Tune-up & Brake Change
03-10-2010, 12:52 PM
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2006 CLS500, 21" Interad Turismo Wheels, Renntech Lowering Module
Tune-up & Brake Change
I just brought my 06 CLS 500 for a C service and while there was told that it's due for a tune up(plugs & wires) and needed new front brake pads (has over 60,000miles). As expected, the estimates were over $2000 for the whole job.
So i'm going do it myself. Not new to cars at all, have done many tune-ups and brake jobs, just never on a fine automobile such as this
Anyone ever done either on this car? Any tips or things that should be considered? Does anything need to be reset, like diagnostics that are required to complete the job?
What about parts? Any price alternatives to purchasing from the dealership? Parts alone i was quoted $1500....
So i'm going do it myself. Not new to cars at all, have done many tune-ups and brake jobs, just never on a fine automobile such as this
Anyone ever done either on this car? Any tips or things that should be considered? Does anything need to be reset, like diagnostics that are required to complete the job?
What about parts? Any price alternatives to purchasing from the dealership? Parts alone i was quoted $1500....
03-15-2010, 11:22 AM
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2006 CLS500, 21" Interad Turismo Wheels, Renntech Lowering Module
Soooooooooooooooooooo............................a nyone? Not a single person has any expereince with this?
03-15-2010, 05:36 PM
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2007 CLS550
Hopefully you have the Maintenance Manual that came with the car and service records so you know what has been done and what needs to be done. If not, the Maintenance Manuals are available online at http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/#/servPrtsOverview/. For instance: Replacement of Spark Plugs (Service 12) is recommended at 5 years or 91,000 miles. I don't think your car is 5 years old yet, so net yet required. And the Maintenance Manual doesn't mention replacing spark plug wires, although I would say at some point they should be replaced, but it would depend on your environment and the condition of the wires. The dealers also like to push a Fuel Injector Flush or Cleaning. Again, not mentioned in the Maintenance Manual. Personally, I think with the detergents in today's gasolines it's not necessary to do additional cleaning.
The Service Code letters indicate the number of hours the service is estimated to take. They do not indicate which Maintenance Services are required. The Service Codes are as follows:
Service A: 1 Hour
Service B: 2 Hours
Service C: 3 Hours
Service D: 4 Hours
Service E: 5 Hours
Service F: 6 Hours
Service G: 7 Hours
Service H: 8 Hours
A "+" next to a Service Code (i.e. D+) indicates need for brake service (inspection)
A couple of places to buy Genuine Mercedes Benz parts online are GenuineMercedesParts.com at http://genuinemercedesparts-px.rtrk....?siteid=215306 and autohauzAZ at http://www.autohausaz.com/index.html.
You'll need to reset the Flexible Service System (FSS). That's the indicator that comes up on the center display indicating you need Service C (or A-H). It will also tell you which Maintenance Services are required. The FSS is very tricky to access and adjust. The buttons don't seem logical (at least to me). Anyway all the maintenance people try to keep its operation a secret. Here is the procedure to access and reset it. Mercedes Benz CLS Service Reset Instructions fm MB STARTec.pdf These instructions work on my 2007 CLS550. I think they should also work on your 2006. The procedure does vary some by year and model. Note that the position for the key in the ignition lock is position 1. That would be the first click clockwise from Off. Position 0 is Off, 1 is Accessory, 2 is Run and 3 is Start.
And while you're at it, why don't you be official and complete the official "SERVICE SHEET for Mercedes-Benz Maintenance System." Here is the one for your 2006 CLS550. Mercedes Benz 2006 CLS Maintenance Service Sheet.pdf
You'll find that some of the Service Procedures like changing the engine air filter and cabin air filter are much more complicated than most cars. Not hard once you've been shown how or read the directions, but not obvious to the casual observer. You can find those and other procedures by searching forums like this one or Google searches.
When you change the brake pads, don't forget about the thickness sensors.
I think you will find you can do many of the items yourself, but some are best left to the dealer (like changing the transmission fluid and filter). And so for many people they have the dealers do service a la carte instead of the overpriced "A" and "B" Service Specials. I do things like the air filters and most of the inspections myself but I have the dealer do the oil changes and brake fluid flush. My dealer charges $95 for an oil change, which I think is reasonable for 9 quarts of synthetic oil and the funky Mann Fleece Oil Filter, plus they wash the car and have free coffee.
Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.
The Service Code letters indicate the number of hours the service is estimated to take. They do not indicate which Maintenance Services are required. The Service Codes are as follows:
Service A: 1 Hour
Service B: 2 Hours
Service C: 3 Hours
Service D: 4 Hours
Service E: 5 Hours
Service F: 6 Hours
Service G: 7 Hours
Service H: 8 Hours
A "+" next to a Service Code (i.e. D+) indicates need for brake service (inspection)
A couple of places to buy Genuine Mercedes Benz parts online are GenuineMercedesParts.com at http://genuinemercedesparts-px.rtrk....?siteid=215306 and autohauzAZ at http://www.autohausaz.com/index.html.
You'll need to reset the Flexible Service System (FSS). That's the indicator that comes up on the center display indicating you need Service C (or A-H). It will also tell you which Maintenance Services are required. The FSS is very tricky to access and adjust. The buttons don't seem logical (at least to me). Anyway all the maintenance people try to keep its operation a secret. Here is the procedure to access and reset it. Mercedes Benz CLS Service Reset Instructions fm MB STARTec.pdf These instructions work on my 2007 CLS550. I think they should also work on your 2006. The procedure does vary some by year and model. Note that the position for the key in the ignition lock is position 1. That would be the first click clockwise from Off. Position 0 is Off, 1 is Accessory, 2 is Run and 3 is Start.
And while you're at it, why don't you be official and complete the official "SERVICE SHEET for Mercedes-Benz Maintenance System." Here is the one for your 2006 CLS550. Mercedes Benz 2006 CLS Maintenance Service Sheet.pdf
You'll find that some of the Service Procedures like changing the engine air filter and cabin air filter are much more complicated than most cars. Not hard once you've been shown how or read the directions, but not obvious to the casual observer. You can find those and other procedures by searching forums like this one or Google searches.
When you change the brake pads, don't forget about the thickness sensors.
I think you will find you can do many of the items yourself, but some are best left to the dealer (like changing the transmission fluid and filter). And so for many people they have the dealers do service a la carte instead of the overpriced "A" and "B" Service Specials. I do things like the air filters and most of the inspections myself but I have the dealer do the oil changes and brake fluid flush. My dealer charges $95 for an oil change, which I think is reasonable for 9 quarts of synthetic oil and the funky Mann Fleece Oil Filter, plus they wash the car and have free coffee.
Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.
Last edited by Art-by-Art; 03-16-2010 at 12:16 AM.
03-16-2010, 12:08 PM
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2006 CLS500, 21" Interad Turismo Wheels, Renntech Lowering Module
Hopefully you have the Maintenance Manual that came with the car and service records so you know what has been done and what needs to be done. If not, the Maintenance Manuals are available online at http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/#/servPrtsOverview/. For instance: Replacement of Spark Plugs (Service 12) is recommended at 5 years or 91,000 miles. I don't think your car is 5 years old yet, so net yet required. And the Maintenance Manual doesn't mention replacing spark plug wires, although I would say at some point they should be replaced, but it would depend on your environment and the condition of the wires. The dealers also like to push a Fuel Injector Flush or Cleaning. Again, not mentioned in the Maintenance Manual. Personally, I think with the detergents in today's gasolines it's not necessary to do additional cleaning.
The Service Code letters indicate the number of hours the service is estimated to take. They do not indicate which Maintenance Services are required. The Service Codes are as follows:
Service A: 1 Hour
Service B: 2 Hours
Service C: 3 Hours
Service D: 4 Hours
Service E: 5 Hours
Service F: 6 Hours
Service G: 7 Hours
Service H: 8 Hours
A "+" next to a Service Code (i.e. D+) indicates need for brake service (inspection)
A couple of places to buy Genuine Mercedes Benz parts online are GenuineMercedesParts.com at http://genuinemercedesparts-px.rtrk....?siteid=215306 and autohauzAZ at http://www.autohausaz.com/index.html.
