MERCEDES-BENZ CLK-CLASS 2004 Owners Manual

361 Practical hints
Opening/closing in an emergency
8Windshield frame
Lift soft top out of soft top compart-
ment and pull it forward to windshield
frame8.9Opening
aLocking

Take off protective cap on the inner
side of the soft top.

Insert hex wrench into soft top locking
mechanism screw.

Turn the soft top locking mechanism
screw with hex wrench clockwise in di-
rection of arrow9 as far as it will go.
The clasp will open and the soft top will
engage audibly.

Turn the soft top locking mechanism
screw with hex wrench counterclock-
wise in direction of arrowa as far as it
will go.
The clasp will close and the soft top is
now locked onto the windshield frame.!Make sure you turn the hex wrench
counterclockwise as far as it will go.
Otherwise the soft top may not lock
properly.

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362 Practical hintsOpening/closing in an emergencybMaterial tensioning frame
cSoft top compartment cover
Lift material tensioning frameb into a
vertical position.

Lower soft top compartment coverc.dSoft top base

With the palm of your hand, press the
window in material tensioning
frameb until it is positioned on soft
top compartment cover c.

You and your assistant should press
soft top compartment cover c for-
ward and down with the palms of your
hands until it snaps into place in the
guide. Place your hands on the areas
indicated by the arrows.
At the same time, gently press material
tensioning frameb down with the
palms of your hands.
!Make sure the soft top compartment
coverc does not collide or make con-
tact with the material tensioning
frameb.

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363 Practical hints
Opening/closing in an emergency
eLocking 
Insert hex wrench into soft top locking
mechanism screw.

Turn the soft top locking mechanism
screw with hex wrench counterclock-
wise in direction of arrowe as far as it
will go.
The soft top is locked onto the wind-
shield frame.

Have the soft top operation checked at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Warning!
G
Position hands as indicated by arrows so
that when you press soft top compartment
cover c forward and lower material ten-
sioning frameb, your hands cannot be-
come trapped.
!Make sure you turn the hex wrench
counterclockwise as far as it will go.
Otherwise the soft top may not lock
properly.!If, after completing the soft top emer-
gency operation, the trunk cannot be
opened using the remote trunk lid re-
lease switch in the driver’s door,
theŠ button on the SmartKey, or
the trunk lid release handle in the li-
cense plate recess, press the soft top
compartment cover down again as de-
scribed above.
Do not open the trunk with the emer-
gency key, as this could otherwise
damage the trunk lid and the soft top
compartment cover.
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364 Practical hintsOpening/closing in an emergencyVehicles with additional locking
mechanism
Engage parking brake

Lower the side windows.

Lower rear head restraints
(page 111).

For safety reasons, remove SmartKey
from starter switch.

Open the trunk.

Lift the trunk floor cover.

Take the two straps for soft top emer-
gency operation out of vehicle tool kit
(page 343)

Take hex wrench out of the
Mercedes-Benz vehicle literature
pouch.

Open the left side trim panel in the
trunk.1Hex wrench
2Screw of hydraulic pump

Insert hex wrench1 into screw2.

Turn hydraulic pump screw2 counter-
clockwise one revolution with hex
wrench1.
iIf the rear head restraints cannot be
lowered, the roll bars may have been
released. For more information, see
“Operating roll bars manually”
(page 353).
!Do not operate the soft top switch with
screw2 in the opened position, other-
wise the hydraulic pump could be dam-
aged.
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365 Practical hints
Opening/closing in an emergency
3Locking mechanism
Pull locking mechanism3 out until it
stops and rotate it approx. one-quarter
of a turn.

Make sure the locking mechanism
does not retract again. If this happens,
pull the locking mechanism out again
and rotate it approx. one-quarter of a
turn.4Trim

Fold the right-hand side of the trunk
floor away.

Detach trim4 along the perforation.5Locking mechanism

Pull locking mechanism5 out until it
stops and rotate it approx. one-quarter
of a turn.

