2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK350 wipers

189 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control*
Front defroster
You can use this setting to defrost the
windshield, for example if it is iced up.
You can also defog the windshield and the
side windows.
Activating
Press buttonP (page 184).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The air conditioning switches
automatically to the following functions:

cooling on to dehumidify

maximum blowing and heating
power

air flows onto the windshield and
the front side windowsDeactivating
Press buttonP (page 184) again.
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
The previous settings are once again in
effect.
Windows fogged on the outside
Switch the windshield wipers on
(
page 56).
Press buttonU (page 184).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on. Air distribution and air
volume are adjusted automatically.
If the automatic air distribution and air
volume are switched off:
Turn air distribution control8 to
positionaorY (
page 184).
Maximum cooling MAX COOL
When operating the automatic climate
control system in automatic modeU
and there is a high need for cooling,
MAX COOL is activated. This provides the
fastest possible cooling of the vehicle’s in-
terior (when retractable hardtop is closed).
MAX COOL will appear in displaye
(
page 184).
iKeep this setting selected only until the
windshield or the side windows are clear again.
iWhen you have activated the front defroster
using buttonP, no other settings are
possible.
iThe cooling remains switched on.
iKeep this setting selected only until the
windshield is clear again.

295 Operation
Engine compartment
Pull hood lock release lever1 in direc-
tion of arrow.
The hood is unlocked.
2Lever for opening the hood
Push lever2 on the hood upward to
release hood.
With the hood released, lift the hood by
lifting it at the front edge.
The hood will be automatically held
open at shoulder height by gas-filled
struts.
ClosingLet the hood drop from a height of
approximately 1 ft (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.
Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.!To avoid damage to the windshield wipers or
hood, never open the hood if the wiper arms are
folded forward away from the windshield.
Warning!G
When closing the hood, use extreme caution
not to catch hand or fingers. Be careful that
you do not close the hood on anyone.
Make sure the hood is securely engaged
before driving. Do not continue driving if the
hood can no longer engage after an accident
for example. The hood could otherwise
come loose while the vehicle is in motion
and injure you and/or others.

342 Operation
Vehicle care
Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment,
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from the intrusion of
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as
MB Anticorrosion Wax should be applied to
the engine compartment after every en-
gine 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 vehicle underbody, do
not forget to clean the inner sides of the
wheels.Hand-wash
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.
Use only a mild car wash detergent,
such as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a
diffused 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
climate control (
page 178) or auto-
matic climate control (
page 190) to
air recirculation mode.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it be-
fore running it through the automatic car
wash.
!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 56). Otherwise, the rain
sensor* could activate and cause the wipers to
move unintentionally. This may lead to vehicle
damage.
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
damage to the mirrors.

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.


406 Practical hints
Replacing wiper blades
Placing wiper arms in vertical position
1Wiper arms
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1 (
page 37).
Turn combination switch to wiper
settingII (
page 56).
With wiper arms 1 in vertical position,
turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0.
Remover the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Warning!G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and
remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch before replacing a wiper blade.
Otherwise, the motor could suddenly turn
on and cause injury.
Warning!G
Wiper blades are components that are
subject to wear and tear. Replace the wiper
blades twice a year, preferably in the spring
and fall. Otherwise the windows will not be
properly wiped. As a result, you may not
be able to observe surrounding traffic condi-
tions and could cause an accident.
!To avoid damage to the hood:

The wiper arms should only be folded for-
ward when in the vertical position.

Never open the hood when a wiper arm is
folded forward.
!Hold on to the wiper when folding the wiper
arm back. If released, the force of the impact
from the tensioning spring could crack the wind-
shield.
Do not allow the wiper arms to contact the wind-
shield glass without a wiper blade inserted.
For your convenience, we recommend that you
have this work carried out by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

