2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280 ignition

337 Operation
Maintenance
Maintenance
We strongly recommend that you have
your vehicle serviced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, in accordance with
the Maintenance Booklet at the times
called for by the maintenance service indi-
cator.Maintenance service indicator
message
The maintenance service indicator
message will notify you when the next
maintenance service is due.
Starting approximately 1 month before the
next maintenance service is due, one of
the following messages will appear in the
multifunction display while you are driving
or when you switch on the ignition (exam-
ple service A):
Service A Due In XXXXX Miles (Km)
Service A Due In XXX Days
Service A Due In X Day
Service A Due Now
The maintenance services will be indicated
by showing a service type A through
type H in the multifunction display.
Types A through H are classified based on
estimated time needed to perform the
maintenance service, ranging:
from
Service A
(approximately 1 hour)
to
Service H
(approximately 8 hours)
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for a listing
of maintenance services and intervals the
need to be performed at.
!Failure to have the vehicle maintained in
accordance with the Maintenance Booklet and
the maintenance service indicator at the
designated times/mileage will result in vehicle
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
iThe Maintenance System in your vehicle
tracks distance driven and the time elapsed
since the last maintenance service and calcu-
lates other maintenance service work required.

338 Operation
Maintenance
Clearing the maintenance service
indicator message
The maintenance service indicator
message is automatically cleared:

after approximately 10 seconds when
you switch on the ignition or when
reaching the service threshold while
driving

after approximately 30 seconds once
the suggested maintenance service
term has passed
You can also clear it yourself.
Press reset buttonJ(page 26) on
the instrument cluster.
The maintenance service indicator
message is cleared and the standard
display appears in the multifunction
display (
page 127).
Maintenance service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested main-
tenance service term, you will see the fol-
lowing message in the multifunction
display:
Service A Exceeded By XXXXX Miles (Km)
Service A Exceeded By XXX Days
Service A Exceeded By X Day
In addition, a signal sounds when the
message appears.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
reset the maintenance service indicator
following a completed maintenance
service.Calling up the maintenance service
indicator display
You can call up the maintenance service in-
dicator display at any time to check when
the next maintenance service is due.
Switch on the ignition (page 37).
The standard display menu appears in
the multifunction display (
page 127).
Press buttonjork on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the maintenance service indicator
display with the service symbol 9
appears in the multifunction display.
iThe menu overview can be found on
(
page 124).

343 Operation
Vehicle care
Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of very dirty
chrome-plated parts, use a chrome clean-
er.Headlamps, tail lamps, side makers,
turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo, with plenty of water.Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
Make sure the hood is fully closed.
Switch on the ignition (page 37).
Turn combination switch to wiper
settingII (
page 56).
With wiper arms in vertical position,
switch off the ignition (
page 37).
iAfter running the vehicle through an
automatic car wash, wipe any wax off of the
windshield (
page 343). This will prevent
smears and reduce wiping noise which can be
caused by residual wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure that the
mirrors are folded out. Otherwise they may
vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on ornamental
moldings. Although ornamental moldings may
have chrome appearance, they could be made of
anodized aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead, use a
damp cloth to clean those ornamental moldings.
For very dirty ornamental moldings of which
you are sure are chrome-plated, use a chrome
cleaner. If in doubt whether an ornamental mold-
ing is chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
!Only use window cleaners that are suitable
for plastic lamp lenses. Window cleaning solu-
tions which are not suitable may damage the
plastic lamp lenses of the headlamps. Therefore,
do not use abrasives, solvents or cleaners that
contain solvents.
Never apply strong force and use only a soft,
non-scratchy cloth when cleaning the lenses. Do
not attempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry cloth
or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the lens
surface.
!The windshield wipers must be in a vertical
position before folding them away from the wind-
shield. They could otherwise damage the hood.
Never open the hood when the wiper arms are
folded forward.
Warning!G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and
remove SmartKey from starter switch be-
fore cleaning the windshield and/or the wip-
er blades. Otherwise, the wiper motor could
suddenly turn on and cause injury.


348 Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during thebulb self-check when switching on ignition
(
page 37), have the respective bulb
checked and replaced if necessary.
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
-The yellow ABS indicator lamp comes on
when the engine is running.The ABS has detected a malfunction
and has switched off. The BAS and
ESP
® are also switched off (see mes-
sages in the multifunction display).
The brake system is still functioning
normally but without the systems
specified above.
If the ABS control unit is malfunction-
ing, other systems such as the naviga-
tion system* or the automatic
transmission* may also be malfunc-
tioning.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display (
page 360).
Have the system checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts. The ABS has switched off.
The battery might not be charged suf-
ficiently.When the voltage is above this value
again, the ABS is operational again an the
ABS indicator lamp should go out.
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out:
Have the generator (alternator) and
battery checked.

351 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
USA only:
?
Canada only:
±
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on when
the engine is running.There is a malfunction in:

The fuel injection system

The ignition system

The emission control system

Systems which effect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in
excessive emissions values and may
switch the engine to its limp-home
(emergency operation) mode.
Have the vehicle checked as soon as pos-
sible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is used
by the service station to link the vehicle to
the shop diagnostics system. It allows the
accurate identification of system malfunc-
tions through the readout of diagnostic
trouble codes. It is located in the front left
area of the footwell near the hood release.
iSome states may by law require you to visit
a workshop as soon as the engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on. Check local require-
ments.

361 Practical hints
What to do if …
On the pages that follow, you will find
a compilation of the most important warn-
ing and malfunction messages that may
appear in the multifunction display.
For your convenience the messages are
divided into two sections:

Text messages (page 362)

Symbol messages (page 371)
Warning!G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
Contact your nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iSwitching on ignition (page 37) causes all
instrument cluster lamps (except high beam
headlamp indicator lamp and turn signal indica-
tor lamps unless activated) as well as the multi-
function display to come on. Make sure the
lamps and multifunction display are in working
order before starting your journey.

365 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display message Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Front-passenger
Airbag Enabled
See Operator’s
ManualThe passenger front air bag and the
passenger-side knee bag are
activated while driving even though a
child, small individual, or object below
the system’s weight threshold is on
the passenger seat, or the passenger
seat is empty. Objects on the seat or
forces acting on the seat may make
the system sense supplemental
weight.Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and check the
passenger seat for the following:
Switch off the ignition (page 37).
Apply the parking brake (page 59).
Remove child and child restraint from passenger seat.
Make sure that no objects which are applying supplemental weight
onto the seat are present. The system may recognize such supple-
mental weight and sense that an occupant on the passenger seat is
of a greater weight than actually present.
Keep the seat unoccupied, close the passenger door and switch on
the ignition (
page 37).
Monitor the 75indicator lamp on the center console
(
page 29) and the multifunction display in the instrument cluster
(
page 121) for the following:
(Continued on next page)

366 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition switched on,

the 75indicator lamp on the center console
should illuminate and remain illuminated, indicating that the
OCS (
page 71) has deactivated the passenger front air bag and the
passenger-side knee bag.

the message Front-passenger Airbag Enabled See Operator’s
Manual
or the message Front-passenger Airbag Disabled See
Operator’s Manual
should not appear in the multifunction display at
any time the seat is unoccupied. Wait at least 60 seconds for the sys-
tem to complete the necessary check cycles and to make sure neither
message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the passenger seat again.
Depending on the passenger classification sensed by the
OCS (
page 71), the 75indicator lamp will remain
illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working properly. Have
the system checked as soon as possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!G
If the 75indicator lamp
remains illuminated with an adult occupant
on the passenger seat even after performing
the above corrective steps, do not have any passenger use the passenger seat until the
system has been repaired.