2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SLR warning

349 Practical hints
Flat tire
Flat tire
The vehicle is equipped with the TIREFIT
kit.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.

Turn off the engine (
page 58).

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.

Open the driver’s door.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Sealing tires with TIREFIT kit
Small tire punctures, particularly those in
the tread, can be sealed with TIREFIT.
TIREFIT can be used in ambient tempera-
tures down to -4°F (-20°C).

Foreign objects (e.g. screws or nails)
should not be removed from the tire.

Take TIREFIT, the sticker, and the elec-
tric air pump out of the trunk.
!A wheel change should only be carried
out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Otherwise there is a danger of
damaging the vehicle by jacking it up
incorrectly.
iOpen door only when conditions are
safe to do so.Warning!
G
Keep TIREFIT away from sparks, open flame
or heat source.
Do not smoke.
Warning!
G
TIREFIT is a limited repair device. TIREFIT
cannot be used for cuts or punctures larger
than approximately 0.16 in (4 mm) and tire
damage caused by driving with extremely
low tire inflation pressure, or on a flat tire, or
a damaged wheel.
Do not drive the vehicle under such circum-
stances.
Contact your nearest Mercedes-Benz
Center for assistance or call Roadside
Assistance. !After using TIREFIT, the tire inflation
pressure sensor may have to be re-
placed.


350 Practical hintsFlat tire
Attach the sticker where it will be easily
seen by the driver on the instrument
cluster.
1TIREFIT container
2Flap
3Notch
4Electrical plug
5Air hose
6Flange

Open flap 2 on the electric air pump.

Pull plug4 and air hose5 out of the
pump housing.

Screw the air pump’s air hose5 onto
flange6 of the TIREFIT container.

Stick TIREFIT container1 upside
down into notch3 of the electric air
pump.
Warning!
G
Take care not to allow the contents of
T I R E F I T t o c o m e i n c o n t a c t w i t h h a i r , e y e s o r
clothing. TIREFIT is harmful if inhaled, swal-
lowed or absorbed through the skin - causes
skin, eye and respiratory irritation.
Any contact with eyes or skin should be
flushed immediately with plenty of water.
If clothing comes in contact with TIREFIT,
change clothing as soon as possible.
In case of allergic reaction or rash, consult a
physician immediately.
Warning!
G
Keep TIREFIT out of reach of children.
If swallowed, rinse mouth immediately with
plenty of water and drink plenty of water.
Do not induce vomiting!
Consult a physician immediately.
Keep away from open flame or heat source.iIf sealant has leaked out, let it dry. You
can then peel it off.


351 Practical hints
Flat tire
7Tire valve
8Electric air pump switch
9Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
aFiller hose
Unscrew the valve cap from tire
valve7.

Screw filler hosea onto tire valve7.

Insert electrical plug4 into vehicle
cigarette lighter socket.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1 (
page 40).

PressI on electric air pump switch8.
The electric air pump should now
switch on and inflate the tire.After five minutes, the pressure gauge
must display at least 26 psi (1.8 bar). The
air hose can become hot during inflation.
Please exercise appropriate caution.

If this tire inflation pressure is not at-
tained, turn off the electric air pump,
detach the filler hose from the tire
valve, and drive vehicle back and forth
very slowly approximately 30 ft (10 m).
This serves to better distribute the
TIREFIT sealant material inside the tire.

Unscrew the air pump’s air hose5
from flange6 of the TIREFIT
container.

Screw air hose5onto tire valve7.

Inflate the tire again.
Warning!
G
Observe safety instructions on air pump
label.
!Do not operate the electric air pump
longer than six minutes without inter-
ruption. Otherwise it may overheat.
You may operate the air pump again af-
ter it has cooled off.


352 Practical hintsFlat tire
After attaining a tire inflation pressure
of 26 psi (1.8 bar), press0 on electric
air pump switch8.
The electric air pump should now be
switched off.

Turn the SmartKey in the ignition to
position0 (
page 40).

Detach the electric air pump.
The air hose may still be hot. Please ex-
ercise appropriate caution.

Store the electrical plug and the air
hose behind the flap and place the air
pump back in the trunk.

Close the trunk lid.

Drive away immediately.
The TIREFIT sealant will distribute itself
evenly inside the tire.

