2011 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK500 maintenance

Emission control
Certain systems of the engine serve to keep
the toxic components of the exhaust gases
within permissible limits required by law.
These systems will function properly only
when maintained strictly according to factory
specifications. Any adjustments on the
engine should, therefore, be carried out only
by qualified Mercedes-Benz Center
authorized technicians.
Engine adjustments should not be altered in
any way. Moreover, the specified service
procedures must be carried out regularly
according to Mercedes-Benz servicing
requirements. For details refer to the
Maintenance Booklet. G
Warning!
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your
health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause
unconsciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas (such
as a garage) which are not properly ventilated.
If you think that exhaust gas fumes are
entering the vehicle while driving, have the
cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one
window fully open at all times. Maintenance
Notes
The Maintenance System in your vehicle
tracks the distance driven and the time
elapsed since the last maintenance service.
It calculates other maintenance service work
required, and calls for the next maintenance
service accordingly.
We strongly recommend that you have your
vehicle serviced at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center. Have it serviced in accordance
with the Maintenance Booklet at the times called for by the maintenance service
indicator.
i
Failure to have the vehicle maintained in
accordance with the Maintenance Booklet
and maintenance service indicator at the
designated times/mileage will result in
vehicle damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. Maintenance service indicator
message
Information on maintenance work and
maintenance intervals are specified in the
Maintenance Booklet. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, or visit
www.mbusa.com (USA only) for additional
information.
The maintenance service indicator message
will notify you when the next maintenance
service is required.
Starting approximately 1 month before the
next maintenance service is required, one of
the following messages will appear in the
multifunction display. The messages will
appear while you are driving or when you
switch on the ignition (example service A):
Service A Due In XXXX Miles (Km)
Service A Due In XX Days
Service A Due In X Day
Service A Due Now Refer to Maintenance Booklet for a listing of
maintenance services and intervals they need
to be performed at. Maintenance
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Clearing the maintenance service
indicator message
The maintenance service indicator message
is cleared automatically
R
after approximately 10 seconds when you
switch on the ignition
R after approximately 10 seconds when
reaching
the service threshold while driving
R after approximately 30 seconds, once the
suggested maintenance service term has
passed
X Clearing the maintenance service
indicator

message manually: Press reset
button . on the instrument cluster.
The standard display appears in the
multifunction display.
Maintenance service term exceeded If you have exceeded the suggested
maintenance service term, you will see the
following 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
i The menu overview can be found on
(Y page 96).
You can call up the maintenance service
indicator display at any time to check when
the next maintenance service is required. X
Switch on the ignition.
X Press button V or U on the
multifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display

(Y page 96)
appears in the multifunction display.
X Press button * or & on the
multifunction steering wheel until the
maintenance

service indicator display with
the service symbol ¯ and the
maintenance service deadline appears in
the multifunction display.
i If
the battery was disconnected, the days
of disconnection will not be included in the
count shown by the maintenance service
indicator. To arrive at the true maintenance
service deadline, you will need to subtract
these days from the days shown in the
maintenance service indicator message or
maintenance service indicator display.
Do not confuse the maintenance service
indicator with the engine oil level indicator
4. Resetting the maintenance service
indicator
In

the event that the maintenance service on
your vehicle is not carried out at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, you can have the
maintenance service indicator reset.
The automotive maintenance facility carrying
out the maintenance service will find the
information for resetting the maintenance
service indicator in the maintenance-relevant
literature for your vehicle.
Such literature is available at any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or directly from
Mercedes-Benz.
! If the maintenance service indicator was
reset inadvertently, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center correct it.
Only reset the maintenance service
indicator if the proper maintenance service
has been performed. Not following the
proper maintenance service as described 226
Maintenance
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in the Maintenance Booklet will result in
engine damage and/or other vehicle
damage
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty. Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
Notes Regular and proper care will help to maintain
the value of your vehicle.
G
Warning!
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the
particular container. Always open your
vehicle’s

doors or windows when cleaning the
inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not
designed for cleaning your vehicle.
Always lock away cleaning products and keep
them out of reach of children.
! When cleaning the vehicle, do not use
scouring agents. Never apply strong force
and only use a soft, wet cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the
surface to be cleaned.
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external
influences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the vehicle
underbody and cause lasting damage.
Such damage is caused not only by extreme
and varying climatic conditions, but also by:
R Air pollution
R Road salt
R Tar
R Gravel and stone chipping To avoid paint damage, you should
immediately remove:
R
Grease and oil
R Fuel
R Coolant
R Brake fluid
R Bird droppings
R Insects
R Tree resins etc.
Frequent

