2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG stop start

198 Controls in detailRetractable hardtopLocking the retractable hardtop after
raising/lowering
If the retractable hardtop is not properly
locked, lock it as described below.Unlocked status noticed when stopped

Switch on the ignition.

To lock the hardtop in its fully closed
position, press hardtop switch forward.
or:

To lock the hardtop in its fully opened
position, pull up on the hardtop switch.Unlocked status noticed while driving

Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as
soon as it is safe to do so.

Leave the ignition switched on.

To lock the hardtop in its fully closed
position, press hardtop switch forward.
or:

To lock the hardtop in its fully opened
position, pull up on the hardtop switch.
Warning!
G
The hardtop is not fully closed and locked or
not fully opened and locked if:

the indicator lamp in the hardtop switch
remains lit


the message K
in operation

appears in the multifunction display and
the indicator lamp in the hardtop switch
does not go out


the indicator lamp in the hardtop switch
flashes and a warning sounds for
10 seconds and the message
K
Lock retractable roof

appears in the multifunction display
when starting to drive
Warning!
G
Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
a s i t i s s a f e t o d o s o a n d l o c k t h e h a r d t o p b e -
fore continuing to drive. You could other-
wise endanger yourself and others.

201 Controls in detail
Retractable hardtop


The hardtop drive system has shut it-
self down. For safety reasons, no more
than five consecutive attempts may be
made to raise or lower the hardtop.
After about 10 minutes you may
again attempt to open or close the
retractable hardtop.
If the indicator lamp in the retractable
hardtop switch flashes when starting off or
while driving and you hear a warning sound
for a maximum of 10 seconds, the retract-
able hardtop is not locked.

Properly lock the retractable hardtop
(page 198) before continuing to
drive.
If the indicator lamp continues to flash af-
ter you have carried out the above actions,
there is a malfunction.

Have the retractable hardtop system
checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.Indicator lamp in the retractable hard-
top switch is on when vehicle is stopped
If the indicator lamp in the retractable
hardtop switch comes on while the vehicle
is standing still and the switch was not ac-
tivated, then the retractable hardtop is not
locked.

Properly lock the retractable hardtop
(page 198) before continuing to
drive.
The retractable hardtop will not lock
There is a malfunction in the retractable
hardtop system.

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.Wind screen
The wind screen deflects drafts away from
the driver and passenger when the hardtop
is lowered. It is stored in a separate stor-
age bag.
Installing

Leave the wind screen folded and place
it on the roll bar.Warning!
G
The wind screen can restrict the driver’s vi-
sion to the rear of the vehicle. To prevent a
possible accident when visibility is limited
(e.g. in darkness), the upper part of the wind
screen should be folded back.

261 Operation
Driving instructions
Parking
Tires
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and be-
come visible at a tread depth of approxi-
mately
1/16
in (1.6 mm), at which point
the tire is considered worn and should be
replaced.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before
turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:


Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.


Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch, or press the
start/stop button (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO*).


Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* and lock vehicle when
leaving.!Set the parking brake whenever park-
ing or leaving the vehicle. In addition,
move gear selector lever to positionP.
When parking on hills, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
Warning!
G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possi-
ble damage to your vehicle has occurred,
you should turn on the hazard warning flash-
ers, carefully slow down, and drive with cau-
tion to an area which is a safe distance from
the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center or tire
dealer for repairs.

269 Operation
At the gas station
At the gas station
Refuelling
The fuel filler flap is located on the
right-hand side of the vehicle towards the
rear. Locking/unlocking the vehicle with
the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* automatically locks/un-
locks the fuel filler flap.

Turn off the engine

by turning the SmartKey to
position0. Remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.


by pressing the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button. Open the driv-
er’s door (with the driver’s door
open, starter switch is in position 0,
same as SmartKey removed from
starter switch).

Open the fuel filler flap by pushing at
the point indicated by the arrow.
The fuel filler flap springs open.

Turn the fuel cap to the left and hold on
to it until possible pressure is released.

Take off the cap and set it in the recess
on the fuel filler flap.

Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out – do not top up or over-
fill.
Warning!
G
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious
injury. Whenever you are around gasoline,
avoid inhaling fumes and skin contact,
extinguish all smoking materials. Never
allow sparks, flame or smoking materials
near gasoline!


275 Operation
Engine compartment
One of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the right multi-
function display:

Engine oil level
OK


Add 1.0 qt.
to reach max.
oil level(Canada:
1.0 l
)


Add 1.5 qts.
to reach max.
oil level(Canada:
1.5 l
)


Add 2.0 qts.
to reach max.
oil level(Canada:
2.0 l
)

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see (
page 276).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 445) and
(
page 447).
Other display messages
If the SmartKey or the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button is not in position2, the
following message will appear:
Turn ignition on to
measure engine
oil level
Switch on the ignition (
page 36).If you see the message:
Observe
waiting time
If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture, wait 5 minutes before repeating
the check procedure.

If the engine is not at operating temper-
ature yet, wait 30 minutes before re-
peating the check procedure.
If you see the message:
Engine oil level
Not when
engine on
Turn off the engine.

If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture, wait 5 minutes before checking
oil.

If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture yet, you must wait 30 minutes be-
fore checking oil.
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press thek orj
button on the multifunction steering
wheel.

297 Operation
Tires and wheels
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately
one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of in-
compatible replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue
to function properly.
iIf a condition causing the TPMS to mal-
function develops, it may take up to
10 minutes for the system to signal a
malfunction using the TPMS telltale
flashing and illumination sequence.
The telltale extinguishes after a few
minutes driving if the malfunction has
been corrected.iOperating radio transmission equip-
ment (e.g. wireless headsets, two-way
radios) in or near the vehicle could
cause the TPMS to malfunction.

328 OperationVehicle care
Fold the wiper arms forward until they
snap into place.

Clean the wiper blade inserts with a
clean cloth and detergent solution.

Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.Rear window cleaning
Clean the rear window with the hardtop
fully raised and closed.

Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.
Warning!
G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and re-
move SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the
vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status0.) before cleaning the windshield
and/or the wiper blades. Otherwise, the
wiper motor could suddenly turn on and
cause injury.
!Fold the windshield wiper arms back
onto the windshield before turning the
SmartKey in the starter switch or
pressing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*).
Hold on to the wiper when folding the
wiper arm back. If released, the force
of the impact from the tensioning
spring could crack the windshield.!To clean the window interior, do not
use a dry cloth, abrasives, solvents or
cleaners containing solvents. Do not
touch the inside of the front, rear or
side windows with hard objects such as
an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.
Warning!
G
Do not clean the rear window with the hard-
top in a position other than the fully raised
and closed position. Otherwise, the hardtop
may move unexpectedly which may result in
personal injury to you or others.


336 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.
Your fuel tank is empty.

After refuelling, start, turn off, and re-
start the engine three or four times in
succession.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You
do not need to have your vehicle
checked.
D
The red coolant warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.
There is insufficient coolant in the reservoir.
If this warning lamp comes on frequently,
there is a leak in the cooling system.
If the coolant level is correct, the electric ra-
diator fan may be broken.

Immediately add coolant to prevent
engine from overheating
(page 278).

Have the cooling system checked.

If the coolant temperature is below
248 °F (120 °C), you can continue
driving to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Avoid high engine loads (e.g. driving
uphill) and stop-and-go driving.
D
The red coolant warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
The coolant temperature has exceeded
248 °F (120 °C).

Stop in a safe location as soon as pos-
sible and allow the engine and coolant
to cool down.