2007 MERCEDES-BENZ SLR light

275 Operation
Tires and wheels
General:
Depending on the design standards used,
the tire size molded into the sidewall may
have no letter or a letter preceding the tire
size designation.
No letter preceding the size designation
(as illustrated above): Passenger car tire
based on European design standards.
Letter “P” preceding the size designation:
Passenger car tire based on U.S. design
standards.
Letter “LT” preceding the size designation:
Light Truck tire based on U.S. design
standards.
Letter “T” preceding the size designation:
Temporary spare tires which are high
pressure compact spares designed for
temporary emergency use only.
Tire width
The tire width1 (
page 274) indicates
the nominal tire width in mm. Aspect ratio
The aspect ratio2 (
page 274) is the
dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width and is
expressed in percentage. The aspect ratio
is arrived at by dividing section height by
section width.
Tire code
The tire code3 (
page 274) indicates
the tire construction type. The “R” stands
for radial tire type. Letter “D” means diag-
onal or bias ply construction; letter “B”
means belted-bias ply construction.
At the tire manufacturer’s option, any tire
with a speed capability above 149 mph
(240 km/h) can include a “ZR” in the size
designation (for example: 245/40 ZR 18).
For additional information, see “Tire speed
rating” (
page 276).Rim diameter
The rim diameter4 (
page 274) is the
diameter of the bead seat, not the
diameter of the rim edge. Rim diameter is
indicated in inches (in).
Tire load rating
The tire load rating5 (
page 274) is a
numerical code associated with the
maximum load a tire can support.
For example, a load rating of 91 corre-
sponds to a maximum load of 1356 lb
(615 kg) the tire is designed to support.
See also “Maximum tire load”
(
page 280) where the maximum load as-
sociated with the load index is indicated in
kilograms and lb.

278 Operation
Tires and wheels
All-season and winter tiresLoad identification
1Load identificationIn addition to tire load rating, special load
identification1 may be molded into the
tire sidewall following the letter designat-
ing the tire speed rating (
page 274).
No specification given: absence of any text
(like in above example) indicates a
standard load (SL) tire.
XL or Extra Load: designates an extra load
(or reinforced) tire.
Light Load: designates a light load tire.
C, D, E: designates load range associated
with the maximum load a tire can carry at
a specified pressure.
IndexSpeed rating
QM+S1
1or M+S.for winter tires
up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
TM+S1up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
HM+S1up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
VM+S1up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
iNot all M+S rated tires provide special win-
ter performance. Make sure the tires you use
show M+S and the mountain/snowflake.
marking on the tire sidewall. These tires meet
specific snow traction performance require-
ments of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and the Rubber Association of Canada
(RAC) and have been designed specifically for
use in snow conditions.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.

296 Operation
Vehicle care
Vehicle washing
Hand-wash
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.
Only use a mild car wash detergent,
which is recommended by
Mercedes-Benz.
Only use a soft sponge or a washing
brush.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a
diffused jet of water.
Direct only a very weak spray towards
the ventilation intake.
Use plenty of water and rinse the
sponge and chamois frequently.
Rinse with clean water and thoroughly
dry with a chamois.
Do not allow cleaning agents to dry on
the finish.
Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are
preferable.
To protect the filter system, switch the
automatic climate control to air
recirculation mode (
page 195).
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it be-
fore running it through the automatic car
wash.!When washing the vehicle, fine and rigid
particles in sponges or brushes could scratch or
otherwise damage the paint. This applies to
both, hand-wash or automatic car wash.
Mercedes-Benz recommends you to have your
vehicle cleaned at an automatic car wash from
the start, preferably one without brushes, or to
use plenty of water when hand-washing your
vehicle.
Do not wash the car in direct sunlight and when
the body surface is hot.
In the winter, remove salt residue quickly and
thoroughly.
!Do not use scouring agents on these parts.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the vehicle.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the paint.
!Do not clean your vehicle in an automatic
touchless car wash which uses caustic spray.
Otherwise, the caustic spray will damage the
paint or ornamental moldings.
!Make sure that the windshield wiper switch
is set to0 (
page 52). Otherwise, the rain
sensor could activate and cause the wipers to
move unintentionally. This may lead to vehicle
damage.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in exterior
rear view mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent
damage to the mirrors.
iAfter running the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash, wipe any wax off of the wind-
shield (
page 297). This will prevent smears
and reduce wiping noise which can be caused by
residual wax on the windshield.

