rims MERCEDES-BENZ CLK550 2008 C209 Owner's Manual

Contents
Resetting activated head restraints ... 440
Resetting
activated head restraints.............. 440
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 441
SmartKey / SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* ....................... 442
Replacing bulbs ................................. 443
Bulbs ............................................ 444
Replacing bulbs for front lamps.... 446
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 448
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 450
Removing and installing
wiper blades ................................. 450
Flat tire .............................................. 452
Preparing the vehicle.................... 452
Sealing tires with TIREFIT
(CLK 63 AMG only) ....................... 452
Mounting the Minispare wheel ..... 458
MOExtended system*................... 463
Battery ............................................... 464
Disconnecting the battery ............ 465
Removing the battery ................... 465
Charging and
reinstalling the battery ................. 466
Reconnecting the battery ............. 466
Jump starting ..................................... 467Towing the vehicle ............................. 469
Towing the vehicle ....................... 469
Installing towing eye bolt ............. 470
Fuses ................................................. 472
Fuse box
in passenger compartment .......... 472
Fuse box
in engine compartment ................ 473
Fuse box
in trunk ........................................ 474
Technical data................................. 475
Parts service ...................................... 476
Warranty coverage............................. 477
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet ..................... 477
Identification labels ........................... 478
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 480
CLK 350 / CLK 550 ..................... 480
CLK 63 AMG ................................ 480
Engine................................................ 481
Rims and tires.................................... 482
Same size tires ............................. 483
Mixed size tires ............................ 484
Minispare wheel ........................... 486Electrical system ............................... 487
Main dimensions and weights ........... 488
Main dimensions .......................... 488
Weights ........................................ 488
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 489
Capacities .................................... 489
Engine oils ................................... 491
Engine oil additives ...................... 491
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 491
Brake fluid.................................... 491
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 492
Fuel requirements ........................ 492
Gasoline additives ........................ 493
Coolants ...................................... 494
Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system* .. 496
Index................................................. 497

68 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
emergency tensioning device and
air bagiAir bags are designed to deploy only in cer-
tain frontal impacts (front air bags) and in side
impacts (CLK coupe: front side impact air bags,
rear side impact air bags*, and window curtain
air bags. CLK cabriolet: head-thorax air bags and
rear side impact air bags*) which exceed preset
thresholds. Only during these events will they
provide their supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always wear
their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible for
the air bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In case of other types of impacts and impacts be-
low air bag deployment thresholds, air bags will
not deploy. The driver and passenger will then be
protected to the extent possible by a properly
fastened seat belt. A properly fastened seat belt
is also needed to provide the best possible
protection in a rollover.
We caution you not to rely on the presence of the
air bags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt.
It is important to your safety and that of your pas-
sengers that you replace deployed air bags and
repair any malfunctioning air bags to make sure
the vehicle will continue to provide supplemental
crash protection for occupants.
Warning!G

Damaged seat belts or belts that were
highly stressed in an accident must be
replaced and their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use belts in-
stalled or supplied at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Air bags and Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs) contain Perchlorate
material, which may require special han-
dling and regard for the environment.
Check with your local government’s dis-
posal guidelines. California residents,
see http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/Hazard-
ousWaste/Perchlorate/index.cfm.

Air bags and emergency tensioning de-
vices (ETDs) are designed to function on
a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD
that is deployed must be replaced.

Do not pass belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.

Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the belts.

Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this
may severely weaken them. In a crash
they may not be able to provide ade-
quate protection.

No modifications of any kind may be
made to any components or wiring of
the SRS. This includes changing or
removing any component or part of the
SRS, the installation of additional trim
material, badges, seat covers
(CLK cabriolet) etc. over the steering
wheel hub, front passenger front air bag
cover, outboard sides of the front seat
backrest (CLK cabriolet), door trim pan-
els (CLK coupe), door frame trims (CLK
coupe), or rear side trim panels, and in-
stallation of additional electrical/elec-
tronic equipment on or near SRS
components and wiring. Keep area be-
tween air bags and occupants free from
objects (e.g. packages, purses, umbrel-
las, etc.).

331 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tires and wheels
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for information on tested and
recommended rims and tires for summer
and winter operation. They can also offer
advice concerning tire service and
purchase.Important guidelines

Only use sets of tires and rims of the
same type and make.

Tires must be of the correct size for the
rim.

Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate
speeds.

Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bent rims can
cause tire inflation pressure loss and
damage to the tire beads.

If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
inflation pressure and correct as
required.

Do not allow your tires to wear down
too far. Adhesion properties on wet
roads are sharply reduced at tread
depths of less than
1/8in (3 mm).

