warning MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS 2011 Owners Manual

For more information on coolant, see the
“Technical data” section (Y page 304) and
(Y page 307).
Washer system and headlamp
cleaning system
GWarning!
Washer solvent/antifreeze is highly
flammable. Do not spill washer solvent/
antifreeze on hot engine parts, because it may
ignite and burn. You could be seriously
burned.
! Always use washer solvent/antifreeze
where temperatures may fall below
freezing point. Failure to do so could result
in damage to the washer system/fluid
reservoir.
! Only use washer fluid which is suitable for
plastic lenses. Improper washer fluid can
damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.
! Do not use distilled or deionized water in
the washer fluid reservoir. Otherwise, the
washer fluid level sensor could be
damaged.
Fluid for the washer system and the headlamp
cleaning system is supplied from the washer
fluid reservoir.
During all seasons, use MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit”. Mix it
with water or premixed washer solvent/
antifreeze depending on the ambient
temperature (Y page 309).
XOpening washer fluid reservoir: Pull tab
of cap \000F upwards.
XRefill the washer fluid reservoir.XClosing washer fluid reservoir: Press
cap \000F onto filler hole until it engages.
For more information, see “Washer system
and headlamp cleaning system”
(Y page 305).
Brake fluid level
! If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum
mark or below, have the brake system
checked for brake pad thickness and leaks
immediately. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately. Do
not add brake fluid as this will not solve the
problem. For more information, see
“Practical hints”.
When checking the brake fluid level, the
vehicle must be parked on level ground.
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The brake fluid level is correct when it is
between lower mark (MIN) 0047 and upper
mark (MAX) 0046 of the brake fluid reservoir.
Tires and wheels
Safety notes
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.
GWarning!
Replace rims or tires with the same
designation, manufacturer and type as shown
on the original part. For further information
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If incorrectly sized rims and tires are
mounted, the wheel brakes or suspension
components can be damaged. Also, the
operating clearance of the wheels and the
tires may no longer be correct.
GWarning!
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the tire
tread is worn to minimum tread depth, 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
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, since
previous damage cannot always be
recognized on retreads. The operating safety
of the vehicle cannot be assured when such
tires are used.
GWarning!
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possible
damage to your vehicle has occurred, you
should turn on the hazard warning flashers,
carefully slow down, and drive with caution to
an area which is a safe distance from the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or
tire dealer for repairs.GWarning!
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
could lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high speed
with a flat tire will cause excessive heat build-
up and possibly a fire.
Important guidelines
R Only use sets of tires and rims of the same
type and make.
R Tires must be of the correct size for the rim.
R Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate speeds.
R Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bent rims can cause tire
inflation pressure loss and damage to the
tire beads.
R If the vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
inflation pressure and correct as required.
R 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
/ 8 in (3 mm).
R When replacing individual tires, you should
mount new tires on the front wheels first
(on vehicles with same-sized wheels all
around).
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Recommended tire inflation pressureGWarning!
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adversely
affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires can
adversely affect handling and ride comfort,
wear unevenly, increase stopping distance,
and result in sudden deflation (blowout)
because they are more likely to become
punctured or damaged by road debris,
potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard 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.
Your vehicle is equipped with the Tire and
Loading Information placard located on the
driver’s door B-pillar (Y page 193).
The tire inflation pressure should be checked
regularly. Only adjust the tire inflation
pressure on cold tires. The tires can be
considered cold if the vehicle has been
parked for at least 3 hours or driven less than
1 mile (1.6 km). Depending on the ambient
temperature, the driving speed and the tire
load, the tire temperature changes. When the
tire temperature changes by 18‡ (10†), the
tire inflation pressure will change by
approximately 1.5 psi (0.1 bar). Keep this in
mind when checking tire inflation pressure on
warm tires and adjust the tire pressure only
if the tire inflation pressure is too low for the
current operating conditions. If you check the
tire inflation pressure when the tires are
warm, the reading will be higher than the cold
reading. This is normal. Do not let air out to
match the specified cold tire inflation
pressure. Otherwise, the tire will be
underinflated.
Follow recommended cold tire inflation
pressures listed on Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar.
