coolant MERCEDES-BENZ CLK320 CABRIOLET 2002 A208 Owner's Guide
Page 321 of 346
318 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. - capacities
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Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. – capacities
Vehicle components and their respective lubricants must match. Therefore use only brands tested and recommended 
by us. Please refer to the Factory Approved Service Products pamphlet, or inquire at your Mercedes-Benz Center.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. Model Capacity
Engine with oil filter
(recommended engine oils)CLK 320, CLK 430
CLK 55 AMG8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
8.0 US qt (7.5 l)
Automatic transmission
(automatic transmission fluid)CLK 320
CLK 430, CLK 55 AMG8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
9.6 US qt (9.1 l)
Rear axle
(Hypoid gear oil SAE 90, 85 W 90)1.4 US qt (1.3 l)
Power steering
(MB Power steering fluid)approx. 1.1 US qt (1.0 l)
Front wheel hubs
(high temperature roller bearing grease)approx. 2.1 oz (60 g) each
Brake system
(MB Brake fluid (DOT 4))approx. 0.5 US qt (0.5 l)
Cooling system
(MB Anticorrosion/antifreeze)CLK 320
CLK 430, CLK 55 AMGapprox. 9.5 US qt (9.0 l)
approx. 11.7 US qt (11.1 l)
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319 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. - capacities
Technical
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cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Windshield washer system
(MB Windshield washer concentrate “S” 
1)approx. 7.4 US qt (7.0 l)
Fuel tank
including a reserve of
(Premium unleaded gasoline: 
Posted Octane 91 (Avg. of 96 RON/86 MON))approx. 16.4 US gal (62.0 l)
approx. 2.1 US gal (8.0 l)
Air conditioner system
(R-134a refrigerant and special
PA C   l u b r i c a n t  (Never R-12))
1 Use MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and water for temperatures above freezing or MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and 
commercially available premixed windshield washer solvent/antifreeze for temperatures below freezing. Follow suggested mixing ratios, see 
page 259.Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. Model Capacity
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Page 323 of 346
320 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
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data Instruments 
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Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their suitability in 
our engines. Therefore, use only engine oils 
recommended by Mercedes-Benz. Information on 
recommended brands is available at your authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Please follow Service Booklet recommendations for 
scheduled oil changes. Failure to do so could result in 
engine damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz 
Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil. They may be 
harmful to the engine operation.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from blending oil 
additives are not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited 
Warranty.Air conditioner refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG lubricating oil 
is used in the air conditioner system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lubricating oil, 
otherwise damage to the system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point of the brake 
fluid is continuously reduced through the absorption of 
moisture from the atmosphere. Under extremely hard 
operating conditions, this moisture content can lead to 
the formation of bubbles in the system thus reducing 
the system’s efficiency.
The brake fluid must therefore be replaced every two 
years, preferably in the spring.
It is recommended to use only brake fluid approved by 
Mercedes-Benz. Your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center 
will provide you with additional information.
J_A208.book Seite 320 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 
Page 324 of 346
321 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Premium unleaded gasoline
Caution!
To maintain the engine’s durability and performance, 
premium unleaded gasoline must be used. If premium 
unleaded is not available and low octane fuel is used, 
follow these precautions:
•have the fuel tank filled only partially with unleaded 
regular and fill up with premium unleaded as soon 
as possible,
•avoid full throttle driving and abrupt acceleration,
•do not exceed an engine speed of 3000 rpm, if the 
vehicle is loaded with a light load such as two 
persons and no luggage,
•do not exceed 2/3 of maximum accelerator pedal 
position, if the vehicle is fully loaded or operating in 
mountainous terrain.Fuel requirements
Use only Premium unleaded meeting ASTM 
standard D 439:
The octane number (posted at the pump) must be 
91 min. It is an average of both the Research (R) octane 
number and the Motor (M) octane number: [(R+M)/2]. 
This is also known as ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates such as 
Ethanol, IPA, IBA and TBA can be used provided the 
ratio of any one of these oxygenates to gasoline does not 
exceed 10%, MTBE not to exceed 15%.
The ratio of Methanol to gasoline must not exceed 3% 
plus additional cosolvents.
Using mixtures of Ethanol and Methanol is not allowed. 
Gasohol, which contains 10% Ethanol and 90% unleaded 
gasoline, can be used.
These blends must also meet all other fuel requirements 
such as resistance to spark knock, boiling range, vapor 
pressure etc..
J_A208.book Seite 321 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 
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322 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
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data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine manufacturers is carbon 
build up caused by gasoline. Mercedes-Benz 
recommends the use of only quality gasoline containing 
additives that prevent the build up of carbon deposits.
After an extended period of using fuels without such 
ad ditives , car bon  d ep osits  c an bui ld  up esp eci ally on  t he 
intake valves and in the combustion area, leading to 
engine performance problems such as:
•warm-up hesitation,
•unstable idle,
•knocking/pinging,
•misfire,
•power loss.
