Page 4 of 506

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ...............................  10
Service and warranty information ..  10
Important notice for California 
retail buyers and lessees of 
Mercedes-Benz automobiles ..........  11
Maintenance ..................................  12
Roadside Assistance ......................  12
Change of address or ownership....  12
Operating your vehicle 
outside the USA or Canada ............  13
Where to find it ....................................  14
Symbols ...............................................  15
Operating safety ..................................  16
Proper use of the vehicle ...............  16
Problems with your vehicle ..................  17
Reporting safety defects......................  18
Reporting safety defects ................  18
Vehicle data recording.........................  19
Information regarding electronic 
recording devices...........................  19
At a glance.......................................... 21
Cockpit ................................................. 22
Instrument cluster ................................ 24
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 26
Center console ..................................... 27
Upper part ...................................... 27
Lower part ...................................... 28
Overhead control panel ........................ 29
Door control panel................................ 30
Getting started...................................  31
Unlocking .............................................  32
Unlocking with the SmartKey .........  32
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*.........  33
Starter switch positions ..................  34
Adjusting ..............................................  37
Seats ..............................................  37
Steering wheel ................................  40
Mirrors ............................................  41
Driving ..................................................  43
Fastening the seat belts .................  43
Starting the engine .........................  46
Switching on headlamps .................  50
Turn signals ....................................  51
Windshield wipers ...........................  52
Problems while driving....................  54
Parking and locking ..............................  55
Parking brake .................................  55
Switching off headlamps.................  56
Turning off the engine .....................  56 
     
        
        Page 8 of 506

Contents
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) .............  333
Tire ply material ...........................  335
Tire and loading terminology ........  335
Rotating tires ...............................  339
Winter driving ....................................  340
Winter tires ..................................  340
Block heater* (Canada only) ........  341
Snow chains.................................  341
Maintenance......................................  342
Clearing the maintenance 
service indicator...........................  343
Maintenance 
service term exceeded .................  343
Calling up the 
maintenance service indicator .....  343
Resetting the 
maintenance service indicator .....  344
Vehicle care .......................................  345
Cleaning and care of vehicle ........  345
Practical hints.................................. 353
What to do if …? ................................. 354
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 354
Lamp in center console................. 361
Vehicle status messages 
in the multifunction display........... 363
Where will I find...? ............................. 391
First aid kit.................................... 391
Vehicle tool kit .............................. 391
Minispare wheel............................ 394
Unlocking/locking in an emergency... 397
Unlocking the vehicle.................... 397
Locking the vehicle ....................... 398
Fuel filler flap ................................ 399
Manually unlocking 
the gear selector lever .................. 400
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 401
Operating roll bars manually ......... 401
Soft top emergency operation ...... 403
Replacing batteries in the SmartKey/ 
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ............. 412
SmartKey ...................................... 412
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ....... 413Replacing bulbs ..................................  414
Bulbs............................................. 414
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 416
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps .....  420
Replacing wiper blades ......................  421
Removing wiper blades .................  421
Installing wiper blades ..................  421
Flat tire...............................................  422
Preparing the vehicle .................... 422
Mounting the Minispare wheel......  423
Battery ...............................................  427
Disconnecting the battery ............ 428
Removing the battery ...................  428
Charging and reinstalling battery ..  428
Reconnecting the battery .............  429
Jump starting......................................  430
Towing the vehicle..............................  432
Towing the vehicle ........................ 432
Installing towing eye bolt ..............  434
Fuses.................................................. 436
Aids for changing fuses ................ 436
Mainfuse box in passenger 
compartment ................................  437
Fuse box in engine compartment .  437
Fuse box in trunk ..........................  438 
     
        
        Page 22 of 506
21 At a glance
Cockpit
Instrument cluster
Multifunction steering wheel
Center console
Overhead control panel
Door control panel 
     
