2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS COUPE Owners Manual

Driving tips
206 Driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off
G
Risk of accident
Never switch the engine off while the vehi-
cle is in motion.
There
is no power assistance for the steer-
ing and the service brake when the engine
is not running.
You will require considerably more effort to
steer and brake and you could therefore
lose control of the vehicle and cause an
accident. Braking
G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking. Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden, you must select
shift range 1, 2 or 3 in good time.
i
This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Speedtronic or Distronic*

.
This uses the braking effect of the engine and
you will not have to brake to such an extent
to maintain the same speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need additional braking,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather
than continuously.
Heavy and light loads If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load,

do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu-
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
never cause the brakes to rub by applying
constant

slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely.
If

the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet roads If driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed

reaction from the brakes, when brak-
ing for the first time. You must brake harder.
You must therefore maintain a greater dis-
tance from the vehicle in front.
Brake firmly after driving on a wet road. This
way the brake discs will become warm, drying
more quickly, which will protect them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salted
roads G
Risk of accident
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in
the braking effect, resulting in a signifi- Operation
* optional
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Driving tips
207cantly longer braking distance, which could
lead to an accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R
occasionally
brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you
are driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are
removed from the brake disc.
New brake linings For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have only brake pads/
linings fitted to your vehicle that have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard.

Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz or which
are not of an equivalent quality could affect
your vehicle's operating safety. G
Risk of accident
New brake pads/linings only reach their
optimum braking effect after several hun-
dred

kilometres of driving. Before this opti-
mum braking effect is reached, you should
compensate for the reduced braking effect
by applying greater pressure when braking.
This also applies after the brake discs or the
brake pads/linings have been replaced.
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. Braking can there-
fore cause noises. This will depend on:
R
Speed
R Braking force
R Environmental

conditions, such as temper-
ature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual driv-
ing style and operating conditions.
Because of this, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all circum-
stances. An aggressive driving style will lead
to high wear. Tyre grip
G
Risk of accident
Whereas the vehicle can be fully controlled
at a certain speed on dry roads, you must
reduce your speed on wet or icy roads to
achieve the same road safety. Otherwise
you could cause an accident.
Pay particular attention to the road condi-
tions at temperatures around freezing
point.
If ice has formed on the road surface (e.g.
from

fog), a light film of water rapidly forms
on the ice when you brake, considerably
reducing tyre grip. Drive with particular
care in such weather conditions. Operation
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Driving abroad
208 Driving on wet roads
If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on
the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully. Driving on flooded roads
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R The

maximum permitted depth in still water
is 25 cm.
R You should drive no faster than at walking
pace.
! Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
You must observe these notes, otherwise
damage may occur to the engine, electrics
and transmission. Driving abroad
An
extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. You can
obtain the relevant workshop directories
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Only low-octane fuel is available in certain
countries.
You can find further information about fuel
grades on ( Y page 190). Symmetrical dipped beam
If your journey takes you to countries where
vehicles

are driven on the opposite side of the
road to the country in which the vehicle is
registered, your headlamps must be switched
to symmetrical dipped beam. Oncoming traf-
fic will be dazzled less.
X Have the headlamps switched over at a
qualified specialist workshop, e. g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. G
Risk of accident
Have your headlamps switched back to
asymmetrical dipped beam if you visit a
country

in which traffic drives on the same
side of the road as in the country in which
your vehicle was registered. You may oth- erwise dazzle the oncoming traffic and
could cause an accident.Operation
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Service
209Service
Active Service System PLUS
ASSYST PLUS, the Active Service System,
tells you when the next service is due. When-
ever a service is due, this is shown in the
multi-function display:
Service A due in .. days
Service A due in .. km
Service A due nowThe letter indicates how much time the work-
shop will require to carry out the service work.
The letters displayed range from A for a short
service duration to H for a long service dura-
tion.
ASSYST PLUS does not record any periods of
time during which the battery is disconnec-
ted. In order to maintain the time-dependent
service schedule, you should call up the
service due date and make a note of it before
you disconnect the battery. The alternative is to subtract the battery-disconnection periods
from the service date shown on the display.
Fading out the service message
1
Reset button
X Press reset button 1.
Exceeding the service due date
One of the following messages appears in the
multi-function display:
Service A overdue by .. days
Service A overdue by .. km
You will also hear a warning tone.
A qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, will reset the
service indicator when it carries out the nec-
essary service work.
i If you fail to have the service performed
by the specified date, you may be contra-
vening the relevant laws, your warranty
may be invalidated and ex gratia claims
may be refused.
Operation
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Care
210 Calling up the service due date
Use the buttons on the multi-function steer-
ing wheel.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Press è or ÿ to select the Basic
display menu (Y page 115).
X Press j or k to select the service
information.
The 9 service symbol and the service
due date are displayed.
X To select a different display, press j,
è or ÿ. Care
Notes on care
Regular and proper care maintains the value
of your vehicle.
i It
is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop immediately, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Repair damage caused by loose chippings
and remove the following substances imme-
diately, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard:
R Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off afterwards.
R Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off afterwards.
R Remove tree resin, oils, fuels and grease by
rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in clean-
ing or lighter fluid.
R Use silicone remover to remove wax.
R Use tar remover to remove tar stains. H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging, cleaning
cloths and polishing wads in an environ-
mentally responsible manner.
! Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar
to painted surfaces, otherwise you could
damage the paintwork. Vehicle care
!

