2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 climate control

200 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Deactivating
Press button T (page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
The residual heat is automatically turned
off:

when the ignition is switched on

after about 30 minutes

if the battery voltage drops
Ventilated glove box
The glove box has its own air vents that
allow for cooling ventilation when the auto-
matic climate control system is activated.
Glove box
1Thumbwheel
2Air ventOpening the air vent
Make sure the air vent in the glove box
is unobstructed.
Turn thumbwheel1 upwards.
Closing the air vent
Turn thumbwheel1 downwards.
iYou should keep air vent 2 closed when
outside temperatures are low.

201 Controls in detail
Power windows
Power windows
Opening and closing the windows
The windows are opened and closed elec-
trically. The switches for all the windows
are on the driver’s door. The switch for the
passenger side windows is on the passen-
ger door.
1Left door and rear side windows
2Right door and rear side windows
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Warning!G
When closing the windows, make sure that
there is no danger of anyone being injured
by the closing procedure.
The closing of the door windows can be im-
mediately halted by releasing the switch or,
if the switch was pulled past the resistance
point and released, by either pressing or
pulling the respective switch.
The closing of the rear side windows can be
immediately halted by releasing the switch.
If a door window encounters an obstruction
that blocks its path in a circumstance where
you pulled the switch past the resistance
point and released it to close the door win-
dow, the automatic reversal function will
stop the door window and open it slightly.
If the door window encounters an obstruc-
tion that blocks its path in a circumstance
where you are closing the door window by
pulling and holding the switch, by pressing
and holding button ‹on the SmartKey,
by pressing and holding the lock button
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*) on an outside
door handle, by pressing and holding the re-
tractable hardtop switch, or by pressing and holding button,on the automatic
climate control panel, the automatic
reversal function will not operate.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.
iDepending on the current position, the win-
dows may also open or close when the air recir-
culation button, on the control panel of the
automatic climate control (
page 196) is
pressed and held.
iAfter switching off the ignition (page 40)
or removing the SmartKey from the starter
switch, the windows can be operated

until you open a door

for at least 5 minutes if no door was opened

321 Operation
Tires and wheels
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1
1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.Traction
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades rep-
resent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and ex-
cessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Warning!G
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.

335 Operation
Vehicle care
Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment,
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from contact with
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax, should be applied to the
engine compartment after every engine
cleaning. Before applying, all control
linkage bushings and joints should be
lubricated. The poly-V-belt and all pulleys
should be protected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the underbody, do not for-
get to clean the inner sides of the wheels.Hand-wash
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.
Only use a mild car wash detergent,
such as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water.
Direct only a very weak spray towards
the ventilation intake.
Use plenty of water and rinse the
sponge and chamois frequently.
Rinse with clean water and thoroughly
dry with a chamois.
Do not allow cleaning agents to dry on
the finish.Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.
To protect the filter system, switch the
automatic climate control to air
recirculation mode (
page 196).
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it be-
fore running it through the automatic car
wash.
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of water,
and a SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is in close
proximity, i.e. within approximately 3 ft (1 m),
the vehicle could be inadvertently locked or
unlocked.!Do not use scouring agents on these parts.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the vehicle.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the paint.
!Do not clean your vehicle in an automatic
touchless car wash which uses caustic spray.
Otherwise, the caustic spray will damage the
paint or ornamental moldings.
!Make sure that the windshield wiper switch
is set to0 (
page 58). Otherwise, the rain sen-
sor could activate and cause the wipers to move
unintentionally. This may lead to vehicle dam-
age.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in exterior
rear view mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent dam-
age to the mirrors.

