2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG tow

218 OperationDriving instructionsDriving off
Apply the brakes to test them briefly after
driving off. Perform this procedure only
when the road is clear of other traffic.
Warm up the engine smoothly. Do not
place full load on the engine until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.
When starting off on a slippery surface, do
not allow one drive wheel to spin for an ex-
tended period with the ESP switched off.
Doing so may cause serious damage to the
drive train which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Parking
!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and applying the brake re-
duces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before
turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:


Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the selector lever to positionP.


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.


Turn the key to starter switch position0
and remove, or press KEYLESS-GO
*
start/stop button (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO
*).


take the key and the KEYLESS-GO
* card
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO
*) and lock
vehicle when leaving
!Set the parking brake whenever park-
ing or leaving the vehicle. In addition,
move selector lever to positionP.
In addition, when parking on hills, turn
front wheels towards the road curb.

219 Operation
Driving instructions
Tires
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and be-
come visible at a tread depth of approxi-
mately
1/16
in (1.5 mm), at which point
the tire is considered worn and should be
replaced.The tread wear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
Specified tire pressures must be main-
tained. This applies particularly if the tires
are subjected to extreme operating condi-
tions (e.g. high speeds, heavy loads, high
ambient temperatures).
Hydroplaning
Depending on the depth of the water layer
on the road, hydroplaning may occur, even
at low speeds and with new tires. Reduce
vehicle speed, avoid track grooves in the
road and apply brakes cautiously in the
rain.
Warning!
G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possi-
ble damage to your vehicle has occurred,
you should turn on the hazard warning flash-
ers, carefully slow down, and drive with cau-
tion to an area which is a safe distance from
the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have it towed to the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Center or tire dealer for re-
pairs.
Warning!
G
Do not allow your tires to wear down too far.
As tread depth approaches
1/16in
(1.5 mm), the adhesion properties on a wet
road are sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high
speed with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.

225 Operation
At the gas station
At the gas station
The fuel filler flap is located on the
right-hand side of the vehicle towards the
rear. Locking/unlocking the vehicle with
the remote control or the KEYLESS-GO*
card automatically locks/unlocks the fuel
filler flap.

Remove the key from the starter
switch.

Open the fuel filler flap by pushing at
the point indicated by the arrow.
The fuel filler flap springs open.

Turn the fuel cap to the left and hold on
to it until possible pressure is released.

Take off the cap and set it in the recess
on the fuel filler flap.

Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out – do not top up or over-
fill.

Replace the fuel cap by turning it to the
right.
You will hear when the fuel cap is tight-
ened.

Close the fuel filler flap.
You should hear the latch close shut.
Warning!
G
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious inju-
ry. Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid
inhaling fumes and skin contact, extinguish
all smoking materials. Never allow sparks,
flame or smoking materials near gasoline!
Warning!
G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could cause personal injury.
iOnly use premium unleaded gasoline
with a minimum Posted Octane Rating
of 91 (average of 96 RON / 86 MON).
Information on gasoline quality can
normally be found on the fuel pump.
More information on gasoline can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(page 344).
iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the
?
lamp to
illuminate.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 256).

245 Operation
Vehicle care
Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from the intrusion of
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax, should be applied to the en-
gine compartment after every engine
cleaning. Before applying, all control link-
age bushings and joints should be lubricat-
ed. The poly-V-belt and all pulleys should
be protected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight. Only use a mild car wash
detergent, such as Mercedes-Benz ap-
proved Car Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water. Direct only a very weak
spray towards the ventilation intake. Use
plenty of water and rinse the sponge and
chamois frequently.Rinse with clear water and thoroughly dry
with a chamois. Do not allow cleaning
agents to dry on the finish.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in out-
side mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent
damage to the mirrors.
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the underbody, do not for-
get to clean the inner sides of the wheels.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of very dirty
chrome-plated parts, use a chrome clean-
er.
Headlamps, taillamps, turn signal
lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo,
with plenty of water.
To prevent scratches, never apply strong
force and only use a soft, non-scratchy
cloth when cleaning the lenses. Do not at-
tempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry cloth
or sponge.
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of
water, and a KEYLESS-GO* card is in
close proximity, i.e. within approx 3 ft.
(approx. 1 m), the vehicle could be in-
advertently locked or unlocked.

