2018 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS Owners Manual

Protecting the environment
General notes
H Environmental note
Daimler's declared policy is one of compre-
hensive environmental protection.
The objectives are for the natural resources
that form the basis of our existence on this
planet to be used sparingly and in am anner
that takes the requirements of both nature
and humanity into account.
You too can help to protect the environment
by operating your vehicle in an environmen-
tally responsible manner.
Fuel consumption and the rate of engine,
transmission, brake and tire wear are affected
by these factors: R
operating condition sofy our vehicleR
your personal driving style
You can influence both factors. You should
bear the following in mind:
Operating conditions: R
avoid short trips as these increase fuel con-
sumption. R
always make sure that the tire pressures
are correct. R
do not carry any unnecessary weight. R
remove roof racks once you no longer need
them. R
ar egularly serviced vehicle will contribute
to environmental protection. You should
therefore adhere to the service intervals. R
always have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Personal driving style: R
do not depress the accelerator pedal when
startin gt he engine.R
do not warm up the engine when the vehicle
is stationary. R
drive carefully and maintain as afe distance
from the vehicle in front. R
avoid frequent, sudden acceleration and
braking. R
change gear in good time and use each gear
only up to

systems, e.g. the brake system. Use only genu-
ine Mercedes-Benz parts or parts of equa lq ual-
ity. Only use tires, wheels and accessories that
have been specifically approved for your vehi-
cle.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts are subject to
strict quality control. Every part has been spe-
cifically developed ,m anufactured or selected
for and adapted to Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Therefore, only genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
should be used.
More than 300,000 different genuine
Mercedes-Benz parts are available for
Mercedes-Benz models.
All authorized Mercedes-Benz Centers maintain
as upply of genuine Mercedes-Benz parts for
necessary service and repair work. In addition,
strategically located parts delivery centers pro-
vide quick and reliable parts service.
Always specify the vehicle identification number
(VIN) when ordering genuine Mercedes-Benz
parts ( Y
page 289).
Operator's Manual
Vehicle equipment
i This Operator's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment of
your vehicle available at the time of going to
print. Country-specific differences are possi-
ble. Bear in mind that your vehicle may not
feature all functions described here. This also
applies to safety-relevant systems and func-
tions. The equipment in your vehicle may
therefore differ from that shown in the
descriptions and illustrations.
The original purchase agreement lists all sys-
tems installed in your vehicle.
Should you have any questions concerning
equipment and operation, please consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The Operator's Manual and Maintenance Book-
let are important documents and should be kept
in the vehicle.
Service and vehicl eo peration
Warranty
The implied warranty for your vehicle applies in
accordance with the warranty terms and condi- tions in the Service and Warranty Information
booklet.
Your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
replace and repair all factory-installe dp arts in
accordance with the following warranty terms
and conditions: R
New Vehicle Limited Warranty R
Emission System Warranty R
Emission Performance Warranty R
California, Connecticut ,M aine, Massachu-
setts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island
and Vermont Emission Control System War-
ranty R
State warranty enforcemen tl aws (lemon
laws)
Replacement parts and accessories are covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Parts and Accessories
warranties. These are available at any author-
ized Mercedes-Benz Center.
i Should you lose your Service and Warranty
Information booklet, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center arrange for ar eplace-
ment. The new Service and Warranty Infor-
mation booklet will be posted to you.
Information for customers in Califor-
nia Under California law you may be entitled to a
replacement of your vehicle or ar efund of the
purchase price or lease price, if after ar eason-
able number of repair attempts Mercedes-Benz
USA, LLC and/or its authorized repair or service
facilities fail to fix one or more substantial
defects or malfunctions in the vehicle that are
covered by its express warranty.
