2011 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS-CLASS suspension

Service and warranty information
.....19
Service intervals see
Maintenance System, Service
indicator message
Service life (tires) .............................. 198
Settings Factory setting (KEYLESS-GO) ......... 69
Factory setting (SmartKey) ..............67
Memory function .............................. 85
Menu ............................................. 118
Selective setting (KEYLESS-GO) ....... 69
Selective setting (SmartKey) ............67
Shelf below rear window, cleaning .. 221
Side impact air bags ...........................41
Side marker lamps
Cleaning lenses ............................. 219
Messages in the multifunction
display ........................................... 248
Sidewall (tires) .................................. 207
Ski bag ............................................... 155
SmartKey see Key, SmartKey
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
see Key, SmartKey
Snow chains ...................................... 208
Snow tires see Winter tires
Spare wheel ....................................... 291
Mounting ....................................... 272
Storage location ............................ 226
Speedometer ............................... 28, 131
Speed settings Cruise control ................................ 128
Distronic ........................................ 133
Resume function ................... 129, 134
SRS
Indicator lamp .................................. 28
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
Indicator lamp ......................... 36, 254
Messages in the multifunction
display ........................................... 240
Standing water, driving through ......213
Starter switch positions KEYLESS-GO .................................... 76
SmartKey ......................................... 76
Starting difficulties (engine) ..............98
Starting the engine ............................. 97Steering column
see Multifunction steering wheel,
Adjustment

Steering wheel
see Multifunction steering wheel
Steering wheel gearshift control .....106
Stolen Vehicle Recovery Services ...169
Storage compartments .....................158
Storing tires ....................................... 199
Sunroof see Power tilt/sliding sunroof
Sunshade
Rear window .................................. 162
Sun visors .................................. 161, 162
Suspension tuning see AIRMATIC DC (Dual Control) T
Tachometer ..................................

28, 110
Overspeed range ........................... 110
Tail lamps
Cleaning lenses ............................. 219
Messages in the multifunction
display ........................................... 249
Tar stains ........................................... 217
Technical data Air conditioning refrigerant ............ 298
Brake fluid ..................................... 298
Capacities fuels, coolants,
lubricants etc. ................................ 296
Coolant .......................................... 300
Engine oil additives ........................298
Engine oils ..................................... 298
Fuel requirements .......................... 299
Gasoline additives .......................... 299
Identification labels .......................288
Premium unleaded gasoline ...........299
Rims and tires ................................ 291
Spare wheel ................................... 296
Vehicle specification CLS 550 ....... 290
Vehicle specification CLS 63 AMG . 290
Washer and headlamp cleaning
system ................................... 297, 302
Technical data (dimensions)
see Vehicle specification
Technical data (electrical system)
see Vehicle specification Index
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X
Give very little gas.
X Have the problem checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
The coolant temperature is above
248‡
(120†) The coolant is too hot and is no longer cooling
the engine.
X
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon
as possible.
X Turn off the engine immediately.
X Allow the engine and coolant to cool off.
X Check the coolant level and add coolant if
necessary ( Y page 180).
In case of accident If the vehicle is leaking fuel:
X
Do not start the engine under any
circumstances.
X Exit the vehicle at a safe distance from the
roadway.
X Notify local fire and/or police authorities.
If the extent of the damage cannot be
determined:
X Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call Roadside Assistance.
If no damage on major assemblies, fuel
system, and engine mount can be
determined:
X Start the engine in the usual manner. Parking
G
Warning!
Do not park this vehicle in areas where
combustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system. These materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire. Vehicle movement may result in serious
personal injury or damage to the vehicle or
vehicle drivetrain. Therefore, always do the
following before turning off the engine and
leaving the vehicle:
R
Keep right foot on the brake pedal.
R Engage the parking brake.
R Shift the automatic transmission into park
position P.
R Slowly release the brake pedal.
R When

parked on an incline, always turn the
front wheels towards the road curb.
R Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 0 and remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch, or press the KEYLESS-
GO start/stop button.
R Take the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle when leaving. G
Warning!
Vehicles with AIRMATIC:
If you have selected the Comfort suspension
tuning, the vehicle lowers slightly when you
lock