Do not blend other specific fuel additives with fuel. 
They only result in unnecessary cost, and may be 
harmful to the engine operation.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from poor fuel 
quality or from blending specific fuel additives are not 
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water and 
anticorrosion/antifreeze, which provides:
•corrosion protection,
•freeze protection,
•boiling protection (by increasing the boiling point).
The cooling system was filled at the factory with a 
coolant providing freeze protection to approximately 
-22
°F (-30
°C) and corrosion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to -22
°F (-30
°C), the 
boiling point of the coolant in the pressurized cooling 
system is reached at approximately 266
°F (130
°C).
The coolant solution must be used year round to provide 
the necessary corrosion protection and increase in the 
boil-over protection. You should have it replaced every 
3years.
To provide the important corrosion protection, the 
solution must be at least 45% anticorrosion/antifreeze 
(equals a freeze protection to approx. - 22
°F [-30
°C]). If 
you use a solution that is more than 55% anticorrosion/
antifreeze (freeze protection to approx. - 49
°F [-45
°C]), 
J_A208.book Seite 322 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 
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323 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index the engine temperature will increase due to the lower 
heat tran sfer  c ap ability of the s olution . There for e, d o n ot 
use more than this amount of anticorrosion/antifreeze.
If the coolant level is low, water and MB anticorrosion/
antifreeze should be used to bring it up to the proper 
level (have cooling system checked for signs of leakage).
The water in the cooling system must meet minimum 
requirements, which are usually satisfied by normal 
drinking water. If your are not sure about the water 
quality, consult your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of aluminum parts. The 
use of aluminum components in motor vehicle engines 
necessitates that anticorrosion/antifreeze coolant used 
in such engines be specifically formulated to protect the 
aluminum parts. (Failure to use such anticorrosion/
antifreeze coolant will result in a significantly 
shortened service life.)
Therefore the following product is strongly 
recommended for use in your vehicle: Mercedes-Benz 
Anticorrosion/antifreeze agent.Before the start of the winter season (or once a year in 
the hot southern regions), you should have the 
anticorrosion/antifreeze concentration checked. The 
coolant is also regularly checked each time you bring 
your vehicle to your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center 
for service.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze quantity
Model Approx. freeze protection
-35
°F 
(-37°C)-49
°F (
-45°C)
CLK 320 4.8 US qt 
(4.5 l)5.3 US qt 
(5.0 l)
CLK 430, 
CLK 55 AMG5.9 US qt 
(5.6 l)6.5 US qt 
(6.1 l)
J_A208.book Seite 323 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 
Page 330 of 346
327 Index
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car careIndex Defrosting ................................................................... 123
Display and controls  ................................................. 122
Dust filter  ................................................................... 126
Economy  ..................................................................... 123
Rear window defroster  ............................................. 124
Residual engine heat utilization (REST)  ............... 125
Special settings  ......................................................... 123
Automatic transmission  ............................................... 195
Emergency operation  ...............................................203
Fluid level ...................................................................257
Program mode selector switch  ............................... 202
Selector lever position .............................................. 198
Transmission selector lever, 
manually unlocking ............................................. 279
BBabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system ..................... 64
Self-test  ......................................................................... 65
Backrest, front seat .......................................................... 54
BAS (Brake assist system)  ............................................ 216
Malfunction indicator lamp ..................................... 231
Battery  .............................................................................272
Battery recycling  ....................................................... 273BATTERY/ALTERNATOR - 
malfunction and warning messages  ..................... 236
Block heater  .................................................................... 213
BRAKE ASSIST - malfunction 
and warning messages  ............................................ 237
Brake assist system (BAS)  ............................................ 216
Malfunction indicator lamp  ..................................... 231
Brake fluid  .................................................... 229, 318, 320
Capacity  ...................................................................... 318
BRAKE FLUID - malfunction 
and warning messages  ............................................ 238
BRAKE LINING WEAR - malfunction 
and warning messages  ............................................ 238
Brake pad wear .............................................................. 238
Brake warning lamp  ..................................................... 229
Brake fluid low  ......................................................... 229
Brakes  ................................................... 204, 206, 216, 220
Bulbs
See Replacing bulbs ................................................. 280
CCapacities
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.  ............................... 318
Cargo tie-down rings  ..................................................... 156
Catalytic converter  ......................................................... 180
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328 Index
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data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car careIndex
CD changer
See Audio system  ...................................................... 140
Cellular telephone  ......................................................... 157
Center console .................................................................. 20
Central locking switch  .................................................... 35
Central locking system  ................................................... 27
Automatic central locking  ......................................... 36
Choosing global or selective mode ........................... 30
Electronic key  .............................................................. 25
Locking and unlocking  .............................................. 29
Mechanical keys .......................................................... 32
Remote control  ............................................................ 27
Changing wheels  ...........................................................266
CHECK ENGINE malfunction indicator lamp ............ 228
Check regularly and before a long trip  ......................226
Checking engine oil level
Via engine oil level indicator  ...................................112
Via oil dipstick ...........................................................256
Child restraint  .............................................. 58, 63, 64, 75
Child seat
See Infant and child restraint systems  .................... 75
Cleaning and care of the vehicle  .................................302
Clock, setting  .................................................................. 106
COMAND, radio and telephone  ................................... 178
