2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK32AMG brake

163 Operation
Driving instructions
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.Tire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or
icy road is always lower than on a dry road.You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperatures are close to the freezing
point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends M+S rated
radial-ply tires for the winter season for all
four wheels to insure normal balanced
handling characteristics. On packed snow,
they can reduce your stopping distance as
compared with summer tires. Stopping
distance, however, is still considerably
greater than when the road is not covered
with snow or ice. Exercise appropriate cau-
tion.
Tire speed rating
Vehicles without Sport Package
Your vehicle is factory equipped with
“V”-rated tires, which have a speed rating
of 149 mph (240 km / h) and “W”-rated
tires, which have a speed rating of
168 mph (270 km / h).
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.
Warning!
G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake
with extreme caution.
Warning!
G
Even when permitted by law, never operate
a vehicle at greater than the maximum
speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire failure
causing loss of vehicle control and resulting
in an accident and/or personal injury and
possible death, for you and for others.iAdditional information on winter tires
can be found under “Winter tires”
(page 183).

164 OperationDriving instructionsVehicles with Sport Package*
Your vehicle is factory equipped with
“Y”-rated tires, which have a speed rating
of 186 mph (300 km / h).
Despite of the tire speed rating, local
speed limits should be obeyed. Use pru-
dent driving speeds appropriate to prevail-
ing conditions.Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid
abrupt acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.When the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
move selector lever to positionN or de-
clutch in case of manual transmission. Try
to keep the vehicle under control by cor-
rective steering action.
Road salts and chemicals can adversely af-
fect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce
the normal brake effect.
We therefore recommend depressing the
brake pedal periodically when traveling at
length on salt-strewn roads. This can bring road salt impaired braking
efficiency back to normal. Be very careful
that you carry out these braking maneu-
vers without endangering any other road
users.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed while observing the
safety rules in the previous paragraph.
iInformation on driving with snow
chains (
page 184).
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
Warning!
G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure that snow is kept clear of the exhaust
pipe and from around the vehicle with the
engine running. Otherwise, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle in-
terior resulting in unconsciousness and
death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.

170 OperationAt the gas station
You will hear when the fuel cap is tight-
ened.

Close the fuel filler flap.
You should hear the latch close shut.
Check regularly and before a long trip1Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
More information on filling up the res-
ervoir can be found in the “Operation”
section (
page 179).
2Brake fluid
More information on brake fluid can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 271).
3Coolant level
More information on coolant can be
found in the “Operation” section
(page 176).
4Engine oil level
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Operation” section
(page 172).
Opening hood (
page 171).Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). More information on
coolant can be found in the “Operation”
section (
page 176).
Exterior lamp switch (
page 83).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, refer
to page (
page 221) in the “Practical
hints” section.
Exterior lamp switch (
page 83).
Tire inflation pressure
More information on tire inflation pressure
can be found in the “Operation” section
(
page 181).
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 199).

180 OperationTires and wheels
Tires and wheelsSee your authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter for information on tested and recom-
mended rims and tires for summer and
winter operation. They can also offer ad-
vice concerning tire service and purchase.
Retread tires are not tested or recom-
mended by Mercedes-Benz, since previous
damage cannot always be recognized on
retreads. Mercedes-Benz can therefore
not assure the operating safety of the vehi-
cle when such tires are used.
See your authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter for information on tested and recom-
mended rims and tires for summer and
winter operation.
Important guidelines

Use only sets of tires and rims of the
same type and make.


Tires must be of the correct size for the
rim.


Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate
speeds.


Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage.


If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
pressure and correct as required.


Do not allow your tires to wear down
too far. Adhesion properties on wet
roads are sharply reduced at tread
depths under
1/8in (3 mm).


When replacing individual tires, you
should mount new tires on the front
wheels first (on vehicles with
same-sized wheels all around).
Warning!
G
Replace rims or tires with the same designa-
tion, manufacturer and type as shown on the
original part. See your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion. If incorrectly sized rims and tires are
mounted:

The wheel brakes or suspension compo-
nents can be damaged.


The correct operating clearance of the
wheels and the tires are no longer guar-
anteed.
Warning!
G
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
When replacing rims, use only genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can re-
sult in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.

187 Operation
Vehicle care
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of vehicle
In operation, your vehicle is subjected to
varying external influences which, if gone
unchecked, can attack 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


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 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 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.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion or
damage due to negligent or incorrect care
cannot always be removed or repaired with
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.

195 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
¿
The yellow BAS/ESP malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.
The ESP is deactivated because of an inter-
rupted power supply. The ABS may still be
operational.

With vehicle stationary and the engine
running, turn the steering wheel com-
pletely to the left and then to the right
to synchronize the ESP.
The BAS has detected a malfunction and
switched off. The brake system is still func-
tioning normally but without the BAS avail-
able.

Continue driving with added caution.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts and the BAS has switched off.

When the voltage is above this value
again, the BAS is operational again.

If necessary, have the alternator and
battery checked.

196 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
-
The yellow ABS malfunction indi-
cator lamp and warning comes
on while driving.
The ABS has detected a malfunction and has
switched off. The BAS and ESP are also
switched off. Both indicator lamps come on
with the engine running.
The brake system is still functioning normally
but without the ABS available.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels will lock during hard braking
reducing steering capability.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts and the ABS has switched off.

When the voltage is above this value
again, the ABS is operational again.

If necessary, have the alternator and
battery checked.

198 Practical hintsWhat 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.
You are driving with the parking brake set.

Release the parking brake
(page 42).
3
(Canada only)
;
(except Canada)The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.

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.