2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG ECO mode

291 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tires and wheels
See an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for information on tested and
recommended rims and tires for summer
and winter operation. They can also offer
advice concerning tire service and
purchase.Important guidelines

Only use sets of tires and rims of the
same type and make.

Tires must be of the correct size for the
rim.

Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate
speeds.

Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bent rims can
cause tire inflation pressure loss and
damage to the tire beads.

If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
inflation pressure and correct as
required.

Do not allow your tires to wear down
too far. Adhesion properties on wet
roads are sharply reduced at tread
depths of less than
1/8in (3 mm).

When replacing individual tires, you
should mount new tires on the front
wheels first (on vehicles with
same-sized wheels all around).
Warning!G
Replace rims or tires with the same designa-
tion, manufacturer and type as shown on the
original part. See an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion. If incorrectly sized rims and tires are
mounted:

The wheel brakes or suspension
components can be damaged.

The operating clearance of the wheels
and the tires may no longer be correct.
Warning!G
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
When replacing rims, only use genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can
result in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.
Retreaded tires are not tested or recom-
mended by Mercedes-Benz, since previous
damage cannot always be recognized on re-
treads. The operating safety of the vehicle
cannot be assured when such tires are used.

312 Operation
Tires and wheels
Potential problems associated with
underinflated and overinflated tires
Underinflated tires
Underinflated tires can:

cause excessive and uneven tire wear

adversely affect fuel economy

lead to tire failure from being
overheated

adversely affect handling
characteristicsOverinflated tires
Overinflated tires can:

adversely affect handling
characteristics

cause uneven tire wear

be more prone to damage from road
hazards

adversely affect ride comfort

increase stopping distance
MOExtended system*
The MOExtended system allows you to
continue driving your vehicle even if there
is a total loss of pressure in one or more
tires.
You may only use the MOExtended system
in conjunction with the Run Flat Indicator*
(Canada vehicles) (
page 303), TPMS
(U.S. vehicles) (
page 305), or Advanced
TPMS* (Canada vehicles) (
page 308).
For information on driving in case of pres-
sure loss in one or more tires (emergency
mode), see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 425).Warning!G
Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel economy,
and are more likely to fail from being
overheated.
Warning!G
Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can adversely affect handling and ride
comfort, wear unevenly, increase stopping
distance, and result in sudden deflation
(blowout) because they are more likely to
become punctured or damaged by road
debris, potholes etc.

378 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
TReduced
Brake Effect
Depress brake
pedal fully.The electro-hydraulic brake system
is in emergency operation mode.
Considerably greater brake pedal
force is required and the brake
pedal travel is longer. The stopping
distance is increased.
The maximum speed is limited to
55 mph (90 km/h).Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do so.
Apply the parking brake (page 63).
Do not drive any further.
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
blocking the wheels with wheel chocks or
other sizeable objects.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or call for Roadside Assistance (
page 253).
Warning!G
Driving while this message is displayed can
result in an accident. Have your brake
system checked immediately.
If the electro-hydraulic brake system enters
its emergency operation mode, the driver
must apply significantly greater brake pedal
pressure and depress the pedal much
further than normal to obtain braking effect.
If necessary, apply full pressure to the brake
pedal. Brakes are only applied to the front
wheels. Stopping distance is increased!
If there is a malfunction in the
electro-hydraulic brake system, we recom-
mend that the vehicle be transported with
all wheels off the ground using flatbed or ap-
propriate wheel lift/dolly equipment.A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For more infor-
mation, see “Towing the vehicle”
(
page 434).

379 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
USA only:
;
Canada only:
3
Reduced
Brake Effect
Service
RequiredThe electro-hydraulic brake system
is in emergency operation mode.
Considerably greater brake pedal
force is required and the brake
pedal travel is longer. The stopping
distance is increased.Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do so.
Apply the parking brake (page 63).
Do not drive any further.
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
blocking the wheels with wheel chocks or
other sizeable objects.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or call for Roadside Assistance (
page 253).
Warning!G
Driving while this message is displayed can
result in an accident. Have your brake
system checked immediately.
If the electro-hydraulic brake system enters
its emergency operation mode, the driver
must apply significantly greater brake pedal
pressure and depress the pedal much
further than normal to obtain braking effect.
If necessary, apply full pressure to the brake
pedal. Brakes are only applied to the front
wheels. Stopping distance is increased!
If there is a malfunction in the
electro-hydraulic brake system, we recom-
mend that the vehicle be transported with
all wheels off the ground using flatbed or ap-
propriate wheel lift/dolly equipment.A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For more infor-
mation, see “Towing the vehicle”
(
page 434).

