2018 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER Owner's Manual

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

!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 position0
The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
You can clean the vehicle at an automatic car
wash from the very start.
Preferably clean the vehicle at automatic car
washes that use textile washing elements with-
out brushes. This prevents fine scratches from
forming on the paintwork and film.
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 windshield.
iVehicles with decorative film: select a wash
program without hot wax at the automatic car
wash.
Washing by hand
In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements in each country.
XDo not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
XUse a soft sponge to clean.
XUse a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
XThoroughly hose down the vehicle with a gen-
tle jet of water.
XDo not point the water jet directly towards the
air inlet or the edges of decorative foils.
XUse plenty of water and rinse out the sponge
frequently.
XRinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
XDo not let the cleaning agent dry on the paint- work or the decorative foils.
Carefully remove all deposits of road salt as
soon as possible when driving in winter.
Power washers
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.
!Vehicles with decorative foil: parts of your
vehicle are covered with decorative foil. Main-
tain a distance of at least 27.5 in (70 cm)
between the foil-wrapped parts of the vehicle
and the nozzle of the high pressure cleaner.
Information about the correct distance is
available from the equipment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around when
cleaning your vehicle.
The water temperature of the high-pressure
cleaner must not exceed 140 °F (60 °C).
!Always maintain a distance of at least
11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the
power washer nozzle. Information about the
correct distance is available from the equip-
ment manufacturer.
Move the power washer nozzle around when
cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
Rtires
Rdoor gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc.
Relectrical components
Rbattery
Rplug-type couplings
Rlights
Rseals
Rtrim
Rventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components can
lead to leaks or failures.
264Care
Maintenance and care

!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

Cleaning wiper blades
GWARNING
If the windshield wipers are set in motion
while you are cleaning the windshield, you can be trapped by the wiper arm. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield.
!Do not pull the wiper blade. Otherwise, the
wiper blade could be damaged.
!Do not clean wiper blades too often and do
not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the graph-
ite coating could be damaged. This could
cause wiper noise.
!Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if the
wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.
XFold the windshield wiper arms away from the
windshield.
XCarefully clean the wiper blades with a damp
cloth.
XFold the windshield wiper arms back again
before switching on the ignition.
Cleaning the exterior lighting
!Only use cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
which are suitable for plastic light lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
could scratch or damage the plastic light len- ses.
XClean the plastic lenses of the exterior lights
with a wet sponge and a mild cleaning agent,
e.g. Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or cleaning
cloths.
Cleaning the mirror turn signals
!Only use cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
that are suitable for plastic lenses. Unsuitable
cleaning agents or cleaning cloths could
scratch or damage the plastic lenses of the
mirror turn signals.
XClean the plastic lenses of the mirror turn sig-
nals in the exterior mirror housing using a wet
sponge and mild cleaning agent, e.g.
Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or with cleaning
cloths.
Cleaning the sensors
!If you clean the sensors with a power
washer, make sure that you keep a distance
of at least 11.8 in (30 cm)betwee nthe vehicl e
and the power washer nozzle. Information
about the correct distance is available from
the equipment manufacturer.
XClean sensors :of the driving systems with
water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.
Cleaning the rear view camera
!Do not clean the camera lens and the area
around the rear view camera with a power
washer.
XUse clean water and a soft cloth to clean
camera lens :.
Care267
Maintenance and care
Z

Cleaning the exhaust pipe
GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe and tail pipe trim can
become very hot. If you come into contact
with these parts of the vehicle, you could burn
yourself. There is a risk of injury.
Always be particularly careful around the
exhaust tail pipe and the tail pipe trim. Allow
these components to cool down before touch-
ing them.
!Do not clean the exhaust pipe with acid-
based cleaning agents, such as bathroom
cleaner or wheel cleaner.
XClean the exhaust pipe with a chrome care
product tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
Impurities combined with the effects of road grit and corrosive environmental factors may cause
flash rust to form on the surface. You can
restore the original shine of the exhaust pipe by
cleaning it regularly, especially in winter and
after washing.
268Care
Maintenance and care

Where will I find...?
Warning triangle
Removing the warning triangle
Warning triangle :is located in a bracket on
the inside of the trunk lid.
XOpen the trunk lid.
XPress catches ;in the direction of the
bracket and open the bracket in the direction
of the arrow.
XPull the retaining clip of warning triangle :in
the center of the bracket, outward.
XRemove warning triangle :from the bracket.
Setting up the warning triangle
XFold feet =down and out to the side.
XPull side reflectors ;upwards to form a tri-
angle and lock them at the top using upper
press-stud :.
First-aid kit
First-aid kit :is located in the stowage well
under the trunk floor.
XLift the trunk floor upwards (Ypage 245).
XRemove first-aid kit :.
Check the expiration date on the first-aid kit at
least once a year. Replace the contents if nec-
essary, and replace missing items.
Reflective safety jacket
Removing/replacing reflective safety
jackets
The reflective safety jackets are located in the
safety jacket compartments in the stowage
compartments of the front doors. There are also
safety jacket compartments in the stowage
compartments of the rear doors, in which reflec-
tive safety jackets can be stowed.
XTo remove: pull out safety jacket bag :with
the reflective safety jacket by the loop.
XOpen safety jacket bag :and pull out the
reflective safety jacket.
Where will I find...?269
Breakdown assistance

XTo stow:fold the reflective safety jacket, roll
it up and stow it in safety jacket bag :.
XSlide safety jacket bag:along the lower
edge of the armrest into the safety jacket
compartment. Meanwhile, ensure that
loop ;hangs out well within reach.
iRemove a new reflective safety jacket from
its packaging material before sliding it into
the safety jacket compartment. The packag-
ing material may otherwise cause it to slip out
or make removing it difficult.
Observe the legal requirements in each country.
Notes on the reflective safety jacket
:Maximum number of washes
;Maximum wash temperature
=Do not bleach
?Do not iron
ADo not use a laundry dryer
BDo not dry-clean
CThis is a class 2 vest
RThe reflective safety jackets meet the require-
ments defined by the legal standard only if:
-the correct size is used and
-the reflective safety jacket is correctly fas-
tened
RBefore use, ensure that the reflective safety
jacket is clean and intact. The special prop-
erties may otherwise be compromised.
RThe reflective safety jackets should be stored
in their original packaging in a dry place away
from sources of heat and light.
RThe maximum number of washes specified is not the only factor influencing the life span of
the reflective safety jackets. Their life span
also depends on use, care, storage, etc.
RThe reflective safety jackets should be dis-
posed of and replaced with new ones:
-after 15 washes, and/or
-if the reflective strips have become
scratched, and/or
-if the backing material and/or reflective
strips have become soiled and cannot be
cleaned off, and/or
-the reflective safety jacket's fluorescence
has faded, e.g. due to the effects of sunlight
RDispose of the reflective safety jacket in an
environmentally responsible manner. To do
so, contact yo ur l
ocal waste disposal com-
pany.
Vehicle tool kit
General notes
The towing eye is located in the trunk in a
bracket below the trunk lid lock.
If your vehicle is equipped with a TIREFIT kit, it is
located in the stowage space under the trunk
floor.
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit
The TIREFIT kit is located in the stowage well
under the trunk floor (Ypage 245).
:Towing eye
;Tire sealant filler bottle
=Fuse allocation chart
?Tire inflation compressor
AStowage tray opening
XTo remove towing eye :raise the opening on
stowage tray A.
XUse the TIREFIT kit (Ypage 272).
270Where will I find...?
Breakdown assis tance