2010 MERCEDES-BENZ CL CLASS brake

To avoid paint damage, you should
immediately remove:
R
Grease and oil
R Fuel
R Coolant
R Brake fluid
R Bird droppings
R Insects
R Tree resins etc.
Frequent washing
reduces and/or eliminates
the aggressiveness and potency of the above
adverse influences.
More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:
R near the ocean
R in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)
R during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage. Any
damage should be repaired as soon as
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody of
the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thorough
check is a washing of the underbody followed
by a thorough inspection. Damaged areas
need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the factory
with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of the
vehicle. Post-production treatment is neither
necessary nor recommended by Mercedes-
Benz because of the possibility of
incompatibility between materials used in the
production process and others applied later.
We have selected vehicle-care products and
compiled recommendations which are
specially matched to our vehicles and which
always reflect the latest technology. You can
obtain Mercedes-Benz approved vehicle-care
products at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion or
damage due to negligent or incorrect care
cannot always be removed or repaired with
the vehicle-care products recommended
here. In
such cases it is best to seek aid at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The following topics deal with the cleaning
and care of your vehicle and give important
“how-to” information as well as references to
Mercedes-Benz approved vehicle-care
products.
Power washer !
Follow the instructions provided by the
power washer manufacturer on
maintaining a

distance between the vehicle
and the nozzle of the power washer.
Never use a round nozzle to power-wash
tires. The intense jet of water can result in
damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.
Always keep the jet of water moving across
the surface. Do not aim directly at electrical
parts, electrical connectors, seals, or other
rubber parts.
i Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of
water, and a SmartKey is within
approximately 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle, it
could be inadvertently locked or unlocked.
Tar stains Quickly remove tar stains before they dry and
become more difficult to remove. A tar
remover is recommended.
Paintwork, painted body components
!
Affixing stickers, magnets, adhesive tape
or similar materials to painted body
components may damage the paintwork.
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Care should
be applied when water drops on the paint
surface do not “bead up”. This should 404
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normally be done every 3 to 5 months,
depending on the climate and washing
detergent used.
Mercedes-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.
X 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 components
and connectors from contact with water and
cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB
Anticorrosion Wax should be applied to the
engine compartment after every engine
cleaning. Before applying, all control linkage
bushings
and

joints should be lubricated. The
poly-V-belt and all pulleys should be
protected 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.
i Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of
water, and a SmartKey is within
approximately 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle, it
could be inadvertently locked or unlocked.
Hand-wash
X Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.
X Only use a soft, wet cloth or sponge to
clean the vehicle. X
Only use a mild vehicle wash detergent,
such as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo.
X Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a
diffused jet of water.
X Do not spray directly towards the
ventilation intake.
X Use plenty of water and rinse the sponge
and chamois frequently.
X Rinse with clean water and dry with a
chamois thoroughly.
Do not allow cleaning agents to dry on the
finish.
Automatic car wash G
Warning!
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate the HOLD function or DISTRONIC
PLUS before the vehicle is washed in an
automatic car wash.
You can have your vehicle washed in an
automatic car

wash from the start. Brushless
car washes are preferable.
X To protect the filter system, activate the air
recirculation mode using rocker switch
g on the climate control panel.
! Do not

