maintenance MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280 2006 R171 Owner's Guide

451 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines and durability for
our service intervals. Therefore, only use
approved engine oils and oil filters re-
quired for vehicles with Maintenance
System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Cana-
da vehicles). For a listing of approved en-
gine oils and oil filters, refer to the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet, or
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine. Damage or
malfunctions resulting from blending oil
additives are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special
PAG lubricating oil are used in the air con-
ditioning system. Never use R-12 (CFC) or
mineral-based lubricating oil, otherwise
damage to the system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center will pro-
vide you with additional information.
!Using engine oils and oil filters of spec-
ification other than those expressly re-
quired for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada
vehicles), or changing of oil and oil filter
at change intervals longer than those
called for by the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada
vehicles) will result in engine damage
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Please follow Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada
vehicles) recommendations for sched-
uled oil changes. Failure to do so will
result in engine damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Under extremely strenuous operating condi-
tions, this moisture content can lead to the
formation of bubbles in the system, thus re-
ducing the system’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be replaced
regularly. Refer to your vehicle’s
Maintenance Booklet for replacement
interval.

453 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine manufac-
turers is carbon build-up caused by gaso-
line. Mercedes-Benz only recommends the
use of quality gasoline containing additives
that prevent the build-up of carbon depos-
its.
After an extended period of using fuels
without such additives, carbon deposits
can build up especially on the intake valves
and in the combustion area, leading to
engine performance problems such as:

Warm-up hesitation


Unstable idle


Knocking/pinging


Misfire


Power lossIn areas where carbon deposits may be
encountered due to lack of availability of
gasolines which contain these additives,
Mercedes-Benz recommends the use of
additives approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Refer to the
Factory Approved Service Products pam-
phlet for a listing of approved product(s).
Follow directions on product label.
Do not blend other fuel additives with fuel.
This only results in unnecessary costs and
may be harmful to engine operation.
Damage or malfunction resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending addition-
al fuel additives other than those tested
and approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles listed in the
Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which pro-
vides:

Corrosion protection


Freeze protection


Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -22°F (-30°C) and corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant in the pressurized cooling system is
reached at approximately 266°F (130°C).
The coolant solution must be used year
round to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase boil-over protec-
tion. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for in-
formation on replacement intervals.

454 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the
Maintenance Booklet is only applicable if
MB 325.0 anticorrosion/antifreeze solu-
tion or other Mercedes-Benz approved
products of equal specification (see
Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet) are used to renew the coolant
concentration or bring it back up to the
proper level.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45% anticor-
rosion/antifreeze (equivalent to freeze
protection to approx. -22°F [-30°C]). If you
use a solution that is more than 55% anti-
corrosion/antifreeze (freeze protection to
approx. -49°F [-45°C]), the engine temper-
ature will increase due to the lower heat
transfer capability of the solution. There-
fore, do not use more than this amount of
anticorrosion/antifreeze.If the coolant level is low, water and
MB Anticorrosion/Antifreeze should be
used to bring it up to the proper level (have
cooling system checked for signs of leak-
age). Please make sure the mixture is in
accordance with label instructions.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water. If you
are not sure about the water quality, con-
sult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Anticorrosion/antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of alumi-
num parts. The use of aluminum compo-
nents in motor vehicle engines
necessitates that anticorrosion/antifreeze
coolant used in such engines be specifical-
ly formulated to protect the aluminum
parts. (Failure to use such anticorro-
sion/antifreeze coolant will result in a
significantly shortened service life.)
Therefore, the following product is strongly
recommended for use in your vehicle:
Mercedes-Benz 325.0
anticorrosion/antifreeze agent.
Before the start of the winter season (or
once a year in hot southern regions), you
should have the anticorrosion/antifreeze
concentration checked. The coolant is also
regularly checked each time you bring your
vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for service.

459 Technical terms
ETD
(E
mergency T
ensioning D
evice)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the sys-
tem’s threshold to tighten the seat
belts. ->SRS
FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles)
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem PLUS)
Maintenance service indicator in the
multifunction display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. FSS PLUS evalu-
ates engine temperature, oil level,
vehicle speed, engine speed, distance
driven and the time elapsed since your
last maintenance service, and calls for
the next maintenance service accord-
ingly.
GAWR
(G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
(
page 344)Gear range*
Number of gears which are available to
the automatic transmission for shifting.
The automatic gear shifting process
can be adapted to specific operating
conditions using the selector lever.
GPS
(G
lobal P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers.
GVW
(G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
(
page 344)
GVWR
(Gross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
(
page 345)Head-thorax air bag
Installed in the doors, these air bags
protect occupants during side impact
collisions exceeding a preset thresh-
old. Unlike normal side air bags,
head-thorax air bags are also designed
to provide protection for the head area.
Instrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer,
coolant temperature and fuel gauge.
Kickdown*
Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the automatic
transmission down to the lowest possi-
ble gear. This very quickly accelerates
the vehicle and should not be used for
normal acceleration needs.
Kilopascal (kPa)
(
page 345)

