service MERCEDES-BENZ CLK CABRIOLET 2004 Owner's Guide

255
Operation
Driving tips
You will find basic driving tips inthe
"Getting started" section ( =page 32). On
long and steep downward gradients,
you shou ldshi ftto a lower gear (shift rang-
es 1,2or 3) (
=page 137). This prevents
the brakes overheat ing and wearing too
qui ckly.
If you have subjected the brakes to a very
high load, do not switch the vehicle off im-
mediately, but drive on for a short dis-
tance. The brakes will cool more qui ckly in
the airflow.
If you drive for a long period in heavy rain
withou tbr ak ing, the first tim eyou br ake:
! the brakes may not react immediately
! you may have to depress the brake
more firmly
You should therefore maintain a greater
distance from the vehicle in front. Brake carefully after driving on a
wet road
surface, particularly if sal thas been spread
on the road. The brake discs will become
warm, will dry quicker and will be protect-
ed from corros ion.
If you only use the brakes moderately, you
shoul doccasionally check their effective-
ness. To do so, brake more firmly and at a
higher speed. This improves brake grip.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that, for
safety reasons, you only fit brake pad sto
your vehicle whi chhave been approve dfor
Mercedes-Benz. Brake pads whi chhave
not been approved for Mercedes-Benz ve-
hicles may adversely affect the safety of
your vehicle. Dr
iving tips Rolling with the engine swi
tchedoff G
Risk of accident There is no power assistance for the
steer-
ing or service brake when the engine is not
running.
You will re quire considerably more effort to
st eer and brake and you could therefore
lose control of the veh icle and cause an
accid ent.
Never switch the engine off while the vehicle
is in motion. Braking
G
Risk of accident Make sure that other road users ar
enot en-
dangered when you brake. 209en_d2.boo Seite
255 Dienstag, 25. Mai 2004 7:26 19

257
Operation
Winter driving
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a
qualified specialist workshop, e.g. at a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, at the on-
set of winter. This servi ceincludes the fol-
lo wi ng:
! Engine oil change,
if the current oil used has not been
approved for winter use
! The antifreeze /anti-corrosion
concentration is checked
! A concentrated cleanin gagent is
added to the windscreen and headl amp
cleaning system fluid*
! The battery is checked
! A tyre change Us
ewinter tyres at temperatures below
+7 °C and on snow or ice-covered roads.
Th e maximum effect of the ABS and ESP
dri ving systems is on lyachieved in win ter
with these tyr es.
Us ewinter tyres of the same make and
tread on all wheels to maintain safe han-
dling characteristics. Always observe the maximum permitted
speed sp
ecified for the winter tyres you
have fitted. If you fit winter tyres whi ch
have a lower maximu mpermitt ed speed
than that of the vehicle, affix an appropri-
ate warning sign in the driver's field of
vision. This ca nbe obtained at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre.
In such circumstances, you should also
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
to the maximum permitted speed for the
winter tyres using permanent Speedtronic
( = pa ge 211). Winter dri
ving Win
terty res* G
Risk of accident You must re
place wint ertyres with tread
de pth sof less than 4 mm immediately.
These tyres are no tsuitable for use in winter
an d do not provide sufficient grip. You could
therefore lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accide nt. 209en_d2.boo Seite
257 Dienstag, 25. Mai 2004 7:26 19

258 Operation
Winter driving
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
spee d of 50 km /h. Remove the snow
chains as soon as pos sible if you are no
longer driving on snow-covered roads.
i Youmay wish to deactivate ESP when pull-
ing away on snow chains ( =
page 70). This will
help you to achieve an effective cutting action.
If you are intending to fit snow chains,
please remember the follow ing:
! Snow chains cannot be fitted on all
whee l/tyre combinations.
! Fit snow chains only to the rear wheels.
Comply with the manufacturer's instal-
lat ion instructions.
! Mercedes-Benz recommends that, for
safety reasons, you only use snow
chains wh ich have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz.
! Youmust not fit snow chains to AMG tyres. You should drive particularly carefully on
icy roads. Avoid sudden accelerati
on,
steering mo vements and braking.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot
be brought to a standstill at a low speed:
! shift in toneut ral
! move the selector lever to N
! try to keep the vehicle under control
using corrective steering G
Risk of accident If you fit the spare wheel
*when driving with
winter tyres, pl ease be awarethat driving
stability will beimp aired owing to unstable
cornering characteristics cause dby the dif-
ferent tyres. You should ther efore adapt
your driving style and drive carefully.
Have the spare wheel* changed at the near-
est qualifi edspecialist workshop which has
the necessary specia list knowledge and
tools to carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recomme nds that youuse a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-re lated systems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop. Snow chains Winter driving
G
Risk of accident Do not
change down for additio nal engine
braking ona slippery road surface. The drive
whe els may los egrip. 209en_d2.boo Seite
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259
Operation
Driving abroad
An extensive network of Mercedes-Benz
Service Centres is also at your disposal
when you are travelling abroad. The appro-
priate workshop directories are available
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Only low-octane fuel is available in certain
countries.
