2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER light

Care of the exterior
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle .This could cause an accident. For
this reason, following a car wash, drive with
particular care until the brakes are dry. G
WARNING
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate the HOLD function and DISTRONIC
PLUS before the vehicle is washed in an auto-
matic car wash.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
! Lock the vehicle when washing it in an
automatic car wash. The vehicle could oth-
erwise be damaged.
! We recommend automatic car washes
with an adjustable 15
high-pressure pre-
cleaning program. In car washes that use
high water pressures, there is a danger that
a small quantity of water may leak into the
vehicle.
Wash off excess dirt before cleaning the vehi-
cle in an automatic car wash.
! Make sure that the automatic transmis-
sion is in position Nwhen washing your
vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehi-
cle could be damaged if the transmission is
in another position.
! Make sure that:
R the side windows and roof are com-
pletely closed.
R the blower for the ventilation/heating is
switched off (OFF button is depressed/
airflow control is turned to position 0).
R the windscreen wiper switch is at posi-
tion 0. The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windscreen and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind-
screen.
Washing by hand In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements for each indi-
vidual country.
X Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use a soft sponge to clean.
X Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlet.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
High-pressure cleaning equipment G
WARNING
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean your
vehicle, in particular the tyres. You could oth-
erwise damage the tyres and cause an acci-
dent.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
30 cm between the vehicle and the high-
pressure cleaner nozzle. Information about
15 In accordance with the specifications for Cabrioletp rograms.254
CareMaintenance and care

the correct distance is available fro
mthe
equipment manufacturer.
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door gaps, roof gaps, joints etc.
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
R trim elements
R ventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to leaks or failures.
! Do not use high-pressure cleaning equip-
ment to clean the tank recess when it is
open. This can damage the seals or other
components.
Cleaning the wheels !
Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
! Do not park up the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked up.
Cleaning the paintwork Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. X
Remove impurities immediately, where
possible, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off the treated areas afterwards.
X Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin,
oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently
with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or
lighter fluid.
X Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
X Use silicone remover to remove wax.
! Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Care and treatment of matt paintwork If your vehicle has a clear matt finish, observe
the following instructions in order to avoid
damage to the paintwork due to incorrect
care.
These notes also apply to light-alloy wheels
with a clear matt finish.
!
Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishing makes the paintwork
shiny.
! The following may cause the paint to
become shiny and thus reduce the matt
effect:
R Vigorous rubbing with unsuitable mate-
rials.
R Frequent use of car washes.
R Washing the vehicle in direct sunlight.
! Never use paint cleaner, buffing or pol-
ishing products, or gloss preserver, e.g.
wax. These products are only suitable for
high-gloss surfaces. Their use on vehicles
with matt finish leads to considerable sur-
face damage (shiny, spotted areas). Care
255Maintenance and care Z

Always have paintwork repairs carried out
at a qualified specialis
tworkshop.
! Do not use wash programs with a hot wax
treatment under any circumstances.
i The vehicle should preferably be washed
by hand using a soft sponge, car shampoo
and plenty of water.
i Use only insect remover and car shampoo
from the range of recommended and
approved Mercedes-Benz care products.
Cleaning the windows G
WARNING
Switch off the windscreen wipers and remove
the key from the ignition lock before cleaning
the windscreen or the wiper blades. On vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop
button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster have gone off. The
windscreen wipers could otherwise move and
injure you.
X Clean the inside and outside of the win-
dows with a damp cloth and a cleaning
agent that is recommended and approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
! Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows.
Do not touch the insides of the windows
with hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or
ring. There is otherwise a risk of damaging
the windows.
! Clean the water drainage channels of the
windscreen and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals
and pollen may under certain circumstan-
ces prevent water from draining away.T his
can lead to corrosion damage and damage
to electronic components. Cleaning the wiper blades G
WARNING
Switch off the windscreen wipers and remove
the key from the ignition lock before cleaning
the windscreen or the wiper blades. On vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop
button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster have gone off. The
windscreen wipers could otherwise move and
injure you.
! Do not pull on the wiper blade. Otherwise,
the wiper blade could be damaged.
! Do not clean wiper blades too often and
do not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the
graphite coating could be damaged. This
could cause wiper noise.
X Fold the wiper arms away from the wind-
screen.
X Cleant he wiper blades carefully using a
damp cloth.
X Fold the windscreen wipers back again
before switching on the ignition.
! Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windscreen could be damaged if
the wiper arm hits against it suddenly.
Cleaning the exterior lighting !
Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths could scratch or damage the plastic
lenses of the exterior lighting.
X Cleant he plastic lenses of the exterior
lighting using a wet sponge and a mild
cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Ben zcar
shampoo. Or clean the exterior lighting
with cleaning cloths.
Cleaning the mirror turn signal !
Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning 256
CareMaintenance and care

