2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class Owner's Manual

Useful information............................536
Engine compartment ........................536
ASSYST PLUS .................................... 540
Care .................................................... 541
535
Maintenance and care

Useful information
i
This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip-
ment 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.
iRead the information on qualified special-
ist workshops (
Ypage 34).
Engine compartment
Hood
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the hood is unlatched, it may open up when the vehicle is in motion and block your view.
There is a risk of an accident.
Never unlatch the hood while driving. Before
every trip, ensure that the hood is locked.
GWARNING
When opening and closing the hood, it may
suddenly fall into the closed position. There is a risk of injury to persons within range of
movement of the hood.
Open and close the hood only when no one is
within its range of movement.
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
GWARNING
The engine compartment contains moving
components. Certain components, such as
the radiator fan, may continue to run or start
again suddenly when the ignition is off. There is a risk of injury.
If you need to do any work inside the engine
compartment:
Rswitch off the ignition
Rnever reach into the area where there is a
risk of danger from moving components,
such as the fan rotation area
Rremove jewelry and watches
Rkeep items of clothing and hair, for exam-
ple, away from moving parts
Opening the hood
GWARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working in the engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and touch only the components described in the
following.
GWARNING
When the hood is open and the windshield
wipers are set in motion, you can be injured by
the wiper linkage. There is a risk of injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before opening the hood.
!Make sure that the windshield wipers are
not folded away from the windshield. You
could otherwise damage the windshield
wipers or the hood.
536Engine compartment
Maintenance and care

XMake sure that the windshield wipers are
turned off.
XPull release lever:on the hood.
The hood is released.
XReach into the gap, pull hood catch han-
dle ;up and lift the hood.
If you lift the hood by approximately 15 in
(40 cm), the hood is opened and held open automatically by the gas-filled strut.
Closing the hood
XLower the hood and let it fall from a height
of approximately 8 in (20 cm).
XCheck that the hood has engaged properly.
If the hood can be raised slightly, it is not
properly engaged. Open it again and close
it with a little more force.
Engine oil
Notes on the oil level
Depending on your driving style, the vehicle
consumes up to 0.9 US qt (0.8 liters) of oil per
600 miles (1,000 km). The oil consumption
may be higher than this when the vehicle is
new or if you frequently drive at high engine
speeds.
Depending on the engine, the oil dipstick may
be in a different location.
When checking the oil level:
Rpark the vehicle on a level surface.
Rthe engine should be switched off for
approximately five minutes if the engine is
at normal operating temperature.
Rif the engine is not at normal operating
temperature, e.g. if the engine was only
started briefly, wait about 30 minutes
before carrying out the measurement.
Checking the oil level using the oil dip-
stick
GWARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working in the engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and touch only the components described in the
following.
Engine compartment537
Maintenance and care
Z

ExampleXPull oil dipstick:out of the dipstick guide
tube.
XWipe off oil dipstick :.
XSlowly slide oil dipstick :into the guide
tube to the stop, and take it out again.
If the level is between MIN mark =and
MAX mark ;, the oil level is correct.
XIf the oil level has dropped to MIN mark =
or below, add 1.1 US qt (1.0 liter) of engine
oil.
Adding engine oil
GWARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working in the engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and touch only the components described in the
following.
GWARNING
If engine oil comes into contact with hot com- ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Make sure that engine oil is not spilled next to
the filler neck. Let the engine cool down and
thoroughly clean the engine oil off the com-
ponents before starting the engine.
HEnvironmental note
When adding oil, take care not to spill any. If
oil enters the soil or waterways, it is harmful to
the environment.
!Only use engine oils and oil filters that
have been approved for vehicles with a ser-
vice system. You can obtain a list of the
engine oils and oil filters tested and
approved in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service
Products at any Mercedes-Benz Service
center.
Damage to the engine or exhaust system is
caused by the following:
Rusing engine oils and oil filters that have
not been specifically approved for the
service system
Rreplacing engine oil and oil filters after
the interval for replacement specified by the service system has been exceeded
Rusing 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 con-
verter. Have excess oil siphoned off.
Example: engine oil cap
XTurn cap :counter-clockwise and remove
it.
XAdd engine oil.
If the oil level is at or below the MIN mark on
the oil dipstick, add 1.1 US qt (1.0 l)of
engine oil.
538Engine compartment
Maintenance and care

