Mercedes-Benz 380 SL User manual

Owner’s
Manual 380 SL
380 SLC

Drive Sensibly - Save Fuel
Fuel consump ion depends o a
grea ex en on driving habi s and
opera ing condi ions.
In order o save fuel you should:
• ensure ha ire pressures are
correc
• no carry unnecessary loads
• remove ski racks or roof-
moun ed luggage racks when
no in use
• no warm up your engine a idle
and wi h he vehicle a s ands ill
• avoid frequen accelera ion and
decelera ion
• avoid frequen braking
• avoid unnecessarily high speeds
• have all he main enance jobs
specified by us carried ou a
regular in ervals by a
MERCEDES-BENZ service
s a ion.
Driving in low empera ure wea her,
in s op-and-go ci y raffic and on
shor hops, and in hilly coun ry also
increases fuel consump ion.

380 SL
380 SLC
Type 107
1981

You have chosen o drive a MERCEDES-BENZ, a car in whose
cons ruc ion and produc ion we have aken grea pains because we
believe ha quali y is no a ma er of chance.
Perhaps you have already had experience wi h a MERCEDES,
maybe his is your firs car from he DAIMLER-BENZ company. In
bo h cases - for your own benefi - please read his owner’s
manual before pu ing i away. Even hough you have been driving a
car for years, some hings in his car may be new o you, and his
manual cer ainly con ains a few hin s which will help you o make
he mos of your new car.
We wish you safe and pleasan mo oring.
DAIMLER-BENZ Ak iengesellschaf
3

Contents
This Owner’s Manual also
describes optional extras as far as
an introduction on their handling
is required. As these extras need
to be ordered separately, the
equip ent of your vehicle ay
deviate fro the descriptions and
illustrations to so e extent.
The las page
Wha you should know a he
gas s a ion
4
Vehicle Operation
Ins rumen s and Con rols 8
Ins rumen Clus er ....................... 10
Keys, D oors .................................... 12
Ra Key, Mas er Key
and Supplemen ary Key 12
Ob aining Replacemen Keys . 12
Opening, Locking and
Unlocking of Doors ................. 12
Mas er Lock Sys em ................ 13
Sea s ............................................... 14
Adjus men of Driver’s Sea
and Fron Passenger Sea 14
Safe y Headres ......................... 15
Sea Hea er .............................. 15
Safe y Bel s ................................ 16
Con rols ......................................... 18
S eering L ock ............................ 18
Ligh ing Swi ch ......................... 19
Combina ion Sw i ch .................. 20
Cruise Con rol ........................... 21
Au oma ic Clima e Con rol 22
Various Equipmen
........................ 25
In erior Lamps ............................ 25
Rear View M irrors ...................... 25
Sun V isor.................................... 25
Ligh er ......................................... 26
Hea ed Rear Window ................. 26
Shelf below Rear W indow 26
Elec ric Window Lif ers 27
Roads er Top ................................ 28
Hard op ......................................... 29
Sliding R oof .................................. 30
Radio ............................................. 31
Driving
Hood ............................................. 40
Parking Brake ............................... 40
Regular Inspec ions ...................... 41
Ca aly ic Conver er Cau ions ... 42
S ar ing and Turning
off he Engine ............................... 43
S ar ing and Shif ing Gears 44
Safe Driving .................................. 46
Brake Pad Wear Indica or
Lamp ............................................ 47
Brake Fluid ............................... 47
Charge Indica or Lamp 47
Oil Pressure Gauge .................. 48
Coolan Tempera ure Gauge . 48
Emission Con rol ...................... 48
Engine Oil Consump ion ......... 48
The Firs 1500 km/1000 Miles .. 49
Driving Economically .................. 49
Gauge for Economical
Driving (ECONOMY) .................. 49
Special Opera ing Condi ions ... 49
Win er Driving ........................... 49
Hin s for Driving ....................... 50
Tire Chains ............................... 50
Traveling Abroad ...................... 50

Contents
Vehicle Care
MERCEDES-BENZ Main enance
Sys em ......................................... 52
Severe Opera ing Condi ions . 52
Engine Oil Change and Fil er
Change ...................................... 53
Au oma ic Transmission-
Fluid and Fil er Change ........... 53
Spare Par s Service ...................... 53
Cleaning and Care of he Vehicle 54
Jobs rela ed o Care ................. 55
Practical Hints
Ash rays ...................................... 58
Rear Sea Cushion ........................ 58
Firs Aid Ki .................................. 59
Luggage or Ski Racks .................. 59
Spare Wheel, Jack,
Vehicle Tool Ki ........................... 59
Wheels, Tires,
Changing Wheels .......................... 60
Wheels, Tires ........................ 60
Changing Wheels ...................... 61
Tire Infla ion Pressure ............... 62
Checking Fuels, Coolan s,
Lubrican s, e c ................................. 63
Engine Oil Level Check ........... 63
Checking Coolan Level 64
Au oma ic Transmission
Fluid Level ................................ 65
Elec rical Sys em ............................ 66
Replacing Bulbs ........................ 66
Fuses .......................................... 70
Ba ery ...................................... 70
Spark Plugs ............................... 70
Sliding Roof-Emergency
Opera ion ...................................... 71
Unlocking of he Filler Rap ......... 71
Emergency-s ar ing and Towing
he Vehicle .................................... 72
Jump S ar ing ................................. 73
Technical Data - Fuels,
Coolants, Lubricants, etc.
Iden ifica ion Pla es ........................ 76
Vehicle Da a C ards ........................ 77
Warran y Coverage ........................ 77
Technical Da a ............................... 78
Fuels, Coolan s, Lubrican s, e c. 80
Capaci ies ................................. 80
Engine Oils ................................. 82
Brake Ruid ................................. 82
Coolan s .................................... 83
Service Li era ure .......................... 84
Vehicle Operation
Driving
Vehicle Care
Practical Hints
Technical Data - Fuels,
Coolants, Lubricants, etc.
5

Vehicle Opera ion

nstruments and Controls
For ore detailed descriptions see quoted pages.
1 Swivelling side ven ila ion ou le s (page 22)
2 Con rol lever for side ven ila ion (page 22)
3 Parking brake release bu on (page 40)
4 Hood release lever (page 40)
5 Parking brake pedal (page 40)
6 Combina ion swi ch (page 20)
7 Ligh ing swi ch (page 19)
8 Ins ruc ion ag (excep ouris vehicle).
Use only unleaded gasoline
9 Cruise con rol (page 21)
10 Ins rumen clus er (page 10)
11 Horn con rol
12 S eering lock wi h igni ion/s ar er
swi ch (page 18)
13 Swivelling ou le s for cooled air (page 22)
14 380 SL: Swi ch for fron dome lamps
380 SLC: Swi ch for rear dome lamp
15 Swi ch for au oma ic an enna (page 33)
16 Swi ch for hea ed rear window (page 26)
17 380 SLC: Swi ch for elec ric sliding roof
(page 30)
18 Radio (page 31)
19 Au oma ic clima e con rol (page 22)
20 Ash ray wi h ligh er (page 26, 58)
21 Swi ch for lef fron sea hea er (page 15)
22 Swi ch for righ fron sea hea er (page 15)
23 380 SLC: Loudspeaker - fader con rol
24 Swi ch group for window lif ers (page 27)
25 Hazard warning flasher swi ch
Push swi ch = hazard warning flasher sys em
swi ched on
Push swi ch once more = hazard warning
flasher sys em swi ched off
26 Glove compar men ( o open, shif handle
sideways). Only illumina ed if s eering lock is
in posi ion “1” or “2”.
27 Loudspeaker cover, righ and lef