MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 2003 R230 Owner's Manual

301 Practical hints
Replacing wiper blades
Replacing wiper blades
Removing
Turn key in starter switch to position1.

Turn combination switch to wiper
setting2 (
page 44).

With wiper arm in the vertical position
(see above), turn key in starter switch
to position0.

Fold wiper arm forward.
You should hear it snap into place.

Turn wiper blade at a right angle to the
wiper arm.

Slide the wiper blade sideways out of
the retainer.
Installing
Slide wiper blade onto wiper arm.

Rotate wiper blade into position paral-
lel to wiper arm.

Fold wiper arm back so that blade rests
on windshield.
!To avoid damage to the hood, the wiper
arms should only be folded forward
when in the vertical position.
Warning!
G
For safety reasons, remove key from starter
switch before replacing a wiper blade, other-
wise the motor could suddenly turn on and
cause injury.
!Never open the hood when the wiper
arm is folded forward.
Do not allow the wiper arms to contact
the windshield glass without a wiper
blade inserted.
For your convenience, we recommend
that you have this work carried out by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

302 Practical hintsFlat tire
Flat tireYour vehicle is equipped with a TIREFIT kit
(SL 55 AMG only) or a spare wheel
(SL 500 only).
You can identify which TIREFIT kit
(SL 55 AMG only) you have as follows:

The TIREFIT container of kit 1 is a
squeeze container.


The TIREFIT container of kit 2 is a rigid
container.
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.

Turn on the hazard warning flashers.

Engage the steering wheel lock in the
straight ahead position and set the
parking brake.

Move the selector lever to P.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Sealing tires with TIREFIT kit 1
Small tire punctures, particularly those in
the tread, can be sealed with TIREFIT.
TIREFIT can be used in ambient tempera-
tures down to -4°F (-20°C).The TIREFIT kit stored in the trunk contains
the TIREFIT container, a filler hose, a valve
stem tool, a valve, and a sticker.Warning!
G
Keep TIREFIT away from sparks, open flame
or heat source.
Do not smoke.
Warning!
G
TIREFIT is a limited repair device. TIREFIT
cannot be used for cuts or punctures larger
than approx. 0.16 in (4 mm) and tire dam-
age caused by driving with extremely low
tire pressure, or on a flat tire, or a damaged
wheel.
Do not drive the vehicle under such circum-
stances.
Contact your nearest Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter for assistance or call Roadside
Assistance.

303 Practical hints
Flat tire

Foreign objects (e.g. screws or nails)
should not be removed from the tire.

Attach the sticker where it will be easily
seen by the driver on the instrument
cluster.
1Filler hose
2TIREFIT container

Shake contents of TIREFIT container1.

Screw hose1 on to TIREFIT container
2.
TIREFIT is now ready for use.Warning!
G
Take care not to allow the contents of
T I R E F I T t o c o m e i n c o n t a c t w i t h h a i r , e y e s o r
clothing. TIREFIT is harmful if inhaled, swal-
lowed or absorbed through the skin - causes
skin, eye and respiratory irritation.
Any contact with eyes or skin should be
flushed immediately with plenty of water.
If clothing comes in contact with TIREFIT,
change clothing as soon as possible.
In case of allergic reaction or rash, consult a
physician immediately.
Warning!
G
Keep TIREFIT out of reach of children.
If swallowed, rinse mouth immediately with
plenty of water and drink plenty of water.
Do not induce vomiting!
Consult a physician immediately.
Keep away from open flame or heat source.

304 Practical hintsFlat tire1Valve stem
2Valve stem tool
3TIREFIT container
4Filler hose
5Filler hose plug
6Tire valve core
Unscrew the valve cap from valve1.

Remove tire valve core6 from valve
stem 1 using valve stem tool 2. Keep
tire valve6 clean and dry.

Remove plug 5 from end of hose4.

Push hose 4 onto valve stem 1.

Hold TIREFIT container 3 upside down
(hose down) and squeeze firmly several
times until entire contents of the con-
tainer are in tire.

Pull hose 4 off and screw tire valve 6
tightly into the valve stem 1 using the
valve stem tool 2.

Reinstall valve cap on valve stem 1.

Install plug 5 onto end of hose 4.iIf the removed tire valve core is dirty,
use the spare tire valve core stored
with the valve stem tool.iIf sealant has leaked out, let it dry. You
can then peel it off.

