2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG hood open

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.

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.

288 Operation
Engine compartment
Coolant
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze.
When checking the coolant level,

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground

the coolant temperature must be be-
low 158°F (70°C)The coolant expansion tank is located on
the passenger side of the engine compart-
ment.
1Coolant expansion tank
Using a rag, slowly turn the cap approx-
imately one half turn counterclockwise
to release any excess pressure.
Continue turning the cap counterclock-
wise and remove it.
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.

Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately 1/2 turn 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 gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.

337 Operation
Vehicle care
Restart the engine after cleaning
sensor cover1.
Cleaning the Parktronic system*
sensors
1Parktronic system* sensors in front
bumper
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo, with plenty of water and a
soft, non-scratching cloth to clean
sensors1 in the bumpers.Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
Make sure the hood is fully closed.
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Turn combination switch to wiper
settingII (
page 58).
With wiper arms in vertical position,
switch off the ignition (
page 40).
!To prevent scratches or damage, never
apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning Distronic
system sensor cover1. Do not attempt to wipe
dirty sensor with a dry cloth or sponge.
!Do not apply strong pressure to the sensor
covers. Applying strong pressure may damage
the sensor covers.
Follow the instructions provided by the power
washer manufacturer on maintaining a distance
between the vehicle and the nozzle of the power
washer.
!To prevent scratches, never apply strong
force and only use a soft, non-scratching cloth
when cleaning the sensors. Do not attempt to
wipe dirty sensors with a dry cloth or sponge.
!The windshield wipers must be in a vertical
position before folding them away from the wind-
shield. They could otherwise damage the hood.
Never open the hood when the wiper arms are
folded forward.


349 Practical hints
What to do if …
During severe operating conditions, e.g.
stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tempera-
ture may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Warning!G

Driving when your engine is overheated
can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously
burned.

Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns which can occur
just by opening the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of
the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle
until the engine has cooled down.
!The engine should not be operated with the
coolant temperature above 248°F (120°C).
Doing so may cause serious engine damage
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

384 Practical hints
What to do if …
During severe operating conditions, e.g.
stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tempera-
ture may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
Observe the coolant temperature gauge in the
instrument cluster (
page 27).
If the temperature rises again:
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center immediately.
Warning!G
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some fluids which may have leaked
into the engine compartment to catch fire.
You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns and can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.
!The engine should not be operated with the
coolant temperature above 248°F (120°C). Do-
ing so may cause serious engine damage which
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

390 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
KRetractable Roof
Not Opened/Closed
CompletelyThe retractable hardtop is not
locked properly.Stop the vehicle in a safe location. Observe
the traffic situation around you.
Push or pull on the retractable hardtop switch
until the indicator lamp in the switch goes out
and the retractable hardtop is completely
open or closed (
page 204).
OYou 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 283).
IRemove
KeyYou have forgotten to remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Replace
KeyThe SmartKey is no longer
functional.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
FChange
Key BatteriesThe batteries in the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* are discharged.Replace the batteries (page 407).

411 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Notes on bulb replacement

Only use 12-volt bulbs of the same type
and with the specified watt rating.

Switch the lights off before changing a
bulb to prevent short circuits.

Always use a clean lint-free cloth when
handling bulbs.

Your hands should be dry and free of oil
and grease.

If the newly installed bulb does not
come on, visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.Have the LEDs and bulbs for the following
lamps replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center:

the additional turn signals in the
exterior rear view mirrors

the high mounted brake lamp

the brake lamps

the parking lamps and the side marker
lamps in the tail lamp unit

the rear fog lamps

the low beam (Xenon or Bi-Xenon*)
lamps

the front fog lamps

the front side marker lamps
Replacing bulbs for front lamps
Before you start to replace a bulb for a
front lamp, do the following first:
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position M (
page 131).
Open the hood (page 282).
1Bulb socket for turn signal lamp
2High beam headlamp cover
3Low beam headlamp cover (Xenon or
Bi-Xenon* lamp). Do not remove.
!Do not replace the LEDs yourself. You could
otherwise damage the LEDs or parts of the
vehicle. Only have the LEDs replaced by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.