312 OperationTires and wheelsTire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width
expressed in percentage.Bar
Another metric unit for air pressure. There
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi)
to 1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa)
to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least 3 hours or driv-
en no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so
equipped, air conditioning and additional
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.DOT (D
epartment o
f T
ransportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
GAWR (G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible
axle weight. The gross vehicle weight on
each axle must never exceed the GAWR for
the front and rear axle indicated on the
certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
GVW (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the
vehicle including fuel, tools, spare wheel,
installed accessories, passengers and
cargo and, if applicable, trailer tongue
load. The GVW must never exceed the
GVWR indicated on the certification label
located on the driver’s door B-pillar.
313 Operation
Tires and wheels
GVWR (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
This is the maximum permissible vehicle
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (weight of
the vehicle including all options, passen-
gers, fuel, and cargo and, if applicable,
trailer tongue load). It is indicated on
certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
Kilopascal (kPa)
The metric unit for air pressure. There are
6.9 kPa to 1 psi; another metric unit for air
pressure is bars. There are 100 kilopascals
(kPa) to 1 bar.
Maximum load rating
The maximum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by the tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
The sum of curb weight, accessory weight,
vehicle capacity weight and production
options weight.Maximum tire inflation pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air
pressure that should ever be put in the tire
under normal driving conditions.
Normal occupant weight
The number of occupants the vehicle is
designed to seat, multiplied by
68 kilograms (150 lbs).
Occupant distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle
at their designated seating positions.
Production options weight
The combined weight of those installed
regular production options weighing over
5 lbs (2.3 kilograms) in excess of those
standard items which they replace, not
previously considered in curb weight or
accessory weight, including heavy duty
brakes, ride levelers, roof rack, heavy duty
battery, and special trim.PSI (P
ounds per s
quare i
nch)
A standard unit of measure for air pressure
-> bar, kilopascal (kPa).
Recommended tire inflation pressure
Recommended tire inflation pressure
listed on placard located on driver’s door
B-pillar for normal driving conditions.
Provides best handling, tread life and
riding comfort.
Rim
A metal support for a tire or a tire and tube
assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Sidewall
The portion of a tire between the tread and
the bead.
344 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Warning!
G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly underinflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
USA only:
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately
one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of in-
compatible replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue
to function properly.
377 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
A
Fuel cap
open
A loss of pressure has been detect-
ed in the fuel system. The fuel cap
may not be closed properly or the
fuel system may be leaky.
Check the fuel cap (
page 271).
If it is not closed properly:
Close the fuel cap.
If it is closed properly:
Have the fuel system checked by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
K
being lowered
The retractable hardtop is not com-
pletely opened or closed. The roof
hydraulics will start to lose pres-
sure.
Make sure the retractable hardtop is com-
pletely opened or closed (
page 199).
locked
in driving mode
You have attempted to open the re-
tractable hardtop while driving.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location and try to
open the hardtop again.
O
You are driving with the hood open.
Risk of accident!
Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do so.
Close the hood (
page 275).
411 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:
SL 550 to 36 psi (2.5 bar)
SL 600, SL 55 AMG, SL 55 AMG
(Performance Package*), and
SL 65 AMG to 51 psi (3.5 bar)
This takes about 5 minutes.
Air hose4 and union nut5 can be-
come hot during inflation. Exercise
proper caution to avoid burning your-
self when using the equipment.
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 is
above the recommended tire inflation
pressure for the respective collapsible
tire (
page 440), release excess spare
tire inflation pressure using the vent
screw.
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.
!
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 yellow label
on the spare wheel rim differs from the values
given in this Operator’s Manual, inflate the tire to
the recommended 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 interruption. Otherwise it
may overheat.
You may operate the air pump again after it has
cooled off.
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.
435 Technical data
Rims and tires
Rims and tires
!
