2018 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER brake

obtained at a qualified 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
HEnvironmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible man-
ner.
!When cleaning your car, do not use:
Rdry, coarse or hard cloths
Rabrasive cleaning agents
Rsolvents
Rcleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces and films with hard objects, e.g. rings or ice scrapers. Otherwise,
you may scratch or damage the surfaces and
films.
!Do not park your vehicle for a long period of
time directly after cleaning, particularly after
cleaning the wheel rim with wheel cleaner.
Wheel cleaner can lead to the increased cor-
rosion of the brake discs and pads. Therefore,
drive for a few minutes after cleaning. By
heating up the brakes, the brake discs and
pads dry. The vehicle can then be parked for a
long period of time.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents recom-
mended 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.
!When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func-
tion is activated, the vehicle brakes automat-
ically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations:
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 Cab-
riolet 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 unin-
tentional 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 transmission
is in position Nwhen washing your vehicle in
a tow-through car wash. The vehicle could be
damaged if the transmission is in another
position.
Care263
Maintenance and care
Z

!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 unin-
tentional 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.
Cleaning the paintwork
!Do not affix:
Rstickers
Rfilms
Rmagnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected by
corrosion and damage caused by inadequate
care cannot always be completely repaired. In
such cases, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
XRemove dirt immediately, where possible,
while avoiding rubbing too hard.
XSoak insect remains with insect remover and
rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
XSoak bird droppings with water and rinse off
the treated areas afterwards.
XRemove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin, oils,
fuels and greases by rubbing gently with a
cloth soaked in petroleum ether or lighter
fluid.
XUse tar remover to remove tar stains.
XUse silicone remover to remove wax.
If water no longer forms "beads" on the paint
surface, use the paint care products recommen-
ded and approved by Mercedes-Benz. This is the
case approximately every three to five months,
depending on the climate conditions and the
care product used.
If dirt has penetrated the paint surface or if the
paint has become dull, the paint cleaner recom- mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz
should be used.
Do not use these care products in the sun or on
the hood while the hood is hot.
XUse a suitable touch-up stick, e.g. MB Touch-
Up Stick, to repair slight damage to the paint-
work quickly and provisionally.
Matte finish care
!Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishing causes the finish to shine.
!The following can give the paint a glossy
appearance and thus reduce the matt effect:
RRubbing hard with unsuitable agents
RWashing the vehicle in direct sunlight
!Never use paint cleaner, buffing or polishing
products, or gloss preserver, e.g. wax, for the
purpose of paintwork care. These products
are only suitable for high-gloss surfaces. Their
use on vehicles with matte paintwork leads to
considerable surface damage or, more spe-
cifically, to shiny, spotted areas.
Always have paintwork repairs carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
!Only use automatic car washes which cor-
respond to the latest technological stand-
ards. Never use wash programs which finish
by treating the vehicle with hot wax.
Observe these notes if your vehicle has a clear
matte finish. This will help you to avoid damage
to the paintwork due to incorrect treatment.
These notes also apply to light alloy wheels with
a clear matte finish.
iUse only insect remover and car shampoo
from the range of recommended and
approved Mercedes-Benz care products.
Cleaning the decorative film
!The following may have an effect on the ser-
vice life and coloring of decorative film:
Rsunlight
Rtemperature, e.g. hot-air fan
Rweather conditions
Rstone impacts and dirt
Rchemical cleaning agents
Rgreasy substances
!Do not use any types of polish on matt dec-
orative film. Polishing surfaces covered with
film gives it a shiny finish.
!Do not treat matt or structured decorative
film with wax. This may lead to marks that
cannot be removed.
Care265
Maintenance and care
Z

Observe the notes in the section on the care and
treatment of matt paintwork (Ypage 265),
these notes also apply to matt decorative film.
To clean, use plenty of water and a mild cleaning
agent without additional or abrasive products,
e.g. a car shampoo approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
XDry vehicles covered with film using a soft,
absorbent cloth after every wash.
Water marks could otherwise form.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected by corrosion and damage caused by inadequate
care cannot always be completely repaired. In
such cases, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
XRemove dirt immediately, where possible,
while avoiding rubbing too hard.
The decorative film may be irreparably dam-
aged.
XSoak insect remains with insect remover and
rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
XSoak bird droppings with water and rinse off
the treated areas afterwards.
The cleaning product, Paint Cleaner, which has
been approved and recommended by
Mercedes-Benz, should be used when dirt has
penetrated the decorative film surface or the
decorative film has become dull.
The manufacturer can provide you with infor-
mation on special care and cleaning products.
Laminated surfaces may exhibit optical differ-
ences to surfaces which were not protected by a decorative film when the decorative film is
removed.
iHave work or repairs on decorative film car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for this
purpose.
Cleaning the vehicle parts
Cleaning the wheels
GWARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. 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 imme-
diately.
!Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
!Do not park your vehicle for a long period of
time directly after cleaning, particularly after
cleaning the wheel rim with wheel cleaner.
Wheel cleaner can lead to the increased cor-
rosion of the brake discs and pads. Therefore, drive for a few minutes after cleaning. By
heating up the brakes, the brake discs and
pads dry. The vehicle can then be parked for a
long period of time.
Cleaning the windows
GWARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
!Only fold the windshield wipers away from
the windshield when vertical. Otherwise, you
will damage the hood.
!Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows. Do
not touch the insides of the windows with
hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or ring. There
is otherwise a risk of damaging the windows.
!Clean the water drainage channels of the
windshield and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals and
pollen may under certain circumstances pre-
vent water from draining away. This can lead
to corrosion damage and damage to elec-
tronic components.
XClean the inside and outside of the windows
with a damp cloth and a cleaning product that
is recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
266Care
Maintenance and care

