setting can be corrected at a qualified
specialist workshop.
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.
Aq ualified specialist workshop, e.g. an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter, will reset
the ASSYST PLUS service interval display
after the service work has been carried out.
You can also obtain further information on
maintenance work, for example.
Special service requirements Arduous operating conditions or increased
loads on the vehicle will require some service
work to be performed more often than for a
vehicle in normal use. Such arduous
conditions include regular city driving with
frequent intermediate stops and use in
mountainous terrain or on poor road
surfaces.
For example, if the vehicle is used under
arduous operating conditions, have air filters,
engine oil and oil filters changed frequently
and chec kthe wheels often.F urther
information can be obtaine dataqualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
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
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 corrosio nofthe 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. Care
281Maintenance and care Z
Rotate fron
tand rea rwheels only if the wheels
and tires are of the same dimensions.
! On vehicles equipped with a tire pressure
monitor, electronic components are
located in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used
near the valve. This could damage the
electronic components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified
specialist workshop.
! On vehicles equipped with a tire pressure
monitor, electronic components are
located in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used
near the valve. This could damage the
electronic components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes when changing a wheel
(Y page 330).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tires
differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Rotate the wheels before a clear wear pattern
has formed on the tires. Front tires typically
wear more on the shoulders and the rear tires
in the center.
If your vehicle's tire configuration allows, you
can rotate the wheels according to the
intervals in the tire manufacturer's warranty
book in your vehicle documents. If this is not
available, the tires should then be replaced
every 3,000 to 6,000 miles (5,000 to
10,000 km), or earlier if the tire wear requires
this. Do not change the direction of wheel
rotation.
Cleant he contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is interchanged. Check the tire pressure and,
if necessary, restart the tire pressure loss
warning system or the tire pressure monitor. Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk
of hydroplaning. You will only gain these
benefits if the correct direction of rotation is
maintained.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates
its correct direction of rotation. Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool,
dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tires from oil, grease, gasoline and diesel. Cleaning the wheels
G
WARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components.
Components damaged in this way may fail
unexpectedly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced
immediately. Mounting
awheel
Preparing the vehicle X
Park the vehicle on firm, non-slippery and
level ground.
X Apply the electric parking brake manually.
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to first gear or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
move the selector leve rtoP.
X Switch off the engine.
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock. 330
Changing
awheelWheels and tires
X
Slide the front-passenger sea tto its
frontmost position.
X Fold trim 0003upwards.
You will see VIN 0004stamped into the
vehicle body.
The VIN can also be found in the following
locations:
R on the vehicle identification plate
(Y page 347)
R on the lower edge of windshield
(Y page 348) Engine number
0003
Emission control information plate,
including the certification of both federal
and Californian emissions standards
0004 Engine number (stamped into the
crankcase)
0024 VIN (on the lower edge of the windshield) Service products and filling
capacities Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Comply with all valid regulations with respect
to handling, storing and disposing of service
fluids. Otherwise, you could endanger
persons or the environment.
Keep service fluids out of the reach of
children. For health reasons, you should prevent
service fluids from coming into direct contact
with your skin or clothing.
If a service fluid is swallowed, contact a
physician immediately.
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
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.
MB 229.5). The yhave no tnecessarily been
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Fuel
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious
personal injury. 348
Service products and filling capacitiesTechnical data
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.
Tank capacity Model Total
capacity All models
18.5 US gal
(70.0 l) Model Of which
reserve All models
Approx.
2.4 US gal (9.0 l) Gasoline
Fuel grade
!
Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Even small amounts of the
wrong fuel resultind amage 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 problem sare 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.
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 0002of 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 mix fuels must fulfill the fuel
requirements, e.g.:
R knock resistance
R boiling point
R vapor pressure
You will usually find information aboutt he fuel
grade on the pump. If you cannot find the Service products and fillingc
apacities
349Technical data Z
label on the pump, ask the staff for
assistance.
i
For further information, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter or on
the Internet at http://www.mbusa.com
(USA only).
Information on refueling (Y page 152).
Additives in gasoline
! Do not refuel with low-grade fuel and do
not use fuel additives that are not tested
and approved for Mercedes-Benzv ehicles.
Damage to or malfunctions of the fuel
system may otherwise occur.
One of the main problems of poor fuel quality
is the forming of deposits that are created
during the gasoline combustion process.
Mercedes-Benzr ecommends 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-Benzr ecommends additives
approved for use in Mercedes-Benzv ehicles;
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 fue ladditives with fuel. This
causes unnecessary costs and could damage
the engine. Engine oil
General notes !
Never use engine oil or an oil filter of a
specification other than is necessary to
fulfill the prescribed servic eintervals. Do
not change the engine oil or oil filter in
order to achieve longe rreplacement
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.
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 .Orvisit the website
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
The table shows which engine oils have been
approved for your vehicle. Model Engine
model MB
Approval
SLK 250
271 229.5
SLK 350
276
SLK 55 AMG
152
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.350
Service products and filling capacitiesTechnical data
Model Capacity
SLK 250
5.8 US qt (5.5 l)
SLK 350
6.9 US qt (6.5 l)
SLK 55 AMG
With external oil
cooler:
10.0 US qt(9.5 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 you
which SAE classifications 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
Over a period of time, the brake fluid absorbs
moisture from the air; this lowers its boiling
point.
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 (e.g. when
driving downhill). This would impair braking
efficiency.
You should have the brake fluid renewed at
regular intervals. 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 renewed regularly at
a qualified specialist workshop. Coolant
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Antifreeze is highly flammable.F ire, open
flames and smoking are prohibited when
handling antifreeze.
If antifreeze comes into contact with hot
engine parts, it may ignite and you could burn
yourself .Do not spill any antifreeze on hot
engine parts.
! Only add coolant that has been premixed
with the desired antifreez eprotection. 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 Service products and filling capacities
351Technical data Z
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.
The coolant is a mixture of water and
antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor. It performs
the following tasks:
R corrosion protection
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 operation is approximately
266 ‡ (130 †).
The antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor
concentration in the engine cooling system
should:
R be at least 50%. This will protect the 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-Ben zrecommends 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 Missing values were not available at time of
going to print.
Model Capacity
SLK 250
Approx. 10.1 US qt
(9.6 l) SLK 350
Approx. 11.0 US qt
(10.4 l) SLK 55 AMG
i
Use antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor
according to MB approval 325.0 or 326.0. Windshield/headlamp cleaning
system
Important safety notes 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.
! 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. 352
Service products and filling capacitiesTechnical data