2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 brake fluid

Contents
Retractable hardtop........................... 159
Opening and closing the retractable
hardtop ........................................ 159
Driving systems ................................. 168
Cruise control .............................. 168
Distronic* .................................... 171
Active Body Control (ABC) ........... 183
Parktronic system* ...................... 186
Useful features .................................. 190
Interior storage spaces ................ 190
Ashtray......................................... 196
Cigarette lighter ........................... 197
Heated steering wheel* (Canada
only–model SL 500) ..................... 197
Easy-Pack load assist in the trunk 198
Electrical outlet ............................ 199
Telephone* .................................. 199
Tele Aid ........................................ 200
Garage door opener ..................... 208Operation......................................... 213
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 214
Driving instructions............................ 215
Drive sensibly – save fuel............. 215
Drinking and driving ..................... 215Pedals ........................................... 215
Power assistance .......................... 216
Brakes........................................... 216
Driving off ..................................... 218
Parking.......................................... 218
Tires .............................................. 219
Hydroplaning................................. 219
Tire traction .................................. 220
Tire speed rating ........................... 220
Winter driving instructions ............ 221
Standing water.............................. 222
Passenger compartment ............... 222
Driving abroad .............................. 222
Control and operation of radio trans-
mitters .......................................... 222
Catalytic converter........................ 223
Emission control ........................... 224
Coolant temperature..................... 224
At the gas station ............................... 225
Check regularly and before a
long trip ........................................ 226Engine compartment .......................... 227
Hood ............................................. 227
Engine oil ...................................... 228
Transmission fluid level ................ 230
Oil level in the ABC system ........... 230
Coolant ......................................... 230
Battery .......................................... 232
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system ........... 233
Tires and wheels ................................ 234
Important guidelines ..................... 234
Life of tires ................................... 235
Direction of rotation ..................... 235
Checking tire inflation pressure .... 235
Rotating wheels ............................ 238
Winter driving ..................................... 239
Winter tires ................................... 239
Block heater (Canada only) ........... 240
Snow chains ................................. 240
Maintenance ...................................... 241
Clearing the service indicator ....... 241
Service term exceeded ................. 241
Calling up the service indicator .... 242
Resetting the service indicator ..... 242
Vehicle care ....................................... 243
Cleaning and care of the vehicle ... 243

ContentsPractical hints.................................. 249
What to do if … .................................. 250
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 250
Messages in the display ............... 257
Where will I find ...?............................ 288
First aid kit ................................... 288
Vehicle tool kit ............................. 288
Locking/unlocking in an emergency.. 290
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 290
Locking the vehicle ...................... 292
Lowering the Easy Pack feature
manually ....................................... 292
Changing batteries ....................... 293
Replacing bulbs ................................. 295
Bulbs ............................................ 295
Replacing bulbs for front lamps.... 298
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 299
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 301
Removing ..................................... 301
Installing....................................... 301
Flat tire .............................................. 302
Preparing the vehicle.................... 302
Sealing tires with TIREFIT kit 1 ..... 302
Sealing tires with TIREFIT kit 2 ..... 308
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 312Batteries ............................................ 319
Disconnecting the batteries ......... 320
Removing the batteries ................ 321
Charging and reinstalling
batteries....................................... 321
Reconnecting the batteries .......... 321
Jump starting ..................................... 323
Towing the vehicle ............................. 325
Installing towing eye bolt ............. 327
Fuses ................................................. 329
Main fuse box............................... 329
Technical data................................. 331
Spare parts service ............................ 332
Warranty coverage............................. 333
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet ..................... 333
Identification labels ........................... 334
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 335
SL 500 ......................................... 335
SL 55 AMG ................................... 335
Engine................................................ 336
Rims and tires.................................... 337
Same size tires ............................. 337
Mixed size tires ............................ 338Spare wheel ................................. 338
Electrical system ............................... 339
Main dimensions ............................... 340
Weights ............................................. 341
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 342
Capacities .................................... 342
Engine oils ................................... 343
Engine oil additives ...................... 343
Air conditioner refrigerant............ 343
Brake fluid.................................... 343
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 344
Fuel requirements ........................ 344
Gasoline additives ........................ 344
Coolants ...................................... 345
Windshield and headlamp washer
system ......................................... 347
Consumer information ....................... 348
Uniform tire quality grading ......... 348
Technical terms............................... 351Index................................................. 357

74 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systems
The SBC brake servo assistance switches
off automatically when you

remove the key from the starter switch
(after approximately two minutes)


lock the vehicle (after approximately
20 seconds)
Note on driving with SBC


Following extended periods of only mi-
nor loads to your brake system, you
should occasionally apply the brakes
when traveling at high speeds. This im-
proves the grip of the brake pads.


