421 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Towing the vehicle
Mercedes-Benz recommends that the vehi-
cle be transported with all wheels off the
ground using flatbed or appropriate wheel
lift/dolly equipment.When circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the vehi-
cle may be towed with all wheels on the
ground or front wheels raised only so far as
necessary to have the vehicle moved to a
safe location where the recommended
towing methods can be employed.
!Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equip-
ment with SmartKey in starter switch
turned to position0.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
Towing with sling-type equipment over
bumpy roads will damage radiator and
supports.
To prevent damage during transport,
do not tie down vehicle by its chassis or
suspension parts.
Switch off the tow-away alarm and the
automatic central locking.
!If the vehicle is towed with the front
axle raised, the engine must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0
or1). Otherwise, the ESP
® will immedi-
ately be engaged and will apply the rear
wheel brakes.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, the gear selector lever
must be in positionN and the
SmartKey must be in starter switch
position2.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground or the front axle raised,
the vehicle may be towed only for dis-
tances up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a
speed not to exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h).
To be certain to avoid a possibility of
damage to the transmission, however,
we recommend the drive shaft be dis-
connected at the rear axle drive flange
for any towing beyond a short tow to a
nearby garage.
432 Technical dataEngineModel
SL 500 (230.475)
1
1The quoted data apply only to the standard vehicle. See an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for the corresponding data of all special bodies and special equipment.
SL 600 (230.476)
1
Engine
113
275
Mode of operation
4-stroke engine, gasoline injection
4-stroke engine, gasoline injection
No. of cylinders
8
12
Bore
3.82 in (97.00 mm)
3.23 in (82.00 mm)
Stroke
3.31 in (84.00 mm)
3.43 in (87.00 mm)
Total piston displacement
303.0 cu in (4966 cm
3)
336.4 cu in (5 513 cm
3)
Compression ratio
10:1
9:1
Output acc. to SAE J 1349
302 hp / 5 600 rpm
2
(225 kW / 5 600 rpm)
2Premium fuel required. Performance may vary with fuel octane rating.
493 hp /5 000 rpm
2
(368 kW / 5 000 rpm)
Maximum torque acc. to SAE J 1349
339 lb-ft / 2 700 rpm
(460 Nm / 2700 - 4 250 rpm)
590 lb-ft /3 500 rpm
(800 Nm /1 800 - 3 500 rpm)
Maximum engine speed
6300 rpm
5950 rpm
Firing order
1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
1-12-5-8-3-10-6-7-2-11-4-9
Poly-V-belt
2390 mm
2332 mm
433 Technical data
Engine
Model
SL 55 AMG (230.474)
1
1The quoted data apply only to the standard vehicle. See an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for the corresponding data of all special bodies and special equipment.
SL 65 AMG (230.479)
1
Engine
113
275
Mode of operation
4-stroke engine, gasoline injection
4-stroke engine, gasoline injection
No. of cylinders
8
12
Bore
3.82 in (97.00 mm)
3.25 in (82.60 mm)
Stroke
3.60 in (92.00 mm)
3.66 in (93.00 mm)
Total piston displacement
331.8 cu in (5439 cm
3)
364.9 cu in (5980 cm
3)
Compression ratio
9:1
9:1
Output acc. to SAE J 1349
493 hp / 6 100 rpm
2
(368 kW / 6 100 rpm)
2Premium fuel required. Performance may vary with fuel octane rating.
603 hp / 4 400-5 100 rpm
2
(450 kW / 4 800-5 100 rpm)
Maximum torque acc. to SAE J 1349
516 lb-ft / 2 750-4000 rpm
(700 Nm / 2 750-4000 rpm)
738 lb-ft / 2 000-4000 rpm
(1 000 Nm / 2 000-4000 rpm)
Maximum engine speed
6 500 rpm
5 950 rpm
Firing order
1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
1-12-5-8-3-10-6-7-2-11-4-9
Poly-V-belt
2 462 mm/1 289 mm
2 335 mm
434 Technical dataRims and tires
!
Only use tires which have been tested
and approved by Mercedes-Benz. Tires
approved by Mercedes-Benz are devel-
oped to provide best possible perfor-
mance in conjunction with the driving
safety systems on your vehicle such as
ABS or ESP
®. Tires specially developed
for your vehicle and tested and ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz can be iden-
tified by finding the following on the
tire’s sidewall:
MO = M
ercedes-Benz O
riginal
equipment tires
AMG vehicles:
Does not apply to all approved tires
on AMG vehicles. For information
on tested and approved tires for
AMG vehicles, contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
MOE = M
ercedes-Benz O
riginal
E
xtended (tires with limited run-flat
characteristics) original equipment
tires
Using tires other than those approved
by Mercedes-Benz may result in dam-
age that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.iFor information on driving with
MOExtended tires, see “MOExtended
system*” (
page 300).
