MERCEDES-BENZ CL500 2007 C216 Owner's Manual

508 Operation
Driving instructions
Coolant temperature
During severe operating conditions,
e.g. stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to approximately
248°F (120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature over 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious en-
gine damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause un-
consciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one win-
dow fully open at all times.
Warning!G

Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids, which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment, to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.

Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the hood. Stay away from
the engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of
the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle
until the engine has cooled down.

509 Operation
At the gas station
At the gas station
RefuelingThe fuel filler flap is located on the
right-hand side of the vehicle towards the
rear. Locking and unlocking the vehicle
with the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* automatically locks and un-
locks the fuel filler flap.
1To open fuel filler flap
2To insert fuel filler cap
3HolderTurn off the engine (page 387).
Shift the automatic transmission to P
(
page 389).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Vehicles with SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*:
Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* button once
(
page 388).
Open the driver’s door (this puts
the starter switch in position0,
same as with the SmartKey re-
moved from the starter switch). The
driver’s door then can be closed
again.
Open the fuel filler flap by pushing at
the point indicated by arrow 1.
The fuel filler flap springs open.
Turn the fuel cap counterclockwise and
hold on to it until possible pressure is
released.
Warning!G
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious per-
sonal injury.
Never allow sparks, flame or smoking mate-
rials near gasoline!
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid in-
haling fumes and skin or clothing contact,
extinguish all smoking materials.
Direct skin contact with fuels and the inha-
lation of fuel vapors are damaging to your
health.
iIn case that the central locking system does
not release the fuel filler flap, or the opening
mechanism is clamping, notify Roadside
Assistance or an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


510 Operation
At the gas station
Take off the fuel filler cap and set it in
the direction of arrow 2 and place it
into holder 3 located on the inside of
the fuel filler flap.
To prevent fuel vapors from escaping
into open air, fully insert filler nozzle
unit.
Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out – do not top off or over-
fill.
Replace the fuel cap by turning it clock-
wise until it audibly engages.
Close the fuel filler flap.
You should hear the latch close shut.
Warning!G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could cause personal injury.
iMake sure to close the fuel filler flap before
locking your vehicle as the flap locking pin pre-
vents closing after you have locked the vehicle.
iOnly use premium unleaded gasoline with a
minimum Posted Octane Rating of 91 (average of
both the Research Octane Number (RON) and
the Motor Octane Number (MON):
(96 RON+86 MON)/2.
Information on gasoline quality can normally be
found on the fuel pump. Please contact gas sta-
tion personnel in case labels on the fuel pump
cannot be found.
For more information on gasoline, see “Premium
unleaded gasoline” (
page 687), see “Fuel re-
quirements” (
page 688), and the Factory Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet (USA only) in
your vehicle literature portfolio, or contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
iLeaving the engine running and the fuel cap
open can cause the yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp ± to illuminate.
For more information, see the “Practical hints”
section (
page 570).


511 Operation
At the gas station
Check regularly and before a long trip
Example illustration from CL 550
1Coolant level
2Brake fluid
3Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning systemWindshield washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system
For more information on refilling the wash-
er reservoir, see “Windshield washer sys-
tem and headlamp cleaning system”
(
page 519).
Coolant
For more information on coolant, see
“Coolant level” (
page 518) and see “Fu-
els, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 684).
Brake fluid
For information on brake fluid, see “Brake
fluid” (
page 687)Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 513).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 641).
For more information, see “Lighting”
(
page 363).
Tire inflation pressure
For information on tire inflation pressure,
see “Checking tire inflation pressure”
(
page 530).
iOpening the hood (page 512).
!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. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
Do not add brake fluid as this will not solve the
problem. For more information, see “Practical
hints” (
page 569) and (page 596).

512 Operation
Engine compartment
Hood
Opening1Release lever
Pull release lever 1.
The hood is unlocked.
2Lever for opening the hood
Push lever 2 on the hood upwards.
Pull up on the hood and then release it.
The hood will be automatically held
open at shoulder height by gas-filled
struts.
Warning!G
Do not pull the release lever while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Otherwise the hood could
be forced open by passing air flow.
This could cause the hood to come loose
and injure you and/or others.
Warning!G
You could be injured when the hood is open
– even when the engine is turned off.
Parts of the engine can become very hot. To
prevent burns, only touch owner serviceable
components described in the Operator’s
Manual and comply with all relevant safety
precautions.
!To avoid damage to the windshield wipers or
hood, never open the hood if the wiper arms are
folded forward away from the windshield.
Warning!G
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running.
The radiator fan may continue to run for ap-
proximately 30 seconds or even restart af-
ter the engine has been turned off. Stay
clear of fan blades.

