Page 387 of 506

386 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
. 
Tail lamp right
back-up lamp on
 
The right tail lamp is malfunctioning. A 
back-up bulb is being used.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz 
Center as soon as possible.
Turn off lamps!
Lamps have been turned on although the 
SmartKey in the starter switch is in posi-
tion 0.
Turn off the headlamps.
Turn signal,
front left 
The left front turn signal lamp is malfunc-
tioning.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Turn signal,
front right
 
T h e  r i g h t  f r o n t  t u r n  s i g n a l  l a m p  i s  m a l f u n c-
tioning.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Turn signal,
left mirror
The left turn signal in the side mirror is 
malfunctioning. This message will only ap-
pear if all light emitting diodes have 
stopped working.
Have the LEDs replaced as soon as 
possible.
Turn signal,
right mirror
The right turn signal in the side mirror is 
malfunctioning. This message will only ap-
pear if all light emitting diodes have 
stopped working.
Have the LEDs replaced as soon as 
possible.
Turn signal rear left
back-up lamp on
 
The left rear turn signal lamp is malfunc-
tioning. A back-up bulb is being used.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Turn signal rear right
back-up lamp on
 
The right rear turn signal lamp is malfunc-
tioning. A back-up bulb is being used.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 398 of 506
397 Practical hints
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Unlocking the vehicle
If you are unable to unlock the vehicle with 
the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*, open the 
driver’s door and the trunk using the 
mechanical key. 
1Mechanical key locking tab
2Mechanical key
Move locking tab1 in direction of 
arrow.
Slide mechanical key2 out of the 
housing.Unlocking the driver’s door
1Unlocking
Insert the mechanical key into the 
driver’s door lock until it stops.
Turn the mechanical key counterclock-
wise to position1.
The driver’s door is unlocked.
iUnlocking your vehicle with the me-
chanical key will trigger the anti-theft 
alarm system. To cancel the alarm, do 
one of the following:
Press button Œ or ‹ on the 
SmartKey. 
Insert the SmartKey in the starter 
switch. 
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Pull the outside door handle.
Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop 
button (
page 35). 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 405 of 506
404 Practical hintsOpening/closing in an emergency
Engage parking brake.
Lower the side windows.
Lower rear head restraints 
(page 115).
For safety reasons, remove SmartKey 
from starter switch.
Open the trunk.
Remove the trunk floor cover.
Take the two straps for soft top emer-
gency operation out of vehicle tool kit 
(page 391).
Take hex wrench out of  its storage 
location in the storage well casing.
Open the left side trim panel in the 
trunk.1Locking mechanism
Pull locking mechanism1 out until it 
stops and rotate it approx. one-quarter 
of a turn.
Make sure the locking mechanism 
does not retract again. If this happens, 
pull the locking mechanism out again 
and rotate it approx. one-quarter of a 
turn.
iIf the rear head restraints cannot be 
lowered using the rear head restraint 
lowering switch, the roll bars may have 
been released. For more information, 
see “Operating roll bars manually” 
(page 401). 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 423 of 506

422 Practical hintsFlat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from 
moving traffic on a hard surface.
Turn on the hazard warning flashers 
(page 127).
Turn the steering wheel so that the 
front wheels are in a straight ahead 
position.
Set the parking brake (
page 55).
Move the gear selector lever toP.
Vehicles with SmartKey:
Turn off the engine (
page 56).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter 
switch.Vehicles with SmartKey with 
KEYLESS-GO*:
Turn off the engine by pressing the 
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button on the 
gear selector lever once (
page 57).
Open the driver’s door (this puts the ig-
nition in position0, same as with the 
SmartKey removed from the starter 
switch). The driver’s door then can be 
closed again.
Have any passenger exit the vehicle at 
a safe distance from the roadway.
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the Minispare wheel are 
different from those of the road wheels. As 
a result, the vehicle handling characteristics 
change when driving with a Minispare wheel 
mounted. Adapt your driving style 
accordingly.
The spare wheel is for temporary use only. 
When driving with spare wheel mounted, 
ensure proper tire inflation pressure and do 
not exceed a vehicle speed of 50 mph 
(80 km/h).
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.
iOpen door only when conditions are 
safe to do so. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 429 of 506