461 Index
Climate control 172
Air conditioning refrigerant 452
Air conditioning, Cooling 180
Air recirculation mode 178
Air vents 172
Air volume 177
Control panel 174
Defrosting 170, 177
Residual heat utilization 181
Switching on/off 175
Temperature 175
Clock 120
Cockpit 24
Cold tire inflation pressure 331
Collapsible tire (spare wheel) 447
Collapsible wheel chock 391
COMAND* system 29
Driving instructions 287
Navigation 135
Combination switch 113
High beam flasher 113
High beam headlamps 55, 113
Low beam headlamps 55
Turn signals 55
Windshield wipers 56
Control system 121Control system menus 124
AMG 128
AUDIO 133
NAV* 135
Settings 136
Standard display 127
TEL* 149
Trip computer 148
Vehicle status message memory 135
Control system submenus
Convenience* 147
Instrument cluster 139
Lighting 143
Time/Date 141
Vehicle 146
Convenience opening/closing*
Power windows 238
Retractable hardtop 244
Coolant 456
Adding water 293
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 457
Checking coolant level 300
Messages in the multifunction
display 374–376
Technical data 452
Temperature 289Temperature gauge (Multifunction
display) 127
Corner-illuminating front fog lamps* 114
Replacing bulbs 400
Cruise control 248
Messages in the multifunction
display 362
Cup holder 255
Curb weight 331
D
Date (Control system) 142
Daytime running lamp mode 111
Setting 143
Deep water see Standing water
Defrosting
Rear window 170
Windshield (Automatic climate
control*) 189
Windshield (Climate control) 177
Delayed shut-off
Exterior lamps 144
Interior lighting 145
Department of Transportation see DOT
Difficulties
Wile driving 58
With starting the engine 52

464 Index
G
Garage door opener* 270
Gasoline see Fuel
GAWR 331
Gear range
Automatic transmission 160
Limiting 160
Shifting into optimal 163, 165
Gear selector lever 155
Gearshift pattern 155
Position 156, 157
Shifting procedure 156
Gear selector lever one-touch gearshifting
Automatic transmission 162
Global locking/unlocking see SmartKey
Glove box 253
Good visibility 168
GPS 90, 91
Tele Aid system* 262
Gross Axle Weight Rating see GAWR
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating see GVWR
Gross Vehicle Weight see GVW
GSM network phones (Telephone*) 219
GVW 331
GVWR 332H
Hard plastic trim items, cleaning 345
Hazard warning flasher 115, 116
Head restraint height (Seats) 42
Headlamps
Bi-Xenon* 401
Cleaning system* 168, 301, 458
Night security illumination
(Control system) 144
Switching off 61
Switching on 55
Headliner, cleaning 345
Head-thorax air bag 70
Heating
Seats* 104
Steering wheel* 276
High beam
Flasher 113
Headlamps 55, 113
Headlamps, bulbs 401
High beam headlamps 109
High mounted brake lamp 402
High-performance brake system 281
Hood 294
Horn 25
Hydroplaning 284I
Identification labels see Labels
Ignition (Position in starter switch) 37
Immobilizer see Anti-theft systems
Infant and child restraint systems see
Children in the vehicle
Instrument cluster 27, 118
Clock 120
Lamps, indicator and warning 348
Overview 26
Instruments and controls see Cockpit
Interior rear view mirror see Mirrors
Intermittent/interval wiping see
Windshield wipers
J
Jack (Vehicle tool kit) 389
Lifting vehicle 414
Lowering vehicle 420
Jump starting 426
K
Key, Mechanical
Valet locking 101
Kickdown 159
Kilopascal 332
Knee bag see Air bags

472 Index
Useful features
Ashtray 255
Cigarette lighter 256
Cup holder 255
Floormat (Driver’s side only) 258
Garage door opener* 270
Heated steering wheel* 276
Parcel net 254
Power outlet 257
Storage compartments, interior 253
Tele Aid* 262
V
Vehicle
Battery 302, 422
Bulbs 400
Fuses 432
Individual settings (Control
system) 136
Jump starting 426
Lifting with jack 414
Locking 62
Proper use of 16
Towing 428
Unlocking/locking in an
emergency 394Vehicle capacity weight 333
Vehicle care 340
Chrome-plated exhaust tip 346
Vehicle Identification Number see VIN
Vehicle jack 390
Vehicle loading terminology 331
Vehicle status message memory menu
(Control system) 135
Vehicle tool kit 32, 389
Collapsible wheel chock 391
Vehicle washing see Vehicle care
VIN 439
W
Warning sounds
Anti-theft alarm system 90
Exterior lighting 62, 98, 109
Maintenance service indicator 338
Panic alarm 83
Parking brake 53, 350
Seat belts 78, 353, 354
Tow-away alarm 91
Warranty coverage 437
Washing the vehicle see Vehicle care
Wear pattern (Tires) 334
Weights 450
Wheel bolts 393Wheel chock (Vehicle tool kit) 389
Wheel wrench (Vehicle tool kit) 389
Wheels
Tightening torque 420
Wheels see Tires
Where will I find...? 389
Wind screen* 246
Windows see Power windows
Windshield
Washer fluid reservoir 301
Washer system 458
Windshield wipers 56
Replacing wiper blades 406
Wiper blades, cleaning 343
Winter driving 335
Instructions 286
Snow chains 336
Tires 335
Winter tires 335
Wood trims
Cleaning 346