2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280 engine oil

378 Practical hints
What to do if …
When the message Add 1 qt. (Canada:
1 liter) engine oil when next
refueling
(SLK 55 AMG) or Check oil
level when next refueling
(SLK 280,
SLK 350) appears while the engine is run-
ning and at operating temperature, the en-
gine oil level has dropped to approximately
the minimum level.
When this occurs, the warning is at first
intermittent and then remains on if the oil
level drops further.Visually check for oil leaks. If there are no
obvious oil leaks, drive to the nearest
service station to refill the engine oil
should be topped to the required level.
For information on approved engine oils,
refer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet (USA only) or contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Display symbolDisplay messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
NUSA only:
Add 1 qt. engine oil
when next refueling
.
Canada only:
Add 1 liter engine oil
when next refueling
.
SLK 55 AMG only:
The engine oil level is too low.Add engine oil (page 299) and check the
engine oil level (
page 296).
Cannot Measure
Engine Oil LevelSLK 55 AMG only:
The measuring system is malfunc-
tioning.Have the measuring system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!Engine oil level warnings should not be
ignored. Extended driving with the symbol
displayed could result in serious engine damage
that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

379 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbolDisplay messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
NEngine Oil Level
Reduce Oil LevelSLK 55 AMG only:
You have added too much engine
oil. There is a risk of damaging the
engine or the catalytic converter.Have oil siphoned or drained off.
Observe all legal requirements with respect
to its disposal.
Engine Oil Level
Stop, turn engine off.There is no oil in the engine. There
is a danger of engine damage.Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do so.
Turn off the engine.
Apply the parking brake (page 59).
Add engine oil (page 299) and check the
engine oil level (
page 296).
AReserve FuelThe fuel level has dropped below
the reserve mark.Refuel at the next gas station (page 291).
4Gas Cap
Is OpenA loss of pressure has been detect-
ed in the fuel system. The fuel cap
may not be closed properly or the
fuel system may be leaky.Check the fuel cap (page 291).
If it is not closed properly:
Close the fuel cap.
If it is closed properly:
Have the fuel system checked by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.

451 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Capacities
Vehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match. Therefore, only use
products tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Please refer to the Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet (USA only), or
inquire at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!G
Comply with all valid regulations with
respect to handling, storing and disposing
of service fluids. Otherwise you could
endanger persons or the environment.
Keep service fluids out of the reach of
children.
For health reasons, you should prevent
service fluids from coming into direct
contact with you skin or clothing.
If a service fluid is swallowed, contact a
physician immediately.
ModelCapacityFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine with oil filterAll models8.5 US qt (8.0 l)Approved engine oils
Automatic transmission*SLK 280, SLK 3509.5 US qt (9.0 l)MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
SLK 55 AMG9.2 US qt (8.7 l)
Manual transmissionSLK 280, SLK 3501.6 US qt (1.5 l)MB Manual Transmission Oil
Rear axleSLK 2801.1 US qt (1.0 l)Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
SLK 3501.2 US qt (1.1 l)
SLK 55 AMG1.3 US qt (1.2 l)

453 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for
their suitability in our engines and durabil-
ity for our service intervals. Therefore, only
use approved engine oils and oil filters
required for vehicles with
Maintenance System. For a listing of ap-
proved engine oils and oil filters, refer to
the Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet (USA only), or contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Engine oil additivesAir conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special
PAG lubricating oil are used in the air con-
ditioning system.
!Using engine oils and oil filters of specifica-
tion other than those expressly required for the
Maintenance System, or changing of oil and oil
filter at change intervals longer than those called
for by the Maintenance System will result in
engine or emission control system damage
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Please follow Maintenance System recommen-
dations for scheduled oil changes. Failure to do
so will result in engine or emission control
system damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine. Damage or mal-
functions resulting from blending oil additives
are not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based
lubricating oil, otherwise damage to the system
will occur.

454 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Brake fluid
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
provide you with additional information.Premium unleaded gasoline
Warning!G
During vehicle operation, the boiling point of
the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from the
atmosphere. Under extremely strenuous
operating conditions, this moisture content
can lead to the formation of bubbles in the
system, thus reducing the system’s
efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be replaced
regularly. Refer to your vehicle’s
Maintenance Booklet for replacement
interval.
Warning!G
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious
personal injury.
Never allow sparks, flame or smoking mate-
rials near gasoline!
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid
inhaling fumes and skin contact, extinguish
all smoking materials.
Direct skin contact with fuels and the
inhalation of fuel vapors are damaging to
your health.
!To maintain the engine’s durability and per-
formance, premium unleaded gasoline must be
used. If premium unleaded gasoline is not avail-
able and low octane fuel is used, follow these
precautions:

Have the fuel tank only partially filled with
unleaded regular gasoline and fill up with
premium unleaded gasoline as soon as
possible.

Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.

Do not exceed an engine speed of 3 000 rpm
if the vehicle is loaded with a light load such
as two persons and no luggage.

Do not exceed 2/3of maximum accelerator
pedal position if the vehicle is fully loaded or
operating in mountainous terrain.

455 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Fuel requirements
Only use premium unleaded fuel:

The octane number (posted at the
pump) must be 91 min. It is an
average of both the Research Octane
Number (RON) and the Motor Octane
Number (MON): (RON+MON)/2. This is
also known as the ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates
such as ethanol, IPA, IBA, and TBA can
be used provided the ratio of any one of
these oxygenates to gasoline does not
exceed 10%; MTBE not to exceed 15%.
The ratio of methanol to gasoline must not
exceed 3% plus additional cosolvents.
Using mixtures of ethanol and methanol is
not allowed. Gasohol, which contains
10% ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline,
can be used.
These blends must also meet all other fuel
requirements, such as resistance to spark
knock, boiling range, vapor pressure, etc.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine manufac-
turers is carbon build-up caused by gaso-
line. Mercedes-Benz only recommends
only the use of quality gasoline containing
additives that prevent the build-up of
carbon deposits.
After an extended period of using fuels
without such additives, carbon deposits
can build up, especially on the intake
valves and in the combustion area, leading
to engine performance problems such as:

Warm-up hesitation

Unstable idle

Knocking/pinging

Misfire

Power lossIn areas where carbon deposits may be
encountered due to lack of availability of
gasolines which contain these additives,
Mercedes-Benz recommends the use of
additives approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Refer to Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet
(USA only) or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for a listing of
approved product(s). Follow directions on
product label.
Do not blend other fuel additives with fuel.
This only results in unnecessary costs and
may be harmful to engine operation.
!Damage or malfunction resulting from poor
fuel quality or from blending additional fuel
additives other than those tested and approved
by us for use on Mercedes-Benz vehicles are not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

456 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which pro-
vides:

Corrosion protection

Freeze protection

Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -35°F (-37°C) and corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-35°F (-37°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant in the pressurized cooling system is
reached at approximately 266°F (130°C).The coolant solution must be used year
round to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase boil-over protec-
tion. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
replacement interval.
Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the
Maintenance Booklet is only applicable if
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze solu-
tion or other Mercedes-Benz approved
products of equal specification are used to
renew the coolant concentration or bring it
back up to the proper level.
For information on other Mercedes-Benz
approved products of equal specification,
refer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet (USA only) or contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least
50% anticorrosion/antifreeze (equivalent
to freeze protection to approximately
-35°F [-37°C]). If you use a solution that is
more than 55% anticorrosion/antifreeze
(freeze protection to approximately
-49°F [-45°C]), the engine temperature
will increase due to the lower heat transfer
capability of the solution. Therefore, do not
use more than this amount of anticorro-
sion/antifreeze.
If the coolant level is low, water and
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze
should be used to bring it up to the proper
level (have cooling system checked for
signs of leakage). Please make sure the
mixture is in accordance with label
instructions.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water. If you
are not sure about the water quality, con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!Add premixed coolant solution only. Adding
water and MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze
separately from each other, could cause engine
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

463 Index
Emergency Tensioning Device see ETD
Emission control 289
Information label 439
System warranties 10
Engine
Cleaning 342
Compartment 294
Malfunction indicator lamp 27, 351
Number 439
Poly-V-belt layout 440
Starting 51
Tachometer 119
Technical data 441
Turning off 61
Engine oil 296, 453
Adding 299
Additives 453
Checking level (Control system) 296
Checking level (Dipstick) 298
Consumption 296
Messages in the multifunction
display 297, 377–379ESP®84, 86
Messages in the multifunction
display 362, 363
Warning lamp 352
ETD 79
Safety guidelines 68
Warning and indicator lamps 355
Exterior lamp switch 109
Exterior lighting
Lamps 400
Replacing bulbs 400
Exterior rear view mirrors see Mirrors
F
First aid kit 389
Flat tire 408
Inflating collapsible spare tire 418
Lifting vehicle 414
Lowering vehicle 420
Mounting spare wheel 414, 416
TIREFIT kit* 408
Floormat 258
Fog lamps 112, 401
Corner-illuminating front fog
lamps* 114
Footwell lighting* 117Fuel
Additives 455
Consumption statistics (Control
system) 148
Filler flap 291
Fuel tank capacity 452
MON 292, 455
Premium unleaded
gasoline 292, 454
Refueling 291
Requirements 292, 455
Reserve warning lamp 355
RON 292, 455
Technical data 451
Fuel filler flap 291
Fuel gauge (Instrument cluster) 27
Fuses 432
Replacing 432