2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS500 trunk

246 Controls in detailLoadingRoof rack*
1Trim

Open trim1 at the trim strips in the
roof.

Secure the roof rack according to
manufacturer’s instructions for instal-
lation.
Warning!
G
Only use roof racks approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model to
avoid damage to the vehicle.
Follow the manufacturer’s installation
instructions. Otherwise, an improperly at-
tached roof rack system or its load could be-
come detached from the vehicle.
Do not exceed the maximum roof load of
220 lb (100 kg).
Take into consideration that when the roof
rack is loaded, the handling characteristics
are different from those when operating the
vehicles without the roof rack loaded.
!Load the roof rack in such a way that
the vehicle cannot be damaged while
driving.
Make sure

you can fully raise the tilt/sliding
sunroof


you can fully open the trunk

247 Controls in detail
Loading
Loading instructions
The total load weight including vehicle
occupants and luggage/cargo should not
exceed the load limit or vehicle capacity
weight indicated on the corresponding
placard located on the driver’s door
B-pillar.
The handling characteristics of a fully load-
ed vehicle depend greatly on the load dis-
tribution. It is therefore recommended to
load the vehicle according to the illustra-
tions shown, with the heaviest items being
placed towards the front of the vehicle.
Always place items being carried against
front or rear seat backrests, and fasten
them as securely as possible.
The heaviest portion of the cargo should
always be kept as low as possible since it
influences the handling characteristics of
the vehicle.
Ski sack* (Canada only)
Unfolding and loading
Fold rear armrest down (arrow).
1Cover
2Catch

Pull catches2 in direction of arrows.

Open the cover1 downwards in the
direction of the arrow.
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible fastening materials appropri-
ate for the weight and size of the load.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle and can cause in-
jury to vehicle occupants unless the items
are securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, exercise care
when transporting cargo. Put luggage or car-
go in the trunk if possible. Do not pile lug-
gage or cargo higher than the seat backs.
Do not place anything on the rear-window
shelf.
Never drive vehicle with trunk open. Deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) gases may enter ve-
hicle interior, resulting in unconsciousness
and death.


248 Controls in detailLoading1Hook and loop fastener
Unfasten hook and loop fastener1.

Pull ski sack into passenger compart-
ment and unfold.

Open the front storage compartment in
the rear center console (
page 256).

Remove the cup holder (
page 256).1Button

Open the trunk.

Press button1.
The flap opens in direction of arrow.

From trunk, slide skis into ski sack.Warning!
G
The ski sack is designed for up to four pairs
of skis. Do not load the ski sack with other
objects.
Always fasten the ski sack securely. In an
accident, an unfastened ski sack can cause
injury to vehicle occupants.


250 Controls in detailLoadingUnloading and folding
Loosen both straps.

Disconnect hook1 from eye2.

Unload skis.

Close flap in trunk.

Fold and flatten ski sack lengthwise.

Place folded ski sack inside recess of
backrest.

Fasten hook and loop fastener

Close ski sack compartment cover.Removal of ski sack
For removal of the ski sack, we recom-
mend that you contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Cargo tie-down hooks
Four hooks are located in the trunk.
Carefully secure cargo by applying
even load on all hooks with rope of suf-
ficient strength to hold down the cargo.
Always follow loading instructions
(page 247).
Warning!
G
Never drive vehicle with trunk open while
the ski sack is removed. Deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle
interior, resulting in unconsciousness and
death.iTo prevent unauthorized persons from
access to the trunk, always close the
cover.

251 Controls in detail
Useful features
Useful features
Storage compartments Glove box
1Unlocked
2Locked
3Glove box lid releaseOpening and closing the glove box

Press glove box lid release3 to open.
The glove box lid opens downward.

Push lid up to close.
Locking and unlocking the glove box

Insert mechanical key (
page 402)
into the glove box lock.

Turn the mechanical key to position2
to lock or to position1 to unlock the
glove box.
Warning!
G
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, exercise care
when storing objects in the vehicle. Put lug-
gage or cargo in the trunk if possible. Do not
pile luggage or cargo higher than the seat
backs. Do not place anything on the shelf
below the rear window.
Luggage nets cannot secure hard or heavy
objects.
Keep compartment lids closed. This will help
to prevent stored objects from being thrown
about and injuring vehicle occupants during
an accident.

260 Controls in detailUseful featuresFloormats
1Retainer pins
2EyeletsRemoving

Pull floormats off of retainer pins1.

Remove the floormats.
Installing

Lay down the floormat.

Press the floormat eyelets2 onto re-
tainer pins1.
Telephone*
Radio transmitters, such as a portable tele-
phone or a citizens band unit, should only
be used inside the vehicle if they are con-
nected to an antenna that is installed on
the outside of the vehicle.
The external antenna must be approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Please contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for informa-
tion on the installation of an approved
external antenna. Refer to the radio trans-
mitter operation instructions regarding use
of an external antenna.
iAn additional power outlet is located on
the left side in the trunk.iTo install or remove the floormat more
easily, move the driver’s seat or front
passenger seat as far to the rear as
possible (
page 40).
Warning!
G
Whenever you are using floormats, make
sure there is enough clearance and that the
floormats are securely fastened.
Floormats should always be securely fas-
tened using eyelets2 and retainer pins1.
Before driving off, check that the floormats
are securely in place and adjust them if nec-
essary. A loose floormat could slip and
hinder proper functioning of the pedals.
Warning!
G
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

287 Operation
Driving instructions
Standing water
Passenger compartmentDriving abroad
Abroad, there is an extensive
Mercedes-Benz service network at your
disposal. If you plan to drive into areas
which are not listed in the index of your
Mercedes-Benz Center directory, you
should request pertinent information from
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Control and operation of radio trans-
mitter
COMAND, radio and telephone*
!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.
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and cause injury
to vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
The trunk is the preferred place to carry
objects.
Warning!
G
Please do not forget that your primary re-
sponsibility is to drive the vehicle safely.
Only operate the COMAND (Cockpit
Management and Data System), radio or
telephone
1 if road, weather and traffic con-
ditions permit.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
1Observe all legal requirements

299 Operation
Engine compartment
Battery
Your vehicle is equipped with two batter-
ies:

Auxiliary battery (located in the engine
compartment).


Main battery (starter and electrical
consumers; located in the trunk)
(page 431).
The batteries should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve their rated ser-
vice life. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
battery maintenance intervals.
If you use your vehicle mostly for short-dis-
tance trips, you will need to have the bat-
tery charge checked more frequently.
When replacing the battery, always use
batteries approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center about
steps you need to observe.Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.
G
Observe all safety instructions
and precautions when handling
automotive batteries.
A
Risk of explosion.
D
Keep flames or sparks away
from battery. Do not smoke.
B
Battery acid is caustic. Do not
allow it to come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing.
In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with clean
water and seek medical help if
necessary.
E
Wear eye protection.
C
Keep children away.
F
Follow the instructions in this
Operator's Manual.