XReplacecap :on th efiller neck and tur n
clockwise .
Ensur ethat th ecap locks into plac e
securely.
XChec kth eoil level again wit hth eoil dip-
stick (
Ypage 537).
Further information on engin eoil
(
Ypage 605).
Checking and addin gother service
products
Checking coolant level
GWARNIN G
Certain component sin th eengin ecompart-
ment, suc has th eengine, radiato rand part s
of th eexhaust system, can become ver yhot .
Working in th eengin ecompartmen tposes a
ris kof injury.
Where possible, let th eengin ecool down and
touch only th ecomponent sdescribed in th e
following.
GWARNIN G
The engin ecoolin gsystem is pressurized, par-
ticularly when th eengin eis warm .Whe n
openin gth ecap ,you could be scalded by hot
coolan tsprayin gout .There is aris kof injury.
Let th eengin ecool down before openin gth e
cap .Wear eye and han dprotection when
openin gth ecap .Ope nth ecap slowly half a
tur nto allow pressur eto escape.
Exampl e
XPark thevehicl eon alevel surface.
Only chec kth ecoolan tlevel when th evehi-
cle is on alevel surfac eand th eengin ehas
cooled down .
XTurn theSmartKey to position 2in th eigni-
tion loc k (
Ypage 151).
On vehicles wit hKEYLESS-GO ,press th e
Start/Sto pbutto ntwice (
Ypage 152).
XCheckth ecoolan ttemperature gauge in
th emultifunction display.
The coolan ttemperature mus tbe belo w
15 8 ‡ (70 †).
XTurn th eSmartKey to position
0 (
Ypage 151) in th eignition lock.
XSlowly tur ncap ;half atur ncounter-
clockwise to allow excess pressur eto
escape.
XTurn cap ;further counter-clockwise and
remove it .
If th ecoolan tis at th elevel of marke rbar =
in th efiller neck when cold, there is enough
coolan tin coolan texpansion tan k:.
If th ecoolan tlevel is approximately 0. 6in
(1.5 cm ) above marker bar =in the fuel
filler neck when warm, there is enough
coolant in expansion tank :.
XIf necessary, add coolant that has been tes-
ted and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
XReplace cap;and turn it clockwise as far
as it will go.
For further information on coolant, see
(
Ypage 606).
Windshield washer system
GWARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working in the engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool downand
touch only the components describe d in the
foll owin g.
Engine compartment539
Maintenance and care
Z

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.
Example
XTo open: pull cap:upwards by the tab.
XAdd the premixed washer fluid.
XTo close: press cap :onto the filler neck
until it engages.
If the washer fluid level drops below the rec-
ommended minimum of 1 liter, a message
appears in the multifunction display prompt-
ing you to add washer fluid (
Ypage 268).
Further information on windshield washer
fluid/antifreeze (
Ypage 607).
ASSYST PLUS
Service messages
The ASSYST PLUS service interval display
informs you of the next service due date.
Information on the type of service and service
intervals (see the separate Maintenance
Booklet).
You can obtain further information from an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or at
http://www.mbusa.com (USA only).
iThe ASSYST PLUS service interval display
does not show any information on the engine oil level. Observe the notes on the
engine oil level (
Ypage 537).
The multifunction display shows a service
message for several seconds, e.g.:
RService A in .. Days
RService A Due
RService A Exceeded by .. Days
Depending on the operating conditions of the
vehicle, the remaining time or distance until
the next service due date is displayed.
The letter A
orB, possibly in connection with a
number or another letter, shows the type of
service. A
stands for a minor service and Bfor
a major service.
You can obtain further information from an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The ASSYST PLUS service interval display
does not take into account any periods of
time during which the battery is disconnec-
ted.
Maintaining the time-dependent service
schedule:
XNote down the service due date displayed
in the multifunction display before discon-
necting the battery.
or
XAfter reconnecting the battery, subtract
the battery disconnection periods from the service date shown on the display.
Hiding a service message
XPress the aor% button on the steer-
ing wheel.
540ASSYST PLUS
Maintenance and care