!
Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent
or sunscreen to come in contact with the
plastic trim. This maintains the high-quality
look of the surfaces.
X Wipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free
cloth, e.g. a microfibre cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
The surface may change colour tempora-
rily. Wait until the surface is dry again.
Cleaning the steering wheel and gear or
selector lever X
Thoroughly wipe with a damp cloth or use
leather care agents that have been recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning wooden trim and trim ele-
ments X
Wipe the wooden trim and trim pieces with
a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfibre
cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
! Do not use solvent-based cleaning agents
such as tar remover, wheel cleaners, pol-
ishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk of
damaging the surface.
Cleaning the seat covers !
Do not use microfibre cloths to clean gen-
uine leather, artificial leather or
Alcantara® covers. If used often, these can
damage the cover.
! Observe the following when cleaning:
R clean genuine leather covers carefully
with a damp cloth and then wipe the cov-
ers down with a dry cloth. Make sure that
the leather does not become soaked. It
may otherwise become rough and
cracked. Only use leather care agents that have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.Y
ou can obtain these
from a qualified specialist workshop.
R clean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. washing-up liquid).
R clean cloth covers with a microfibre cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. washing-up liquid). Rub
carefully and always wipe entire seat sec-
tions to avoid leaving visible lines. Leave
the seat to dry afterwards. Cleaning
results depend on the type of dirt and
how long it has been there.
R clean Alcantara® covers with a damp
cloth. Make sure that you wipe entire
seat sections to avoid leaving visible
lines.
i Note that regular care is essential to
make sure that the appearance and com-
fort of the covers are retained over time.
Cleaning the seat belts X
Use clean, lukewarm water and soap solu-
tion.
! Do not clean the seat belts using chemical
cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat belts
at temperatures above 80 † or in direct
sunlight.
Cleaning the roof lining and carpets X
Roof lining: use a soft brush or a cleaning
agent recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz to remove heavy soiling.
X Carpets: use the carpet and textile clean-
ing agents recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. 258
CareMaintenance and care