washing reduces and/or eliminates
the aggressiveness and potency of the above
adverse influences.
More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:
R near the ocean
R in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)
R during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage. Any
damage should be repaired as soon as
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody of
the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thorough
check is a washing of the underbody followed
by a thorough inspection. Damaged areas
need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the factory
with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of the
vehicle. Post-production treatment is neither
necessary nor recommended by Mercedes-
Benz because of the possibility of
incompatibility between materials used in the
production process and others applied later.
We have selected vehicle-care products and
compiled recommendations which are
specially matched to our vehicles and which
always reflect the latest technology. You can
obtain Mercedes-Benz approved vehicle-care
products at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Vehicle care
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsCaution
Tire
Defect At least one tire is deflating.
The respective tire is indicated in the multifunction display.
X
Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoiding abrupt
steering and braking maneuvers.
X If necessary, change the wheel (Y page 273). Check
Tires The tire inflation pressure in at least one tire is significantly
below the reference value.
The respective tire is indicated in the multifunction display.
X
Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoiding abrupt
steering and braking maneuvers.
X Check and adjust tire inflation pressure as required.
X If necessary, change the wheel (Y page 273). G
Warning!
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You may
lose control of the vehicle. Continued driving with a flat tire will cause excessive heat build-up
and possibly a fire. G
Warning!
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 overheated.
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. Symbol messages
Brake Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X Solutions# Brake Wear The brake pads have reached their wear limit.
X
Have the brake pads replaced as soon as possible at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. !
Brake pad thickness must be visually inspected by a qualified technician at the intervals
specified in the Maintenance Booklet. Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
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G
Warning!
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the inflation
pressure recommended by the vehicle
manufacturer on the Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door B-
pillar
or the tire inflation pressure label on the
inside of the fuel filler flap. If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated
on the Tire and Loading Information placard
or the tire inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires are significantly underinflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly underinflated tire causes the tire
to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s
handling and stopping ability. Please note that
the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s
responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached

the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately 1 minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will continue upon subsequent
vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction
exists. When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be able to
detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of
incompatible replacement or alternate tires
or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the
TPMS from functioning properly. Always
check the TPMS malfunction telltale after
replacing one or more tires or wheels on your
vehicle to ensure that the replacement or
alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to
continue to function properly. Lamp in center console
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
X Solutions04
The passenger front air
bag off indicator lamp
illuminates and
remains illuminated
with the weight of a
typical adult or
someone larger than a
small individual on the
passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.
X
Have the system checked as soon as possible at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
X Read and observe messages in the multifunction display and
follow corrective steps (Y page 236). What to do if …
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Mounting the spare wheel
Introduction X
Prepare the vehicle as described
(Y page 273).
X Take the following out of the vehicle:
R
spare wheel
R jack
R wheel wrench
R collapsible wheel chock
R wheel bolts for spare wheel
R alignment bolt
R electric air pump
For information on where to find the
respective items, see “Where will I find ...?”
(Y page 234) and ( Y page 235).
i Vehicles without spare wheel are not
factory-equipped
with the tools required for
a wheel change such as a jack or a wheel
wrench. Some tools required for a wheel
change are specific to your vehicle.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center to obtain the tools approved for
your vehicle. This section describes the
wheel change using the tools approved and
recommended for your vehicle.
Lifting the vehicle G
Warning!
When jacking up the vehicle, only use the jack
which has been specifically approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle.
The

jack is designed exclusively for jacking up
the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets built
into both sides of the vehicle. Make sure the
jack arm is fully seated in the jack take-up
bracket. The jack must always be vertical
when in use, especially on inclines or
declines.
The jack is intended only for lifting the vehicle
briefly for wheel changes. It is not suited for
performing maintenance work under the vehicle. To help avoid personal injury, use the
jack only to lift the vehicle during a wheel
change.
Never get beneath the vehicle while it is
supported by the jack. Keep hands and feet
away from the area under the lifted vehicle.
Always lower the vehicle onto sufficient
capacity

