Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Read the information on qualified
specialist workshops: (Y page 38).Information regarding technical data
i The data stated here specifically refers to
a vehicle with standard equipment .Consult
a Mercedes-Benz Center for the data for all
vehicle variants and trim levels. Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
G
WARNING
Driving safety may be impaired if non-
approved parts, tires and wheels or safety-
relevant accessories are used.
This could lead to malfunctions in safety-
relevant systems, e.g. the brake system. This
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and cause an accident.
For this reason, Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use genuine Mercedes-Benz parts or
parts of equal quality. Only use tires, wheels
and accessories that have been specifically
approved for your vehicle. H
Environmental note
Daimler AG also supplies reconditioned major
assemblies and parts which are of the same
quality as new parts. They are covered by the
same Limited Warranty entitlements as new
parts. !
Air bags and Emergency Tensioning
Devices, as well as control units and
sensors for these restraint systems, may be
installed in the following areas of your
vehicle:
R doors
R door pillars
R door sills
R seats
R cockpit
R instrument cluster
R center console
Do not install accessories such as audio
systems in these areas. Do not carry out
repairs or welding. You could impair the
operating efficiency of the restraint
systems.
Have aftermarket accessories installed at
a qualified specialist workshop.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts are subject to
strictq uality control .Each part has been
specially developed, manufactured or
selected for Mercedes-Ben zvehicles and
fine-tuned for them. Only genuine Mercedes-
Benzp arts should therefor ebe used.
More than 300,000 different genuine
Mercedes-Benzp arts are available for
Mercedes-Ben zmodels.
All Mercedes-Benz Centers maintain a supply
of genuine Mercedes-Benz parts for
necessary service and repair work. In
addition, strategically located parts delivery
centers provide quick and reliable parts
service.
Always specify the vehicle identification
number (VIN) (Y page 577) and the engine
number (Y page 578) when ordering
genuine Mercedes-Benz parts. Warranty
Your vehicle is covered under the terms of the
warranties printed in the Service and
Warranty Information booklet. 576
WarrantyTechnical data
VIN
X
Move the front-passenger front seat to its
rearmos tposition.
X Fold up floor covering 0002in front of the
front-passenger seat.
You will see VIN 0003.
The VIN can also be found in the following
locations:
R on the lower edge of the windshield
(Y page 578)
R on the vehicle identification plate
(Y page 577) Engine number
0002
Emission control information plate,
including the certification of both federal
and Californian emissions standards
0003 Engine number (stamped into the
crankcase)
0027 VIN (on the lower edge of the windshield) Service products and filling
capacities
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Service products may be poisonous and
hazardous to health. There is a risk of injury.
Comply with instructions on the use, storage
and disposal of service products on the labels
of the respective original containers. Always
store service products sealed in their original
containers. Always keep service products out
of the reach of children. H
Environmental note
Dispose of service products in an
environmentally responsible manner.
Service products include the following:
R Fuels
R Lubricants (e.g. engine oil, transmission oil)
R Coolant
R Brake fluid
R Windshield washer fluid
R Climate control system refrigerant
Comply with all valid regulations with respect
to handling, storing, and disposing of service
fluids.
Components and service products must be
matched. You should therefor eonly use
products tha thave been tested and approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
Information about tested and approved
products can be obtained from an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or on the Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.co m.
You can recognize service products approved
by Mercedes-Ben zby the following
inscription on the containers:
R MB-Freigabe (e.g. MB-Freigabe 229.51)
R MB Approval (e.g. MB Approval 229.51)
Other designations or recommendations
indicate a level of quality or a specification in
accordance with an MB Sheet number (e.g. 578
Service products an
dfilling capacitiesTechnical data
MB 229.5). They have not necessarily been
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Fuel
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and
explosion.
You must avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before
refueling. G
WARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
You must make sure that fuel does not come
into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
and that it is not swallowed. Do not inhale fuel
vapors. Keep fuel away from children.
If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
R Wash away fuel from skin immediately
using soap and water.
R If fuel comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with
clean water. Seek medical assistance
without delay.
R If fuel is swallowed, seek medical
assistance without delay.Don ot induce
vomiting.
R Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with fuel.
Tank capacity Model Total
capacity All models
19.8 US gal
(75.0 l) Model Of which
reserve SL 550
Approx.
2.4 US gal (9.0 l) AMG vehicles
Approx.
3.7 US gal (14.0 l) Gasoline
Fuel grade
!
Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Do not switch on the
ignition if you accidentally refuel with the
wrong fuel. Otherwise, the fuel will enter
the fuel system. Even small amounts of the
wrong fuel could result in damage to the
fuel system and the engine. The repair
costs are high. Notify aqualified specialist
workshop and have the fuel tan kand fuel
lines drained completely.
