CLK Mileage Display - new model W209

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saorbust

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 24, 2003
Messages
1,444
Car
CLS350CDI
Hi all,

Quick Question to new CLK owners. We've had ours for about 2000 miles now.

Thing is, whenever you engage speedtronic or the cruise control - the digital display 'speed' is not the same as the speedo needle reading. EG, when the speed needle is on the 80 figure exactly - and you engage cruise control, the cruise control reports 84 mph or therabouts.

Normally I wouldn't worry too much, but given the amount of speed cameras etc in this country I'd like to know how fast I'm actually going !

I asked the dealer to calibrate it when they fixed a problem - they said they had, but I don't think so. Any ideas ? Any one else tried this ?
 
I don't have a CLK, but just thought I'd mention mine is always identical, the speedo, the digital speed display and the cruise control setting.
 
Mine does the same. I think the cruise is more accurate than the speedo .

When ive got my GPS setup the speed on the GPS matches the speed displayed on the speedo when im using the limiter.

LEt me know it its a fault , but , ive just taken it as read. :S
 
Good to know I'm not alone !! Okay now how to fix it...
 
Pretty sure my Cruise and Speedo read the same although I'll check on the way home tonight :)

Gav.
 
Checked on the way home and my reads correct :)

Gav.
 
I've noticed mines not always correct either.

Put cruise on 32mph to get needle on 30 marker
Put cruise on 72 to get 70 on the speedo needle

In between its a little hit and miss - some readings are correct other are out by 3-4mph.


Haven't tried it against the gps on the Navman as yet, but be grateful you haven't got a Nissan - afew weeks ago I had an Almera hire car and I couldn't figure out why so mnuch traffic was passing me on the motorways and why it took forever to catch HGVs in the distance - -then looked at the gps to find 70mph was 63mph by the gps - needed to put 78 on the speedo to get 70mph by the gps !!!.

Whilst i'd like to believe the gps, its too late when the envelope drops through the letter box ! :confused:
 
Jason,

Yep CLK320 (W209) only 8 months old :)

Gav.
 
Glad I'm not alone - I will attempt to rectify via the dealer and let you know how I get on.
 
Thanks , let us know how you get on . I just put up with it TBH.

I must admit the cluster on my 202 was dead on :S
 
I have a 209 and my digital and analogue speedo readouts are always different, and both are wrong :rolleyes:

At a steady 70 on analogue readout, digital readout is 72/73 and GPS is 68. Doesn't bother me as I've never known a digital speedo on a a car be accurate and I only use my GPS anyway. The speedo on the Nissan 350Z is particularly comical and seems to read 9mph over at 80mph! Doesn't seem to worth the aggro of getting it changed IMHO

Cheers
Andy
 
Not had time to read the owners manual, how do I check the GPS speed?

Gav.
 
Buy a Road Pilot :D

I assume you mean the GPS speed relayed to your COMAND, sorry can't help as haven't got it. Would probably tell me I was doing 570mph through the Peruvian jungle knowing my car!

Cheers
Andy
 
Been out logging speeds tonight in my CLK270

As follows:-

Speedo / Cruise Display / gps (by Navman/iPaQ)
30 30 27
40 40 38
50 51 49
60 61 58
70 71 69
80 82 78

Using speed limiter :-
set limiter at 50, speedo needle 50 and gps 47
set limiter at 70, speedo needle at 70 and gps 68.


Conclusions:-
1. speedo is pretty accurate,
2. cruise readout gives highest reading
3. both are higher than your actual speed (assuming gps to be accurate) .
4. limiter function probably uses the same signal as the cruise control

but most importantly,
5. Using the speedo needle will keep you out of trouble


Not sure whether this is still the case but speedo needles had not to under read, but could over read over by up to 10%, ie an indicated 70 could not be over 70mph actual, but could be as low as 63mph actual.

Also bear in mind that the speedo / cruise signal will depend on tyre sizes and wear rates. Whilst the rolling circumference of 16 / 17 / 18 inch factory wheel options are fairly close they are not identical. This will give some slight variations.

And lastly, new tyres have a rolling cirumference of 40 or so millimetres more than when they are at the wear indicators (equivalent to 2% or 1mph @ 50mph).
 
>> Also bear in mind that the speedo / cruise signal will depend on tyre sizes and wear rates. Whilst the rolling circumference of 16 / 17 / 18 inch factory wheel options are fairly close they are not identical. This will give some slight variations.

I guess with my 18" AMGs this make my speedo/cruise reading spot on :bannana: :bannana: :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

Gav.
 
These are the rolling circumferences of the factory options:-

18 inch
225/40/18 2003mm
255/35/18 1998mm

17inch
225/45/17 1994mm
245/40/17 1973mm


16 inch
205/55/16 1986mm
225/50/16 1984mm


So between the lowest and the highest is 1.5%

Given that the stock wheel is 16 inches then the AMGs could be out by 0.9% (ie it ain't worth worrying about !)
:) :) :)
 
>> AMGs could be out by 0.9%

Unless the Donkeys @ MB calibrated it using the AMGs :)

Gav.
 
Wow great info thanks. I will check tomorrow with my Garmin GPS device !!

With wheel size check the calibration option in the COMAND system.

Cheers everyone - I guess over reading on the speedo needle is better than under reading !
 
>> Cheers everyone - I guess over reading on the speedo needle is better than under reading !

As CLK mentioned this is the law as speedos HAVE to over read.

Checkout www.pistonheads.com.

Gav.
 

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