clean your vehicle in an automatic
touchless car wash which uses caustic
spray. Caustic spray will damage the paint
or ornamental moldings.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it before
running it through the automatic car wash.
! Make sure the combination switch is set
to wiper setting $. Otherwise, the rain
sensor could activate and cause the wipers
to move unintentionally. This may lead to
vehicle damage.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in
exterior rear view mirrors prior to running
the vehicle through an automatic car wash
to prevent damage to the mirrors. Vehicle care
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X
When taking the vehicle through an
automatic conveyor-type car wash:
Make sure the automatic transmission
remains in neutral position N. Observe
instructions, see “Remaining in neutral
position N” (Y page 292).
When leaving the automatic car wash, make
sure the mirrors are folded out.
After running the vehicle through an
automatic car wash, wipe any wax off of the
windshield and the wiper blade inserts. This
will prevent smears and reduce wiping noise
which can be caused by residual wax on the
windshield.
Ornamental moldings X
For regular cleaning and care of ornamental
moldings, use a damp cloth.
! Do not use chrome cleaner on ornamental
moldings. Although ornamental moldings
may have chrome appearance, they could
be made of anodized aluminum that will be
damaged when cleaned with chrome
cleaner. Instead, use a damp cloth to clean
those ornamental 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.
Headlamps, brake lamps, tail lamps,
side markers, turn signal lenses X
Use a mild vehicle wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo,
with plenty of water.
! Only use window cleaning solutions that
are suitable for plastic lamp lenses.
Window cleaning solutions which are not
suitable may damage the plastic lamp
lenses of the headlamps. Therefore, do not
use abrasives, solvents or cleaners that
contain solvents. Cleaning the driving systems sensors
X
Switch off the ignition.
X Clean DISTRONIC PLUS/PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
system sensor cover : by hand.
To clean DISTRONIC PLUS/PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
system sensor cover : and the bumper area
near sensors ; observe the following:
R Use a mild vehicle wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo,
with plenty of water.
R Use a soft, non-scratching cloth.
! If you use a power washer to clean the
sensor covers, observe the following:
R Follow the instructions provided by the
power washer manufacturer.
R Maintain a distance between the sensor
covers and the nozzle of the power
washer. 406
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Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
!
The windshield wipers must be in a
vertical position before folding them away
from the windshield. They could otherwise
damage the hood.
Never open
the hood when the wiper arms
are folded forward.
X Make sure the hood is fully closed.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Turn combination switch to wiper setting
° (Y page 280).
X With wiper arms in vertical position, switch
off the ignition. G
Warning!
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and
remove SmartKey from starter switch before
cleaning the windshield and/or the wiper
blades. Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: Make
sure the vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status 0. Otherwise, the wiper motor could
suddenly turn on and cause injury.
! Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts.
They could tear.
X Fold the wiper arms forward until they snap
into place.
X Clean the windshield and the wiper blade
inserts with a clean cloth and mild
detergent solution.
X Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild window
cleaning solution on all outside and inside
glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is
recommended.
! 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.
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 windows with hard objects
such as an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.
Light alloy wheels If possible, clean wheels once a week.
X
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care,
a soft bristle brush and a strong spray of
water for cleaning the light alloy wheels.
! Only use acid-free cleaning materials.
Acid may cause corrosion or damage the
clear coat.
! The vehicle should not be parked for an
extended period of time immediately after
it has

