MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER 2008 Owners Manual

Tyres and wheels
15
8
If the vehicle is to be heavily laden or driven
at high speeds, the tyre pressure must be
adapted according to the specifications given
in the fuel filler flap
(Y page 148).
Use the highest specified tyre pressure for
the spare wheel* . G
Risk of accident
Should the tyre pressure drop repeatedly:
R Check the tyre for foreign bodies.
R Check whether the wheel is losing air or
the valve is leaking .
Tyre pressure that is too low has a negative
effect on the vehicle’s active safety, which
could lead to your causing an accident .
Tyre pressure changes by approximately
0.1 bar for every 10 °C change in ambient
temperature.
If you measure the tyre pressure in enclosed
spaces where the temperature differs from
the outside temperature, you will have to cor-
rect the measured value accordingly.
When the vehicle is driven, the tyre tempera-
ture, and with it the tyre pressure, will
increase depending on the road speed and
the load on the tyres.
Therefore, you should only correct tyre pres-
sures when the tyres are cold. The pressure of warm tyres should only be
corrected if it is too low for the current oper-
ating conditions.
You will find a table of tyre pressures for var-
ious operating conditions on the inside of
your vehicle's fuel filler flap.
Driving with tyre pressure that is too high or
too low can:
R shorten the service life of the tyres
R cause increased tyre damag e
R have a negative effect on handling charac-
teristics (e.g. by causing aquaplaning)
i The tyre pressure values given for low
loads are minimum values which offer you
good ride comfort characteristics.
You can, however, also use the values given
for higher loads. These are permissible and
will not adversely affect the running of the
vehicle.
Also check the tyre pressure of the spare
wheel*. H
Environmental not
e
Check the tyre pressure regularly, and at
least every 14 days. Tyre pressure loss warning system*
G
Risk of accident
The tyre pressure loss warning system doe s
not warn you of an incorrectly set tyre pres-
sure. The table on the inside of the fuel fille r
flap will help you decide whether the tyre
pressures should be corrected.
The tyre pressure loss warning system does
not replace the need to regularly check
your vehicle's tyre pressures, since an even
loss of pressure on several tyres at the
same time cannot be detected by the tyre
pressure loss warning system.
The tyre pressure loss warning system is
not able to warn you of a sudden loss of
pressure, e.g. if the tyre is penetrated by a
foreign object.
In the event of a sudden loss of pressure,
bring the vehicle to a halt by braking care-
fully. Do not make any sudden steering
movements when doing so.
While the vehicle is in motion, the tyre pres-
sure loss warning system monitors the set
tyre pressure using the rotational speed of
the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tyre. If the spee d
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of
a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning Operation
* optional
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Tyres and wheels
15
9
message will appear in the multi-function dis-
play.
The function of the tyre pressure loss warning
system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are fitted to your vehicle's
tyres
R road conditions are wintry
R you are driving on sand or grave l
R you adopt a very sporty driving style (cor -
nering at high speeds or driving with high
rates of acceleration)
R you are driving with a heavy load (in th e
vehicle or on the roof)
Restarting the tyre pressure loss warn-
ing system Restart the tyre pressure loss warning system
if you have :
R changed the tyre pressure
R changed the wheels or tyre s
R fitted new wheels or tyres
X Before restarting, consult the table of tyre
pressures on the inside of the fuel filler fla p
to ensure that the tyre pressure in all fou rtyres is set correctly for the operating con-
ditions concerned
.
X Also observe the notes in the section on
tyre pressures (Y page 157). G
Risk of accident
The tyre pressure loss warning system can
only give reliable warnings if you have set
the correct tyre pressure.
If an incorrect tyre pressure is set, thes e
incorrect values will be monitored.
A tyre with insufficient pressure results in
an instability of the vehicle when driving,
thus increasing the risk of an accident .
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock .
The standard display appears in the multi-
function display (Y page 95).
X Press korj to select the tyre pres-
sure function:
Run Flat Indicator active
Menu: R-Button æ
X Press the reset button on the left of the
instrument cluster.