When replacing individual tires, you
should mount new tires on the front
wheels first (on vehicles with
same-sized wheels all around).
Warning!G
Replace rims or tires with the same designa-
tion, manufacturer and type as shown on the
original part. See an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion. If incorrectly sized rims and tires are
mounted:

The wheel brakes or suspension
components can be damaged.

The operating clearance of the wheels
and the tires may no longer be correct.
Warning!G
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
When replacing rims, only use genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can
result in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.
Retreaded tires are not tested or recom-
mended by Mercedes-Benz, since previous
damage cannot always be recognized on re-
treads. The operating safety of the vehicle
cannot be assured when such tires are used.

349 Operation
Tires and wheels
1Uniform Quality Grading Standards
(
page 356)
2DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
(
page 353)
3Maximum tire load (
page 354)
4Maximum tire inflation pressure
(
page 355)
5Manufacturer
6Tire ply material (
page 357)
7Tire size designation, load and speed
rating (
page 349)
8Load identification (
page 352)
9Tire nameTire size designation, load and speed
rating
1Tire width
2Aspect ratio in %
3Radial tire code
4Rim diameter
5Tire load rating
6Tire speed ratingGeneral:
Depending on the design standards used,
the tire size molded into the sidewall may
have no letter or a letter preceding the tire
size designation.
No letter preceding the size designation
(as illustrated above): Passenger car tire
based on European design standards.
Letter “P” preceding the size designation:
Passenger car tire based on U.S. design
standards.
Letter “LT” preceding the size designation:
Light Truck tire based on U.S. design
standards.
Letter “T” preceding the size designation:
Temporary spare tires which are high
pressure compact spares designed for
temporary emergency use only.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.
For more information, see “Rims and tires”
(
page 482).
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.

350 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire width
The tire width1 (
page 349) indicates
the nominal tire width in mm.
Aspect ratio
The aspect ratio2 (
page 349) is the
dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width and is
expressed in percentage. The aspect ratio
is arrived at by dividing section height by
section width.
Tire code
The tire code3 (
page 349) indicates
the tire construction type. The “R” stands
for radial tire type. Letter “D” means diag-
onal or bias ply construction; letter “B”
means belted-bias ply construction.
At the tire manufacturer’s option, any tire
with a speed capability above 149 mph
(240 km/h) can include a “ZR” in the size
designation (for example: 245/40 ZR 18).
For additional information, see “Tire speed
rating” (
page 351).Rim diameter
The rim diameter4 (
page 349) is the
diameter of the bead seat, not the
diameter of the rim edge. Rim diameter is
indicated in inches (in).
Tire load rating
The tire load rating5 (
page 349) is a
numerical code associated with the
maximum load a tire can support.
For example, a load rating of 91 corre-
sponds to a maximum load of 1 356 lbs
(615 kg) the tire is designed to support.
See also “Maximum tire load”
(
page 354) where the maximum load
associated with the load index is indicated
in kilograms and lbs.
Warning!G
The tire load rating must always be at least
half of the GAWR (
page 358) of your
vehicle. Otherwise, tire failure may be the
result which may cause an accident and/or
serious personal injury to you or others.
Always replace rims and tires with the same
designation, manufacturer and type as
shown on the original part.
Warning!G
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard located on
the driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading the
tires can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure.

361 Operation
Tires and wheels
Rotating tires
Tire rotation can be performed on vehicles
with tires of the same dimension all
around. If your vehicle is equipped with
tires of the same dimension all around,
tires can be rotated, observing a
front-to-rear rotation pattern that will
maintain the intended rotation (spinning)
direction of the tire (
page 334).
In some cases, such as when your vehicle
is equipped with mixed-size tires (different
tire dimension front vs. rear), tire rotation
is not possible.If applicable to your vehicle’s tire configu-
ration, tires can be rotated according to
the tire manufacturer’s recommended in-
tervals in the tire manufacturer’s warranty
pamphlet located in your vehicle literature
portfolio. If none is available, tires should
be rotated every 3 000 to 6 000 miles
(5 000 to 10 000 km), or sooner if neces-
sary, according to the degree of tire wear.
The same rotation (spinning) direction
must be maintained (
page 334).
Rotate tires before the characteristic tire
wear pattern becomes visible (shoulder
wear on front tires and tread center wear
on rear tires).
Thoroughly clean the mounting face of
wheels and brake disks, i.e. the inner side
of the wheels/tires, during each rotation.
Check for and ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.For information on wheel change, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 422) and
(
page 452).
Warning!G
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the tires
are of the same dimension.
If your vehicle is equipped with mixed-size
tires (different tire dimensions front vs.
rear), tire rotation is not possible.
Warning!G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
80 lb-ft (110 Nm).
Only use Genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts specified for your vehicle’s rims.

