2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG COUPE Owners Manual

Example: tire pressure table for all tires permitted
for this vehicle by the factory
If a tire size precedes a tire pressure, the tire
pressure information following is only valid
for that tire size. The load conditions "partially
laden" and "fully laden" are defined in the
table for different numbers of passengers and
amounts of luggage. The actual number of
seats may differ.
Example: tire pressure table with tire dimensions
Some tire pressure tables show only the rim
diameters instead of the full tire size, e.g.
R18 . The rim diameter is part of the tire size
and can be found on the tire sidewall
( Y page 265).
Underinflated or overinflated tires
Underinflation
GWARNING
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.
Underinflated tires may:
R wear quickly and unevenly
R have an adverse effect on fuel consumption
R overheat, leading to tire defects
R have an adverse effect on handling
characteristics
Overinflation
GWARNING
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures.
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.
Overinflated tires may:
R have an adverse effect on handling
characteristics
R wear quickly and unevenly
Tire pressure255Tires and wheelsZ

Rbe more susceptible to damage
R have an adverse effect on ride comfort
R increase the braking distance
Maximum tire pressureGWARNING
Never exceed the maximum tire inflation
pressure. 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.
:Example: maximum permissible tire
pressure
i The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Always observe the recommended tire
pressure for your vehicle when adjusting the
tire pressure ( Y page 253).
Checking the tire pressures
Important safety notesGWARNING
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.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
Check the tire pressures at least once a
month.
Only check and correct tire pressures when
the tires are cold ( Y page 253).
Checking tire pressures manually
To determine and set the correct tire
pressure, proceed as follows:
XRemove the valve cap of the tire that is to
be checked.XPress the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.XRead the tire pressure and compare it with
the recommended value on the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the
B-pillar on the driver's side of your vehicle.XIf necessary, increase the tire pressure to
the recommended value ( Y page 253).XIf the tire pressure is too high, release air
by pressing down the metal pin in the valve256Tire pressureTires and wheels

using the tip of a pen, for example. Then
check the tire pressure again using the tire
pressure checker.XScrew the valve cap onto the valve.XRepeat these steps for the other tires.
Tire pressure monitor
Important safety notes
If a tire pressure monitor system is installed,
the vehicle's wheels have sensors that
monitor the tire pressures in all four tires. The
tire pressure monitor warns you if the
pressure drops in one or more of the tires. The
tire pressure monitor only functions if the
correct wheel electronics units are installed
on each wheel.
The tire pressure monitor has a yellow
warning lamp in the instrument cluster for
indicating pressure loss/malfunctions (USA)
or pressure loss (Canada). Whether the
warning lamp flashes or lights up indicates
whether a tire pressure is too low or the tire
pressure monitoring system is
malfunctioning:
R if the warning lamp is lit continuously, the
tire pressure on one or more tires is
significantly too low. The tire pressure
monitor is not malfunctioning.
R USA only: if the warning lamp flashes for
60 seconds and then remains lit constantly,
the tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning.
GWARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once a month
when cold and inflated to the pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
on the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the driver's door B-pillar or the tire
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 pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire 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.
USA only:
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.Tire pressure257Tires and wheelsZ

iUSA only:
If the tire pressure monitor is
malfunctioning, it may take more than
10 minutes for the tire pressure warning
lamp to inform you of the malfunction by
flashing for 60 seconds and then remaining
lit.
When the malfunction has been rectified,
the tire pressure warning lamp goes out
after a few minutes of driving.
Information on tire pressures is displayed in
the multifunction display. After a few minutes
of driving, the current tire pressure of each
tire is shown in the multifunction display.
i The tire pressure values indicated by the
on-board computer may differ from those
measured at a gas station with a pressure
gauge. The tire pressures shown by the on-
board computer refer to those measured at
sea level. At high altitudes, the tire pressure
values indicated by a pressure gauge are
higher than those shown by the on-board
computer. In this case, do not reduce the
tire pressures.
i The operation of the tire pressure monitor
can be affected by interference from radio
transmitting equipment (e.g. radio
headphones, two-way radios) that may be
being operated in or near the vehicle.
i USA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
i Canada only:This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
Checking tire pressure electronicallyXSelect key position 2 with the Start/Stop
button ( Y page 115).XPress the = or ; button to select the
Service menu.XPress the 9 or : button to select
TIRE PRESS. .XPress the a button.
The current tire pressure for each wheel will
be displayed in the multifunction display.
If the vehicle is parked for longer than
20 minutes and you then drive at less than
25 km/h, the Tire pressures will be
displayed after driving a few
minutes message appears.
After a teach-in period, the tire pressure
monitor automatically recognizes new wheels
or new sensors. As long as a clear allocation
of the tire pressure values to the individual
wheels is not possible, the Tire Pressure
Monitor Active display message is shown
instead of the tire pressure display. The tire
pressures are already being monitored.
Tire pressure monitor warning
messages
If the tire pressure monitor detects a
significant pressure loss on one or more tires,
a warning message is shown in the
multifunction display. A warning tone also
sounds and the tire pressure warning lamp
lights up in the instrument cluster.
258Tire pressureTires and wheels