The following message appears in the
multi-function display:
Restart Run Flat Indicator ?Yes Cancel
If you wish to confirm the restart:
X Press the æbutton.
The following message appears in the
multi-function display:
Run Flat Indicator restarted
After a teach-in period, the tyre pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tyre pressures of all four tyres.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the çbutton.
or
X Wait until the message
Restart Run Flat Indicator?
Yes Cancel disappears.
The tyre pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Operation
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Winter driving
160 Interchanging the wheels
G
Risk of accident
Interchange the front and rear wheels only
if they have the same dimensions: for exam-
ple size, offset, etc.
After every wheel interchange/change,
have the tightening torque checked at a
qualified specialist workshop that has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools
to carry out the work required. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-related systems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
The wheels could work loose if they are not
tightened to a torque of 110 Nm.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom -
mends that you only use wheel bolts of the
correct size which have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The wheels may be interchanged every 5,000
km to 10,000 km depending on the degree of
tyre wear, provided that the vehicle has the
same size front and rear tyres. Do not reverse
the direction of tyre rotation.
The wear patterns on the front and rear tyres
differ depending on the operating conditions. Interchange the wheels before a clear wear
pattern has formed on the tyres. The fron
t
tyres typically wear more on the shoulders
and the rear tyres in the centre.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a whee l
is changed. Check the tyre pressure and, if
necessary, restart the tyre pressure loss
warning system*. Winter driving
Introduction to winter operation
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at a Mercedes-Ben z
Service Centre, at the onset of winter. Winter tyres
Use winter tyres at temperatures below +7 °
C and on snow or ice-covered roads. Only
then can the effect of the ABS and ES P®
driv-
ing systems be ensured in winter too.
Use winter tyres of the same make and tread
on all wheels to maintain safe handling char-
acteristics. G
Risk of accident
You must replace winter tyres with a trea d
depth of less than 4 mm immediately. They
are no longer suitable for winter use, in par-
ticular because they do not provide suffi-
cient grip. This could cause you to lose
control of your vehicle and cause an acci-
dent .
Always observe the maximum permitted
speed specified for the winter tyres you have
fitted. If you fit winter tyres which have a
lower maximum permitted speed than that of Operation
* optional
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Winter driving
161
the vehicle, affix an appropriate warning sign
in the driver's field of vision. This can be
obtained at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
In such circumstances, you should also
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
using permanent Speedtronic 24
to the maxi-
mum permissible speed for winter tyres
( Y page 114). G
Risk of accident
If you fit the spare wheel* when driving with
winter tyres, bear in mind that driving sta-
bility will be impaired owing to unstable
cornering characteristics caused by the dif-
ferent tyres. You should therefore adap t
your driving style and drive carefully.
Have the spare wheel* replaced at th e
nearest qualified specialist workshop
which has the necessary specialist knowl-
edge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre for this purpose. In particular, work
relevant to safety or on safety-related sys-
tems must be carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop . Snow chains
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains which
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz or are of a correspondin g
standard of quality.
! Information about the use of snow chain-
compatible AMG winter tyres is applicable
for AMG tyres. Use of snow chains is only
permissible with these tyres.
If you intend to fit snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
R Snow chains cannot be fitted to all wheel /
tyre combinations.
R Snow chains must not be fitted to emer-
gency spare wheels, e.g. a collapsibl e
emergency spare wheel.
R Fit snow chains to both rear wheels. Com-
ply with the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
! If snow chains are fitted to the front
wheels, they may come into contact with
the bodywork and axle components whe n
the vehicle is in motion and damage the
tyre or the vehicle. Do not exceed the maximum permissibl
e
speed of 50 km/h.
i You may wish to deactivate ES P®
when
pulling away with snow chains fitted
( Y page 51). This way you can allow the
wheels to spin in a controlled manner, ach-
ieving an increased driving force (cutting
action). Winter driving
G
Risk of accident
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. Thi s
could cause the drive wheels to lose thei r
grip and the vehicle could skid.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
24 Only available for certain countries. Operation
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Driving
tips 16
2
X
Vehicles with manual transmission: engage
neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
shift the selector lever to N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control using
corrective steering. Driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off
G
Risk of accident
Never switch the engine off while the vehi-
cle is in motion.
