2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK55AMG Owner's Manual

R
using a rag, slowly tur nthe cap
approximately 1
/ 2 turn to relieve excess
pressure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out under
pressure.
R do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. X
Park the vehicle on a level surface.
Only check the coolant level when the
vehicle is on a level surface and the engine
has cooled down.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 131).
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the
Start/Stop button twice (Y page 131).
X Check the coolant temperature display in
the instrument cluster.
The coolant temperature must be below
158 ‡ (70 †).
X Turn the SmartKey to position
0(Y page 131) in the ignition lock.
X Slowly turn cap 0003half a turn counter-
clockwise to allow excess pressure to
escape.
X Turn cap 0003further counter-clockwise and
remove it.
If the coolant is at the level of marker bar
0023 in the filler neck when cold, there is
enough coolant in coolant expansion
tank 0002.
If the coolant level is approximately 0.6 in
(1.5 cm) above marker bar 0023in the filler neck when warm, there is enough coolant
in coolant expansion tank
0002.
X If necessary, add coolant that has been
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Replace cap 0003and turn it clockwise as far
as it will go.
For further information on coolant, see
(Y page 327).
Adding washer fluid to the windshield
washer system/headlam pcleaning
system G
WARNING
Washer solvent/antifreeze is highly
flammable. Do not spill washer solvent/
antifreeze on hot engin eparts, because it may
ignite and burn .You could be seriously
burned. X
To open: pull cap0002upwards by the tab.
X Add the premixed washer fluid.
X To close: press cap 0002onto the filler neck
until it engages.
The washer fluid reservoir is used for both the
windshield washer system and the headlamp
cleaning system.
Further information on windshield washer
fluid/antifreeze (Y page 328).
Brake fluid level !
If the brake fluid level in the brake fluid
reservoir has fallen to the MIN mark or
below, check the brake system Engine compartment
263Maintenance and care Z

immediately for leaks. Also chec
kthe
thickness of the brake linings. Visit a
qualified specialist workshop immediately.
Do not add brake fluid. This does not
correct the malfunction.
Only check the brake fluid level when the
vehicle is stationary and on a level surface. If the brake fluid level is between MIN
marking
0003and MAX marking 0002on the brake
fluid reservoir, it is correct. Maintenance
Service interval display
Service messages Information on the type of service and service
intervals (see separate Maintenance
Booklet).
You can obtain further information from an
authorized Mercedes-Ben
zCenter or at
http://www.mbusa.com (USA only).
The service interval display informs you of the
nexts ervice due date.
If a service due date has been exceeded, you
also hear an acoustic signal.
The multifunction display shows a service
message for a few seconds, e.g.
Next service A due in .. days Service A due
Service A overdue by ... days
The letter indicates which service is due.
Astands for a minor service and
B for a majorservice. A number or another letter may be
displayed after the letter. This figure indicates
any necessary additional maintenance work
to be performed.
You can obtain further information from an
authorized Mercedes-BenzC
enter.
The service interval display does not take into
accoun tany periods of time during which the
battery is disconnected.
Maintaining the time-dependent service
schedule:
X Note down the service due date displayed
in the multifunctio ndisplay before
disconnecting the battery.
or
X Subtract the battery disconnection periods
fro mt he service date shown on the display
after reconnecting the battery.
Hiding aservice message X
Press the 0001or000C button on the
steering wheel.
Displaying service messages X
Switch on the ignition.
X Press 0002or0005 on the steering wheel
to selec tthe Serv. menu.
X Press 0003or0004 to select the ASSYST PLUS submenu and press
000Cto confirm.
The service due date appears in the
multifunction display.
Please bear the following in mind Resetting service interval display
If the qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Ben
zCenter, carried out the
maintenance work, the service interval
display will be reset.
Further information, on maintenance for
example, can be obtained at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or directly from
Mercedes-Benz. 264
MaintenanceMaintenance and care

