2005 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK55AMG COUPE steering

308 OperationEngine compartmentHood
Opening
The hood lock release lever is located to
the left of the steering wheel under the
dashboard.
1Hood lock release lever

Pull lever 1 downwards.
The hood is unlocked.
2Lever for opening the hood

Push lever2 under the hood upwards.

Pull up on the hood and then release it.
The hood will be automatically held
open at shoulder height by gas-filled
struts.
Warning!
G
Do not pull the release lever while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Otherwise the hood could
be forced open by passing air flow.
!To avoid damage to the windshield wip-
ers or hood, never open the hood if the
wiper arms are folded forward away
from the windshield.
Warning!
G
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running. Make sure the hood is
properly closed before driving. When closing
the hood, use extreme caution not to catch
hands or fingers.
The radiator fan may continue to run for
approximately 30 seconds or even restart
after the engine has been turned off. Stay
clear of fan blades.

310 OperationEngine compartmentChecking engine oil level with the con-
trol 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 ignition (
page 36).
The standard display (
page 142) 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 312).
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 447) and (
page 449).
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press thek orj
button on the multifunction steering
wheel.

320 OperationTires and wheels1Driver’s door B-pillar
Following is a discussion on how to work
with the information contained on the two
placards with regards to loading your vehi-
cle.Tire and Loading Information
Your vehicle is equipped with either the
Tire and Loading Information placard
(Example A) or the Vehicle Tire Information
placard (Example B). Placard (Example A)
1Load limit information on the Tire and
Loading Information placard
The placard showing the load limit informa-
tion is located on the driver’s door B-pillar.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Tire and
Loading Information placard (Example A),
locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kilograms or XXX lbs.”
on this placard. The combined weight of all
occupants, cargo / luggage and trailer
tongue load (if applicable) should never
exceed the weight referenced in that
statement.
Warning!
G
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit or vehicle capacity
weight as indicated on the placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure.iData shown on placard examples is for
illustration purposes only. Load limit
data is specific to each vehicle and may
vary from data shown in the illustra-
tions below. Refer to placard on vehicle
for actual data specific to your vehicle.

330 OperationTires and wheelsRim diameter
The rim diameter4 (
page 329) is the
diameter of the bead seat, not the
diameter of the rim edge. Rim diameter is
indicated in inches (in).
Tire load rating
The tire load rating5 (page 329) is a
numerical code associated with the
maximum load a tire can support.
For example, a load rating of 91 corre-
sponds to a maximum load of 1 356 lbs
(615 kg) the tire is designed to support.
See also “Maximum tire load”
(
page 334) where the maximum load as-
sociated with the load index is indicated in
kilograms and lbs.For additional information on tire load
rating, see “Load identification”
(
page 332).
Warning
G
The tire load rating must always be at least
half of the GAWR (
page 338) of your vehi-
cle. Otherwise, tire failure may be the result
which may cause an accident and/or seri-
ous personal injury to you or others.
Always replace rims and tires with the same
designation, manufacturer and type as
shown on the original part.
Warning!
G
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit or vehicle capacity
weight as indicated on the placard located
on the driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading the
tires can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure.
iTire load rating5 (
page 329) and
Tire speed rating6 (page 329) are
also referred to as “service descrip-
tion”.

335 Operation
Tires and wheels
For more information on tire load rating
(page 330)
For information on calculating total and
cargo load capacities (
page 322).
Maximum tire inflation pressure
1Maximum permissible tire inflation
pressure
This is the maximum permissible tire
inflation pressure for the tire.Always follow the recommended tire
inflation pressure (
page 325) for proper
tire inflation.
Warning!
G
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit or vehicle capacity
weight as indicated on the placard located
on the driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading the
tires can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires is specific to each vehicle
and may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
Warning!
G
Never exceed the max. tire inflation
pressure. Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and / or unevenly, adverse-
ly affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can adversely affect handling and ride com-
fort, wear unevenly, increase stopping dis-
tance, and result in sudden deflation
(blowout) because they are more likely to
become punctured or damaged by road de-
bris, potholes etc.

338 OperationTires and wheelsTire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width
expressed in percentage.Bar
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.

345 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 the 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 ignition (
page 36).
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 137).

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 :.

351 Operation
Vehicle care
Window cleaning
Fold wiper arm forward until it snaps
into place.

Use a window cleaning solution on all
glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is
recommended.Light alloy wheels
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care
should be used for regular cleaning of the
light alloy wheels.
If possible, clean wheels once a week with
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care, us-
ing a soft bristle brush and a strong spray
of water.
Follow instructions on container.Instrument cluster
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution. Wipe with a cloth moist-
ened in lukewarm solution. Do not use
scouring agents.
Steering wheel and gear selector lever
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly
or clean with Mercedes-Benz approved
Leather Care.
Cup holder
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution. Wipe with a cloth moist-
ened in lukewarm solution. Do not use
scouring agents.
Hard plastic trim items
Pour Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care onto soft lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.Warning!
G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and
remove SmartKey from starter switch
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*: make sure the
vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status
0) before cleaning the windshield.
Otherwise, the wiper motor could suddenly
turn on and cause injury.
!Fold the windshield wiper arms back
onto the windshield before turning the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Hold on to the wiper when folding the
wiper arm back. If released, the force
of the impact from the tensioning
spring could crack the windshield.iOnly use acid-free cleaning materials.
Acid may cause corrosion or damage
the clear coat.