392 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
FKey Detected
In VehicleA SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* left
in the vehicle was recognized while
locking the vehicle from the out-
side.Take the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* out of
the vehicle.
.3rd Brake LampThe high mounted brake lamp is
malfunctioning. This message will
only appear if a critical number of
LEDs have stopped working.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
AUTO Light
InoperativeThe light sensor is malfunctioning.
The headlamps switch on automati-
cally.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
To switch off the headlamps (U.S. vehicles only):
In the control system, set lamp operation to
manual mode (
page 163).
Switch on headlamps using the exterior lamp
switch (
page 131).
Brake Lamp
Left
Auxiliary Bulb OnThe left brake lamp is malfunction-
ing. An auxiliary bulb has been
brought into use.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Brake Lamp
Right
Auxiliary Bulb OnThe right brake lamp is malfunction-
ing. An auxiliary bulb has been
brought into use.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.

434 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Mercedes-Benz recommends that the vehi-
cle be transported with all wheels off the
ground using flatbed or appropriate wheel
lift/dolly equipment.
When circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the
vehicle may be towed with all wheels on
the ground or front wheels raised only so
far as necessary to have the vehicle moved
to a safe location where the recommended
towing methods can be employed.
!Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equipment
with SmartKey in starter switch turned to
position0.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Towing
with sling-type equipment over bumpy roads will
damage radiator and supports.
To prevent damage during transport, do not tie
down vehicle by its chassis or suspension parts.
Switch off the tow-away alarm (
page 100) and
the automatic central locking (
page 166).
Warning!G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run

there is a malfunction in the
electro-hydraulic brake system

there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
This is necessary to adequately control the
towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make certain that the SmartKey
is in starter switch position2.
Warning!G
The brake system requires electrical power
to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes are only applied to the
front wheels. Stopping distance is
increased! Adapt your driving style
accordingly. For more information, see
“Electro-hydraulic brake system”
(
page 94).
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.

449 Technical data
Rims and tires
Rims and tires
!Only use tires which have been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Tires approved by
Mercedes-Benz are developed to provide best
possible performance in conjunction with the
driving safety systems on your vehicle such as
ABS or ESP
®. Tires specially developed for your
vehicle and tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz can be identified by finding the
following on the tire’s sidewall:

MO = Mercedes-Benz Original equipment
tires

MO1 = Mercedes-Benz Original equipment
tires (applicable to selected tire sizes only)

MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(tires with limited run-flat characteristics)
original equipment tires
Using tires other than those approved by
Mercedes-Benz may result in damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
iFor information on driving with MOExtended
tires, see “MOExtended system” (
page 312).
!Using tires other than those approved by
Mercedes-Benz can have detrimental effects,
such as

poor handling characteristics

increased noise

increased fuel consumption
Moreover, tires and rims not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may, under load, exhibit dimen-
sional variations and different tire deformation
characteristics that could cause them to come
into contact with the vehicle body or axle parts.
Damage to the tires or the vehicle may be the
result.
iFurther information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. A placard with the recommended tire in-
flation pressures is located on the driver’s door
B-pillar. Some vehicles may have supplemental
tire inflation pressure information for driving at
high speeds (
page 301) or for vehicle loads
less than the maximum loaded vehicle condition
(
page 301). If such information is provided, it
can be found on the placard located on the
inside of the fuel filler flap.The tire inflation pressure should be checked
regularly and should only be adjusted on cold
tires. Follow tire manufacturer’s maintenance
recommendation included with vehicle.
iThe following pages also list the approved
wheel rim and tire sizes for equipping your vehi-
cles with winter tires. Winter tires are not avail-
able as standard or optional factory equipment,
but can be purchased from an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Depending on vehicle model and the standard or
optional factory-equipped wheel rim/tire config-
uration on your vehicle (Performance Package,
Sport Package etc.), equipping your vehicle with
winter tires approved for your vehicle model may
also require the purchase of two or four wheel
rims of the recommended size for use with these
winter tires. See an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for more information.

453 Technical data
Rims and tires
Spare wheel
ModelSL 550SL 600
SL 55 AMGSL 55 AMG (Performance Package*)
SL 65 AMG
Rim6 B x 17 H26 B x 18 H26.5 B x 19 H2
Wheel offset0.98 in (25 mm)0.98 in (25 mm)0.55 in (14 mm)
Collapsible tire1
1Must not be used with snow chains.
185/60-17 93P175/55-18 95P175/50-19 97P
Recommended tire
inflation pressure36 psi (2.5 bar)51 psi (3.5 bar)51 psi (3.5 bar)
!Please compare the recommended tire in-
flation pressure for your vehicle with the tire in-
flation pressure on the yellow label located on
the spare wheel rim.
If the tire inflation pressure on the yellow label
on the spare wheel rim differs from the values
given in this Operator’s Manual, inflate the col-
lapsible tire to the recommended tire inflation
pressure given on the yellow label on the spare
wheel rim.iPlease note that the tire inflation pressure of
the collapsible tire differs from the tire inflation
pressure of the road tires.