2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS COUPE brake

Refuelling
190 Running-in notes
The first 1,500 km
If you treat the engine with sufficient care
from the very start, it will reward you with
excellent performance for a very long period
afterwards.
R You should therefore drive at varying road
and engine speeds for the first 1,500 km
.
R Avoid heavy loads, e.g. driving at full throt-
tle, during this time. Do not exceed 2
/ 3 of
the maximum permissible engine speed for
each gear.
R Change gear in good time.
R Do not shift down a gear manually in order
to brake.
R Try to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the pressure point (kick-
down).
R Only use ranges 3, 2 or 1 for slow driving,
e.g. in mountainous terrain.
After 1,500 km you may gradually bring the
vehicle up to full road and engine speeds.
Additional driving tips for AMG vehicles: R
Do not drive faster than
140 km/h for the
first 1,500 km.
R Only bring the engine up to a maximum
speed of 4,500 rpm for a brief period.
i You should also observe these notes if the
engine or rear axle transmission on your
vehicle has been replaced. AMG vehicles with a rear axle differ-
ential lock*
Your vehicle is equipped with a self-locking
differential

on the rear axle. To better protect
the differential gear on the rear axle, you
should perform an oil change after a running-
in phase of 3,000 km. This oil change will
increase the service life of your differential.
Have the oil change performed at a qualified
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre for this purpose. Refuelling
Refuelling
G
Risk of explosion
Fuel is highly flammable. Fire, naked flames
and
smoking are therefore prohibited when
handling fuels.
Before refuelling, turn off the engine and
the auxiliary heating*. G
Risk of injury
Avoid any contact with fuels.
You can damage your health if your skin
comes

into direct contact with fuel or if you
inhale the vapour. G
Risk of fire
Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel
engine. Never mix diesel with petrol.
This would damage the fuel system and
engine and could result in a vehicle fire.
! Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not use diesel to refuel
vehicles with a petrol engine. Even small
amounts of the wrong fuel will damage the
injection system. Damage resulting from
adding the wrong fuel is not covered by the
warranty. Operation
* optional
219_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
2007-11-13T09:28:36+01:00 - Seite 190

Tyres and wheels
198 Tyres and wheels
Points to remember
! For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz rec-
ommends that you only use tyres and
wheels which have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz specifically for your vehi-
cle. These tyres have been specially adap-
ted for use with the control systems, such
as
ABS or ESP ®
, and are marked as follows:
R MO = Mercedes-Benz Original
R MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(with run-flat characteristics)*
Mercedes-Benz Original Extended tyres*
should only be used on wheels that have
been specifically approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
If you use other tyres and wheels,
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept any respon-
sibility for damage that may result from
this. Further information about tyres,
wheels and approved combinations can be
obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
If you use tyres other than those tested and
recommended for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles, characteristics such as handling, vehi-
cle noise emissions and fuel consumption may be adversely affected. In addition, the
wheels may come into contact with the
body

or axle components when heavily loa-
ded or when driving with snow chains. This
could result in damage to the tyres or the
vehicle.
! Retreaded tyres are neither tested nor
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, since
previous damage cannot always be detec-
ted on retreaded tyres. As a result,
Mercedes-Benz cannot guarantee vehicle
safety if retreaded tyres are fitted. Do not
fit used tyres if you have no information
about their previous usage. G
Risk of accident
If wheels or tyres other than those which
have been tested are fitted:
R the

brakes or chassis components could
be damaged
R wheel and tyre clearances can no longer
be guaranteed
This could cause an accident.
Modification work on the brake system and
wheels is not permitted, nor is the use of
spacer plates or brake dust shields. This inva-
lidates the General Operating Permit for the
vehicle. Notes on selecting, fitting and replacing
tyres R
Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
and make.
R Only fit tyres of the correct size onto the
wheels.
R After

fitting new tyres, run them in at mod-
erate speeds for the first 100 km as they
only reach their full performance after this
distance.
R Fit new tyres on the front wheels first if
tyres of the same size are required on the
front and rear wheels.
R Replace the tyres after six years at the lat-
est, regardless of wear. This also applies to
the spare wheel*.
R Do not drive with tyres which have too little
tread depth as this significantly reduces
the traction on wet roads (aquaplaning).
! Store tyres that are not being used in a
cool, dry and preferably dark place. Protect
the tyres against oil, grease, petrol and die-
sel. Operation
* optional
219_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
2007-11-13T09:28:36+01:00 - Seite 198

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
219_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
2007-11-13T09:28:36+01:00 - Seite 206

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
219_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
2007-11-13T09:28:36+01:00 - Seite 207

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
219_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
2007-11-13T09:28:36+01:00 - Seite 208

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
219_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
2007-11-13T09:28:36+01:00 - Seite 210

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
219_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
2007-11-13T09:28:36+01:00 - Seite 211

Display messages
221Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
ABS ABS, ESP inopera-
tive See Owner's
Manual
G
Risk of accident
ABS, ESP ®
and therefore also PRE-
SAFE ®
are unavailable due to a malfunc-
tion. BAS has also been deactivated.
The brake system is still available with
complete brake boosting effect. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. ABS ABS, ESP unavaila-
ble See Owner's
Manual
G
Risk of accident
ABS, ESP ®
and therefore also PRE-
SAFE ®
are unavailable due to undervolt-
age. BAS has also been deactivated.
The brake system is still available with
complete brake boosting effect. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. DISTRONIC Override
Distronic* is no longer controlling the
speed of the vehicle. X
Ease off the accelerator pedal. DISTRONIC - - -
An activation condition for Distronic* is
not fulfilled. X
If conditions permit, drive faster than
30 km/h
and store the speed (Y page 135).
or
X Check activation conditions for Distronic*. DISTRONIC inoperative
Distronic* is faulty. X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Practical advice
* optional
219_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
2007-11-13T09:28:36+01:00 - Seite 221 Z