363 Operation
Winter driving
Block heater (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block
heater.
The electrical cable may be installed at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not higher
than 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.
Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:

Using snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations
(
page 482).

Use snow chains in pairs and on rear
wheels only. Follow the manufacturer's
mounting instructions.

Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
be glad to advise you on this subject.

Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.

Do not use snow chains on the spare
wheel (
page 482).
Warning!G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.!Some tire sizes do not leave adequate clear-
ance for snow chains. To help avoid serious dam-
age to your vehicle or tires, make sure the use of
snow chains is permissible as specified in the
“Technical data” section of this Operator’s Man-
ual, see “Rims and tires” (
page 482).
!If snow chains are mounted to the front
wheels, they may scrape against the body or axle
components. The tires or the vehicle could be
damaged as a result.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you may
wish to deactivate the ESP® (page 94) before
setting the vehicle in motion. This will improve
the vehicle‘s traction.
CLK 63 AMG:
Do not switch off the ESP
® when driving in snow
or with snow chains mounted.

374 Operation
Vehicle care
Chrome-plated exhaust tip*
Regular cleaning and care of chrome-plat-
ed exhaust tips will help to maintain their
shine and the classy appearance.
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Chrome
Polishing Paste each time the vehicle
has been washed, especially during the
winter.Light alloy wheels
If possible, clean wheels once a week.
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel
Care, a soft bristle brush and a strong
spray of water for cleaning the light
alloy wheels.Plastic and rubber parts
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.
Wipe with a cloth moistened in a
lukewarm solution.
The surface may temporarily change
color. If this is the case, wait for it to
dry.
!Do not use alkaline cleaners such as wheel
cleaners as they could cause corrosion.
!Only use acid-free cleaning materials. Acid
may cause corrosion or damage the clear coat.
!The vehicle should not be parked for an
extended period of time immediately after it has
been cleaned, especially not after the wheel rims
have been cleaned with wheel rim cleaner.
Wheel rim cleaners can lead to increased
corrosion of the brake disks and brake pads.
Non-approved wheel cleaners may also damage
the wheel paint if the car is not driven after
cleaning. Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system
should always be warmed-up before it is parked
after cleaning. To do so, please drive your vehicle
for several minutes to allow the brakes to dry.
When applying Mercedes-Benz approved Tire
Care and Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care
products, take care not to spray them on the
brake disks.
Warning!G
Do not use cleaners or cockpit care sprays
containing solvents to clean the cockpit or
the steering wheel. Cleaners containing sol-
vents will make the surface porous and vehi-
cle occupants could suffer serious injuries
from plastic parts coming loose in the event
of air bag deployment.

376 Operation
Vehicle care
Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently
discolored. By lining the seats with a
proper intermediate cover,
contact-discoloration will be prevented.Leather upholstery
Please note that leather upholstery is a
natural product and is therefore subject to
a natural aging process. Leather
upholstery may also react to certain
ambient influences such as high humidity
or high temperature by showing wrinkles
for example.
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp
cloth and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather
Care.
Exercise particular care when cleaning
perforated leather as its underside should
not become wet.Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use
damp cloth to clean wood trims in your
vehicle.
Warning!G
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers
may interfere with or prevent

deployment of the head-thorax air bags
(CLK cabriolet)

activation of the active head restraints
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for availability.
!Wipe with light pressure to avoid damage to
the upholstery.
!Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as these
may be abrasive.

426 Practical hints
Where will I find...?
In case of a flat tire, you may temporarily
use the Minispare wheel when observing
the following restrictions:

Do not exceed a vehicle speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).

Drive to the nearest tire repair facility
to have the flat tire repaired or
replaced as appropriate.

Do not operate vehicle with more than
one Minispare wheel mounted.
For more information, see “Rims and tires”
(
page 482).
Spare wheel bolts
The spare wheel bolts are fixed at the
Minispare wheel.
1Wheel bolt for light alloy rims
2Wheel bolt for Minispare wheel
(located in trunk with spare wheel)
!To prevent damage, always disengage trunk
floor handle from upper edge of trunk and lower
trunk floor before closing the trunk.
Warning!G
The dimensions of the Minispare wheel are
different from those of the road wheels. As
a result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a Minispare wheel
mounted.
The Minispare wheel should only be used
temporarily, and should be replaced with a
regular road wheel as quickly as possible.
Do not switch off the ESP
® when a Minis-
pare wheel is mounted.
!Wheel bolts2 must be used when mount-
ing the Minispare wheel. The use of any wheel
bolts other than wheel bolts2 for the Minispare
wheel will physically damage the vehicle’s
brakes.
Warning!G
Make sure to use the original length wheel
bolts when remounting the original wheel
after it has been repaired.