249 Practical hints
What to do if …
Where will I find ...?
Locking/unlocking in an emergency
Replacing bulbs
Replacing wiper blades
Flat tire
Batteries
Jump starting
Towing the vehicle
Fuses

267 Practical hints
What to do if …
Warning!
G
Driving while these messages are displayed
can result in an accident. Have your brake
system checked immediately.
If there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system, we recommend that the vehicle be
transported with all wheels off the ground
using flatbed or appropriate wheel lift/dolly
equipment. A tow bar must be used if cir-
cumstances do not permit the use of the
recommended towing methods and the ve-
hicle requires towing with all four wheels on
the ground. Towing the vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground is only permissible for
distances up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a
speed not to exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For
more information, refer to "Towing the
vehicle"(
page 325).
If the SBC brake system enters its emergen-
cy operation mode, the driver must apply
significantly greater brake pedal pressure
and depress the pedal much further than
normal to obtain braking effect.
If necessary, apply full pressure to the brake
pedal. Brakes are only applied to the front
wheels. Stopping distance is increased!
Low brake fluid in the reservoir may cause
the braking system to fail!
If necessary, apply full pressure to the brake
pedal. Brakes are only applied to the front
wheels. Stopping distance is increased!
Low brake fluid in the reservoir may cause
the braking system to fail!
Don’t add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid res-
ervoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You can be seriously burned.

288 Practical hintsWhere will I find ...?
Where will I find ...?First aid kit
The first aid kit is located in storage space
under the passenger seat.
1Handle
2Lid
Pull the handle 1 up.

Fold the lid 2 down.
You can now remove the first-aid kit.
Vehicle tool kit
The vehicle tool kit is stored in the space
underneath the trunk floor.
Lift up the trunk floor cover.
You can now remove the tools and ac-
cessories.
The vehicle tool kit includes

One pair of universal pliers


Two open-end wrenches


One hex-socket wrench


One interchangeable slot/Phillips
screwdriver


One towing eye bolt


One wheel wrench


One alignment bolt


One fuse extractor


One fuse chart for the main fuse
box


Spare fusesThe jack is exclusively designed for lifting
the vehicle during a wheel change. Always
lower the vehicle on sufficient capacity
jack stands before working under the vehi-
cle.
iCheck expiration dates and contents
for completeness at least once a year
and replace missing/expired items.

299 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs

Turn the locking mechanism 2 clock-
wise.

Plug the connector onto the bulb.

Align headlamp cover and click into
place.
Replacing parking and standing lamp
bulbs

Switch off the lights.

Open the hood (
page 227).

Press ends of headlamp cover tab to-
gether and remove cover.

Pull out the bulb socket with the bulb.

Pull the bulb out of the bulb socket.

Insert a new bulb in the socket.

Reinstall the bulb socket.

Align headlamp cover and click into
place.Replacing side marker lamp

Switch off the lights.

Carefully slide lamp towards rear.

Remove front end first.

Twist bulb socket counterclockwise
and pull out.

Pull bulb out of the bulb socket.

Insert new bulb in socket.

Reinstall bulb socket, push in, and twist
clockwise.

To reinstall lamp, set rear end in
bumper and let front end snap into
place.
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps
Tail lamp assemblies
1Backup lamp
2Turn signal lamp
3Driver’s side: Rear fog lamp
Passenger’s side: Substitute lamp
Switch off the lights.

Open the trunk lid (
page 83).

Fold trim to side and remove.

Twist bulb socket counterclockwise
and pull out.
iHave the headlamp adjustment
checked regularly.