flat tire MERCEDES-BENZ CLK320 2001 A208 Owner's Manual

Page 8 of 325

5 ContentsSpare wheel, vehicle tools,
storage compartment ................255
Vehicle jack .....................................256
Wheels .............................................257
Tire replacement ........................257
Rotating wheels ..........................258
Spare wheel ....................................259
Changing wheels ...........................260
Tire inflation pressure ..................265
Battery .............................................266
Jump starting ..................................268
Towing the vehicle .........................270
Transmission selector lever,
manually unlocking ...................272
Exterior lamps ................................273
Headlamp assembly ................... 274
Taillamp assemblies .................. 276Changing batteries in the
electronic main key .................. 281
Synchronizing
remote control ............................ 283
Emergency operation of
sliding/pop-up roof .................. 284
Manual release for
fuel filler flap ............................ 285
Replacing wiper
blade insert ............................... 285
Trunk lamp ..................................... 287
Roof rack ......................................... 287
Vehicle careCleaning and care
of the vehicle ............................. 290
Power washer ............................. 291
Paintwork, painted body
components ................................ 291Tar stains ..................................... 291
Engine cleaning ..........................292
Vehicle washing .........................292
Ornamental moldings ................292
Headlamps, taillamps,
turn signal lenses ......................292
Window cleaning .......................293
Wiper blade .................................293
Light alloy wheels ......................293
Instrument cluster .....................293
Steering wheel and
gear selector lever ......................293
Cup holder ...................................294
Seat belts .....................................294
Hard plastic trim items .............294
Headliner and shelf
below rear window .....................294
Upholstery ...................................294
Plastic and rubber parts ............294

Page 204 of 325

201 Driving instructions
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Driving instructions
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Fuel consumption, to a great extent, depends on driving
habits and operating conditions.
To save fuel you should:
•keep tires at the recommended inflation pressures,
•remove unnecessary loads,
•remove roof rack when not in use,
•allow engine to warm up under low load use,
•avoid frequent acceleration and deceleration,
•have all maintenance work performed at regular
intervals by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Fuel consumption is also increased by driving in cold
weather, in stop-and-go traffic, on short trips and in hilly
country.Drinking and driving
Pedals
Wa r n i n g !
Drinking or taking drugs and driving can be a very
dangerous combination. Even a small amount of
alcohol or drugs can affect your reflexes,
perceptions and judgement.The possibility of a serious or even fatal accident is
sharply increased when you drink or take drugs
and drive.Please don’t drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive after drinking or taking drugs.Wa r n i n g !
Keep driver’s foot area clear at all times. Objects
stored in this area may impair pedal movement.

Page 208 of 325

205 Driving instructions
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Specified tire pressures must be maintained. This
applies particularly if the tires are subjected to high
loads (e.g. high speeds, heavy loads, high ambient
temperatures).
Aquaplaning
Depending on the depth of the water layer on the road,
aquaplaning may occur, even at low speeds and with
new tires. Reduce vehicle speed, avoid track grooves in
the road and apply brakes cautiously in the rain.Tire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy road is
always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the condition of
the road whenever the outside temperatures are close to
the freezing point.
We recommend M+S rated radial-ply tires for the winter
season for all four wheels to insure normal balanced
handling characteristics. On packed snow, they can
reduce your stopping distance as compared with
summer tires. Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is not snow or
ice covered.
Wa r n i n g !
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects the
ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You may lose
control of the vehicle. Continued driving with a flat
tire or driving at high speed with a flat tire will
cause excessive heat build-up and possibly a fire.
Wa r n i n g !
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction will be
substantially reduced. Under such weather
conditions, drive, steer and brake with extreme
caution.

Page 248 of 325

245 Contents – Practical hints
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index
Practical hintsFirst aid kit .....................................246
Shelf below rear window ..............246
Stowing things in the vehicle ......246
Fuses ................................................247
Hood .................................................249
Checking engine
oil level ....................................... 251
Automatic transmission
fluid level ...................................252
Coolant level ...................................252
Adding coolant ...........................253
Windshield washer/headlamp
cleaning system .........................254
Windshield and
headlamp washer
fluid mixing ratio .......................254Spare wheel, vehicle tools,
storage compartment ............... 255
Vehicle jack .................................... 256
Wheels ............................................ 257
Tire replacement ....................... 257
Rotating wheels ......................... 258
Spare wheel .................................... 259
Changing wheels ........................... 260
Tire inflation pressure ................. 265
Battery ............................................. 266
Jump starting ................................. 268
Towing the vehicle ........................ 270
Transmission selector lever,
manually unlocking .................. 272
Exterior lamps ............................... 273
Headlamp assembly ...................274
Taillamp assemblies ...................276Changing batteries in the
electronic main key .................. 281
Synchronizing
remote control ............................283
Emergency operation of
sliding/pop-up roof ...................284
Manual release for
fuel filler flap .............................285
Replacing wiper
blade insert ................................285
Trunk lamp .....................................287
Roof rack .........................................287

