MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 2001 C208 Owner's Manual

268 Battery
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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.Battery
Important!
Battery replacement information:
The maintenance-free battery is located in the trunk
under the trunk floor.
The service life of the battery is dependent on its
condition of charge. The battery should always be kept
sufficiently charged, in order to last an optimum length
of time.
Wa r n i n g !
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.
Wa r n i n g !
Failure to follow these instructions can result in
severe injury or death.Never lean over batteries while connecting, you
might get injured.Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not allow
this fluid to come in contact with eyes, skin or
cloth ing. In c ase it does, im mediately f lush affected
area with water and seek medical help if necessary.A battery will also produce hydrogen gas, which is
flammable and explosive. Keep flames or sparks
away from battery, avoid improper connection of
jumper cables, smoking etc..

269 Battery
Te ch n ica l
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cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Therefore, we strongly recommend that you have the
battery charge checked frequently, and corrected if
necessary, especially if you use the vehicle less than
approximately 200 miles (300 km) per month,
mostly for short distance trips, or if it is not used for
long periods of time.
Only charge a battery with a battery charger after the
battery has been disconnected from the vehicle’s
electrical circuit.
Always disconnect the battery negative lead first and
connect last.
When removing and connecting the battery, always
make sure that all electrical consumers are off and the
electronic key is in steering lock position 0. The battery
and its filler caps must always be securely installed
when the vehicle is in operation. During removal and
installation always protect the disconnected battery
positive (+) terminal with the cover attached to the
battery.
While the engine is running the battery terminal clamps
must not be loosened or detached, otherwise the
generator and other electronic components would be
damaged.Note:
After reconnecting the battery also set the clock (see
page 108), resynchronize the front seats (see page 49),
front seat head restraints (see page 49), the express
feature of the power windows (see page 148), the
sliding/pop-up roof (see page 150) and the electronic
stability program (ESP) (see page 220).
Battery recycling
Batteries contain material that can harm the
environment with improper disposal.
Large 12 Volt storage batteries contain lead.
Recycling of batteries is the preferred method of
disposal.
Many states require sellers of batteries to accept old
batteries for recycling.

270 Jump starting
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Jump startingImportant!
A discharged battery can freeze at approx. +14°F
(–10°C). In that case, it must be thawed out before
jumper cables are used. Attempting to jump start a
frozen battery can result in it exploding, causing
personal injury.
Jumper cable specifications:
•Minimum cable cross-section of 25 mm
2 or approx.
2AWG
•Maximum length of 11.5 ft. (3.5 m).
If th e battery is discha rged, th e eng ine shoul d be started
with jumper cables and the (12 V) battery of another
vehicle.
Only use 12 V battery to jump start your vehicle. Jump
starting with more powerful battery could damage the
vehicle’s electrical systems, which will not be covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
The battery is located in the trunk under the trunk f loor.
Wa r n i n g !
Failure to follow these directions will cause
damage to the electronic components, and can lead
to a battery explosion and severe injury or death.Never lean over batteri es wh ile connec ting or jump
starting, you might get injured.Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not allow
this fluid to come in contact with eyes, skin or
cloth ing. In c ase it does, imm edi ately f lu sh af fec ted
area with water, and seek medical help if
necessary.A battery will also produce hydrogen gas, which is
flammable and very explosive. Keep flames or
sparks away from battery, avoid improper
connection of jumper cables, smoking etc..Read all instructions before proceeding.

271 Jump starting
Te ch n ica l
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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 f lashers 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.

272 Towing
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Towing the vehicle
Important!
When towing the vehicle, please, note the following:
With the automatic central locking activated and the
electronic key in steering lock position 2, the vehicle
d oors l ock if th e l ef t front wheel as well as t he righ t rear
wheel are turning at vehicle speeds of approx. 9 mph
(15 km/h) or more.
To prevent the vehicle door locks from locking,
deactivate the automatic central locking, see page 37.The rear towing eye is located at the right, below the
bumper. The front towing eye is located on the
passenger side behind the grille in the bumper panel.
Grille removal:
Hold left and right end of grille and pull out.
Grille installation:
Engage left and right end of grille and press in securely.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on the
ground, make certain that the electronic key is in
steering lock position 2.If the electronic key is left in the steering lock
position 0 for an extended period of time, it can no
longer be turned in the lock. In this case, the
steering i s locked. To unlock, rem ove elec tronic key
from steering lock and reinsert.
P88.20-2027-26

