2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 workshop

266 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
Except Canada:;Canada only:3
Reduced
brake effect
Visit workshop!
Incr.
braking dist.
Visit workshop!
The SBC brake system is in emer-
gency operation mode. Consider-
able brake pedal force is required
and the stopping distance is in-
creased.

Continue driving with added caution.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately. Adjust driving to be consistent
with reduced braking responsiveness.
Brake fluid
below min. level!
Visit workshop!
There is insufficient brake fluid in the
reservoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle and notify
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Do
not add brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks.

268 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
Except Canada:;Canada only:3
Service brake
Visit workshop!
There are malfunctions, but the SBC
brake system is operating normally.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Incr.
braking distance
Start engine!
The battery has insufficient voltage
and cannot supply sufficient power
to the SBC brake system.

Start the engine.
The message disappears when sufficient
voltage is available.
Brakes overheated!
Drive carefully!
The brake system is overheated due
to an excessive load on the brakes.

Relieve the load on the brake system.

Drive more smoothly and think ahead to
avoid unnecessary braking.

When driving down steep grades, shift into a
lower gear to use the engine’s braking power
(page 139).

Cautiously continue driving so that the air
stream will cool down the brakes.

269 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
F
Chip card
Check battery!
The KEYLESS-GO* card batteries are
discharged.

Change the batteries (
page 294).
Chip card
not recognised!
The KEYLESS-GO* card is not recog-
nized while the engine is running be-
cause

the card is not in the vehicle


there is strong radio-frequency
interference

Stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.

Search for the card or continue to operate
the vehicle with the key.
Otherwise the vehicle cannot be centrally
locked nor can the engine be started again
after the engine is stopped.
The KEYLESS-GO* card is momen-
tarily not recognized.

Change the position of the card in the vehi-
cle.

Operate the vehicle with the key if neces-
sary.
Chip card
still in vehicle!
A KEYLESS-GO* card left in the vehi-
cle was recognized while locking the
vehicle from the outside.

Take the card out of the vehicle.
KEYLESS-GO
Visit workshop!
The KEYLESS-GO* system is mal-
functioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.

272 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
<
Seat belt system
Visit workshop!
The seat belt system is malfunction-
ing.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Ê
Close
trunk lid!
This message will appear whenever
the trunk lid is open.

Close the trunk lid.
Close
trunk separator!
You are trying to open or close the
roof even though the luggage cover
in the trunk is not pulled out.

Pull out the luggage cover and secure it
(page 160).
B
Coolant
Check level!
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 230).

If you have to add coolant frequently, have
the cooling system checked by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You can be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
this message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount
of coolant in the cooling system. The
engine will overheat, causing major en-
gine damage.

274 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
Ï
Coolant
Visit workshop!
The cooling fan for the coolant is
malfunctioning.

Observe the coolant temperature gauge.

Have the fan replaced as soon as possible.
.
Low beam,
left
The left low beam lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Low beam,
right
The right low beam lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Display defective
Visit workshop!
The display for the lights is malfunc-
tioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Turn signal R, L
Substitute
lamp on!
The left rear turn signal lamp is mal-
functioning. A backup bulb has been
brought into use.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Turn signal R, R
Substitute
lamp on!
The right rear turn signal lamp is
malfunctioning. A backup bulb has
been brought into use.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.

275 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
.
L. turn sig. rflectr
The left turn signal in the side mirror
is malfunctioning. This message will
only appear if all light emitting di-
odes have stopped working.

Have the LEDs replaced as soon as possible.
R. turn sig. rflectr
The right turn signal in the side mir-
ror is malfunctioning. This message
will only appear if all light emitting
diodes have stopped working.

Have the LEDs replaced as soon as possible.
Turn signal F, L
Substitute
lamp on!
The left front turn signal lamp is mal-
functioning. A backup bulb has been
brought into use.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Turn signal F, R
Substitute
lamp on!
The right front turn signal lamp is
malfunctioning. A backup bulb has
been brought into use.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Brake light
!
Visit workshop!
Brake lamp illumination is delayed or
lamp is permanently on.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.

279 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
.
Light sensor
Visit workshop!
The light sensor is malfunctioning.
The headlamps switch on automati-
cally.

In the control system, set lamp operation to
manual (
page 124).

Switch on headlamps using the exterior lamp
switch.
?
Visit workshop!
There may be a malfunction in the

fuel injection system


ignition system


exhaust system


fuel system

H a v e t h e e n g i n e c h e c k e d a s s o o n a s p o s s i b l e
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
(page 256).
O
Close hood!
You are driving with the hood open.

Close the hood (
page 228).
:
Engine oil level
Stop, engine off!
There is no oil in the engine. There is
a danger of engine damage.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as soon
as possible.

Turn off the engine.

Add engine oil.

280 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause
Possible solution
:
Engine oil level
Check level!
The engine oil level is too low.

Check the engine oil level (
page 228) and
add oil as required.
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level!
You have added too much engine oil.
There is a risk of damaging the en-
gine or the catalytic converter.

Have oil siphoned. Observe all legal require-
ments with respect to its disposal.
Engine oil
Visit workshop!
The engine oil has dropped to a crit-
ical level.
There is water in the oil.

Check the engine oil level (
page 228) and
add oil as required.

If you must add engine oil frequently, have
the engine checked for possible leaks.

Have the oil checked.
Engine oil level
Visit workshop!
The measuring system is malfunc-
tioning.

Have the measuring system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.