467 Index
A
ABC 230
Messages in the multifunction
display 361
Oil level 287
ABS 89
Indicator lamp 29, 344
Messages in the multifunction
display 363, 364
Warning lamp 27, 342
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 175
Accessory weight 322
Accident 61
Active Body Control see ABC
Air bags 70
Children in the vehicle 84
Front 73
Head-thorax 74
Knee bag 74
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) 74Passenger 74
Passenger front air bag off indicator
lamp 78
Safety guidelines 72
Air conditioning system see Automatic
climate control system
Air distribution 192, 194
Air pressure 322
Tire inflation pressure 300
Air pump 422
Air recirculation mode 196
Air vents 189
Air volume 193, 195
Alarm system see Anti-theft systems
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 421
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 458, 464
Antiglare, Interior rear view mirror 185
Antilock Brake System see ABS
Anti-theft systems
Anti-theft alarm system 98
Immobilizer 98
Tow-away alarm 100
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning
Armrest 239Ashtray 31, 244
Aspect ratio 322
ATF 287
Auto-dimming, Rear view mirrors 185
Automatic central locking 122
Control system 166
Automatic climate control system 188
Air conditioning, Cooling 198
Air conditioning refrigerant 460
Air distribution 192, 194
Air recirculation mode 196
Air vents 189
Air volume 193, 195
Control panel 190
Deactivating 191
Defrosting 187, 195
Residual heat utilization 199
Temperature 193
Temperature sensor 33
Ventilated glove box 200

472 Index
Emergency operations
Glove box, Unlocking 404
Load assist, Lowering 406
Locking/unlocking the
vehicle 403, 405
Remote door unlock, Tele Aid 256
Trunk lid, Releasing from the
inside 121
Trunk lid, Unlocking 404
Emergency Tensioning Device see ETD
Emission control 277
Information label 445
System warranties 10
Engine
Block heater (Canada only) 328
Break-in recommendations 266
Cleaning 335
Compartment 282
Malfunction indicator lamp 29, 346
Number 445
Poly-V-belt layout 446
Starting 53
Tachometer 29
Technical data 447
Turning off 64Engine coolant see Coolant
Engine oil 283, 460
Adding 286, 457
Additives 460
Checking level, With control
system* 284
Checking level, With oil dipstick 286
Consumption 283
Filler cap 287
Filler neck 286, 287
Messages in the multifunction
display 285, 388
Oil dipstick 286
ESP
®89, 91
Switch 32
Switching off 93
Switching on 94
Synchronizing 367
Warning lamp 27, 342
ETD 82
Safety guidelines 72
Warning and indictor lamps 354
Exterior lamp switch 131
Exterior rear view mirrors 49, 185F
Filler cap, Engine oil 287
Filler neck, Engine oil 286, 287
First aid kit 400
Flat tire 417
Mounting the spare wheel 417
Preparing the vehicle 417
Spare wheel 400
Floormat* 247
Fluids
Automatic climate control
system 457
Automatic transmission 287, 457
Brake system 281, 457, 460
Capacities 457
Engine coolant 288, 457, 463
Engine oil 283, 457, 460
Power steering 457
Retractable hardtop, Hydraulics 457
Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system 457
Fog lamps 134
Messages in the multifunction
display 393, 394
Replacing bulbs 410

474 Index
High-performance brake system
(AMG vehicles only) 270
Hood 282
Messages in the multifunction
display 390
Opening 282
Horn 25
HVAC see Automatic climate control
Hydroplaning 272
I
Identification labels 444
Identification number, Vehicle (VIN) 445
Ignition 40
Immobilizer 98
Indicator lamps see Lamps, indicator and
warning
Infant and child restraint systems see
Children in the vehicle
Inflation pressure see Tire inflation
pressure
Inside door handle 113Instrument cluster 26, 140
Illumination brightness 140
Lamps 342
Language 160
Messages in the multifunction
display 26, 359
Multifunction display 143
Instrument lighting see Instrument cluster,
Illumination brightness
Instrument panel see Instrument cluster
Instruments and controls see Cockpit
Interior lighting 138
Delayed switch-off 165
Interior rear view mirror 49
Antiglare position 185
Auto-dimming 185
J
Jack 401
Jacking up the vehicle 418
Jump starting 432K
Key, Mechanical 403
Valet locking 120
Key, SmartKey
Batteries 407
Battery check lamp 104
Checking the batteries 113
Factory setting 106
Global locking 106, 107
Global unlocking 106, 107
Locking/unlocking 38, 65, 104
Loss of 113
Messages in the multifunction
display 390
Opening, Trunk 115
Opening/closing retractable
hardtop 206
Remote control 104
Replacing batteries 407
Reprogramming 107
Restoring to factory settings 107
Selective setting 107
Starter switch positions 40
Starting the engine 53
Turning off the engine 64
Unlocking, Trunk lid 114