wiper fluid MERCEDES-BENZ SL550 2008 R230 Owner's Manual

23 At a glance
Exterior view
ItemPage
1Trunk
Opening the trunk114
Closing the trunk116
Spare wheel400
Vehicle tool kit400
2Rear lamps410
3Rear window defroster187
4Fuel filler flap279
Refueling279
Gasoline461
5Doors
Locking and unlocking104
Opening and closing113
Locking/unlocking in an
emergency403
ItemPage
6Exterior rear view mirrors
Adjusting49
Auto-dimming rear view
mirrors185
7Towing434
Installing towing eye bolt436
8Tires and wheels291
Checking tire inflation
pressure302
General information291
Flat tire417
Vehicle tool kit400
9Hood
Opening282
Engine oil283
Coolant288,
463
ItemPage
aHeadlamp cleaning
system185,
289
bFront lamps410
cWindshield wipers58
Wiper blades, replacing415
Wiper blades, cleaning337
dWindshield
Wiping with windshield
washer fluid60
Cleaning337
eRetractable hardtop
Opening/closing204
Wind screen209
Luggage cover210
Sunshade for panorama
roof*213

58 Getting started
Driving
The combination switch resets automati-
cally after major steering wheel move-
ments.Windshield wipers
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.
Combination switch
1Switching on windshield wipers
2Single wipe
Wiping with windshield washer fluid
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
iTo signal minor directional changes such as
changing lanes, press combination switch only
to point of resistance and release.
The corresponding turn signals will flash three
times.
!Do not operate the windshield wipers when
the windshield is dry. Dust that accumulates on
a windshield might scratch the glass and/or
damage the wiper blades when wiping occurs on
a dry windshield. If it is necessary to operate the
windshield wipers in dry weather conditions,
always operate the windshield wipers with
windshield washer fluid (
page 60).
!If anything blocks the windshield wipers
(leaves, snow, etc.), switch them off imme-
diately.

For safety reasons, stop the vehicle in a safe
location and

remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or

turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button and
open the driver’s door (with the driver’s
door open, the starter switch is in
position 0, same as with the SmartKey
removed from the starter switch)
before attempting to remove any blockage.

Remove blockage.

Turn the windshield wipers on again.

59 Getting started
Driving
Switching on windshield wipers
Turn the combination switch in
direction of arrow 1 to the desired
position, depending on the intensity of
the rain.
0Windshield wipers off
IIntermittent wiping
IINormal wiper speed
IIIFast wiper speedIntermittent wiping
Only switch on intermittent wiping under
wet weather conditions or in the presence
of precipitation.
Turn the combination switch in
direction of arrow 1 to positionI.
After the initial wipe, pauses between
wipes are automatically controlled by the
rain sensor.Single wipe
Press the combination switch briefly in
direction of arrow2 (
page 58) to
the resistance point.
The windshield wipers wipe one time
without washer fluid.
If the windshield wipers fail to function at all with
the combination switch in positionI,

set the combination switch to the next
higher wiper speed

have the windshield wipers checked at the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
!Do not leave windshield wipers on an inter-
mittent setting when the vehicle is taken to an
automatic car wash or during windshield clean-
ing. Windshield wipers will operate in the pres-
ence of water sprayed on the windshield, and
windshield wipers may be damaged as a result.
!If you have set intermittent wiping, dirt on
the surface of the rain sensor or optical effects
may cause the windshield wipers to wipe in an
undesired fashion. This could then damage the
windshield wiper blades or scratch the wind-
shield. You should therefore switch off the wind-
shield wipers when weather conditions are dry.
iIntermittent wiping is interrupted when the
vehicle is at a standstill and a door is opened.
This protects persons getting into or out of the
vehicle from being sprayed.
Intermittent wiping will be continued when

all doors are closed
and

the gear selector lever is in positionDorR
or

the wiper setting is changed using the
combination switch

60 Getting started
Driving
Wiping with windshield washer fluid
Press the combination switch in
direction of arrow2 (
page 58) past
the resistance point.
The windshield wipers operate with
washer fluid.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system”
(
page 289).
Problems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.

