353 Practical hints
Flat tire
7Tire valve
8Electric air pump switch
9Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
aFiller hose
Unscrew the valve cap from tire
valve7.
Screw filler hosea onto tire valve7.
Insert electrical plug4 into vehicle
cigarette lighter socket.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1 (
page 40).
PressI on electric air pump switch8.
The electric air pump should now
switch on and inflate the tire.After 5 minutes, the pressure gauge must
display at least 26 psi (1.8 bar). The air
hose can become hot during inflation.
Please exercise appropriate caution.
If this tire inflation pressure is not at-
tained, turn off the electric air pump,
detach the filler hose from the tire
valve, and drive vehicle back and forth
very slowly approximately 30 ft (10 m).
This serves to better distribute the
TIREFIT sealant material inside the tire.
Unscrew the air pump’s air hose5
from flange6 of the TIREFIT
container.
Screw air hose5onto tire valve7.
Inflate the tire again.
Warning!
G
Observe safety instructions on air pump
label.
!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.
354 Practical hintsFlat tire
After attaining a tire inflation pressure
of 26 psi (1.8 bar), press0 on electric
air pump switch8.
The electric air pump should now be
switched off.
Turn the SmartKey in the ignition to
position0 (
page 40).
Detach the electric air pump.
The air hose may still be hot. Please ex-
ercise appropriate caution.
Store the electrical plug and the air
hose behind the flap and place the air
pump back in the trunk.
Close the trunk lid.
Drive away immediately.
The TIREFIT sealant will distribute itself
evenly inside the tire.
After driving vehicle for an initial
10 minutes, check tire inflation pres-
sure using the pressure gauge on the
air pump.
Warning!
G
If a tire inflation pressure of 26 psi (1.8 bar)
is not attained, tire is too severely damaged
for TIREFIT to provide a reliable tire repair.
In this case, TIREFIT cannot properly seal
the tire.
Do not drive the vehicle.
Contact the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
or call Roadside Assistance.
Warning!
G
Do not exceed vehicle speed of
50 mph (80 km/h). A TIREFIT repair is not
designed to operate at higher speeds.
The sticker must be attached on the instru-
ment cluster where it will be easily seen by
the driver.
Vehicle handling characteristics may
change. Adapt your driving accordingly.
Warning!
G
If tire inflation pressure has fallen below
20 psi (1.3 bar), do not continue to drive the
vehicle.
Park your vehicle safely away from the road-
way and contact the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or Roadside
Assistance.
If tire inflation pressure is at least
20 psi (1.3 bar), inflate tire to correct pres-
sure (see placards on driver’s door B-pillar
or on fuel filler flap), and drive vehicle to
nearest tire repair facility to have tire re-
paired or replaced.
Recommended duration of use:
300 miles (500 km) at 50 mph (80 km/h)
with the recommended tire inflation
pressure.
357 Practical hints
Batteries
Warning!
G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof batteries only to avoid the
risk of acid burns in the event of an
accident.
Warning!
G
The brake system requires electrical power
to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. The same applies if
battery is disconnected. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes are only applied to the
front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased! Adjust your driving style according-
ly. For more information, see
“Electrohydraulic brake system”
(page 84).
Warning!
G
With a disconnected battery
you will no longer be able to turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch
the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP
358 Practical hintsBatteriesCharging the batteries
You can obtain detailed information on
charging the battery from your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.Charging with the battery charger
Only use the battery charge unit approved
by Mercedes-Benz and supplied with your
vehicle. This charger is designed to auto-
matically control the charge rate, and
charge the battery or maintain the existing
charge in the battery while the vehicle is
parked and not being driven for long peri-
ods of time (on average approximately
3 weeks or more). Not driving the vehicle
for such extended periods may cause the
charge in the vehicle battery to drop. Using the charging point
The charging point for the battery charger
is located next to the CD-changer on the
left-hand side in the trunk.
1Charging point
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Open the cover of the charging
point1.
Connect the battery charger with the
charging point 1.
Warning!
