MERCEDES-BENZ SLR CLASS 2008 Owners Manual

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
Maintenance Booklet 2008

PLEASE NOTE
WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU
HAVE YOUR VEHICLE SERVICED BY
YOUR AUTHORIZED MERCEDES-BENZ
CENTER WHO IS FULLY EQUIPPED
TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE AND THAT
GENUINE MERCEDES-BENZ PARTS BE
USED.
SERVICE, REPLACEMENT, OR REPAIR OF
THE EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES AND
SYSTEMS CAN BE PERFORMED BY ANY
AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR ESTABLISHMENT
OR INDIVIDUAL USING CERTIFIED
PARTS.
THE USE OF DEFECTIVE OR NON-
EQUIVALENT PARTS MAY RESULT IN
YOUR EMISSION PERFORMANCE
WARRANTY CLAIM BEING DENIED.

1 Maintenance Booklet
Vehicle data

Model
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Date of initial registration
Paint color and code

License Plate No.
License Plate No.
License Plate No.
License Plate No.

Maintenance Booklet2H

Natural resources form the basis of our
existence on this planet. The objectives
of our policy are for these resources to be
used sparingly and in a manner which
takes the requirements of both nature
and humanity into account.
Our declared policy is integrated environ-
mental protection. This policy starts at
the root causes and encompasses in its
management decisions all the conse-
quences for the environment which could
arise from production processes or the
products themselves.
You too can help to protect the environ-
ment by operating your Mercedes-Benz
SLR in an environmentally responsible
manner.
Operating conditions and your individual
driving style to a large extent influence
fuel consumption and the rate of engine,
brake, and tire wear. To reduce fuel con-
sumption and the rate of wear, please
consider the following: • Avoid short trips.
• Make sure that the tire pressures are
always correct.
• Avoid frequent, abrupt acceleration.
• Do not carry any unnecessary weight.
• Remove ski holders and roof racks
once you no longer need them.
• Do not warm up the engine with the
car stationary.
• Shift gears such that each gear is
used only up to 2/3 of its maximum
engine speed.
• Keep an eye on the vehicle's fuel con-
sumption.
A regularly serviced vehicle will also help
protect the environment. You should ad-
here to the maintenance intervals dis-
played by the Maintenance System
service indicator, along with other main-
tenance work described in this booklet.
We recommend that you have services
performed by an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center using Genuine Mercedes-
Benz parts.
Protecting the environment

3 Maintenance Booklet
Introduction
Mercedes-Benz Maintenance System. 4
Regular checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Notes on the warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Parts / Operating materials . . . . . . 10
Service records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Emission system maintenance
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Emission Control System Caution -
Gasoline Engines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Confirmations
First visit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Tire inspection or rotation . . . . . . . . 17
Maintenance services . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Maintenance overview
Mercedes-Benz SLR . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
First visit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Tire rotation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Additional work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Spark plug replacement intervals . . 60
Recommended additional
maintenance checks at
150,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Emissions systems
maintenance jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Contents

Maintenance Booklet4We want you to enjoy your Mercedes-Benz
SLR. Vehicle safety and operational
reliability are two very important factors
and to maintain them, regular
maintenance services are necessary.
We continuously strive to improve our
product and ask for your understanding
that we reserve the right to make changes
in the periodic maintenance work which is
required for our vehicles. The information
in this manual is accurate as of the
editorial date. At the time of your
scheduled maintenance appointments
with your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center, the most current maintenance
work information will be utilized for your
vehicle’s age or mileage. Please check
with your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for any changes to the periodic
maintenance work required for your
vehicle.
Your Mercedes-Benz SLR comes equipped
with the Mercedes-Benz SLR
Maintenance System. The Maintenance
System tracks distance driven and the time elapsed since your last service. The
next necessary maintenance service is
indicated in the maintenance service
indicator in the instrument cluster.
Additional work that is not calculated by
the Maintenance System is required at
each maintenance interval. Please refer to
“Additional Work to be Performed” on
page 58 for more details.
Following each service, your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center will reset the
Maintenance System service indicator by
confirming the service items performed.
!If the Maintenance System service
counter was inadvertently reset, have
a Mercedes-Benz Center correct it.
Please only reset if the proper
maintenance service has been
performed. Resetting the system
without performing the proper service
will result in engine and/or other
vehicle damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Introduction

