2011 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS coolant

Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions?
Coolant Level Low
Stop Vehicle Turn
Engine OffThe poly-V-belt could be broken.XStop the vehicle immediately as soon as it is safe to do so.XTurn off the engine immediately.XCheck the poly-V-belt.XIf it is broken: Do not continue to drive. Otherwise the engine
will overheat due to an inoperative water pump which may result
in damage to the engine. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.XIf it is intact: Do not continue to drive the vehicle with this
message displayed. Doing so could result in serious engine
damage that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.XObserve the coolant temperature in the multifunction display.XDrive to the nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately.?The radiator cooling fan is malfunctioning.XObserve the coolant temperature in the multifunction display.
If the coolant temperature is below 248‡ (120†), you may
continue driving to an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.XAvoid placing heavy loads on the engine (e.g. by driving uphill)
as well as stop-and-go traffic.XHave the fan replaced as soon as possible.382Vehicle status messages in the multifunction displayPractical hints
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AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-SPEED TransmissionDisplay messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutionsj
Parking Lock
Malfunct. Apply
Parking BrakeThe transmission cannot be shifted to park position P anymore.XMake sure the electronic parking brake is engaged.XBlock the wheels of the vehicle with suitable objects before
leaving the vehicle.XContact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Have the vehicle
transported with all wheels off the ground or towed with the rear
axle raised ( Y page 415).d
Stop Engage 'P'The transmission is malfunctioning. The vehicle is not propelled
anymore and will coast to standstill.XStop the vehicle in a safe location.XContact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.d
Transmission Oil
Cooling
MalfunctionThe coolant pump of the transmission is malfunctioning. The
transmission could overheat.XSelect the AMG menu via the control system ( Y page 287) and
check the transmission fluid temperature.XAvoid heavy load on the engine and transmission such as a
dynamic manner of driving.XWhen the transmission fluid temperature is below 248‡
(120 †), continue to drive to the next authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.d
Trans. Oil
Overheated Drive
on with CareThe transmission fluid is overheated. Manual program mode M
and limiting the gear range are not available anymore. The engine
output is limited according to the degree of the overheating.XReduce the transmission fluid temperature by moderate driving.What to do if...
Lamps in the instrument cluster
Notes
If any of the following lamps in the instrument
cluster fails to come on during the bulb self-
check when switching on the ignition, have
the respective bulb checked and replaced if
necessary.
When you switch on the ignition, all lamps in
the instrument cluster come on. The low-
beam headlamp indicator lamp, high-beam
headlamp indicator lamp, turn signal
indicator lamps, and the indicator lamp for
the rear fog lamp will only come on if
activated. If a lamp in the instrument cluster
fails to come on when the ignition is switched
on, have it checked and replaced if necessary.388What to do if...Practical hints
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Vehicle equipment ............................420
Parts service ..................................... 420
Warranty coverage ...........................420
Identification labels ..........................420
Vehicle specification ........................421
Rims and tires ................................... 422
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......425419Technical dataBA 197 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 27, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.52010-03-24T15:31:10+01:00 - Seite 419

Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Capacities
Vehicle components and their respective lubricants must match. Therefore only use products
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
For information on tested and approved products, contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or visit http://www.MBUSA.com (USA only).
GWarning!
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 your
skin or clothing.
If a service fluid is swallowed, contact a physician immediately.
CapacityFuels, coolants,
lubricants, etc.Engine with oil filter 9.3 US qt (8.8 l)Approved engine oilsAMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT
7-SPEED Transmission 9.3 US qt (8.8 l)Shell DCT F.3 ATF oilRear axle 1.3 US qt (1.2 l)Shell GL.5Power steering 1.3 US qt (1.2 l)Chevron Texaco CHF 9109Brake system approx. 0.53 US qt (0.5 l)MB Brake Fluid (DOT 4+)Cooling system approx. 11.6 US qt (11.0 l)MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/
AntifreezeFuel tank 22.5 US gal (85.0 l)Premium unleaded gasoline
(Minimum Posted Octane 91
[Avg. of 96 RON/86 MON])Fuel tank reserveapprox. 3.7 US gal (14.0 l)Air conditioning system—R134a refrigerant and
special PAG lubricant oil
(never R 12)Washer system and
headlamp cleaning system 6.3 US qt (6.0 l)MB Windshield Washer
Concentrate 15
(Y page 429)
Washer fluid mixing ratio
( Y page 429)15
Mixed with water or commercially available premixed washer solvent/antifreeze.Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.425Technical dataBA 197 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 27, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.52010-03-24T15:31:10+01:00 - Seite 425Z

