigate through the system and to ad-
just settings.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system for auto-
matically maintaining the vehicle speed
set by the driver.Distronic*
A driving convenience cruise control
system which helps the driver maintain
a pre-selected speed:


If there is no vehicle directly ahead,
the system operates in the same
way as conventional ->cruise con-
trol.


If a slower moving vehicle is ahead,
Distronic will reduce your vehicle
speed to the extent permitted by re-
duced throttle and up to 20% brak-
ing power to maintain the preset
minimum following distance.
DTR
(->Distronic*)

364 Technical termsMemory function*
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and mirror positions for
each key or, if so equipped, KEY-
LESS-GO* feature.
Menu
The control system displays are ar-
ranged in menus. Each menu contains
a number of commands for particular
systems. In the Audio menu, for exam-
ple, you will find the commands
Select
radio station
or Operate CD player
.
Using commands you can directly
change the settings for your vehicle.
MON
(M
otor O
ctane N
umber)
The Motor Octane Number for gasoline
as determined by a standardized meth-
od. It is an indication of a gasoline's
ability to resist undesired detonation
(knocking). The average of both the
MON (Motor Octane Number) and
->RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as AN-
TI-KNOCK INDEX.Multifunction display
Display field in the speedometer used
to present information provided by the
control system.
Multifunction steering wheel
Steering wheel with buttons for operat-
ing the control system.
Overspeed range
Engine speeds within the red marking
of the tachometer dial. Avoid this en-
gi ne sp ee d ra nge , a s it m ay re su lt i n s e-
rious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Parktronic*
System which uses visual and acoustic
signals to assist the driver during park-
ing maneuvers.
Poly-V-belt drive
Drives engine-components (alternator,
AC compressor, etc.) from the engine.Power train
Collective term designating all compo-
nents used to generate and transmit
motive power to the drive axles, includ-
ing


engine


clutch/torque converter


transmission


transfer case


drive shaft


differential


axle shafts/axles
Program mode selector switch
Used to switch the automatic transmis-
sion between regular operationS and
winter operationW.
CLK 55 AMG with steering wheel gear-
shift control and manual shift program.
In addition toS andC (for regularS or
comfortC operation, see above) you
can use theM for manual shift
program.

365 Technical terms
Remote Vehicle Diagnostics
Transmission of vehicle data and cur-
rent location to the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center for sub-
scribers to Tele Aid service.
REST
(Residual engine heat utilization)
Feature that uses the engine heat
stored in the coolant to heat the vehi-
cle interior for a short time after the en-
gine has been turned off.
Restraint systems
Seat belts, belt tensioners, airbags and
child restraint systems. As indepen-
dent systems, their protective func-
tions complement one another.RON
(R
esearch O
ctane N
umber)
The Research Octane Number for gaso-
line as determined by a standardized
method. It is an indication of a gaso-
line's ability to resist undesired detona-
tion (knocking). The average of both
the ->MON (Motor Octane Number)
and RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.Shift lock
When the vehicle is parked, this lock
prevents the transmission selector le-
ver from being inadvertently moved out
of positionP without key turned and
brake pedal depressed.
Speedshift
Steering wheel gearshift control and
manual shift program. In the manual
shift program mode you can change
the gears yourself on the steering
wheel or by using the selector lever.
SRS
(S
upplemental R
estraint S
ystem)
Seat belts, emergency tensioning de-
vice and airbags. Though independent
systems, they are closely interfaced to
provide effective occupant protection.

367 Index
A
ABS 23, 74, 361
ABS control 75
Malfunction indicator lamp 277
Messages in display 284
Warning lamp 277
Accelerator position, automatic transmis-
sion 146
Accident
In case of 49
Activating
Air conditioning (cooling) 163
Air recirculation mode 160
Anti-theft alarm system 80
Automatic climate control 155
Central locking (control system) 133
Charcoal filter 161
Distance warning function* 205
Distronic* 201
Easy-entry/exit feature 133
ESP 78
Exterior headlamps 46
Exterior lamps 106
Front and rear fog lamp 106
Hazard warning flasher 108
Headlamps 46High beams 108
Ignition 31
Ignition with KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button 33
Immobilizer 51, 79
Rear window defroster 162
Residual heat 163
Seat heater* 101
Tow-away alarm 81
Windshield wipers 48
Activating steering wheel gearshift control
147
Downshifting 148
Upshifting 147
Adding
Coolant 257
Engine oil 255
Additional turn signals 317
Adjustable air vents, rear passenger com-
partment 164Adjusting 34
Air distribution 158
Air volume 159
Backrest tilt 36
Exterior rear view mirror 38
Head restraint height 36
Head restraint tilt 36
Inside rear view mirror 38
Instrument cluster illumination 111
Mirrors 38
Multicontour seat* 100
Seat cushion depth 100
Seat cushion tilt 36
Seat fore and aft adjustment 35
Seat height 35
Seats 34
Steering column height 38
Steering column length 38
Steering wheel 37
Air conditioning (cooling)
Turning off 163
Turning on 163
Air conditioning refrigerant 353
Air distribution
Adjusting 158

369 Index
Automatic lighting control
Activating 109
Deactivating 109
Automatic locking when driving 95
Automatic transmission 141
Accelerator position 146
Activating steering wheel gearshift
control 147
Deactivating steering wheel gearshift
control 148
Emergency operation (Limp Home
Mode) 146
Fluid level 256
Gear ranges 143
Gear selector lever position 144
Gear shifting malfunctions 146
Kickdown 146
Manual shift program, CLK 55 AMG
146
One-touch gearshifting 142
Program mode selector switch 145
Selector lever position 141
Speedshift, CLK 55 AMG 146
Starting the engine 43
Steering wheel gearshift control
(Speedshift), CLK 55 AMG 146Transmission fluid 256
Winter program mode 145, 147
Auxiliary fuse box 338
B
BabySmart
TM
Airbag deactivation system 68
Compatible child seats 68, 361
Self-test 68
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system
361
Backrest
Folding forward 216
Folding rearward 217
Backup lamps 317, 322
Bulbs 317
BAS 76, 361
Messages in display 285
Batteries, SmartKey
Changing 312
Check lamp 85
Checking 86
Batteries, SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Changing 312
Checking 86
Battery discharged
Jump starting 332Battery, vehicle 258, 329
Charging 330
Disconnecting 330
Messages in display 303
Reconnecting 331
Reinstalling 330
Removing 330
Bi-Xenon headlamps* 361
Block heater* 265
Blocking
Rear window operation 72
Bolts
For Minispare wheel 309
Brake assist system (BAS) 361
Brake fluid 353
Brake lamp bulbs 317
Brake lamp, high mounted 317
Brake pads
Message in display 286
Brakes 242
Warning lamp 279
Break-in period 240