After driving on wet or snow-covered
roads, you should apply your brakes
firmly before parking your vehicle. This
produces heat which serves to dry the
brake disks and help prevent corro-
sion.


On long and steep grades, shift to a
lower gear (gear range1, 2, or 3) to
prevent the brakes from overheating
and to reduce brake wear.


After hard braking, it is advisable to
drive on for some time so that the air
stream will cool down the brakes fast-
er.


Only Mercedes-Benz approved compo-
nents (e.g. brake pads) should be in-
stalled on your vehicle. Brake pads not
approved by Mercedes-Benz may im-
pair the safety of your vehicle.
Warning!
G
Have brake pad replacement and other work
on the SBC brake system carried out by
qualified technicians only. Contact your
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion. The SBC brake system must be deacti-
vated prior to working on the system. High
pressure is intermittently built up in the sys-
tem as part of its automatic self-test. In ad-
dition, the system is automatically activated
when the vehicle is unlocked by remote con-
trol, when the driver or passenger door is
opened, when the key in the starter switch
is turned to position1, when the brake ped-
al is depressed or when the parking brake is
released. Failure to deactivate the system
prior to maintenance will cause brake pis-
tons to extend and brake fluid to leak, which
may result in injuries (contusions and acid
burns). Extended brake pistons may also
cause injury.
Warning!
G
Be very careful not to endanger other road
users when you apply the brakes.

217 Operation
Driving instructions
To help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet road surfaces (particularly
salted roads), it is advisable to brake the
vehicle with considerable force prior to
parking. The heat generated serves to dry
the brakes.
If your brake system is normally only sub-
jected to moderate loads, you should occa-
sionally test the effectiveness of the
brakes by applying above-normal braking
pressure at higher speeds. This will also
enhance the grip of the brake pads.
If the parking brake is released and the
brake warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter stays on, there is a malfunction in the
SBC brake system (
page 72) or the
brake fluid level in the reservoir is too low.Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.
Have the brake system inspected at an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center immedi-
ately.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only install brake pads and brake fluid rec-
ommended by Mercedes-Benz.After hard braking, it is advisable to drive
on for some time, rather than immediately
parking, so the air stream will cool down
the brakes faster.
!Be very careful not to endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Refer to the description of the Brake
Assist System (BAS) (
page 69).
Warning!
G
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can be degraded to an extent that
safe braking is substantially impaired. This
could result in an accident.
Be certain to read and observe the warning
notices on brake pad replacement
(page 74).
!When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes
by shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s braking power. This helps pre-
vent overheating of the brakes and re-
duces brake pad wear.

226 OperationAt the gas stationCheck regularly and before a long trip
1Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system
More information on refilling the reser-
voir can be found in the “Operation”
section on (
page 233).
2Brake fluid
More information on brake fluid can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 342).
3Coolant level
More information on coolant can be
found in the “Coolant” section on
(page 230).Engine oil level
More information on engine oil can be
found in the Checking engine oil level sec-
tion on (
page 228).
Opening hood see (
page 227).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness.More infor-
mation on replacing light bulbs can be
found in the “Practical hints” section
(
page 295).
Exterior lamp switch see “Switching on
headlamps” (
page 43).
Tire inflation pressure
More information on tire inflation pressure
can be found in the “Tires and wheels” sec-
tion (
page 234).

243 Operation
Vehicle care
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the
underbody and cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:

Air pollution


Road salt


Tar, gravel and stone chippingTo avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


Bird droppings


Insects


Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and / or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.
More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:


Near the ocean


In industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)


During winter operationYou should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
A n y d a m a g e s h o u l d b e r e p a i r e d a s s o o n a s
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last 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 ap-
plied 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.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.

253 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
3
(Canada only)
;
except Canada)
The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving
You are driving with the parking brake set,
or
there is a malfunction in the SBC brake system.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reservoir.

Release the parking brake
(page 41).

Read and observe messages in the
display (
page 257).

Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Don’t add
brake fluid before checking the brake sys-
tem.
Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can re-
sult in spilling brake fluid on hot engine
parts and the brake fluid catching fire. You
can be seriously burned.
!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.

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.