You'll need to reset the Flexible Service System (FSS). That's the indicator that comes up on the center display indicating you need Service C (or A-H). It will also tell you which Maintenance Services are required. The FSS is very tricky to access and adjust. The buttons don't seem logical (at least to me). Anyway all the maintenance people try to keep its operation a secret. Here is the procedure to access and reset it. Attachment 178238 These instructions work on my 2007 CLS550. I think they should also work on your 2006. The procedure does vary some by year and model. Note that the position for the key in the ignition lock is position 1. That would be the first click clockwise from Off. Position 0 is Off, 1 is Accessory, 2 is Run and 3 is Start.
And while you're at it, why don't you be official and complete the official "SERVICE SHEET for Mercedes-Benz Maintenance System." Here is the one for your 2006 CLS550. Attachment 178239
You'll find that some of the Service Procedures like changing the engine air filter and cabin air filter are much more complicated than most cars. Not hard once you've been shown how or read the directions, but not obvious to the casual observer. You can find those and other procedures by searching forums like this one or Google searches.
When you change the brake pads, don't forget about the thickness sensors.
I think you will find you can do many of the items yourself, but some are best left to the dealer (like changing the transmission fluid and filter). And so for many people they have the dealers do service a la carte instead of the overpriced "A" and "B" Service Specials. I do things like the air filters and most of the inspections myself but I have the dealer do the oil changes and brake fluid flush. My dealer charges $95 for an oil change, which I think is reasonable for 9 quarts of synthetic oil and the funky Mann Fleece Oil Filter, plus they wash the car and have free coffee.
Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.
The Service Code letters indicate the number of hours the service is estimated to take. They do not indicate which Maintenance Services are required. The Service Codes are as follows:
Service A: 1 Hour
Service B: 2 Hours
Service C: 3 Hours
Service D: 4 Hours
Service E: 5 Hours
Service F: 6 Hours
Service G: 7 Hours
Service H: 8 Hours
A "+" next to a Service Code (i.e. D+) indicates need for brake service (inspection)
A couple of places to buy Genuine Mercedes Benz parts online are GenuineMercedesParts.com at http://genuinemercedesparts-px.rtrk....?siteid=215306 and autohauzAZ at http://www.autohausaz.com/index.html.
You'll need to reset the Flexible Service System (FSS). That's the indicator that comes up on the center display indicating you need Service C (or A-H). It will also tell you which Maintenance Services are required. The FSS is very tricky to access and adjust. The buttons don't seem logical (at least to me). Anyway all the maintenance people try to keep its operation a secret. Here is the procedure to access and reset it. Attachment 178238 These instructions work on my 2007 CLS550. I think they should also work on your 2006. The procedure does vary some by year and model. Note that the position for the key in the ignition lock is position 1. That would be the first click clockwise from Off. Position 0 is Off, 1 is Accessory, 2 is Run and 3 is Start.
And while you're at it, why don't you be official and complete the official "SERVICE SHEET for Mercedes-Benz Maintenance System." Here is the one for your 2006 CLS550. Attachment 178239
You'll find that some of the Service Procedures like changing the engine air filter and cabin air filter are much more complicated than most cars. Not hard once you've been shown how or read the directions, but not obvious to the casual observer. You can find those and other procedures by searching forums like this one or Google searches.
When you change the brake pads, don't forget about the thickness sensors.
I think you will find you can do many of the items yourself, but some are best left to the dealer (like changing the transmission fluid and filter). And so for many people they have the dealers do service a la carte instead of the overpriced "A" and "B" Service Specials. I do things like the air filters and most of the inspections myself but I have the dealer do the oil changes and brake fluid flush. My dealer charges $95 for an oil change, which I think is reasonable for 9 quarts of synthetic oil and the funky Mann Fleece Oil Filter, plus they wash the car and have free coffee.
Good luck and let us know how it works out for you.
The same goes for the brakes....you mentioned something about the thickness sensors? Those are the things that i want to make sure i cover before i go into this and mess something up electronically.
Is there anything special in these cars that needs to be done differently than any other car?