Combination switch  .......................................................117
Consumer information .................................................. 324Control and operation of radio transmitters .............. 178
COOLANT (coolant level) - malfunction 
and warning messages  ............................................ 240
Coolant level
Adding coolant .......................................................... 258
Checking .................................................................... 257
COOLANT TEMP. (coolant temperature) - 
malfunction and warning messages  ...................... 241
Coolant temperature gauge  ............................................86
Coolants  .......................................................................... 322
Anticorrosion/antifreeze quantity  ........................ 322
Cruise control  ................................................................. 214
Cup holder
Center console, front  ................................................ 153
DDaytime running lamps  ................................................ 115
Deep water
Driving instructions  ................................................. 213
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE (engine control unit) - 
malfunction and warning messages  ..................... 235
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE (several systems) - 
malfunction and warning messages  ..................... 235
Display illumination  ........................................................85
Doors  ..................................................................................33
J_A208.book Seite 328 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 
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330 Index
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data Instruments 
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cluster displayPractical hints Car careIndex
Exterior lamp malfunction 
and warning message  ..............................................242
Exterior lamp switch  ......................................................114
Exterior lamps  ................................................................ 280
Adjusting headlamp aim .......................................... 285
Fog lamps  ....................................................................114
Headlamps  ......................114, 242, 243, 281, 285, 305
Low and high beam  .......................................... 117, 282
Parking lamps  ...................................................114, 282
Replacing bulbs ......................................................... 280
Side marker lamp, front  ........................................... 284
Standing lamps ..................................................114, 282
Taillamp assemblies  ................................................. 283
Turn signal lamp  ............................................... 117, 282
FFirst aid kit  ..................................................................... 250
Flat tire
See changing wheels  ................................................266
Flexible service system (FSS)  ...................................... 109
Fuel
Gasoline additives  ....................................................322
Premium unleaded gasoline  .................. 180, 319, 321Fuel cap placement warning  ....................................... 230
Fuel filler flap
Manual release  ......................................................... 299
Fuel requirements  .........................................................321
Fuel reserve warning .................................................... 230
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. - capacities  ............... 318
Fuse box  ......................................................................... 252
Fuses, electrical ............................................................. 252
GGarage door opener  ....................................................... 158
Gasoline
Additives .................................................................... 322
Fuel requirements  ....................................................321
Premium unleaded  ...................................................321
General notes on the central locking system  .............. 26
Global locking
See Central locking system  ....................................... 29
Glove box  ......................................................................... 151
J_A208.book Seite 330 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 
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332 Index
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car careIndex
Replacing bulbs ......................................................... 280
Side marker lamp, front  ........................................... 284
Standing lamps ..................................................114, 282
Taillamp assemblies  ......................................... 114, 283
Turn signal lamps  ............................................. 117, 282
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ............................................ 312
LIGHT SENSOR - malfunction 
and warning messages  ............................................ 243
Lighter  ............................................................................. 155
LIGHTING SYSTEM - malfunction 
and warning messages  ............................................ 242
Limp home mode (Automatic transmission)  ............. 203
Locking and unlocking  ................................................... 29
Low beams
See Exterior lamps ....................................................280
Low engine coolant level warning  .............................. 240
Luggage cover .................................................................250
MMaintenance  ................................................................... 179
Malfunction and indicator lamps 
in the instrument cluster  .........................................228
Malfunction and warning messages ...........................234
ABS-SYSTEM  ............................................................. 237
BATTERY/ALTERNATOR .......................................... 236BRAKE ASSIST  ......................................................... 237
BRAKE FLUID  ........................................................... 238
BRAKE LINING WEAR  ............................................ 238
COOLANT (coolant level)  ........................................ 240
COOLANT TEMP. (coolant temperature)  ............... 241
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE 
(engine control unit) ........................................... 235
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE 
(several systems)  ................................................. 235
ELEC. STABIL. PROG.  .............................................. 245
ENGINE FAN  ............................................................. 239
ENGINE OIL LEVEL  ................................................. 244
LIGHT SENSOR ......................................................... 243
LIGHTING SYSTEM  .................................................. 242
PARKING BRAKE  ..................................................... 239
REMOVE KEY  ........................................................... 245
STEER. WHEEL ADJUST.  ......................................... 243
TELE AID  ................................................................... 247
WASHER FLUID ........................................................ 246
Malfunction/warning message memory  .................... 104
Manual operation of soft top  ........................................ 291
Mechanical keys  ........................................................ 25, 32
Memory
Recalling  ................................................................ 49, 80
Storing ...........................................................................48
Mirror, exterior, adjusting  .............................................. 79
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