2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG brake

358 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Tire pres. monitor
Wheel sensor missing
One or more sensors malfunction
(e.g. battery in one or more wheel
sensor is empty).
One or more wheels without wheel
sensors mounted (e.g. spare tire).

Have the TPMS checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Have the wheel sensors installed by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Tire pressure monitor
inoperative
The TPMS is malfunctioning.

Have the TPMS checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
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. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.

359 Practical hints
What to do if …
Symbol messagesLeft display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
#
Battery/Alternator
Stop vehicle
The battery is malfunctioning.
The electro-hydraulic brake system
requires electrical energy and
therefore has only limited opera-
tion. Considerably greater brake
pedal force is required and the stop-
ping distance is increased.

Stop the vehicle in a safe location. Adjust driv-
ing to be consistent with reduced braking re-
sponsiveness.

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Visit
workshop!
The battery is no longer charging.
Possible causes:

alternator malfunctioning


broken poly-V-belt
Do not forget that the brake system
requires electrical energy and may
be operating with restricted capa-
bility. Considerably greater brake
pedal force is required and the stop-
ping distance is increased.

Stop the vehicle immediately in a safe loca-
tion and check the poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:
Do not continue to drive. Otherwise, the
engine will overheat due to an inoperative
water pump which may result in damage
to the engine. Notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is in order:

Drive immediately to the nearest autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center. Adjust driv-
ing to be consistent with reduced braking
responsiveness.

360 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
#
Visit
workshop!
There is a malfunction in the elec-
tronic system.

Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Convenience functions
Temporarily
Unavailable
The consumer battery has insuffi-
cient voltage and can no longer sup-
ply the convenience functions such
as seat ventilation*.
The electrical consumers will come back online
as soon as on-board voltage is sufficient.
2
Brake
wear
Visit
workshop
The brake pads have reached their
wear limit.

Have the brake pads replaced as soon as pos-
sible.
!Brake pad thickness must be visually
checked by a qualified technician at the
intervals specified in the Maintenance
Booklet.

361 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
T
Reduced
braking power!
Depress brake
pedal fully!
The electro-hydraulic brake system
is in emergency operation mode.
Considerably greater brake pedal
force is required and the stopping
distance is increased.
The maximum speed is limited to
55 mph (90 km/h).

Do not drive any further.

Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do so and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
blocking the wheels with wheel chocks or oth-
er sizable objects.

Call for Roadside Assistance.
USA only:;Canada only:3
Reduced
brake effect
Start engine
The battery has insufficient voltage
and cannot supply sufficient power
to the electro-hydraulic brake sys-
tem.

Start the engine.
The message disappears when sufficient
voltage is available.
Warning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and lead to death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated.

362 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
USA only:;Canada only:3
Reduced
brake effect
Visit
workshop
The electro-hydraulic brake system
is in emergency operation mode.
Considerable brake pedal force is
required and the stopping distance
is increased.

Continue driving with added caution.

Adjust driving to be consistent with reduced
braking responsiveness.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center im-
mediately. Adjust driving to be consistent
with reduced braking responsiveness.
Warning!
G
Driving while this message is displayed can
result in an accident. Have your brake sys-
tem checked immediately.
If there is a malfunction in the
electro-hydraulic brake system, we recom-
mend that the vehicle be transported with
all wheels off the ground using flatbed or ap-
propriate wheel lift/dolly equipment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle 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 infor-
mation, see “Towing the vehicle”
(page 421).
If the electro-hydraulic brake system enters
its emergency operation mode, the driver
must apply significantly greater brake pedal
pressure and depress the pedal much fur-
ther 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!

363 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
USA only:;Canada only:3
Brake fluid
below min. level
Visit
workshop
There is insufficient brake fluid in
the reservoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle in a safe lo-
cation or as soon as it is safe to do so and no-
tify an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Do
not add brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the message
Brake fluid
below min level Visit workshop
dis-
played can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately. Do not
add brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result in spilling brake fluid on hot en-
gine 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.

364 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
USA only:;Canada only:3
Service brake
Visit
workshop
There are malfunctions, but the
electro-hydraulic brake system is
operating normally.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Brakes overheated
Drive on, but with
even greater care
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 169).

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

Release the parking brake (
page 59).

374 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
F
Key
still
in vehicle
A SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* left
in the vehicle was recognized while
locking the vehicle from the out-
side.

Take the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* out of
the vehicle.
.
3rd brake lamp
The high mounted brake lamp is
malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Brake lamp
Left
Substitute
bulb on
The left brake lamp is malfunction-
ing. A substitute bulb has been
brought into use.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.