Displaying service messages
XSwitchon th eignition .
XPress th e= or; buttonon th esteer -
in g whee lto selec tth eServ.
menu.
XPress th e9 or: buttonto selec tth e
ASSYST PLU S
submenuand confirm by
pressing th ea button.
The servic edue dat eappears in th emulti-
function display.
Information about Service
Resetting th eASSYS TPLUS service
interva ldisplay
!If th eASSYST PLU Sservic einterval dis -
play has been inadvertentl yreset ,this set -
ting can be correcte dat aqualified special-
ist workshop .
Hav eservic ewor kcarrie dout as described
in th eMaintenance Booklet .Thi smay oth-
erwise lead to increase dwear and damage
to th emajor assemblies or th evehicle.
A qualified specialis tworkshop ,e.g. an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter, will reset
th eASSYST PLU Sservic einterval display
after th eservic ewor khas been carrie dout .
You can also obtain further information on
maintenance work, fo rexample.
Specia lservice requirement s
The specifiedmaintenance interval take sonly
th enormal operation of th evehicle into
account. Under arduous operatin gcondition s
or increase dload on th evehicle, mainte -
nance wor kmus tbe carrie dout more fre-
quently, fo rexample:
Rregular city drivin gwit hfrequent intermedi-
at estops
Rif th evehicle is primarily used to trave l
short distances
Ruse in mountainous terrain or on poo rroad
surfaces
Rif th eengin eis ofte nlef tidlin gfo rlon gperi-
ods
Under these or similar conditions, have, fo r
example, th eair filter, engin eoil and oil filte r
replaced or changed more frequently. Under
arduous operatin gconditions, th etires mus t
be checke dmore often. Further information
can be obtained at aqualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Ben zCen -
ter.
Drivin gabroad
An extensive Mercedes-Ben zServic enetwor k
is also available in other countries. You can
obtain further information from any author -
ized Mercedes-Ben zCenter.
Car e
Note son car e
HEnvironmental not e
Dispose of empty packagin gand cleanin g
cloths in an environmentally responsible man -
ner.
!Fo rcleanin gyour vehicle, do no tuse any
of th efollowing :
Rdry, rough or har dcloths
Rabrasiv ecleanin gagents
Rsolvents
Rcleanin gagents containin gsolvents
Do no tscrub .
Do no ttouch th esurfaces or protective
films wit hhar dobjects ,e.g. arin gor ic e
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage th esurfaces and protective film.
!Do no tpar kth evehicle fo ran extended
period straight after cleanin git,particularly
after havin gcleaned th ewheels wit hwhee l
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could caus e
increase dcorrosion of th ebrake discs and
brake pads/linings. Fo rthis reason ,you
Care541
Maintenance and care
Z

should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. 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 rec-
ommended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Washing the vehicle and cleaning the
paintwork
Automatic car wash
GWARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
After the vehicle has been washed, brake
carefully while paying attention to the traffic
conditions until full braking power is restored.
!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
!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.
!Vehicles with HANDS-FREE ACCESS: if a
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is within the
detection range of the KEYLESS-GO
antenna, the following situations could lead
to the unintentional opening of the trunk
lid:
Rusing a car wash
Rusing a power washer
Make sure that the SmartKey is at least
6.5 ft (2 m) away from the vehicle.
!Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts.
If you have your vehicle cleaned in a high-
pressure automatic car wash, small
amounts of water may enter the vehicle.
!Make sure that the automatic transmis-
sion is in position Nwhen washing your
vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehi-
cle could be damaged if the transmission is
in another position.
!Make sure that:
Rthe side windows and the roof are com-
pletely closed
Rthe climate control blower is switched off
Rthe windshield wiper switch is at position
0
The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car wash from the very start.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windshield and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind-
shield.
Washing by hand
In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
542Care
Maintenance and care