Page 261 of 325

258 Tires, Wheels
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index
Rotating wheels
The wheels can be rotated according to the degree of
tire wear while retaining the same direction of travel.
Rotating, however, should be carried out as
recommended by the tire manufacturer, before the
characteristic tire wear pattern (shoulder wear on front
wheels and tread center wear on rear wheels) becomes
visible, as otherwise the driving properties deteriorate.
Important!
Unidirectional tires must always be mounted with arrow
on tire sidewall pointing in direction of vehicle forward
movement.Notes:
Thoroughly clean the inner side of the wheels any time
you rotate the wheels or wash the vehicle underside.
The use of retread tires is not recommended. Retread
tires may adversely affect the handling characteristics
and safety of the vehicle.
Dented or bent rims can cause tire pressure loss and
dam age to t he tire bead s. For this reason, ch eck rims for
damage at regular intervals. The rim flanges must be
checked for wear before a tire is mounted. Remove
burrs, if any.
Check and ensure proper tire inflation pressure after
rotating the wheels. For tire inflation pressure see
inside of fuel filler flap and also page 265.

Page 266 of 325

263 Tires, Wheels
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index 10. Clean contact surfaces of wheel and wheel hub.
Install spare wheel on wheel hub. Insert wheel bolts
and tighten them slightly.
To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat against hub and
hold it there while installing first wheel bolt.
Unscrew the alignment bolt (1) to install the last wheel
bolt.11. Lower vehicle. Remove jack and insert jack tube
cover.
12. Using the wrench, tighten the five bolts evenly,
following the sequence illustrated, until all bolts are
tight.
Observe a tightening torque of 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm).
Before storing the jack, the jack arm must be
lowered almost to the base of the jack. For proper
storage of vehicle jack see page 256.
13. Ensure proper tire pressure.
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2
5

Page 268 of 325

265 Tires, Wheels
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Tire inflation pressure
A table (see fuel filler flap) lists the tire inflation
pressures specified for Mercedes-Benz recommended
tires as well as for the varying operating conditions.
Important!
Tire pressure changes by approx. 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per
18°F (10°C) of air temperature change. Keep this in
mind when checking tire pressure inside a garage –
especially in the winter.
Example:
If garage temperature = approx. +68°F (+20°C) and
ambient temperature = approx. +32°F (0°C) then the
adjusted air pressure = specified air pressure +3 psi
(+0.2 bar).Tire pressures listed for light loads are minimum values
offering high driving comfort. Increased inflation
pressures for heavy loads produce favorable handling
characteristics with lighter loads and are perfectly
permissible. The ride of the vehicle, however, will
become somewhat harder.
Tire temperature and pressure increase with the vehicle
speed. Tire pressure should therefore only be checked
and corrected on cold tires. Correct tire pressure in
warm tires only if pressure has dropped below the
pressure listed in the table and the respective operating
conditions are taken into consideration.
An underinf lated tire due to a slow leak (e.g. due to a
nail in the tire) may cause damage such as tread
separation, bulging etc.. Regular tire pressure checks
(including the spare tire) at intervals of no more than
14 days are therefore essential.

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266 Battery
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index
If a tire constantly loses air, it should be inspected for
damage.
The spare tire should be checked periodically for
condition and inflation. Spare tire will age and become
worn over time even if never used, and thus should be
inspected and replaced when necessary.Battery
Important!
Battery replacement information:
The maintenance-free battery is located in the trunk
under the trunk floor.
The service life of the battery is dependent on its
condition of charge. The battery should always be kept
sufficiently charged, in order to last an optimum length
of time.
Wa r n i n g !
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflating tires can
result in sudden deflation (blowout) because they
are more likely to become punctured or damaged
by road debris, potholes etc.. Follow recommended
inflation pressures.Do not overload the tires by exceeding the specified
vehicle capacity weight (as indicated by the label
on the driver’s door latch post). Overloading the
tires can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout.
Wa r n i n g !
Failure to follow these instructions can result in
severe injury or death.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..

Page 311 of 325

308 Consumer information
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Temp era tur e
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger vehicle tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades “B” and “A” represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Wa r n i n g !
The temperature grade for this tire is established
for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause excessive heat build up
and possible tire failure.

Page 322 of 325

319 Index
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car careIndex Redialing ...................................................................... 98
Telephone book ........................................................... 96
Telephones and two-way radios ................................... 174
Telescoping steering column
Adjusting ...................................................................... 77
Indicator lamp ...........................................................230
Telescoping steering column -
malfunction and warning messages ......................240
The first 1 000 miles ..................................................... 175
Tire inflation pressure ..................................................265
Tire traction ....................................................................205
Tires .................................................................................307
Driving instructions .................................................204
Rims and tires ...........................................................300
Rotating wheels .........................................................258
Tire inflation pressure .............................................265
Tire replacement .......................................................257
Winter driving instructions ....................................207
Tow-away alarm ................................................................ 44
Towing the vehicle .........................................................270
Transmission .................................................................. 191Transmission selector lever,
manually unlocking ................................................. 272
Traveling abroad ........................................................... 209
Trip computer .................................................................102
Trip odometer ...................................................................87
Trunk .................................................................................38
Opening ........................................................................ 31
Release switch ............................................................. 40
Trunk lamp .................................................................... 287
Trunk lid
Emergency release ...................................................... 41
Release switch ............................................................. 40
Turn signal failure ......................................................... 117
Turn signals .................................................................... 117
VVanity mirrors ................................................................ 152
Vehicle jack .................................................................... 256
Vehicle tools ................................................................... 255