During the period of 18 months from original
delivery of the vehicle or the accumulation of
18,000 miles (approximately 29,000 km) on the
odometer of the vehicle, whichever occurs first,
ar easonable number of repair attempts is pre-
sumed for ar etail buye rorl essee if one or more
of the following occurs:
(1) the same substantial defect or malfunction
results in ac ondition that is likely to cause
death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is
driven, that defect or malfunction has been
subject to repair two or more times, and you24
Service and vehicl eo peration
Introduction

have directly notified Mercedes-Ben zU SA,
LLC in writing of the need for its repair.
(2) the same substantial defect or malfunction
of al ess serious nature than category (1)
has been subject to repair four or more
times and you have directly notified
Mercedes-Ben zinw riting of the need for its
repair.
(3) the vehicle is out of service by reason of
repair of the same or different substantial
defects or malfunctions for ac umulative
total of more than 30 calendar days.
Please send your written notice to:
Mercedes-Ben zU SA, LLC
Customer Assistanc eC enter
3M ercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
Maintenance The Service and Warranty Booklet describes all
the necessary maintenanc ew ork which should
be done at regular intervals.
Always have the Service and Warranty Booklet
with you when you bring the vehicle to an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zC enter. The service
advisor will record every service for you in the
Service and Warranty Booklet.
Roadside Assistance The Mercedes-Ben zR oadside Assistanc eP ro-
gram offers technical help in the event of a
breakdown. Call stot he toll-free Roadside Assis-
tance Hotline are answered by our agents 24
hours ad ay, 365 days ay ear.
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372)
(USA)
1-800-387-0100 (Canada)
For additional information, refer to the
Mercedes-Ben zR oadside Assistanc eP rogram
brochure (USA) or the "Roadside Assistance"
section in the Service and Warranty booklet
(Canada). You will find both in your vehicle lit-
erature portfolio. Change of address or change of own-
ership In the event of ac hange of address, please send
us the "Notification of Address Change" in the
Service and Guarantee booklet or simply call the
Mercedes-Ben zC ustomer Assistanc eC enter
(USA) at the hotline number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service Center (Canada )a t
1-800-387-0100 .T his will assist us in contact-
ing you in at imely manner should the need arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave the entire
literature in the vehicle so that it is available to
the next owner.
If you have purchased au sed car, please send us
the "Notification of Used Car Purchase" in the
Service and Guarantee booklet or simply call the
Mercedes-Ben zC ustomer Assistanc eC enter
(USA) at the hotline number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service (Canada )a t1 -800-387-0100.
Vehicle operation outside the USA
and Canada If you plan to operate your vehicle in foreign
countries, please be aware that: R
service facilities or replacement parts may
not be readily available. R
unleaded fuel for vehicles with ac atalytic
converter may not be available. Leaded fuel
may cause damage to the catalytic converter. R
the fuel may have ac onsiderably lower octane
rating. Unsuitable fuel can cause engine dam-
age.
Some Mercedes-Ben zm odels are available for
delivery in Europe through our European Deliv-
ery Program. For details, consult an authorized
Mercedes-Ben zC enter or write to one of the
following addresses.
In the USA
Mercedes-Ben zU SA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Mercedes-Ben zC anada ,I nc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9Service and vehicl eo peration 25
Introduction Z

Operating safety
Important safet yn otes
G WARNING
If you do not have the prescribed service/
maintenanc ew ork or any required repairs
carried out, this can result in malfunctions or
system failures. There is ar isk of an accident.
Always have the prescribed service/mainte-
nanc ew ork as well as any required repairs
carried out at aq ualified specialist workshop.
G WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system. There is ar isk
of fire.
When driving off road or on unpaved roads,
chec kt he vehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove parts of plants or other
flammable materials which have become
trapped. In the case of damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
G WARNING
Modifications to electronic components, their
software as well as wiring can impair their
function and/or the function of other net-
worked components. In particular, systems
relevant to safety could also be affected. As a
result, these may no longer function as inten-
ded and/or jeopardiz et he operatin gs afety of
the vehicle. There is an increased risk of an
acciden ta nd injury.
