2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK55AMG oil additives

ContentsFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 422
Capacities .................................... 422
Engine oils .................................... 424
Engine oil additives ...................... 424
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 424
Brake fluid .................................... 424
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 425
Fuel requirements ........................ 425
Gasoline additives ........................ 425
Coolants ....................................... 426
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system* ......... 429
Technical terms............................... 431Index................................................. 439

288 OperationEngine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of
approximately 1 ft (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.

Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when

the vehicle is new


the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Warning!
G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature display in the multifunction display
indicates that the engine is overheated, do
not open the hood. Move away from vehicle
and do not open the hood until the engine
has cooled down. If necessary, call the fire
department.Warning!
G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components
(ignition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnos-
tic socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running


while starting the engine


if ignition is “on” and the engine is
turned manually
Warning!
G
Be careful that you do not close the hood on
anyone.
iDo not use any special lubricant addi-
tives, as these may damage the drive
assemblies. Using special additives not
approved by Mercedes-Benz may
cause damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is
available at any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


424 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines and durability for
our service intervals. Therefore, only use
approved engine oils and oil filters re-
quired for vehicles with Maintenance
System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada
vehicles). For a listing of approved engine
oils and oil filters, refer to the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet, or
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specifica-
tion other than those expressly required
for the Maintenance System (U.S. vehi-
cles) or FSS (Canada vehicles), or changing
of oil and oil filter at change intervals long-
er than those called for by the
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS (Canada vehicles) will result in engine
damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Please follow Maintenance System (U.S.
vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehicles) recom-
mendations for scheduled oil changes.
Failure to do so will result in engine dam-
age not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine. Damage or
malfunctions resulting from blending oil
additives are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special
PAG lubricating oil are used in the air con-
ditioning system. Never use R-12 (CFC) or
mineral-based lubricating oil, otherwise
damage to the system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere. Under extremely strenu-
ous operating conditions, this moisture
content can lead to the formation of bub-
bles in the system, thus reducing the sys-
tem’s efficiency. Therefore, the brake fluid
must be replaced every two years, prefera-
bly in the spring. Only brake fluid approved
by Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will pro-
vide you with additional information.

425 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel requirements
Only use premium unleaded fuel:

The octane number (posted at the
pump) must be 91 min. It is an average
of both the Research (R) octane num-
ber and the Motor (M) octane number:
(R+M) / 2). This is also known as the
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates
such as ethanol, IPA, IBA, and TBA can be
used provided the ratio of any one of these
oxygenates to gasoline does not exceed
10%; MTBE not to exceed 15%.
The ratio of methanol to gasoline must not
exceed 3% plus additional cosolvents.
Using mixtures of ethanol and methanol is
not allowed. Gasohol, which contains
10% ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline,
can be used.
These blends must also meet all other fuel
requirements, such as resistance to spark
knock, boiling range, vapor pressure, etc.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine manufac-
turers is carbon build-up caused by gaso-
line. Mercedes-Benz only recommends the
use of quality gasoline containing additives
that prevent the build-up of carbon depos-
its.
After an extended period of using fuels
without such additives, carbon deposits
can build up especially on the intake valves
and in the combustion area, leading to
engine performance problems such as:

Warm-up hesitation


Unstable idle


Knocking/pinging


Misfire


Power loss
!To maintain the engine’s durability and
performance, premium unleaded gaso-
line must be used. If premium unleaded
is not available and low octane fuel is
used, follow these precautions:

Have the fuel tank only partially
filled with unleaded regular and fill
up with premium unleaded as soon
as possible.


Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.


Do not exceed an engine speed of
3 000 rpm if the vehicle is loaded
with a light load such as two per-
sons and no luggage.


Do not exceed
2/3of maximum ac-
celerator pedal position if the vehi-
cle is fully loaded or operating in
mountainous terrain.