342 Practical hints
What to do if ...
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/
consequencePossible solution
.Turn signal
left mirrorThe turn signal in the left exteri-
or rear view mirror is malfunc-
tioning. This message will only
appear if all LEDs have stopped
working.Have the LEDs replaced as soon as possible.
Turn signal
right mirrorThe turn signal in the right exte-
rior rear view mirror is
malfunctioning. This message
will only appear if all LEDs have
stopped working.Have the LEDs replaced as soon as possible.
License plate
lamp - leftThe left license plate lamp is
malfunctioning.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
License plate
lamp - rightThe right license plate lamp is
malfunctioning.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
AUTO light
inoperativeThe light sensor is malfunction-
ing. The headlamps switch on
automatically.In the control system, set lamp operation to manual
mode (
page 134).
Switch on headlamps using the exterior lamp switch.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately.

344 Practical hints
What to do if ...
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/
consequencePossible solution
.Reverse lamp
rightThe right backup lamp is
malfunctioning.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Reverse lamp
leftThe left backup lamp is
malfunctioning.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Tail lamp
left
Auxiliary bulb onThe left tail lamp is malfunc-
tioning. This message will only
appear if a critical number of
LEDs have blown.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Tail lamp
right
Auxiliary bulb onThe right tail lamp is malfunc-
tioning. This message will only
appear if a critical number of
LEDs have blown.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Turn off
lightsYou have removed the Smart-
Key from the starter switch,
opened the driver’s door and
left the exterior lamps on. Switch off the headlamps.
Turn off lights
or
remove keyThe exterior lamp switch is set
to U and you have forgotten
to take out the SmartKey. The
parking lamps remain switched
on.Switch off the headlamps.
or
Remove the SmartKey from the starter switch.

359 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Replacing bulbs
Safe vehicle operation depends on proper
exterior lighting and signaling. It is there-
fore essential that all bulbs and lamp
assemblies are in good working order at all
times.
Correct headlamp adjustment is extremely
important. Have headlamps checked and
readjusted at regular intervals and when a
bulb has been replaced. See an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for headlamp
adjustment.!Do not replace the LEDs or bulbs yourself.
You could otherwise damage the vehicle lighting
system or parts of the vehicle. Only have the
LEDs or bulbs replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iIf the headlamps are fogged up on the inside
as a result of high humidity, driving the vehicle a
distance should clear up the fogging.
iSubstitute bulbs will be brought into use
when lamps malfunction. Observe the messages
in the multifunction display (
page 341).
iIf one of the following bulbs blows, another
bulb will adopt its function:

Rear turn signals

Brake lamps

Side lamps

Tail lamps

364 Practical hints
Flat tire
Screw filler hosea onto tire valve7.
Close vent screw9 on pressure
gauge.
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.
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 starter switch
to position0 (
page 40).
Detach the electric air pump.
The air hose may still be hot. Please
exercise appropriate caution.
!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
If a tire inflation pressure of 26 psi (1.8 bar)
is not attained, the 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.


382 Technical data
Rims and tires
Mixed size tires
Only Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren:
Turbine-style10-spoke-style*
Front axle:
Rims (light alloy)9 J x 199 J x 18
Wheel offset1.83 in (46.5 mm)1.77 in (45 mm)
Summer tires (radial-ply tires)255/35 ZR19 (96Y) XL1245/40 ZR18 (93Y)
Rear axle:
Rims (light alloy)111/2 J x 19111/2 J x 18
Wheel offset1.73 in (44 mm)1.73 in (44 mm)
Summer tires (radial-ply tires)295/30 ZR19 (100Y) XL1295/35 ZR18 (99Y)1
1Must not be used with snow chains.
!Only use Michelin tires of the sizes and
types noted above. They are the only tires
approved for use on the Mercedes-Benz SLR
McLaren. Use of tires not specially approved for
the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren could result in
unanticipated performance characteristics. For
more information, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.