X
Remove the cap from valve Con the faulty
tyre.
X Screw filler hose Donto valve C.
X Inser tplug =into the socket of the ciga-
rette lighter (Y page 240) or into a 12 V
power socket in your vehicle (Y page 241).
X Turn the key to position 1(Ypage 127) in
the ignition lock.
X Press on/off switch ?on the tyre inflation
compressor to ON.
The tyre inflation compressor is switched
on. The tyre is inflated.
i First, tyre sealant is pumped into the tyre.
The pressure can briefly rise to approx-
imately 500 kPa (5 bar, 73 psi).
Do not switch off the tyre inflation com-
pressor during this phase.
X Let the tyre inflation compressor run for a
maximum of ten minutes. The tyre should
the nhave attained a pressure of at least
200 kPa (2.0 bar, 29 psi).
! Do not operate the tyre inflation com-
pressor for longer than ten minutes at a
time without a break .Itmay otherwise
overheat.
The tyre inflation compressor can be oper-
ated again once it has cooled down.
If a pressure of 200 kP a(2 .0 ba r,29 psi) has
bee nachieved afte rten minutes, see
(Y page 265).
If a pressure of 200 kPa (2.0 ba r,29 psi) has
not bee nachieved afte rten minutes, see
(Y page 265).
Tyre pressure of 200 kPa (2.0 bar/
29 psi) not reached If a pressure of 200 kPa
(2.0 ba r,29 psi) has
not been achieved after ten minutes:
X Switch off the tyre inflation compressor.
X Unscrew the filler hose from the valve of
the faulty tyre. X
Very slowly drive forwards or reverse
approximately 10 m.
X Pump up the tyre again.
After a maximum of ten minutes, the tyre
pressure must be at least 200 kPa (2.0 bar,
29 psi). G
WARNING
If the required tyre pressure is not reached
after the specified time, the tyre is too badly
damaged. The tyre sealant cannot repair the
tyre in this instance. Damaged tyres and a tyre
pressure that is too low can significantly
impair the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics. There is a risk of accident.
Do not continue driving. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
Tyre pressure of 200 kPa (2.0 bar/
29 psi) reached X
Switch off the tyre inflation compressor.
X Unscrew the filler hose from the valve of
the faulty tyre.
! After use, excess tyre sealant may run out
of the filler hose .This could cause stains.
Therefore, place the filler hose in the plastic
bag that contained the TIREFIT kit.
X Stow the tyre sealant bottle, the tyre infla-
tion compressor and the warning triangle.
X Pull away immediately. G
WARNING
At yre temporarily sealed with tyre sealant
impairs the driving characteristics and is not
suitable for higher speeds .There is a risk of
accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
accordingly and drive carefully. Do not exceed
the specified maximum speed with a tyre that
has been repaired using tyre sealant.
The maximum speed for a tyre sealed with
tyre sealant is 80 km/h. The "max. 80 km/h"
sticker must be affixed to the instrumentc lus-
ter within the driver's field of vision. Flat tyre
265Breakdown assistance Z

Securing the vehicle on slight downhill gradients
X
On downhill gradients: place chocks or
othe rsuitable items in fron tofthe wheels
of the front and rear axle.
Raising the vehicle G
WARNING
If you do not position the jack correctly at the
appropriate jacking point of the vehicle, the
jack could tip over with the vehicle raised.
There is a risk of injury.
Only position the jack at the appropriate jack-
ing point of the vehicle. The base of the jack
must be positioned vertically, directly under
the jacking point of the vehicle.
The following must be observed when raising
the vehicle:
R to raise the vehicle, only use the vehicle-
specific jack that has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. If used incor-
rectly, the jack could tip over with the vehi-
cle raised.
R the jack is designed only to raise and hold
the vehicle for a short time while a wheel
is being changed. It is not suited for per-
forming maintenance work under the vehi-
cle.
R avoid changing the wheel on uphill and
downhill slopes.
R before raising the vehicle, secure it from
rolling away by applying the parking brake
and inserting wheel chocks. Never disen-
gage the parking brake while the vehicle is
raised. R
the jack must be placed on a firm, flat and
non-slip surface. On a loose surface, a
large, load-bearing underlay must be used.
On a slippery surface, a non-slip underlay
must be used, e.g. rubber mats.
R do not use wooden blocks or similar
objects as a jack underlay. Otherwise, the
jack will not be able to achieve its load-
bearing capacity due to the restricted
height.
R make sure that the distance between the
underside of the tyres and the ground does
not exceed 3 cm.
R never place your hands and feet under the
raised vehicle.
R never lie under the raised vehicle.
R never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised.
R never open or close a door or the boot lid
when the vehicle is raised.
R make sure that no persons are present in
the vehicle when the vehicle is raised. X
Using wheel wrench :, loosen the bolts on
the wheel you wish to change by about one
full turn. Do not unscrew the bolts com-
pletely.
The jacking points are located just behind the
front wheel arches and just in front of the rear
wheel arches (arrows). 268
Flat tyreBreakdown assistance