There is no power assistance for the steer-
ing and the service brake when the engine
is not running.
You will require considerably more effort to
steer and brake and you could therefore
lose control of the vehicle and cause an
accident. Brakin
g G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. Thi s
could cause the drive wheels to lose thei r
grip and the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking. Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden, you must shift to
a lower gear in good time or, on vehicles with
automatic transmission*, select shift rang e
1 ,2 or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control or Speedtronic.
This uses the braking effect of the engine and
you will not have to brake to such an exten t
to maintain the same speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need additional braking ,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather
than continuously.
Heavy and light loads If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu -
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
never cause the brakes to rub by applying Operation
* optional
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Driving
tips 16
3 constant slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases
the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely .
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet roads If driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes, when brak-
ing for the first time. You must brake harder.
You must therefore maintain a greater dis-
tance from the vehicle in front.
Brake firmly after driving on a wet road. This
way the brake discs will become warm, drying
more quickly, which will protect them against
corrosion. Limited braking performance on salted
road s G
Risk of accident
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in
the braking effect, resulting in a signifi -
cantly longer braking distance, which could
lead to an accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you
are driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicl e
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues ar e
removed from the brake disc.
New brake pads/lining s For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom
-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle that have been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which corre-
spond to an equivalent quality standard
.
Brake pads/linings which have not bee n
approved for Mercedes-Benz or which are no t
of an equivalent quality could affect your vehi-
cle's operating safety. G
Risk of accident
New brake pads/linings only reach thei r
optimum braking effect after several hun-
dred kilometres of driving. Before this opti-
mum braking effect is reached, you should
compensate for the reduced braking effect
by applying greater pressure when braking.
This also applies after the brake discs or the
brake pads/linings have been replaced.
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. Braking can there-
fore cause noises. This will depend on:
R speed
R braking forc e
R environmental conditions, such as temper -
ature and humidity
The wear of individual components of th e
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings Operation
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Driving ab
road 164
or brake discs, depends on the individual driv-
ing style and operating conditions.
Because of this, it is impossible to state
a
mileage that will be valid under all circum-
stances. An aggressive driving style will lead
to high wear . Tyre gri
p G
Risk of accident
Whereas the vehicle can be fully controlle d
at a certain speed on dry roads, you must
reduce your speed on wet or icy roads to
achieve the same road safety. Otherwise
you could cause an accident.
Pay particular attention to the road condi-
tions at temperatures around freezing
point.
If ice has formed on the road surface (e.g.
from fog), a light film of water rapidly forms
on the ice when you brake, considerably
reducing tyre grip. Drive with particular
care in such weather conditions. Driving on wet roads
If water has accumulated to a certain dept h
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully. Driving on flooded roads
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the maximum permitted still water depth is
12 cm.
R you should drive no faster than at walkin g
pace.
! Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction creat e
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
You must observe these notes, otherwise
damage may occur to the engine, electrics
and transmission . Driving abroad
Points to remember
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service networ k
is also available in other countries. You can
obtain the relevant workshop directories
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Only low-octane fuel is available in certain
countries.
You can find further information about fuel
grades on (Y page 148). Symmetrical dipped beam
If your journey takes you to countries where
vehicles are driven on the opposite side of the
road to the country in which the vehicle is
registered, your headlamps must be switched
to symmetrical dipped beam. Oncoming traf -
fic will be dazzled less .
X Have the headlamps switched over at a
qualified specialist workshop, e. g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. G
Risk of accident
Have your headlamps switched back to
asymmetrical dipped beam if you visit a
country in which traffic drives on the same Operation
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B
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Service
165side of the road as in the country in which
your vehicle was registered. You may oth-
erwise dazzle the oncoming traffic and
could cause an accident. Service
Active Service System PLUS
ASSYST PLUS, the Active Service System,
tells you when the next service is due. When-
ever a service is due, this is shown in the
multi-function display:
Service A due in .. days
Service A due in .. km
Service A due now The letter indicates how much time the work-
shop will require to carry out the service work.
