283 Operation
Engine compartment
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when
the vehicle is new
the vehicle is driven frequently at high-
er engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.Checking engine oil level with the con-
trol system
When checking the oil level the vehicle
must
be parked on level ground
be at normal operating temperature
have been stationary for at least five
minutes with the engine turned off
To check the engine oil level via the
multifunction display, do the following:
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position2 or press the
KEYLESS GO* start/stop button twice.The standard display (
page 129) should
appear in the multifunction display.
Press buttonk or j on the
steering wheel until the following
message is seen in the multifunction
display:Engine oil level
Measuring now!
Measurement
correct
only if veh. levelOne of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the indicator:
Engine oil level
ok
Add 1.0 qt.
to reach max. oil level!(Canada:
1.0 liter
)
iDo not use any special lubricant addi-
tives, as these may damage the drive
assemblies. Using special additives not
approved by Mercedes-Benz will
restrict your warranty entitlement.
More information on this subject is
available at any Mercedes-Benz
Center.
284 OperationEngine compartment
Add 1.5 qt.
to reach max. oil level!(Canada:
1.5 liter
)
Add 2.0 qt.
to reach max. oil level!(Canada:
2.0 liter
)
If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil see (
page 285).
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 388) and (
page 390).Other display messages
If the SmartKey is not turned to position2
in the starter switch, the following
message will appear:
Turn on ignition
to see engine oil level!
Switch on the ignition.
If you see the message:
Observe waiting time
If engine is at normal operating
temperature, wait five minutes before
repeating check procedure.
If engine is not yet at normal operating
temperature, wait 30 minutes before
repeating check procedure.If you see the message:
Engine oil level
Not when engine on!
Turn off the engine.
If the engine is at normal operating
temperature, wait five minutes before
checking oil.
If the engine is not yet at normal
operating temperature, you must wait
30 minutes before checking oil.
If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at normal operating temperature, the
following message will appear:
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level
!
Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press thek orj
button on the multifunction steering
wheel.
285 Operation
Engine compartment
More information on messages in the
display concerning engine oil can be found
in the “Practical hints” section
(page 326). Adding engine oil
1Filler cap
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.
Be careful not to overfill with oil.
Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained
off. It could cause damage to the
engine and catalytic converter not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!Only use approved engine oils. For a
listing of a approved engine oils, refer
to the Factory Approved Service Prod-
ucts pamphlet in your vehicle literature
portfolio.
In addition, check the oil filler cap for
important information pertaining to the
engine oil needing to meet a specific
Mercedes-Benz specification (e.g. MB
229.5). If such information is printed
on the oil filler cap, only use an engine
oil from the list of approved engine oils
in the Factory Approved Service Prod-
ucts pamphlet that meets the specifi-
cation indicated on the oil filler cap.
Using engine oils of other specification
may cause the FSS to incorrectly deter-
mine the next service interval and will
result in engine damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
286 OperationEngine compartment
Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 388) and (
page 390).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
check the automatic transmission.
Coolant
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
The coolant expansion tank is located on
the passenger side of the engine compart-
ment.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained
off. It could cause damage to the en-
gine and catalytic converter not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
291 Operation
Tires and wheels
Important guidelines
Only use sets of tires and rims of the
same type and make.
Tires must be of the correct size for the
rim.
Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate
speeds.
Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bend rims can
cause tire pressure loss and damage
the tire beads.
If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
pressure and correct as required.
Do not allow your tires to wear down
too far. Adhesion properties on wet
roads are sharply reduced at tread
depths under
1/8in (3 mm).
When replacing individual tires, you
should mount new tires on the front
wheels first (on vehicles with
same-sized wheels all around).
Life of tires
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
various factors including but not limited to:
Driving style
Tire pressure
Distance driven
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantag-
es, such as better hydroplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must
make sure the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the in-
tended direction of tire rotation.
Warning!
G
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after
six years, regardless of the remaining tread.!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as
possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease and gasoline.
297 Operation
Maintenance
Calling up the service indicator
Switch on ignition.
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 129).
Press button k or j on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until FSS indi-
cator with the service symbol 9 or
´ and the service deadline appears
in the multifunction display.
Resetting the service indicator
In the event that the service on your vehi-
cle is not carried out by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, you can reset the
service indicator yourself.
Switch on ignition.
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 129).
Press button k or j on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until the FSS
indicator with the service symbol 9
or ´ and the service deadline ap-
pears in the multifunction display.
Press reset button to the left in the in-
strument cluster for about three sec-
onds.
This message appears in the multifunc-
tion display:Service interval...
To reset:
Press reset button
for 3 seconds
To confirm, press reset button until you
hear a signal.
The service indicator now displays the
reset interval.
iIf the battery is disconnected, the days
of disconnection will not be included in
the count shown by the service indica-
tor. To arrive at the true service dead-
line, you will need to subtract these
days from the days shown in the ser-
vice indicator.
Do not confuse the service indicator
with the engine oil level indicator :.
iIf the service indicator was inadvertent-
ly reset, have a Mercedes-Benz Center
correct it.
Only reset if the proper service has
been performed. Resetting the system
without performing proper service as
called for by the FSS will cause the FSS
to incorrectly determine the next ser-
vice interval which will result in engine
damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
298 OperationVehicle care
Vehicle careCleaning and care of vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the
underbody and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:
Air pollution
Road salt
Tar
Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:
Grease and oil
Fuel
Coolant
Brake fluid
Bird droppings
Insects
Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and / or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:
near the ocean
in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)
during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
A n y d a m a g e s h o u l d b e r e p a i r e d a s s o o n a s
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.
304 OperationVehicle careUpholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
Leather upholstery
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp cloth
and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather Care.
E x e r c i s e p a r t i c u l a r c a r e w h e n c l e a n i n g p e r -
forated leather as its underside should not
become wet.Nubuck leather upholstery
(CLK 55 AMG)
The nubuck leather upholstery is treated
with a protective coating. Wipe nubuck
leather upholstery with damp microfiber
cloth to remove dust and other light stains.
Carefully dab nubuck leather upholstery
with a microfiber cloth to remove oil stains.Plastic and rubber parts
Do not use oil or wax on these parts.
Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use damp
cloth to clean wood trims in your vehicle.
Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as
these may be abrasive.
!Do not use Mercedes-Benz approved
Leather Care or any solvents to clean
nubuck leather upholstery.
Avoid hard scrubbing on nubuck leath-
er upholstery.