
71 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Emergency tensioning device (ETD), 
seat belt force limiter
The seat belts for the front and rear outer 
seats are equipped with emergency ten-
sioning devices and belt force limiters.
The ETD is designed to activate in the fol-
lowing cases:
in frontal or rear-end impacts exceed-
ing a preset severity level
in certain vehicle rollovers
if the restraint systems are operational 
and functioning correctly, see 1 in-
dicator lamp (
page 62).
In an impact, emergency tensioning devic-
es remove slack from the belts in such a 
way that the seat belts fit more snugly 
against the body. Belt force limiters reduce 
the force exerted by the seat belts on oc-
cupants during a crash.Automatic comfort-fit feature seat belt
An automatic comfort-fit feature for front 
seats reduces the retracting force of the 
seat belts when they are in normal use.
Belts should not be worn twisted. In a 
crash, you wouldn’t have the full width 
of the belt to manage impact forces. The 
twisted belt against your body could 
cause injuries.
Pregnant women should also use a 
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion 
should be positioned as low as possible 
on the hips to avoid any possible pres-
sure on the abdomen.
Never place your feet on the instrument 
panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always 
keep both feet on the floor in front of the 
seat.
iThe ETDs for the front seats will only 
activate if the respective front seat belt 
is fastened (latch plate properly insert-
ed into buckle).
The ETDs for the rear outer seats will 
activate with or without the respective 
seat belt fastened.
Warning!
G
An emergency tensioning device (ETD) that 
was activated must be replaced.
When disposing of the emergency tension-
ing device, our safety instructions must be 
followed. These are available at your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.!Do not place objects heavier than 
20 lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger 
seat. This could cause the front or side 
impact air bag on the front passenger 
side to deploy in a crash which exceeds 
the system's deployment threshold. 

299 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire labeling
Besides tire name (sales designation) and 
manufacturer name, a number of markings 
can be found on a tire.
Following are some explanations for the 
markings on your vehicle's tires:1Uniform Quality Grading Standards 
(
page 306)
2DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN) 
(page 304)
3Maximum tire load (
page 305)
4Maximum tire inflation pressure 
(
page 306)
5Manufacturer
6Tire ply material (
page 308)
7Tire size designation, load and speed 
rating (
page 299)
8Load identification (
page 303)
9Tire nameTire size designation, load and speed 
rating
1Tire width 
2Aspect ratio in %
3Radial tire code
4Rim diameter
5Tire load rating
6Tire speed rating
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual 
data on tires is specific to each vehicle 
and may vary from data shown in above 
illustration.
For more information, see “Rims and 
Tires” (
page 404).
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual 
data on tires is specific to each vehicle 
and may vary from data shown in above 
illustration. 

300 OperationTires and wheelsGeneral:
Depending on the design standards used, 
the tire size molded into the sidewall may 
have no letter or a letter preceding the tire 
size designation.
No letter preceding the size designation 
(as illustrated above): Passenger car tire 
based on European design standards.
Letter “P” preceding the size designation: 
Passenger car tire based on U.S. design 
standards.
Letter “LT” preceding the size designation: 
Light Truck tire based on U.S. design 
standards. 
Letter “T” preceding the size designation: 
Temporary spare tires which are high 
pressure compact spares designed for 
temporary emergency use only. Tire width
The tire width1 (
page 299) indicates 
the nominal tire width in mm. 
Aspect ratio
The aspect ratio2 (page 299) is the 
dimensional relationship between tire 
section height and section width and is 
expressed in percentage. The aspect ratio 
is arrived at by dividing section height by 
section width. 
Tire code
The tire code3 (
page 299) indicates 
the tire construction type. The “R” stands 
for radial tire type. Letter “D” means diag-
onal or bias ply construction; letter “B” 
means belted-bias ply construction.
At the tire manufacturer's option, any tire 
with a speed capability above 149 mph 
(240 km/h) can include a “ZR” in the size 
designation (for example: 245/40 ZR 18). 
For additional information, see “Tire speed 
rating” (
page 301).Rim diameter
The rim diameter4 (
page 299) is the 
diameter of the bead seat, not the 
diameter of the rim edge. Rim diameter is 
indicated in inches (in).
Tire load rating
The tire load rating5 (page 299) is a 
numerical code associated with the 
maximum load a tire can support. 
For example, a load rating of 91 corre-
sponds to a maximum load of 1 356 lbs 
(615 kg) the tire is designed to support. 
See also “Maximum tire load” 
(
page 305) where the maximum load as-
sociated with the load index is indicated in 
kilograms and lbs. 

