fuel MERCEDES-BENZ CLK-CLASS 2003 Owner's Guide

267 Tires, Wheels
Technical
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 underinflated 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.
J_C208_II.book Seite 267 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10
ProCarManuals.com

271 Jump starting
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Proceed as follows:
1. Position the vehicle with the charged battery so that
the jumper cables will reach, but never let the
vehicles touch. Make sure the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation.
2. On both vehicles:
•Turn off engine and all lights and accessories,
except hazard warning flashers or work lights.
•Apply parking brake and shift selector lever to
position “P”.
Important!
3. Clamp one end of the first jumper cable to the
positive (+) under hood terminal of the discharged
battery and the other end to the positive (+) terminal
of the charged battery. Make sure the cable clamps
do not touch any other metal parts.
4. Clamp one end of the second jumper cable to the
grounded negative (–) terminal of the charged
battery and the final connection to the negative (–)
terminal (2) of the discharged battery.Important!
5. Start engine of the vehicle with the charged battery
and run at high idle. Make sure the cables are not
on or near pulleys, fans, or other parts that move
when the engine is started. Allow the discharged
battery to charge for a few minutes. Start engine of
the disabled vehicle in the usual manner.
6. After the engine has started, remove jumper cables
by exactly reversing the above installation
sequence, starting with the last connection made
first. When removing each clamp, make sure that it
does not touch any other metal while the other end
is still attached.
Notes:
If engine does not run after several unsuccessful
starting attempts, have it checked at the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Excessive unburned fuel may damage the catalytic
converter.
J_C208_II.book Seite 271 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10
ProCarManuals.com

287 Manual release for fuel filler flap
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Manual release for fuel filler flap
The manual release knob is located behind the right
side trunk panel.
In case the central locking system does not release the
fuel filler flap, pull the manual release knob while
simultaneously opening the fuel filler flap.Replacing wiper blade insert
For safety reasons, remove electronic key from steering
lock before replacing the wiper blade, otherwise the
motor can suddenly turn on and cause injury.
Notes:
Do not open engine hood with wiper arm folded forward.
Do not allow the wiper arm to contact the windshield
glass without a wiper blade inserted. The glass may be
scratched or broken.
Make certain that the wiper blade is properly installed.
An improperly installed wiper blade may cause
windshield damage.
J_C208_II.book Seite 287 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10
ProCarManuals.com

292 Cleaning and care of the vehicle
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar careIndex
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
In operation, your vehicle is subjected to varying
external influences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the underbody and
cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by extreme and varying
climatic conditions, but also by air polution, road salt,
tar, gravel and stone chipping. Grease and oil, fuel,
coolant, brake fluid, bird droppings, insects, tree resins
etc. should be removed immediately to avoid paint
damage. Frequent washing reduces and/or eliminates
the aggressiveness and potency of the above adverse
influences.More frequent washings are necessary to deal with
unfavorable conditions; for example, near the ocean, in
industrial areas (smoke, exhaust emissions), or during
winter operation.
You should check your vehicle from time to time for
stone chipping or other damage. Any damage should be
repaired as soon as possible to prevent the start of
corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underside of the vehicle.
A prerequisite for a thorough check is a washing of the
underbody followed by a thorough inspection. Damaged
areas need to be reundercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the factory with a wax-
base rustproofing in the body cavities which will last for
the lifetime of the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by Mercedes-Benz
because of the possibility of incompatibility between
materials used in the production process and others
applied later.
We have selected car-care products and compiled
recommendations which are specially matched to our
vehicles and which always reflect the latest technology.
You can obtain Mercedes-Benz approved car-care
products at your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Wa r n i n g !
Many cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are poisonous, others are flammable. Always follow
the instructions on the particular container.
Always open your vehicle’s doors or windows when
cleaning the inside.Never use fluids or solvents that are not designed
for cleaning your vehicle.
J_C208_II.book Seite 292 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10
ProCarManuals.com

297 Contents – Technical data
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Technical dataSpare parts service ........................298
Warranty coverage .........................298
Identification labels .......................299
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ............300
Technical data ................................ 301
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. –
capacities ...................................305Engine oils ...................................... 307
Engine oil additives ...................... 307
Air conditioner refrigerant .......... 307
Brake fluid ...................................... 307
Premium unleaded gasoline ........ 308
Fuel requirements ........................ 308
Gasoline additives ......................... 309
Coolants .......................................... 309
Consumer information .................. 311
J_C208_II.book Seite 297 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10
ProCarManuals.com

305 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. - capacities
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index 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.
Model Capacity Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine with oil filter CLK 430
CLK 55 AMG8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
8.0 US qt (7.5 l)Recommended engine oils
Automatic transmission 9.6 US qt (9.1 l) Automatic transmission fluid
Rear axle 1.4 US qt (1.3 l) Hypoid gear oil SAE 90, 85 W 90
Power steering approx. 1.1 US qt (1.0 l) MB Power steering fluid
Front wheel hubs approx. 2.1 oz (60 g) each High temperature roller bearing grease
Brake system approx. 0.5 US qt (0.5 l) MB Brake fluid (DOT 4)
Windshield/headlamp
washer systemapprox. 7.4 US qt (7.0 l) MB Windshield washer concentrate “S”
1
Cooling system approx. 11.7 US qt (11.1 l) MB Anticorrosion/antifreeze1 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
Windshield/headlamp washer system on page 256.
J_C208_II.book Seite 305 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10
ProCarManuals.com

306 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. - capacities
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Fuel tank including
a reserve ofapprox. 16.4 US gal (62.0 l)
approx. 2.1 US gal (8.0 l)Premium unleaded gasoline: Posted
Octane 91 (Avg. of 96 RON/86 MON)
Air conditioner system R-134a refrigerant and special PAC
lubricant (Never R-12) Model Capacity Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
J_C208_II.book Seite 306 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10
ProCarManuals.com

307 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index 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_C208_II.book Seite 307 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10
ProCarManuals.com

308 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_C208_II.book Seite 308 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10
ProCarManuals.com

309 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Technical
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_C208_II.book Seite 309 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10
ProCarManuals.com