2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK350 check engine

297 Operation
Engine compartment
One of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the multifunc-
tion display:

Engine Oil Level
OK

Add 1.0 qt. (Canada: 1.0 liter)
to reach max. oil level.

Add 1.5 qts. (Canada:
1.5 liters)
to reach max. oil level.

Add 2.0 qts. (Canada:
2.0 liters)
to reach max. oil level.
If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see “Adding
engine oil” (
page 299).
For more information on engine oil, see
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 451).Other display messages
If the ignition is not switched on, the fol-
lowing message will appear:
Turn on ignition
to see engine oil level
.
Switch on the ignition (page 37).
If you see the message:
Observe
Waiting Time
If engine is at operating temperature,
wait 5 minutes before repeating check
procedure.
If engine is not at operating tempera-
ture yet, you must wait 30 minutes
before checking oil.If you see the message:
Cannot check engine oil level
with engine on.
Turn off the engine.
If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture, wait 5 minutes before checking
oil.
If the engine is not at operating
temperature yet, you must wait
30 minutes before checking oil.
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press buttonk orj on the
multifunction steering wheel (
page 122).
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press buttonk orj on the
multifunction steering wheel (
page 122).

298 Operation
Engine compartment
If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at normal operating temperature, the
following message will appear:
Engine Oil Level
Reduce Oil Level
Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
For more information on messages in the
display concerning engine oil, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 360).Checking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick (SLK 280, SLK 350 only)
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground.

with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 5 minutes with
the engine turned off.

with the engine not at operating tem-
perature, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 30 minutes with
the engine turned off.1Oil dipstick
2Upper (max) mark
3Lower (min) mark
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:
Open the hood (page 294).
Pull out oil dipstick1.
Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.
Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the
dipstick guide tube.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine and
catalytic converter not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

300 Operation
Engine compartment
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.
Add engine oil as required.
Be careful not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.
Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.
For more information on engine oil, see
“Technical data” (
page 451) and
(
page 453).
Transmission fluid level*
Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
check the transmission.
Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze.
When checking the coolant level,

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground

the coolant temperature must be
below 158°F (70°C)
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine and
emission control system not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
In order to avoid any potentially serious
burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.

Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.

Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately 1/2turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out
under pressure.

Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene
glycol which may burn if it comes into
contact with hot engine parts.

302 Operation
Engine compartment
During all seasons, add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit” to
water. Premix the windshield washer fluid
in a suitable container.Use the tab to pull cap 1 upwards.
Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit”
and water (or commercially available
premixed windshield washer
solvent/antifreeze, depending on
ambient temperatures).
For more information, see “Windshield
washer system and headlamp cleaning
system*” (
page 458).
Battery
Your vehicle’s battery is located in the en-
gine compartment.
The battery should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated ser-
vice life. Refer to the Maintenance Booklet
for battery maintenance intervals.
If you use your vehicle mostly for
short-distance trips, you will need to
have the battery charge checked more
frequently.
When replacing the battery, always use
batteries approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center about
steps you need to observe.
Warning!G
Washer solvent/antifreeze is highly flamma-
ble. Do not spill washer solvent/antifreeze
on hot engine parts, because it may ignite
and burn. You could be seriously burned.!Always use washer solvent/antifreeze
where temperatures may fall below freezing
point. Failure to do so could result in damage to
the washer system/reservoir.
!Only use washer fluid which is suitable for
plastic lenses. Improper washer fluid can dam-
age the plastic lenses of the headlamps.

335 Operation
Winter driving
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:

Checking anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.

Adding of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning* system. Add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit”
to a pre-mixed windshield washer
solvent/antifreeze which is formulated
for temperatures below freezing point
(
page 458).

Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure the engine can be started, even at
low ambient temperatures.

Tire change.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show M+S and
the mountain/snowflake.marking on
the tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and the Rubber Association of
Canada (RAC) and have been designed
specifically for use in snow conditions. Use
of winter tires is the only way to achieve
the maximum effectiveness of the ABS and
ESP
® in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires mounted to your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-
tices are available at your tire dealer or any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!When scraping ice or snow from the rear
window, be careful not to damage the sealing
strip or apertures along the side of the window.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6 in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are
no longer suitable for winter operation.

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.

349 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
-The yellow ABS indicator lamp comes on
when the engine is running.The ABS is temporary not available.
The ESP® and the BAS are also un-
available.
The system’s self-diagnosis may not
be completed yet.
The brake system is still functioning
normally but without the systems
specified above.
Drive a short distance with added
caution at a vehicle speed of above
12 mph (20 km/h).
When the ABS indicator lamp goes
out, the ABS, the ESP
®, and the BAS
are available again.
If the yellow ABS indicator lamp does not
go out:
Continue driving with added caution.
Have the system checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.

350 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
USA only:
;
Canada only:
3
The red brake warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running and an acoustic warning
sounds.You are driving with the parking brake
set.Release the parking brake (page 53).
The red brake warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.There is insufficient brake fluid in the
reservoir.Risk of accident!
Carefully stop the vehicle in a safe loca-
tion or as soon as it is safe to do so.
Apply the parking brake (page 59).
Read and observe messages in the dis-
play (
page 360).
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not solve
the problem.
Warning!G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on.
Do not add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid
reservoir can result in spilling brake fluid on
hot engine parts and the brake fluid catch-
ing fire. You can be seriously burned.!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.