307 Operation
Tires and wheels
Quality grades can be found, where appli-
cable, on the tire sidewall between tread 
shoulder and maximum section width. For 
example:
All passenger car tires must conform to 
federal safety requirements in addition to 
these grades.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when 
tested under controlled conditions on a 
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one 
and one-half (1 
1/2) times as well on the 
government course as a tire graded 100. 
The relative performance of tires depends 
upon the actual conditions of their use, 
however, and may depart significantly 
from the norm due to variations in driving 
habits, service practices and differences in 
road characteristics and climate.Traction
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades rep-
resent the tire’s ability to stop on wet 
pavement as measured under controlled 
conditions on specified government test 
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire 
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.
Treadwear
Traction
Temperature
200
AA
A
Warning!
G
The traction grade assigned to this tire is 
based on straight-ahead braking traction 
tests, and does not include acceleration, 
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction 
characteristics. 

309 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those 
standard items which may be replaced) of 
automatic transmission, power steering, 
power brakes, power windows, power 
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that 
these items are available as 
factory-installed equipment (whether 
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing 
outward on each square inch of the tire. 
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per 
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or 
bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire 
section height and section width 
expressed in percentage.Bar
Another metric unit for air pressure. There 
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi) 
to 1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa) 
to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped 
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the 
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle 
has been sitting for at least three hours or 
driven no more than one mile (1.6 km). 
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum 
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so 
equipped, air conditioning and additional 
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.DOT (D
epartment o
f T
ransportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the 
tire meets requirements of the 
U.S. Department of Transportation.
GAWR (G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible 
axle weight. The gross vehicle weight on 
each axle must never exceed the GAWR for 
the front and rear axle indicated on the 
Certification label located on the driver's 
door B-pillar.
GVW (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the 
vehicle including fuel, tools, spare wheel, 
installed accessories, passengers and 
cargo and, if applicable, trailer tongue 
load. The GWV must never exceed the 
GWVR indicated on the Certification label 
located on the driver's door B-pillar. 

319 Operation
Vehicle care
Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment 
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from the intrusion of 
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax, should be applied to the en-
gine compartment after every engine 
cleaning. Before applying, all control link-
age bushings and joints should be lubricat-
ed. The poly-V-belt and all pulleys should 
be protected from any wax. 
Vehicle washing
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle 
in direct sunlight. Only use a mild car wash 
detergent, such as Mercedes-Benz ap-
proved Car Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water. Direct only a very weak 
spray towards the ventilation intake. Use 
plenty of water and rinse the sponge and 
chamois frequently. Rinse with clear water and thoroughly dry 
with a chamois. Do not allow cleaning 
agents to dry on the finish.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in ex-
terior rear view mirrors prior to running the 
vehicle through an automatic car wash to 
prevent damage to the mirrors.
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces 
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the underbody, do not for-
get to clean the inner sides of the wheels.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of very dirty 
chrome-plated parts, use a chrome clean-
er.
Headlamps, tail lamps, side markers, 
turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as 
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water.
To prevent scratches, never apply strong 
force and use only a soft, non-scratchy 
cloth when cleaning the lenses. Do not at-
tempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry cloth 
or sponge.
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of 
water, and a SmartKey with 
KEYLESS-GO* is in close proximity, i.e. 
within approx. 3 ft. (approx. 1 m), the 
vehicle could be inadvertently locked 
or unlocked.  

410 Technical dataMain Dimensions and weightsMain DimensionsWeightsModel
CL 500
CL 55 AMG
CL 600
CL 65 AMG
Overall vehicle length
196.4 in (4989 mm)
196.4 in (4989 mm)
196.4 in (4989 mm)
196.4 in (4989 mm)
Overall vehicle width
73.1 in (1857 mm)
73.1 in (1857 mm)
73.1 in (1857 mm)
73.1 in (1857 mm)
Overall vehicle height
55.4 in (1408 mm)
55.4 in (1408 mm)
55.4 in (1408 mm)
55.4 in (1408 mm)
Wheelbase
113.6 in (2885 mm)
113.6 in (2885 mm)
113.6 in (2885 mm)
113.6 in (2885 mm)
Track, front
62.1 in (1577 mm)
62.2 in (1581 mm)
62.1 in (1577 mm)
62.2 in (1581 mm)
Track, rear
62.1 in (1578 mm)
62.2 in (1582 mm)
62.1 in (1578 mm))
62.2 in (1582 mm)
Roof load max.
220 lbs (100 kg)
Trunk load max.
220 lbs (100 kg)