409 Practical hints
Flat tire
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1.
or
Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button on the gear selector lever once
without depressing the brake pedal.
PressI on the electric air pump
switch2.
The electric air pump should now
switch on and inflate the tire.
Inflate the spare tire for the SL 500 to
36 psi (2.5 bar) and the spare tire for
the SL 600 and SL 55 AMG to 44 psi
(3.0 bar).
This takes about 5 minutes for the
spare tire. Air hose 4 and union
nut5 can become hot during infla-
tion. Exercise proper caution to avoid
burning yourself when using the equip-
ment.
Press0 on the electric air pump
switch2.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0.
or
Press KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
on the gear selector lever twice without
depressing the brake pedal.
The electric air pump should now be
switched off.
If the spare tire inflation pressure for
the SL 500 is above 36 psi (2.5 bar)
and for the SL 600 and SL 55 AMG
above 44 psi (3.0 bar), release excess
spare tire inflation pressure using the
vent screw.
!Compare the recommended tire infla-
tion pressure for your vehicle with the
tire inflation pressure on the yellow la-
bel located on the spare wheel rim.
If the tire inflation pressure on the yel-
low label on the spare wheel rim differs
from the values given in this Operator’s
Manual, inflate the tire to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure given on
the yellow label on the spare wheel rim.!Do not operate the electric air pump
longer than 8 minutes without interrup-
tion. Otherwise it may overheat.
You may operate the air pump again af-
ter it has cooled off.
410 Practical hintsFlat tire
Detach the electric air pump.
Stow the electrical plug and the air
hose behind the flap and place the air
pump back in the trunk.Lowering the vehicle
Lower vehicle by turning crank coun-
terclockwise until the full weight of the
vehicle is resting on the ground.
Pull the jack out of the jack support
tube.
1 - 5 Wheel bolts
Tighten the five wheel bolts evenly, fol-
lowing the diagonal sequence illustrat-
ed (1 to 5), until all bolts are tight.
Observe a tightening torque of 96 lb-ft
(130 Nm).
Warning!
G
Follow recommend inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflating tires
can result in sudden deflation (blowout) be-
cause they are more likely to become punc-
tured or damaged by road debris, potholes,
etc.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more likely to fail
from being overheated.
iThe flat tire may be transported in the
trunk when the retractable hardtop is
raised. Use the protective sheet provid-
ed with the spare wheel. Do not acti-
vate the tire inflation pressure monitor
until the deflated tire has been re-
moved from the vehicle.
411 Practical hints
Flat tire
Before storing the jack in the trunk,
crank back to storage position and fold
in the arm.Replacing jack support tube cover
Slide tongue of cover under the upper
edge of the tube opening.
Applying even pressure, press cover
until it snaps into place.
Be careful not to damage the locking
tabs or clamp the plastic retaining
strap.
MOExtended system*
The MOExtended system allows you to
continue driving your vehicle even if there
is a total loss of pressure in one or more
tires.
You may only use the MOExtended system
in conjunction with the Run Flat Indicator*
(Canada vehicles) (
page 293) or TPMS
(U.S. vehicles) (
page 296).
Warning!
G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. The wheels could come
loose if they are not tightened to a torque of
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).Warning!
G
When turning the wheel wrench to tighten
the wheel bolts, make sure you position
hands on the wrench in such a way that you
avoid injury to yourself, such as scraping
your hands against the wheel. Make sure
turning the wheel wrench will not scratch or
damage the wheel rim.
!The maximum distance in emergency
mode depends on the vehicle’s load. It
is 30 miles (50 km) if the vehicle is par-
tially loaded and 18 miles (30 km) if the
vehicle is fully loaded.
The point at which the maximum driv-
ing distance begins in emergency
mode is when the warning message
appears in the multifunction display
indicating that there is a loss of tire
inflation pressure.
Do not exceed the maximum speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).
435 Technical data
Rims and tires
iFurther information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. A placard with
the recommended tire inflation pres-
sures is located on the driver’s door
B-pillar. Some vehicles may have sup-
plemental tire inflation pressure infor-
mation for driving at high speeds
(page 292) or for vehicle loads less
than the maximum loaded vehicle con-
dition (
page 292). If such information
is provided, it can be found on the plac-
ard located on the inside of the fuel fill-
er flap. The tire inflation pressure
should be checked regularly and
should only be adjusted on cold tires.