been cleaned. This applies especially
after the wheel rims have been cleaned
with wheel rim cleaner. Wheel rim cleaners
can lead to increased corrosion of the
brake disks and brake pads. Non-approved
wheel cleaners may also damage the wheel
paint if the vehicle is not driven after
cleaning.
Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system
should always be warmed-up before it is
parked after cleaning. Drive your vehicle for
several minutes to allow the brakes to dry.
When applying Mercedes-Benz approved
Tire Care and Mercedes-Benz approved
Wheel Care products, take care not to
spray them on the brake disks. 408
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Text messages
Safety systems Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsPRE-SAFE Inoperativ
e See
Oper.
Manual
The PRE-SAFE
®
system has failed. All other occupant safety
systems, such as the air bags, are still available.
X Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible. PRE-SAFE Function
Currently
Limited
See Oper.
Manual
The PRE-SAFE
®
Brake is temporarily unavailable.
The PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is deactivated because:
R the DISTRONIC PLUS cover in the radiator grille is dirty
R the area
around the sensors in the front or the rear bumper
is dirty
R its function is impaired as a result of heavy precipitation
R the radar sensor system is temporarily inoperative due to
electromagnetic interference near television and radio
transmitter stations, toll stations, speed measuring
systems, etc.
R the system is out of the operating temperature range
R the battery voltage is insufficient
The PRE-SAFE ®
Brake becomes operational again and the
message in the multifunction display disappears when:
R dirt on the radiator grille has fallen off while driving (e.g.
slush or snow)
R the system recognizes full sensor availability (due to
lessening rain or the road surface drying)
R the system is within the operating temperature range
If the message in the multifunction display does not
disappear:
X Clean the DISTRONIC PLUS cover in the radiator grille
(Y page 406).
X Clean the front and the rear bumper ( Y page 406).
X Restart the vehicle.
X Wait until the battery recovers. PRE-SAFE Function
Limited
See Oper.
Manual
The PRE-SAFE
®
Brake is unavailable due to a malfunction.
The BAS PLUS may also be unavailable.
X Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible. 416
Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsFront
Passenger
Airbag
Enabled
See Oper.
Manual The front passenger front air bag is activated while driving
even though a child, small individual, or object below the
system’s weight threshold is on the front passenger seat, or
the front passenger seat is empty. Objects on the seat or
forces acting on the seat may make the system sense
supplemental weight.
X
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible.
X Engage the electronic parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition.
X Open the passenger door.
X Remove child and child restraint from front passenger seat
and properly secure the child in rear seat employing the
child restraint if necessary.
X Make sure no objects which apply supplemental weight to
the seat are present. The system may recognize such
supplemental weight and sense that an occupant on the
front passenger seat is of a greater weight than actually
present.
X Keep the seat unoccupied, close the passenger door and
switch on the ignition.
Monitor the 42 indicator lamp right of the
instrument cluster (
Y page 44) and the multifunction display
in the instrument cluster (Y page 29) for the following:
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition switched on,
R the message Front Passenger Airbag Enabled See
Oper. Manual or the message Front Passenger
Airbag Disabled See Oper. Manual should not appear
in the multifunction display at any time the seat is
unoccupied. Wait at least 60 seconds for the system to
complete the necessary check cycles and to make sure
neither message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front
passenger seat again. Depending on the front passenger
classification sensed by the OCS, the 42
indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working
properly. Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible. Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
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G
Warning!
If the 42 indicator lamp remains out even after performing the above corrective
steps, do
not have any children 12 years old and under and other small individuals use the front
passenger seat until the system has been repaired. Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsFront
Passenger
Airbag
Disabled
See Oper.
Manual The front passenger front air bag is deactivated while driving
even though an adult or someone larger than a small
individual is occupying the front passenger seat. Forces
acting on

the seat may make the system sense a decrease in
weight.
X Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible.
X Engage the electronic parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition.
X Have the front passenger vacate the seat and exit the
vehicle.
X Keep the seat unoccupied, close the passenger door and
switch on the ignition.
Monitor the 42 indicator lamp right of the
instrument cluster (
Y page 44) and the multifunction display
in the instrument (Y page 29) cluster for the following:
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition switched on,
R the 42 indicator lamp right of the instrument
cluster should illuminate and remain illuminated, indicating
that the OCS ( Y page 41) has deactivated the front
passenger front air bag.
R the message Front Passenger Airbag Enabled See
Oper. Manual or the message Front Passenger
Airbag Disabled See Oper. Manual should not appear
in the multifunction display at any time the seat is
unoccupied. Wait at least 60 seconds for the system to
complete the necessary check cycles and to make sure
neither message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front
passenger seat again. Depending on the front passenger
classification sensed by the OCS, the 42
indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working
properly. Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible. 418
Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
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G
Warning!
If the 42 indicator lamp remains illuminated with an adult occupant on the front
passenger seat
even after performing the above corrective steps, do not have any passenger use
the front passenger seat until the system has been repaired.
Driving systems Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsABC Malfunctio
n Stop
Vehicle You have started driving although the vehicle level is still too
low.
The vehicle is being raised. The ABC message goes out after
a few seconds.
X
Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon as it is safe
to do so.
X Wait until the message disappears from the multifunction
display.
You may then drive off. ABC Malfunctio
n Stop
Vehicle The vehicle is losing oil.
The ABC message appears continuously.
X
Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon as it is safe
to do so.
X Engage the electronic parking brake.
X Call Roadside Assistance.
or
X Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. ABC Malfunctio
n Stop
Vehicle The ABC is malfunctioning.
The ABC message appears continuously.
X
Do not turn steering wheel too far to avoid damaging the
front fenders.
X Listen for scraping noises.
X Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h).
X Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible. ABC Malfunctio
n The capability of the ABC system is restricted. This can impair
handling.
X
Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h).
X Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible. Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
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