You will fin dfurther information about fuel
grades in the "Operation" section
( = page 241). If your journey takes you to countries in
wh
ich traffic drives on the opposite side
of the road to the country where the vehi-
cle is reg istered, your headl amps should
be masked or parti ally masked to ensure
that the headlamps are at symmetrical
dipped beam*. Oncoming traffic will then
be dazzled less.
6 Mask the headlamps with special adhe-
sive sheets.
These sp ecial masking sheets can be
obtained at a qual ified specialist work-
shop, e.g. at a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
Or depending on your vehicle's equipment:
6 Have the bi-xenon headlamps*
switched to symmetri cal dipped beam
at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g.
at a Merce des-Benz Service Centre.
You may obtain further information from a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. !
Mercede s-Be nz recommends that you only
use genuine Merced es-Benz adh esivesheets,
otherwise your headlamps could be damaged.
Remember to switch the headlamps to asym-
metrical dipped-beam headlamps again once
you are driving on the side of th eroad for the
co untry in which your vehicle is registered. Drivi
ngabroad Symmetrical dipped-beam
he
adlamps 209en_d2.boo Seite
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262 Operation
Trailer towing
iThe maxim umpermissible weights are given
in the vehicle documents and onthe type plates
of the trail erand the trailer tow hitch .The lowest
value given is decisive.
Th emax imum trailer drawb arno sewe ight forthe
trailer towbar on th eball neck is 75 kg. The draw-
bar no seweight must not, however, exceed that
specified on the type plates for th etrailer tow
hit ch and the trailer. If you couple a trailer, the driving charac-
terist
ics of your vehicle change.
The vehicl e/trailer combination:
! is heavier
! is restricted in its acceleration and
gradie nt-climbing capability
! has a longer stopping distance
! is more susceptible to gusting cross-
winds
! demands more sensitive steeri ng
Fuel consumption is higher when towing a
trailer.
Tips for driving when to wing a trailer:
! We recom mend utilising the maximum
per missible drawb arnoseweigh t,and
always at least 50 kg.
! The vehicle's payload must be reduced
to compensate for the drawbar nose-
weight so that thema ximum per missi-
ble rear axle load is not exceeded. Have the entire trailer tow hitch ch
ecked at
a qualifie dspecialist workshop which has
the necessary specia list knowledge and
tools to carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recomme nds that youuse a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-re lated systems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop. Dr
iving tips G
Risk of accident Maximum care and atte
ntion iscalledfor
when coupling and decoupling a trailer.
Ma kesure that no-one is pre sent between
the trailer and the vehicle when the vehicle
is being reversed up to the trailer.
Do not uncouple a tr ailer with an overrun
brake when the brake is engaged. If you have coupled the trailer to the vehicle
incorr
ectly, there isa risk that the trailer
may break away.
Make sure that the following values have
been observed:
! Maximum permissi ble gross vehicle
weight
! Maximum permissible trailer drawbar
noseweight
! Maximum permissible trailer load
! Maximum permissible rearload on the
towing vehicle 209en_d2.boo Seite
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264 Operation
Trailer towing
If your trailer has a 7-pin connector, you
can connect it using an adapter cable.
The adapter cable can be obtained at a
qualified specialist workshop, e.g. at a
Mercedes-Benz Servi ceCentre.
1 Lug
2 Gro ove Fitting an adapter
cable
6 Lift up the cover.
6 Insert the connector with lug 1 into
groove 2and turn it clockwise to the
stop.
6 Allow the cover to engage.
6 Secure the adapter cable to the trailer
using cable ties. Permanent current
Your
vehicle has been designed to provi de
a permanent current connection. If you
need a perman ent current supply to the
trailer, have the necessary fuse inserted at
a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. at a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
i Remove the fu seifyou no longer require a
perm anent current connection. Trailer with 7-pin connector
P
31.10-2456-31 209en_d2.boo Seite
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265
Operation
Service
ASSYST, the A ctive S ervice Syst em, tells
you when the next service is due.
Approximately one month before the next
service is due ,one of the following mes-
sages will appear in the multi-function dis-
play while you are driving or the ignition is
switched on:Se rvice A in.. days
Se rvice A in.. km
Se rvice A due now!
TheService AorService Bmessages pro-
vi de information about the type of service
which is due. i
Thetime between individual services de-
pends on your sty leof driving. Amoderate style
of driving atmedium engine speeds and avoidi ng
short trips increase this time.
The service indicator is cleared automati-
cally after 30 seconds. You can also clear
it yourself.
