Page 276 of 480

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.
Page 277 of 480

276 OperationEngine compartmentIf there is excess engine oil with the engine
at normal operating temperature, the
following message will appear:Engine oil level
Reduce
oil level
Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
For more information on messages in the
display concerning engine oil, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 369). Adding engine oil
SL 500 and SL 55 AMG1Filler capSL 6001Filler cap
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained
off. It could cause damage to the
engine and catalytic converter not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!Only use approved engine oils and oil
filters required for vehicles with
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS (Canada vehicles). For a listing of
approved engine oils and oil filters, re-
fer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet in your vehicle liter-
ature portfolio, or contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of spec-
ification other than those expressly re-
quired for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehi-
cles), or changing of oil and oil filter at
change intervals longer than those
called for by the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehi-
cles) will result in engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Page 278 of 480

277 Operation
Engine compartment
SL 65 AMG1Filler cap
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.
Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.
Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 445) and
(
page 447).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
check the automatic transmission. Oil level in the ABC system
The oil level in the ABC system does not
need to be checked. If there is visible oil
loss or if malfunction messages appear in
the display, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center check the ABC
system.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained
off. It could cause damage to the
engine and catalytic converter not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Page 321 of 480

320 OperationMaintenance
Resetting the maintenance service indicator
In the event that the maintenance service
on your vehicle is not carried out by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center, you can
have the maintenance service indicator re-
set. The automotive maintenance facility
carrying out the maintenance service will
find the information for resetting the main-
tenance service indicator in the mainte-
nance-relevant information for your
vehicle. Such information is available ei-
ther from an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or directly from Mercedes-Benz.
iIf the battery supplying the vehicle’s
electrical consumers is disconnected,
the days of disconnection will not be in-
cluded in the count shown by the main-
tenance service indicator. To arrive at
the true maintenance service deadline,
you will need to subtract these days
from the days shown in the mainte-
nance service indicator display.
Do not confuse the service indicator
with the engine oil level indicator N.
!If the maintenance service indicator
was inadvertently reset, have an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center correct it.
Only reset if the proper service has
been performed. Resetting the system
without performing proper service as
called for by the maintenance service
indicator will result in engine damage
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Page 370 of 480

369 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
J
Door open
You are attempting to drive with
one or more doors open.
Close the doors.
_
Entry position
Do not drive
The steering wheel has not yet
moved into its preset driving posi-
tion.
Wait until the steering wheel has moved to its
driving positions.
The message disappears.
N
USA only:Add 1 qt. engine oil
at next refuelingCanada only:Add 1 liter
engine oil
at next refueling
The engine oil level is too low.
Add engine oil (
page 276) and check the
engine oil level (page 274).
Engine oil level
Stop, put engine off
There is no oil in the engine. There
is a danger of engine damage.
Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as soon as
possible.
Turn off the engine.
Add engine oil (
page 276) and check the
engine oil level (page 274).
Engine oil level
Reduce
oil level
You have added too much engine
oil. There is a risk of damaging the
engine or the catalytic converter.
Have excess oil siphoned or drained off. Ob-
serve all legal requirements with respect to its
disposal.
Page 371 of 480

370 Practical hintsWhat to do if …When the message
Add 1 qt engine oil
at next refueling (Canada:
1l
) appears
while the engine is running and at
operating temperature, the engine oil level
has dropped to approximately the
minimum level.When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.
If no oil leaks are noted, continue to drive
to the nearest service station where the
engine oil should be topped to the required
level with an approved oil specified in the
Factory Approved Service Products pam-
phlet.
Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
N
Engine oil
Visit workshop!
It may be that there is water in the
engine oil.
Have the engine oil checked.
Engine oil level
Visit workshop
The engine oil has dropped to a crit-
ical level.
Check the engine oil level (
page 274) and
add oil as required (
page 276).
If you must add engine oil frequently, have the
engine checked for possible leaks.
The measuring system is malfunc-
tioning.
Have the measuring system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!The engine oil level warnings should
not be ignored. Extended driving with
the symbol displayed could result in
serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Page 446 of 480

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+)
Page 448 of 480

447 Technical data
Fuels, 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 Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet, or con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
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 condition-
er system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating 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.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
provide you with additional information.
!Using engine oils and oil filters of spec-
ification other than those expressly re-
quired for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehi-
cles), or changing oil and oil filter at
change intervals longer 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 vehi-
cles) recommendations for scheduled
oil changes. Failure to do so could re-
sult in engine damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Under extremely strenuous operating condi-
tions, this moisture content can lead to the
formation of bubbles in the system, thus
reducing the system’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be replaced
regularly. Refer to your vehicle’s Mainte-
nance Booklet for replacement interval.