Make sure the locking mechanism
does not retract again. If this happens,
pull the locking mechanism out again
and rotate it approx. one-quarter of a
turn.

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366 Practical hintsOpening/closing in an emergency6Lever
7Soft top storage compartment hinge
The soft top storage compartment hinges
are located on the left and right of the
space between the soft top compartment
cover and the trunk seal.
Pull the two levers6 apart and fold
levers6 of soft top storage compart-
ment hinge7 forward on both sides
over the detent position.8Strap

Pull strap8, supplied in vehicle tool
kit, behind soft top storage compart-
ment through hinge7.

Bring strap together in front of hinge.

Pull the side with the handle through
the loop on the opposite side.

Pull strap between soft top storage
compartment hinge and soft top com-
partment.

Secure second strap to second hinge in
the same manner.!Do not pull the straps when the trunk is
open.

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367 Practical hints
Opening/closing in an emergency

Place both straps on soft top compart-
ment cover.

Take hex wrench out of trunk.

Close trunk lid.
You will only have access to the trunk
again when the emergency operation
has been completed.

You and your assistant should each
take one of the straps by the handle.

With a strong, simultaneous tug on the
loops, pull soft top compartment cover
upward and out to the rear.
iDo not place the SmartKey in the open
trunk. You may lock yourself out.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*: To pre-
vent a possible inadvertent lockout, the
trunk lid will open automatically if a
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is recog-
nized in the area of the rear shelf or in-
side the trunk.!The trunk lid must remain closed during
the next steps in the procedure. Other-
wise the trunk lid and the soft top com-
partment cover may come into contact
with one another and be damaged.Warning!
G
At this point, the remaining procedure
needs to be done by two people. Otherwise
you could be injured.

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368 Practical hintsOpening/closing in an emergency9Soft top compartment cover
One person should stand on the left
side of the vehicle and the other on the
right side.

Pulling the cover back in one smooth
motion, lift soft top compartment
cover9 into a vertical position until it
stops.aEdge of soft top

From left and right sides, reach into
soft top compartment underneath
edge of soft topa.
Warning!
G
In the next step, you and your assistant
should each take hold of the soft top com-
partment cover as shown in the illustration.
Both of you should use your free hand to
support yourselves on the edge of the trunk
lid as shown in the illustration.
If either you or your helper assume a differ-
ent position, one or both of you could be
trapped or injured. !Make sure the soft top storage com-
partment hinges do not fold down dur-
ing this procedure. Otherwise your
vehicle could be damaged.
Warning!
G
Do not place your hands near the upper
windshield area, trunk lid, or between soft
top roof panels and hinges while the soft top
is being raised and locked. Serious personal
injury may occur.

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369 Practical hints
Opening/closing in an emergency
bWindshield frame
Lift soft top out of soft top compart-
ment and pull it forward to windshield
frameb.cOpening
dLocking

Take off protective cap on the inner
side of the soft top.

Insert hex wrench into soft top locking
mechanism screw.

Turn the soft top locking mechanism
screw with hex wrench clockwise in di-
rection of arrowc as far as it will go.
The clasp will open and the soft top will
engage audibly.

Turn the soft top locking mechanism
screw with hex wrench counterclock-
wise in direction of arrowd as far as it
will go.
The clasp will close and the soft top is
now locked onto the windshield frame.!Make sure you turn the hex wrench
counterclockwise as far as it will go.
Otherwise the soft top may not lock
properly.

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370 Practical hintsOpening/closing in an emergencyeMaterial tensioning frame
fSoft top compartment cover
Lift material tensioning framee into a
vertical position.

Lower soft top compartment coverf.gSoft top base

With the palm of your hand, press the
window in material tensioning
framee until it is positioned on the
soft top compartment coverf.

You and your assistant should press
soft top compartment cover f for-
ward and down with the palms of your
hands until it snaps into place in the
guide. Place your hands on the areas
indicated by the arrows.
At the same time, gently press material
tensioning framee down with the
palms of your hands.
!Make sure the soft top compartment
coverf does not collide or make con-
tact with the material tensioning
framee.

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