2002 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 height

45 Seats
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index 5Head restraint
(with shoulder belt height adjustment)
Adjust the head restraint so that the upper portion
of the shoulder belt is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder. The head restraint can
be tilted forward by hand.
Note:
To prevent the backrest from touching the soft top
storage compartment cover when the seat is moved
back, the backrest will automatically move to a more
upright position.
When reclining the backrest, the seat will automatically
move forward to prevent the backrest from touching the
soft top storage compartment cover.
Wa r n i n g !
When leaving the vehicle always remove the key
from the steering lock, and lock the vehicle.The power seats can also be operated with a door
open. Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment may cause
serious personal injury.
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause the
driver to lose control of the vehicle.Never ride in a moving vehicle with the backrest
reclined.
Sitting in an excessively reclined position can be
dangerous. You could slide under the seat belt in a
collision. If you slide under it, the belt would apply
force at the abdomen or neck. That could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. The backrest and seat
belt provide the best restraint when the wearer is
in an upright position and the belt is properly
positioned on the body.The rear storage area should never be occupied by
passengers since the vehicle is a 2 seater.
Furthermore, there is a risk of injury in the rear by
adjusting the power assisted front seats.Never place hands under seat or near any moving
parts while a seat is being adjusted.

47 Seats
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Important!
Prior to operating the vehicle, the driver should adjust
the seat height for proper vision as well as fore/aft
placement and backrest angle to insure adequate
control, reach, operation, and comfort. The head
restraint should also be adjusted for proper height.
Adjust head restraint to support the back of the head
approximately at ear level. See also airbag section for
proper seat positioning on page 60.
In addition, also adjust the steering wheel to ensure
adequate control, reach, operation and comfort.
Both the inside and outside rear view mirrors should be
adjusted for adequate rearward vision.
Fasten seat belts. Infants and small children should be
seated in a properly secured restraint system that
complies with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213.
All seat, head restraint, rear view mirror, and steering
wheel adjustments as well as fastening of seat belts
should be done before the vehicle is put into motion.
Wa r n i n g !
Children 12 years old and under must never ride in
this vehicle, except in a Mercedes-Benz authorized
BabySmart
TM compatible child seat, which operates
with the BabySmart
TM system installed in the
vehicle to deactivate the passenger side front
airbag when it is properly installed.
Otherwise they will be struck by the airbag when it
inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious or fatal
injury will result.Infants and small children must be seated in an
appropriate infant or child restraint system, which
is properly secured with the vehicle’s seat belt,
fully in accordance with the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions.A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints are
not properly secured in the vehicle and the child is
not properly secured in the child restraint.

49 Seats
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Multicontour seats (optional)
Switch is located on side of seat.
We recommend to adjust the multicontour seat in the
following order:
1Seat cushion depth
2Backrest bottom
3Backrest center
4Side bolster adjustmentSome m od els may be eq uipped with m ulticontour sea ts.
These seats have movable seat cushions, and inflatable
air cushions built into the backrest to provide additional
lumbar and side support.
The seat cushion movement and amount of backrest
cushion height and curvature can be continuously
varied with regulators (1, 2 and 3) after turning the key
in steering lock to position 2.
The side bolsters of the backrest can be adjusted with
rocker switch (4):
• press down forward end -
increase side support,
• press down rearward end -
decrease side support.
If the engine is turned off, the last cushion setting is
retained in memory, and automatically adjusts the
cushion to this setting when the engine is restarted.
P91.25-0298-26
1
2
3
4

55 Restraint systems
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Press switch (4) to adjust the height of the seat belt
outlet so that the shoulder portion is located as close as
possible to the middle of your shoulder.
The shoulder portion of the seat belt must be pulled
snug and checked for snugness immediately after
engaging it and during driving. Tighten the lap portion
to a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion up.Operation of seat belts
The inertia reel stops the belt from unwinding during
sudden vehicle stops or when quickly pulling on the
belt.
The locking function of the reel may be checked by
quickly pulling out the belt.
3
2
1
P91.40-0346-26
4

128 Interior equipment
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Cup holder
To open compartment:
Slide cover (1) back.
To open cup holder (2):
Lift handle in direction of arrow.
To close cup holder (3):
Lift handle in direction of arrow.Parcel net in passenger footwell
A small convenience parcel net is located in the
passenger footwell. It is for small and light items, such
as road maps, mail, etc.
Wa r n i n g !
Keep cup holder closed while traveling. Place only
containers that fit into the cup holder to prevent
spills.Do not fill containers to a height where the
contents could spill during vehicle maneuvers,
especially hot liquids.Wa r n i n g !
Do not place heavy or fragile objects, or objects
having sharp edges, in the parcel net.In an accident, during hard braking or sudden
maneuvers, they could be thrown around inside
the vehicle, and cause injury to vehicle occupants.

143 Soft top
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Soft top
A minimum height clearance of 6.5 ft (2 m) is required
to lower or raise the soft top.
Do not lower a frozen soft top until thawed and dry.
Doing so may result in damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
To prevent m ildew, t he soft top must be dry before
lowering it into the storage compartment.
The soft top should not be lowered or raised at outside
temperatures below +5°F (-15°C), since the material
becomes less pliable with lower temperatures.
The lowering or raising procedure is immediately
interrupted by releasing the soft top switch.
Wa r n i n g !
Before operating the soft top switch make sure that
no persons due to inattention are injured by the
moving parts (roll bar, soft top frame and soft top
lid).Hands must never be placed near the roll bar, soft
top frame, upper windshield area or soft top storage
compartment while the soft top is being locked or
unlocked. Serious personal injury may occur.

221 Engine compartment
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hintsCar care Index To cl os e:
Lower hood and let it drop into lock from a height of
approx. 1 ft. (30 cm), assisting with hands placed flat on
edges of hood (3).
To avoid hood damage, please make sure that hood is
fully closed. If not, repeat closing procedure. Do not
push down on hood to attempt to fully close it.
Wa r n i n g !
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the engine
is running. Be sure the hood is properly closed
before driving. When closing hood, use extreme
caution not to catch hands or fingers.The radiator fan may continue to run another
approximate 30 seconds or even restart after the
engine has been turned off. Stay clear from fan
blades.
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage it is
dangerous to touch any components (ignition coils,
spark plug sockets, diagnostic socket) of the
ignition system
• with the engine running,
• while starting the engine,
• if ignition is “on” and the engine is turned
manually.If you see flames, steam or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant temperature
gauge indicates that the engine is overheated, do
not open the hood. Move away from vehicle and do
not open the hood until the engine has cooled. If
necessary, call a fire department.

276 Technical data
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Electrical system Weights
(see certification tag)
Main dimensions Generator (alternator) 14 V/150 A
Battery 12V/100 Ah
Starter motor
SL 500:
SL 600:12 V / 1. 7 k W
12V/2.2 kW
Spark plugs
SL 500:
SL 600:
Electrode gap
Tightening torqueBosch F 8 DPER
Beru 14 FGH 8 DPUR X 2
Beru 14 FGH 8 DPUR X 2
0.039 in (1.0 mm)
15 – 22 ft.lb (20 – 30 Nm)Hardtop load max. 66 lb (30 kg)
Trunk load max. 220 lb (100 kg)
Overall vehicle length 177.1 in (4499 mm)
O ve r a l l v e h i c l e w i d t h 71.3 in ( 1812 m m )
Overall height 51.3 in (1303 mm)
Wheel base 99.0 in (2515 mm)
Track, front 60.4 in (1535 mm)
Track, rear 60.0 in (1523 mm)