Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by
inadequate
care
cannot always be completely
repaired. In such 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 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.
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 product used.
If dirt has penetrated the paint surface or if
the paint has become dull, the paint cleaner
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz should be used.
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 !
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.
Observe these notes if your vehicle has a
clear matte finish. This will help you to avoid
damage to the paintwork due to incorrect
treatment.
These notes also apply to light alloy wheels
with a clear matte finish.
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 vehicle parts
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 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 502
Care
Maintenance and care
Of which reserve
SL 550 BlueEFFICIENCY
approximate
ly 2.4 US gal (9.0 l) AMG vehicles
approximate
ly 3.7 US gal (14.0 l) Fuel
Important safety notes G
WARNING
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.
Direct skin contact with fuels and the
inhalation of
fuel vapors are damaging to your
health.
Gasoline Fuel grade
!
Do not
use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Even small amounts of the
wrong fuel result in damage to the fuel
system and engine.
! You should only refuel with unleaded
premium-grade gasoline as this avoids
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 soon as possible.
R do not drive at the maximum speed.
R avoid sudden acceleration.
R if the vehicle is carrying a light load, e.g.
two passengers without luggage, do not
allow the engine to rev above 3000 rpm.
R if the vehicle is fully loaded or is being
operated in mountainous terrain, do not
depress the accelerator pedal further
than Ô of the pedal travel.
Only refuel using 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
must, however, remain below 10 %, such as:
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, can be used. Service products and filling capacities
561
Technical data Z
