2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG air conditioning

Contents
Instrument cluster ............................. 140
Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination .................................. 140
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 141
Resetting trip odometer ............... 141
Tachometer .................................. 142
Outside temperature indicator ..... 142
Control system .................................. 143
Multifunction display .................... 143
Multifunction steering wheel ........ 144
Menus .......................................... 146
Standard display menu ................ 149
AMG menu ................................... 150
AUDIO menu ................................ 153
NAV menu .................................... 155
Distronic* menu........................... 156
Vehicle status message memory
menu ............................................ 156
Settings menu .............................. 157
Trip computer menu..................... 167
TEL* menu ................................... 169Automatic transmission...................... 172
Gear selector lever........................ 172
Shifting procedure ........................ 173
Gear selector lever positions ........ 174
Driving tips.................................... 175
Gear ranges .................................. 176
Automatic shift program ............... 177
Gear selector lever one-touch
gearshifting ................................... 179
Steering wheel gearshift control
one-touch gearshifting* ................ 180
Manual shift program
(SL55AMGandSL65AMG only) 182
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) ....................... 184
Good visibility ..................................... 185
Headlamp cleaning system ........... 185
Rear view mirrors .......................... 185
Sun visors ..................................... 186
Rear window defroster .................. 187Automatic climate control .................. 188
Deactivating the automatic
climate control system ................. 191
Operating the automatic
climate control system in
automatic mode............................ 192
Setting the temperature ............... 193
Adjusting air distribution .............. 194
Adjusting air volume ..................... 195
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL ........ 195
Front defroster ............................. 195
Air recirculation mode .................. 196
Air conditioning ............................ 198
Residual heat and ventilation........ 199
Ventilated glove box ..................... 200

Contents
Technical data.................................. 441
Parts service ...................................... 442
Warranty coverage ............................. 443
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet...................... 443
Identification labels............................ 444
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 446
SL 550.......................................... 446
SL 55 AMG ................................... 446
SL 600, SL 65 AMG ...................... 446
Engine ................................................ 447
Rims and tires .................................... 449
Same size tires ............................. 450
Mixed size tires ............................ 451
Spare wheel ................................. 453
Electrical system................................ 454
Main dimensions................................ 455
Weights .............................................. 456Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 457
Capacities .................................... 457
Engine oils.................................... 460
Engine oil additives ...................... 460
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 460
Brake fluid .................................... 460
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 461
Fuel requirements ........................ 461
Gasoline additives ........................ 462
Coolants....................................... 463
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system ........... 465Index................................................. 467

191 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Nearly all dust particles, pollutants and
odors are filtered out before outside air en-
ters the passenger compartment through
the air distribution system.
The air conditioning will not engage (no
cooling) if the A/Cmode is deactivated
(
page 198).Deactivating the automatic climate
control system
Deactivating
Press button ´ (page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.Warning!G
Severe conditions (e.g. strong air pollution)
may require replacement of the filter before
its scheduled replacement interval.
A clogged filter will reduce the air volume to
the interior and the windows could fog up,
impairing visibility and endangering you and
others. Have a clogged filter replaced as
soon as possible at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
Follow the recommended settings for heat-
ing and cooling given on the following pag-
es. Otherwise the windows could fog up,
impairing visibility and endangering you and
others.
iIf the vehicle interior is hot, ventilate the in-
terior before driving off. The automatic climate
control will then adjust the interior temperature
to the set value much faster.
Keep the air intake grille in front of the wind-
shield free of snow and debris.
When the retractable hardtop is closed, do not
obstruct air flow by placing objects on the air
flow-through exhaust slots below the rear win-
dow.Warning!G
When the automatic climate control system
is switched off, the outside air supply and
circulation are also switched off. Only
choose this setting for a short time when the
retractable hardtop is closed. Otherwise the
windows could fog up, impairing visibility
and endangering you and others.

196 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Activating
Press button P (page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The air conditioning switches to the
following functions automatically:

cooling on to dehumidify

maximum blower speed and
heating power

air flows onto the windshield
and the front side windows

the air recirculation mode is
switched off
Deactivating
Press button P (page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out. Defrosting is turned off.
The previous settings are in effect
again.Windshield fogged on the outside
Switch the windshield wipers on
(
page 58).
If the automatic air distribution and air vol-
ume are switched off:
Turn air distribution controls1 and 5
(
page 190) to position h ork.
or
Press control buttons 1, 5 and 9
(
page 190).
The control buttons are engaged.
TheU symbol on the control
buttons come on. Air distribution and
air volume are adjusted automatically.
Air recirculation mode
Switch to air recirculation mode to prevent
unpleasant odors from entering the vehicle
from the outside. This setting cuts off the
intake of outside air and recirculates the
air in the passenger compartment.
iThe cooling remains switched on.
iKeep this setting selected only until the
windshield is clear again.
Warning!G
Fogged windows impair visibility, endanger-
ing you and others. If the windows begin to
fog on the inside, switching off the air
recirculation mode immediately should clear
interior window fogging. If interior window
fogging persists, make sure the air
conditioning (
page 198) is activated, or
press buttonP.