! You should only refuel with unleaded
premium-grade gasoline as thi savoids
damaging the catalytic converter.
If engine running problems are apparent,
have the cause checked immediately and
repaired .Excess unburned fuel can
otherwise enter the catalytic converter,
leading to overheating and possibly
causing a fire.
! To ensure the longevity and full
performance of the engine, only premium-
grade unleaded gasoline may be used.
If there is no premium-grade unleaded
gasoline available and regular unleaded
gasoline must be used, please observe the
following precautions:
R only fill the fuel tank to half full with
regular unleaded gasoline and fill the rest
with premium-grade unleaded gasoline
as soo nas possible.
R do not drive at the maximum speed.
R avoid sudden acceleration. Service products and filling capacities
579Technical data Z
R
if the vehicle is carrying a light load, e.g.
two passengers without luggage, do not
allow the engine to rev above 300 0rpm.
R if the vehicle is fully loaded or is being
operated in mountainous terrain, do not
depress the accelerator pedal further
than 0001of the pedal travel.
Only refuel using premium-grade unleaded
gasoline with a minimum octane rating of 91.
Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) and/or
unleaded gasoline with additives can be used.
The concentration of additives in the fuel,
however, must not exceed 10%, e.g.:
R Ethanol
R TAME
R ETBE
R IPA
R TBA
For MTBE, the concentration should not
exceed 15%.
The concentration of methanol in gasoline,
including other additives, must not exceed
3%.
Using mixtures of methanol and ethanol is not
permitted. Gasohol, a mixture of 10% ethanol
and 90% unleaded gasoline, may be used.
All of these blends must fulfill the fuel
requirements, e.g.:
R knock resistance
R boiling point
R vapor pressure
You will usually find information about the fuel
grade on the pump. If you cannot find the
label on the pump, ask the staff for
assistance.
i For further information, consult a
qualified specialist workshop or on the
Internet at http://www.mbusa.com (USA
only).
Information on refueling (Y page 172).Additives in gasoline
!
Operating the engine with fuel additives
can increase wear and tear to the fuel
system high-pressure pump and lead to
contamination of the entire fuel system.
The repair costs are high. This does not
include additives for the removal and
prevention of residue buildup. gasoline
must only be mixed with additives
recommended by Mercedes-Benz .More
information about recommended additives
can be obtained from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
One of the main problems of poor fuel quality
is the forming of deposits that are created
during the gasoline combustion process.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
branded fuels that have additives.
If you use fuels without these additives over
a longer period of time, carbon deposits may
build up. These deposits form at the inlet
valves and in the combustion chamber in
particular.
This could lead to engine problems, e.g.:
R longer engine warm-up phase
R uneven idle
R engine noise
R misfiring
R loss of power
Carbon deposits may form if the availability
of gasoline with relevant additives is
insufficient (in certain regions). In this case,
Mercedes-Benz recommends additives
approved for use in Mercedes-Benz vehicles;
see http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
For a list of approved products, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Comply
with the instructions for use on the product
label.
Do not mix other fuel additives with fuel. This
causes unnecessary costs and could damage
the engine. 580
Service products and filling capacitiesTechnical data
Engine oil
General notes !
Never use engine oil or an oil filter of a
specificatio nothe rthan is necessary to
fulfill the prescribed service intervals. Do
not change the engine oil or oil filter in
order to achieve longer replacement
intervals than those prescribed. You could
otherwise cause engine damage or damage
to the exhaust gas aftertreatment.
Follow the instructions in the service
interval display regarding the oil change.
Otherwise, you may damage the engine and
the exhaust gas aftertreatment.
When handling engine oil, observe the
important safety notes on service products
(Y page 578).
The engine oils are matched to the
performance of Mercedes-Benz engines and
service intervals. You should therefore only
use engine oils and oil filters that are
approved for vehicles with maintenance
systems.
For a list of approved engine oils and oil filters,
consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Or visit the website
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
The table shows which engine oils have been
approved for your vehicle. Model Engine
model MB
Approval SL 550
278 229.5
SL 63 AMG
157 229.5
SL 65 AMG
V12
279 229.5
Use only SAE 0W-40 or SAE 5W-40 engine oils
for AMG vehicles.
i MB approval is indicated on the oil
containers. Filling capacities The following values refer to an oil change
including the oil filter.
Missing values were not available at time of
going to print.
Model Capacity
SL 550
SL 63 AMG
Without external oil
cooler: 9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
With external oil
cooler: 10 US qt (9.5 l) SL 65 AMG V12
Without external oil
cooler: 10.6 US qt (10.0 l)
With external oil
cooler: 11.6 US qt (11.0 l) Additives
!
Do not use any additives in the engine oil.
This could damage the engine.