it within approximately 60 seconds after
turning off the engine. You should therefore
make sure that no one is standing near the
wheel arches or lying underneath the vehicle
when it is being locked. Otherwise, personal
injury could result.
Also, make sure your vehicle cannot come
into contact with objects, such as a road curb,
while lowering. Your vehicle could otherwise
be damaged.
Parking brake G
Warning!
Engaging the parking brake while the vehicle
is
in motion can cause the rear wheels to lock
up. You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident. In addition, the vehicle’s
brake lights do not light up when the parking
brake is engaged. 100
Driving and parking
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Because of their narrow profile, the vehicles
traveling near the outer edges of the lane
have not yet been detected by the Distronic.
There will be insufficient distance to the
preceding vehicles.
Distance warning function
When the Distronic is deactivated, this
function will continue to warn you when
recognizing a stationary obstacle or a slower
vehicle moving in your vehicle’s path and the
danger of a collision exists:
R
The distance warning lamp · in the
instrument cluster comes on.
R An intermittent warning will sound if
necessary.
If these warnings are issued, you must apply
the brakes to maintain a safe distance and
avoid a collision with the preceding vehicle.
When depressing the brake pedal, the
warning sound ceases. The warning sound
will also cease when the distance to the
preceding vehicle is sufficient again without
applying the brakes. In this case, the distance
warning lamp · will also go out. G
Warning!
If the distance warning lamp · in the
instrument cluster comes on while driving
and/or an intermittent warning sounds,
immediate attention on the part of the driver
is required. As required by the traffic
situation, apply the brakes and navigate
around a possible obstacle. However, do not
drive by relying on the distance warning
function, as this will result in an emergency
braking application. This will not always
enable you to avoid a collision, especially
when traveling on varying road surface
conditions and with varying driver reaction.
Complex driving situations are not always
fully recognized by the distance warning
function. This could result in wrong or missing
distance warnings. X
Activating/deactivating: Press
switch :.
When the distance warning function is
activated, indicator lamp ; in switch :
comes on. A loudspeaker symbol appears
in the multifunction display ( Y page 132). Airmatic DC (Dual Control)
Introduction The AIRMATIC DC lets you select the chassis
and suspension setup. The chassis and
suspension setup adjusts the damping
behavior and the ride height for your vehicle.
The AIRMATIC DC consists of two
components. The Adaptive Damping System
(ADS) (
Y page 137) and the vehicle level
control ( Y page 138).
Adaptive Damping System (ADS) The fine tuning of the damping is dependent
on
R
your driving style
R road surface conditions
R vehicle loading
R your personal settings Driving systems
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The following settings are available:
R
Comfort
Both indicator lamps ; are off.
R Sport 1
One indicator lamp ; is on.
R Sport 2
Both indicator lamps ; are on.
X Start the engine.
X Press ADS switch : repeatedly until the
desired suspension tuning is reached.
The setting remains stored when you turn off
the engine. G
Warning!
If you have selected the Comfort suspension
tuning, the vehicle lowers slightly when you
lock it within approximately 60 seconds after
turning off the engine. To avoid personal
injury, make sure nobody is in the vicinity of
the wheel housing or under the vehicle when
you turn off the engine.
! When parking, make sure there is
sufficient clearance under the vehicle for it to lower without making contact with the
road curb for example. Otherwise, the
vehicle could be damaged.
Vehicle level control G
Warning!
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and
feet away from wheel housing area, and stay
away from under the vehicle when lowering
the vehicle chassis.
Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to increase vehicle safety and to
reduce fuel consumption.
You can choose between normal or raised
level.
The vehicle chassis ride height is raised or
lowered according to the selected level
setting and to the vehicle speed. At a speed
exceeding approximately 68 mph
(110 km/h) with normal level set or
exceeding 75 mph (120 km/h) with raised
level set, the ride height is reduced
automatically. With decreasing speed, the
ride height is again raised to the normal level.
i These height adjustments are so small
that you may not notice any change.
Select the raised level only when required by
current driving conditions. Otherwise, the
handling may be impaired and the fuel
consumption may increase. 138
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The following vehicle level settings can be selected when the vehicle is stationary and the
engine is running:
Vehicle
level when
stationary Indicator
lamp
(Y page
139) Suspension
tuning Use for Ride height
increase
over normal Automatic
lowering
Normal Lamp off Comfort For driving on
normal roads None Max. approx.
0.4 in
(10 mm)
Normal Lamp off Sport 1 or 2 For driving on
normal roads None Max. approx.
0.6 in
(15 mm)
Raised Lamp on Comfort For driving on
rough roads
or with snow
chains Approx.
0.8 in
(20 mm) Max. approx.
1.2 in
(30 mm)
Raised Lamp on Sport 1 or 2 For driving on
rough roads
or with snow
chains Approx.
0.8 in
(20 mm) Max. approx.
1.4 in
(35 mm)
