MERCEDES-BENZ CLK500 COUPE 2005 C209 Owner's Manual

369 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
Front passenger
airbag
activated
see Oper.’s Man.
If performing any of the above corrective
steps is successful, the message
Front
passenger airbag deactivated see
Oper.’s Man.
will appear in the
multifunction display, confirming the situ-
ation has been remedied. Note that after
performing the corrective steps, it may
take up to 60 seconds for the message
Front passenger airbag deactivated
see Oper.’s Man.
to appear.
If the message
Front passenger airbag
activated see Oper.’s Man.
remains on
in the multifunction display and/or the
56
indicator lamp remains out even
after performing the above corrective
steps, have the system checked as soon
as possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
If the message
Front passenger airbag
activated see Oper.’s Man.
remains
on in the multifunction display and/or the
56 indicator lamp remains out even
after performing the above corrective steps,
do not have any children12 years old and
under and other small individuals use the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.

370 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
Front passenger
airbag
deactivated
see Oper.’s Man.
Air bag is deactivated while driving even
though an adult or someone larger than a
small individual is occupying the front
passenger seat. Forces acting on the seat
may make the system sense a decrease in
weight.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon
as possible and check the following:
Do not lean on armrests or lift yourself
up using handle over the door. This
may make the system sense that an
occupant of a lesser weight than actu-
ally present is on the front passenger
seat.

Re-position yourself.

Sit properly belted in a nearly upright
position with your back against the
seat backrest.
If performing any of the above corrective
steps is successful, the message
Front
passenger airbag activated see
Oper.’s Man.
will appear in the
multifunction display, confirming the situ-
ation has been remedied.
(Continued on next page)

371 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
Front passenger
airbag
deactivated
see Oper.’s Man.
Note that after performing the corrective
steps, it may take up to 60 seconds for
the message
Front passenger airbag
activated see Oper.’s Man.
to appear.
If the message
Front passenger airbag
deactivated see Oper.’s Man.
remains
on in the multifunction display and/or the
56
indicator lamp remains on even
after performing the above corrective
steps, have the system checked as soon
as possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not have any passenger use the front
passenger seat until the system has been
repaired.
Warning!
G
If the message
Front passenger airbag
deactivated see Oper.’s Man.
re-
mains on in the multifunction display and/or
the 56 indicator lamp remains illumi-
nated even after performing the above cor-
rective steps, do not have any passenger
use the front passenger seat until the sys-
tem has been repaired.

372 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
P
Selector lever
in park position
You have turned off the engine with the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button in gear
selector lever positionN and opened the
driver’s door.
or
You have attempted to switch off the en-
gine with the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button while the gear selector lever was in
positionR orD.

Place the gear selector lever in
positionP.
Please
shift to
P or N
You have attempted to start the engine
with the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
while the gear selector lever was in
positionR orD.

Place the gear selector lever in
positionP or N.

373 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Symbol messagesDisplay symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
#
Visit Workshop!
The battery is no longer charging.
Possible causes:

broken poly-V-belt


alternator malfunctioning

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:

Do not continue to drive. Otherwise
the engine will overheat due to an
inoperative water pump which may
result in damage to the engine. Notify
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is intact:

Drive immediately to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Undervoltage
Charge battery
The battery has insufficient voltage.

Start the engine (
page 46).
Undervoltage
Switch off
consumers
The battery has insufficient voltage.

Turn off unnecessary electrical con-
sumers.

374 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
2
Brake wear
Visit workshop
The brake pads have reached their wear
limit.

Have the brake pads replaced as soon
as possible.
;
(USA only)
!
(Canada only)
Parking brake
Release brake!
You are driving with the parking brake set.

Release the parking brake
(page 49).
3
Brake fluid
Visit workshop
There is insufficient brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle and
notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Do not add brake fluid! This
will not solve the problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with this message displayed can re-
sult in an accident. Have your brake system
checked immediately. Do not add brake flu-
id before checking the brake system. Over-
filling the brake fluid reservoir can result in
spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts and
the brake fluid catching fire. You can be se-
riously burned.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks.
!Brake pad thickness must be visually
checked by a qualified technician at the
intervals specified in the Maintenance
Booklet.

375 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
?
Visit workshop!
There may be a malfunction in the

fuel injection system


ignition system


exhaust system


fuel system

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
B
Coolant
Check level
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 313).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You can be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount
of coolant in the cooling system. The
engine will overheat, causing major en-
gine damage.

376 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?
During severe operating conditions and
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
•
Coolant
Stop, engine off!
The coolant is too hot.

Stop the vehicle and turn off the en-
gine.

Only start the engine again after the
message disappears. You could other-
wise damage the engine.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is badly overheat-
ed can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns and can occur just by opening
the hood. Stay away from the engine if you
see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.
!The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious
engine damage which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

377 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
•
Coolant
Stop, engine off!
The poly-V-belt could be broken.

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:

Do not continue to drive. Otherwise
the engine will overheat due to an in-
operative water pump which may re-
sult in damage to the engine. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is intact:

Do not continue to drive the vehicle
with this message displayed. Doing so
could result in serious engine damage
that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

Drive immediately to the nearest au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Coolant
Visit workshop!
The cooling fan for the coolant is malfunc-
tioning.

Observe the coolant temperature dis-
play.

Have the fan replaced as soon as pos-
sible.

378 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
G
Display malfunction
Visit workshop
The instrument cluster display is malfunc-
tioning.

Continue driving with added caution.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
The displays for several systems have
malfunctioned. Some systems them-
selves may also have malfunctioned.

Have the electronic systems checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
±
Display defective
Visit workshop!
Certain electronic systems are unable to
relay information to the control system.
The following systems may have failed:

Coolant temperature display


Tachometer


Cruise control display

Have the electronic systems checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
J
Doors open!
You are attempting to drive with one or
more doors open.

Close the doors.