G
Never charge a battery while still installed in
the vehicle unless the battery charge unit
approved by Mercedes-Benz (supplied with
your vehicle) is being used. Gases may es-
cape during charging and cause explosions
that may result in paint damage, corrosion
or personal injury.
A battery charge unit specially adapted for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and tested and ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz is available, per-
mitting the charging of the battery in its
installed position. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for information and
availability. Charge battery in accordance
with the separate operating instructions for
the battery charger.
360 Practical hintsTowing the vehicleMercedes-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. Warning!
G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:
the engine will not run
there is a malfunction in the electrohy-
draulic brake system
there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
as that will be necessary to adequately con-
trol the towed vehicle.
361 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make certain that the SmartKey
is in starter switch position2.
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the switch. In this
case, the steering is locked. To unlock, re-
move SmartKey from starter switch and re-
insert.iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use, turn
SmartKey in starter switch to
position2 and activate the combina-
tion switch for the left or right turn sig-
nal in the usual manner – only the
selected turn signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the haz-
ard warning flasher will operate again.
Warning!
G
The brake system requires electrical power
to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes are only applied to the
front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased! Adapt your driving style according-
ly. For more information, see
“Electrohydraulic brake system”
(page 84).
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.
!Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the properly installed tow-
ing eye bolt. Never attach tow cable,
tow rope or tow rod to the vehicle chas-
sis, frame or suspension parts.iWhen towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, please note the follow-
ing:
With the automatic central locking acti-
vated and the SmartKey in starter
switch position2 the vehicle doors
lock if the left front wheel as well as the
right rear wheel are turning at vehicle
speeds of approximately 9 mph
(15 km/h) or more.
To prevent the vehicle door locks from
locking, deactivate the automatic
central locking (
page 137).
362 Practical hintsTowing the vehicleInstalling/reinstalling towing eye bolt
Take the towing eye bolt1 from its
storage compartment (
page 342).1Towing eye bolt
Remove cover from the access hole.
Screw towing eye bolt1 in to its stop.
Remove the towing eye bolt when you
no longer need it. To do this, carry out
the above steps in reverse order.
Points to bear in mind
The vehicle must not be tow-started.
If the vehicle is to be towed, only tow it
with all wheels on the ground.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission
damage, only tow it with the propeller
shaft disconnected.
Before towing the vehicle, make sure
the battery is connected and charged.
Otherwise you will not be able to switch
on the ignition and move the selector
lever to N. There will then be no power
assistance when steering and braking.
Transporting the vehicle
The towing eye bolt can be used to pull the
vehicle onto a trailer or transporter for
transporting purposes.
Move the selector lever to N.
iThe gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP and the SmartKey
will not turn in the starter switch if the
battery is disconnected or discharged.
See notes on the battery (
page 356).
!Only secure the tow bar to the towing
eye bolt. The vehicle could otherwise
be damaged.!Your vehicle is equipped with a front
towing eye bolt only (
page 362).
You cannot tow other vehicles with
your vehicle.
!Due to the low clearance height of the
SLR, care must be taken when loading
and unloading from a transporter to
avoid damaging the vehicle body work.
To secure the vehicle, only tie it down
by the wheels or tires. Otherwise it
could be damaged.
388 Technical termsOverspeed range
Engine speeds within the red marking
on the tachometer dial. Avoid this en-
gine speed range, as it may result in se-
rious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
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/axlesProduction options weight
(
page 282)
Program mode selector switch
Used to switch the automatic transmis-
sion between sport operation (S), com-
fort operation (C) and manual
operation (MAN).
PSI
(Pounds per s
quare i
nch)
(
page 283)
Recommended tire inflation pressure
(page 283)
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.
Rim
(page 283)RON
(R
esearch O
ctane N
umber)
The Research Octane Number for gaso-
line 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.
Electrohydraulic brake system
Electronically controlled hydraulic
braking system for increased braking
safety and comfort.
Shift lock
When the vehicle is parked, this lock
prevents the gear selector lever from
being inadvertently moved out of posi-
tion P without SmartKey turned and
brake pedal depressed.