03-17-2010, 09:15 PM
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2007 CLS550
I did some Google searching on the spark plug/wire replacement and brake change question. Most people seem to say you don't need to replace the wires. I couldn't find a good procedure for replacing the plugs, but some warned you should follow the official MB Star TekInfo or DVD procedure. I didn't realize the engine has 16 spark plugs...Wow! It was hard to find which plug to use. the Bosch F8 DPP 332U plugs cited in the Operator's Manual are no longer sold by that part number. The Bosch web site doesn't list any available plugs for a CLS. How stupid is that. It appears that the current Bosch part number is FR8DPP33. You can get them at autohausAZ for $5.65/each. http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro...umber=fr8dpp33. But if you search autohausAZ for spark plugs for a 2006 CLS500 they have no results, and if you search for a 2007 CLS550 they indicate 8 plugs required and a Bosch YR7MPP33 part number. That's actually the plug for the 350 engine (I checked an E350 Owner's Manual). The OEM spark plug for the CLS is a regular Platinum Plug with one electrode, not 2 or 4 like some of the premium plugs. The other plug cited in the Operator's Manual is n NGK PFR 5R-11. A search by vehicle on the NGK site (http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/index.asp) doesn't even have a listing for the 2007 CLS. A search for the 2006 CLS indicated a PFR 5G-11. I believe both of those plugs are available at auto parts stores under those part numbers. So I'm still confused about which plug is correct and not sure about how many.
As for the brakes, I only did a minor search, but found a nice illustrated procedure for replacing brakes on a 2006 E350. I think those brakes should be same as ours, or close. The site is "Dave Barnhart's Mercedes-Benz E350 Pages." http://www.davebarnhart.com/mbe350/?p=168
Hope this is helpful. I hope someone can provide a good procedure for replacing spark plugs. Seems like a job any home mechanic should be able to do.
As for the brakes, I only did a minor search, but found a nice illustrated procedure for replacing brakes on a 2006 E350. I think those brakes should be same as ours, or close. The site is "Dave Barnhart's Mercedes-Benz E350 Pages." http://www.davebarnhart.com/mbe350/?p=168
Hope this is helpful. I hope someone can provide a good procedure for replacing spark plugs. Seems like a job any home mechanic should be able to do.
Last edited by Art-by-Art; 03-18-2010 at 07:09 PM.
03-20-2010, 11:48 AM
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2007 CLS550
I contacted both Bosch and NGK to inquire about the appropriate spark plug to use on a CLS500/550. The Bosch guy was of little help. He had no cross reference for the Owner's Manual citation for the F8 DPP 332U and also couldn't find the FR8DPP33 in his list. So I just didn't get a very confident feeling about which plug to use.
I did better at NGK. The difference between the PFR 5R-11 and PFR 5G-11 is the 5R plug has a 1 ohm resistor and the 5G has a 5 ohm resistor. He recommended sticking with the plug recommended in the Owner's Manual. The "11" in the Part Number represents the gap measurement. "11" indicates the plug has a gap of 1.1 mm (0.044"). The Owner's Manual specifies a gap of 0.039".
It appears to me that the safest bet, other than getting the spark plugs from the Mercedes dealer (Part Number 003 159 9403), is the NGK PFR 5R-11 and then adjusting the gap to 0.039".
I did better at NGK. The difference between the PFR 5R-11 and PFR 5G-11 is the 5R plug has a 1 ohm resistor and the 5G has a 5 ohm resistor. He recommended sticking with the plug recommended in the Owner's Manual. The "11" in the Part Number represents the gap measurement. "11" indicates the plug has a gap of 1.1 mm (0.044"). The Owner's Manual specifies a gap of 0.039".
It appears to me that the safest bet, other than getting the spark plugs from the Mercedes dealer (Part Number 003 159 9403), is the NGK PFR 5R-11 and then adjusting the gap to 0.039".
03-22-2010, 11:25 PM
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2007 CLS550
Further research indicates the correct OEM Bosch spark plug for 2005-2009 CLS500/550 is Bosch Part Number 7422. That is the current part number for both the F8 DPP 332U and FR8DPP33. And it comes pre-gapped at 1mm (0.039") which matches the Owner's Manual specification. They are available from autohausAZ for $5.29 each and you need 16 of them.
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro...artnumber=7422
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro...artnumber=7422
