Jump-starting
For the jump-starting procedure, use only the jump-starting connection point, consisting of a
positive terminal and an earth point, in the engine compartment.
GWARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over the
battery. Keep children away from batteries. Wash away battery acid immediately with plenty of
clean water and seek medical attention.
GWARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient ven-
tilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery.
GWARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or sparks
are created, the hydrogen gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
RMake sure that the positive terminal of a connected battery does not come into contact with
vehicle parts.
RNever place metal objects or tools on a battery.
RIt is important that you observe the described order of the battery terminals when connecting
and disconnecting a battery.
RWhen jump-starting, make sure that the battery poles with identical polarity are connected.
RIt is particularly important to observe the described order when connecting and disconnecting
the jumper cables.
RNever connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running.
GWARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point. When jump-starting the
vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion. Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before charging it or jump-starting.
!Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the catalytic converter could be
damaged by the non-combusted fuel.
If the indicator/warning lamps do not light up at low temperatures, it is very likely that the
discharged battery has frozen. In this case, you may neither charge the battery nor jump-start
the vehicle. The service life of a thawed-out battery may be shorter. The starting characteristics
can be impaired, particularly at low temperatures. Have the thawed-out battery checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Jump-starting559
Breakdown assistance
Z
Position numberBidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-
starting device.
XPress cover :of positive terminal ;down (in the direction of the arrow) and turn it
clockwise. Cover :is held down in the lowered position, which exposes positive termi-
nal ;.
XConnect positive terminal ;on your vehicle to positive terminal =of donor battery B
using the jumper cable, always begin with positive terminal ;on your own vehicle first.
XStart the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
XConnect negative terminal ?of donor battery Bto ground point Aof your vehicle using
the jumper cable, connecting the jumper cable to battery of other vehicle Bfirst.
XStart the engine.
XBefore disconnecting the jumper cables, let the engine run for several minutes.
XFirst, remove the jumper cables from ground point Aand negative terminal ?, then from
positive clamp ;and positive terminal =. Begin each time at the contacts on your own
vehicle first.
XAfter removing the jumper cables, press down cover :of positive terminal ;and turn it
counter-clockwise. Cover :returns to its original position. Positive terminal ;is covered
up and thus insulated again.
XHave the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
iJumper cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any
qualified specialist workshop.
Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible
gross weight of your vehicle, the:
Rthe towing eye could detach itself
Rthe vehicle/trailer combination could roll-
over.
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
!Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
!If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations.
To prevent damage to the vehicle, deacti-
vate DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD func-
tion in the following or other similar situa-
tions:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
this could damage the vehicle. If in doubt,
recover the vehicle with a crane.
!When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
!Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
Towing and tow-starting561
Breakdown assistance
Z
Tire-mounting tools should not be used
near the valve. This could damage the elec-
tronic components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes when changing a wheel
(
Ypage 589).
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.
On vehicles that have the same size front and
rear wheels, you can rotate the wheels
according to the intervals in the tire manu-
facturer's warranty book in your vehicle docu-
ments. If no warranty book is available, the
tires should be rotated every 3,000 to
6,000 miles (5,000 to 10,000 km). Depending on tire wear, this may be required earlier. Do
not change the direction of wheel rotation.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is rotated. Check the tire pressure and, if nec-
essary, restart the tire pressure loss warning
system.
Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk
of hydroplaning. These advantages can only
be gained if the tires are installed correspond-
ing to the direction of rotation.
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.
Mounting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle
XStop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
XUnload the vehicle. The jack can only be
used when the vehicle is unladen.
XApply the electric parking brake manually.
XBring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XSwitch off the engine.
XVehicles without KEYLESS-GO:remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the
driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the SmartKey having
been removed.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(
Ypage 152).
XIf included in the vehicle equipment,
remove the tire-change tool kit from the
vehicle.
XSafeguard the vehicle against rolling away.
Securing the vehicle to prevent it from
rolling away
If your vehicle is equipped with a wheel chock,
it can be found in the tire-change tool kit
(
Ypage 550).
Changing a wheel589
Wheels and tires
Z
ant during operation is approximately 266 ‡
(130 †).
The antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor concentra-
tion in the engine cooling system should:
Rbe at least 50%. This will protect the engine
cooling system against freezing down to
approximately -35 ‡ (-37 †).
Rnot 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 accord-
ance with MB Specifications for Service Prod-
ucts 310.1.
iWhen the vehicle is first delivered, it is fil-
led with a coolant mixture that ensures
adequate antifreeze and corrosion protec-
tion.
iThe coolant is checked with every main-
tenance interval at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Filling capacities
ModelCapacity
SL 400Approx. 12.3 US qt (11.6 l)
SL 550Approx. 13.0 US qt(12.3 l)
Mercedes ‑AMG
SL 63Approx. 11.6 US qt (11.0 l)
Mercedes ‑AMG
SL 65Approx. 13.5 US qt (12.8 l)
Windshield washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Windshield washer concentrate could ignite if it comes into contact with hot engine compo-
nents or the exhaust system. There is a risk of
fire and injury.
Make sure that no windshield washer con-
centrate 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
(
Ypage 603).
At temperatures above freezing:
XFill the washer fluid reservoir with a mixture of water and windshield washer fluid, e.g.
MB SummerFit.
XAdd 1 part MB SummerFit to 100 parts
water.
At temperatures below freezing:
XFill the washer fluid reservoir with a mixture of water and washer fluid, e.g. MB Winter-
Fit.
For the correct mixing ratio refer to the
information on the antifreeze reservoir.
iAdd windshield washer fluid, e.g. MB
SummerFit or MB WinterFit, to the washer
fluid all year round.
Service products and filling capacities607
Technical data
Z