Never tamper with the wiring as well as elec-
tronic component sort heir software. You
should have all work to electrical and elec-
tronic equipment carried out at aq ualified
specialist workshop. ! There is ar isk of damage to the vehicle if: R
the vehicle becomes stuck ,e .g. on ah igh
curb or an unpaved road R
you drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb, as peed bump or ap othole in the roadR
ah eavy objec ts trikes the underbody or
parts of the chassis
In situation sl ike this, the body, the under-
body, chassis parts, wheels or tires could be
damaged without the damage being visible.
Components damaged in this way can unex-
pectedly fail or, in the case of an accident, no
longer withstand the loads they are designed
to.
If the underbody paneling is damaged, com-
bustible materials such as leaves, grass or
twigs can gather between the underbody and
the underbody paneling. If these materials
come in contact with hot parts of the exhaust
system, they can catc hf ire.
In such situations, have the vehicle checked
and repaired immediately at aq ualified spe-
cialist workshop. If on continuin gy our jour-
ney you notice that driving safety is impaired,
pull over and stop the vehicle immediately,
paying attention to road and traffic condi-
tions. In such cases, consult aq ualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Declarations of conformity
Vehicle components which receive
and/or transmit radio waves USA: "The wireless devices of this vehicle com-
ply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is
subject to the two following two conditions :1 )
These devices may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and 2) These devices must accept any
interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation .C hanges
or modifications not expressly approved by the
party responsible for complianc ec ould void the
user’s authorit ytoo perate the equipment."
Canada: "The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Industry Canada license-exempt
RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions :( 1) These devices may
not cause interference, and (2) These devices
must accept any interference, including inter-
ference that may cause undesired operation of
the device."26
Operating safety
Introduction

Diagnostics connection The diagnostic sc onnectio niso nl yi ntende df or
th ec onnectio nofd iagnostic equipmen tata
qualified specialis tw orkshop .
G WARNING
If you connec te quipmen ttoad iagnostic s
connection in th ev ehicle, it may affec tt he
operation of vehicle systems .Asar esult ,t he
operatin gs afet yo ft he vehicle could be affec -
ted. There is ar is kofana ccident.
Only connec te quipmen ttoad iagnostic sc on -
nection in th ev ehicle, whic hisa pproved fo r
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
G WARNING
Objects in th ed river's footwell may restric t
th ec le aranc ea round th ep edals or bloc ka
depressed pedal. Thi sj eo pardizes th eo per-
atin ga nd road safet yo ft he vehicle. There is a
ris kofana ccident.
Stow all objects securely in th ev ehicle so that
they do no tg et into th ed river's footwell.
Whe nu sin gf loormat sorc arpets, mak es ur e
that they are properly secure dsot ha tt he yd o
no ts lip or obstruct th ep edals. Do no tp lac e
severa lf loormat sorc arpet sont op of on e
another.
! If th ee ng in eiss witched of fa nd equipmen t
on th ed iagnostic sc onnectio nisu sed ,t he
starter battery may discharge.
Connectin ge quipmen ttot he diagnostic sc on -
nection can lead to emission sm onitor in gi nfor -
mation bein gr eset ,f or example. Thi sm ay lead
to th ev ehicle failin gtom ee tt he requirements of
th en ex te mission st es td urin gt he main inspec-
tion .
Qualified specialist workshop
An authorized Mercedes-Ben zC ente risaq uali-
fie ds pecialis tw orkshop .Ith as th en eces sary
specialis tk no wledge ,t oo ls and qualification st o
correctl yc arry out th ew or kr equire dony our
vehicle. Thi sise specially th ec as ef or wor kr el -
evant to safety.
Observ et he note sint he Maintenance Booklet . Always hav et he followin gw or kc arrie do ut at an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zC enter:R
wor kr elevant to safet yR
servic ea nd maintenance wor kR
repair wor k R
alterations, installation wor ka nd modifica-
tion s R
wor kone lectronic component s
Correct us eIf you remov ea ny warnin gs tickers, you or oth-
ers could fail to recogniz ec ertai nd angers.
