2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-CLASS ROADSTER service

Vehicle remote malfunction diagnosis
With the vehicle remote malfunction
diagnosis (Vehicle Health Check), the
Customer Assistance center can provide
improved support for problems with your
vehicle. During an existing call, vehicle data
is transferred to the Customer Assistance
center. The customer service representative
can
use
the received data to decide what kind
of assistance is required. You are then, for
example, guided to the nearest Mercedes-
Benz Service center or a recovery vehicle is
called.
If vehicle data needs to be transferred during
an MB Info call or a Roadside Assistance call,
this is initiated by the Customer Assistance
center. You will see the Roadside
Assistance Connected message in the
COMAND display. If the vehicle remote
malfunction diagnosis is able to be started,
the Request for vehicle diagnosis
received. Start vehicle diagnosis?
message appears in the display.
X Press Yes to confirm the message.
X If the Vehicle Diagnosis: Please
switch on ignition. message appears:
turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X If the Please follow the
instructions received

by phone and
move your vehicle to a safe
position. message appears: follow the
instructions of the customer service
representative.
The message in the display disappears.
If you select Cancel, the vehicle remote
malfunction diagnosis is canceled
completely.
The vehicle operating state check begins.
Meanwhile, the Vehicle diagnosis
activated message appears.
When the check is finished, the Sending
vehicle diagnosis data...(Voice
connection may be interrupted
during data transfer.) message appears. The vehicle data can now be sent to
the Customer Assistance center.
X
Press OK to confirm the message.
The voice connection with the Customer
Assistance center is terminated.
The Vehicle Diagnosis:
Transferring data... appears.
The vehicle data is sent to the Customer
Assistance center.
Depending on what the customer service
representative agreed with you, the voice
connection is

re-established after the transfer
is complete. If necessary, you will be
contacted at a later time by another means,
e.g. by E-Mail or telephone.
Further functions of the vehicle remote
malfunction diagnosis include, for example:
R transfer of service data to the Customer
Assistance center. If a service is overdue,
the COMAND display shows a message
about various special offers at your
workshop.
R monthly status information E-Mail on oil
level, air pressure, maintenance, brakes,
etc. If applicable, you will receive
information on special offers in the E-Mail.
USA only: this information can also be
called up under "Owners Online" at http://
www.mbusa.com.
Information on the data stored in the vehicle
(Y page 32).
Information on roadside assistance
(Y page 29).
Downloading routes Downloading routes allows you to transfer
and save predefined routes in the navigation
system.
To

do this, an SD memory card must
be inserted into the COMAND system. If no
SD memory card is inserted, you must insert
the card into the card slot on the COMAND
system before saving.
A route can be prepared and sent either by a
customer service representative or via the
mbrace portal on the Internet. Each route can 492
Features
Stowage and features

include up to 20 way points. When a route has
been received by the navigation system,
'Route name' has been saved to
memory card. Do you want to start
route guidance? appears on the COMAND
display.
The
route is saved to the SD memory
card.
X To start route guidance: select Yes.
An overview of the route is shown in the
display.
i If you select No, the saved route can be
called up later in the navigation menu.
X Select Start.
Route guidance is started.
i Downloaded and

saved data can be called
up again in COMAND. Further information
can be found in the "COMAND", "Online
and Internet services" and "Download
destination/route" sections.
Speed alert You can define the upper speed limit, which
must not be exceeded by the vehicle. If this
selected speed is exceeded by the vehicle, a
message will be sent to the Customer
Assistance center. The Customer Assistance
center then

forwards this information to you.
You can select the way in which you receive
this information beforehand. Possible options
include SMS, E-Mail or an automated call.
The data which is sent to the Customer
Assistance center contains the following
information:
R the location where the speed limit was
exceeded
R the time at which the speed limit was
exceeded
R the selected speed limit which was
exceeded
Geo fencing Geo fencing allows you to select areas which
the
vehicle

should not enter or leave. You will
be informed if the vehicle crosses the boundaries of the selected areas. You can
select the way in which you receive this
information beforehand. Possible options
include SMS, E-Mail or an automated call.
The
area

can be determined as either a circle
or a polygon with a maximum of ten corners.
You can specify up to ten areas
simultaneously. Different settings are
possible for each area.
USA only: these settings can be called up
under "Owners Online" at http://
www.mbusa.com.
Alternatively, you can trigger an MB Info call
and inform the customer service
representative that you wish to activate geo
fencing.
Currently inactive areas can be activated by
SMS.
Triggering the vehicle alarm With this function, you can trigger the
vehicle's panic alarm via SMS. An alarm
sounds and the exterior lighting flashes.
Depending on the setting, the panic alarm
lasts five or ten seconds. Afterwards, the
alarm switches off. Features
493
Stowage and features Z

