2000 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS brake

239 Jump starting
Technical
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 unsulation.
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”.
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 the negative (-)
terminal of the discharged battery.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
disch arge d ba ttery to ch arge for a few minu tes. Sta rt
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.

241 Towing the vehicle
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index 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.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Towing with
sling-type equipment over bumpy roads will damage
radiator and supports.
The use of wheel lift equipment will damage engine oil
pan.
Important!
When towing the vehicle, please, note the following:
With the automatic central locking activated and the
key in steering lock position 2, the vehicle doors lock if
the left front wheel as well as the right rear wheel are
tu rning a t veh ic le speeds of approx . 9 mph (15 k m/h) or
more.
To prevent the vehicle door locks from locking,
deactivate the automatic central locking.When transporting vehicle on flat bed equipment, the
front end of the vehicle must be loaded first. Additional
ramping may be required for loading to protect bumper
fascia.
Note:
To signal turns while being towed with hazard warning
f lash er in u se, turn key in steering l ock to position 2 a nd
activate combination switch for left or right turn signal
in usual manner – only the selected turn signal will
operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the hazard warning
f lasher will operate again.
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.

261 Cleaning and care of the vehicle
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar careIndex Cleaning and care of the vehicle
In operation, your vehicle is subjected to varying
external inf luences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the underbody and
cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by extreme and varying
climatic conditions, but also by air pollution, road salt,
tar, gravel and stone chipping. Grease and oil, fuel,
coolant, brake fluid, bird droppings, insects, tree resins
etc. should be removed immediately to avoid paint
damage. Frequent washing reduces and/or eliminates
the aggressiveness and potency of the above adverse
influences.More frequent washings are necessary to deal with
unfavorable conditions; for example, near the ocean, in
industrial areas (smoke, exhaust emissions), or during
winter operation.
You should check your vehicle from time to time for
stone chipping or other damage. Any damage should be
repaired as soon as possible to prevent the start of
corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underside of the vehicle.
A prerequisite for a thorough check is a washing of the
underbody followed by a thorough inspection. Damaged
areas need to be reundercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the factory with a wax-
base ru stproof ing in th e body cavities w hich will la st for
the lifetime of the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by Mercedes-Benz
because of the possibility of incompatibility between
materials used in the production process and others
applied later.
We have selected car-care products and compiled
recommendations which are specially matched to our
vehicles and which always reflect the latest technology.
You can obtain Mercedes-Benz approved car-care
products at your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Wa r n i n g !
Many cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are poisonous, others are flammable. Always follow
the instructions on the particular container.
Always open your car’s doors or windows when
cleaning the inside.Never use fluids or solvents that are not designed
for cleaning your car.

268 Contents – Technical data
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Technical dataSpare parts service ........................269
Warranty coverage .........................269
Identification labels .......................270
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ............ 271
Engine ..............................................272Rims - Tires .................................... 273
Weights ........................................... 275
Main Dimensions .......................... 275
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. -
capacities ....................................276
Engine oils ...................................... 278
Engine oil additives ...................... 278Air conditioner refrigerant ...........278
Brake fluid ......................................278
Premium unleaded gasoline ........279
Fuel requirements .........................279
Gasoline additives .........................280
Coolants ...........................................280
Consumer information ..................282

276 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. - capacities
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. - capacities
Veh icle c omponents and t heir respec tive lub rica nts mu st ma tch . T herefore u se only brands tested and rec omm end ed
by us. Please refer to the Factory Approved Service Products pamphlet, or inquire at your Mercedes-Benz Center.
Model Capacity Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine with oil filter SL 500
SL 6008.5 US qt (8.0 l)
10 . 6 U S q t ( 10 . 0 l )Recommended engine oils
Automatic transmission 9.6 US qt (9.1 l) Automatic transmission fluid
Rear axle 1.5 US qt (1.4 l) Hypoid gear oil SAE 90, 85 W 90
Hydraulic system for
adaptive damping
system (ADS)approx. 4.8 US qt (4.5 l) MB Hydraulic fluid
Power steering approx. 1.1 US qt (1.0 l) MB Power steering fluid
Front wheel hubs approx. 2.1 oz (60 g) each High temperature roller bearing grease
Accelerator control
linkageHydraulic fluid
Brake system approx. 0.5 US qt (0.5 l) MB Brake fluid (DOT 4)