!
If the service interval display has been
reset unintentionally, have the setting
corrected at a Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have service work carried out as described
in the Maintenance Booklet. This may
otherwise lead to increased wear and
damage to the major assemblies or the
vehicle.
Driving abroad
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. You can
obtain further information from any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Care
Notes on care
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. 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.
! For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any
of the following:
R dry, rough or hard cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub. Do not touch the surfaces or protective
films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film. H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible
manner.
! Do not park 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
cleaning. Braking heats the brake discs and
the brake pads/linings, thus drying them.
The vehicle can then be parked. Exterior care
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. This could cause an accident. For
this reason, you must drive particularly
carefully after washing the vehicle until the
brakes have dried.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
! Lock the car if you wash it in an automatic
car wash. Otherwise, the vehicle might be
damaged.
! It is preferable to use car washes with
adjustable 19
high-pressure precleaning. In
car washes that use high water pressures,
there is a risk that asmall amount of water
may leaki nto the vehicle.
! Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Ca rWash as these use special
19 Corresponds to the specificatio nfor the Cabriolet program. Care
265Maintenance and care Z

cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
! Make sure that the automatic
transmissio nis in position Nwhen washing
your vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The
vehicle could be damaged if the
transmission is in another position.
! Make sure that:
R the side windows and roof are
completely closed.
R the blower for the ventilation/heating is
switched off (OFF button is depressed/
airflow control is turned to position 0).
R the windshield wiper switch is at position
0.
The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windshield and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the
windshield.
Washing by hand In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements in all
countries concerned.
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.
Powerw ashers G
WARNING
Do not use power washers with circular-jet
nozzles (dirt grinders) to clea nyour vehicle, in
particular the tires. You could otherwise
damage the tires and cause an accident.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the
power washer nozzle. Information about
the correc tdistance is available fro mthe
equipment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around
when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tires
R door gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc.
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
R trim
R ventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to leaks or failures.
! Do not use high-pressure cleaners if the
tank recess is open while you clean it. This
can cause damage to 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. 266
CareMaintenance and care

!
Do not park 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
cleaning. Braking heats the brake discs and
the brake pads/linings, thus drying them.
The vehicle can then be parked.
Cleaning the paintwork Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by
inadequate care cannot always be completely
repaired.Ins uch cases, visit a qualified
specialist workshop.
X Remove dirt immediately, where possible,
while avoiding rubbing too hard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with wate rand 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 petroleu metheror
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.
If water no longer forms "beads" on the paint
surface, use the paint care products
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. This is the case approximately every
three to five months, depending on the
climate conditions and the care produc tused.
If the dirt has penetrated the paint surface or
if the paintwork has become dull, then the
paintwork should be cleaned. For cleaning, please use the paint cleaner recommend and
approved by Mercedes Benz.
Do not use these care products in the sun or
on the hood while the hood is hot.
X
Use a suitable touch-up stick, e.g. MB
Touch-Up Stick, to repair slight damage to
the paintwork quickly and provisionally.
Matte finish care If your vehicle has a clear matte 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 matte finish.
!
Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishing causes the finish to
shine.
! The following may cause the paint to
become shiny and thus reduce the matte
effect:
R Vigorous rubbing with unsuitable
materials.
R Frequent use of car washes.
R Washing the vehicle in direct sunlight.
! Never use paint cleaner, buffing or
polishing products, or gloss preserver, e.g.
wax. These products are only suitable for
high-gloss surfaces. Their use on vehicles
with matte finish leads to considerable
surface damage (shiny, spotted areas).
Always have paintwork repairs carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop.
! 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. Care
267Maintenance and care Z

Cleaning the windows
G
WARNING
Before cleaning the windshield or wiper
blades, switch off the windshield wipers and
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the
Start/Stop butto nrepeatedly until all
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster have
gone out. The windshield wipers could
otherwise move and injure you. G
WARNING
Do not clean the rear window with the
reatractable hardtop (vario-roof) in a position
other than the fully raised and closed position.
Otherwise, the retractable hardtop may move
unexpectedly which may result in personal
injury to you or others.
X Clean the inside and outside of the
windows 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
solvents 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
windshield and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals
and pollen may under certain
circumstances prevent water from draining
away .This can lead to corrosion damage
and damage to electronic components.
Cleaning the wiper blades G
WARNING
Before cleaning the windshield or wiper
blades, switch off the windshield wipers and
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop button repeatedly until all
indicator lamps in the instrumentc
luster have
gone out. The windshield wipers could
otherwise move and injure you.
! Do not pull the wiper blade. Otherwise,
the wiper blade could be damaged.
! Do not clean wiper blades too often and
do not rub the mtoo hard. Otherwise, the
graphite coating could be damaged. This
could cause wiper noise.
X Fold the wiper arms away from the
windshield.
X Carefully clean the wiper blades with a
damp cloth.
X Fold the windshield wipers back again
before switching on the ignition.
! Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if
the wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.
Cleaning the exterior lighting !
Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths which are suitable for plastic light
lenses. Unsuitable cleaning agents or
cleaning cloths could scratch or damage
the plastic light lenses.
X Clean the plastic lenses of the exterior
lighting using a wet sponge and a mild
cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Benz car
shampoo. Or clean the exterior lighting
with cleaning cloths.
Cleaning the mirror turns ignals !
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 mirror turn signals.
X Clean the plastic lenses of the mirror turn
signals using a wet sponge and a mild
cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Ben zcar 268
CareMaintenance and care

