change wheel MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 2005 R230 User Guide

205 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving systems of your vehicle are de-
scribed on the following pages:

Cruise control and Distronic*, with
which the vehicle can maintain a preset
speed


ABC with vehicle level control systems,
with which you can change vehicle sus-
pension characteristics


Parktronic*, which assists the driver
during parking maneuvers
For information on the BAS, ABS, and ESP,
see “Driving safety systems” (
page 79).
Cruise control
The cruise control automatically maintains
the speed you set for your vehicle.
Use of cruise control is recommended for
driving at a constant speed for extended
periods of time. You can set or resume
cruise control at any speed above
25 mph (40 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
The cruise control lever is the uppermost
lever found on the left-hand side of the
steering column (
page 22).
Warning!
G
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must remain at
all times responsible for the vehicle speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road,
traffic, and weather conditions make it ad-
visable to travel at a steady speed.

The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.


The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in
tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.


Deactivate the cruise control when driv-
ing in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.

210 Controls in detailDriving systems
Distronic displays in the speedometer
dial
If Distronic detects a vehicle directly
ahead, the DTR indicator lamp E in the
speedometer dial comes on white.
If Distronic calculates that there is a dan-
ger of collision

the DTR warning lamp E in the
speedometer comes on red


an intermittent warning sounds

Immediately brake the vehicle to avoid
a collision.
Under no circumstances should the
driver await the intermittent warning
sound before braking. See the follow-
ing warning note.
The intermittent warning sound ceases
and the red DTR warning lamp E
goes out when the necessary distance
to the vehicle ahead is again estab-
lished.
Warning!
G
Use of Distronic can be dangerous on slip-
pery roads. Rapid changes in tire traction
can result in wheel spin and loss of control.
Distronic does not act upon adverse sight
distance conditions. Do not use Distronic
during conditions of fog and heavy rain,
snow or sleet.Warning!
G
Close attention to road and traffic condi-
tions is imperative at all times, regardless of
whether or not Distronic is activated.
Use of Distronic can be dangerous on wind-
ing roads or in heavy traffic because condi-
tions do not allow safe driving at a steady
speed.
Distronic will not react to stationary objects
in the roadway (e.g. a stopped vehicle in a
traffic jam or a disabled vehicle). Distronic
will also not respond to oncoming vehicles.
Switch off Distronic:

when changing from the left to the right
lane if vehicles are moving more slowly
in the left lane


when entering a turn lane or highway off
ramp


in complex driving situations, such as in
highway construction zones
In these situations, Distronic will continue to
maintain the set speed unless deactivated.
Distronic is designed and intended only to
maintain a set speed and keep a set dis-
tance from moving objects in front of it.
Warning!
G
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.

221 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Vehicle level control
Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to:

reduce fuel consumption


increase vehicle safety
The vehicle chassis ride height is raised or
lowered according to the selected level
setting and to the vehicle speed:


W it h inc re a sing s pe ed, ri de hei ght is re -
duced by up to approximately one inch
(25 mm).


With decreasing speed, the ride height
is again raised to the selected vehicle
level.Select the level 1 and 2 settings only when
required by current driving conditions.
Otherwise:


Fuel consumption may increase.


Handling may be impaired.iThese height adjustments are so small
that you may not notice any change.Warning!
G
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands
and feet away from wheel housing area, and
stay away from under the vehicle when low-
ering the vehicle chassis.

289 Operation
Tires and wheels
Placard (Example B)
1Vehicle Tire Information placard with
recommended cold tire inflation
pressures
Placard (Example B) lists the recommend-
ed cold tire inflation pressures for maxi-
mum loaded vehicle weight. The tire
inflation pressures listed apply to the tires
installed as original equipment.Important notes on tire inflation
pressure
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 placard on the inside of the fuel
filler flap on how to adjust the cold tire in-
flation pressure. If you do not adjust the
tire inflation pressure, excessive heat can
build up and result in sudden tire failure.Be sure to readjust the tire inflation
pressure for normal driving speeds. You
should wait until the tires are cold before
adjusting the tire inflation pressure.
Some vehicles may have supplemental tire
pressure information for vehicle loads less
than the maximum loaded vehicle condi-
tion. If such information is provided, it can
be found on the placard located on the in-
side of the fuel filler flap.
Tire inflation pressure changes by approxi-
mately 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per 18°F (10°C) of
air temperature change. Keep this in mind
when checking tire inflation pressure
where the temperature is different from
the outside temperature.
iPlacard (Example B) may list
recommended cold tire inflation
pressures for different vehicle loads.
Warning!
G
If the tire inflation pressure repeatedly
drops:

Check the tires for punctures from
foreign objects.


Check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim.

293 Operation
Tires and wheels
Reactivating the tire inflation pressure
monitor
The tire inflation pressure monitor must be
reactivated in the following situations:

If you have changed the tire inflation
pressure


If you have replaced the wheels or tires


If you have installed new wheels or
tires

Using the tire placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar or, if available, the inside
of the fuel filler flap, make sure the tire
inflation pressure of all four tires is cor-
rect.