jackstands before working under the
vehicle.
Always engage the parking brake firmly and
block the wheels with wheel chocks or other
sizeable objects before raising the vehicle
with the jack. Do not disengage the parking
brake while the vehicle is raised.
Make sure that the ground on which the
vehicle is standing and where you place the
jack is solid, level and not slippery. If
necessary, use a large underlay. On slippery
surfaces, such as tiled floors, you should use
a non-slip underlay, for example a rubber mat.
Do not use wooden blocks or similar objects
to support the jack. Otherwise the jack may
not be able to achieve its load-bearing
capacity if it is not at its full height.
Never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised.
Also observe the notes on the jack.
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
blocking

wheels with wheel chocks or other
sizeable objects.
When your vehicle is equipped with a wheel
chock, it is included with the vehicle tool kit
(Y page 234). For information on setting up
the collapsible wheel chock, see
(Y page 234).
When changing a wheel on a level surface:
X Place a wheel chock or other sizeable
object

in front of and another wheel chock
or other sizeable object behind the wheel
that is diagonally opposite to the wheel
being changed. Flat tire
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loose if they are not tightened to a torque of
80 lb-ft (110 Nm).
X Fully collapse the jack, with handle folded
in (storage position), see ( Y page 235).
X Store the jack and the other vehicle tools
in the designated storage space.
X If so equipped, wrap the damaged wheel in
the protective wrap provided with the
vehicle tool kit and put the wheel in the
trunk.
The retractable hardtop must be closed.
For information on storing the spare wheel
after it has been replaced by a regular road
wheel, see ( Y page 235). Battery
Safety notes
A battery should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated service
life. Refer to 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 a battery, always use a
battery approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center about
steps you need to observe. G
Warning!
Observe all safety instructions and
precautions when handling automotive
batteries.Risk of explosion.
Fire, open flames and
smoking are prohibited
when handling batteries.
Avoid creating sparks.
Battery acid is caustic. Do
not allow it to come into
contact with skin, eyes or
clothing.
Wear suitable protective
clothing, especially gloves,
apron and faceguard.
Wear eye protection.
Rinse any acid spills
immediately with clear
water. Contact a physician
if necessary.
Keep children away.
Follow the instructions in
this Operator’s Manual.
A battery contains materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly. A
large 12 V storage battery contains lead.
Recycling of the battery is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states (USA only)
or provinces (Canada only) require sellers of
batteries to accept the old battery for
recycling.
G Warning!
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting.
You might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking etc.
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G
Warning!
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use
leak-proof batteries only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Take care that you do not become statically
charged, e.g. by wearing synthetic clothing or
rubbing against textiles. For this reason, you
also should not pull or push the battery over
carpets or other synthetic materials.
Never touch the battery first. First touch the
outside body of the vehicle in order to release
any possible electrostatic charges.
Do not rub the battery with rags or cloths. The
battery could explode if touched due to
electrostatic charge or due to spark
formation.
! As any other battery, the battery may
discharge if you do not operate the vehicle
for an extended period of time. Have the
battery disconnected at a qualified
workshop or an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center in such a case. You may also
connect an accessory battery charge unit
expressly approved by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle model to maintain the battery
charge. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center for further information.
The battery, the battery ventilation hose
and the lateral plug must always be
securely installed when the vehicle is in
operation.
! Never loosen or detach battery terminal
clamps while the engine is running or the
SmartKey is in the starter switch.
Otherwise the alternator and other
electronic components could be severely
damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
maintenance intervals or contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
further information. i
After battery power was interrupted, do
the following:
R Set the clock

(Y page 105).
R Synchronize the power windows
(Y page 79). Charging the battery
G
Warning!
Never charge a battery while still installed in
the vehicle unless the accessory battery
charge unit approved by Mercedes-Benz is
being used. Gases may escape during
charging and could cause an explosion that
may

result in personal injury, paint damage or
corrosion.
An accessory battery charge unit specially
adapted for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz is
available. It permits the charging of the
battery in its installed position. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
information and availability.
Charge battery in accordance with the
separate instructions for the accessory
battery charger.
Have the battery charged at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. If you charge the
battery yourself, follow the operating
instructions for your charging device.
Only use a battery charge unit with a
maximum charging voltage of 14.8 V.
X Charge battery in accordance with the
instructions of the battery charger
manufacturer. Jump starting
G
Warning!
Failure to follow these directions will cause
damage to the electronic components, and Jump starting
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