Only use tires which have been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Tires approved by
Mercedes-Benz are developed to provide best
possible performance in conjunction with the
driving safety systems on your vehicle such as
ABS or ESP
®. Tires specially developed for your
vehicle and tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz can be identified 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 ap-
proved tires for AMG vehicles, contact an au-
thorized 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 damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
i
For information on driving with MOExtended
tires, see “MOExtended system”(
page 301).
!
Using tires other than those approved by
Mercedes-Benz can have detrimental effects,
such as
poor handling characteristics
increased noise
increased fuel consumption
Moreover, tires and rims not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may, under load, exhibit dimen-
sional variations and different tire deformation
characteristics that could cause them to come
into contact with the vehicle body or axle parts.
Damage to the tires or the vehicle may be the re-
sult.
i
Further information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. A placard with the recommended tire in-
flation pressures is located on the driver’s door
B-pillar. Some vehicles may have supplemental
tire inflation pressure information for driving at
high speeds (
page 292) or for vehicle loads
less than the maximum loaded vehicle condition
(
page 292). If such information is provided, it
can be found on the placard located on the in-
side of the fuel filler flap.The tire inflation pressure should be checked
regularly and should only be adjusted on cold
tires. Follow tire manufacturer’s maintenance
recommendation included with vehicle.
i
The following pages also list the approved
wheel rim and tire sizes for equipping your vehi-
cles with winter tires. Winter tires are not avail-
able as standard or optional factory equipment,
but can be purchased from an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Depending on vehicle model and the standard or
optional factory-equipped wheel rim/tire config-
uration on your vehicle (Performance Package,
Sport Package etc.), equipping your vehicle with
winter tires approved for your vehicle model may
also require the purchase of two or four wheel
rims of the recommended size for use with these
winter tires. See an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for more information.
448 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Fuel requirements
Only use premium unleaded fuel:
The octane number (posted at the
pump) must be 91 min. It is an average
of both the Research (R) octane num-
ber and the Motor (M) octane number:
(R+M)/2). This is also known as the
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates
such as ethanol, IPA, IBA and TBA can be
used provided the ratio of any one of these
oxygenates to gasoline does not exceed
10%; MTBE must not exceed 15%.
The ratio of methanol to gasoline must not
exceed 3% plus additional cosolvents.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 loss
464 IndexR
RACETIMER see Control system menus,
AMG menu
Radio
Operating 149
Satellite 150
Selecting station 149
Radio transmitters
Control and operation 268
Range (distance to empty)
Calling up 165
Reading lamp 33
Rear lamps see Tail lamps
Rear luggage compartment 237
Rear view mirrors see Mirrors
Recommended inflation pressure 313
Redial memory 167
Refueling 271
Regular checks 272
Regular driving style 228
Remote
Trunk opening/closing* switch 114
Remote trunk opening switch 112
Remote trunk opening/closing*
switch 113Replacing
Batteries (SmartKey) 395
High beam bulbs 400
Low beam bulbs 400
Rear lamp bulbs 398, 402
Wiper blades 403
Reset button 27
Resetting
All functions (control system) 153
Fuel consumption statistics 164
Trip odometer 137
Restraint systems 66
Emergency Tensioning Device
(ETD) 81
Messages in the multifunction
display 361
Seat belts 66, 77
Resume function
Cruise control 212
Distronic* 220
Retractable hardtop
Closing (SmartKey) 201
Closing (switch) 200
Convenience feature 201
Locking after raising/lowering 202Opening (SmartKey) 201
Opening (switch) 200
Problems when operating 203
Summer opening feature 201
Rim 313
Roll bar 81
Lowering 82
Messages in display 384
Raising 82
Warning lamp 29
Roll bar buttons 32
RON 272
Rubber parts, cleaning 328
Run Flat Indicator (Canada only) 293
S
Satellite radio 150
Seat belt force limiter 81
Seat belts 49, 66, 77
Cleaning 329
Messages in the multifunction
display 361
Warning lamp 341
Seat heating
Switching on 123
Seat ventilation* 125
Switching on 125