shampoo. Cleaning cloths may be used as
well.
Cleaning the sensors X
Cleans ensors0002of the driving systems
with water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.
! If you clean the sensor swith a power
washer, make sure that you keep a
distance of at least 11. 8in(30 cm) between
the vehicle and the power washer nozzle.
Information about the correct distance is
available from the equipment
manufacturer.
Cleaning the exhaus tpipes Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may
cause flash rust to form on the surface. You
can restore the original shine of the exhaust
tail pipe by cleaning it regularly, especially in
winter and after washing.
! Do not clean the exhaust tail pipes with
alkaline-based cleaning agents, such as
wheel cleaner.
X Clean the exhaust tail pipes with a chrome
care produc ttested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Interior care
Cleaning the display X
Before cleaning the display, make sure that
it is switched off and has cooled down.
X Clean the display surface using a
commercially-available microfiber cloth
and TFT/LCD display cleaner.
X Dry the display surface using a dry
microfiber cloth.
! For cleaning, do not use any of the
following:
R alcohol-based thinner or gasoline
R abrasive cleaning agents
R commercially-available household
cleaning agents
These may damage the display surface. Do
not put pressure on the display surface
when cleaning. This could lead to
irreparable damage to the display.
Cleaning the plastic trim G
WARNING
When cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard, do not use cockpit sprays or
cleaning agents containing solvents. Cleaning
agents containing solvents cause the surface
to become porous, and as aresult, plastic
parts may break away and be thrown around
the interior when an air bag is deployed, which
may result in severe injuries.
! Do not affix the following to plastic
surfaces:
R stickers
R films
R scented oil bottles or similar items
You can otherwise damage the plastic.
! Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent
or sunscreen to come into contact with the
plastic trim .This maintains the high-quality
look of the surfaces. Care
269Maintenance and care Z

X
Wipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free
cloth, e.g. a microfiber cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
The surface may change color temporarily.
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
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
Cleaning genuine wood and trim
elements X
Wipe the wooden trim and trim pieces with
a damp, lint-free cloth ,e.g. a microfiber
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, whee lcleaners,
polishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk
of damaging the surface.
! Do not use chrome polish on trim pieces.
The trim pieces have a chrome look but are
mostly made of anodized aluminum and
can lose their shine if chrome polish is
used. Use a damp, lint-free cloth instead
when cleaning the trim pieces.
If the chrome-plated trim pieces are very
dirty, you can use a chrome polish. If you
are unsure as to whether the trim pieces
are chrome-plated or not, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter.
Cleaning the seat covers !
Do not use microfiber cloths to clean
genuine leather, artificial leather or
Alcantara® covers. If used often, these can
damage the cover. !
Observe the following when cleaning:
R clean genuine leather cover scarefully
with a damp cloth and then wipe the
covers down with a dry cloth .Make sure
that the leather does no tbecome
soaked. It may otherwise become rough
and cracked. Only use leather care
agents that have been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. You can
obtain these from a qualified specialist
workshop.
R clean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergen t(e.g. dish washing liquid).
R clean cloth covers with a microfiber cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergen t(e.g. dish washing liquid). Rub
carefully and always wipe entire seat
sections 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
ensure that the appearance and comfort of
the covers is retained over time.
Cleaning the seat belts X
Use clean, lukewarm water and soap
solution.
! Do not clean the seat belts using chemical
cleaning agents .Do not dry the seat belts
by heating at temperatures above 176 ‡
(80 †) or in direct sunlight. G
WARNING
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection. 270
CareMaintenance and care