2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG parking brake

284 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
3
(Canada only)
;
(except Canada)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and
you hear a warning sound.
The red brake warning lamp
comes on 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 45).

Read and observe messages in the
display (
page 291).

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. Do not 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.

302 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.
Except Canada:;Canada only:3
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 157).

Cautiously continue driving so that the air
stream will cool down the brakes.
Except Canada:;Canada only:!
Release
parking brake!
You are driving with the parking
brake set.

Release the parking brake (
page 52).

331 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Replacing bulbs
Bulbs
Safe vehicle operation depends on proper
exterior lighting and signaling. It is there-
fore essential that all bulbs and lamp as-
semblies are in good working order at all
times.
Correct headlamp adjustment is extremely
important. Have headlamps checked and
readjusted at regular intervals and when a
bulb has been replaced. See an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for headlamp ad-
justment.
iIf the headlamps are fogged up on the
inside as a result of high humidity, driv-
ing the vehicle a distance should clear
up the fogging.
iBackup bulbs will be brought into use
when the following lamps malfunction:

Turn signal lamps


Brake lamps


Parking lamps


Tail lamps

332 Practical hintsReplacing bulbsFront lamps Rear lamps
Lamp
Type
1
Additional turn
signal
LED
2
Turn signal lamp
1156 NA
3
Low beam
1
1Vehicles with Bi-Xenon* headlamps: Low beam
and high beam use the same D2S-35W lamp. Do
not replace the Xenon and Bi-Xenon* bulbs your-
self. See an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Xenon D2S-35 W
4
Xenon head-
lamps:
High beam, high
beam flasher
H7 (55 W)
Bi-Xenon* head-
lamps:
High beam
flasher
H7 (55 W)
Parking and
standing lamps
W 5 W
5
Fog lamp
HB4/9006 (55 W)
6
Side marker
lamp
W 5 W
Lamp
Type
7
Rear fog lamp,
driver’s side;
replacement
P 21 W
1156/32 cp
8
High mounted
brake lamp
LED
9
Backup lamp;
replacement
P 21 W
1156/32 cp
a
Tail, parking and
standing lamp,
side marker
LED
b
Tail, parking and
standing lamp,
brake lamp
LED
c
License plate
lamps
C 5 W
d
Turn signal
lamp;
replacement
P 21 W
1156/32 cp

333 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Notes on bulb replacement

Only use 12 volt bulbs of the same type
and with the specified watt rating.


Switch lights off before changing a bulb
to prevent short circuits.


Always use a clean lint-free cloth when
handling bulbs.


Your hands should be dry and free of oil
and grease.


If the newly installed bulb does not
come on, visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.Have the LEDs and bulbs for the following
lamps replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center:


the additional turn signals in the exteri-
or rear view mirrors


the high mounted brake lamp


the brake lamps


the parking lamps and the side marker
lamps in the tail lamp assemblies


the rear fog lamps


the low beam (Xenon or Bi-Xenon*)
lamps


the front fog lamps
Warning!
G
Bulbs and bulb sockets can be very hot. Al-
low the lamp to cool down before changing
a bulb.
Keep bulbs out of reach of children.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas. A
bulb can explode if you:

touch or move it when hot,


drop the bulb,


scratch the bulb.
Wear eye and hand protection.
Because of high voltage in Xenon lamps, it is
dangerous to replace the bulb or repair the
lamp and its components. We recommend
that you have such work done by a qualified
technician.

339 Practical hints
Flat tire
Flat tire
Your SL 55 AMG may be equipped with a
TIREFIT kit.
You can identify which TIREFIT kit
(SL 55 AMG only) you have as follows:

The TIREFIT container of kit 1 is a
squeeze container.
For information on sealing a damaged
tire with TIREFIT kit 1, see
(page 340).


The TIREFIT container of kit 2 is a rigid
container.
For information on sealing a damaged
tire with TIREFIT kit 2, see
(page 345).
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.

Turn on the hazard warning flashers.

Turn the steering wheel so that the
front wheels are in a straight ahead po-
sition.

Set the parking brake.

Move the gear selector lever to P.
Vehicles with SmartKey :

Turn off the engine (
page 53).

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.Vehicles with SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*:

Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* button on the gear se-
lector lever once (
page 54).

Open the driver’s door (this puts the
starter switch in position 0, same as
with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch). The driver's door then
can be closed again.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway. iOpen door only when conditions are
safe to do so.

350 Practical hintsFlat tireMounting the spare wheel Preparing the vehicle
Prepare the vehicle as described
(
page 339).

Turn spare wheel bracket counter-
clockwise to loosen.

Take the spare wheel out of the trunk.
Lifting the vehicle

Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
(not included) or other sizable objects.
When changing wheel on a level sur-
face:
Place one chock in front of and one
behind the wheel that is diagonally
opposite to the wheel being
changed.
When changing wheel on a hill:

Place chocks on the downhill side
blocking both wheels of the other
axle.

Take the vehicle tool kit and the jack
out of the storage compartment under
the trunk floor (
page 323).
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the spare wheel are dif-
ferent from those of the road wheels. As a
result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a mounted spare
wheel. Adapt your driving style accordingly.
The spare wheel is for temporary use only.
When driving with spare wheel mounted, en-
sure proper tire pressure and do not exceed
vehicle speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
Drive to the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible to have the spare wheel
replaced with a regular road wheel.
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
Warning!
G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack tubes built into
both sides of the vehicle. To help avoid per-
sonal injury, use the jack only to lift the ve-
hicle during a wheel change. Never get
beneath the vehicle while it is supported by
the jack. Keep hands and feet away from the
area under the lifted vehicle. Always firmly
set parking brake and block wheels before
raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage parking brake while the
vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is
always vertical (plumb line) when in use, es-
pecially on hills. Always try to use the jack
on level surface. Be sure that the jack arm is
fully inserted in the jack tube. Always lower
the vehicle onto sufficient capacity jack-
stands before working under the vehicle.

364 Practical hintsJump startingThe starter battery is located on the right
side of the engine compartment.
Make sure the two vehicles do not
touch.

Turn off all electrical consumers.

Apply parking brake.

Shift gear selector lever to positionP.

Remove the red cover from positive ter-
minal on both vehicles (
page 358).1Negative terminal of charged battery
2Negative terminal of discharged
battery
3Positive terminal of discharged battery
4Positive terminal of charged battery

Connect positive terminals 3 and 4
of the batteries with the jumper cables.
Clamp cable to charged battery 4
first.

Start the engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.

Connect negative terminals 1 and 2
of the batteries with the jumper cables.
Clamp cable to charged battery 1
first.

Start the engine of the disabled vehi-
cle.
You can now turn on the electrical con-
sumers. Do not turn on the lights under
any circumstances.

Remove the jumper cables first from
negative terminals 1 and 2 and then
from positive terminals 3 and 4.
You can now turn on the lights.

Have the battery checked at the near-
est Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery.
Do not smoke.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 260).
!Never invert the terminal connections.
!Do not tow-start the vehicle.