460 Technical termsLine of fall
The direct line an object moves down-
hill when influenced by the force of
gravity alone.
Locking knob
Button on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or un-
locked. Pushing the locking knob down
on an individual door from inside locks
that door.
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles)
Maintenance service indicator in the
multifunction display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. The Maintenance
System in your vehicle tracks distance
driven and the time elapsed since your
last maintenance service, and calls for
the next maintenance service accord-
ingly.Maximum loaded vehicle weight
(
page 345)
Maximum load rating
(page 345)
Maximum tire inflation pressure
(page 345)
Memory function*
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and mirror positions.
MON
(Motor O
ctane N
umber)
The Motor Octane Number for gasoline
as determined by a standardized
method. It is an indication of a gaso-
line’s ability to resist undesired detona-
tion (knocking). The average of both
the MON (Motor Octane Number) and
->RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.Multifunction display
Two display fields in the instrument
cluster used to present information
provided by the control system.
Multifunction steering wheel
Steering wheel with buttons for operat-
ing the control system.
Normal occupant weight
(
page 345)
Overspeed range
Engine speeds within the red marking
of the tachometer dial. Avoid this
engine speed range, as it may result in
serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Poly-V-belt drive
Drives engine components (alternator,
AC compressor, etc.) from the engine.

467 Index
Control system 123, 458
AUDIO menu 129
Convenience* submenu 147
Coolant temperature 128
Instrument cluster submenu 137
Lighting submenu 143
Maintenance service indicator 350
Menus 124
Messages in display 368
Multifunction display 123
Multifunction steering wheel 124
NAV* menu 132
Overview (Menus) 126
Overview (Settings submenus) 136
Resetting 134
Settings menu 134
Standard display 128
TEL* menu 151
Time/date submenu 139
Trip computer menu 149
Vehicle status message memory
menu 132
Vehicle submenu 147
Controller Area Network see CAN systemConvenience closing*
Power windows 249
Retractable hardtop 257
Coolant 313
Adding water 306
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 454
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. 453
Technical data 449
Temperature 303
Temperature, checking (Control
system) 128
Corner-illuminating front fog lamps*
(Lighting) 115
Cruise control 260, 458
Display message 370
Cup holder 268
Curb weight 344
Customer Assistance Center see CACD
Date (Control system) 141, 142
Daytime running lamp mode 112
Control system 143
Deep water see Standing water
Defrosting
Rear window 177
Windshield (Automatic climate
control*) 197
Windshield (Climate control) 184
Department of Transportation see DOT
Difficulties with starting 52
Direction of rotation (Tires) 320
Display text see Messages in display
Doors
Control panel, overview 31
Entry lamps 119
Locking/unlocking from outside 95
Opening from inside 97
Unlocking with Tele Aid 280
DOT 344
Drink holder see Cup holder
Drinking and driving 293
Driver’s air bag see Air bags

472 IndexM
Main dimensions 447
Maintenance service indicator (Control
system) 350
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) 460
Service indicator, calling up 351
Manual seat see Seats
Manual shift program SLK 55 AMG 169
Manual transmission 155
Driving 53
Gearshift pattern 51
Starting with SmartKey 51
Maximum inflation pressure 345
Maximum load rating 345
Maximum loaded vehicle weight 345
Mechanical key see SmartKey
Memory function* 107, 460
Menus
AUDIO 129
Convenience* submenu 147
Instrument cluster submenu 137
Lighting submenu 143
NAV* 132
Overview (Control system) 126, 127,
136Settings 134
Settings submenus 135
Standard display 128
TEL* 151
Time/Date submenu 139
Trip computer 149
Vehicle status message memory 132
Vehicle submenu 147
Messages in display 368
Cruise control 370
ESP
®
371
Maintenance service indicator 350
SRS 372
Symbols 374
Transmission 372
Vehicle status message memory 132
Mirror lamp* see Sun visors
Mirrors 173
Additional turn signals 401
Adjusting 45
Antiglare position 173
Auto-dimming* 174
Exterior rear view mirrors 45
Interior rear view mirror 45
Parking position* 108, 148, 175MOExtended system* 333
MON 304, 460
Motor Octane Number see MON
MP3 220
Multifunction display 123, 460
Engine oil messages 309
Messages 132
Messages with symbols 374
Messages with text 368
Operation see Control system
Multifunction steering wheel 26, 124,
460
Heating* 288