!Using tires other than those approved
by Mercedes-Benz can have detrimen-
tal effects, such as
poor handling characteristics
increased noise
increased fuel consumption
Moreover, tires and rims not approved
by Mercedes-Benz may, under load,
exhibit dimensional variations and dif-
ferent tire deformation characteristics
that could cause them to come into
contact with the vehicle body or axle
parts. Damage to the tires or the vehi-
cle may be the result.
445 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
CapacitiesVehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match. Therefore use only
products tested and approved by
Mercedes Benz.Please refer to the Factory Approved Ser-
vice Products pamphlet, or inquire at your
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine with oil filter
SL 500
SL 600
SL 55 AMG
SL 65 AMG
7.9 US qt (7.5 l)
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
Approved engine oils
Automatic transmission
SL 500
SL 600
SL 55 AMG
SL 65 AMG
9.2 US qt (8.7 l)
8.0 US qt (7.5 l)
9.1 US qt (8.6 l)
8.0 US qt (7.5 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
Rear axle
SL 500
SL 600
SL 55 AMG
SL 65 AMG
1.3 US qt (1.2 l)
1.3 US qt (1.2 l)
1.5 US qt (1.4 l)
1.3 US qt (1.2 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Hypoid gear oil SAE 75 W 140
Hydraulic system for active body control (ABC)
approx. 4.3 US qt (4.0 l)
MB Hydraulic Fluid
Power steering
approx. 1.1 US qt (1.0 l)
MB Power Steering Fluid (Pentosin
CHF 11S)
Front wheel hubs
approx. 3.0 oz (85 g) each
High temperature roller bearing grease
Brake system
1.1 US qt (1.05 l)
MB Brake Fluid (DOT 4+)
449 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
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 recommends only 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 lossIn areas where carbon deposits may be en-
countered due to lack of availability of gas-
olines which contain these additives,
Mercedes-Benz recommends the use of
additives approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Refer to Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet for a
listing of approved product(s). Follow di-
rections on product label.
Do not blend other fuel additives with fuel.
This only results in unnecessary cost and
may be harmful to the engine operation.
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 pam-
phlet are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
453 Technical terms
ABS
(A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)
Prevents the wheels from locking up
during braking so that the vehicle can
continue to be steered.
ABC
(A
ctive B
ody C
ontrol)
Active, computer-controlled system
that hydraulically adjusts the suspen-
sion at all four wheels in response to
various driving situations.
Accessory weight
(
page 310)
Air pressure
(page 310)
Alignment bolt
Metal pin with thread. The alignment
bolt, or centering bolt, is an aid used
when changing a tire to align the wheel
with the wheel hub.
Aspect ratio
(page 310)BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system
This system detects if a special system
compatible child restraint seat is in-
stalled on the front passenger seat. The
system will automatically deactivate
the passenger front airbag when such a
seat is properly installed (indicator
lamp 7 on the glove box comes on
and remains illuminated).
BabySmartTM compatible child seats
Special restraint system for children.
The sensor system for the passenger
seat prevents deployment of the pas-
senger front airbag if a BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat is installed. See
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for availability.
Bar
(
page 310)BAS
(B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)
System for potentially reducing braking
distances in emergency braking situa-
tions. The system is activated when it
senses an emergency based on how
fast the brake is applied.
Bead
(
page 310)
Bi-Xenon headlamps*
Headlamps which use an electric arc as
the light source and produce a more in-
tense light than filament headlamps.
Bi-Xenon headlamps produce low
beam and high beam.
CAC
(Customer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service cen-
ter, which can help you with any ques-
tions about your vehicle and provide
assistance in the event of a break-
down.
454 Technical termsCAN system
(C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control ve-
hicle functions such as door locking or
windshield wiping depending on vehi-
cle settings and/or ambient condi-
tions.
Cockpit
All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator/warning lamps in the passen-
ger compartment needed for vehicle
operation and monitoring.
Cold tire inflation pressure
(
page 310)
Collapsible tire
An especially compact spare tire that
must be inflated with a provided air
pump before using. It should only be
used to bring the vehicle to the nearest
service station.COMAND
(Co
ckpit Man
agement and
D
ata System)
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio, CD
changer and navigation system, as well
as other optional equipment (e.g. tele-
phone).
Control system
The control system is used to call up
vehicle information and to change
component settings. Information and
messages appear in the multifunction
display. The driver uses the buttons on
the multifunction steering wheel to
navigate through the system and to ad-
just settings.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system for auto-
matically maintaining the vehicle speed
set by the driver.
Curb weight
(page 310)Distronic*
A driving convenience cruise control
system which helps the driver maintain
a pre-selected speed:
If there is no vehicle directly ahead,
the system operates in the same
way as conventional cruise control.
If a slower moving vehicle is ahead,
Distronic* will reduce your vehicle
speed to the extent permitted by re-
duced throttle and up to 20% brak-
ing power to maintain the preset
minimum following distance.
DOT
(Department o
f Transportation)
(
page 311)
DTR
(->Distr
onic*)
Electro-hydraulic brake system
Electronically controlled hydraulic
braking system for increased braking
safety and comfort.