2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS55AMG Owner's Manual

344 OperationVehicle careMercedes-Benz approved Paint Cleaner
should be applied if the paint surface
shows signs of embedded dirt (i.e. loss of
gloss).
Do not apply any of these products or wax
if your vehicle is parked in the sun or if the
hood is still hot.
Use the appropriate MB-Touch-Up
Stick for quick and provisional repairs
of minor paint damage (i.e. chips from
stones, vehicle doors, etc.).
Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment,
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from contact with
water and cleaning agents.Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax should be applied to the engine
compartment after every engine cleaning.
Before applying, all control linkage bush-
ings and joints should be lubricated. The
poly-V-belt and all pulleys should be pro-
tected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the vehicle underbody, do
not forget to clean the inner sides of the
wheels.Hand-wash
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.

Only use a mild car wash detergent,
such as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo.

Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water.
Direct only a very weak spray towards
the ventilation intake.

Use plenty of water and rinse the
sponge and chamois frequently.

Rinse with clean water and thoroughly
dry with a chamois.
Do not allow cleaning agents to dry on
the finish.
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of
water, and a SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* is in close proximity, i.e.
within approximately 3 ft (approxi-
mately 1 m), the vehicle could be inad-
vertently locked or unlocked.

345 Operation
Vehicle care
Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it be-
fore running it through the automatic car
wash.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of very dirty
chrome-plated parts, use a chrome clean-
er.
!Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in
exterior rear view mirrors prior to run-
ning the vehicle through an automatic
car wash to prevent damage to the
mirrors.
Make sure that the windshield wiper
switch is set to0 (
page 54). Other-
wise, the rain sensor could activate and
cause the wipers to move unintention-
ally. This may lead to vehicle damage.
iAfter running the vehicle through an au-
tomatic car wash, wipe any wax off of
the windshield (
page 347). This will
prevent smears and reduce wiping
noise which can be caused by residual
wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure
that the mirrors are folded out. Other-
wise they may vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on orna-
mental moldings. Although ornamental
moldings may have chrome appear-
ance, they could be made of anodized
aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead,
use a damp cloth to clean those orna-
mental moldings.
For very dirty ornamental moldings of
which you are sure are chrome-plated,
use a chrome cleaner. If in doubt
whether an ornamental molding is
chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

346 OperationVehicle careHeadlamps, tail lamps, side markers,
turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo,
with plenty of water.Cleaning the Distronic* system sensor
cover
1Distronic system sensor cover

Switch off the ignition (
page 60).

Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water and a
non-scratching cloth to clean sensor
cover1.

Restart the engine after cleaning sen-
sor cover1.
!Only use window cleaning solutions
that are suitable for plastic lamp lens-
es. Window cleaning solutions which
are not suitable may damage the plas-
tic lamp lenses of the headlamps.
Therefore, do not use abrasives, sol-
vents or cleaners that contain solvents.
Never apply strong force and only use a
soft, non-scratching cloth when clean-
ing the lenses. Do not attempt to wipe
dirty lenses with a dry cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage
the lens surface.
!To prevent scratches or damage, never
apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the
sensor cover1. Do not attempt to
wipe dirty sensors with a dry cloth or
sponge.

347 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the Parktronic system*
sensors
1Parktronic system* sensors in the front
bumper
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water and a soft,
non-scratching cloth to clean
sensors1 on the bumpers.Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades

Switch on the ignition (
page 36).

Turn combination switch to wiper
settingII (
page 54).

With wiper arms in vertical position,
switch off the ignition (
page 60).
!Do not apply strong pressure to the
sensor covers. Applying strong pres-
sure may damage the sensor covers.
Follow the instructions provided by the
power washer manufacturer on main-
taining a distance between the vehicle
and the nozzle of the power washer.!To prevent scratches, never apply
strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the
sensors. Do not attempt to wipe dirty
sensors with a dry cloth or sponge.
!The windshield wipers must be in a ver-
tical position before folding them away
from the windshield. They could other-
wise damage the hood.Warning!
G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and re-
move SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the
vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status0) before cleaning the windshield the
windshield and/or the wiper blades. Other-
wise, the wiper motor could suddenly turn
on and cause injury.


348 OperationVehicle care
Fold the wiper arms forward until they
snap 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 recom-
mended.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.
!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.!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.
!Only use acid-free cleaning materials.
Acid may cause corrosion or damage
the clear coat.


349 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.
!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.
When applying Mercedes-Benz ap-
proved Tire Care and Mercedes-Benz
approved Wheel Care products, take
care not to spray them on the brake
discs.
!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.

350 OperationVehicle careHeadliner and shelf below rear window
Use a soft bristle brush or a dry-sham-
poo cleaner in case of excessive dirt.
Seat belts

Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.Leather upholstery

Wipe leather upholstery with a damp
cloth and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather
Care.
Exercise particular care when cleaning per-
forated leather as its underside should not
become wet.
Wood trims

Dampen cloth using water and use
damp cloth to clean wood trims in your
vehicle.
!The webbing must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry
the webbing at temperatures above
176°F (80°C) or in direct sunlight.Warning!
G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
!Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as
these may be abrasive.

351 Practical hints
What to do if …
Where will I find ...?
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Opening/closing in an emergency
Resetting activated head restraints
Replacing SmartKey batteries
Replacing bulbs
Replacing wiper blades
Flat tire
Battery
Jump starting
Towing the vehicle
Fuses