Engine oil viscosity Viscosity describes the flow characteristics
of a fluid. If an engine oil has a high viscosity,
this means that it is thick; a low viscosity
means that it is thin.
Select an engine oil with an SAE (viscosity)
classification suitable for the prevailing
outside temperatures. The table shows youService products and fillingc
apacities
581Technical data Z
which SA
Eclassifications are to be used. The
low-temperature characteristics of engine
oils can deteriorate significantly, e.g. as a
result of aging, soot and fuel deposits. It is
therefore strongly recommended that you
carry out regular oil changes using an
approved engine oil with the appropriate SAE
classification. Brake fluid
G
WARNING
The brake fluid constantly absorbs moisture
fro mt he air. This lowers the boiling point of
the brake fluid. If the boiling point of the brake
fluid is too low, vapor pockets may form in the
brake system when the brakes are applied
hard. This would impair braking efficiency.
There is a risk of an accident.
You should have the brake fluid renewed at
the specified intervals.
When handling brake fluid, observe the
important safety notes on service products
(Y page 578).
The brake fluid change intervals can be found
in the Maintenance Booklet.
Only use brake fluid approved by Mercedes-
Benz according to MB Approval 331.0.
Information about approved brake fluid can
be obtained at any qualified specialist
workshop or on the Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
i Have the brake fluid regularly replaced at
a qualified specialist workshop and the
replacement confirmed in the Maintenance
Booklet. Coolant
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If antifreeze comes into contact with hot
components in the engine compartment, it
may ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Let the engine cool down before you add
antifreeze. Make sure that antifreeze is not
spilled next to the filler neck.T horoughly
clean the antifreeze from components before
starting the engine.
! Only add coolant that has been premixed
with the desired antifreezep rotection. You
could otherwise damage the engine.
Further information on coolants can be
found in the Mercedes-Benz Specifications
for Service Products, MB Specifications for
Service Products 310.1, e.g. on the
Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com. Or
contact a qualified specialist workshop.
! Always use a suitable coolant mixture,
even in countries where high temperatures
prevail.
Otherwise, the engine cooling system is not
sufficiently protected from corrosion and
overheating.
When handling coolant, observe the
important safety notes on service products
(Y page 578).
The coolant is a mixture of water and
antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor. It performs
the following tasks:
R corrosio nprotection
R antifreeze protection
R raising the boiling point
If the coolant has antifreeze protection down
to -35 ‡ (-37 †),the boiling point of the
coolant during operatio nis approximately
266 ‡ (130 †). 582
Service products and filling capacitiesTechnical data
The antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor
concentration in the engine cooling system
should:
R be at least 50%. This will protec tthe engine
cooling system against freezing down to
approximately -35 ‡ (-37 †).
R not exceed 55% (antifreeze protection
down to -49 ‡ [-45 †]). Otherwise, heat
will not be dissipated as effectively.
If the vehicle has lost coolant, add equal
amounts of water and antifreeze/corrosion
inhibitor.
Mercedes-Benz recommends an antifreeze/
corrosion inhibitor concentrate in
accordance with MB Specifications for
Service Products 310.1.
The coolant is checked with every
maintenance interval at a qualified specialist
workshop.
i When the vehicle is first delivered, it is
filled with a coolant mixture that ensures
adequate antifreeze and corrosion
protection.
Filling capacities Model Capacity
SL 550
Approx. 13.7 US qt
(13.0 l) SL 63 AMG
Approx. 11.6 US qt
(11.0 l) SL 65 AMG V12
Approx. 13.5 US qt
(12.8 l) i
Use antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor
according to MB approval 325.0 or 326.0. Windshield washer system and
headlampc
leaning system
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Windshield washer concentrate is highly
flammable. If it comes into contact with hot
engine components or the exhaust syste mit
could ignite. There is a ris koffire and injury.
Make sure that no windshield washer
concentrate is spilled next to the filler neck.
! Only use washer fluid that is suitable for
plastic lamp lenses, e.g. MB SummerFit or
MB WinterFit. Unsuitable washer fluid
could damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.
! Do not add distilled or de-ionized water to
the washer fluid container. Otherwise, the
level sensor may be damaged.
! Only MB SummerFit and MB WinterFit
washer fluid should be mixed together. The
spray nozzles may otherwise become
blocked.
When handling washer fluid, observe the
important safety notes on service products
(Y page 578).
At temperatures above freezing:
X Fill the washer fluid reservoir with a mixture
of water and windshield washer fluid, e.g.
MB SummerFit.
X Add 1 part MB SummerFit to 100 parts
water.
At temperatures below freezing:
X Fill the washer fluid reservoir with a mixture
of water and washer fluid, e.g. MB
WinterFit. Service products and filling capacities
583Technical data Z