Adding engine oil
G
WARNING
If engine oil comes into contact with hot
engine parts,
it may ignite and you could burn
yourself. Do not spill any engine oil on hot
engine parts. H
Environmental note
When adding oil, take care not to spill any. If
oil enters the soil or waterways, it is harmful
to the environment.
! Use only engine oils and oil filters that
have been approved for vehicles equipped
with a service system. A list of the engine
oils and oil filters tested and approved in
accordance with the Mercedes-Benz
Specifications for Service Products can be
called up by visiting http://
www.mbusa.com (USA only). More
information about tested and approved
engine oils and oil filters is available from
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Damage to

the engine or exhaust system is
caused by the following:
R using engine oils and oil filters which
have not been specifically approved for
the service system.
R replacing the engine oil or oil filter after
the replacement interval required by the
service system has elapsed
R using engine oil additives.
! Do not add too much oil. If the oil level is
above the "max" mark on the dipstick, too
much oil has been added. This can lead to
damage to the engine or the catalytic
converter. Have excess oil siphoned off. Example: engine oil cap
X
Turn cap : counter-clockwise and remove
it.
X Add the amount of oil required.
Fill carefully to the maximum mark on the
oil dipstick.
X Replace cap :

on the filler neck and
tighten clockwise.
Ensure that the cap locks into place
securely.
i The difference between the minimum
mark and the maximum mark on the oil
dipstick is approximately 1.4 US qt (

1.3l).
i Further information on engine oil
(Y page 562). Checking and adding other service
products
Checking the coolant level G
WARNING
In order to avoid potentially serious burns:
R use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of vapor or
coolant leaking

from the cooling system, or
if the coolant temperature display indicates
that the coolant is overheated.
R do not remove the pressure cap on the
coolant tank if the coolant temperature is
above 158 ‡ (70 †). Allow the engine to
cool down before removing the cap. The
coolant tank contains hot fluid and is under
pressure.498
Engine compartment
Maintenance and care

ASSYST PLUS
The ASSYST PLUS service interval display
informs you of the next service due date.
Information on
the type of service and service
intervals (see separate Maintenance
Booklet).
You can obtain further information from an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or at
http://www.mbusa.com (USA only).
i The ASSYST PLUS service interval display
does not show any information on the
engine oil level. Observe the notes on the
engine oil level ( Y page 497).Care
Notes on care
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. H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible
manner.
! 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.
! 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.
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. Washing
the vehicle and cleaning the
paintwork
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. 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
automatic car wash.
! It is preferable to use car washes with
adjustable high-pressure pre-cleaning that
corresponds to the specification for the
Cabriolet program. In car washes that use
high water pressures, there is a risk that a
small amount of water may leak into the
vehicle.
! Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special 500
Care
Maintenance and care

Battery acid is caustic.
Avoid
contact
with the skin,
eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective
clothing, in particular
gloves, an apron and a face
mask.
Immediately rinse acid
splashes off with clean
water. Consult a doctor if
necessary. Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's
Manual.
G
WARNING
Failure
to follow these instructions can result
in severe injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting.
You might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking etc. G
WARNING
Do not place any metal objects on the battery
as this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof

batteries only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Take care that you do not become statically
charged, e.g. by wearing synthetic clothing or rubbing against textiles. For this reason, you
also should not pull or push the battery over
carpets or other synthetic materials.
Never touch the battery first. First, touch the
outside
body

of the vehicle in order to release
any possible electrostatic charges.
Do not rub the battery with rags or cloths. The
battery could explode if touched due to
electrostatic charge or due to spark
formation. H
Environmental note Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
the household rubbish. They
must
be

collected separately
and recycled to protect the
environment. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified
specialist workshop or a
special collection point for
used batteries.
! Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet

or contact a qualified
specialist workshop for more information.
! You should have all work involving the
battery carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop. In the exceptional case that it is
necessary for you to disconnect the battery
yourself, make sure that:
R you switch off the engine and remove the
key. On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
ensure that the ignition is switched off.
Check that all the indicator lamps in the
instrument cluster are off. Otherwise,
electronic components, such as the
alternator, may be damaged.
R you first remove the negative terminal
clamp and then the positive terminal514
Battery
Roadside Assistance

clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
Otherwise, the vehicle's electronic
system may be damaged.
R in vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The
vehicle is secured against rolling away.
You can
then no longer move the vehicle.
The battery and the cover of the positive
terminal clamp must be installed securely
during operation.
In order for the battery to achieve the
maximum possible service life, it must always
be sufficiently charged.
The vehicle battery, like other batteries, can
discharge over time if you do not use the
vehicle. In this case, have the battery
disconnected at a qualified specialist
workshop. You can also charge the battery
with a charger recommended by Mercedes-
Benz. Contact a qualified specialist workshop
for further information.
Have the battery charge level checked more
frequently if you use the vehicle mainly for
short trips or if you leave it standing idle for
a lengthy period. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop if you wish to leave your vehicle
parked up for a long period of time.
Only replace a battery with a battery that has
been recommended by Mercedes-Benz.
i Remove the SmartKey if you park the
vehicle and do not require any electrical
consumers. The vehicle will then use very
little energy, thus conserving battery
power.
i After an interruption to the power supply,
e.g. due to a discharged battery, you must
reset the clock (Y page 289). Charging the battery
G
WARNING
Never charge a battery still installed in the
vehicle unless