The letters displayed range from
Afor a short
service duration to Hfor a long service dura-
tion.
ASSYST PLUS does not record any periods of
time during which the battery is disconnec-
ted. In order to maintain the time-dependent
service schedule, you should call up the
service due date and make a note of it before
you disconnect the battery. The other optio nis to subtract the battery-disconnection peri-
ods from the service date shown on the dis-
play. Fading out the service message
X Press the Jreset button on the left of the
instrument cluster (Y page 24). Exceeding the service due date
One of the following messages appears in the
multi-function display:
Service A .. days overdue
Service A overdue by .. km
You will also hear a warning tone.
A qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, will reset the
service indicator after the necessary service
work has been carried out.
i If you fail to have the service performe d
by the specified date, you may be contra-
vening the relevant laws. Your warranty
may be invalidated and goodwill settle-
ments may be refused. Operation
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Car
e 166 Calling up the service due dat
e
Use the buttons on the multi-function steer-
ing wheel.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Press èorÿ to select the Basic
display menu(Y page 95).
X Press the jork button to select the
service information .
The 9 service symbol and the service
due date are displayed. Care
Notes on care
Regular and proper care maintains the value
of your vehicle.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop immediately, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Repair damage caused by loose chippings
and remove the following substances imme-
diately, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard:
R Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off afterwards .
R Soak bird droppings with water and rins e
off afterwards.
R Remove tree resin, oils, fuels and greases
by rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in
petroleum ether or lighter fluid .
R Use silicone remover to remove wax.
R Use tar remover to remove tar stains. H
Environmental not
e
Dispose of empty packaging, cleaning
cloths and polishing wads in an environ-
mentally responsible manner.
! Do not affix :
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces, otherwise you could
damage the paintwork. Vehicle care
! Do not park the vehicle for a long perio d
of time directly after cleaning, especially if
the wheels have just been cleaned with a
wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
rapid corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. After cleaning, park
the vehicle when it is at normal operatin g
temperature.
Automatic car wash You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.Operatio
n
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Car
e 167
!
It is preferable that you use car washes
that do not use high-pressure cleaning.
With car washes that use high water pres-
sures, there is a danger that water may leak
into the vehicle.
! Do not use a touch-free automatic car
wash that uses chemical agents to wash
the vehicle.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
Vehicles with DAB radio only 25
:
X Remove the radio/telephone aerial.
! If you do not remove the radio/telephon e
aerial, the aerial or the vehicle may be dam-
aged by the automatic car wash.
! Make sure that the automatic car wash is
suitable for the size of the vehicle. Fold in
the exterior mirrors before the vehicle is
washed. There is otherwise a risk of dam-
age to the exterior mirrors.
! Make sure the side windows are com-
pletely closed, the ventilation/heater
blower is fully turned off and the wind -
screen wiper switch is set to 0. The rai n sensor may otherwise be activated, for
instance, leading to inadvertent wiper
sweeps being triggered. This could cause
damage to the vehicle.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windscreen and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind-
screen.
High-pressure cleaners G
Risk of accident
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with cir-
cular-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean
your vehicle or - especially - the tyres. Yo u
could otherwise damage the tyres and
cause an accident.
! Observe the instructions issued by the
equipment manufacturer concerning the
distance to be maintained between the
nozzle of the high-pressure cleaner and the
vehicle (at least 30 cm).
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle .
Do not aim directly at any of the following: R
Tyres
R Door joint
R Electrical components
R Battery
R Connectors
R Bulbs
R Seals
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to failures or leaks .
Cleaning the wiper blades and the out -
side of the windscreen G
Risk of injury
Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock before cleaning the windscreen or the
wiper blades. There is otherwise a risk of
the windscreen wipers being set in motion
and causing injury.
25 Only in certain countries. Operation
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