Each tire that is affected by a significant loss
of pressure is highlighted with a color.
If the following message appears in the
multifunction display: Correct Tire
PressureXCheck the tire pressure on all four wheels
and correct it if necessary.
i If the wheel positions on the vehicle are
interchanged, the tire pressures may be
displayed for the wrong positions for a
short time. This is rectified after a few
minutes of driving, and the tire pressures
are displayed for the correct positions.
Restarting the tire pressure monitor
When you restart the tire pressure monitor,
all existing warning messages are deleted and
the warning lamps go out. The monitor uses
the currently set tire pressures as the
specified values for monitoring.
In most cases, the tire pressure monitor will
automatically detect the new reference
values, e.g. if you have:
R changed the tire pressure
R changed the wheels or tires
R mounted new wheels or tires
If you are defining the new reference values
manually:
XUse the table on the inside of the fuel filler
flap to ensure that the tire pressure is set
correctly in all four tires for the current
operating conditions.
Also observe the notes in the section on tire
pressures ( Y page 253).XSelect key position 2 with the Start/Stop
button.XPress the = or ; button to select the
Service menu.XPress the 9 or : button to select
TIRE PRESS. .XPress the a button.
The display shows either the current tire
pressure for the individual tires or theTire pressures will be displayed
after driving a few minutes
message.XPress the : button.
The Use Current Pressures as New
Reference Values message appears in
the multifunction display.XPress the a button.
The Tire Press. Monitor Restarted
message appears in the multifunction
display.
After a few minutes of driving, the current
pressures are adopted as the new
monitoring values.
Canceling the restart
XPress the % button.
or
XPress the 9 button to leave the menu.
Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
GWARNING
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
Two instruction labels on your vehicle show
the maximum possible load.
(1)The Tire and Loading Information placard
is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The
Tire and Loading Information placard
shows the maximum permissible number
of occupants and the maximum
permissible vehicle load. It also contains
details of the tire sizes andLoading the vehicle259Tires and wheelsZ

corresponding pressures for tires
installed at the factory.(2)The vehicle identification plate is on the
B-pillar on the driver's side. The vehicle
identification plate informs you of the
gross vehicle weight rating. It is made up
of the vehicle weight, all vehicle
occupants, the fuel and the cargo. You
can also find information about the
maximum gross axle weight rating on the
front and rear axle.
The maximum gross axle weight rating is
the maximum weight that can be carried
by one axle (front or rear axle). Never
exceed the maximum load or the
maximum gross axle weight rating for the
front or rear axle.:B-pillar, driver's side
Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
i The specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the
illustration are examples. The maximum
permissible gross vehicle weight rating is
vehicle-specific and may differ from that in
the illustration. You can find the valid
maximum permissible gross vehicle weight
rating for your vehicle on the Tire and
Loading Information placard.
XThe Tire and Loading Information placard
gives you details on maximum permissible
gross vehicle weight rating :: "The gross
weight of occupants and luggage must
never exceed XXX kilograms or XXX
pounds."
The gross weight of all vehicle occupants,
cargo, luggage and trailer load/noseweight (if
applicable) must not exceed the specified
value.
Number of seats
i The specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the
illustration are examples. The number of
seats is vehicle-specific and can differ from
the details shown. The number of seats in
your vehicle can be found on the Tire and
Loading Information placard.
Maximum number of seats : determines the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information can be
260Loading the vehicleTires and wheels

found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
Determining the correct load limit
Step-by-step instructions
The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under Title 49,
Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575
pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1966".
XStep 1: Locate the statement "The
combined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs." on
your vehicle's Tire and Loading Information
placard.XStep 2: Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.XStep 3: Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX
kilograms or XXX lbs.XStep 4: The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs and there will be five 150
lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs (1400 - 750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs).X Step 5: Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4.XStep 6 (if applicable): If your vehicle will
be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle ( Y page 263).Loading the vehicle261Tires and wheelsZ

Example: steps 1 to 3
The following table shows examples on how to calculate total load and cargo capacities with
varying seating configurations and number and size of occupants. The following examples use
a load limit of 1500 lbs (680 kg). This is for illustration purposes only. Make sure you are
using the actual load limit for your vehicle stated on the vehicle’s Tire and Loading Information
placard ( Y page 260).
Example 1Example 2Step 1Combined maximum
weight of occupants and
cargo (data from the Tire
and Loading Information
placard)1500 lbs (680 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg)Example 1Example 2Step 2Number of people in the
vehicle (driver and
occupants)12Weight of the occupantsOccupant 1: 175 lbs
(80 kg)Occupant 1: 175 lbs
(80 kg)
Occupant 2: 195 lbs)
(88 kgGross weight of all
occupants175 lbs (80 kg)370 lbs (168 kg)Example 1Example 2Step 3Permissible cargo and
trailer load/noseweight
(maximum gross vehicle
weight rating from the Tire
and Loading Information
placard minus the gross
weight of all occupants)1500 lbs (680 kg) -
175 lbs (80 kg) =
1325 lbs (600 kg)1500 lbs (680 kg) -
370 lbs (168 kg) =
1130 lbs (512 kg)
The higher the weight of all the occupants, the smaller the maximum load for luggage.
Further information can be found under "Towing a trailer" ( Y page 263).
Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total load
carefully, you should still make sure that the
gross vehicle weight rating and the gross axleweight rating are not exceeded. Details can
be found on the vehicle identification plate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle
( Y page 259).262Loading the vehicleTires and wheels