2005 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK55AMG CABRIOLET oil

307 Operation
Engine compartment
Checking engine oil level with the
control system
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground


with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least five minutes with
the engine turned off


with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 30 minutes
with the engine turned off
To check the engine oil level via the
multifunction display, do the following:

Switch on the ignition (
page 34).
The standard display (
page 133) should
appear in the multifunction display.

Press buttonk or j on the
steering wheel until the following
message is seen in the multifunction
display:
One 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
)


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 309).
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 453) and (
page 455).
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press thek orj
button on the multifunction steering
wheel.

308 OperationEngine compartmentOther 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 (
page 36).
If you see the message:
Observe waiting time
If engine is at operating temperature,
wait five minutes before repeating
check procedure.

If engine is not at operating
temperature yet, 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 operating
temperature, wait five minutes before
checking oil.

If the engine is not at operating
temperature yet, you must wait
30 minutes before checking oil.
If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at operating temperature, the following
message will appear:
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level
!

Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.More information on messages in the
display concerning engine oil can be found
in the “Practical hints” section
(
page 380). !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.

309 Operation
Engine compartment
Adding engine oil
1Filler cap

Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.

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.

Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 453) and (
page 455).
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.
!Only use approved engine oils and oil
filters required for vehicles with
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS (Canada vehicles). For a listing of
approved engine oils and oil filters,
refer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet in your vehicle
literature portfolio, or contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of
specification other than those
expressly required for the Maintenance
System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada
vehicles), or changing of oil and oil filter
at change intervals longer than those
called for by the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehi-
cles) will result in engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!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.

315 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tread depth
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).
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of approx-
imately
1/16
in (1.6 mm), at which point
the tire is considered worn and should be
replaced.
Recommended minimum tire tread depth:


Summer tires
1/8in (3 mm)


Winter tires
1/6in (4 mm)
1TWI (T
read W
ear I
ndicator)
The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.Storing tires
Cleaning tires
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor safety
laws consider a tire to be worn when the
treadwear indicators (TWI) become visible at
approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), we recom-
mend that you do not allow your tires
to wear down to that level. As tread depth
approaches
1/8in (3 mm), the adhesion
properties on a wet road are sharply re-
duced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
!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.!Never use a round nozzle to power
wash tires. The intense jet of water can
result in damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.

336 OperationTires and wheelsBar
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.GVWR (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
This is the maximum permissible vehicle
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (weight of
the vehicle including all options, passen-
gers, fuel, and cargo and, if applicable,
trailer tongue load). It is indicated on
certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
Kilopascal (kPa)
The metric unit for air pressure. There are
6.9 kPa to one psi; another metric unit for
air pressure is bars. There are
100 kilopascals (kPa) to one bar.

343 Operation
Maintenance
Clearing the maintenance service indicator
The maintenance service indicator is
automatically cleared

after 30 seconds when you switch on
the ignition or when reaching the main-
tenance service threshold while driving


after 30 seconds, once the suggested
maintenance service term has passed
You can also clear it yourself.
1Reset button

Press reset button 1 on the
instrument cluster.
Maintenance service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested
maintenance service term, you will see the
following message in the multifunction
display:Service A exceeded by XXXXX miles
(km)
Service A exceeded by XXX days
Service A exceeded by X dayIn addition, a signal sounds when the
message appears.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
reset the maintenance service indicator
following a completed maintenance
service.Calling up the maintenance service
indicator
Switch on the ignition (
page 36).
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 133).

Press buttonkorjon the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until the
maintenance service indicator with the
service symbol9or´and the
service deadline appears in the
multifunction display.iIf the battery is disconnected, the days
of disconnection will not be included in
the count shown by the maintenance
service indicator. To arrive at the true
maintenance service deadline, you will
need to subtract these days from the
days shown in the maintenance service
indicator.
Do not confuse the maintenance
service indicator with the engine oil
level indicator :.

345 Operation
Vehicle care
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subject to varying external
influences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the
underbody and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by
extreme and varying climatic conditions,
but also by:


Air pollution


Road salt


Tar


Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should
immediately 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.
Any damage should be repaired as soon as
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
applied 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
designed for cleaning your vehicle.

348 OperationVehicle careDry cleaning:
Brush the dry top with a soft-bristled
brush.
Brush top always from front to rear.
Wet cleaning:

Brush the top with a soft-bristled
brush.
Wash with clear water or with a mild
detergent and an ample supply of luke-
warm water by wiping with a soft-bris-
tled brush or sponge from front to
rear.Then rinse thoroughly with clear
water.Wash the top only when heavily soiled.
If only parts of the top have been washed,
wet the entire top and allow it to air-dry be-
fore lowering it into the storage compart-
ment.
For cleaning soft top or wind screen never
use:


gasoline


thinner


tar and stain removers


glass cleaner


similar organic solvents
They will cause damage which is not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited War-
ranty.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of very dirty
chrome-plated parts, use a chrome
cleaner.
Headlamps, tail lamps, side markers,
turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo,
with plenty of water.
To prevent scratches, never apply strong
force and only use a soft, non-scratchy
cloth when cleaning the lenses. Do not
attempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry
cloth or sponge.
iWhen you run the vehicle through an
automatic car wash, never use
hot-wax.
Depending on the operation mode of
the car wash, there is the possibility of
water drops entering the vehicle’s inte-
rior. This is not an indication of a defect
or malfunction in the soft top.
iIn general, regular spraying or cleaning
with clear water is sufficient to keep
the soft top clean.