2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG warning

340 Operation
Vehicle care
Headliner
Use a soft bristle brush or a dry-sham-
poo cleaner in case of excessive dirt.
Seat belts
Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
Leather upholstery
Please note that leather upholstery is a
natural product and is therefore subject
to a natural aging process. Leather
upholstery may also react to certain
ambient influences such as high humidity
or high temperature by showing wrinkles
for example.
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp
cloth and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather
Care.Exercise particular care when cleaning
perforated leather as its underside should
not become wet.
Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use
damp cloth to clean wood trims in your
vehicle.
Chrome-plated exhaust tip*
Regular cleaning and care of
chrome-plated exhaust tips will help
to maintain their shine and the classy
appearance.
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Chrome
Polishing Paste each time the vehicle
has been washed, especially during the
winter.
!The seat belts must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat
belts at temperatures above 176°F (80°C) or in
direct sunlight.
Warning!G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
!Wipe with light pressure, to avoid damage to
the upholstery.
!Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as these
may be abrasive.
!Do not use alkaline cleaners such as wheel
cleaners as they could cause corrision.

342 Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamps in the instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during thebulb self-check when switching on the igni-
tion, have the respective bulb checked and
replaced if necessary.
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
vThe yellow ABS/ESP® warning
lamp comes on when the engine
is running.The ESP® has been switched off.
Risk of accident!
When the ESP
® is switched off it will not sta-
bilize the vehicle if the system recognizes
that the vehicle starts to skid or that a wheel
is spinning.
Switch the ESP® back on (page 94).
Exceptions: (
page 93)
If leaving the ESP® switched off, adapt
your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If the ESP
® cannot be switched on:
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
The ESP® is not operational due to a malfunc-
tion.
Risk of accident! Observe additional messages in the
multifunction display.
Continue driving with added caution.
Adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.

343 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
vThe yellow ABS/ESP® warning
lamp flashes when the engine is
running.The ESP®, ABS, or traction control has come
into operation because of detected traction
loss in at least one tire.
The cruise control and the Distronic* system
are deactivated.When driving off, apply as little
throttle as possible.
While driving, ease up on the
accelerator.
Adapt your speed and driving to
the prevailing road and weather
conditions.
Do not deactivate the ESP®.
Exceptions: (
page 93)
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.

345 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
;(USA only)
3(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and
you hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the parking brake set.Release the parking brake
(
page 55).
;(USA only)
3(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running and you hear a warn-
ing sound.

There is a malfunction in the
electro-hydraulic brake system.

There is insufficient brake fluid in the
reservoir.
Read and observe messages in the
display (
page 359).
Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle in a safe location or as soon as
it is safe to do so and contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Do
not add brake fluid! This will not solve
the problem.
Warning!G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Do not add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You could be seriously burned.!If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark or
below, have the brake system checked for brake
pad thickness and leaks.

348 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
DThe red coolant warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.There is insufficient coolant in the reservoir.
If this warning lamp comes on frequently,
there is a leak in the cooling system.
If the coolant level is correct, the electric ra-
diator fan may be broken. Immediately add coolant to prevent
engine from overheating
(
page 288).
Have the cooling system checked.
If the coolant temperature is below
248°F (120°C), you can continue
driving to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Avoid high engine loads (e.g. driving
uphill) and stop-and-go driving.
DThe red coolant warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running and you hear a warning
sound.The coolant temperature has exceeded
248°F (120°C).Stop in a safe location as soon as pos-
sible and allow the engine and coolant
to cool down.

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.

350 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
EThe white Distronic* indicator
lamp comes on while driving.The Distronic* distance sensor has recog-
nized a preceding vehicle.
EThe red distance warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
You are gaining too rapidly on the vehicle
ahead of you.

The distance warning system has
recognized a stationary obstacle on
your probable line of travel.
Apply the brakes immediately.
Carefully observe the traffic situation.
You may need to brake or maneuver
to avoid hitting an obstacle.
AThe yellow fuel tank reserve
warning lamp lights when the
engine is running.The fuel level has dropped below the reserve
mark.Refuel at the next gas station
(
page 279).
The fuel filler cap is not closed tightly.Check the fuel filler cap (page 279).

351 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
CThe yellow roll bar warning lamp
comes on or flickers when the
engine is running.The roll bar system is malfunctioning.For safety reasons, always have the roll
bar raised when driving with the retract-
able hardtop open.
Attempt to raise the roll bar manually
(
page 83).
Have the roll bar checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Warning!G
If the roll bar warning lamp in the
instrument cluster does not go out after
starting the engine, flickers, or if it comes on
while driving, the roll bar system is not oper-
ating properly and may not activate in an
accident. At the same time, the message
Raise Roll-over Bar appears in the
multifunction display. In this case, raise the
roll bar manually before continuing to drive
(
page 83).
For safety reasons, drive only with the roll
bar raised until the malfunction has been
repaired. Have your vehicle checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.