Keeping the tires properly inflated provides
the best handling, tread life and riding
comfort.
In addition to the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar, also consult the tire inflation
pressure label on the inside of the filler flap
for any additional information pertaining to
special driving situations. For more
information, see “Important notes on tire
inflation pressure” (Y page 188).
iData shown on Tire and Loading
Information placard example are for
illustration purposes only. Tire data are
specific to each vehicle and may vary from
data shown in the following illustration.
Refer to Tire and Loading Information
placard on vehicle for actual data specific
to your vehicle.
The Tire and Loading Information placard lists
the recommended cold tire inflation
pressures \000F for maximum loaded vehicle
weight. The tire inflation pressures listed
apply to the tires installed as original
equipment.
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Important notes on tire inflation
pressure
GWarning!
If the tire inflation pressure drops repeatedly,
check the tires for punctures from foreign
objects and/or whether air is leaking from the
valves or from around the rim.
Tire temperature and tire inflation pressure
are also increased while driving, depending
on the driving speed and the tire load.
If you will be driving your vehicle at high
speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h) or higher,
where it is legal and conditions allow, consult
the tire inflation pressure label on the inside
of the fuel filler flap on how to adjust the cold
tire inflation pressure. If you do not adjust the
tire inflation pressure, excessive heat can
build up and result in sudden tire failure.
If you are not sure about the proper tire
inflation pressure, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iDriving comfort may be reduced when the
tire inflation pressure is adjusted to the
value for speeds above 100 mph
(160 km/h) as specified on the tire inflation
pressure label located on the inside of the
fuel filler flap.
Make sure to readjust the tire inflation
pressure for normal driving speeds.
Supplemental tire inflation pressure
information for different loading conditions of
the vehicle can be found on the tire inflation
pressure label. The tire inflation pressure
label is located on the inside of the fuel filler
flap.
For the tire inflation pressure for spare
wheels such as Minispare wheels or spare
wheels with collapsible tire refer to
Rthe yellow label on the spare wheel rim
Rthe “Technical data” section of this
Operator’s Manual (Y page 303)
Rthe Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver’s door B-pillar
Unless specified otherwise, the tire inflation
pressures on the tire inflation pressure label
are valid for all approved, factory-equipped
tires.
iData shown on tire inflation pressure
label examples are for illustration purposes
only. Tire inflation pressure data are
specific to each vehicle and may vary from
data shown in the following illustrations.
Refer to the tire inflation pressure label on
vehicle for actual data specific to your
vehicle.
Example illustration: Tire inflation pressures for allapproved, factory equipped tires
When a tire size is specified, the tire inflation
pressure that follows applies to that
particular tire size only.
Example illustration: Tire inflation pressures forparticular tire sizes
Some tire inflation pressure labels may only
show the rim diameter instead of the entire
tire size, e.g. R 18 or 18".
The rim diameter is part of the tire size as
specified on the tire sidewall (Y page 201).
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Example illustration: Tire inflation pressuresspecific to rim diameter
Potential problems associated with
underinflated and overinflated tires
Underinflated tires
GWarning!
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adversely
affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Underinflated tires can
Rcause excessive and uneven tire wear
Radversely affect fuel economy
Rlead to tire failure from being overheated
Radversely affect handling characteristics
Overinflated tires
GWarning!
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires can
adversely affect handling and ride comfort,
wear unevenly, increase stopping distance,
and result in sudden deflation (blowout)
because they are more likely to become
punctured or damaged by road debris,
potholes etc.
Overinflated tires can
Radversely affect handling characteristics
Rcause uneven tire wear
Rbe more prone to damage from road
hazards
Radversely affect ride comfort
Rincrease stopping distance
Checking tire inflation pressure
Safety notes
GWarning!
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adversely
affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires can
adversely affect handling and ride comfort,
wear unevenly, increase stopping distance,
and result in sudden deflation (blowout)
because they are more likely to become
punctured or damaged by road debris,
potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard 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.
Check the tire inflation pressure at least once
a month.
Check and adjust the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are cold (Y page 187).