Leave warnin gs ticker sinp osition .
Observ et he followin gi nformati on when drivin g
your vehicle: R
th es afet yn otes in this manual R
technical dat af or th ev ehicleR
traffic rule sa nd regulation sR
laws and safet ys ta ndard sp ertainin gtom otor
vehicles
Problem sw it hy ou rv ehicleIf you should experience ap roblem wit hy our
vehicle, particularly on et ha ty ou believe may
affec ti ts saf eo peration ,weu rg ey ou to contact
an authorized Mercedes-Ben zC ente ri mmedi-
ately to hav et he problem diagnosed and recti -
fied. If th ep roblem is no tr esolved to your sat -
isfaction ,p lease discus st he problem again wit h
an authorized Mercedes-Ben zC ente ro r, if nec-
essary, contact us at on eoft he followin g
addresses.
In th eU SA
Customer Assistanc eC ente r
Mercedes-Ben zU SA ,L LC
3M ercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canad a
Customer Relation sD ep artmen t
Mercedes-Ben zC anada, Inc.
98 Vanderhoo fA venu e
Toronto ,O ntar io M4 G4 C9
Reporting safet yd efect s
US Ao nl y:Operating safety 27
Introduction Z

The following text is published as required of
manufacturers under Title 49, Code of U.S. Fed-
eral Regulations, Part 575 pursuant to the
"National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of
1966".
If you believe that your vehicle has ad efect
which could cause ac rash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA )ina ddition to notifying Mercedes-Benz
USA ,L LC.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints ,itm ay
open an investigation, and if it finds that as afety
defect exists in ag roup of vehicles, it may order
ar ecall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA
cannot become involved in individual problems
between you, your dealer, or Mercedes-Benz
USA ,L LC.
To contact NHTSA ,y ou may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotlin et oll-free at
1-888-327-4236(TTY: 1-800-424-9153 ); go to
http://www.safercar.gov ;orw rite to: Admin-
istrator ,N HTSA ,4 00 Sevent hS treet, SW.,
Washington ,DC2 0590.
You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov
Limited Warranty
! Observe the notes in this Operator's Manual
regarding the correc to peration of your vehi-
cle and possible damage to the vehicle. Dam-
age to the vehicle which is caused by violation
of these notes is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz implied warranty or the new
or used-vehicle warranty.
QR codes for the rescue card
The QR codes are secured in the fuel filler flap
and on the opposite side on the B-pillar. In the
event of an accident ,r escue services can use
the QR code to quickly find the appropriate res-
cue card for your vehicle. The current rescue
card contains the most important information
about your vehicle in ac ompact form, e.g. the
routing of the electric cables.
You can find more information under http://
portal.aftersales.i.daimler.com/public/ content/asportal/en/communication/
informationen_fuer/QRCode.html.
Data stored in the vehicle
Data storage Aw ide range of electronic components in your
vehicle contain data memories.
These data memories temporarily or perma-
nently store technical information about: R
vehicle's operating state R
incidents R
malfunctions
In general, this technical information docu-
ment st he state of ac omponent, am odule, a
system or the surroundings.
These include, for example: R
operating conditions of system components,
e.g. fluid levels R
the vehicle's status messages and those of its
individual components, e.g. number of wheel
revolutions/speed, deceleration in move-
ment ,l ateral acceleration, accelerator pedal
position R
malfunction sa nd defects in important system
components, e.g. lights, brakes R
vehicle reaction sa nd operating conditions in
special driving situations, e.g. air bag deploy-
ment ,i ntervention of stability control sys-
tems R
ambient conditions, e.g. outside temperature
This data is of an exclusively technical nature
and can be used to: R
assist in recognizing and rectifying malfunc-
tions and defects R
analyze vehicle functions, e.g. after an acci-
dent R
optimize vehicle function
The data cannot be used to trace the vehicle's
movements.
When your vehicle is serviced, technical infor-
mation can be read from the event data memory
and malfunction data memory.