5 Maintenance Booklet
A detailed listing of service procedures
performed are contained in this booklet,
starting on page 49.
Additional work
Additional work means any work that is
not calculated by the Maintenance Sys-
tem. This work is listed in the section
“Additional Work to be Performed”, see
page 58. This type of work has to be car-
ried out according to the individual vehi-
cle type, due to the specific technical
parameters, wear processes or special
equipment.
Special service requirements
Brake fluid should be replaced every two
years, preferably in the spring, see page
59. We recommend that you only use
brake fluid approved by Mercedes-Benz.
A reminder for the next scheduled brake
fluid replacement is affixed in the engine
compartment. Coolant should be checked for the prop-
er concentration before the start of the
winter season (or once a year in hot re-
gions). Have the coolant (water/anticor-
rosion/antifreeze mixture) replaced
every 4 years, see page 59.
Replacement of coolant (water/anticor-
rosion/antifreeze mixture) may be re-
quired more frequently if coolant is not
maintained according to instructions
and/or other than approved anticorro-
sion/antifreeze products for your vehicle
are being used. For instructions on cool-
ant, see “Coolants” in your vehicle Oper-
ator’s Manual. For a listing of approved
anticorrosion/antifreeze products for
your vehicle, refer to the Factory Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet in
your vehicle literature portfolio, or con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Introduction

Maintenance Booklet6IntroductionInterior filters (e.g. dust filter, recircu-
lating air filter, activated charcoal filter or
combination filter) are replaced accord-
ing to the maintenance intervals listed.
Under severe dust conditions, or with the
Climate Control frequently operating in
the air recirculation mode, the respective
filter should be replaced correspondingly
sooner.
Tire inspection - Your vehicle’s tires are
a critical component to overall vehicle
performance and vehicle stability. The
useful life of tires will vary and is
proportional to tire type, speed rating,
ambient conditions, tire loading, tire
inflation pressure, road surfaces, and
individual driving style, among other
factors. Therefore, Mercedes-Benz
recommends regular checks for wear and
proper inflation.
The first tire inspection, which includes
checking for proper inflation pressure
and tread condition, is at no charge pro-
vided it is performed at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center prior to 6,500
miles on the vehicle odometer.
For your convenience, this Maintenance
Booklet contains a tire inspection confir-
mation page on which you can record the
date and mileage when tire inspections
were performed.
Tire rotation - Tire rotations can only be
performed on vehicles with the same tire
dimensions on all four wheels (e.g. winter
tires). In cases where your vehicle is
configured with staggered tire sizes
(different tire sizes, front vs. rear), tire
rotations are not possible.
If your vehicle’s tire configuration allows
for rotation, tire rotation should be
performed by observing a front-to-rear
pattern that will maintain the intended
rotational (spinning) direction of the tire
(on unidirectional tires, an arrow on the
sidewall indicates the intended rotation
or spinning direction of the tire) and in
accordance with the tire manufacturer’s
recommended intervals, or sooner at first
signs of irregular (uneven) tread wear.

7 Maintenance Booklet
Tire manufacturer’s rotation
recommendations will necessitate a tire
rotation at least once in between
maintenance services and at every
maintenance service based on
Mercedes-Benz SLR maintenance
intervals
.
The first tire rotation is at no charge pro-
vided it is performed at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center prior to 6,500
miles on the vehicle odometer.
For your convenience, this Maintenance
Booklet contains a tire rotation confirma-
tion page on which you can record the
date and mileage when tire rotations
were performed.
Spark Plugs should be replaced accord-
ing to schedule on page 60. Severe oper-
ating conditions (frequent starting and
stopping, excessive idling, sustained fast
highway driving) may call for spark plugs
to be replaced correspondingly sooner.Engine oils and oil filters are specifical-
ly tested for their suitability in our en-
gines and durability for our service
intervals. Therefore, only use approved
engine oils and oil filters required for ve-
hicles with Maintenance System. For a
listing of approved engine oils and oil fil-
ters, refer to the Factory Approved Serv-
ice products pamphlet, or contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specifi-
cation other than those expressly re-
quired for the Maintenance System or
changing of oil and oil filter at change in-
tervals longer than those called for by the
Maintenance System will result in engine
damage not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty
.Introduction

Maintenance Booklet8IntroductionRegular checks
In addition to the services, we recom-
mend that you check the following items
regularly (for example: weekly, when re-
fueling, or before any long journey):
• Engine oil level - Check the engine oil
level using the engine oil dipstick. Fur-
ther information about engine oil level
measurement can be found in the vehi-
cle Operator’s Manual.
• Coolant level - Please refer to the Op-
erator’s Manual for the correct proce-
dure to check the coolant level.
• Brake fluid level - If brake fluid has to
be added, see an authorized Mer-
cedes-Benz Center to determine the
cause, e.g. leaks or worn brake pads.• Windshield washing system - If the
washer fluid level drops below 1/3, the
windshield washer fluid level warning
lamp will illuminate. Add washer fluid
mixed with Mercedes-Benz windshield
washer solvent/concentrate, test
function and check wiper blades.
• Check lights
• Tire condition and pressures –
Check at least every other week.
Please refer to section “Tires and
wheels” in the Operator’s Manual for
guidelines and correct procedures to
check tire condition and pressures.
Please refer to the Factory Approved
Service Products booklet or see your
Mercedes-Benz Center for more informa-
tion on selecting the proper fluids, lubri-
cants, and oils for your vehicle.