a battery charger unit approved by Mercedes-Benz is being used. Gases may
escape
during

charging and cause explosions
that may result in paint damage, corrosion or
personal injury.
A battery charger unit specially adapted for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz is available as an
accessory. It permits the charging of the
battery in its installed position. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for further
information and availability.
Charge the battery in accordance with the
separate instructions for the battery charger. G
WARNING
There is a risk of acid burns during the
charging process due to the gases which
escape from

the battery. Do not lean over the
battery during the charging process. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. Avoid contact with the
skin, eyes or clothing.
! Only use battery chargers with a
maximum charging voltage of 14.8 V.
! Only charge the battery using the jump-
starting connection point.
The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment.
Read the battery charger's operating
instructions before charging the battery.
X Open the hood (Y page 496).
X Connect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and ground point in the same
order as when connecting the donor
battery in the jump-starting procedure
(Y page 516). Battery
515
Roadside Assistance Z

Regular checking of wheels and tires
G
WARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation
pressure loss. As a result, you could lose
control of your vehicle. There is a risk of
accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
Regularly check the wheels and tires of your
vehicle for
damage at least once a month, as
well as after driving off-road or on rough
roads. Damaged wheels can cause a loss of
tire pressure. Pay particular attention to
damage such as:
R cuts in the tires
R punctures
R tears in the tires
R bulges on tires
R deformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tire tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width
of the tire (Y page 527). If necessary, turn
the front wheels to full lock in order to inspect
the inner side of the tire surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not
mount anything onto the valve other than the
standard valve cap or other valve caps
approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle.
Do not use any other valve caps or systems,
e.g. tire pressure monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tires
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tire
pressure as necessary ( Y page 529).
The service life of tires depends on the
following factors amongst other things:
R driving style
R tire pressure
R distance covered Tire tread
G
WARNING
Insufficient
tire tread will reduce tire traction.
The tire is no longer able to dissipate water.
This means

that on wet road surfaces, the risk
of hydroplaning increases, in particular where
speed is not adapted to suit the driving
conditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tire pressure is too high or too low, tires
may exhibit different levels of wear at
different locations on the tire tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tires.
Minimum tire tread depth for:
R Summer tires: â in (3 mm)
R M+S tires: ã in (4 mm)
For safety reasons, replace the tires before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tire tread depth is reached. Bar indicator
: for tread wear is integrated
into the tire tread.
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. Six indicators are positioned on the tire
tread. They are visible once the tread depth
is approximately á

in (1.6 mm). If this is the
case, the tire is so worn that it must be
replaced. Operation
527
Wheels and tires Z

Checking tire pressures manually
To determine and set the correct tire
pressure, proceed as follows:
X
Remove the valve cap of the tire that is to
be checked.
X Press the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.
X Read the tire pressure and compare it with
the recommended value on the Tire and
Loading Information placard (Y
page 529).
X If the tire pressure is too low, increase it to
the recommended value.
X If the tire pressure is too high, release air
by pressing

down the metal pin in the valve.
Use the tip of a pen, for example. Then,
check the tire pressure again using the tire
pressure gauge.
X Screw the valve cap onto the valve.
X Repeat these steps for the other tires. Tire pressure loss warning system
(Canada only)
Important safety notes While the vehicle is in motion, the tire
pressure loss warning system monitors the
set
tire

pressure using the rotational speed of
the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tire. If the speed
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of
a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appear in the multifunction
display.
The tire pressure warning system does not
warn you of an incorrectly set tire pressure.
Observe the notes on the recommended tire
pressure ( Y page 529).
The tire pressure loss warning system does
not replace the need to regularly check your
vehicle's tire pressures, since an even loss of
pressure on several tires at the same time
cannot be detected by the tire pressure loss
warning system. The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tire is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering maneuvers.
The
function

of the tire pressure loss warning
system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are mounted to your vehicle's
tires.
R road conditions are wintry.
R you are driving on sand or gravel.
R you adopt a very sporty driving style
(cornering at high speeds or driving with
high rates of acceleration).
R you drive with a heavy load.
Restarting the tire pressure loss
warning system Restart the tire pressure loss warning system
if you have:
R
changed the tire pressure
R changed the wheels or tires
R mounted new wheels or tires
X Before restarting, make sure that the tire
pressures are set properly on all four tires
for the respective operating conditions.
The recommended tire pressures can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the B-pillar on the driver's side
or the tire pressure table on the fuel filler
flap.
The tire pressure loss warning system can
only give reliable warnings if you have set
the

correct tire pressure. If an incorrect tire
pressure is set, these incorrect values will
be monitored.
X Observe the notes on tire pressure
(Y page 529).
X Make sure that the key is in
position 2(Y page

135) in the ignition lock.
X Press = or ; on the steering wheel
to select the Service menu. Tire pressure
533
Wheels and tires Z