service MERCEDES-BENZ SL550 2008 R230 Owner's Manual

Our company and staff congratulate you
on the purchase of your new
Mercedes-Benz.
Your selection of our product is a demon-
stration of your trust in our company
name. Furthermore, it exemplifies your de-
sire to own an automobile that will be as
easy as possible to operate and provide
years of service.
Your Mercedes-Benz represents the
efforts of many skilled engineers and
craftsmen. To help assure your driving
pleasure, and also the safety of you and
your passengers, we ask you to make a
small investment of time:
Please read this manual carefully, then
return it to your vehicle where it will be
handy for your reference.

Please follow the recommendations
contained in this manual. They are
designed to acquaint you with the oper-
ation of your Mercedes-Benz.

Please pay attention to the warnings
and cautions contained in this manual.
They are designed to help improve
the safety of the vehicle operator and
occupants.
We extend our best wishes for many miles
of safe, pleasurable driving.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
A DaimlerChrysler Company

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting safety defects ................ 18
Vehicle data recording ......................... 19
Information regarding electronic
recording devices ........................... 19At a glance.......................................... 21
Exterior view ......................................... 22
Cockpit ................................................. 24
Instrument cluster ................................ 26
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 30
Center console ..................................... 31
Upper part ...................................... 31
Lower part ...................................... 32
Overhead control panel ........................ 33
Storage compartments ......................... 34
Door control panel................................ 36Getting started................................... 37
Unlocking ............................................. 38
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 38
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*......... 39
Starter switch positions .................. 40
Adjusting .............................................. 43
Seats .............................................. 43
Steering wheel ................................ 46
Mirrors ............................................ 49
Driving .................................................. 50
Fastening the seat belts ................. 50
Starting the engine ......................... 53
Parking brake ................................. 55
Driving off ....................................... 56
Switching on headlamps ................. 57
Turn signals .................................... 57
Windshield wipers ........................... 58
Problems while driving.................... 60
Parking and locking .............................. 62
Parking brake ................................. 63
Switching off headlamps................. 63
Turning off the engine..................... 64
Releasing seat belts........................ 64
Locking ........................................... 65

Contents
Maximum tire load ....................... 319
Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 319
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) ............. 320
Tire ply material ........................... 322
Tire and loading terminology ........ 322
Rotating tires ............................... 325
Winter driving .................................... 327
Winter tires .................................. 327
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 328
Snow chains................................. 329
Maintenance ...................................... 330
Maintenance service indicator
message....................................... 330
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display............... 332
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator........................... 332
Vehicle care ....................................... 333
Cleaning and care of the vehicle .. 333
Practical hints.................................. 341
What to do if … ................................... 342
Lamps in the instrument cluster ... 342
Air bag off indicator lamp.............. 357
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display..................... 359
Where will I find ...? ............................ 400
First aid kit .................................... 400
Vehicle tool kit, jack, and
spare wheel .................................. 400
Locking/unlocking in an emergency .. 403
Unlocking the vehicle.................... 403
Locking the vehicle ....................... 405
Lowering the load assist
manually ....................................... 406
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 407
Replacing bulbs .................................. 409
Bulbs ............................................. 409
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 411
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 414
Replacing wiper blades....................... 415
Placing wiper arms in vertical
position ......................................... 415
Removing wiper blades ................. 416
Installing wiper blades .................. 416Flat tire............................................... 417
Preparing the vehicle .................... 417
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 417
MOExtended system* ................... 425
Batteries............................................. 427
Disconnecting the batteries.......... 429
Removing the batteries................. 430
Charging and reinstalling
batteries ....................................... 430
Reconnecting the batteries........... 431
Jump starting...................................... 432
Towing the vehicle.............................. 434
Installing towing eye bolt .............. 436
Fuses.................................................. 437
Fuse boxes in engine
compartment ................................ 438
Fuse box in passenger
compartment ................................ 439
Fuse in trunk................................. 439
Emergency engine shut-down ....... 439

Contents
Technical data.................................. 441
Parts service ...................................... 442
Warranty coverage ............................. 443
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet...................... 443
Identification labels............................ 444
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 446
SL 550.......................................... 446
SL 55 AMG ................................... 446
SL 600, SL 65 AMG ...................... 446
Engine ................................................ 447
Rims and tires .................................... 449
Same size tires ............................. 450
Mixed size tires ............................ 451
Spare wheel ................................. 453
Electrical system................................ 454
Main dimensions................................ 455
Weights .............................................. 456Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 457
Capacities .................................... 457
Engine oils.................................... 460
Engine oil additives ...................... 460
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 460
Brake fluid .................................... 460
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 461
Fuel requirements ........................ 461
Gasoline additives ........................ 462
Coolants....................................... 463
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system ........... 465Index................................................. 467

10 Introduction
Operator’s Manual
This Operator’s Manual contains a great
deal of useful information. We urge you to
read it carefully and familiarize yourself
with the vehicle before driving.
For your own safety and longer service life
of the vehicle, we urge you to follow the in-
structions and warnings contained in this
manual. Ignoring them could result in dam-
age to the vehicle or personal injury to you
or others. Vehicle damage caused by fail-
ure to follow instructions is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Your vehicle may have some or all of the
equipment described in this manual.
Therefore, you may find explanations for
optional equipment not installed in your
vehicle. If you have any questions about
the operation of any equipment, any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
be glad to demonstrate the proper proce-
dures.We continuously strive to improve our
product, and ask for your understanding
that we reserve the right to make changes
in design and equipment. Therefore, infor-
mation, illustrations, and descriptions in
this Operator’s Manual might differ from
your vehicle.
Optional equipment is also described in
this manual, including operating instruc-
tions wherever necessary. Since they are
special-order items, the descriptions and
illustrations herein may vary slightly from
the actual equipment of your vehicle.
If there are any equipment details that are
not shown or described in this Operator’s
Manual, any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center will be glad to inform you of correct
care and operating procedures.
The Operator’s Manual and Maintenance
Booklet are important documents and
should be kept with the vehicle.Service and warranty information
The Service and Warranty Information
Booklet contains detailed information
about the warranties covering your
Mercedes-Benz, including:

New Car Limited Warranty

Emission System Warranty

Emission Performance Warranty

California, Maine, Massachusetts, and
Vermont Emission Control System
Warranty
(California, Maine, Massachusetts, and
Vermont only)

State Warranty Enforcement Laws
(Lemon Laws)

11 Introduction
Operator’s Manual
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles
Under California law you may be entitled to
a replacement of your vehicle or a refund
of the purchase price or lease price, if
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and/or its
authorized repair or service facilities fail to
fix one or more substantial defects or mal-
functions in the vehicle that are covered by
its express warranty after a reasonable
number of repair attempts. During the
period of 18 months from original delivery
of the vehicle or the accumulation of
18 000 miles (approximately 29 000 km)
on the odometer of the vehicle, whichever
occurs first, a reasonable number of repair
attempts is presumed for a retail buyer
or lessee if one or more of the following
occurs: (1) the same substantial defect or mal-
function results in a condition that is
likely to cause death or serious bodily
injury if the vehicle is driven, that de-
fect or malfunction has been subject to
repair two or more times, and you have
directly notified Mercedes-Benz USA,
LLC in writing of the need for its repair,
(2) the same substantial defect or mal-
function of a less serious nature than
category (1) has been subject to repair
four or more times and you have direct-
ly notified us in writing of the need for
its repair, or(3) the vehicle is out of service by reason
of repair of the same or different sub-
stantial defects or malfunctions for a
cumulative total of more than
30 calendar days.
Written notification should not be sent to a
dealer, it should be addressed to:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Customer Assistance Center
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350

12 Introduction
Operator’s Manual
Maintenance
The Maintenance Booklet describes all the
necessary maintenance work which should
be performed at regular intervals.
Always have the Maintenance Booklet with
you when you take the vehicle to an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
service. The service advisor will record
each service in the booklet for you.Roadside Assistance
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program provides factory trained technical
help in the event of a breakdown. Calls to
the toll-free Roadside Assistance number:
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA)
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada)
will be answered by Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Representatives
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
For additional information refer to the
Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program brochure in your vehicle literature
portfolio.Change of address or ownership
If you change your address, be sure to
send in the “Change of Address Notice”
found in the Service and Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet, or simply call the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center (in the USA) at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes, or
Customer Service (in Canada) at
1-800-387-0100. It is in your own interest
that we can contact you should the need
arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave all
literature with the vehicle to make it avail-
able to the next operator.
If you bought this vehicle used, be sure to
send in the “Notice of Purchase of Used
Car” found in the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet, or call the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center (in the USA) at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes, or
Customer Service (in Canada) at
1-800-387-0100.

13 Introduction
Operator’s Manual
Operating your vehicle outside the USA
or Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in
foreign countries, please be aware that:

Service facilities or replacement parts
may not be readily available,

unleaded gasoline for vehicles with cat-
alytic converters may not be available;
the use of leaded fuels will damage the
catalysts,

gasoline may have a considerably low-
er octane rating, and improper fuel can
cause engine damage.Certain Mercedes-Benz models are
available for delivery in Europe under our
European Delivery Program. For details,
consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or write to:
In the USA:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada:
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9

19 Introduction
Vehicle data recording
Vehicle data recording
Information regarding electronic
recording devices
(Including notice pursuant to California Code § 9951)
Please note that your vehicle is equipped with devices that can record vehicle systems data and, if equipped with the Tele Aid system,
may transmit some data in certain accidents.
This information helps, for example, to diagnose vehicle systems after a collision and to continuously improve vehicle safety.
DaimlerChrysler may access the information and share it with others

for safety research or vehicle diagnosis purposes

with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee

in response to an official request by law enforcement or other government agency

for use in dispute resolution involving DaimlerChrysler, its affiliates or sales/service organization and/or

as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Please check the Tele Aid subscription service agreement for details regarding the information that may be recorded or transmitted
via that system.

56 Getting started
Driving
Driving off
Depress the brake pedal.
Place the gear selector lever in
positionD orR.
Release the brake pedal.
Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.After a cold start, the transmission en-
gages at a higher revolution. This allows
the catalytic converter to reach its operat-
ing temperature earlier.
Warning!G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector le-
ver out ofP orN if the engine speed is high-
er than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly
on the brake pedal, the vehicle could accel-
erate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.
!In order to avoid damage to the
transmission:

Wait for the gear selection process to com-
plete before setting the vehicle in motion.

Place the gear selector lever in positionP
orR only when the vehicle is stopped.
!If you hear a warning signal and the
message
Release Parking Brake appears in
the multifunction display when driving off, you
have forgotten to release the parking brake.
Release the parking brake (
page 55).
iOnce the vehicle is in motion, the automatic
central locking system engages and the locking
knobs drop down.
You can deactivate the automatic locking using
the control system (
page 166).
You can open a locked door from the inside.
Open door only when conditions are safe to do
so.
!Do not run cold engine at high engine speed.
Running a cold engine at high engine speed may
shorten the service life of the engine.
!Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brakes reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake and
drivetrain wear.