2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL550 engine oil

283 Operation
Engine compartment
Pull hood release1.
The hood is unlocked.
2Lever for opening the hood
Push lever2 on the hood upwards.
Pull up on the hood and then release it.
The hood will be automatically held
open at shoulder height by gas-filled
struts. Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of
approximately 11/2ft (50 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.
!To avoid damage to the windshield wipers or
hood, never open the hood if the wiper arms are
folded forward away from the windshield.Warning!G
When closing the hood, use extreme caution
not to catch hand or fingers. Be careful that
you do not close the hood on anyone.
Make sure the hood is securely engaged be-
fore driving. Do not continue driving if the
hood can no longer engage after an accident
for example. The hood could otherwise
come loose while the vehicle is in motion
and injure you and/or others.
!Do not use any special lubricant additives,
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
Mercedes-Benz Center.

284 Operation
Engine compartment
Checking engine oil level with the
control system* (except SL 550)
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
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
The standard display (
page 143)
should appear in the multifunction dis-
play.
Press buttonk orj on the
steering wheel until the following
message appears in the multifunction
displays:
After about 3 seconds, the following
message appears in the left multifunc-
tion display:
Engine Oil Measuring
Now
.One of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the right multi-
function display:

Engine Oil Level
OK

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

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

Add 2.0 qts
to reach max.
oil level
.
(Canada:
2.0 liters)
iIn vehicles without engine oil measuring
system, the engine oil level is measured via the
oil dipstick (
page 286).
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press thek orj button on
the multifunction steering wheel.

285 Operation
Engine compartment
If necessary, add engine oil.
For information on adding engine oil, see
(
page 286).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 457) and
(
page 460).
Other display messages
If the SmartKey or the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button is not in position2, the
following message will appear:
Turn ignition on
to measure
engine oil level
.
Switch on the ignition (page 40).If you see the message:
Observe
Waiting Time
If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture, wait 5 minutes before repeating
the check procedure.
If the engine is not at operating temper-
ature yet, wait 30 minutes before re-
peating the check procedure.
If you see the message:
Engine Oil Level
Not With
Engine Running
Turn off the engine.
If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture, wait 5 minutes before checking
oil.
If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture yet, you must wait 30 minutes be-
fore 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 388).
!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.

286 Operation
Engine compartment
Checking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick (SL 550 only)
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground

the vehicle must have been stationary
for at least 5 minutes with the engine
turned off
1Oil dipstick
2Upper mark
3Lower mark
Open the hood (page 282).
Pull out oil dipstick 1.
Wipe oil dipstick 1 clean.
Fully insert oil dipstick 1 into the dip-
stick guide tube.
Pull out oil dipstick 1 again after ap-
proximately 3 seconds to obtain accu-
rate reading.
The oil level is correct when it is be-
tween lower mark 3 (min.) and upper
mark 2 (max.) of the oil dipstick.
If necessary, add engine
oil (
page 286).
For more information on engine oil, see
“Technical data” section (
page 457) and
(
page 460).
For information on messages in the multi-
function display concerning engine oil, see
the “Practical hints” section (
page 388).Adding engine oil
iIn vehicles without an oil dipstick, the engine
oil level is measured via the control
system (
page 284).
iThe filling quantity between the upper and
lower marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).
!Only use approved engine oils and oil filters
required for vehicles with Maintenance System.
For a listing of approved engine oils and oil fil-
ters, refer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet (USA only) in your vehicle
literature portfolio, or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specification
other than those expressly required for the
Maintenance System, or changing of oil and oil
filter at change intervals longer than those called
for by the Maintenance System will result in
engine or emission control system damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

287 Operation
Engine compartment
Example illustration SL 550
1Filler cap
Example illustration SL 55 AMG
1Filler cap
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 the
“Technical data” section (
page 457) and
(
page 460).
Transmission fluid level
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 automatic transmission.
Oil level in the ABC system
The oil level in the ABC system does not
need to be checked. If there is visible oil
loss or if malfunction messages appear in
the display, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center check the ABC
system.!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.

332 Operation
Maintenance
Calling up the maintenance service
indicator display
You can call up the maintenance service in-
dicator display at any time to check when
the next maintenance service is due.
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Press button è or ÿ on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display appears in
the multifunction display (
page 149).
Press button k or j on the
multifunction steering wheel until the
maintenance service indicator display
with the maintenance service symbol
9 or ½ appears in the left multi-
function display and the maintenance
service deadline appears in the right
multifunction display.Resetting the maintenance service
indicator
In the event that the maintenance service
on your vehicle is not carried out by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center, you can
have the maintenance service indicator
reset. The automotive maintenance facility
carrying out the maintenance service will
find the information for resetting the
maintenance service indicator in the main-
tenance-relevant information for your vehi-
cle. Such information is available from an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or
directly from Mercedes-Benz.
iThe menu overview can be found on
(
page 146).
iIf the battery supplying the vehicle’s electri-
cal consumers is disconnected, the days of dis-
connection will not be included in the count
shown by the maintenance service indicator. To
arrive at the true maintenance service deadline,
you will need to subtract these days from the
days shown in the maintenance service indicator
message or maintenance service indicator dis-
play.
Do not confuse the maintenance service indica-
tor with the engine oil level indicator N.
!If the maintenance service indicator was in-
advertently reset, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center correct it.
Only reset if the proper maintenance service has
been performed. Resetting the system without
performing proper maintenance service as
called for by the maintenance service indicator
will result in engine damage and/or other vehicle
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

387 Practical hints
What to do if …
When the message Add 1 qt engine oil
at next refueling
(Canada: 1 liter)
appears while the engine is running and at
operating temperature, the engine oil level
has dropped to approximately the
minimum level.
When this occurs, the warning is at first
intermittent and then remains on if the oil
level drops further.Visually check for oil leaks. If there are no
obvious oil leaks, drive to the nearest
service station to refill the engine oil
should be topped to the required level.
For information on approved engine oils,
refer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet (USA only) or contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
NUSA only:
Add 1 qt
engine oil
at next
refueling.
Canada only:
Add 1 liter
engine oil
at next
refueling.
Vehicles with engine oil measuring
system only:
The engine oil level is too low.Add engine oil (page 286) and check the
engine oil level (
page 284).
!Engine oil level warnings should not be ig-
nored. Extended driving with the symbol
displayed could result in serious engine damage
that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

388 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
NEngine Oil Level
Stop car,
switch engine off.There is no oil in the engine. There
is a danger of engine damage.Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do so.
Turn off the engine.
Add engine oil (page 286) and check the
engine oil level (
page 284).
Engine Oil Level
Reduce Oil LevelVehicles with engine oil measuring
system only:
You have added too much engine
oil. There is a risk of damaging the
engine or the catalytic converter.Have excess oil siphoned or drained off.
Observe all legal requirements with respect
to its disposal.
Engine Oil Level
Cannot
measure
eng. oil level.Vehicles with engine oil measuring
system only:
The measuring system is malfunc-
tioning.Have the measuring system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Engine Oil Level
Check LevelVehicles with oil dipstick only:
The engine oil has dropped to a crit-
ical level.Check the engine oil level (page 284) and
add oil as required (
page 286).
If you must add engine oil frequently, have the
engine checked for possible leaks.