2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280 check

294 OperationDriving instructionsBrakesTo help prevent brake disc corrosion after
driving on wet road surfaces (particularly
salted roads), it is advisable to brake the
vehicle with considerable force prior to
parking. The heat generated serves to dry
the brakes.
If your brake system is normally only sub-
jected to moderate loads, you should occa-
sionally test the effectiveness of the
brakes by applying above-normal braking
pressure at higher speeds. This will also
enhance the grip of the brake pads.If the parking brake is released and the
brake warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter stays on, the brake fluid level in the res-
ervoir is too low.
Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.
Have the brake system inspected immedi-
ately. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Install only brake pads and brake fluid
recommended by Mercedes-Benz.Warning!
G
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components
or salty road conditions, the first braking ac-
tion may be somewhat reduced and in-
creased pedal pressure may be necessary to
obtain expected braking effect. Maintain a
safe distance from vehicles in front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their effec-
tiveness. It may not be possible to stop the
vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an acci-
dent.
!Be very careful not to endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Refer to the description of the Brake
Assist System (BAS) (
page 83).

295 Operation
Driving instructions
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive
on for some time, rather than immediately
park, so that the air stream will cool down
the brakes faster.High-performance brake system
(SLK 55 AMG only)
The high-performance brake system is de-
signed to operate under the extremely high
operating demands required to accommo-
date the performance capabilities of the
vehicle. The brakes may produce a squeak-
ing-type noise depending on the


vehicle speed


brake force applied


ambient conditions, e.g. temperature
and humidity
As with any brake system, the wear of indi-
vidual brake system components such as
brake pads or discs strongly depends on
your driving style and the conditions under
which you operate the vehicle. Thus, a driv-
ing style calling for high demand braking
will cause your vehicle’s brakes to wear
more quickly.
Warning!
G
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can be degraded to an extent that
safe braking is substantially impaired. This
could result in an accident.!When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes
by shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s braking power. This helps pre-
vent overheating of the brakes and re-
duces brake pad wear.
Warning!
G
New vehicle brake pads and discs, and
replacement brake pads and discs may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide optimum braking efficiency. Until
that time, you may need to use increased
brake pedal pressure while braking. Please
be aware of this and adjust your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in
period.
Excessive high demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition mes-
sages in the multifunction display. Especial-
ly for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain the brake system and
have it checked regularly.

305 Operation
At the gas station

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.

Open fuel filler flap by pushing at point
indicated by arrow1.
The fuel filler flap springs open.

Turn fuel filler cap counterclockwise
and hold on to it until possible pressure
is released.

Take off fuel filler cap and set it in di-
rection of arrow2 in the recess on the
inside of fuel filler flap.
To prevent fuel vapors from escaping
into open air, fully insert filler nozzle
unit.

Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out – do not top up or over-
fill.

Replace the fuel filler cap by turning it
clockwise until it audibly engages.

Close the fuel filler flap.
Check regularly and before a long tripEngine compartment (SLK 350, example)1Windshield washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system* reservoir
2Brake fluid reservoir
3Coolant expansion tank
Warning!
G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could cause personal injury.iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the yellow fuel
tank reserve warning lamp to flash and
the ?malfunction indicator lamp
(USA only) or the ±malfunction in-
dicator lamp (Canada only) to illumi-
nate.
For more information, see “Practical
hints” (
page 364).
iFor opening the hood, see “Hood”
(page 307).

306 OperationAt the gas stationWindshield washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system*
For information on refilling the reservoir,
see “Windshield washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system*” (
page 315).
Brake fluid
For information on brake fluid, see “Fuels,
coolants, lubricants, etc.” (page 449).Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality).
For more information on coolant, see
“Coolant” (
page 313) and “Fuels, cool-
ants, lubricants, etc.” (
page 449).
Engine oil level
For information on engine oil, see “Engine
oil” (
page 308).Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness.
For more information on vehicle lighting,
see “Replacing bulbs” (
page 400).
For information on switching on the exteri-
or lighting, see “Exterior lamp switch”
(
page 110).
Tire inflation pressure
For information on tire inflation pressure,
see “Important notes on tire inflation
pressure” (
page 328).
!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 immediately. Noti-
fy an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately. Do not add brake fluid as
this will not solve the problem.
For more information, see “Practical
hints” (
page 363).

308 OperationEngine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of
approximately 1 ft (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.

Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when

the vehicle is new


the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Warning!
G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature display in the multifunction display
indicates that the engine is overheated, do
not open the hood. Move away from vehicle
and do not open the hood until the engine
has cooled down. If necessary, call the fire
department.Warning!
G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components
(ignition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnos-
tic socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running


while starting the engine


if ignition is “on” and the engine is
turned manually
Warning!
G
Be careful that you do not close the hood on
anyone.
iDo not use any special lubricant addi-
tives, as these may damage the drive
assemblies. Using special additives not
approved by Mercedes-Benz may
cause damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is
available at any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


309 Operation
Engine compartment
Checking engine oil level with the
control system (SLK 55 AMG only)
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground.


with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been sta-
tionary for at least 5 minutes with the
engine turned off.


with the engine not at operating tem-
perature, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 30 minutes with
the engine turned off.
To check the engine oil level via the
multifunction display, do the following:

Switch on the ignition (
page 36).
The standard display appears in the
multifunction display (
page 128).

Press buttonk orj on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the following message appears in
the multifunction display (
page 124):
One of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the multifunc-
tion display:


Engine oil level
ok


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


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


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

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see “Adding en-
gine oil” (
page 312).
For more information on engine oil, see
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 449).iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press buttonk orj
on the multifunction steering wheel
(page 124).

310 OperationEngine compartmentOther display messages
If the ignition is not switched on, the fol-
lowing message will appear:Turn on ignition
to see engine oil level
Switch on the ignition (
page 36).
If you see the message:
Observe waiting time
If engine is at operating temperature,
wait 5 minutes before repeating check
procedure.

If engine is not at operating tempera-
ture yet, you must wait 30 minutes
before checking oil.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 not at operating
temperature yet, you must wait
30 minutes before checking oil.If 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 368).
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press buttonk orj
on the multifunction steering wheel
(page 124).
!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.

311 Operation
Engine compartment
Checking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick (SLK 280, SLK 350 only)
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground.


with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been sta-
tionary for at least 5 minutes with the
engine turned off.


with the engine not at operating tem-
perature, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 30 minutes with
the engine turned off.1Oil dipstick
2Upper (max) mark
3Lower (min) mark
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:

Open the hood (
page 307).

Pull out oil dipstick1.

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the
dipstick guide tube.

Pull out oil dipstick1 again after
approximately 3 seconds to obtain ac-
curate reading.
The oil level is correct when it is be-
tween the lower (min) mark3 and
upper (max) mark2 of oil dipstick1.

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see “Adding en-
gine oil” (
page 312).
For more information on engine oil, see
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 449).
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(page 368).iThe filling quantity between the upper
and lower marks on the oil dipstick is
approximately 2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).