197 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Activating
Briefly press button,
(
page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.Deactivating
Briefly press button,
(
page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
At outside temperatures above 79°F
(26°C) the system will not automatically
switch back to outside air.Air recirculation mode with conve-
nience closing or opening feature
Activating
Press and hold button,.
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on. The air recirculation mode is
activated. The windows will close.
iThe air recirculation mode is activated auto-
matically

at high outside temperatures

if the concentration of carbon monoxide
(CO) and/or nitrogen oxide (NO
x) in the out-
side air increases, for example in a tunnel
The indicator lamp on button, is not lit when
the air recirculation mode is automatically
switched on.
A quantity of outside air is added after approxi-
mately 30 minutes.
iThe manually selected air recirculation
mode is deactivated automatically

after 5 minutes if the outside temperature is
below approximately 41°F (5°C)

after 5 minutes if the air conditioning is
turned off

after 30 minutes if the outside temperature
is above approximately 41°F (5°C)
Warning!G
Never operate the windows if there is the
possibility of anyone being harmed by the
closing procedure.
In the event that the procedure causes po-
tential danger, the closing of the windows
can be immediately halted by releasing
the, button or by pressing and pulling
the respective window switch.

198 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Deactivating
Press and hold button,.
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out. The air recirculation mode is deac-
tivated. The windows will return to their
previous position.
Air conditioning
The air conditioning (cooling) function is
operational when the engine is running and
cools the vehicle interior down to the
selected temperature. In addition, the
cooling function dehumidifies the air in
the vehicle interior, thus preventing the
windows from fogging up.Deactivating
It is possible to deactivate the cooling
function of the automatic climate control
system. The air in the vehicle will then no
longer be cooled or dehumidified.
Press button 2 (page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out. The cooling function switches off
after a short delay.
iA window will only return to its previous
position if it has not moved to another position
using the respective window switch after it was
closed with button,.
iCondensation may drip out from underneath
the vehicle. This is normal and not an indication
of a malfunction.
Warning!G
If you turn off the cooling function, the
vehicle will not be cooled when weather
conditions are warm. The windows can fog
up more quickly. Window fogging may
impair visibility and endanger you and
others.

199 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Activating
Moist air can fog up the windows. You can
dehumidify the air with the air condition-
ing.
Press button 2 once more
(
page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The air conditioning uses the refrigerant
R134A. This refrigerant is free of CFCs
which are harmful to the ozone layer.
Residual heat and ventilation
With the engine switched off, it is possible
to continue to heat or ventilate the interior
for up to 30 minutes. This feature makes
use of the residual heat produced by the
engine.Activating
With the SmartKey:
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1 or0, or remove it from
the starter switch.
Press button T (page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
With KEYLESS-GO*:
Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button and
open the driver’s door (with the driver’s
door open, the starter switch is in posi-
tion 0, same as with the SmartKey re-
moved from the starter switch)
Press button T (page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
!If the 2 button on the automatic climate
control panel starts to flash, this indicates that
the air conditioning is losing refrigerant. The
compressor has turned off. The air conditioning
cannot be turned on again.
Have the air conditioning checked at the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
iHow long the system will provide heating
depends on the coolant temperature and the
selected temperature. The blower will run at low
speed regardless of the air distribution control
setting.

323 Operation
Tires and wheels
Bar
Another metric unit for air pressure. There
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi)
to 1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa)
to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least 3 hours or
driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so
equipped, air conditioning and additional
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.DOT (Department of Transportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
GAWR (G
ross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible
axle weight. The gross vehicle weight on
each axle must never exceed the GAWR for
the front and rear axle indicated on the
certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
GVW (G
ross Vehicle Weight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the
vehicle including fuel, tools, spare wheel,
installed accessories, passengers and
cargo and, if applicable, trailer tongue
load. The GVW must never exceed the
GVWR indicated on the certification label
located on the driver’s door B-pillar.GVWR (G
ross Vehicle Weight Rating)
This is the maximum permissible vehicle
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (weight of
the vehicle including all options, passen-
gers, fuel, and cargo and, if applicable,
trailer tongue load). It is indicated on
certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
Kilopascal (kPa)
The metric unit for air pressure. There are
6.9 kPa to 1 psi; another metric unit for air
pressure is bars. There are 100 kilopascals
(kPa) to 1 bar.
Maximum load rating
The maximum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by the tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
The sum of curb weight, accessory weight,
total load limit and production options
weight.