278 Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. - capacities
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their suitability in
our engines. Therefore, use only engine oils
recommended by Mercedes-Benz. Information on
recommended brands is available at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Please follow Service Booklet recommendations for
scheduled oil changes. Failure to do so could result in
engine damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil. They may be
harmful to the engine operation.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from blending oil
additives are not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
War ra nt y.Air conditioner refrigerant
R-134a (H FC) ref rigerant a nd special PAG l ubricating oil
is used in the air conditioner 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. Under extremely hard
operating conditions, this moisture content can lead to
the formation of bubbles in the system thus reducing
the system‘s efficiency.
The brake fluid must therefore be replaced every two
years, preferably in the spring.
It is recommended to use only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
will provide you with additional information.

285
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car careIndex
Index
AABS (Antilock brake system) ....................................... 190
Malfunction indicator lamp .....................................208
Adj usting steering c ol umn
Storing steering column position in memory ........ 70
ADS indicator lamp ....................................................... 212
ADS warning lamp ......................................................... 212
Air conditioner refrigerant ...........................................278
Airbags .............................................................................. 60
Airbag OFF indicator lamp ...................................... 213
SRS indicator lamp ...................................................206
Antenna ........................................................................... 151
Antilock brake system (ABS) ....................................... 190
Antitheft alarm system ................................................... 42
Aquaplaning ................................................................... 180
Armrest ........................................................................... 127
Ashtrays .................................................................. 130, 131
Audio system
Anti-theft system ...................................................... 100
Button and soft key operation ................................. 101
Cassette mode ........................................................... 106
CD changer .................................................................110CD mode ..................................................................... 109
Operating and display elements ...............................99
Operating safety ..........................................................98
Operation ............................................................. 98, 102
Radio mode ................................................................ 104
Telephone operation ................................................. 113
Automatic climate control ..............................................90
Air distribution ............................................................95
Air recirculation ..........................................................96
Air volume .................................................................... 95
Basic setting - automatic mode ................................. 93
Defogging windows .....................................................94
Defrosting .....................................................................94
Display and controls ...................................................92
Dust filter .....................................................................97
Rear window defroster ............................................... 95
Residual engine heat utilization ...............................96
Automatic transmission ................................................ 168
Emergency operation ............................................... 174
Fluid level ...................................................................221
Maneuvering ..............................................................172
Program mode selector switch ................................173
Selector lever positions ............................................ 169

286
Technical
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car careIndex
BBabySmart
TM airbag deactivation system ..................... 58
Self-test ......................................................................... 59
Backrest ............................................................................. 48
BAS (Brake assist system) ............................................ 188
Malfunction indicator lamp .....................................207
Battery .............................................................................236
Charge indicator lamp .............................................. 211
Recycling ....................................................................237
Brake assist system (BAS) ............................................ 188
Brake fluid ......................................................................278
Capacity ...................................................................... 276
Brake pad wear indicator lamp ....................................205
Brake warning lamp ......................................................204
CCatalytic converter ........................................................ 163
Central locking system ................................................... 30
Automatic central locking ......................................... 38
Central locking switch ............................................... 37
General notes ............................................................... 34
Locking and unlocking with remote control .......... 31
Remote control ..................................................... 28, 30Remote control – changing batteries ..................... 251
Vehicle keys .................................................................28
Changing wheels ........................................................... 230
Charge indicator lamp ................................................... 211
Check engine malfunction indicator lamp ................ 204
Check regularly and before a long trip ...................... 202
Checking engine oil level .............................................221
Checking engine oil level indicator .............................. 82
Cleaning and care of the vehicle ................................. 261
Clock .................................................................................. 79
Combination switch .........................................................86
Console storage compartments ....................................127
Consumer information ................................................. 282
Control and operation of radio transmitters .............. 153
Coolant
Adding coolant .......................................................... 224
Anticorrosion/antifreeze quantity .........................281
Checking level .......................................................... 223
Coolants ..................................................................... 280
Low engine coolant level warning lamp ............... 209
Temperature gauge .....................................................78
Cruise control ................................................................. 185
Cup holder .............................................................. 128, 264