Checking tire inflation pressure
manually
Follow the steps below to achieve correct tire
inflation pressure:
XRemove the cap from the valve on one tire.XFirmly press a tire gauge onto the valve.XRead the tire inflation pressure on the tire
gauge and check against the
recommended tire inflation pressure on the
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Tire and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar ( Y page 194). If
necessary, add air to achieve the
recommended tire inflation pressure.XIf you have overfilled the tire, release tire
inflation pressure by pushing the metal
stem of the valve with e.g. a tip of a pen.
Then recheck the tire inflation pressure
with the tire gauge.XInstall the valve cap.XRepeat this procedure for each tire.
Advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (Advanced TPMS)
Your vehicle is equipped with the Advanced
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (Advanced
TPMS). It measures the tire inflation pressure
in the vehicle’s tires and issues warnings in
case of pressure loss in one or more of the
tires.
The TPMS is equipped with a combination low
tire pressure/TPMS malfunction telltale
(USA) or a low tire pressure telltale (Canada)
in the instrument cluster. Depending on how
the telltale illuminates, it indicates a low tire
pressure condition or a malfunction in the
TPMS system itself:
R If the telltale illuminates continuously, one
or more of your tires is significantly
underinflated. There is no malfunction in
the TPMS.
R USA only: If the telltale flashes for 60
seconds and then stays illuminated, the
TPMS system itself is not operating
properly.
The TPMS only functions on wheels that are
equipped with the proper electronic sensors.
GWarning!
The TPMS does not indicate a warning for
wrongly selected inflation pressures. Always
adjust tire inflation pressure according to the
Tire and Loading Information placard or the
supplemental tire inflation pressure
information on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
The TPMS is not able to issue a warning due
to a sudden dramatic loss of pressure (e.g. tire
blowout caused by a foreign object). In this
case bring the vehicle to a halt by carefully
applying the brakes and avoiding abrupt
steering maneuvers.GWarning!
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door B-
pillar or the tire inflation pressure label on the
inside of the fuel filler flap. If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated
on the Tire and Loading Information placard
or the tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires are significantly underinflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly underinflated tire causes the tire
to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s
handling and stopping ability. Please note that
the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire
maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
USA only:
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
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iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
2. this device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1.This device may not cause interference,
and
2. this device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
Tire inflation pressure warnings
If the system detects a significant loss of tire
inflation pressure in one or more than one
tire, a message appears in the multifunction
display. In addition, an acoustic warning
sounds and the low tire pressure telltale in the
instrument cluster comes on.
The respective tire is indicated by a red
rectangle.
Restarting Advanced TPMSGWarning!
It is the driver’s responsibility to set the tire
inflation pressure to the recommended cold
tire inflation pressure. Underinflated tires
affect the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
You might lose control over the vehicle.
When you restart the TPMS, the system sets
new reference values for each tire.
The TPMS must be restarted when you have
adjusted the tire inflation pressure to a new
level (e.g. because of different load or driving
conditions). The TPMS is then recalibrated to
the current tire inflation pressures.
iCanada only:
The TPMS usually recognizes tire pressure
adjustments and sets new reference values
automatically. You can, however, restart
the TPMS manually as described.
Restart the TPMS after adjusting the tire
inflation pressure to the inflation pressure
recommended for the vehicle operating
condition. Tire inflation pressure should only
be adjusted on cold tires. Observe the
recommended tire inflation pressure on the
Tire and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar. Some vehicles may have
supplemental tire inflation pressure
information for driving at high speeds or for
vehicle loads less than the maximum loaded
vehicle condition. If such information is
provided, it can be found on the inside of the
fuel filler flap.
XUsing the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver’s door B-pillar
(Y page 194) or the supplemental tire
inflation pressure information on the inside
of the fuel filler flap, make sure the tire
inflation pressure of all four tires is correct.
XSwitch on the ignition.XPress button \000Y or \000X on the
multifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display appears in the
multifunction display (Y page 116).
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XPress button \000\) or \000- repeatedly until
you see the current inflation pressures for
each tire appear in the display or the
following message appears in the
multifunction display:
Tire pressure
displayed after
driving for
a few minutes.
XPress the reset button (Y page 111).
