center console MERCEDES-BENZ CLK550 2008 C209 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle
outside the USA or Canada ............ 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting safety defects ................ 18
Vehicle data recording......................... 19
Information regarding electronic
recording devices........................... 19At a glance.......................................... 21
Exterior view (Coupe) ........................... 22
Exterior view (Cabriolet) ....................... 24
Cockpit ................................................. 26
Instrument cluster ................................ 28
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 30
Center console ..................................... 31
Upper part ...................................... 31
Lower part ...................................... 32
Overhead control panel ........................ 33
Door control panel................................ 34Getting started................................... 35
Unlocking ............................................. 36
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 36
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*......... 37
Starter switch positions .................. 38
Adjusting .............................................. 41
Seats .............................................. 41
Steering wheel ................................ 44
Mirrors ............................................ 47
Driving .................................................. 48
Fastening the seat belts ................. 48
Starting the engine ......................... 51
Parking brake ................................. 53
Driving ............................................ 54
Switching on headlamps ................. 55
Turn signals .................................... 56
Windshield wipers ........................... 56
Problems while driving.................... 58
Parking and locking .............................. 59
Parking brake ................................. 59
Switching off headlamps................. 60
Turning off the engine ..................... 60
Releasing seat belts........................ 61
Locking ........................................... 61

Contents
At the gas station .............................. 320
Refueling ...................................... 320
Check regularly
and before a long trip................... 322
Engine compartment ......................... 323
Hood ............................................ 323
Engine oil ..................................... 325
Transmission fluid level ................ 327
Coolant ........................................ 328
Battery ......................................... 329
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system* ......... 330
Tires and wheels ................................ 331
Important guidelines .................... 331
Tire care and maintenance........... 332
Direction of rotation ..................... 334
Loading the vehicle ...................... 334
Recommended
tire inflation pressure ................... 339
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 341
MOExtended system* .................. 348
Tire labeling.................................. 348
Load identification ....................... 352
DOT,
Tire Identification Number (TIN) ... 353
Maximum tire load ....................... 354Maximum tire inflation pressure ... 355
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) .............. 356
Tire ply material ............................ 357
Tire and loading terminology......... 358
Rotating tires ................................ 361
Winter driving ..................................... 362
Winter tires ................................... 362
Block heater (Canada only) ........... 363
Snow chains.................................. 363
Maintenance....................................... 364
Maintenance service
indicator message......................... 364
Clearing the maintenance
service indicator message ............ 365
Maintenance
service term exceeded.................. 365
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display ............... 366
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator ........................... 366
Vehicle care........................................ 367
Cleaning and care of vehicle ......... 367
Practical hints.................................. 377
What to do if …? ................................. 378
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 378
Lamp in center console ................ 390
Vehicle status messages
in the multifunction display .......... 392
Where will I find...? ............................. 421
First aid kit.................................... 421
Storage compartment
underneath the trunk floor............ 421
TIREFIT (CLK 63 AMG only)........... 422
Vehicle tool kit.............................. 422
Minispare wheel............................ 425
Spare wheel bolts ......................... 426
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 427
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 427
Locking the vehicle ....................... 428
Manually unlocking
the gear selector lever .................. 429
Opening/closing
in an emergency (Cabriolet) ............... 430
Operating roll bars manually ......... 430
Soft top emergency operation ...... 432

21 At a glance
Exterior view (Coupe)
Exterior view (Cabriolet)
Cockpit
Instrument cluster
Multifunction steering wheel
Center console
Overhead control panel
Door control panel

27 At a glance
Cockpit
ItemPage
1Steering wheel gearshift
paddles*180
2Combination switch

Turn signals

Windshield wipers

High beam
56
56
55
3Cruise control lever267
4Multifunction steering
wheel30,
142
5Instrument cluster28,
138
6Starter switch38
7Front Parktronic* warning
indicator (Canada all vehi-
cles, USA only CLK 63 AMG
cabriolet)271
ItemPage
8Overhead control panel33
9Glove box285
aStorage box285
bCenter console31, 32
cHood lock release324
dHorn
eSteering wheel adjustment
stalk45
fParking brake pedal53
gDoor control panel34
hParking brake release53
jExterior lamp switch55,
129
kExterior rear view mirror ad-
justment47
lHeadlamp washer switch*185

31 At a glance
Center console
Center console
Upper part
CLK coupe
ItemPage
1Seat heater*, driver’s side
Seat ventilation*, driver’s
side125
126
2Parktronic system* deacti-
vation switch (Canada all
vehicles, USA only CLK 63
AMG cabriolet)274
3Rear window sunshade*
switch (CLK coupe Canada
only)188
4ESP® control switch92
5Hazard warning flasher
on/off switch135
6Central unlocking switch
Central locking switch119
119
7Switch for folding
(CLK coupe) or lowering
(CLK cabriolet) rear seat
head restraints121
ItemPage
8Anti-theft alarm system
indicator lamp97
9Seat heater*,
passenger side
Seat ventilation*,
passenger side125
126
aFront passenger front air
bag off indicator lamp 76,
390
bAudio system,
or
COMAND* (see separate
operating instructions)151
cClimate control
Automatic climate control
Rear window defroster 190
200
189