Do not start the vehicle using a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jumper cables.
Observe the following points:
RThe battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible, jump-
start the vehicle using a second battery or a jump-starting device.
RYou may only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust system are cold.
RDo not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
ROnly jump-start from batteries with a 12 V voltage rating.
ROnly use jumper cables which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
RIf the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected for
a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the battery slightly.
RMake sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
RThe jumper cables are not damaged.
RBare parts of the terminal clamp do not come into contact with other metal parts while the jumper
cables are connected to the battery.
RThe jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts which can move when the engine is
running, such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
XSecure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position j.
XMake sure that the ignition is switched off. All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster must be
off. When using the SmartKey, turn the SmartKey to position uin the ignition lock and remove it
(
Ypage 122).
XSwitch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window defroster, lighting, etc.
XOpen the hood.
Position number Bidentifies 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.
To expose positive terminal ;, press cover:down further.
XConnect positive terminal ;on your vehicle to positive terminal =of donor battery Busing the
jumper cable, always begin with positive terminal ;on your own vehicle first.
Jump-starting279
Breakdown assistance
Z

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 pos-
itive terminal ;and positive terminal =. Begin each time at the contacts on your own vehicle
first.
XAfter the jumper cable is removed, return cover :of positive terminal ;to the 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.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle weight
of your vehicle can be found on the vehicle iden-
tification plate (
Ypage 311).
!When Active Brake Assist, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC or the HOLD function is activated,
the vehicle brakes automatically in certain
situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
these systems in the following or similar sit-
uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could be
damaged.
!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.
!When towing away vehicles with KEYLESS-
GO, us e the key instead of the Start/Stop
button. The automatic transmission may oth- erwise shift to position jwhen you open the
driver's or front-passenger door, which could
damage the transmission.
!Make sure that the electric parking brake is
released. If the electric parking brake is faulty,
visit a qualified specialist workshop.
!The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of 30 mph
(50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
!If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehicle.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed away.
The automatic transmission must be in position
i when the vehicle is being towed away.
280Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
Rcannot turn the SmartKey to position2in
the ignition lock.
Rcannot shift the automatic transmission to
position i.
Deactivate the automatic locking feature before
the vehicle is towed (
Ypage 196). You could
otherwise be locked out when pushing or towing
the vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be very hot. There is
a risk of burns when removing the rear cover.
Do not touch the exhaust pipe. Take particular
care when removing the rear cover.
The brackets for the screw-in towing eye are
located in the bumpers. They are at the front and
at the rear, behind the covers.
XRemove the towing eye from the vehicle tool
kit (Ypage 270).
XFront bumper: insert a finger into the recess
on the bottom edge of cover :.
XPull cover:out of the bumper towards you
in the direction of the arrow.
Cover :is attached to the opening with a
strap.
XRear bumper: press the mark on cover :
inwards in the direction of the arrow.
XRemove cover :from the opening.
XScrew in the towing eye clockwise as far as it
will go and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye
XUnscrew and remove the towing eye.
XFront bumper: position cover:on the
opening in the bumper.
XTo close, press the lower section of cover :.
XRear bumper:position cover:with the tab
on the opening in the bumper.
XTo close, press the lower section of cover :
until it engages.
XPlace the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
GWARNING
You can no longer steer the vehicle if the
steering wheel lock has been engaged. There
is a risk of an accident.
Always switch off the ignition when towing the
vehicle with a tow cable or a tow bar.
The automatic transmission shifts to position
j automatically when you open the driver's or
front-passenger door or when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
In order to ensure that the automatic transmis-
sion stays in position iwhen towing away the
vehicle, you must observe the following points:
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
(Ypage 108).
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the SmartKey is in position uin the
ignition lock.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the Smart-
Key instead of the Start/Stop button
(
Ypage 122).
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
XShift the transmission to position i.
XRelease the brake pedal.
Towing and tow-starting281
Breakdown assistance
Z

