sfsig

I ordered a new CLK500 Cabrio which is actually due in this weekend or early next week. I ordered the Wood/Leather steering wheel. I can't remember where exactly, maybe in this forum, but I read that this option OMITS the shifting buttons for the 7G transmission that come on the standard steering wheel. Does anyone know if that's true? I suppose I'll find out soon enough on my own, but thought I'd check first. If it's true, it's a real disappointment, because there's nothing online that indicates you lose those buttons with the optional steering wheel, and of course, my dealer never said anything about it. Had I known, I probably wouldn't have ordered that option.

500rush

I found out the same thing on Saturday. My 05 CLK500 CAB arrived at the dealer yesterday but I am on travel until Friday. I will pick up the car on Friday at 3:00 and I will be checking this, but my salesman told me what you learned. I was disappointed also because the one I drove had that feature.

smandkjc

Yes if you get the wood steering wheel you dont get the shift buttons but dont they only work on upshifts anyway.

AznxKCBoy

i think that its pretty stupid with the 05s only being able to upshift and not downshift.

smandkjc

MBUSA have loaded the 05 brochure on their website and the steering wheel buttons are actually toggle switches so both buttons move the gearshift both up and down in Touch shift mode.
This is different from the CLK55 AMG which has seperate buttons for upshifts and downshifts.