transmission MERCEDES-BENZ SLK CLASS 2000 Owner's Manual

157 Driving instructions
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Important!
It is advisable to set the parking brake whenever
parking or leaving the vehicle. In addition, move
selector lever to position “P” (manual transmission:
first or reverse gear).
When parking on hills, always set the parking brake.Tires
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by law. These
indicators are located in six places on the tread
circumference and become visible at a tread depth of
approximately
1/16 in (1.5 mm), at w hich point t he tire is
considered worn and should be replaced.
The tread wear indicator appears as a solid band across
the tread.
Wa r n i n g !
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 roadway.Inspect the tires and under the vehicle for possible
damage. If the vehicle or tires appear unsafe, have
it towed to the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center or
tire dealer for repairs.

160 Driving instructions
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and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Snow chains
Use only snow chains that are tested and recommended
by Mercedes-Benz. Your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center will be glad to advise you on this subject.
Chains should only be used on the rear wheels. Follow
the manufacturer’s mounting instructions.
Snow chains should only be driven on snow covered
roads at speeds not to exceed 30 mph (50 km / h).
Remove chains as soon as possible when driving on
roads without snow.
When driving with snow chains, press the ESP control
switch to OFF, see page 172.
Important!
Use of snow chains is not permissible with tire size
225 / 50 R 16, with th e col lapsib le spa re tire, or with tire
size 245 / 40 ZR 17 (Sport Package).Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy roads is to
drive sensibly and to avoid abrupt acceleration, braking
and steering maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding, move
selector lever to position “N” or in case of manual
transmission declutch. Try to keep the vehicle under
control by corrective steering action.
Road salts and chemicals can adversely affect braking
efficiency. Increased pedal force may become necessary
to produce the normal brake effect. We therefore
recommend depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn roads. This can
bring road salt impaired braking efficiency back to
normal. A prerequisite is, however, that this be done
without endangering other drivers on the road.
If t he veh icle is pa rked af te r b eing driven on sal t trea ted
road s, th e braking ef f ic iency should be tested as soon a s
possible after driving is resumed while observing the
safety rules in the previous paragraph.

162 Driving instructions
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Block heater (for Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block heater.
The electrical cable may be installed at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Deep water
Caution!
D o not drive th rou gh f looded area s or wa ter of unknown
depth.
If you must drive through deep water, drive slowly to
prevent water from entering the engine compartment or
passenger compartment, being ingested by the air
intake, possibly causing damage to electrical
components or wiring, to engine or transmission that is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Passenger compartment
Traveling abroad
Abroad, there is a widely-spread Mercedes-Benz service
network at your disposal. If you plan to travel into areas
which are not listed in the index of your Mercedes-Benz
Center directory, you should request pertinent
information from your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Wa r n i n g !
Always fasten items being carried as securely as
possible.In an accident, during hard braking or sudden
maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around
inside the vehicle, and cause injury to vehicle
occupants unless the items are securely fastened in
the vehicle.The trunk is the preferred place to carry objects.

165 Driving systems
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care IndexNotes:
If the engine does not brake the vehicle sufficiently
while driving on a downgrade, the speed you set on the
cruise control may be exceeded. In this case the
following will assist in maintaining the set cruise
controlled speed:
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Downshift occurs (max. to 3rd gear) to maintain the set
cruise controlled speed by using the engine’s braking
power.
As soon as the grade eases, the automatic transmission
shifts up again dependent on the selector lever position.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
The set cruise controlled speed is switched off when
decl utch ing exceed s fou r se conds during d ow nsh if ting a
gear.
Neverth eless, in some ca ses you m ay have to step on t he
bra ke peda l to slow d ow n. In t his ca se th e cruise control
is switched off.
Use the lever to resume the previously set speed.
Wa r n i n g !
Only use the cruise control if the traffic and
weather conditions make it advisable to travel at a
steady speed.
• The use of cruise control can be dangerous 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 dangerous on
slippery roads. Rapid changes in tire adhesion
can result in wheel spin and loss of control.The “Resume” function should only be operated if
the driver is fully aware of the previously set speed
and wishes to resume this particular preset speed.

187 Contents - Practical hints
Te ch n ica l
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cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index
Practical hintsFirst aid kit ..................................... 188
Stowing things in the vehicle ...... 188
Fuses ................................................ 188
Hood ................................................. 190
Automatic transmission
fluid level ................................... 192
Checking engine oil level ............. 193
Coolant level ................................... 194
Adding coolant ........................... 194
Windshield and headlamp
washer system ........................... 195
Air pump, spare wheel,
vehicle tools, storage
compartment ............................. 196Vehicle jack .....................................197
Wheels .............................................198
Tire replacement ........................198
Rotating wheels ..........................199
Spare wheel .................................... 200
Spare wheel bolts ...................... 201
Changing wheels ........................... 202
Inflating the collapsible
spare tire ..................................... 207
Storing spare wheel
in wheel well .............................. 208
Tire inflation pressure ................. 209
Battery ..............................................210
Jump starting ..................................212
Towing the vehicle .........................214Transmission selector lever,
manually unlocking .................. 217
Exterior lamps ................................ 218
Headlamp assembly ................... 219
Taillamp assemblies ..................222
Changing batteries
in the remote control ................224
Synchronizing
remote control ............................225
Emergency engine
shut-down ..................................226
Raising hardtop manually ............226
Replacing wiper blade insert ....... 231
Antenna ...........................................232
Manual release of
fuel filler flap .............................232

192 Engine compartment
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Automatic transmission fluid level
The transmission has a permanent fill of automatic
transmission fluid.
Regular automatic transmission fluid level checks and
changes are not required. For this reason the dipstick is
omitted.
If you notice f luid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center check the
transmission fluid level.

