2007 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK350 Antifreeze

300 Operation
Engine compartment
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
“Technical data” (
page 443) and
(
page 445).
Transmission fluid level*
Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
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 transmission.Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine and
emission control system not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Warning!G
In order to avoid any potentially serious
burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.

Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.

301 Operation
Engine compartment
The coolant expansion tank is located on
the passenger side of the engine compart-
ment.
SLK 350 (example illustration)
1Coolant expansion tank
2Cap
3Marking bar in the expansion tank
Using a rag, turn cap2 slowly approx-
imately one half turn counterclockwise
to release any excess pressure.
Continue turning cap2 counterclock-
wise and remove it.
The coolant level is correct if the level

for cold coolant: reaches marking
bar3 in expansion tank1

for warm coolant: is approximately
0.6 in (1.5 cm) higher
Add coolant as required.
Replace and tighten cap2.
For more information on coolant, see
“Coolants” (
page 448).

Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately 1/2turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out un-
der pressure.

Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene
glycol which may burn if it comes into
contact with hot engine parts.

302 Operation
Engine compartment
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*
The windshield washer reservoir is located
on the passenger side of the engine com-
partment.
SLK 350 (example illustration)
1Cap for windshield washer reservoir
Fluid for the windshield washer system
and the headlamp cleaning system* is
supplied from the windshield washer
reservoir. It has a capacity of
approximately 7.4 US qt (7 l).During all seasons, add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit” to
water. Premix the windshield washer fluid
in a suitable container.
Use the tab to pull cap 1 upwards.
Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit”
and water (or commercially available
premixed windshield washer
solvent/antifreeze, depending on
ambient temperatures).
For more information, see “Windshield
washer system and headlamp cleaning
system*” (
page 450).
Warning!G
Washer solvent/antifreeze is highly flamma-
ble. Do not spill washer solvent/antifreeze
on hot engine parts, because it may ignite
and burn. You could be seriously burned.!Always use washer solvent/antifreeze
where temperatures may fall below freezing
point. Failure to do so could result in damage to
the washer system/reservoir.
!Only use washer fluid which is suitable for
plastic lenses. Improper washer fluid can dam-
age the plastic lenses of the headlamps.

332 Operation
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:

Checking anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.

Adding of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning* system. Add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit”
to a pre-mixed windshield washer
solvent/antifreeze which is formulated
for temperatures below freezing point
(
page 450).

Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure the engine can be started, even at
low ambient temperatures.

Tire change.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show M+S
and the mountain/snowflake
symbol.marking on the tire sidewall.
These tires meet specific snow traction
performance requirements of the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the
Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) and
have been designed specifically for use in
snow conditions. Use of winter tires is the
only way to achieve the maximum
effectiveness of the ABS and ESP
® in
winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires mounted to your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-
tices are available at your tire dealer or any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!When scraping ice or snow from the rear
window, be careful not to damage the sealing
strip or apertures along the side of the window.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6 in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are
no longer suitable for winter operation.

370 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbolDisplay messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
•The cooling fan for the coolant is
malfunctioning.Observe the coolant temperature display
(
page 127).
If the coolant temperature is below 120°C,
you may continue driving to the nearest
specialist workshop.
Avoid heavy loads on the engine (e.g. by
driving uphill) as well as stop-and-go traffic.
Have the fan replaced as soon as possible.
/Top up coolant
See Oper. ManualThe coolant level is too low.Add coolant (page 300).
Comply with all warnings while doing so.
If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You could be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant level
warning. Extended driving with this message and
symbol displayed may cause serious engine
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty. Do not drive without sufficient
amount of coolant in the cooling system. The
engine will overheat, causing major engine
damage.

444 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
ModelCapacityFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Power steeringAll models1.1 US qt (1.0 l)MB Power Steering Fluid (Pentosin CHF 11S or,
depending on vehicle production date, Chevron
Texaco PSF 9109)
1
Front wheel hubsAll modelsapprox. 2.1oz (60g) eachHigh temperature roller bearing grease
Brake systemAll models0.5 US qt (0.5 l)MB Brake Fluid (DOT 4+)
Cooling systemSLK 280approx. 10.4 US qt (9.8 l)MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze Agent
SLK 350approx. 10.4 US qt (9.8 l)
SLK 55 AMGapprox. 11.7 US qt (11.1 l)
Fuel tankAll modelsapprox. 18.5 US gal (70.0 l)Premium unleaded gasoline:
Minimum posted Octane 91 (average of
96 RON/86 MON)
including a reserve ofSLK 280, SLK 350
SLK 55 AMGapprox. 2.4 US gal (9.0 l)
approx. 2.6 US gal (10.0 l)
Air conditioning systemAll modelsR-134a refrigerant and special PAG lubricant oil
(never R-12)
Hydraulic system for
retractable hardtopAll models0.19 US qt (0.18 l)MB Hydraulic Fluid
Windshield washer
system and headlamp
cleaning system*All models7.4 US qt (7.0 l)MB Windshield washer concentrate2
1For detailed information, please refer to the Factory Approved Service Products pamphlet (USA only) or contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.2Use MB Windshield Washer Concentrate“MB SummerFit” and water for temperatures above freezing point or MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit”
and commercially available premixed windshield washer solvent/antifreeze for temperatures below freezing point. Follow suggested mixing ratios (page 450).

448 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which pro-
vides:

Corrosion protection

Freeze protection

Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -35°F (-37°C) and corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-35°F (-37°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant in the pressurized cooling system is
reached at approximately 266°F (130°C).The coolant solution must be used year
round to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase boil-over protec-
tion. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
replacement interval.
Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the
Maintenance Booklet is only applicable if
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze solu-
tion or other Mercedes-Benz approved
products of equal specification are used to
renew the coolant concentration or bring it
back up to the proper level.
For information on other Mercedes-Benz
approved products of equal specification,
refer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet (USA only) or contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least
50% anticorrosion/antifreeze (equivalent
to freeze protection to approximately
-35°F [-37°C]). If you use a solution that is
more than 55% anticorrosion/antifreeze
(freeze protection to approximately
-49°F [-45°C]), the engine temperature
will increase due to the lower heat transfer
capability of the solution. Therefore, do not
use more than this amount of anticorro-
sion/antifreeze.
If the coolant level is low, water and
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze
should be used to bring it up to the proper
level (have cooling system checked for
signs of leakage). Please make sure the
mixture is in accordance with label
instructions.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water. If you
are not sure about the water quality, con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!Add premixed coolant solution only. Adding
water and MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze
separately from each other, could cause engine
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

449 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of
aluminum parts. The use of aluminum
components in motor vehicle engines
necessitates that anticorrosion/antifreeze
coolant used in such engines be
specifically formulated to protect the aluminum parts. Failure to use such anti-
corrosion/antifreeze coolant will result in
a significantly shortened service life.
Therefore, the following product is strongly
recommended for use in your vehicle:
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze agent.Before the start of the winter season (or
once a year in hot southern regions), you
should have the anticorrosion/antifreeze
concentration checked. The coolant is also
regularly checked each time you bring your
vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for service.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze quantity
ModelApproximate freeze protection
-35°F (-37°C)-49°F (-45°C)
SLK 280, SLK 3505.4 US qt (5.1 l)6.0 US qt (5.6 l)
SLK 55 AMG5.9 US qt (5.5 l)6.4 US qt (6.1 l)