XReleaseth eelectric parking brake.
XLeav eth eSmartKey in position 2in th eigni-
tion lock.
In order to signal achang eof direction when
towin gth evehicl ewit hth ehazard warning
lamp sswitched on ,use th ecombination switch
as usual. In this case, only th eindicator lamp s
for th edirection of travel flash. When you reset
th ecombination switch ,th ehazard warning
flasher sstart flashin gagain .
It is important that you observ eth esafet y
instruction swhen towin gaway your vehicl e
(
Ypage 280).
Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
!
The ignition mus tbe switched off if you are
towin gth evehicl ewit hth erear axl eraised.
Intervention by ES P
®could otherwise dam-
age th ebrak esystem.
!Vehicles wit hautomatic transmission mus t
no tbe towed wit hth erear axl eraised. The
vehicle/traile rcombination may otherwise
swerve or eve nrol lover.
Transporting the vehicle
Vehicles with automatic transmission
!When th evehicl eis loade dfor transport, th e
fron tand rear axles mus tbe stationary and on
th esam etransportation vehicle. Positioning
ove rth econnection poin tof th etranspor t
vehicl eis no tpermitted. The driv etrain may
otherwise be damaged.
All vehicles
!You may only secure th evehicl eby th e
wheels, no tby part sof th evehicl esuc has
axl eor steering components. Otherwise, th e
vehicl ecould be damaged.
The towin geye can be used to pull th evehicl e
onto atrailer or transporte rfor transporting pur-
poses.
XTurn th eSmartKey to position 2in th eigni-
tion lock.
XShift th etransmission to position i.
As soon as th evehicle ha sbeen loaded:
XPreven tth evehicl efrom rollin gaway by
applyin gth eelectric parking brake.
XShift th etransmission to position j.
XTurn theSmartKey to position uin th eigni-
tion loc kand remove it .
XSecureth evehicle.
Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
!
Vehicles wit hautomatic transmission mus t
no tbe tow-started. You could otherwise dam-
age th eautomatic transmission .
You can fin dinformation on "Jump-starting "at
(
Ypage 278).
Fuses
Important safety notes
GWARNIN G
If you manipulat eor bridge afault yfus eor if
you replace it wit h afusewit h a higher amper-
age, th eelectric cables could be overloaded.
This could result in afire. There is aris kof an
acciden tand injury.
Always replace fault yfuses wit hth especifie d
ne wfuses having th ecorrec tamperage .
Blown fuses mus tbe replace dwit hfuses of th e
sam erating ,whic hyou can recogniz eby th e
color and value .The fus erating sare listed in th e
fus eallocation chart .
282Fuses
Breakdown assistance

Important safety notes
GWARNING
If wheels and tires of th ewrong siz eare used,
th ewhee lbrakes or suspension component s
may be damaged. Ther eis aris kof an acci-
dent.
Always replace wheels and tires wit hthose
that fulfill th especification sof th eoriginal
part .
When replacing wheels, mak esur eto use th e
correct:
Rdesignation
Rmodel
When replacing tires ,mak esur eto use th e
correct:
Rdesignation
Rmanufacturer
Rmodel
GWARNIN G
A flat tire severely impairs th edriving ,steer -
ing and braking characteristics of th evehicle.
Ther eis aris kof accident.
Tires without run-flat characteristics :
Rdo notdriv ewit h a flat tire.
Rimmediately replace th eflat tire wit hyour
emergenc yspar ewhee lor spar ewheel, or
consult aqualified specialist workshop.
Tires wit hrun-flat characteristics :
Rpay attention to theinformation and warn -
ing notice son MOExtended tires (tire swit h
run-flat characteristics).
Accessories that are no tapprove dfor your vehi-
cle by Mercedes-Ben zor are no tbein gused cor-
rectl ycan impair th eoperating safety.
Before purchasing and usin gnon-approve d
accessories, visit aqualified specialist work-
sho pand ask about :
Rsuitability
Rlegal stipulation s
Rfactory recommendation sFurther information regarding wheels and tires
can be foun
dunder "Wheel/tire combinations"
(
Ypage 308).
You can ask for information regarding permitte d
wheel-tire combination sat an authorize d
Mercedes-Ben zCenter.
Information on tire pressur ecan be found:
Ron th eTir eand Loading Information placard
on th eB-pillar on th edriver' sside
(
Ypage 295)
Rin th etire pressur etable in th efuel filler flap
(Ypage 140)
Rin th e"Tir epressure" section
Operation
Information on driving
Chec kth etire pressur ewhen th evehicl eis
heavily laden and adjust prio rto atrip.
While driving ,pay attention to vibrations, noises
and unusual handlin gcharacteristics ,e.g. pull-
ing to on eside .This may indicat ethat th e
wheels or tires are damaged. If you suspec tthat
a tire is defective, reduce your spee dimmedi-
ately. Stop th evehicl eas soo nas possible to
chec kth ewheels and tires for damage. Hidden
tire damag ecould also be causing th eunusual
handlin gcharacteristics .If you fin dno sign sof
damage, hav eth etires and wheels checke dat a
qualified specialist workshop.
When parking your vehicle, mak esur ethat th e
tires do no tget deformed by th ecur bor other
obstacles. If they canno tbe avoided, driv eove r
obstacles suc has curbs slowly and at an obtuse
angle. Otherwise, you may damag eth ewheels
or tires .
Regular checking of wheels and tires
GWARNIN G
Damaged tires can caus etire inflation pres-
sur eloss .As aresult ,you could lose control of
your vehicle. Ther eis aris kof accident.
Chec kth etires regularly for sign sof damag e
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
Operation285
Wheels and tires
Z