202 Tires, wheels
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Changing wheelsMove vehicle to a level area which is a safe distance
from the roadway.
1.Set parking brake and turn on hazard warning
flasher.
2.Move selector lever to position “P” and turn off
engine (manual transmission to 1st or reverse gear).
3.Prevent vehicle from rolling away by blocking
wheels with wheel chocks (not supplied with
vehicle) or sizable wood block or stone. When
changing a wheel on a hill, place chocks on the
downhill side blocking both wheels of the other
axle. On a level road, place one chock in front of and
one behind the wheel that is diagonally opposite to
the wheel being changed.
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking up the
veh icle at the jack tu bes bui lt into eith er si de of th e
vehicle. To help avoid personal injury, use the jack
only to lift the vehicle during a wheel change.
Never get beneath the vehicle while it is supported
by th e jack. Keep hands and feet away from the area
under the lifted vehicle. Always firmly set parking
brake and block wheels before raising vehicle with
jack.Do not disengage parking brake whi le th e vehic le is
raised. Be certain that the jack is always vertical
when in use, especially on hills. Always try to use
the jack on level surface. Be sure that the jack arm
is fully inserted in the jack tube. Always lower the
vehicle onto sufficient capacity jackstands before
working under the vehicle.

213 Jump starting
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Proceed as follows:
1.Position the vehicle with the charged battery so that
the jumper cables will reach, but never let the
vehicles touch. Make sure the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation.
2.On both vehicles:
•Turn off engine and all lights and accessories,
except hazard warning flashers or work lights.
•Apply parking brake and shift selector lever to
position “P” (manual transmission to Neutral).
Important!
3.Clamp one end of the first jumper cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the discharged battery and
the other end to the positive (+) terminal of the
charged battery. Make sure the cable clamps do not
touch any other metal parts.
4.Clamp one end of the second jumper cable to the
grounded negative (–) terminal of the charged
battery and the final connection to a grounded
heavy metal bracket in the engine compartment or
on the engine of the disabled vehicle.Important!
5.Start engine of the vehicle with the charged battery
and run at high idle. Make sure the cables are not
on or near pulleys, fans, or other parts that will
move when the engine is started. Allow the
discharged battery to charge for a few minutes. Start
engine of the disabled vehicle in the usual manner.
6.After the engine has started, remove jumper cables
by exactly reversing the above installation
sequence, starting with the last connection made
first. When removing each clamp, make sure that it
does not touch any other metal while the other end
is still attached.
Note:
If engine does not run after several unsuccessful
starting attempts, have it checked at the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Excessive unburned fuel may damage the catalytic
converter.

215 Towing the vehicle
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
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cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Sport Package
G r il l e re m ova l f or S p or t Pa cka g e v e rs i on : P u l l on t op e n d
of grille simultaneously pushing apron (arrow) up.
Grille installation for Sport Package: Position bottom
end of grille and press in securely simultaneously
pushing apron (arrow) up.
We recommend that the vehicle be transported using
f lat bed equipment. This method is preferable to other
types of towing.Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Front towing
with sling-type equipment over bumpy roads will
damage radiator and supports. Rear towing with sling-
type equipment over bumpy roads will damage the
lower edge of the front bumper cover.
Use wheel lift, dolly, or f lat bed equipment, with key in
steering lock turned to position 0.
Towing restrictions for vehicles with automatic
transmission: The vehicle may be towed with all wheels
on the ground and the selector lever in position “N” for
distances up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km / h). The key must be in steering
lock position 2.
To be certain to avoid a possibility of damage to the
transmission, however, we recommend the drive shaft
be disconnected at the rear axle drive f lange for any
towing beyond a short tow to a nearby garage.
P88.00-2045-26
Wa r n i n g !
With the engine not running, there is no power
assistance for the braking and steering systems. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that a
considerably higher degree of effort in necessary to
brake and steer the vehicle.

217 Towing the vehicle
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index Transmission selector lever, manually unlocking
In the case of power failure the transmission selector
lever can be manually unlocked, e.g. when towing the
vehicle.To do so, insert a pin (1), e.g. ball point pen, into the
covered opening below the position “D” of the shift
pattern. While pushing the pin down, move selector
lever from position “P”.
Af ter remova l of t he pin f rom th e opening , t he cover will
not close fully. Only after moving the selector lever to
positions “D+” and “D–” does the cover return to its
closed position.
P27.60-2101-26
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