Do not park the vehicle for a long period
of time directly after cleaning, especially if
the wheels have just been cleaned with a
wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
rapid corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. After cleaning, park
the vehicle when it is at normal operating
temperature. Operation
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Care
211
Automatic car wash G
Risk of accident
The vehicle is braked when HOLD is activa-
ted. Therefore, deactivate HOLD before the
vehicle is washed in an automatic car wash.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
! Do not use a touch-free automatic car
wash that uses chemical agents to wash
the vehicle.
Preferably use one with high-pressure jets for
prewashing.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
! Make sure that the automatic car wash is
suitable for the size of the vehicle. Fold in
the exterior mirrors before the vehicle is
washed. There is otherwise a risk of dam-
age to the exterior mirrors.
! Make sure the side windows are com-
pletely closed, the ventilation/heater
blower is fully turned off and the wind-
screen wiper switch is set to 0. The rain
sensor may otherwise be activated, for
instance, leading to inadvertent wiper sweeps being triggered. This could cause
damage to the vehicle.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windscreen and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping

noises caused by residue on the wind-
screen.
High-pressure cleaners G
Risk of accident
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with cir-
cular-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean
your vehicle or - especially - the tyres. You
could otherwise damage the tyres and
cause an accident.
! Observe the instructions issued by the
equipment manufacturer concerning the
distance to be maintained between the
nozzle

of the high-pressure cleaner and the
vehicle (at least 30 cm).
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R Tyres
R Door joint
R Electrical components R
Battery
R Connectors
R Bulbs
R Seals
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to failures or leaks.
Cleaning the wiper blades and the out-
side of the windscreen G
Risk of injury
Turn the key to position 0 in the ignition
lock
before cleaning the windscreen or the
wiper blades. There is otherwise a risk of
the windscreen wipers being set in motion
and causing injury.
X Turn the key to position 1 in the ignition
lock (Y page 74).
X Set the windscreen wipers to the u
position on the combination switch
(Y page 97).
X Turn the key to position 0
or remove it when
the wiper arms are vertical ( Y page 74). Operation
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Care
212
!
Only fold the windscreen wipers away
from the windscreen when vertical, other-
wise you will damage the bonnet.
X Fold the wiper arms away from the wind-
screen until you feel them engage.
X Clean the windscreen and the wiper blades.
X Fold the windscreen wipers back again
before the ignition is switched on.
! Do not clean the wiper blades too often,
as otherwise the coating may come off.
This could cause wiper noise.
Cleaning the windows !
Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows.
Clean the insides of the windows with a
damp cloth or commercially-available glass
cleaner. Avoid touching the inside of the
rear windscreen and the side windows with
hard objects, e.g. ice scrapers or rings. You
could otherwise cause damage to the win-
dows, rear window heating or aerial on the
rear window. i
Anti-glare
film retrofitted to the insides of
the windows could interfere with radio or
mobile phone reception, especially if it is
conductive or metal-coated film. Informa-
tion about anti-glare film can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Cleaning the headlamps X
Clean the headlamp lenses with a wet
sponge.
! Only use washer fluid which is suitable
for plastic lenses. Unsuitable washer fluid
could damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.
Therefore, do not use the following:
R dry cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvent
You

could otherwise scratch or damage the
surface of the lenses. Plastic trim !
Do
not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. Doing so will scratch or dam-
age the surfaces.
X Wipe plastic parts with a damp, lint-free
cloth (e.g. a microfibre cloth).
X Light soiling:
use a low-foaming soap (e.g.
a light liquid hand soap) diluted in water.
X Heavy soiling:
use a cleaning agent that is
solvent-free and non-corrosive. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz cleaning product for this
purpose.
Cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard X
Moisten a clean lint-free cloth with water.
X Clean the plastic parts and the dashboard.
X If particularly dirty, use a mild detergent. G
Risk of injury
Do not use cleaners and cockpit care
sprays containing solvents to clean the
cockpit and steering wheel boss. Cleaners
containing solvents cause the surface to
become porous and in the event of an air- Operation
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Care
213bag being triggered, plastic parts that have
become loose could cause considerable
injuries.
Leather upholstery* !
Cleaning
R Clean genuine leather covers using a
damp cloth, then wipe the covers down
afterwards using a dry cloth. When doing
this, make sure that the leather does not
become soaked. For leather care, you
should use leather care foam A 001 986
59 71 10. You can purchase this, for
example, at any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
R Clean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e. g. washing up liquid).
R Clean fabric covers with a microfibre
cloth moistened with a solution contain-
ing 1% detergent (e. g. washing up liquid).
When cleaning, take care not to rub too
vigorously and always wipe entire seat
sections to avoid leaving visible lines.
Leave the seat to dry afterwards. Clean- ing results depend on the type of dirt and
how long it has been there.
R Clean Alcantara covers with a damp
cloth. Make sure you wipe entire seat
sections to avoid leaving visible lines.
i Note that leather covers are subject to a
natural ageing process because they are a
natural product and may react in different
ways (e.g. increased formation of wrinkles)
to certain environmental influences (such
as high humidity, intense heat).
Note that regular care is essential to ensure
that the quality (both appearance and com-
fort) of the covers is retained over time.
Care of exhaust tail pipes (AMG vehi-
cles) Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may
cause flash rust to form on the surface.
Regular care of the exhaust tail pipes will
ensure that their original shine is restored.
!
Do not clean exhaust tail pipes with alka-
line-based cleaning agents such as wheel
cleaner. Use the chrome cleaning agent recommen-
ded by Mercedes-Benz for cleaning. Infor-
mation about chrome cleaning agents can
be obtained from any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
Cleaning Distronic* 1
Distronic* cover
X Turn the key to position 0 in the ignition
lock.
X Clean cover 1 in the radiator grille with
water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.
! Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. Doing so will scratch or dam-
age the surfaces. Operation
* optional
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