305 Practical hints
Flat tire

Drive the vehicle back and forth very
slowly approximately 30 ft (10 m).
This distributes the TIREFIT sealant ma-
terial inside the tire.

Take the electric air pump out of the
trunk.
1Flap
2Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
3Union nut
4Electrical plug

Open flap 1 on air pump.

Pull out electrical plug 4 and air hose
with the pressure gauge 2.

Screw the air hose 2 onto the tire valve.

Insert electrical plug 4 into vehicle ci-
gar lighter socket.

Turn the key in the ignition to position
1 (
page 29).
or

Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button on the selector lever once. Do
not depress brake pedal.

Press I on the electric air pump switch.
The electric air pump should now
switch on and inflate the tire.
After 5 minutes, the pressure gauge must
display at least 26 psi (1.8 bar). The air
hose and the union nut can become hot
during inflation. Please exercise appropri-
ate caution.

If this tire pressure is not attained, turn
off the electric air pump, detach the air
hose from the tire valve, and again
drive vehicle back and forth very slowly
approximately 30 ft (10 m).
This serves to better distribute the
TIREFIT sealant material inside the tire.

Inflate the tire again.
Warning!
G
Observe safety instructions on air pump la-
bel.

306 Practical hintsFlat tire
Press 0 on the electric air pump switch.

Turn the key in the ignition to
position0.
or

Press KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
on the selector lever twice. Do not de-
press brake pedal.
The electric air pump should now be
switched off.

Detach the electric air pump.
The air hose may still be hot. Please ex-
ercise appropriate caution.

Store the electrical plug and the air
hose behind the flap and place the air
pump back in the trunk.

Close the trunk lid.

Drive away immediately.
The TIREFIT sealant will distribute itself
evenly inside the tire.

After driving vehicle for an initial
10 minutes, check tire pressure using
the pressure gauge on the air pump.
!Do not operate the electric air pump
longer than eight minutes without in-
terruption. Otherwise it may overheat.
You may operate the air pump again af-
ter it has cooled off.
Warning!
G
If a tire pressure of 26 psi (1.8 bar) is not at-
tained, tire is too severely damaged for
TIREFIT to provide a reliable tire repair.
In this case, TIREFIT cannot properly seal
the tire.
Do not drive the vehicle.
Contact the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
or call Roadside Assistance.
Warning!
G
Do not exceed vehicle speed of
50 mph (80 km / h). A TIREFIT repair is not
designed to operate at higher speeds.
The sticker must be attached on the instru-
ment cluster where it will be easily seen by
the driver.
Vehicle handling characteristics may
change. Adapt your driving accordingly.

307 Practical hints
Flat tire

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible to obtain a
new TIREFIT kit.

Bring used TIREFIT materials to an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
proper disposal.

Replace your TIREFIT kit every four
years. Kits are available at your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
If tire pressure has fallen below
20 psi (1.3 bar) do not continue to drive the
vehicle.
Park your vehicle safely away from the road-
way and contact the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or Roadside Assis-
tance.
I f ti re pre s su re is a t l ea s t 2 0 ps i (1 .3 bar ), in -
flate tire to correct pressure (see label on
fuel filler flap), and drive vehicle to nearest
tire repair facility to have tire repaired or re-
placed.
Recommended duration of use:
300 miles (500 km) at 50 mph (80 km / h)
with the recommended tire pressure.
Warning!
G
Follow recommend tire pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflating tires
can result in sudden deflation (blowout) be-
cause they are more likely to become punc-
tured or damaged by road debris, potholes
etc.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more likely to fail
from being overheated.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified vehicle capacity weight (as indicat-
ed by the label on the pillar in the driver’s
door opening). Overloading the tires can
overheat them, possibly causing a blowout.
Warning!
G
Do not exceed vehicle speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h). A TIREFIT repair is not designed
to operate at higher speeds.
The sticker must be attached on the instru-
ment cluster where it will be easily seen by
the driver.
Vehicle handling characteristics may
change. Adapt your driving accordingly.

308 Practical hintsFlat tireSealing tires with TIREFIT kit 2
Small tire punctures, particularly those in
the tread, can be sealed with TIREFIT.
TIREFIT can be used in ambient tempera-
tures down to -4°F (-20°C).

