2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CL-Class fuel

411 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Problems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.


The engine electronics may not be op-
erating properly.


Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.

Give very little gas.

Have the problem repaired by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.The coolant temperature is above
248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.

Stop the vehicle in a safe location as
soon as possible and turn off the en-
gine. Allow engine and coolant to cool
off.

Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 559).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:

Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.

Move away from vehicle.

Notify local fire and/or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call Roadside Assistance.
If no damage can be determined on the


major assemblies


fuel system


engine mount:

Start the engine in the usual manner.
i
To signal minor directional changes such as
changing lanes, press combination switch only
to point of resistance and release. The corre-
sponding turn signals will flash three times.
i
Excessive coolant temperatures trigger a
warning message in the multifunction display
(
page 622).

432 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionIf you are driving in the manual program
modeM, upshift indicator2 in the multi-
function display advises you to upshift be-
fore the engine reaches the overspeed
range. Thus you can drive at the maximum
engine speed for each gear without over-
revving the engine.
1Gear indicator
2Upshift indicator “up”
3Engine oil temperature
4Vehicle supply voltage
Shift to the next higher gear.
The fuel supply will otherwise be inter-
rupted to prevent the engine from over-
revving.Downshifting

Briefly pull left shift paddle1
(page 429).
The transmission shifts to the next
lower gear.Kickdown
Using the kickdown when driving in the
manual program modeM is not possible.
Deactivating manual shift program

Press the program mode selector
switch (
page 430) repeatedly until
“C”or“S” appears in the multifunction
display.
or

Restart the engine.
The transmission will go to the
automatic program mode (C orS).
The manual program modeM is not
stored.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.i
When you brake or stop, the transmission
shifts down to a gear from which you can easily
accelerate or drive off.


435 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Coolant temperature gauge
The coolant temperature gauge is on the
left side in the instrument cluster
(page 30).
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer de-
notes excessive engine speed.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated
within the red marking.
Warning!
G


Driving when your engine is overheated
can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously
burned.


Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the hood. Stay away from
the engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of
the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle
until the engine has cooled down.
!
Excessive coolant temperature triggers a
warning in the multifunction display
(
page 657).
The engine should not be operated with the cool-
ant temperature above 248°F (120°C), i.e. in
the red zone of the coolant temperature gauge.
Doing so may cause serious engine damage
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.
i
During severe operating conditions,
e.g. stop-and-go traffic, the coolant temperature
may rise close to 248°F (120°C), i.e. close to
the red zone of the temperature gauge.
!
Avoid driving at excessive engine speeds, as
it may result in serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

436 Controls in detailInstrument clusterOutside temperature indicator
The outside temperature indicator is on
the bottom left-hand side of the instru-
ment cluster (
page 30).The temperature sensor is located in the
front bumper area. Due to its location, the
sensor can be affected by road or engine
heat during idling or slow driving. There-
fore, the accuracy of the displayed temper-
ature can only be verified by comparison to
a thermometer placed next to the sensor,
not by comparison to external displays
(e.g. bank signs, etc.).
When moving the vehicle into colder ambi-
ent temperatures (e.g. when leaving your
garage), you will notice a delay before the
lower temperature is displayed.
A delay also occurs when ambient temper-
atures rise. This prevents inaccurate tem-
perature indications caused by heat
radiated from the engine during idling or
slow driving.
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge is on the left-hand side of
the instrument cluster (
page 30). Once
the fuel level has fallen below the reserve
mark, the yellow segment indicator for the
fuel reserve comes on.
Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.

462 Controls in detailDriving systemsYour vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to:

increase vehicle safety


reduce fuel consumption
The vehicle chassis ride height is raised or
lowered according to the selected level
setting and to the vehicle speed:


With increasing speed, ride height is re-
duced by up to approximately 0.4 in
(10 mm).


With decreasing speed, the ride height
is again raised to the selected vehicle
level.The following vehicle level settings can be
selected when the vehicle is stationary:
Select the “Raised” level setting only when
required by current driving conditions.
Otherwise:


Fuel consumption may increase.


Handling may be impaired.1Vehicle level control switch
2Indicator lamp
Selecting a higher level

Start the engine.
If indicator lamp2 is off:

Press switch1.
Indicator lamp2 comes on. The vehi-
cle is raised to a higher level.
i
These height adjustments are so small that
you may not notice any change.
LevelNormal
For driving on normal roads.
The indicator lamp is off.
Raised
For driving on rough roads or
with snow chains. The indica-
tor lamp is on.
i
The selected vehicle level setting remains
stored in memory even if the engine is turned off
and restarted.

