2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS500 trunk

420 Practical hints
Battery
The battery is located on the right hand
side of the trunk under the luggage box
(
page 397).
1Positive terminal cover
2Negative terminal
Warning!G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof battery only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Warning!G
Failure to follow these instructions can
result in severe injury or death.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(
page 291).
Never lean over batteries while connecting,
you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking etc.
!The battery is a Valve-Regulated Lead Acid
(VRLA) battery, also referred to as “fleece” bat-
tery. Such batteries do not require topping-up of
the electrolyte level. VRLA batteries therefore do
not have cell caps and the battery cover is
non-removable. Do not attempt to open the bat-
tery as otherwise the battery will be damaged.
Even though VRLA batteries do not require top-
ping-up of the electrolyte level and cannot be
opened to check the electrolyte level, the bat-
tery condition must be checked periodically by
performing a battery conductance test. Refer to
Maintenance Booklet for battery condition test-
ing intervals.
The factory-equipped VRLA battery is
leak-proofed. Only use a battery as replacement
that has the same security features and is of
identical size, voltage, and capacity as the facto-
ry-equipped battery.

421 Practical hints
Battery
Disconnecting the battery
Depress parking brake firmly or move
gear selector lever to positionP.
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Remove SmartKey from starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the start/stop button until
the engine shuts off.
Open the driver’s door.
Open the trunk.
Read and observe safety instructions
and precautions (
page 420).
Remove the luggage box (page 397).
Disconnect battery negative lead2.
Remove cover1 from the positive ter-
minal.
Disconnect the battery positive lead.
Removing the battery
Remove the screw-nuts securing the
battery.
Remove the battery bracket.
Pull out the battery ventilation tube
from the battery (depending on battery
arrangement in your vehicle model, the
battery ventilation tube is located on
the left or right side of the battery).
Take out the battery.
!As with any other battery, disconnect the
battery if you do not intend to operate your vehi-
cle for an extended period of time to prevent bat-
tery discharge or connect an accessory battery
charge unit expressly approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model to main-
tain the battery charge. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further information.
The battery, the battery ventilation hose and the
lateral plug must always be securely installed
when the vehicle is in operation.
!Never loosen or detach battery terminal
clamps while the engine is running or the
SmartKey is in the starter switch. Otherwise the
alternator and other electronic components
could be severely damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for maintenance
intervals or contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further information.
Warning!G
With a disconnected battery

you will no longer be able to turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch and
pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button on the gear selector lever will
have no effect

the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP

424 Practical hints
Jump starting
The battery is located in the trunk under-
neath the luggage box (
page 397). Only
jump start the vehicle from the battery in
the trunk.
Make sure the two vehicles do not
touch.
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Apply parking brake (page 59).
Make sure the gear selector lever is set
to positionP.
Open the trunk.1Positive terminal of discharged battery
2Negative terminal of discharged bat-
tery
3Positive terminal of charged battery
4Negative terminal of charged battery
Connect positive terminals1 and3
of the batteries with the jumper cable.
Clamp cable to charged battery3
first.
Start engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.
Connect negative terminals4 and2
of the batteries with the jumper cable.
Clamp cable to charged battery4
first.
Start the engine of the disabled vehi-
cle.
You can now turn on the electrical con-
sumers. Do not switch on the headlamps
under any circumstances.
Remove the jumper cables first from
negative terminals2 and4 and then
from positive terminals1 and3.
You can now switch on the headlamps.
Have the battery checked at the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!Never invert the terminal connections!

427 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
The towing eye bolt is supplied with the
tool kit (located in the storage compart-
ment under the trunk floor).
Screw towing eye bolt in to its stop and
tighten with wheel wrench.
To reinstall cover:
Fit cover and snap into place.
Rear of vehicle
2Cover on right side of rear bumperTo remove cover:
Press mark on cover in direction of the
arrow.
Fold cover down to reveal the threaded
hole for the towing eye bolt.
The towing eye bolt is supplied with the
tool kit (located in the storage compart-
ment under the trunk floor).
Screw towing eye bolt in to its stop and
tighten with wheel wrench.
To reinstall cover:
Fit cover and snap into place.

