2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 fuel

280 Operation
At the gas station
Insert fuel cap 2 into fuel filler neck
and turn fuel cap clockwise until it au-
dibly engages.
Close fuel filler flap 1.
You should hear the latch close shut.
Check regularly and before a long trip
For information on quantities and require-
ments of operating agents, see “Fuels,
coolants, lubricants, etc.” (
page 457).
Open the hood (page 282).
1Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system
2Brake fluid
3Coolant level
Warning!G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could cause personal injury.
iOnly use premium unleaded gasoline with a
minimum Posted Octane Rating of 91 (average of
96 RON/86 MON).
Information on gasoline quality can normally be
found on the fuel pump. Please contact gas
station personal in case labels on the pump
cannot be found.
For more information on gasoline, see “Premium
unleaded gasoline” (
page 461), refer to the
Factory Approved Service Products pamphlet
(USA only), or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz-Center.
iLeaving the engine running and the fuel cap
open can cause the engine malfunction indicator
lamp ú (USA only) or the engine malfunction
indicator lamp ± (Canada only) to illuminate.
For more information, see the “Practical hints”
section (
page 346).


281 Operation
At the gas station
Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system
For information on refilling the reservoir,
see “Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system” (
page 289).
Brake fluid
For information on brake fluid, see “Fuels,
coolants, lubricants, etc.” (
page 457).Coolant level
For information on checking the coolant
level, see “Coolant” (
page 288).
Engine oil level
For more information on checking the en-
gine oil level, see “Engine oil”
(
page 283).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information, see “Replacing bulbs”
(
page 409).
Exterior lamp switch, see “Switching on
headlamps” (
page 57).
Tire inflation pressure
For information on checking the tire infla-
tion pressure, see “Checking tire inflation
pressure” (
page 302).
!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 immediately. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
Do not add brake fluid as this will not solve the
problem. For more information, see the “Practi-
cal hints” section (
page 381).

294 Operation
Tires and wheels
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advan-
tages, such as better hydroplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must
make sure the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the
intended direction of rotation (spinning) of
the tire.Loading the vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry.
1) The Tire and Loading Information
placard can be found on the driver’s
door B-pillar. This placard tells you im-
portant information about the number
of people that can be in the vehicle and
the total weight that can be carried in
the vehicle. It also contains information
on the proper size and recommended
tire inflation pressures for the original
equipment tires on your vehicle.
2) The certification label, also found on
the driver’s door B-pillar tells you about
the gross weight capacity of your vehi-
cle, called the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel and cargo. The certification label
also tells you about the front and rear
axle weight capacity, called the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). The GAWR
is the total allowable weight that can be carried by a single axle (front or rear).
Never exceed the GVWR or GAWR for
either the front axle or rear axle.
1Driver’s door B-pillar
Following is a discussion on how to work
with the information contained on the
Tire and Loading Information placard with
regards to loading your vehicle.
iSpare wheels may be mounted against the
direction of rotation (spinning) even with a unidi-
rectional tire for temporary use only until the reg-
ular drive wheel has been repaired or replaced.
Always observe and follow applicable temporary
use restrictions and speed limitations indicated
on the spare wheel.

300 Operation
Tires and wheels
Recommended tire inflation pressure
Your vehicle is equipped with the Tire and
Loading Information placard located on
the driver’s door B-pillar (
page 294).
The tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly and should only be ad-
justed on cold tires. The tires can be con-
sidered cold if the vehicle has been parked
for at least 3 hours or driven less than
1 mile (1.6 km). Follow recommended cold tire inflation
pressures listed on the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar.
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best handling, tread life and
riding comfort.
In addition to the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar, also consult the tire inflation
pressure label (if available) on the fuel filler
flap (page 279) for any additional infor-
mation pertaining to special driving situa-
tions. For more information, see
“Important notes on tire inflation
pressure” (
page 301).
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 over-
heated.
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.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure.

301 Operation
Tires and wheels
1Tire and Loading Information placard
with recommended cold tire inflation
pressures
The Tire and Loading Information placard
lists the recommended cold tire inflation
pressures for maximum loaded vehicle
weight. The tire inflation pressures listed
apply to the tires installed as original
equipment.Important notes on tire inflation
pressure
Tire temperature and tire inflation pressure
are also increased while driving, depending
on the driving speed and the tire load.
If you will be driving your vehicle at high
speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h) or higher,
where it is legal and conditions allow,
consult the tire inflation pressure label (if
available) on the inside of the fuel filler flap
on how to adjust the cold tire inflation
pressure. If you do not adjust the tire infla-
tion pressure, excessive heat can build up
and result in sudden tire failure.Be sure to readjust the tire inflation
pressure for normal driving speeds. You
should wait until the tires are cold before
adjusting the tire inflation pressure.
Some vehicles may have supplemental tire
inflation pressure information for vehicle
loads less than the maximum loaded vehi-
cle condition. If such information is provid-
ed, it can be found on the tire inflation
pressure label located on the inside of the
fuel filler flap (
page 279).
Tire inflation pressure changes by approxi-
mately 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per 18°F (10°C) of
air temperature change. Keep this in mind
when checking tire inflation pressure
where the temperature is different from
the outside temperature.
iData shown on Tire and Loading Information
placard example are for illustration purposes
only. Tire data are specific to each vehicle and
may vary from data shown in the illustration
below. Refer to Tire and Loading Information
placard on vehicle for actual data specific to your
vehicle.
Warning!G
If the tire inflation pressure drops
repeatedly:

Check the tires for punctures from
foreign objects.

