2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK COUPE Owner's Manual

344 OperationTires and wheelsTIN (T
ire I
dentification N
umber)
Unique identifier which facilitates efforts
by tire manufacturers to notify purchasers
in recall situations or other safety matters
concerning tires and gives purchases the
means to easily identify such tires. The TIN
is comprised of “Manufacturer’s identifica-
tion mark”, “Tire size”, “Tire type code”
and “Date of manufacture”.
Tire load rating
Numerical code associated with the
maximum load a tire can support.
Tire ply composition and material used
This indicates the number of plies or the
number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in
the tire tread and sidewall. Tire manufac-
turers also must indicate the ply materials
in the tire and sidewall, which include
steel, nylon, polyester, and others.Tire speed rating
Part of tire designation; indicates the
speed range for which a tire is approved.
Traction
Force exerted by the vehicle on the road
via the tires. The amount of grip provided.
Tread
The portion of a tire that comes into
contact with the road.
Treadwear indicators
Narrow bands, sometimes called
“wear bars” that show across the tread of
a tire when only
1/16
in (1.6 mm) of tread
remains.Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A tire information system that provides
consumers with ratings for a tire's traction,
temperature and treadwear. Ratings are
determined by tire manufacturers using
government testing procedures. The
ratings are molded into the sidewall of the
tire.
Vehicle capacity weight
Rated cargo and luggage load plus
68 kilograms (150 lbs) times the vehicle’s
designated seating capacity.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
Load on an individual tire that is
determined by distributing to each axle its
share of the maximum loaded vehicle
weight and dividing it by two.

345 Operation
Tires and wheels
Rotating tires
Tire rotation can be performed on vehicles
with tires of the same dimension all
around. If your vehicle is equipped with
tires of the same dimension all around,
tires can be rotated, observing a a
front-to-rear rotation pattern that will
maintain the intended rotation (spinning)
direction of the tire (
page 320).
In some cases, such as when your vehicle
is equipped with mixed-size tires (different
tire dimension front vs. rear), tire rotation
is not possible.If applicable to your vehicle’s tire configu-
ration, tires can be rotated according to
the tire manufacturer’s recommended in-
tervals in the tire manufacturer’s warranty
pamphlet located in your vehicle literature
portfolio. If none is available, tires should
be rotated every 3 000 to 6 000 miles
(5 000 to 10 000 km), or sooner if neces-
sary, according to the degree of tire wear.
The same rotation (spinning) direction
must be maintained (
page 320).
Rotate tires before the characteristic tire
wear pattern becomes visible (shoulder
wear on front tires and tread center wear
on rear tires).
Thoroughly clean the mounting face of
wheels and brake disks, i.e. the inner side
of the wheels/tires, during each rotation.
Check for and ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.For information on wheel change, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 398) and
(
page 420).
Warning!
G
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the tires
are of the same dimension.
If your vehicle is equipped with mixed-size
tires (different tire dimensions front vs.
rear), tire rotation is not possible.
Warning!
G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
80 lb-ft (110 Nm).
Only use Genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts specified for your vehicle’s rims.

346 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
“MB SummerFit” to a premixed wind-
shield washer solvent/antifreeze
which is formulated for temperatures
below freezing point (
page 459).


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.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show the
mountain/snowflake.marking on the
tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and The Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. 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.

347 Operation
Winter driving
Block heater (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block
heater.
The electrical cable may be installed at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.
Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:

Using snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations.


Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer’s mounting instructions.


Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
be glad to advise you on this subject.


Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.
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.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you
may wish to deactivate the ESP
®
(
page 91) before setting the vehicle
in motion. This will improve the
vehicle’s traction.
!Some tire sizes do not leave adequate
clearance for snow chains. To help
avoid serious damage to your vehicle or
tires, use of snow chains is not permit-
ted with the following tire sizes:

245/40 R17 91W


245/40 R17 91W MOExtended


T 125/80 R17 99M

348 OperationMaintenanceWe strongly recommend that you have
your vehicle serviced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, in accordance with
the Maintenance Booklet at the times
called for by the maintenance service
indicator.
Failure to have the vehicle maintained in
accordance with the Maintenance Booklet
and maintenance service indicator at the
designated times /mileage will result in
vehicle damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Maintenance service indicator
message
The maintenance service indicator mes-
sage will notify you when your next mainte-
nance service is due.
Starting approximately 1 month before
your next maintenance service is due, one
of the following messages will appear in
the multifunction display while you are
driving or when you switch on the ignition
(example service A):Service A in XXXXX miles (km)
Service A in XXX days
Service A due now
The type of maintenance service due is
indicated in the multifunction display:9
Basic service (A)
½
Extended service (B)
iVehicles equipped with FSS (F
lexible
S
ervice S
ystem) only (Canada vehi-
cles): The interval between
maintenance services depends on your
driving habits. A gentle driving style,
moderate engine speeds and the
avoidance of short-distance trips will
lengthen the interval between services.

349 Operation
Maintenance
Clearing the maintenance service indicator message
The maintenance service indicator mes-
sage is automatically cleared after approx-
imately 30 seconds when you switch on
the ignition or when reaching the mainte-
nance service threshold while driving.
You can also clear it yourself.
1Reset button
Press reset button 1 on the
instrument cluster.The maintenance service indicator
message is cleared and the standard
display appears in the multifunction
display (
page 148).
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 daysIn 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 display
You can call up the maintenance service in-
dicator display at any time to check when
the next maintenance service is due.
Switch on the ignition (
page 36).

Press buttonè orÿ on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display appears in
the multifunction display (
page 148).

Press buttonkorjuntil the
maintenance service indicator display
with the service symbol9or
½

and the service deadline appears in the
multifunction display.

350 OperationMaintenance
Resetting the maintenance service indicator
In the event that the maintenance service
on your vehicle is not carried out by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center, you can
have the maintenance service indicator
reset. The automotive maintenance facility
carrying out the maintenance service will
find the information for resetting the
maintenance service indicator in the
maintenance-relevant information for your
vehicle. Such information is available from
either your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or directly from Mercedes-Benz.
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 message or maintenance ser-
vice indicator display.
Do not confuse the maintenance
service indicator with the engine oil
level indicator:.
iIf the maintenance service indicator
was inadvertently reset, have an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
correct it.
Only reset if the proper maintenance
service has been performed. Resetting
the system without performing the
proper service as called for by the
maintenance service indicator will
result in engine damage and/or other
vehicle damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

351 Operation
Vehicle care
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected 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.
Always lock away cleaning products and
keep them out of reach of children.