526 Controls in detailUseful featuresRoadside Assistance button• 
Press and hold Roadside Assistance
button • (for longer than
2 seconds).
A call to a Mercedes-Benz Roadside As-
sistance dispatcher will be initiated.
The button will flash while the call is in
progress. The message:

“Connecting Call” appears in the
multifunction display


“Roadside Assistance Activated”
appears in the COMAND display
and the audio system is muted.
When the connection is established, the
message:


“Call Connected” appears in the multi-
function display


“Roadside Assistance Activated”
appears in the COMAND display The Tele Aid system will transmit data gen-
erating the vehicle identification number,
model, color and location (subject to avail-
ability of cellular and GPS signals).
A voice connection between the Roadside
Assistance dispatcher and the occupants
of the vehicle will be established.

Describe the nature of the need for as-
sistance.
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
dispatcher will either dispatch a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or arrange to
tow your vehicle to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. For services such
as labor and/or towing, charges may ap-
ply. Refer to the Roadside Assistance Man-
ual for more information.
These programs are only available in the
USA:


Sign and Drive services: Services such
as jump start, a few gallons of fuel or
the replacement of a flat tire with the
vehicle spare tire are obtainable.
i
The indicator lamp in the Roadside Assis-
tance button• remains illuminated in red for
approximately 10 seconds during the system
self-check after switching on the ignition (togeth-
er with the SOS button and the Information
button¡).
See system self-check (
page 523) if the indi-
cator lamp does not come on in red or stays on
longer than approximately 10 seconds.
If the indicator lamp in the Roadside Assistance
button• is flashing continuously and no
voice connection to the Response Center was
established, the Tele Aid system could not ini-
tiate a Roadside Assistance call (e.g. the relevant
mobile phone network is not available). The mes-
sage:


“Call Failed” appears in the multifunction
display for approximately 10 seconds


“Call could not be connected!” appears in
the COMAND display. Confirm the message
pressing
n
(page 86).
Roadside Assistance calls can be terminated us-
ing button t on the multifunction steering
wheel or COMAND (page 137).

539 Operation
Driving instructions
Driving instructions
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Fuel consumption, to a great extent,
depends on driving habits and operating
conditions.
To save fuel you should:

Keep tires at the recommended tire
inflation pressures.


Remove unnecessary loads.


Remove roof rack when not in use.


Allow engine to warm up under low
load use.


Avoid frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.


Have all maintenance work performed
at the intervals specified in the Mainte-
nance Booklet and as required by the
Maintenance System. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Fuel consumption is also increased by driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-and-go traffic,
on short trips, and in hilly area.
Drinking and driving
PedalsPower assistance
Warning!
G
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs
and driving are very dangerous combina-
tions. Even a small amount of alcohol or
drugs can affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal ac-
cident are greatly increased when you drink
or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Warning!
G
Make sure that absolutely no objects are ob-
structing the pedals’ range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure the pedals still have
sufficient clearance. Otherwise this could
lead to accidents or injury.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle.

548 OperationDriving instructionsCatalytic converter
Your Mercedes-Benz is equipped with
monolithic-type catalytic converters, an
important element in conjunction with the
oxygen sensors to achieve substantial con-
trol of the pollutants in the exhaust emis-
sions. Keep your vehicle in proper
operating condition by following our rec-
ommended maintenance instructions as
outlined in your Maintenance Booklet.
Emission control
Certain parts of the engine and the emis-
sion control system serve to keep the toxic
components of the exhaust gases within
permissible limits required by law.
These systems will function properly only
when maintained strictly according to fac-
tory specifications. Any adjustments on
the engine should, therefore, be carried
out only by qualified Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter authorized technicians.
Engine adjustments should not be altered
in any way. The specified service proce-
dures must be carried out regularly accord-
ing to Mercedes-Benz servicing
requirements. For details please refer to
the Maintenance Booklet.
!
To prevent damage to the catalytic convert-
ers, only use premium unleaded gasoline in this
vehicle.
Any noticeable irregularities in engine operation
should be repaired promptly. Otherwise, exces-
sive unburned fuel may reach the catalytic con-
verter, causing it to overheat and potentially
start a fire.
Warning!
G
As with any vehicle, do not idle, park or op-
erate this vehicle in areas where combusti-
ble materials such as grass, hay or leaves
can come into contact with the hot exhaust
system, as these materials could be ignited
and cause a vehicle fire.