Check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim.
iDriving comfort may be reduced when the
tire inflation pressure is adjusted to the value for
speeds above 100 mph (160 km/h) as specified
on the tire inflation pressure label located on the
inside of the fuel filler flap.

302 Operation
Tires and wheels
Checking tire inflation pressure
Regularly check your tire inflation pressure
at least once a month.
Check and adjust the tire inflation
pressure when the tires are cold. The tires
can be considered cold if the vehicle has
been parked for at least 3 hours or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km).
If you check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are warm (the vehicle has
been driven for several miles or sitting less
than 3 hours), the reading will be
approximately 4 psi (0.3 bar) higher than
the cold reading. This is normal. Do not let
air out to match the specified cold tire in-
flation pressure. Otherwise, the tire will be
underinflated.Checking tire inflation pressure
manually
Follow the steps below to achieve correct
tire inflation pressure:
Remove the cap from the valve on one
tire.
Firmly press a tire gauge onto the
valve.
Read tire inflation pressure on tire
gauge and check against the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure on the
Tire and Loading Information placard
on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 294) or, if available, the tire
inflation pressure label on the inside
of the fuel filler flap. If necessary, add
air to achieve the recommended tire
inflation pressure.
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 over-
heated.
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.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure.

303 Operation
Tires and wheels
Install the valve cap.
Repeat this procedure for each tire.Run Flat Indicator (Canada only)
While the vehicle is being driven, the Run
Flat Indicator monitors the set tire inflation
pressures by evaluating each wheel’s rota-
tional speed. This allows the system to de-
tect a significant loss of pressure in a tire.
If a wheel’s rotational speed changes due
to falling tire inflation pressure, you will
see a corresponding warning message in
the multifunction display.
The Run Flat Indicator may function in a re-
stricted manner or with a delay

if snow chains are mounted to the
vehicle

in presence of ice and snow

if you are driving on a loose surface
(e.g. sand or gravel)

if you are driving in a very sporty man-
ner (involving rapid acceleration or high
speeds in curves)
iIf you have overfilled the tire, release tire in-
flation pressure by pushing the metal stem of the
valve with e.g. a tip of a pen. Then recheck the
tire inflation pressure with the tire gauge.Warning!G
When the multifunction display shows the
message
Tire Pressure Check Tires,
one or more of your tires is significantly un-
derinflated. You should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper tire inflation pressure as indicat-
ed on the vehicle’s Tire and Loading
Information placard or, if available, on the
tire inflation pressure label. Driving on a sig-
nificantly under-inflated tire causes the tire
to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Un-
derinflation also reduces fuel efficiency and
tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s
handling and stopping ability. Each tire, in-
cluding the spare, should be checked
monthly when cold and set to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure as specified
on the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the driver’s door B-pillar (
page 295) or,
if available, on the tire inflation pressure la-
bel located on the inside of the fuel filler flap
(
page 279).

304 Operation
Tires and wheels
Restarting the Run Flat Indicator
The tire inflation pressure monitor must be
restarted in the following situations:

if you have changed the tire inflation
pressure

if you have replaced the wheels or tires

if you have installed new wheels or
tires
Using the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver’s door B-pillar or,
if available, the tire inflation pressure
label on the inside of the fuel filler flap,
make sure the tire inflation pressure of
all four tires is correct.
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Make sure the standard display menu
appears in the multifunction display
(
page 149).
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the following message appears in
the multifunction display:
Run Flat Indicator
Active
Menu: R-Button
Press the reset button (page 27).
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Restart
Run Flat Indicator?
Warning!G
The Run Flat Indicator does not provide a
warning for wrongly selected tire inflation
pressures. Always adjust tire inflation pres-
sure according to the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar (
page 295) or, if available, on the
tire inflation pressure label located on the
inside of the fuel filler flap (
page 279).
The Run Flat Indicator does not replace
regular checks of the tire inflation pressures
since a gradual pressure loss in more than
one tire cannot be detected by the Run Flat
Indicator.
The Run Flat Indicator is not able to issue a
warning due to a sudden dramatic loss of
tire inflation pressure (e.g. tire blowout
caused by a foreign object). In this case
bring the vehicle to a halt by carefully apply-
ing the brakes and avoiding abrupt steering
maneuvers.
Warning!G
The Run Flat Indicator can only warn you in
a reliable manner if you have set the correct
tire inflation pressures for each tire.
If an incorrect tire inflation pressure was
set, the system will monitor the pressure ac-
cording to the incorrect value.