flat tire MERCEDES-BENZ CLK CABRIOLET 2000 A208 Owner's Manual

Malfunction and indicator lamps in the
center console 221Practical hintsJump starting 263
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp 221 First aid kit 238 Towing the vehicle 265
Roll bar warning lamp 221 Shelf below rear window 238 Transmission selector lever,
manually unlocking 268
Malfunction and warning messages in
the multifunction display 222Stowing things in the vehicle 238 Bulbs 269
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE (engine
control unit) 223Luggage cover 238 Adjusting headlamp aim 274
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE (several
systems) 223Spare wheel, vehicle tools, storage
compartment 240Changing batteries in the
electronic main key 277
BATTERY/ALTERNATOR 224 Vehicle jack 241 Raising soft top manually 280
ABS-SYSTEM 225 Fuses 242 Antenna 287
BRAKE ASSIST 225 Hood 244 Manual release for fuel filler
BRAKE LINING WEAR 226 Checking engine oil level 246 flap 287
BRAKE FLUID 226 Automatic transmission fluid level 247 Trunk lamp 288
PARKING BRAKE 227 Coolant level 247 Replacing wiper blade insert 288
ENGINE FAN 227 Adding coolant 248
COOLANT (coolant level) 228
Windshield washer / headlamp clean.system
249
Vehicle care
COOLANT TEMP. (coolant
temperature) 229Windshield and headlamp washer fluid
mixing ratio 249Cleaning and care of the vehicle 292
LIGHTING SYSTEM 230 Wheels 250 Engine cleaning 293
LIGHT SENSOR 231 Tire replacement 250 Vehicle washing 293
STEER. WHEEL ADJUST. 231 Rotating wheels 251 Power washer 293
OIL TEMP. 232 Spare wheel 252 Plastic and rubber parts 293
ENGINE OIL LEVEL 232 Changing wheels 254 Tar stains 294
ELEC. STABIL. PROG. (Electronic
stability program) 234Tire inflation pressure 259 Window cleaning 294
WASHER FLUID 235 Battery 261
5

Parking brake
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data Instruments
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cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Parking brake
To engage, firmly depress parking brake pedal. When
the electronic key is in steering lock position 2, the
brake warning lamp in the instrument cluster should
come on brightly.
To release the parking brake, pull handle on instrument
panel. The brake warning lamp in the instrument
cluster should go out.
A warning sounds, if you start to drive without having
released the parking brake.
Also see brake warning lamp on page217.
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,
•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.
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Driving instructions
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cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Wa r n i n g !
Do not allow your tires to wear down too far. As
tread depth approaches
1/16in (1.5 mm), the
adhesion properties on a wet road are sharply
reduced.
Depending upon the weather and / or road surface
(conditions), the tire traction varies widely.
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.Warning!
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.
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Practical hints
Changing wheels 254
First aid kit 238 Tire inflation pressure 259
Shelf below rear window 238 Battery 261
Stowing things in the vehicle 238 Jump starting 263
Luggage cover 238 Towing the vehicle 265
Spare wheel, vehicle tools, storage compartment 240 Transmission selector lever, manually unlocking 268
Vehicle jack 241 Bulbs 269
Fuses 242 Adjusting headlamp aim 274
Hood 244 Changing batteries in the electronic main key 277
Checking engine oil level 246 Raising soft top manually 280
Automatic transmission fluid level 247 Antenna 287
Coolant level 247 Manual release for fuel filler flap 287
Adding coolant 248 Trunk lamp 288
Windshield washer / headlamp clean.system
249 Replacing wiper blade insert 288
Windshield and headlamp washer fluid mixing ratio 249
Wheels 250
Tire replacement 250
Rotating wheels 251
Spare wheel 252
237

Tires, Wheels
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Rotating wheels
CLK 430:
Wheel rotation applies only when winter tires are
mounted on all four 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 page259.
251

Tires, Wheels
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Spare wheel
Spare wheel CLK 320
Important!
The spare wheel rim is mounted with a full size tire of
the same type as on the vehicle, and is fully functional.
However, that spare wheel rim is weight optimized and
has a limited service life of 12 000 miles (20 000 km)
use before a standard wheel rim must replace it.
In the case of a flat tire, you may temporarily use the
spare wheel.
Do not operate vehicle with more than one spare wheel
mounted.Unid irectional tires must a lways be mou nted w it h a rrow
on tire sidewall pointing in direction of vehicle forward
movement.
If the arrow on tire side wall does not point in direction
of vehicle forward movement when using the spare
wheel, observe the following restriction:
•Drive to the nearest tire repair facility as soon as
possible.
For rim and tire specifications, refer to “Technical Data”
Wa r n i n g !
The spare wheel rim is for temporary use only. Use
for over a total of 12 000 miles (20 000 km)
(aggregate of all uses) may cause wheel rim failure
leading to an accident and possible injuries.
252

Tires, Wheels
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Spare wheel CLK 430
Important!
The spare wheel rim size is 7
1/2J x 17 H 2.
The spare wheel rim is mounted with a full size tire of
the same type as on the vehicle’s front axle, and is fully
functional. However, that spare wheel rim is weight
optimized and has a limited service life of 12 000 miles
(20 000 km) use before a standard wheel rim must
replace it.
If the arrow on tire side wall does not point in direction
of vehicle forward movement when using the spare
wheel, observe the following restriction:
•Drive to the nearest tire repair facility as soon as
possible.
In the case of a rear axle f lat tire, you may temporarily
use the spare wheel, when observing the following
restrictions:
•Do not exceed vehicle speed of 50 mph (80 km/h)
•Drive to the nearest tire repair facility to have the
flat tire repaired or replaced as appropriate.Do not operate vehicle with more than one spare wheel
mounted.
Unid irectional tires must a lways be mou nted w it h a rrow
on tire sidewall pointing in direction of vehicle forward
movement.
For rim and tire specifications, refer to “Technical Data”
Wa r n i n g !
The spare wheel rim is for temporary use only. Use
for over a total of 12 000 miles (20 000 km)
(aggregate of all uses) may cause wheel rim failure
leading to an accident and possible injuries.The dimensions of the spare wheel are different
from those of the road wheels for the rear axle. As a
result, the vehicle handling characteristics change
when driving with a spare wheel mounted on the
rear axle.The spare wheel should only be used temporarily,
and replaced with a regular road wheel as quick as
possible.
253

Tires, Wheels
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8. Unscrew upper-most wheel bolt and install
alignment bolt (1) supplied in the tool kit. Remove
the remaining bolts. Keep bolt threads protected
from dirt and sand.
9. Remove wheel. Grip wheel from the sides. Keep
hands from beneath the wheels.
P40.10-2167-26
1
10. Clean contact surfaces of wheel and wheel hub.
Install 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.
257

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 f lap) 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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Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
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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.
Warning!
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. Tires, Wheels
260