Fitting
anew wheel G
WARNING
Oiled or greased wheel bolts or damaged
wheel bolts/hub threads can cause the wheel
bolts to come loose .As a result, you could
lose a wheel while driving. There is a risk of
accident.
Never oil or grease wheel bolts. In the event
of damage to the threads, contact a qualified
specialist workshop immediately.H ave the
damaged wheel bolts or hub threads
replaced/renewed. Do no tcontinue driving. G
WARNING
If you tighten the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
when the vehicle is raised, the jack could tip
over. There is a risk of injury.
Only tighten the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
when the vehicle is on the ground.
Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notices in "Changing a wheel"
(Y page 294).
Only use wheel bolts that have been designed
for the wheel and the vehicle. For safety rea-
sons, Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
only use wheel bolts which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and the
respective wheel.
Be sure to use the original-length wheel bolts
when refitting the original wheel after it has
been repaired.
X Clean the wheel and wheel hub contact
surfaces. X
Slide the emergency spare wheel onto the
centring pin and push it on.
X Tighten the wheel bolts until they are fin-
ger-tight.
X Unscrew the centring pin.
X Tighten the last wheel bolt until it is finger-
tight.
X Inflate the collapsible emergency spare
wheel (Y page 270).
Inflating the collapsible emergency
spare wheel !
Inflate the collapsible emergency spare
wheel using the tyre inflation compressor
before lowering the vehicle. The wheel rim
could otherwise be damaged. X
Pull plug ?out of the housing.
X Take the air hose out of the housing.
X Insert the yellow hose connector of the air
hose into the guide in the housing and push
it into the fixture until the hose connector
engages.
X Remove the cap from the valve on the col-
lapsible emergency spare wheel.
X Screw air hose union nut :onto the valve.
X Make sure the tyre inflation compressor's
on/off switch Ais set to OFF.
X Insert plug ?into the socket of the ciga-
rette lighter (Y page 240) or into a 12 V
power socket (Y page 241) in your vehicle.270
Flat tyreBreakdown assistance

Follow recommended tyre inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tyres includ-
ing the spare wheel:
R at least every two weeks
R if the load changes
R before beginning a long journey
R for changed operating conditions, e.g. off-
road driving
If necessary, correct the tyre pressure.
You will find a table of tyre pressures for var-
ious operating conditions on the inside of
your vehicle's fuel filler flap.
Operation with the emergency spare
wheel: the applicable value for the emer-
gency spare wheel is stated on the spare
wheel and in the chapter on "Wheel-tyre com-
binations" (Y page 295).
Operation with a trailer: the applicable
value for the rear tyres is the maximum tyre
pressure value stated in the table inside the
fuel filler flap.
The table inside the fuel filler flap may state
tyre pressures for different load conditions.
These are defined in the table as different
numbers of passengers and amounts of lug-
gage. The actual number of seats may vary –
for more information, please refe rto the vehi-
cle's registration documents.
If no other data is stated, the tyre pressures
specified on the tyre pressure label on the
filler flap apply to all tyres approved for this
vehicle. If a tyre size precedes a tyre pressure, the tyre
pressure information following is only valid
for that tyre size.
To test tyre pressure, use a suitable pressure
gauge. The outer appearance of a tyre does
not permit any reliable conclusion about the
tyre pressure. G
WARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tyre
valves, the tyre valves may be overloaded and
malfunction, which can cause tyre pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tyre pres-
sure monitors keep the tyre valve open. This
can also result in tyre pressure loss. There is
a risk of accident.
Only screw standard valve caps or valve caps
specifically provided by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle onto the tyre valve. G
WARNING
If the tyre pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tyre may be damaged. Tyre
pressure that is too low may result in a tyre
blow-out. There is a risk of accident.
R Check the tyre for foreign objects.
R Check whether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking.
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
If possible, only correc ttyre pressures when
the tyres are cold.
The tyres are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked with the tyres
out of direc tsunlight for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has no tbeen driven further
than 1.6 km
Depending on the ambient temperature, the
speed you are driving at and the load on the
tyres, the tyre temperature may change thus
the tyre pressure changes by approximately
10 kPa (0.1 bar, 1.5 psi) per 10 †. Take this
into accoun twhen checking the pressure of 290
Tyre pressureWheels and tyres