428 Practical hintsBattery2Negative terminal
3Positive terminal cover
Disconnecting the battery
Turn off the engine (
page 56).
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Remove SmartKey from starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the start / stop button until 
the engine shuts off.
Open the driver’s door.
Open the hood (
page 305).
Remove the filter box (
page 427).
Read and observe safety instructions 
and precautions (
page 427).
Disconnect the battery negative lead 
from negative terminal2.
Remove cover3 from the positive ter-
minal.
Disconnect the battery positive lead.
Removing the battery
Remove the screw securing the 
battery.
Remove the battery support and 
bracket.
Take out the battery.
Charging and reinstalling battery
Charge battery in accordance with the 
instructions of the battery charger 
manufacturer.
Reinstall the charged battery. Follow 
the previously described steps in 
reverse order.
Warning!
G
With a disconnected battery
you will no longer be able to turn the 
SmartKey in the starter switch and 
pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop 
button on the gear selector lever will 
have no effect
the gear selector lever will remain 
locked in position
P 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 430 of 506

429 Practical hints
Battery
Reconnecting the battery
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Remove SmartKey from starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the start / stop button until 
the engine shuts off.
Open the driver’s door.
Connect the battery positive lead and 
fasten its cover3.
Connect the battery negative lead2.
Reinstall the filter box (
page 427).Batteries contain materials that can harm 
the environment if disposed of improperly. 
Large 12-volt storage batteries contain 
lead. Recycling of batteries is the preferred 
method of disposal. Many states require 
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries 
for recycling.
Warning!
G
Never charge a battery while still installed in 
the vehicle unless the accessory battery 
charge unit* approved by Mercedes-Benz is 
being used. Gases may escape during charg-
ing and cause explosions that may result in 
paint damage, corrosion or personal injury.
An accessory battery charge unit* specially 
adapted for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and 
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz is 
available, permitting the charging of the bat-
tery in its installed position. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center for 
information and availability. Charge battery 
in accordance with the separate instruc-
tions for the accessory battery charger*.
!NEVER invert the terminal connections!!The battery, its filler caps and the vent 
tube must always be securely installed 
when the vehicle is in operation.
iThe following procedures must be car-
ried out following any interruption of 
battery power (e.g. due to reconnect-
ing):
Set the clock (
page 147) (vehi-
cles with COMAND*: see COMAND 
operator’s manual).
Resynchronize the side windows 
(page 243). 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 434 of 506

433 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Warning!
G
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on 
the ground, make certain that the SmartKey 
is in starter switch position
2.
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch posi-
tion 
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, re-
move SmartKey from starter switch and re-
insert.
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 brake and steering 
systems. In this case, it is important to keep 
in mind that a considerably higher degree of 
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.iTo signal turns while being towed with 
the hazard warning flasher in use, 
switch on the ignition 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.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels 
on the ground, please note the follow-
ing:
With the automatic central locking acti-
vated and the SmartKey in starter 
switch position2, or KEYLESS-GO* 
start/stop button in position2, the ve-
hicle doors lock if the left front wheel 
as well as the right rear wheel are turn-
ing at vehicle speeds of approx. 9 mph 
(15 km / h) or more.
Switch off the tow-away alarm 
(page 91).
To prevent the vehicle door locks from 
locking, deactivate the automatic cen-
tral locking (
page 155). 
Towing of the vehicle should only be 
done using the properly installed tow-
ing eye bolt. Never attach tow cable, 
tow rope or tow rod to the vehicle chas-
sis, frame or suspension parts. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 435 of 506
434 Practical hintsTowing the vehicle
Installing towing eye bolt
Towing eye bolt CLK 320/CLK 500
1Cover on right side of front bumper2Cover on right side of rear bumper
To remove cover:
Press mark on cover in direction of ar-
row.
Lift cover off to reveal threaded hole for 
towing eye bolt.
The towing eye bolt is supplied with the 
tool kit (located in the compartment under-
neath the trunk floor).
Screw towing eye bolt to its stop and 
tighten with lug wrench.
To reinstall cover:
Fit cover and snap into place.
iIf the battery is disconnected or 
discharged
the SmartKey will not turn in the 
starter switch. For more informa-
tion, see “Battery” (
page 427) 
and “Jump starting” (page 430).
the gear selector lever will remain 
locked in positionP. For informa-
tion on manually unlocking the 
transmission gear selector lever, 
see (
page 400).