Follow tire manufacturer’s mainte-
nance recommendation included with
vehicle.
iThe following pages also list the ap-
proved wheel rim and tire sizes for
equipping your vehicles with winter
tires. Winter tires are not available as
standard or optional factory equip-
ment, but can be purchased from an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Depending on vehicle model and the
standard or optional factory-equipped
wheel rim/tire configuration on your
vehicle (Performance Package, Sport
Package etc.), equipping your vehicle
with winter tires approved for your ve-
hicle model may also require the pur-
chase of two or four wheel rims of the
recommended size for use with these
winter tires. See an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for more infor-
mation.
441 Technical data
Rims and tires
Spare wheel
SL 500
SL 600
SL 55 AMG
Rim
6 B x 17 H2
6 B x 18
6 B x 18
Wheel offset
0.98 in (25 mm)
0.98 in (25 mm)
0.98 in (25 mm)
Collapsible tire
185/60-17 93P
1
1Must not be used with snow chains.
175/55-18 91P
1
175/55-18 91P
1
!Please compare the recommended tire
inflation pressure for your vehicle with
the tire inflation pressure on the yellow
label located on the spare wheel rim.
If the tire inflation pressure on the yel-
low label on the spare wheel rim differs
from the values given in this Operator’s
Manual, inflate the spare wheel tire to
the recommended tire inflation pres-
sure given on the yellow label on the
spare wheel rim.
iPlease note that the tire inflation pres-
sure of the collapsible tire differs from
the tire inflation pressure of the road
tires.
Inflate the collapsible tire to approxi-
mately 51 psi (3.5 bar).
iThe SL 65 AMG and the SL 55 AMG
with Performance Package* do not
have a spare wheel. The SL 65 AMG
and the SL 55 AMG with Performance
Package* are equipped with TIREFIT
(page 399).
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.
456 Technical termsInstrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer,
engine temperature and fuel gauge.
KEYLESS-GO*
System for entering and operating the
vehicle without the use of a key.
Kickdown
Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the transmis-
sion down to the lowest possible gear.
This very quickly accelerates the vehi-
cle and should not be used for normal
acceleration needs.
Kilopascal (kPa)
(
page 311)
Locking knob
Knob on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or un-
locked. Pushing the locking knob down
on an individual door from inside will
lock that door.Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles)
Maintenance service indicator in the
multifunction display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. The Maintenance
System tracks distance driven and the
time elapsed since the last mainte-
nance service, calculates other mainte-
nance service work required, and calls
for the next maintenance service ac-
cordingly.
Maximum load rating
(
page 311)
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
(page 311)
Maximum tire inflation pressure
(page 311)
Memory function
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and exterior rear view
mirror positions.MON
The Motor Octane Number for gasoline
as determined by a standardized
method. It is an indication of a gaso-
line’s ability to resist undesired detona-
tion (knocking). The average of both
the MON (Motor Octane Number) and
RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Multifunction display
Two display fields in the instrument
cluster used to present information
provided by the control system.
Multifunction steering wheel
Steering wheel with buttons for operat-
ing the control system.
Normal occupant weight
(
page 311)
457 Technical terms
Overspeed range
Engine speeds within the red marking
on the tachometer dial, see “Tachome-
ter” (
page 133). Avoid this engine
speed range, as it may result in serious
engine damage that is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Parktronic (Parking assist)*
System which uses visual and acoustic
signals to assist the driver during park-
ing maneuvers.
Poly-V-belt drive
Drives engine-components (alternator,
AC compressor, etc.) from the engine.Power train
Collective term designating all compo-
nents used to generate and transmit
motive power to the drive axles, includ-
ing
engine
clutch/torque converter
transmission
transfer case
drive shaft
differential
axle shafts/axles
Production options weight
(
page 311)Program mode selector switch
Used to switch the automatic transmis-
sion between standard operation (S)
and comfort operation (C).
SL 55 AMG with steering wheel gear-
shift control and manual shift program:
In addition to S and C (for regular S or
comfort C operation, see above), you
can use MANUAL for manual shift pro-
gram.
PSI
(P
ounds p
er s
quare i
nch)
(
page 312)
Recommended tire inflation pressure
(page 312)
REST
(Residual Engine Heat Utilization)
Feature that uses the engine heat
stored in the coolant to heat the vehi-
cle interior for a short time after the en-
gine has been turned off.