301 Operation
Driving instructions
Road salts and chemicals can adversely af-
fect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce
the normal braking effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn
roads can bring road-salt-impaired braking
efficiency back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed.
For more information, see “Winter driving”
(
page 346).
Standing water
Warning!
G
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking ma-
neuvers.
Warning!
G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe
and from around the vehicle with the engine
running. Otherwise, deadly carbon monox-
ide (CO) gases may enter vehicle interior re-
sulting in unconsciousness and death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. In-
dicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice.
!Do not drive through flooded areas or
water of unknown depth. Before driving
through water, determine its depth.
Never accelerate before driving into
water. The bow wave could force water
into the engine and auxiliary equip-
ment, thus damaging them.
If you must drive through standing wa-
ter, drive slowly to prevent water from
entering the passenger compartment
or the engine compartment. Water in
these areas could cause damage to
electrical components or wiring of the
engine or transmission, or could result
in water being ingested by the engine
through the air intake, causing severe
internal engine damage. Any such dam-
age is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
307 Operation
At the gas station
Check regularly and before a long tripEngine compartment (CLK 500, example)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 314) and see “Fu-
els, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 452).
Brake fluid
Removing fuse box cover,
see (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 316).
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 309).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 412).
For more information, see “Exterior lamp
switch” (
page 52).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information, see “Checking tire
inflation pressure” (
page 328).
iOpening the hood, see (
page 308).
!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 361).
356 OperationVehicle careCleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
Fold the wiper arms forward until they
snapes into place.
Clean the wiper blade inserts with a
clean cloth and detergent solution.
Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is
recommended.Light alloy wheels
If possible, clean wheels once a week.
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel
Care, a soft bristle brush and a strong
spray of water for cleaning the light al-
loy wheels.
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
and/or the wiper blades. 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 or
pressing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*).
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.!To clean the window interior, do not
use a dry cloth, abrasives, solvents or
cleaners containing solvents. Do not
touch the inside of the front, rear or
side windows with hard objects such as
an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.
!Only use acid-free cleaning materials.
Acid may cause corrosion or damage
the clear coat.!The vehicle should not be parked for an
extended period of time immediately
after it has been cleaned, especially not
after the wheel rims have been cleaned
with wheel rim cleaner. Wheel rim
cleaners can lead to increased corro-
sion of the brake disks and brake pads.
Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system
should always be warmed-up before it
is parked after cleaning. To do so,
please drive your vehicle for several
minutes to allow the brakes to dry.
357 Operation
Vehicle care
Plastic and rubber parts
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.Instrument cluster and cup holders
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.
Wipe with a cloth moistened in a luke-
warm solution.
Hard plastic trim items
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care, a soft, lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.Steering wheel and gear selector lever
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thor-
oughly or clean with Mercedes-Benz
approved Leather Care.
Carpets
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Carpet
and Fabric Care for cleaning the car-
pets. When applying Mercedes-Benz ap-
proved Tire Care and Mercedes-Benz
approved Wheel Care products, take
care not to spray them on the brake
disks.
!Do not use oil or wax on these parts.
!To prevent scratches, do not use scour-
ing agents.!To prevent scratches, do not use scour-
ing agents.
391 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
I
Key recognized
in vehicle
A SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* left in the
vehicle was recognized while locking the
vehicle from the outside.
Take the SmartKey out of the vehicle.
Key
do not forget key
This display appears (for a maximum of
60 seconds) if the driver’s door is opened
with the engine shut off and no SmartKey
in the starter switch.
Message is only a reminder.
Insert SmartKey in the starter switch.
Take the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* with you when leaving
the vehicle.
.
Active Light System
currently
unavailable
The Bi-Xenon cornering lamps system is
malfunctioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Active Light System
malfunction
Drive to workshop
The Bi-Xenon cornering lamps system is
malfunctioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Active Light System
Substitute bulb on
The active headlamps are malfunctioning.
Another light is being used.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
3rd brake lamp
The high mounted brake lamp is malfunc-
tioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Brake lamp
Drive to workshop
Stop lamp illumination is delayed or lamp
is permanently on.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
392 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
.
Brake lamp, left
The left brake lamp is malfunctioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Brake lamp, right
The right brake lamp is malfunctioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Display malfunction
Visit workshop
The display for the lamps or the system is
malfunctioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Front foglamp, left
The left front fog lamp is malfunctioning.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Front foglamp, right
The right front fog lamp is malfunctioning.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
High beam, left
The left high beam lamp is malfunction-
ing.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
High beam, right
The right high beam lamp is malfunction-
ing.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Light sensor
Drive to workshop
The light sensor is malfunctioning. The
headlamps switch on automatically.
In the control system, set lamp opera-
tion to manual (
page 160).
Switch on headlamps using the exteri-
or lamp switch.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
License plate lamp,
left
The left license plate lamp is malfunction-
ing.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
403 Practical hints
Where will I find...?
In case of a flat tire, you may temporarily
use the Minispare wheel when observing
the following restrictions:
Do not exceed a vehicle speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).
Drive to the nearest tire repair facility
to have the flat tire repaired or
replaced as appropriate.
Do not operate vehicle with more than
one Minispare wheel mounted.
For more information, see “Rims and tires”
(
page 445).
Spare wheel bolts
The spare wheel bolts are fixed at the
Minispare wheel.
1Wheel bolt for light alloy rims
2Wheel bolt for Minispare wheel
(located in trunk with spare wheel)
!Wheel bolts2 must be used when
mounting the Minispare wheel. The use
of any wheel bolts other than wheel
bolts2 for the Minispare wheel will
physically damage the vehicle’s
brakes.Warning!
G
Make sure to use the original length wheel
bolts when remounting the original wheel
after it has been repaired.
413 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Rear lamps Notes on bulb replacement
Only use 12 volt bulbs of the same type
and with the specified watt rating.
Switch lights off before changing a bulb
to prevent short circuits.
Always use a clean lint-free cloth when
handling bulbs.
Your hands should be dry and free of oil
and grease.
If the newly installed bulb does not
come on, visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have the LEDs and bulbs for the following
lamps replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Additional turn signal lamps in the exte-
rior rear view mirrors
High mounted brake lamp
Bi-Xenon* lamps
Front fog lamps
Front side marker lamps
Lamp
Type
7
High mounted brake
lamp
LED
8
Brake lamp
P 21 W
9
Turn signal lamp
P 21 W
a
Tail, parking and stand-
ing lamp, side marker
P 21/4 W
W 5 W
b
Backup lamp
P 21 W
c
License plate lamps
C 5 W
d
Rear fog lamp, driver’s
side, Tail lamp
P 21/4 W
Warning!
G
Keep bulbs out of reach of children.
Bulbs and bulb sockets can be very hot. Al-
low the lamp to cool down before changing
a bulb.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas. A
bulb can explode if you:
touch or move it when hot
drop the bulb
scratch the bulb
Wear eye and hand protection.
Because of high voltage in Xenon lamps, it is
dangerous to replace the bulb or repair the
lamp and its components. We recommend
that you have such work done by a qualified
technician.iHave the headlamp adjustment
checked regularly.