513 Operation
Engine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of ap-
proximately 1 ft (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.
Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when

the vehicle is new

the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Warning!G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled down. If neces-
sary, call the fire department.
Warning!G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components (ig-
nition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running

while starting the engine

if ignition is “on” and the engine is
cranked manually
Warning!G
When closing the hood, use extreme caution
not to catch hands or fingers. Be careful that
you do not close the hood on anyone.
Make sure that the hood is securely en-
gaged before driving off. Do not continue
driving if the hood can no longer engage af-
ter an accident, for example. The hood could
otherwise come loose while the vehicle is in
motion and endanger you and/or others.
!Do not use any special lubricant additives,
as these may damage the drive assemblies. Us-
ing special additives not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may cause damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is available at
any Mercedes-Benz Center.

514 Operation
Engine compartment
Notes about checking engine oil level
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground

with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 5 minutes with
the engine turned off

with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 30 minutes
with the engine turned offChecking engine oil level with the
control system (CL 600)
To check the engine oil level via the multi-
function display, do the following:
Switch on the ignition (page 336).
Press( or& to select the menu
“Service”.
Press$ or% to select “Engine
oil level”.
Press#.
The following message is seen in the multi-
function display:
“Engine oil level
Measuring now
Correct measurement
only if vehicle is level”One of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the multifunction
display:

“Engine oil level
OK”

“Add 1.0 qts. engine oil
at next refueling”
(Canada: “1.0 l”)

“Add 1.5 qts. engine oil
at next refueling”
(Canada: “1.5 l”)

“Add 2.0 qts. engine oil
at next refueling”
(Canada: “2.0 l”)
If necessary, add engine oil
(
page 516).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 684) and
(
page 686).
iThe menu overview can be found on
(
page 258).
iIf you want to interrupt the checking proce-
dure, press buttonL on the multifunction
steering wheel.

515 Operation
Engine compartment
Other display messages
If the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO* start/
stop button is not in position 2, the follow-
ing message will appear:
“For engine oil level,
turn on ignition”
Switch on the ignition (page 336).
If you see the message
“Waiting period for,
engine oil level
not complete”
If engine is at operating temperature,
wait 5 minutes before repeating check
procedure.
If engine is not at operating tempera-
ture yet, wait 30 minutes before
repeating check procedure.If you see the message
“Engine oil level
Not when engine on”
Turn off the engine.
If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture, wait 5 minutes before checking
oil.
If the engine is not at operating temper-
ature yet, you must wait 30 minutes
before checking oil.If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at operating temperature, the following
message will appear:
“Engine oil level
Reduce oil level”
Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 580).
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine and catalyt-
ic converter (gasoline engine) not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

516 Operation
Engine compartment
Checking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick (CL 550)
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:
Open the hood (page 512).
CL 550
1Oil dipstick
2Upper mark
3Lower mark
Pull out oil dipstick1.
Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.
Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the dip-
stick guide tube.
Pull out oil dipstick1 again after ap-
proximately 3 seconds to obtain accu-
rate reading.
The oil level is correct when it is between
lower mark3 (min.) and upper mark2
(max.) mark of the oil dipstick.
If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil (
page 516).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 684) and
(
page 686).
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 580).Adding engine oil
iThe filling quantity between the upper and
lower marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).
!Only use approved engine oils and oil filters
required for vehicles with Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles. Canada vehicles, depending on
vehicle production date) or FSS PLUS (Canada
vehicles, depending on vehicle production date).
For a listing of approved engine oils and oil fil-
ters, refer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet (USA only) in your vehicle
literature portfolio, or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specification
other than those expressly required for the Main-
tenance System (U.S. vehicles. Canada vehicles,
depending on vehicle production date) or
FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles, depending on vehi-
cle production date), or changing of oil and oil fil-
ter at change intervals longer than those called
for by the Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles.
Canada vehicles, depending on vehicle produc-
tion date) or FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles, de-
pending on vehicle production date) will result in
engine or emission control system damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

517 Operation
Engine compartment
Example illustration from CL 550
1Filler cap
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.
Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.
Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.
For more information on engine, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 684) and
(
page 686).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
check the automatic transmission.
Active Body Control (ABC) fluid level
Regular fluid level check is not required. If
you notice fluid leaks or malfunction mes-
sages in the multifunction display, have an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center check
the ABC-system.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It will cause damage to the engine and emission
control system not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.