2005 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK55AMG CABRIOLET coolant level

ContentsSoft top .............................................. 244
Opening and closing the soft top . 244
Driving systems ................................. 255
Cruise control............................... 255
Parktronic system
(Parking assist)* ........................... 260
Loading .............................................. 264
Ski sack* ...................................... 264
Loading instructions ..................... 268
Useful features .................................. 269
Storage compartments................. 269
Ashtrays ....................................... 273
Cigarette lighter ........................... 274
Electrical outlet in the
rear passenger compartment ....... 275
Floormats* ................................... 275
Telephone*................................... 276
Tele Aid ........................................ 277
Garage door opener ..................... 284
Operation......................................... 289
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km)......... 290
Driving instructions............................ 291
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 291
Drinking and driving ..................... 291
Pedals .......................................... 291
Power assistance ......................... 291
Brakes .......................................... 292
Driving off .................................... 294
Parking ......................................... 294
Tires ............................................. 295
Hydroplaning ................................ 295
Tire traction.................................. 296
Tire speed rating .......................... 296
Winter driving instructions ........... 297
Standing water ............................. 298
Passenger compartment .............. 299
Driving abroad.............................. 299
Control and operation
of radio transmitters .................... 299
Catalytic converter ....................... 300
Emission control .......................... 300
Coolant temperature .................... 301At the gas station .............................. 302
Refueling ...................................... 302
Check regularly and
before a long trip ......................... 304
Engine compartment ......................... 305
Hood ............................................ 305
Engine oil ..................................... 306
Transmission fluid level ................ 309
Coolant ........................................ 310
Battery ......................................... 311
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*......... 312
Tires and wheels................................ 313
Important guidelines .................... 313
Tire care and maintenance........... 314
Direction of rotation..................... 316
Loading the vehicle ...................... 316
Recommended
tire inflation pressure ................... 322
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 324
Tire labeling ................................. 326
Load identification ....................... 330
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................. 330
Maximum tire load ....................... 332
Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 332

54 Getting startedDrivingProblems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.


The engine electronics may not be op-
erating properly.


Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.

Give very little gas.

Have the problem repaired by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.The coolant temperature is
above 248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.

Stop the vehicle as soon as possible
and turn off the engine. Allow engine
and coolant to cool.

Check the coolant level and add
coolant if necessary (
page 310).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:

Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.

Notify local fire and/or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If no damage can be determined on the


major assemblies


fuel system


engine mount:

Start the engine in the usual manner.

304 OperationAt the gas stationCheck regularly and before a long trip
1Coolant level
2Brake fluid (fuse box cover removed)
3Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information,
see “Coolant” (
page 310) and see “Fu-
els, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 453).Brake fluid
Removing fuse box cover (
page 437).
Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
For more information on filling up the
washer reservoir, see “Windshield washer
system and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 312).Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 306).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 414).
For more information, see “Exterior lamp
switch” (
page 50).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information, see “Recommended
tire inflation pressure” (
page 322).
iOpening the hood, see (
page 305).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks immediately.
Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center immediately. Do not add brake
fluid as this will not solve the problem.
For more information, see also “Practi-
cal hints” (
page 355).

310 OperationEngine compartmentCoolant
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
The coolant expansion tank is located on
the passenger side of the engine
compartment.
1Coolant expansion tank
2Cap

Using a rag, turn cap2 slowly approx-
imately one half turn to the left to re-
lease any excess pressure.

Continue turning the cap2 to the left
and remove it.
The coolant level is correct if the level


for cold coolant: reaches the black top
part of the reservoir


for warm coolant: is approx. 0.6 in
(1.5 cm) higher

Add coolant as required.

Replace and tighten cap2.
More information on coolant can be found
in the “Technical data” section
(
page 458).
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.


Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if the coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow the coolant
to cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.


Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately
1/2 turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out un-
der pressure.


Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.

357 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
•
The red coolant warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.
There is insufficient coolant in the reservoir.

Add coolant to prevent engine from
overheating (
page 310).
If this warning lamp comes on frequently,
there is a leak in the cooling system.

Have the cooling system checked.
If the coolant level is correct, the electric ra-
diator fan may be broken.

If the coolant temperature is below
257 °F (125 °C), you can continue
driving to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Avoid high engine loads (e.g. driving
uphill) and stop-and-go driving.
•
The red coolant warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
The coolant temperature has exceeded
257 °F (125 °C).

Stop as soon as possible and allow
the engine and coolant to cool down.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is badly overheat-
ed can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns and can occur just by opening
the hood. Stay away from the engine if you
see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.

376 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
ú
Visit workshop!
There may be a malfunction in the

fuel injection system


ignition system


exhaust system


fuel system

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
B
Coolant
Check level
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 310).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You can be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount
of coolant in the cooling system. The
engine will overheat, causing major en-
gine damage.

458 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion / antifreeze, which
provides:

Corrosion protection


Freeze protection


Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -22°F (-30°C) and
corrosion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective
to -22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the
coolant in the pressurized cooling system
is reached at approx. 266°F (130°C).The coolant solution must be used
year-round to provide the necessary corro-
sion protection and increase boil-over pro-
tection. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
replacement interval.
Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the
Maintenance Booklet is only applicable if
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze solu-
tion or other Mercedes-Benz approved
products of equal specification (see Facto-
ry Approved Service Products pamphlet)
are used to renew the coolant concentra-
tion or bring it back up to the proper level.To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45% anticor-
rosion/antifreeze (equivalent to freeze
protection to approx. -22°F [-30°C]). If you
use a solution that is more than 55% anti-
corrosion/antifreeze (freeze protection to
approx. -49°F [-45°C]), the engine temper-
ature will increase due to the lower heat
transfer capability of the solution. There-
fore, do not use more than this amount of
anticorrosion/antifreeze.
If the coolant level is low, water and MB
Anticorrosion /Antifreeze should be used
to bring it up to the proper level (have cool-
ing system checked for signs of leakage).
Please make sure the mixture is in accor-
dance with label instructions.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water. If you
are not sure about the water quality,
consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

471 Index
Central locking
Automatic 110
From inside 110
Locking from inside 110
Switch 110
Switching on/off
(control system) 155
Unlocking from inside 110
Central locking switch 110
Certification label 442
Changing
CDs 218
Key setting 156
Charcoal filter 197
Activating 197
Deactivating 197
Charging
Vehicle battery 428
CHECK ENGINE
malfunction indicator lamp 356
Checking
Coolant level 310
Oil level 304, 307
Tire inflate pressure 304
Vehicle lighting 304Child safety 72
Air bags 62
Front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp 79
Infant and child
restraint systems 67, 72
LATCH child seat anchors 80
OCS 75
Child safety switch see
Blocking of rear window operation
Child seat anchors see
LATCH child seat anchors
Cigarette lighter 274Cleaning 345
Cup holder 351
Gear selector lever 351
Hard plastic trim items 351
Headlamps 176
Headliner 351
Instrument cluster 351
Leather upholstery 352
Light alloy wheels 350
Nubuck leather upholstery
(CLK 55 AMG) 352
Parktronic system* sensor 349
Plastic and rubber parts 352
Seat belts 351
Soft top 347
Steering wheel 351
Upholstery 352
Windows 350
Windshield 53
Wiper blades 349
Wood trims 352
Cleaning and care of vehicle 345
Cleaning tires 315
Climate control 180
Clock 25, 148