Approved engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines and durability for our
service intervals. Therefore, only use
approved engine oils and oil filters required
for vehicles with the Maintenance System.
For a listing of approved engine oils and oil
filters, contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or visit http://www.MBUSA.com
(USA only).
! Using engine oils and oil filters of a
specification 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
recommendations 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.MB sheet number229.5 16
i
MB sheet numbers are printed on the
outside of oil containers.
Viscosity grades for engine oils
Using the chart below, select oil viscosity
according to the lowest air temperature
expected before the next oil change.
Engine oil additives
! Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine. Damage or
malfunctions resulting from blending oil
additives are not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty.
Air conditioning refrigerant
R134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil are used in the air conditioning
system.
! Never use R 12 (CFC) or mineral-based
lubricating oil. Otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
Brake fluid
GWarning!
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.
16 Restriction: Only SAE 0W-40/SAE 5W-40 engine oils may be used.426Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Technical data
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Only brake fluid approved by Mercedes-Benz
is recommended. Any authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center will provide you with additional
information.
Premium unleaded gasoline
GWarning!
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious
personal injury.
Never allow sparks, flames or smoking
materials near gasoline!
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid
inhaling fumes and any skin or clothing
contact. Extinguish all smoking materials.
Direct skin contact with fuels and the
inhalation of fuel vapors are damaging your
health.
! To maintain the engine’s durability and
performance, premium unleaded gasoline
must be used.
If premium unleaded gasoline is not
available and low octane gasoline is used,
follow these precautions:
R Have the fuel tank only partially filled
with unleaded regular gasoline and fill up
with premium unleaded gasoline as soon
as possible.
R Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.
R 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.
R Do not exceed 2
/ 3 of maximum
accelerator pedal position if the vehicle
is fully loaded or operating in
mountainous terrain.
Fuel requirements
Only use premium unleaded gasoline. 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.
Reformulated gasolines (RFG) and/or
unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates
such as ethanol, TAME, ETBE, IPA, IBA, and
TBA can be used provided the ratio of any one
of these oxygenates to gasoline does not
exceed 10%; MTBE must not 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
manufacturers is carbon build-up caused by
gasoline. Mercedes-Benz 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:
R Warm-up hesitation
R Unstable idle
R Knocking/pinging
R Misfire
R Power loss
In areas where carbon deposits may be
encountered due to lack of availability of
gasoline which contains these additives, the
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use of Mercedes-Benz approved additives is
recommended.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or visit http://www.MBUSA.com (USA
only) for a listing of approved products.
Follow directions on the product label.
Do not blend other fuel additives with fuel.
This only results in unnecessary cost and may
be harmful to the 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 or by any pre-owned
or Extended Limited Warranties.
Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water and
anticorrosion/antifreeze, which provides:
R Corrosion protection
R Freeze protection
R Boiling protection (by increasing the boiling
point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection to
approximately -35‡ (-37†) and corrosion
protection.
! 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.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to -35‡
(-37†) , the boiling point of the coolant in the
pressurized cooling system is reached at
approximately 266‡ (130†).
The coolant solution must be used year round
to provide the necessary corrosion protection
and increase boil-over protection. Refer to
the 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 solution
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,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or visit http://www.MBUSA.com (USA
only).
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 50%
anticorrosion/antifreeze (equivalent to
freeze protection to approximately -35‡
[-37†]).
If you use a solution that is more than 55%
anticorrosion/antifreeze (freeze protection
to approximately -49‡ [-45†]), the engine
temperature will increase due to the lower
heat transfer capability of the solution.
Therefore, do not use more than this amount
of anticorrosion/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,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of aluminum
parts. The use of aluminum components in
motor vehicle engines necessitates that
anticorrosion/antifreeze coolant used in
such engines be specifically formulated to
protect the aluminum parts. Failure to use
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such anticorrosion/antifreeze coolant will
result in a significantly shortened service life.
Therefore, the following product is strongly
recommended for use in your vehicle:
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze agent.
Before the start of the winter season (or once
a year in hot southern regions), you should
have the anticorrosion/antifreeze
concentration checked.
The coolant is also regularly checked each
time you bring your vehicle to an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for service.Approximate freeze protection-35‡ (-37†)-49‡ (-45†)5.8 US qt (5.5 l)6.3 US qt (6.0 l)
Washer system and headlamp
cleaning system
GWarning!
Washer solvent/antifreeze is highly
flammable. Do not spill washer solvent/
antifreeze on hot engine parts, because it may
ignite and burn. You could be seriously
burned.
XUse MB Windshield Washer Concentrate
“MB SummerFit”.XMix with water for temperatures above
freezing point.XMix with commercially available premixed
washer solvent/antifreeze for
temperatures below freezing point.
Washer fluid mixing ratio
For temperatures above the freezing point:
1 part “MB SummerFit” to 100 parts water
(1.34 fl oz [40 ml] “MB SummerFit” to 1 gal
[4.0 l] water)
For temperatures below freezing point:
1 part “MB SummerFit” to 100 parts solvent
(1.34 fl oz [40 ml] “MB SummerFit” to 1 gal
[4.0 l] solvent)
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