        
        Page 24 of 506
23 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Steering wheel gearshift 
buttons 
(CLK 500, CLK 55 AMG)
171
2
Combination switch
Turn signals
Windshield wipers
High beam
51
52
51
3
Cruise control lever
255
4
Multifunction steering 
wheel
26,
134
5
Instrument cluster
24,
130
6
Starter switch
34
7
Front Parktronic* warning 
indicators
262
8
Overhead control panel
29
Item
Page
9
Glove box
269
a
Cup holder
271
b
Center console
27, 28
c
Hood lock release
305
d
Horn
e
Steering wheel adjustment 
stalk
40
f
Parking brake pedal
49
g
Door control panel
30
h
Parking brake release
49
j
Exterior lamp switch
50,
122
k
Exterior rear view mirror 
adjustment
41
l
Headlamp washer switch*
176 
     
        
        Page 28 of 506
27 At a glance
Center console
Center console
Upper part
Item
Page
1
Seat heater*, driver’s side
Seat ventilation*, driver’s 
side
117
118
2
Parktronic (Parking as-
sist)* deactivation switch
263
3
ESP control switch
86
4
Hazard warning flasher 
switch - switching on/off
127
5
Central locking switch
Central unlocking switch
110
110
6
Switch for lowering rear 
seat head restraints
115
7
Tow-away alarm switch
Anti-theft alarm system in-
dicator lamp
91
92
Item
Page
8
Seat heater*, passenger 
side
Seat ventilation*, 
passenger side
117
118
9
Front passenger front air 
bag off indicator lamp
79,
361
a
Audio system,
or
COMAND* (see separate 
operating instructions)
139
b
Climate control (CLK 320)
Automatic climate control 
(CLK 500/CLK 55 AMG)
Rear window defroster 
180
190,
179 
     
        
        Page 29 of 506
28 At a glanceCenter consoleLower part
Item
Page
1
Ashtray
Cigarette lighter
273
274
2
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop 
button
35
3
Storage compartment
270
4
Soft top switch
247
5
Program mode selector 
switch for automatic trans-
mission
Automatic shift 
program
Manual shift program 
(CLK 55 AMG)
169
174
6
Gear selector lever for 
automatic transmission
163 
     
        
        Page 67 of 506

66 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
The air bags will not deploy in impacts 
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protect-
ed by the fastened seat belts.
The front passenger front air bag will only 
be deployed if:
the system, based on OCS weight sen-
sor readings, senses that the front pas-
senger seat is occupied
the56 indicator lamp in the 
center console is not lit (
page 79)
the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment thresholdHead-thorax air bags
1Head-thorax air bag
The head-thorax air bags1 in the drivers 
and front passenger seat are deployed: 
on the impacted side of the vehicle
in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold
independently of the front air bags
The head-thorax air bags1 are not de-
ployed in impacts which do not exceed the 
system’s deployment threshold.
iThe front air bags in this vehicle have 
been designed to inflate in two stages. 
This allows the air bag to have different 
rates of inflation that are based on the 
rate of relevant vehicle deceleration as 
assessed by the air bag control unit.
On the front passenger side, the front 
air bag deployment is additionally influ-
enced by the passenger’s weight cate-
gory as identified by the Occupant 
Classification System (OCS) 
(page 75).
The lighter the front passenger side oc-
cupant, the higher the vehicle deceler-
ation rate required for the second 
stage inflation of the air bag. 
     
        
        Page 80 of 506

79 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The 56indicator lamp is located in 
the center console.
1Front passenger front air bag off indica-
tor lamp
The 56indicator lamp1 will be 
illuminated, except with the SmartKey 
removed or in starter switch position0.
Warning!
G
If the 1indicator lamp and the 
56indicator lamp are lit at the same 
time, there is a malfunction in the Occupant 
Classification System. The front passenger 
front air bag will be deactivated in this case.
In order to ensure proper operation of the 
air bag system and OCS:
Have the system checked as soon as 
possible by qualified technicians. Con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz 
Center.
Sit properly belted in a nearly upright 
position with your back against the seat 
backrest.
Do not lean on the armrests or lift your-
self from the seat by using the handle 
over the door as this may cause the OCS 
to be unable to correctly approximate 
the occupant weight category.
Only have the seat repaired or replaced 
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz 
Center.
Read and observe all warnings in this 
chapter.