After driving vehicle for an initial
ten minutes, check tire inflation pres-
sure using the pressure gauge on the
air pump.
Warning!
G
If a tire inflation pressure of 26 psi (1.8 bar)
is not attained, tire is too severely damaged
for TIREFIT to provide a reliable tire repair.
In this case, TIREFIT cannot properly seal
the tire.
Do not drive the vehicle.
Contact the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
or call Roadside Assistance.
Warning!
G
Do not exceed vehicle speed of
50 mph (80 km/h). A TIREFIT repair is not
designed to operate at higher speeds.
The sticker must be attached on the instru-
ment cluster where it will be easily seen by
the driver.
Vehicle handling characteristics may
change. Adapt your driving accordingly.
Warning!
G
If tire inflation pressure has fallen below
20 psi (1.3 bar) do not continue to drive the
vehicle.
Park your vehicle safely away from the road-
way and contact the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or Roadside
Assistance.
If tire inflation pressure is at least
20 psi (1.3 bar), inflate tire to correct pres-
sure (see placards on driver’s door B-pillar
or on fuel filler flap), and drive vehicle to
nearest tire repair facility to have tire re-
paired or replaced.
Recommended duration of use:
300 miles (500 km) at 50 mph (80 km/h)
with the recommended tire inflation
pressure.


353 Practical hints
Flat tire

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible to obtain a
new TIREFIT kit.

Bring used TIREFIT materials to an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
proper disposal.

Replace your TIREFIT container every
four years. Replacement containers are
available at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Have worn or damaged tires replaced in
pairs (front pair or rear pair). Otherwise the
driving stability of the vehicle will be ad-
versely affected.
Warning!
G
Follow recommend tire inflation pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel economy,
and are more likely to fail from being over-
heated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can adversely affect handling and ride
comfort, wear unevenly, increase stopping
distance, and result in sudden deflation
(blowout) because they are more likely to
become punctured or damaged by road
debris, potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit or vehicle capacity
weight as indicated on the placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout.
Warning!
G
Do not exceed vehicle speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h). A TIREFIT repair is not designed
to operate at higher speeds.
The sticker must be attached on the instru-
ment cluster where it will be easily seen by
the driver.
Vehicle handling characteristics may
change. Adapt your driving accordingly.

354 Practical hintsBatteries Your vehicle is equipped with two batter-
ies:

The starter battery (located in the
trunk)


The battery for electrical consumers
(located in the trunk)Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting,
you might get injured.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 250).
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking, etc.!You must not jump start the vehicle,
otherwise the vehicle electrical sys-
tems could be damaged.
Only use the battery charge unit tested
and approved by Mercedes-Benz for
use on the SLR to charge the battery or
maintain the battery charge. Using oth-
er battery chargers may cause damage
to the vehicle and/or personal injury.
Information on charging the batteries
(page 355).
Have the batteries checked regularly
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Refer to Maintenance Booklet
for maintenance intervals or contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
further information.
If it is necessary to replace the batter-
ies, notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.Warning!
G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof batteries only to avoid the
risk of acid burns in the event of an
accident.

355 Practical hints
Batteries
Charging the batteries
You can obtain detailed information on
charging the battery from your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
The brake system requires electrical power
to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. The same applies if
battery is disconnected. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes are only applied to the
front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased! Adjust your driving style according-
ly. For more information, see “SBC brake
system” (
page 84).
Warning!
G
With a disconnected battery

you will no longer be able to turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch


the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP
Warning!
G
Never charge a battery while still installed in
the vehicle unless the battery charge unit
approved by Mercedes-Benz (supplied with
your vehicle) is being used. Gases may es-
cape during charging and cause explosions
that may result in paint damage, corrosion
or personal injury.
A battery charge unit specially adapted for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and tested and ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz is available, per-
mitting the charging of the battery in its
installed position. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for information and
availability. Charge battery in accordance
with the separate operating instructions for
the battery charger.

358 Practical hintsTowing the vehicleWarning!
G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run


there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system


there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
as that will be necessary to adequately con-
trol the towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make certain that the SmartKey
is in starter switch position2.
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the switch. In this
case, the steering is locked. To unlock, re-
move SmartKey from starter switch and re-
insert.
iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use, turn
SmartKey in starter switch to
position2 and activate the combina-
tion switch for the left or right turn sig-
nal in the usual manner – only the
selected turn signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the haz-
ard warning flasher will operate again.
Warning!
G
The brake system requires electrical power
to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes are only applied to the
front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased! Adapt your driving style according-
ly. For more information, see “SBC brake
system” (
page 84).
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.