The following message will appear in the
multifunction display:
Restart tire
pressure monitor?
XIf you wish to confirm: Press button
\000Z.
The following message will appear in the
multifunction display:
Tire Pressure Monitor
Restarted
After driving a few minutes the system
verifies that the current tire inflation
pressures are within the system’s specified
range. Afterwards the current tire inflation
pressures are accepted as reference values
and then monitored.
XIf you wish to cancel: Press button \000[.
iWhen the wheel positions have been
changed, the inflation pressure of a tire
may be displayed for the wrong position
temporarily. After driving for a few minutes,
the inflation pressure will be shown for the
correct position.
Maximum tire inflation pressure
GWarning!
Never exceed the maximum tire inflation
pressure. Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adversely
affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires can
adversely affect handling and ride comfort,
wear unevenly, increase stopping distance,
and result in sudden deflation (blowout)
because they are more likely to become
punctured or damaged by road debris,
potholes etc.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and
may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
This is the maximum permissible tire inflation
pressure \000F for the tire.
Always follow the recommended tire inflation
pressure (Y page 187) for proper tire
inflation.
Loading the vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry.
(1)The Tire and Loading Information placard
can be found on the driver’s door
B-pillar. This placard tells you important
information about the number of people
that can be in the vehicle and the total
weight that can be carried in the vehicle.
It also contains information on the proper
size and recommended tire inflation
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pressures for the original equipment tires
on your vehicle.
(2)The certification label, also found on the
driver’s door B-pillar. It tells you about the
gross weight capacity of your vehicle,
called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and
cargo. The certification label also tells
you about the front and rear axle weight
capacity, called the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR).
The GAWR is the total allowable weight
that can be carried by a single axle (front
or rear). Never exceed the GVWR or
GAWR for either the front axle or rear
axle.
\000FDriver’s door B-pillar
Following is a discussion on how to work with
the information contained on the Tire and
Loading Information placard with regards to
loading your vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information
GWarning!
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard 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.
Tire and Loading Information placard
iData shown on Tire and Loading
Information placard example are for
illustration purposes only. Load limit data
are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in the following
illustration. Refer to Tire and Loading
Information placard on vehicle for actual
data specific to your vehicle.
The Tire and Loading Information placard
showing load limit information \000F is located
on the driver’s door B-pillar (Y page 194).
XLocate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kilograms or XXX lbs.”
on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
The combined weight of all occupants,
cargo/luggage and trailer tongue load (if
applicable) should never exceed the weight
referenced in that statement.
Seating capacity
iData shown on Tire and Loading
Information placard example are for
illustration purposes only. Seating capacity
data are specific to each vehicle and may
vary from data shown in the following
illustration. Refer to Tire and Loading
Information placard on vehicle for actual
data specific to your vehicle.
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Maximum tire loadGWarning!
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard 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.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and
may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
The maximum tire load rating \000F is the
maximum weight the tires are designed to
support.
For more information on tire load rating, see
(Y page 202).
For information on calculating total and cargo
load capacities, see (Y page 195).
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantages,
such as better hydroplaning performance. To
benefit, however, you must make sure the
tires rotate in the direction specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the
intended direction of rotation of the tire.
Spare wheels may be mounted against the
direction of rotation (spinning) even with a
unidirectional tire for temporary use only until
the regular drive wheel has been repaired or
replaced. Always observe and follow
applicable temporary use restrictions and
speed limitations indicated on the spare
wheel.
MOExtended system
The MOExtended system allows you to
continue driving your vehicle even if there is
a total loss of pressure in one or more tires.
You may only use the MOExtended system in
conjunction with the Advanced TPMS
(Y page 190).
For information on driving in case of pressure
loss in one or more tires (emergency mode),
see the “Practical hints” section
(Y page 283).
Tire care and maintenance
GWarning!
Regularly check the tires for damage.
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation
pressure loss. As a result, you could lose
control of your vehicle.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the tire
tread is worn to minimum tread depth, or if
the tires have sustained damage, replace
them.
Check the tire inflation pressure at least once
a month. For more information on checking
tire inflation pressure, see “Recommended
tire inflation pressure” (Y page 187).
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