273 Towing
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cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index We recommend that the vehicle be transported using
flat bed equipment. This method is preferable to other
types of towing.
The vehicle may be towed with all wheels on the ground
and the selector lever in position “N” for distances up to
30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h). The electronic key must be in steering lock
position 2.
To be certain to avoid a possibility of damage to the
transmission, however, we recommend the drive shaft
be disconnected at the rear axle drive f lange for any
towing beyond a short tow to a nearby garage.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Towing with
sling-type equipment over bumpy roads will damage
radiator and supports.
Use wheel lift, dolly, or flat bed equipment, with
electronic key in steering lock turned to position 0.Note:
To signal turns while being towed with hazard warning
flasher in use, turn electronic key in steering lock to
position 2 and activate combination switch for left or
right turn signal in usual manner – only the selected
turn signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the hazard warning
flasher will operate again.
Caution!
If the vehicle is towed with the front axle raised, the
engine must be shut off (electronic key in steering lock
position 0 or 1). Otherwise, the ESP will immediately be
engaged and will apply the rear wheel brakes. Switch off
th e tow-away al arm (see page 44) a s well a s t he ESP (see
page 221).
Wa r n i n g !
With the engine not running, there is no power
assistance for the braking and steering systems. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that a
considerably higher degree of effort is necessary to
brake and steer the vehicle.

274 Towing
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Transmission selector lever, manually unlocking
In the case of power failure the transmission selector
lever can be manually unlocked, e.g. to tow the vehicle.To do so, insert a pin (1), e.g. ball point pen, into the
covered opening below the position “D” of the shift
pattern. While pushing the pin down, move selector
lever from position “P”.
Af ter remova l of t he pin f rom th e opening , t he cover will
not close fully. Only after moving the selector lever to
positions “D+” and “D–” does the cover return to its
closed position.

275 Exterior lamps
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cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Exterior lamps
Headlamp adjustment
Correct headlamp adjustment is extremely important.
Check and readjust headlamps at regular intervals and
when a bulb has been replaced.
For adjusting headlamp aim see page 280.
Replacing bulbsTo prevent a possible electrical short circuit, switch off
lamp prior to replacing a bulb.
When replacing bulbs, install only 12 volt bulbs with
the specified watt rating.
When replacing halogen bulbs do not touch glass
portion of bulb with bare hands. Use plain paper or a
clean cloth.
Wa r n i n g !
Bulbs and bulb holder can be very hot. Allow the
lamp to cool down before changing a bulb.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas. A bulb can
explode if you:
• touch or move it when hot,
•drop the bulb,
• scratch the bulb.Wear eye and hand protection.
Wa r n i n g !
Because of high voltage in Xenon lamps, it is
dangerous to replace the bulb or repair the lamp
and its components. We recommend that you have
such work done by a qualified technician.

276 Exterior lamps
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Headlamp assembly (Halogen)
1Headlamp vertical adjustment screw
2Cover for low beam headlamp
3Cover for high beam headlamp, parking and
standing lampHeadlamp assembly (Xenon)
4Bulb socket for turn signal lamp
5Electrical connector for low beam headlamp bulb
6Electrical connector for high beam headlamp bulb
7Bulb socket for parking and standing lamp
P82.10-2394-26
4
1
5
6
7
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3
4
6
7
2
3P82.10-2395-26
5
1

277 Exterior lamps
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
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cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Bulbs for low or high Beam
H7 (55 W)
Open hood.
Rotate cover (2 or 3) counterclockwise and remove. Pull
off electrical connector (5 or 6). Unhook clamping ring
and remove bulb.
Insert new bulb (seating properly in cutouts of bulb
socket), mount clamping ring. Reinstall and push
electrical connector on securely.
Reinstall cover (2 or 3).
Xenon (optional)
Bulb for low beamTurn signal lamp
1156 NA (26.9/5 W/32/4 cp bulb)
Open hood.
Twist bulb socket (4) counterclockwise and pull out.
Push bulb into socket, turn counterclockwise and
remove.
Insert new bulb in socket, push in and twist clockwise.
Reinstall bulb socket. Reinstall lamp assembly until
properly seated.
Parking and standing lamp
H6W (6Wbulb)
Open hood.
Rotate cover (3) counterclockwise and remove.
Twist bulb socket (7) counterclockwise and pull out.
Push bulb into socket, turn counterclockwise and
remove.
Insert new bulb in socket, push in and twist clockwise.
Reinstall bulb socket. Reinstall lamp assembly until
properly seated.
Reinstall cover (3).
Wa r n i n g !
Because of high voltage in Xenon lamps, it is
dangerous to replace the bulb or repair the lamp
and its components. We recommend that you have
such work done by a qualified technician.