475 Index
Service
Information 12
Maintenance Booklet 12
Service and warranty
Booklet 435
Information 10
Service life (Tires) 318
Service system
Maintenance service indicator 350
Parts service 434
Settings menu (Control system) 134
Shelf behind roll bar 268
Shelf below rear window, cleaning 360
Shift lock* 462
Side marker lamps 401
Side windows see Power windows
Sidewall 345
SmartKey 92
Checking batteries 97
Factory setting 94
Global locking 95
Global unlocking 94
Locking and unlocking 92Loss of SmartKey or mechanical
key 97
Mechanical key 394
Panic button 80
Positions in starter switch 36
Power windows,
opening/closing* 249
Remote control 92
Replacing batteries 398
Restoring to factory setting 96
Retractable hardtop,
opening/closing* 257
Selective setting 95
Starting engine 50
Turning off engine 61
Unlocking the trunk lid 96
Snow chains 349
Spare fuses (Vehicle tool kit) 388
Spare parts see Parts service
Spare wheel 391
SRS 73, 462
Display message 372
Indicator lamp 366Standard display menu (Control
system) 128
Standing lamps 110, 401
Standing water, driving instructions 300
Starter switch positions 36
Starting 36, 50
Difficulties with 52
Position in starter switch 36
Steering column see Steering wheel
Steering wheel
Adjusting 42
Heating* 288
Steering wheel gearshift control
SLK 280* 165
SLK 350* 165
SLK 55 AMG 167
Stolen vehicle, Recovery services
(Tele Aid) 280
Storage compartments 266
Storing tires 319
Summer opening*
Power windows 249
Retractable hardtop 257
Sun visors 176
Supplemental Restraint System see SRS
Symbols in display 374

476 IndexT
Tachometer 121
Tail lamps 401
Tar stains see Vehicle care
TDMA or CDMA network phones
(Telephone*) 236
Technical data
Air conditioning refrigerant 451
Brake fluid 451
Coolants 453
Electrical system 446
Engine 438
Engine oil 451
Fuel additives 453
Fuel requirements 452
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. 449
Headlamp cleaning system* 456
Main dimensions 447
Parts service 434
Premium unleaded gasoline 452
Rims and tires 439
Weights 448
Windshield washer system 456Tele Aid system 273, 462
Call priority 279
Initiating an emergency call 276
Remote door unlock 280
Requirements 273
Roadside Assistance 277
Stolen Vehicle Recovery
services 280
System self-check 274
Telephone* 272
Compartment 266
GSM network phones 229
Operation 151, 203
Tightening torque 462
Wheel bolts 419
Time and date synchronization with head
unit* (Control system) 139
TIN 346
Tire and Loading Information 321
Tire and loading terminology 344
Tire care and maintenance 318
Tire Identification Number see TINTire inflation pressure 410
Air pressure 344
Checking 327, 329
Tire inflation pressure see the placard on
the fuel filler flap
Tire inspection 318
Tire load rating 346
Tire ply composition and material
used 346
Tire speed rating 336, 346
Tire terminology 344
TIREFIT kit* (Vehicle tool kit) 388, 389
TIREFIT*
Instructions for use 408
Tires 317, 439
Cleaning 319
Collapsible (Spare wheel) 458
Direction of rotation 320
Driving instructions 297
Flat tire 408
Important guidelines 317
Inflating with air pump 417
MOExtended system* 333
Mounting wheel 415

478 IndexV
Valve extractor (Vehicle tool kit) 388
Vehicle
Battery 314, 421
Bulbs 401
Fuses 430
Individual settings (Control
system) 134
Jump starting 424
Lifting with jack 413
Locking 62
Proper use of 16
Towing 426
Unlocking/locking in an
emergency 394
Vehicle capacity weight 346
Vehicle care 353
Vehicle Identification Number see VIN
Vehicle jack 389
Vehicle loading terminology 344
Vehicle status message memory menu
(Control system) 132
Vehicle tool kit 388
Collapsible wheel chock 390
Vehicle washing see Vehicle care
VIN 436, 463W
Warning sounds
Anti-theft alarm system 87
Driver’s seat belt 71
Exterior lighting 61, 111
Maintenance service indicator 351
Panic alarm 80
Parking brake 53, 363
Tow-away alarm 88
Warranty coverage 435
Washing the vehicle see Vehicle care
Wear pattern (Tires) 347
Weights 448
Wheel bolts 392
Wheel chock (Vehicle tool kit) 388
Wheel wrench (Vehicle tool kit) 388
Wheels see Tires
Wheels, tightening torque 419
Where will I find...? 388
Wind screen 259, 463
Windows see Power windowsWindshield
Washer fluid reservoir 315
Washer system 456
Windshield wipers 56
Replacing wiper blades 406
Wiper blades, cleaning 357
Winter driving 348
Instructions 299
Snow chains 349
Tires 348
Winter tires see Tires
Wood trims, cleaning 360