service interval MERCEDES-BENZ CLK430 CABRIOLET 2003 C208 Owner's Manual

8 Introduction
Important notice for California retail buyers and lessees of Mercedes-Benz automobiles
Under California law you may be entitled to a replacement of your vehicle or a refund of the purchase price or lease
price, if Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and / or its authorized repair or service facilities fail to fix one ore more substantial
defects or malfunctions in the vehicle that are covered by its express warranty after a reasonable number of repair
attempts. During the period of 18 months from original delivery of the vehicle or the accumulation of 18 000 miles on
the odometer of the vehicle, whichever occurs first, a reasonable number of repair attempts is presumed for a retail
buyer or lessee if one or more of the following occurs: (1) the same substantial defect or malfunction results in a
condition that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven, that defect or malfunction has
been subject to repair two or more times, and you have directly notified Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC in writing of the
need for its repair, (2) the same substantial defect or malfunction of a less serious nature than category (1) has been
subject to repair four or more times and you have directly notified us in writing of the need for its repair, or (3) the
vehicle is out of service by reason of repair of the same or different substantial defects or malfunctions for a
cumulative total of more than 30 calender days. Written notification should be sent to us, not a dealer, at Mercedes-
Benz USA, LLC, Customer Assistance Center, One Mercedes Drive, Montvale, NJ 07645-0350.
Maintenance
The Service Booklet describes all the necessary maintenance work which should be performed at regular intervals.
Always have the Service Booklet with you when you take the vehicle to your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
service. The service advisor will record each service in the booklet for you.

106 Flexible service system
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
The service indicator disappears automatically after
30 seconds or if button J on the instrument cluster is
pressed.
Calling up service indicator manually:
Turn the electronic key in steering lock to position 1
or 2.
Call up the trip odometer and main odometer, by
pressing button è or ÿ on the multifunction
steering wheel until the display appears. See page 88.
Press button j or k until the FSS indicator
appears.
Pressing the è or ÿ button displays the next or
previous system.
Important!
The FSS indicator does not include an engine oil level
indicator. See page 108 for engine oil level indicator.Notes:
When disconnecting vehicle battery for one or more
days at a time, such days will not be counted. Any such
days not counted by the FSS can be added by your
Mercedes-Benz Center.
The interval between services is determined by the type
of driving for which the vehicle is used. For example,
driving at extreme speeds, and cold starts combined
with short distance driving in which the engine does not
reach operating normal temperature, reduce the interval
between services.

107 Flexible service system
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Following a completed A or B service the
Mercedes-Benz Center sets the counter mileage to
10 000 miles (Canada: 15 000 km).
The counter can also be set by any individual. To do so:
Turn the electronic key in steering lock to position 2.
To call up the trip odometer and main odometer, press
button è or ÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel until the display appears. See page 88.
Press button j or k until the FSS indicator
appears.
Press button Jon the instrument cluster for
approximately 4 seconds.The multifunction display will show the question:
“DO YOU WANT TO RESET SERVICE INTERVAL? –
CONFIRM BY PRESSING R”
Press button J on the instrument cluster again for
approximately 4 seconds, and hold until a signal
sounds. The message “SERVICE INTERVAL HAS BEEN
RESET” appears in the multifunction display.
The new service indicator is displayed with the reset
distance of 10 000 miles (Canada 15 000 km).
If the FSS counter was inadvertently reset, have a
Mercedes-Benz Center correct it.
Only reset if the proper service has been performed.
Resetting the system without performing proper service
as called for by the FSS will cause the FSS to incorrectly
determine the next service interval which will result in
engine damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
However you choose to set your reference numbers, the
scheduled services as posted in the Service Booklet
must be followed to properly care for your vehicle.

234 Malfunction and warning messages
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
BRAKE LINING WEAR
When this message appears during braking, it indicates
that the brake pads are worn down.
Have the brake system checked at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Brake pad thickness must be visually checked by a
qualified technician at the intervals specified in the
service booklet. BRAKE FLUID
Line 1 Line 2
BRAKE LINING WEAR VISIT WORKSHOP!
Line 1 Line 2
BRAKE FLUID VISIT WORKSHOP!Wa r n i n g !
Driving with this message displayed can result in
an accident. Have your brake system checked
immediately. Don’t add brake fluid before checking
the brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid
reservoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching fire. You
can be seriously burned.

320 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Te ch n i c a l
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
additives, carbon deposits can build up especially on the
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 boil-
over protection. You should have it replaced every 15
years or 150 000 miles (250 000 km), whichever comes
first. Coolant system design and coolant used stipulate
the replacement interval. The above replacement
interval is only applicable if MB 325.0 anticorrosion/
antifreeze solution or other Mercedes-Benz approved
products of equal specification (see Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet) are used to renew the
coolant concentration or bring it back up to the proper
level.