2005 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500 CABRIOLET ABS

340 OperationWinter drivingBefore the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.


Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“S” to a premixed windshield washer
solvent / antifreeze which is formulated
for temperatures below freezing point
(page 460).


Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure that the engine can be started
even at low ambient temperatures.


Tire change. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends M+S rated radial-ply tires with a
minimum tread depth of approximately 1/6 in (4 mm) on all four wheels for the
winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Use of winter tires
is the only way to achieve the maximum
effectiveness of the ABS and the ESP in
winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure that all
mounted winter tires are of the same make
and have the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-
tices are available at your tire dealer or any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Warning!
G
Winter tires with a tread depth under
1/6in
(4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.
Warning!
G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

354 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following bulbs in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during thebulb self-check when switching on the igni-
tion, have the respective bulb checked and
replaced if necessary.Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
-
The yellow ABS malfunction indi-
cator lamp comes on while driv-
ing.
The ABS has detected a malfunction and has
switched off. The BAS and the ESP are also
switched off (see messages in display).
The brake system is still functioning normally
but without the ABS available.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels will lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.

Read and observe messages in the
display (
page 363).
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts and the ABS has switched off.
When the voltage is above this value
again, the ABS is operational again.
If necessary, have the generator (al-
ternator) and battery checked.

365 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Text messagesDisplay
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
ABS
malfunction
Visit workshop
The ABS has detected a malfunction and
has switched off. The ESP and the BAS are
also deactivated.
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS available.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels will lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
Display defective
Visit workshop!
The ABS or the ABS display is malfunc-
tioning.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels will lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.

366 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
ABS
Anti-lock
braking system
not working!
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts and the ABS has switched off.
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS available.

When the voltage is above this value
again, the ABS is operational again.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels will lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.

368 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
Cruise con-
trol
Cruise control
Drive to workshop
Cruise control is malfunctioning.

Have cruise control checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
ESP
malfunction
Visit workshop
The ESP was deactivated because of a
malfunction or interrupted power supply.
The ABS might not be operational.

Continue driving with added caution.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
Display defective
Visit workshop!
The ESP or the ESP display is malfunction-
ing.

Continue driving with added caution.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
unavailable
See Operator’s Manual
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts and the ESP has switched off.
When the voltage is above this value
again, the ESP is operational again.
If necessary, have the generator and
battery checked.
The self-diagnosis has not been complet-
ed.
The display will clear after driving a short
distance at more than 12 mph (20 km/h).

394 Practical hintsWhere will I find...?Setting up the collapsible wheel chock
The collapsible wheel chock serves to
additionally secure the vehicle, e.g. while
changing the wheel.
1Tilt the plate upward
2Fold the lower plate outward
3Insert the plate

Tilt both plates upward1.

Fold the lower plate outward2.

Guide the tabs of the lower plate all the
way into the openings of the base
plate3.
Minispare wheel
The Minispare wheel is located in the
storage compartment underneath the
trunk floor.
Removing the Minispare wheel
Remove trunk floor cover from trunk.

Loosen the retaining screw in the mid-
dle of storage well casing by turning it
counterclockwise (
page 391).

Remove the storage well casing
(page 391).

420 Practical hintsReplacing bulbsReplacing bulbs for rear lamps
Before you start to replace a bulb for a rear
lamp, do the following first:
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionM (
page 122).
Tail lamp unit

Open trunk lid.

Swing the trim panel covering the cor-
responding rear lights to the side.
1Tab

Press tabs1 together.

Remove the bulb carrier.

Press gently onto the respective bulb
and turn counterclockwise out of its
bulb socket.

Press the new bulb gently into its bulb
socket and turn clockwise until it
engages.
1Brake lamp
2Turn signal lamp
3Backup lamp
4Standing and side marker lamp
5Rear fog lamp (driver’s side)/tail

Reinstall the bulb carrier.
Let tabs1 engage.

Reinstall trim panel.License plate lamp
1Screws

Loosen both screws1.

Remove the license plate lamp.

Replace the tubular lamp.

Reinstall the license plate lamp.

Retighten the screws1.

456 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil are used in the air
conditioning system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based
lubricating oil. Otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere. Under extremely strenu-
ous operating conditions, this moisture
content can lead to the formation of bub-
bles in the system, thus reducing the sys-
tem’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be re-
placed every two years, preferably in the
spring.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will pro-
vide you with additional information.
Premium unleaded gasoline
!To maintain the engine’s durability and
performance, premium unleaded gaso-
line must be used. If premium unleaded
is not available and low octane fuel is
used, follow these precautions:

Have the fuel tank only partially
filled with unleaded regular and fill
up with premium unleaded as soon
as possible.


Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.


Do not exceed an engine speed of
3 000 rpm if the vehicle is loaded
with a light load such as two per-
sons and no luggage.


Do not exceed
2/3 of maximum ac-
celerator pedal position if the vehi-
cle is fully loaded or operating in
mountainous terrain.