Press button j or k repeatedly
until you see the current tire inflation
pressures for each tire appear in the
multifunction display or the following
message appears in the multifunction
display:Tire pressure
displayed only
after driving
a few minutes

Press the reset button on the instru-
ment cluster (
page 24).
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Monitor current
tire pressure?


Press the æ button.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:Tire pres. monitor

reactivated

The tire inflation pressure monitor will
now monitor the tire inflation pressure
values of all four tires.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display field:
Tire pressure
displayed only
after driving
a few minutesThis display appears until the individual
tire inflation pressure values are
matched with the tires. The individual
values are then displayed
(page 291).
iIf you are transporting a deflated tire in
the vehicle, do not activate the tire
inflation pressure monitor until

the deflated tire is no longer in the
vehicle


you have inflated the tire to the
correct tire inflation pressure

308 OperationTires and wheelsRotating tires
Tire rotation can be performed on vehicles
with tires of the same dimension all
around. If your vehicle is equipped with
tires of the same dimension all around,
tires can be rotated, observing a a
front-to-rear rotation pattern that will
maintain the intended rotation (spinning)
direction of the tire (
page 282).
In some cases, such as when your vehicle
is equipped with mixed-size tires (different
tire dimension front vs. rear), tire rotation
is not possible.If applicable to your vehicle’s tire configu-
ration, tires can be rotated according to
the tire manufacturer's recommended in-
tervals in the tire manufacturer’s warranty
pamphlet located in your vehicle literature
portfolio. If none is available, tires should
be rotated every 3 000 to 6 000 miles
(5 000 to 10 000 km), or sooner if neces-
sary, according to the degree of tire wear.
The same rotation (spinning) direction
must be maintained (
page 282).
Rotate tires before the characteristic tire
wear pattern becomes visible (shoulder
wear on front tires and tread center wear
on rear tires).
Thoroughly clean the mounting face of
wheels and brake disks, i.e. the inner side
of the wheels/tires, during each rotation.
Check for and ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.For information on wheel change, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 372) and
(
page 388).
Warning!
G
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the tires
are of the same dimension.
If your vehicle is equipped with mixed-size
tires (different tire dimensions front vs.
rear), tire rotation is not possible.
Warning!
G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts specified for your vehicle’s rims.

309 Operation
Winter driving
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your vehi-
cle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service in-
cludes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.


Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“S” to a pre-mixed windshield washer
solvent / antifreeze which is formulated
for temperatures below freezing point
(page 437).


Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to ensure
that the engine can be started and the
SBC brake system will be fully opera-
tional even at low ambient tempera-
tures.


Tire change. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends M+S rated radial-ply tires with a
minimum tread depth of approximately 1/6in (4 mm) on all four wheels for the
winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Use of winter tires
is the only way to achieve the maximum ef-
fectiveness of the ABS and ESP in winter
operation.
For safe handling, make sure all winter
tires mounted are of the same make and
have the same tread design.
!When scraping ice or snow from the
rear window, be careful not to damage
the sealing strip or apertures along the
side of the window.
Warning!
G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.

365 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
H
Tire pressure
Please rectify
The tire inflation pressure is too
low in one or more tires.

Check and correct tire inflation pressure as required
(page 290).
Tire pressure
Caution
Tire defect
One or more tires is deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoiding abrupt
steering and braking maneuvers. Observe the traffic
situation around you.

Change the wheel (
page 388).

Vehicles with Tirefit: Temporarily repair tire using
TIREFIT (
page 388) or contact Roadside Assistance.
If tire cannot be temporarily repaired using TIREFIT,
contact Roadside Assistance.

Have the damaged wheel repaired or replaced at an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
You may lose control of the vehicle. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.

366 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
H
Tire pressure
Check tires
The tire inflation pressure in one
or more tires is already below the
minimum value.
The tire inflation pressure in one
or more tires is low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoiding abrupt
steering and braking maneuvers. Observe the traffic
situation around you.

If necessary, change the wheel (
page 388).

Vehicles with Tirefit: If necessary, temporarily repair
tire using TIREFIT (
page 388) or contact Roadside
Assistance. If tire cannot be temporarily repaired using
TIREFIT, contact Roadside Assistance.

Have the damaged wheel repaired or replaced at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.

367 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
H
Tire pressure, FL
Caution
Tire defect
The left front tire is deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoiding abrupt
steering and braking maneuvers. Observe the traffic
situation around you.

Change the wheel (
page 388).

Vehicles with Tirefit: Temporarily repair tire using
TIREFIT (
page 388) or contact Roadside Assistance.
If tire cannot be temporarily repaired using TIREFIT,
contact Roadside Assistance.

Have the damaged wheel repaired or replaced at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Tire pressure, FL
Check
tires
The left front tire inflation pres-
sure is low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt.

Check the tire.

Check and adjust the tire inflation pressure.

If necessary, change the wheel (
page 388).
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
You may lose control of the vehicle. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.