The engine electronics may not be
operating properly.

Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.
Give very little gas.
Have the problem repaired by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.The coolant temperature gauge is
above 248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.
Stop the vehicle as soon as possible in
a safe location and turn off the engine.
Allow engine and coolant to cool off.
Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 288).
iTo prevent smears on the windshield or
noisy/chattering wiper blades, wipe with wind-
shield washer fluid every now and then even
when it is raining.

185 Controls in detail
Good visibility
Good visibility
For information on windshield wipers, see
“Windshield wipers” (
page 58).
Headlamp cleaning system
The headlamp cleaning button is located
on the left side of the dashboard.
1Headlamp cleaning button
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Press button1.
The headlamps are cleaned with a
high-pressure water jet.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system”
(
page 289).
Rear view mirrors
For information on setting the rear view
mirrors, see “Mirrors” (
page 49).
Auto-dimming rear view mirrors
The reflection brightness of the exterior
rear view mirror on the driver’s side and
the interior rear view mirror will respond
automatically to glare when

the ignition is switched on
and

incoming light from headlamps falls on
the sensor in the interior rear view mir-
ror.
The interior rear view mirror will not react if

reverse gear is engaged

the interior lighting is switched on
iThe headlamps will automatically be
cleaned when you have

switched on the headlamps
and

operated the windshield wipers with wind-
shield washer fluid fifteen times
When you switch off the ignition, the counter
resets.

469 Index
Brake system
Messages in the multifunction
display 382
Brakes 268
BAS 91
Brake fluid 280, 458, 460
Electro-hydraulic brake system 94
High-performance brake system
(AMG vehicles only) 270
Warning lamp 345
Break-in period 266
Bulbs
Messages in the multifunction
display 392
Replacing 409
C
California retail buyers and lessees,
important notice for 11
Call priority, Tele Aid 256
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants 457
Cargo area see Trunk
Carpets, cleaning 339
Catalytic converter 277
CD changer 155, 240CD player
Operating 155
Center console
Lower part 32
Upper part 31
Central locking
Automatic 122, 166
Central locking/unlocking
switch 31, 122
Locking/unlocking from inside 122
Certification label 444
Check engine see Lamps, indicator and
warning
Checking tire pressure electronically with
the Advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (Advanced TPMS)*, (Canada
only) 308
Children in the vehicle
Air bags 84
Infant and child restraint systems 84
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) 74
Passenger front air bag off indicator
lamp 78, 357
Cigarette lighter 244
Clock 25, 161Cockpit 24
Cold tire inflation pressure 323
Collapsible tire (spare wheel) 453
COMAND system 31
Driving instructions 276
Combination switch
High beam 57, 135
Turn signals 57
Windshield wipers 58
Consumer battery 290
Control and operation of radio
transmitters 276
Control system 143, 146
Control system menus
AMG 150
AUDIO 153
Distronic* 156, 222
NAV 155
Settings 157
Standard display 149
TEL* 169
Trip computer 167
Vehicle status message memory 156

486 Index
Windshield
Cleaning wiper blades 337
Defogging 196
Refilling washer fluid 289
Washer fluid 60, 289
Washer system 289
Windshield and headlamp washer
system 465
Windshield washer and headlamp cleaning
system 281
Windshield washer fluid 60
Filler neck 289
Messages in the multifunction
display 399
Mixing ratio 465
Refilling 289Windshield wipers 25, 58
Fast wiper speed 59
Intermittent wiping 59
Replacing wiper blades 415
Wiping with windshield washer
fluid 60
Winter driving
Snow chains 329
Tires 327
Winter driving instructions 274
Winter tires 327
Wood trims
Cleaning 340