Services include, for example: R
repair services R
service processes R
warranties R
quality assurance28
Data stored in the vehicle
Introduction

The vehicle is read out by employees of the ser-
vice network (including the manufacturer) using
special diagnostic testers. More detailed infor-
mation is obtained from it, if required.
After am alfunction has been rectified, the infor-
mation is deleted from the malfunction memory
or is continually overwritten.
When operating the vehicle, situations are con-
ceivable in which this technical data, in connec-
tion with other information (if necessary, under
consultation with an authorized expert), could
be traced to ap erson.
Examples include: R
accident reports R
damage to the vehicle R
witness statements
Further additional functions that have been con-
tractually agreed upon with the customer allow
certain vehicle data to be conveyed by the vehi-
cle as well. The additional functions include, for
example, vehicle location in case of an emer-
gency.
COMAND/mbrace (Canada: TELEAID) If the vehicle is equipped with COMAND or
mbrace, additional data about the vehicle's
operation, the use of the vehicle in certain sit-
uations, and the location of the vehicle may be
compiled through COMAND or the mbrace sys-
tem.
For additional information please refer to the
COMAND User Manual or the Digital Operator's
Manual and/or the mbrace Terms and Condi-
tions.
Event dat ar ecordersThis vehicle is equipped with an event data
recorder (EDR). This vehicle is equipped with an
event data recorder (EDR). The main purpose of
an ED Ristor ecord, in certain crash or near
crash-lik es ituations, such as an air bag deploy-
ment or hittin gar oad obstacle, data that will
assist in understanding how av ehicle's systems
performed. The ED Risd esigned to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems
for as hort period of time, typically 30 seconds
or less. The ED Rint his vehicle is designed to record
such data as: R
How various systems in your vehicle were
operating R
Whether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened R
How far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal and R
How fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide ab etter under-
standin goft he circumstances in which acci-
dents and injuries occur. NOTE: ED Rd ata are
recorded by your vehicle only if an on-trivial
crash situation occurs; no data is recorded by
the ED Ru nder normal driving conditions and no
personal data (e.g. name, gender, age and acci-
dent location) are recorded. However, other par-
ties, such as law enforcement could combine
ED Rd ata with the type of personally identifying
data routinely acquired during ac rash investi-
gation.
Access to the vehicle and/or the ED Risn eeded
to read data that is recorded by the EDR, and
special equipment is required. In addition to the
vehicle manufacturer, other parties that have
the special equipment, such as law enforce-
ment ,c an read the information by accessing the
vehicle or the EDR.
ED Rd ata may be used in civil and criminal mat-
ters as at ool in accident reconstruction, acci-
dent claims and vehicle safety. Sinc et he Crash
Data Retrieval CDR tool that is used to extract
data from the ED Risc ommercially available,
Mercedes-Benz USA ,L LC ("MBUSA") expressly
disclaims any and all liability arising from the
extraction of this information by unauthorized
Mercedes-Benz personnel.
MBUSA will not share ED Rd ata with others
without the consen toft he vehicle owners or, if
t he vehicle is leased, without the consen toft he
lessee. Exceptions to this representation
include responses to subpoenas by law enforce-
ment ;byf ederal, state or local government; in
connection with or arising out of litigation involv-
ing MBUSA or its subsidiaries and affiliates; or,
as required by law.
Warning: The ED Risac omponent of the
Restraint System Module. Tampering with, alter-
ing, modifying or removing the ED Rc omponent
may result in am alfunction of the Restraint Sys-
tem Module and other systems.
Stat el aws or regulations regarding EDRs that
conflict with federal regulation are pre-empted.Data stored in the vehicle 29
Introduction Z

This means that in the event of such conflict, the
federal regulation governs .AsofF ebruary 2013,
13 states have enacted laws relating to EDRs.
Information on copyright
General information Information on license for free and open-source
software used in your vehicle and its electronic
components is availabl eont he following web-
site:
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/opensource30
Information on copyright
Introduction