X
Start the engine.
X Briefly press vehicle level control
switch : to change from normal level to
raised level. When the vehicle is in raised
level, pressing vehicle level control
switch : will return the vehicle to normal
level.
The setting raised is canceled and the vehicle
is lowered to the normal level automatically if
the vehicle speed is above 75 mph
(120 km/h) or if the vehicle speed stays
between 50 mph (80 km/h) and 75 mph (120 km/h) for approximately 5 minutes.
Indicator lamp ; in
vehicle level control switch : goes out.
If you do not drive in this speed range, the
selected vehicle level setting remains stored
in memory even if the SmartKey is removed
from the starter switch. Parktronic system
The Parktronic system is an electronic
parking aid with ultrasonic sensors designed
to assist the driver during parking maneuvers.
The Parktronic system indicates the relative
distance between the vehicle and an obstacle
visually and audibly.
The Parktronic system is activated
automatically when
R you switch on the ignition
and
R you release the parking brake Driving systems
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X
Opening washer fluid reservoir: Pull tab
of cap : upwards.
X Refill the washer fluid reservoir.
X Closing washer fluid reservoir: Press
cap : onto filler hole until it engages.
For more information, see “Washer system
and headlamp cleaning system”
(Y page 297). Brake fluid level
! If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum
mark or below, have the brake system
checked for brake pad thickness and leaks
immediately. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately. Do
not add brake fluid as this will not solve the
problem. For more information, see
“Practical hints”.
When checking the brake fluid level, the
vehicle must be parked on level ground. The brake fluid level is correct when it is
between lower mark (MIN)
; and upper
mark (MAX) : of the brake fluid reservoir. Tires and wheels
Safety notes
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for information on tested and recommended
rims and tires for summer and winter
operation. They can also offer advice
concerning tire service and purchase. G
Warning!
Replace rims or tires with the same
designation, manufacturer and type as shown
on the original part. For further information
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If incorrectly sized rims and tires are
mounted, the wheel brakes or suspension
components can be damaged. Also, the
operating clearance of the wheels and the
tires may no longer be correct. G
Warning!
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the tire
tread is worn to minimum tread depth, or if
the tires have sustained damage, replace
them.
When replacing rims, only use genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can result
in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.
Retreaded tires are not tested or
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, since
previous damage cannot always be
recognized on retreads. The operating safety
of the vehicle cannot be assured when such
tires are used. G
Warning!
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possible
damage to your vehicle has occurred, you 182
Tires and wheelsOperation
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using flatbed or appropriate wheel lift/dolly
equipment. This method is preferable to other
types of towing.
!
To prevent damage during transport, do
not tie down vehicle by its chassis or
suspension parts.
If circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the vehicle
may be towed with all wheels on the ground
or one axle raised only so far as necessary to
have the vehicle moved to a safe location
where the recommended towing methods
can be employed.
! Before towing the vehicle observe the
following instructions:
R Do not tow-start the vehicle. You could
otherwise seriously damage the
automatic transmission which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
R Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
Towing with sling-type equipment over
bumpy roads will damage radiator and
supports.
R Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the properly installed towing
eye bolt. Never attach a tow cable, tow
rope or tow rod to the vehicle chassis,
frame or suspension parts. G
Warning!
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
vehicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.
! Avoid pulling the vehicle abruptly or
diagonally, since it could result in damage
to the chassis alignment.
! Do not use the towing eye bolt for
recovery, as this could damage the vehicle.
If in doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane. i
If the battery is disconnected or
discharged
R the SmartKey will not turn in the starter
switch
R the automatic transmission will remain in
park position P
For more information see “Battery”
(Y page 278) or “Jump starting”
(Y page 280).
For information on manually unlocking the
gear selector lever, see ( Y page 263). Installing towing eye bolt
Depending on whether you are towing a
vehicle or you are being towed, the towing eye
bolt can be screwed into threaded holes
which are located behind covers on each
bumper.
The towing eye bolt is supplied with the
vehicle tool kit, located underneath the trunk
floor ( Y page 224).
X Take the vehicle tool kit out of the trunk.
Removing cover in front bumper X
Press mark on cover : as indicated by the
arrow.
X Lift cover : off to reveal the threaded hole
for the towing eye bolt. 282
Towing the vehiclePractical hints
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