6 Press the reset button on the left-hand
side of the instrument cluster
(
= page 12). If you have missed the service due date,
the following messages appear in the
multi-function display:
Service
A exceededby.. days
Service A exceededby.. km
A signal also sounds.
A qual ified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Serv ice Centre, will reset
the service indicator after the service work
has been carr ied out.
i You could be in breach of rele vant regula-
tions by failing tohave the spe cified service
carried out. Service
P54.30-5239-31 Clearing the service indicator Missi
ngthe service due date 209en_d2.boo Seite
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266 Operation
Service
6
Switch on the ignition.
The standard display appears in the mul ti-
function display (= page 120).
6 Pres s the k orj button on the
mu lti-function steering wheel repeat-
edly until the 9or´ service
symbol appears in the multi-function
display with the service due date.
i Periods when the battery isdisconnected
ar en ot recorde dbythe timed service indicator.
Yo u must therefore subtract such periods from
the ser vice due dat eyourself.
Do not confuse the service indicator with the
: engine oil level display. If your vehicle is ever service
dother than
at a Mercedes-Benz Serv ice Ce ntre, you
can reset the service indicator yoursel f.
6 Switch on the ignition.
The standard displ ayappears in the multi-
function display (= page 120).
6 Press the korj button on the
multi-function steering wheel repeat-
edly until the 9or´ service
symbol appears in the mul ti-function
display with the service due date.
6 Press and hold the reset button on the
left in the instrument cluster for about
four seconds. The following message appears
inthe
display:Re set service interval?
To confirm pr ess reset button
6To confirm, press and hold the reset
button until asignal sou nds.
The service indicator now displays the
new value.
i Ifyou have reset the service indicator acci-
dentally, a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, will beableto
upda te itagain. Calling up the
service due date Resetti
ngthe service indic ator 209en_d2.boo Seite
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267
Operation
Care
Regular and proper care will help to main-
tain the value of your vehicle .The best way
to protect your veh icle from harmful envi-
ronmental influences is to wash itand use
protective treatments regularly.
i Itis be stto use Merced es-Benz care pro d-
uc ts. The sehave been sp ecially adapt edto
Mercedes-Benz vehicle sand are state of the art.
Mer cedes-Benz care products are available from
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, etching and
damage caused by neglect or inadequate
care cannot always be completely reme-
died. If this is the case, please consult a
qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Repair damage caused by loose chippings
and remove the following substan
ces as
soon as possible:
! Insect re mains
! Bird droppings
! Tree resin
! Oils and grease
! Fuel
! Tar stains !
Under no circumstanc esshould you affix un-
suitable stickers, films, magnets or similar to
painted surfaces. Doing so could damage the
paintwork.
Additional care notes for AMG vehicles
with nubuck leather upholstery:
The nubuck leather isalready treated with
a protective coating. You sho uld not there-
fore use:
! MB leather care agents
! MB stain remover
! other solvent-based cleaning agents
Avoid rubbing the leather upholster yvigor-
ously. Remo vedirt using a damp microfi-
bre cloth. Care
G
Riskofpoisoning Always follow the instructions for using
the
care pro ducts.
Always keep care products tightly clos ed
and out of the reach of children. H
Environmental note Dis
pose of emp tyconta iners, cleaning
cloths and polishing wads in an environmen-
tally-responsible manner. 209en
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270 Operation
CareCabri
olet
Frequent cleaning reduces the dirt-repel-
lent effect of the soft top.
Through intensive cleaning with the prod-
ucts found ina Mercedes-Benz cleaning
agents kit for convertible soft top the dirt-
repellent effect can be restored.
Incorr ect cleaning and care, as well as age-
ing, can cause the soft-top seams to leak.
Have the soft-to pseams sealed at a quali-
fied speci alist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre.
i Place a suitable cover over the soft top if you
are leaving the vehicle par ked in the open for an
ex tend ed peri od of time. !
Remove bird droppings immediately, since
the seare corrosive and could therefo recause
the soft top seal to leak. Do not usea high-pre s-
su re cleaner to wash the vehicle .Do not remove
snow or ice using a sharp-edged appliance.
i You may have your vehicle washed inan au-
tomatic car wash. Do not ,under any circum-
st ance, use a hot wax treatment on your vehicle.
Do not use any of the follow ing to clean the
soft top:
! Petr ol
! Thinner
! Tar or stain remo ver
! Other organic solvents Cleaning the soft top
The following methods are sufficient
ifthe
soft top is only lightly soiled:
! Dry cleaning
or ! Rinsin g/spraying with clean water
If itis soiled to a normal extent, clean the
soft top using a brush and clean water.
Always direct the brush strokes from the
front to the rear along the grain of the fab-
ric.
If the soft top is very dirty and stained,
clean it with a suitable soft-top cleaning
agent and a brush. Always direc tthe br ush
strokes from the front to the rear along the
grain of the fabric. 209en_d2.boo Seite
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