428 Practical hints
Fuses
The electrical fuses in your vehicle serve to
switch off malfunctioning power circuits.
If a fuse is blown, the components and sys-
tems secured by that fuse will stop operat-
ing.If a newly inserted fuse blows again, have
the cause determined and rectified by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
A fuse chart is located in the fuse box in
the passenger compartment. The fuse
chart explains the fuse allocation and fuse
amperages.
The electrical fuses are located in different
fuse boxes:

Fuse box in passenger compartment
(
page 429)

Fuse box in trunk (page 429)Before replacing fuses:
Apply the parking brake (page 59).
Make sure the gear selector lever is set
to positionP (
page 169).
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Turn off the engine (page 60).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Open the driver’s door.
Warning!G
Only use fuses approved by Mercedes-Benz
with the specified amperage for the system
in question and do not attempt to repair or
bridge a blown fuse. Using other than ap-
proved fuses or using repaired or bridged
fuses may cause an overload leading to a
fire, and/or cause damage to electrical
components and/or systems. Have the
cause determined and remedied by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
iA blown fuse must be replaced by an appro-
priate spare fuse (recognizable by its color or the
fuse rating given on the fuse) of the amperage
recommended in the fuse chart.
Any Mercedes-Benz Center will be glad to advise
you on this subject.
iIn case of a blown fuse contact Roadside As-
sistance or an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.

429 Practical hints
Fuses
Fuse box in passenger compartment
1CoverOpening
Open the front passenger door.
Insert flat, blunt object as a lever in-be-
tween the edge of cover1 and the
dashboard cover at the position indi-
cated by the arrow.
Carefully pry cover1 away from the
dashboard using lever.
Using your hands, pull cover1 in di-
rection of the arrow and remove it.
Closing
Hook cover1 into the opening at the
front.
Press cover1 back on until it engag-
es.
Fuse box in trunk
2Cover
3Catches
Turn catches3 counter-clockwise
and remove cover2.!Do not use sharp objects such as a screw
driver to open the fuse box cover1 in the dash-
board, as this could damage it.

447 Technical data
Main dimensions and weights
Main dimensions and weights
Main dimensions
Weights
ModelCLS 550CLS 63 AMG
Overall vehicle length193.3 in (4 910 mm)193.5 in (4 915 mm)
Overall vehicle width (exterior rear view
mirrors folded out)81.1 in (2 059 mm)81.1 in (2 059 mm)
Overall vehicle height55.7 in (1 414 mm)54.5 in (1 389 mm)
Wheelbase112.4 in (2 854 mm)112.4 in (2 854 mm)
Track, front62.5 in (1 587 mm)63 in (1 599 mm)
Track, rear61.8 in (1 570 mm)62.3 in (1 583 mm)
Roof load max.220 lb (100 kg)
Trunk load max.220 lb (100 kg)

461 Index
Distronic* 217
Activating/deactivating 222
Cleaning system sensor 337
Control system 151
Distance warning function 226
Driving hints 227
Intermittent warning sound 226
Menu 221
Messages in display 361, 362
Sensor cover 337
Symbol in multifunction display 151
Warning and indicator lamps 220
Door
Entry lamps 135
Locking/unlocking, SmartKey 102
Locking/unlocking, SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* 106
Message in display 372
Opening from inside/outside 108
Remote door unlock (Tele Aid) 261
Door control panel 34
Door handle, inside 34
DOT 324
Drinking and driving 271Driving
Abroad 280
Hydroplaning 276
In winter 278
Instructions 48
Problems 58
Safety systems 89
Systems 213
Through standing water 279
With Distronic* 217
Driving off 274
Driving safety systems
ABS 89
BAS 90
EBP 92
Electronic traction system 93
ESP
®92
Driving systems 213
Airmatic DC 230
Cruise control 213
Distronic* 217
Parktronic* 234Driving tips 173
Accelerator position 173
Kickdown 173
Dual control
Airmatic DC 230
E
Easy-entry/exit feature* 45, 163
EBP 92
Electric air pump 416
Electrical fuses see Fuses
Electrical system, Technical data 446
Electronic Brake Proportioning see EBP
Electronic Stability Program see ESP
®
Emergency calls
Tele Aid calls 257
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) 182
Emergency operations
Fuel filler flap 400
Gear selector lever, Unlocking 400
Locking/unlocking the vehicle 398
Remote door unlock 261
Trunk lid, Releasing from inside 114
Trunk lid, Unlocking 399
Emergency Tensioning Device see ETD