Foreign objects (e.g. screws or nails)
should not be removed from the tire.

Take TIREFIT, the sticker, and the elec-
tric air pump out of the trunk.

Attach the sticker where it will be easily
seen by the driver on the instrument
cluster.
Warning!
G
Keep TIREFIT away from sparks, open flame
or heat source.
Do not smoke.
Warning!
G
TIREFIT is a limited repair device. TIREFIT
cannot be used for cuts or punctures larger
than approx. 0.16 in (4 mm) and tire dam-
age caused by driving with extremely low
tire pressure, or on a flat tire, or a damaged
wheel.
Do not drive the vehicle under such circum-
stances.
Contact your nearest Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter for assistance or call Roadside
Assistance.
Warning!
G
Take care not to allow the contents of
TIREFIT to come in contact with hair, eyes or
clothing. TIREFIT is harmful if inhaled, swal-
lowed or absorbed through the skin - causes
skin, eye and respiratory irritation.
Any contact with eyes or skin should be
flushed immediately with plenty of water.
If clothing comes in contact with TIREFIT,
change clothing as soon as possible.
In case of allergic reaction or rash, consult a
physician immediately.Warning!
G
Keep TIREFIT out of reach of children.
If swallowed, rinse mouth immediately with
plenty of water and drink plenty of water.
Do not induce vomiting!
Consult a physician immediately.
Keep away from open flame or heat source.

309 Practical hints
Flat tire
1TIREFIT container
2Flap
3Notch
4Electrical plug
5Air hose
6Flange
Open flap2 on the electric air pump.

Pull plug4 and air hose5 out of the
pump housing.

Screw the air pump’s air hose5 onto
flange6 of the TIREFIT container.

Stick TIREFIT container1 upside down
into notch3 of the electric air pump.
7Tire valve
8Electric air pump switch
9Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
10Filler hose

Unscrew the valve cap from tire
valve7.

Screw filler hose10 onto tire valve7.

Insert electrical plug4 into vehicle cig-
arette lighter socket.

Turn the key in the ignition to
position1 (
page 29).
or

Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 30) on the selector le-
ver once. Do not depress brake pedal.

PressI on electric air pump switch8.
The electric air pump should now
switch on and inflate the tire.
iIf sealant has leaked out, let it dry. You
can then peel it off.
Warning!
G
Observe safety instructions on air pump la-
bel.
!Do not operate the electric air pump
longer than eight minutes without in-
terruption. Otherwise it may overheat.
You may operate the air pump again af-
ter it has cooled off.

310 Practical hintsFlat tireAfter 5 minutes, the pressure gauge must
display at least 26 psi (1.8 bar). The air
hose can become hot during inflation.
Please exercise appropriate caution.
If this tire pressure is not attained, turn
off the electric air pump, detach the fill-
er hose from the tire valve, and drive
vehicle back and forth very slowly ap-
proximately 30 ft (10 m).
This serves to better distribute the
TIREFIT sealant material inside the tire.

Unscrew the air pump’s air hose5 from
flange6 of the TIREFIT container.

Inflate the tire again.

After attaining a tire pressure of 26 psi
(1.8 bar), press0 on electric air pump
switch8.
The electric air pump should now be
switched off.

Turn the key in the ignition to
position0 (
page 29).
or

Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 30) on the selector le-
ver once. Do not depress brake pedal.

Detach the electric air pump.
The air hose may still be hot. Please ex-
ercise appropriate caution.

Store the electrical plug and the air
hose behind the flap and place the air
pump back in the trunk.

Close the trunk lid.

Drive away immediately.
The TIREFIT sealant will distribute itself
evenly inside the tire.
Warning!
G
If a tire pressure of 26 psi (1.8 bar) is not at-
tained, tire is too severely damaged for
TIREFIT to provide a reliable tire repair.
In this case, TIREFIT cannot properly seal
the tire.
Do not drive the vehicle.
Contact the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
or call Roadside Assistance.
Warning!
G
Do not exceed vehicle speed of
50 mph (80 km / h). A TIREFIT repair is not
designed to operate at higher speeds.
The sticker must be attached on the instru-
ment cluster where it will be easily seen by
the driver.
Vehicle handling characteristics may
change. Adapt your driving accordingly.