426 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.In areas where carbon deposits may be
encountered due to lack of availability of
gasolines which contain these additives,
Mercedes-Benz recommends the use of
additives approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Refer to the
Factory Approved Service Products pam-
phlet for a listing of approved product(s).
Follow directions on product label.
Do not blend any specific fuel additives
with fuel. This only results in unnecessary
costs and may be harmful to engine opera-
tion.
Damage or malfunction resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending addition-
al fuel additives other than those tested
and approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles listed in the
Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which pro-
vides:

Corrosion protection


Freeze protection


Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -22°F (-30°C) and corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant in the pressurized cooling system is
reached at approximately 266°F (130°C).
The coolant solution must be used year
round to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase boil-over protec-
tion. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for in-
formation on replacement intervals.Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the
Maintenance Booklet is only applicable if
MB 325.0 anticorrosion/antifreeze solu-
tion or other Mercedes-Benz approved
products of equal specification (see
Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet) are used to renew the coolant
concentration or bring it back up to the
proper level.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45% anticor-
rosion/antifreeze (equivalent to freeze
protection to approx. -22°F [-30°C]). If you
use a solution that is more than 55% anti-
corrosion/antifreeze (freeze protection to
approx. -49°F [-45°C]), the engine temper-
ature will increase due to the lower heat
transfer capability of the solution. There-
fore, do not use more than this amount of
anticorrosion/antifreeze.

444 Index
Power assistance 273
Radio transmitters, control and
operation 281
Standing water 280
Tires 277
Tires (Speed rating) 278
Tires (Traction) 278
Traveling abroad 281
Driving safety systems 80
ABS 80
BAS 81
ESP 82
Driving systems
Cruise control 244
Driving the first
1000 miles/1500 km 272E
Easy-entry/exit feature (Seats) 99
Control system 142
Electric air pump 371
Electrical outlet 254
Electrical system
Technical data 419
Electronic Stability Program see ESP
Emergency call (911) 229
Emergency call system 257
GPS 258
Initiating an emergency call 259
Requirements 257
Tele Aid 258
Emergency operation
(Limp Home Mode) 166
Emergency operations
Locking driver’s door and trunk 375
Releasing trunk lid from inside 96
Remote door unlock 263
Retractable hardtop 377
Selector lever, unlocking
manually 376Unlocking the vehicle 374
Unlocking trunk 375
Unlocking vehicle 374
Emergency tensioning device see ETD
Emission control 282
Information label 410
Engine
Cleaning see Vehicle care
Compartment 287
Driving after replacement 272
Number (Label) 410
Number, description 432
Starting (Automatic transmission) 48
Starting (Manual transmission) 48
Technical data 412
Turning off with SmartKey 58
Engine oil 288, 424
Adding 292
Additives 424
Checking level (Control system) 289
Checking level (Dipstick) 291
Consumption 288
Display message 290
Viscosity 432

455 Index
Steering column see Steering wheel
Steering wheel
Electrical adjustment 41
Heating 270
Manual adjustment 41
Steering wheel gearshift control 160
SLK 350 161
SLK 55 AMG 162
Stolen vehicle, Recovery services 264
Storage compartments 250
Storing tires 299
Summer opening
Power windows 235
Retractable hardtop 242
Sun vizors 170
Supplemental Restraint System see SRS
Symbols in display 355T
Tachometer 115
Tail lamps 381
Tar stains see Vehicle care
TDMA or CDMA network phones
(Telephone) 223
Technical data
Air conditioning refrigerant 424
Brake fluid 424
Coolants 426
Electrical system 419
Engine 412
Engine oil 424
Fuel additives 425
Fuel requirements 425
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. 422
Headlamp cleaning system 429
Main dimensions 420
Parts service 408
Premium unleaded gasoline 425
Rims and tires 413
Weights 421
Windshield washer system 429
Tele Aid system 257
Description 436
Emergency calls 258GPS 257
Information button 261
Initiating an emergency call 259
Remote door unlock 263
Requirements 257
Roadside Assistance 260
Roadside Information, terminating
a call 262
Stolen Vehicle Recovery
services 264
System self-check 258
Upgrade scenario 262
Telephone 256
Compartment 250
GSM network phones 216
Operation (Audio system) 191
Operation (Control system) 146
Temperature
Tires 307
Tightening torque
Description 436
Wheel bolts 395
Time and date synchronization with
head unit (Control system) 133
TIN 325