32 At a glance
Center console
Lower part
CLK cabriolet
ItemPage
1Ashtray
Cigarette lighter289
290
2KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button39
3Cup holder287
4Storage compartment
with cup holder
and
telephone* compartment
in center armrest.287
288
287
5Soft top switch
(CLK cabriolet)260
6Program mode selector
switch for automatic trans-
mission

Automatic shift program

Manual shift program
(CLK 63 AMG cabriolet)
178
182
7Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission172

70 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Front air bags
1Driver air bag
2Passenger air bag
Driver and front passenger front air bags
are deployed:

in the event of certain frontal impacts

if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold

independently of the front side impact
air bag (CLK coupe), head-thorax air
bag (CLK cabriolet) and/or the rear
side impact air bag*The air bags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protect-
ed by the fastened seat belts.
The front passenger front air bag will only
be deployed if:
the system, based on OCS weight sen-
sor readings, senses that the front pas-
senger seat is occupied

the 56 indicator lamp in the
center console is not lit (
page 76)

the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment threshold
CLK coupe:
Front side impact air bags, rear side
impact air bags*, window curtain air
bags
1Front side impact air bag
2Rear side impact air bag*
3Window curtain air bag
iThe front air bags in this vehicle have been
designed to inflate in two stages. This allows the
air bag to have different rates of inflation that are
based on the rate of relevant vehicle decelera-
tion as assessed by the air bag control unit.
On the front passenger side, the front air bag de-
ployment is additionally influenced by the pas-
senger’s weight category as identified by the
Occupant Classification System (OCS)
(
page 72).
The lighter the front passenger side occupant,
the higher the vehicle deceleration rate required
for the second stage inflation of the air bag.

76 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The 56indicator lamp is located in
the center console.
1Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp
The 56indicator lamp1 will be
illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed from the starter switch or with
the starter switch in position0.Self-test Occupant Classification
System
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2 or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once or
twice, the 56indicator lamp
located in the center console illuminates. If
an adult occupant is properly sitting on the
front passenger seat and the system
senses the occupant as being an adult,
the56 indicator lamp will
illuminate and go out after
approximately 6 seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the system
senses the front passenger seat as being
empty, the 56 indicator lamp will
illuminate and not go out.
Warning!G
If the 1indicator lamp and the
56indicator lamp are lit at the same
time, there is a malfunction in the Occupant
Classification System. The front passenger
front air bag will be deactivated in this case.
Have the system checked as soon as possi-
ble by qualified technicians. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only have the seat repaired or replaced at
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
In order to ensure proper operation of the
air bag system and OCS:

Sit properly belted in a position that is
as upright as possible with your back
against the seat backrest.

While seated, an occupant should not
position him/herself in such a way as to
cause the occupant’s weight to be lifted
from the seat bottom as this may result
in the OCS being unable to correctly ap-
proximate the occupant’s weight
category.

Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.

95 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
The ESP® switch is located on the center
console.
1ESP
® switch
With the engine running, press ESP®
switch1 until the ESP® warning
lampv in the instrument cluster
comes on.
The ESP
® is switched off.Switching off the ESP
®
(CLK 63 AMG only)iWhen the ESP® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP®
warning lampv in the instrument cluster
flashes. However, the ESP
® will then not
stabilize the vehicle.
Warning!G
When the ESP® warning lampv is
illuminated continuously, the ESP® is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction. Vehicle stability in standard
driving maneuvers reduces.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP
®.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP® switched off. This
may cause serious damage to the drivetrain
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
The ESP® should not be switched off during
normal driving. Disabling of the system will
result in the following:

no restriction to engine torque

loss of system supported traction
control
“ESP
® Off” is designed for driving on closed
tracks when the natural oversteer and
understeer characteristics are desired and
requires a highly skilled and experienced
driver able to handle these critical driving
situations.
You could lose control of your vehicle and
cause an accident.
Please be aware of these limits when you
switch off the ESP
®.

96 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
When you switch off the ESP®

the ESP® does not stabilize the vehicle

the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip

the traction control will still apply the
brakes to a spinning wheel

the ESP® operates while you are
braking

you cannot activate the cruise control

the cruise control switch off if currently
activatedThe ESP
® switch is located on the center
console.
1ESP
® switch
With the engine running, press ESP®
switch1 until the ESP® warning
lampv in the instrument cluster
comes on.
The ESP
® is switched off.
Switching on the ESP®
Press ESP® switch1 until the ESP®
warning lampv in the instrument
cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode with ESP
® switched on.
iWhen the ESP® is switched off and one
or more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP®
warning lampv in the instrument cluster
flashes. However, the ESP
® will then not
stabilize the vehicle.
Warning!G
When the ESP® warning lampv is
illuminated continuously, the ESP® is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction. Vehicle stability in standard
driving maneuvers reduces.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP
®.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP® switched off. This
may cause serious damage to the drivetrain
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.