Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL 1988 User manual

Owner’s Manual
420 SEL
560 SEL
560 SEC
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What You Should Know
at the Gas Station
See last page
Drive Sensibly - Save Fuel
Fuel consu ption, to a great extent,
depends on driving habits and operat
ing conditions.
To save fuel you should:
• keep tires at the reco ended
inflation pressures
• re ove unnecessary loads
• re ove ski racks or roof- ounted
luggage racks when not in use
• allow engine to war up under low
load use
• avoid frequent acceleration and
deceleration
• have all aintenance work per
for ed at regular intervals by an
authorized MERCEDES-BENZ
dealer.
Fuel consu ption is also increased
by driving in cold weather, in stop-
and-go traffic, on short trips and in
hilly country.

Owner’s Manual
\
420 SEL
560 SEL
560 SEC
Model 126
1988

Printed in Germany
We reserve the right to odify the technical details of the vehicle as given in the data
and illustrations of this Owner’s Manual (s.e.e.o.). Reprinting, translation and copying,
even of excerpts, is not per itted without our prior authorization in writing.
ZKD / 8.87.15 / MD

O u r co pany and staff congratulate you on the purchase of your
new MERCEDES-BENZ.
Your selection of our product is de onstration of your trust in our
co pany na e. Further, it exe plifies your desire to own an
auto obile that will be as easy as possible to operate and provide
years of service.
Your MERCEDES-BENZ represents the efforts of any skilled
engineers and crafts en. To ensure your pleasure of ownership,
we ask you to ake a s all invest ent of your ti e:
• Please read this anual carefully before putting it aside.
• Please considerthe reco endations contained in this
anual. They are designed to acquaint you with the operation
of your MERCEDES-BENZ.
We extend our best wishes for any iles of safe, pleasurable
driving.
Dai ler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft

Introduction
This Owner’s Manual contains a great deal of useful
infor ation. We urge you to read it carefully and
fa iliarize yourself with the vehicle before driving.
For your own safety and longer service life of the vehicle,
we urge you to follow the instructions and warnings.
Ignoring the could result in da age to the vehicle or
personal injury.
Your vehicle ay have so e or all of the equip ent
described. Therefore, you ay find explanations of
equip ent not installed in your vehicle. If you have any
questions about the operation of any equip ent, your
authorized MERCEDES-BENZ dealer will be glad to
de onstrate the proper procedures.
Owner’s Service and Warranty Policy
The Owner’s Service and Warranty Policy Booklet con
tains detailed infor ation about the warranties covering
your MERCEDES-BENZ, including:
• New Car Li ited Warranty
• E ission Syste Warranty
• E ission Perfor ance Warranty
• California E ission Control Syste
Warranty (California Only)
4
Maintenance
The Maintenance Booklet describes all the necessary
aintenance work which should be perfor ed at regular
intervals.
Always have the Maintenance Booklet with you when
you take the vehicle to your authorized MERCEDES-
BENZ dealer for service. The Service Advisor will record
each service.
Roadside Assistance
Although your Mercedes-Benz is built to be as trouble-
free as possible, a Roadside Assistance Progra is avail
able to provide e ergency roadside service after nor al
dealer hours and on weekends and holidays in the
contiguous United States.
Roadside Assistance is available Monday through Friday
fro 5:00 PM to 12:00 Midnight and on Saturday, Sun
day and legal holidays fro 8:00 AM to 12:00 Midnight.
In the event of a breakdown during these hours,
telephone this toll-free nu ber: 1-800-222-0100.
For additional infor ation, refer to the Mercedes-Benz
Roadside Assistance Progra Booklet in your glove
co part ent.

Change o Address or Ownership
If you change your address, be sure to send in the
“Change of Address Notice” found in the Owner’s
Service and Warranty Policy Booklet. It is in your own
interest that we can contact you should the need arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave all owner’s litera
ture with the vehicle to ake it available to the next
owner.
If you bought this vehicle used, be sure to send in the
“Notice of Purchase of Used Car” found in the Owner’s
Service and Warranty Policy Booklet.
Operating Your Vehicle Outside the U.S.A. or Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in foreign countries,
please be aware that:
• unleaded fuels for vehicles with catalytic converters
ay not be available; the use of leaded fuels will
da age the catalysts,
• fuel ay have a considerably lower octane rating, and
i proper fuel can cause engine da age,
• service facilities or replace ent parts ay not be
readily available.
Certain Mercedes-Benz odels are available for delivery
in Europe under our European Delivery Progra . For
details, consult your authorized MERCEDES-BENZ
dealer or write to:
Mercedes-Benz of North A erica, Inc.
European Delivery Depart ent
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645
In Canada write to:
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Depart ent
849 Eglinton Avenue East
Toronto, Ontario M4G 2L5
5

Optional equipment is also described in this manual, includ
ing operating instructions wherever necessary. Since they
are special-order items, the descriptions and illustrations
herein may vary slightly rom the actual equipment o your
vehicle.
I there are any equipment details that are not shown or
described in this Owner’s Manual, your authorized
MERCEDES-BENZ dealer will be glad to in orm you o
correct care and operating procedures.
The Owner’s Manual and Maintenance Booklet are important
documents and should be kept with the vehicle.
6

Instruments and Controls, Starting the Engine
Driving Instructions, Service and Maintenance
Operation
Driving
Practical Hints
Technical Data
Fuels, Coolants, Lubricants, etc.
Consumer In ormation
Index

Check Regularly and
Be ore a Long Trip
See page 116
The First 1500 km (1000 Miles)
The ore cautiously you treat your
vehicle during the break-in period, the
ore satisfied you will be with its per
for ance later on. Therefore, drive
your vehicle during the first 1500 k
(1000 iles) at oderate vehicle and
engine speeds.
During this period, avoid heavy loads
(full throttle driving) and high RPM
(no ore than 2A of axi u per
issible speed in each gear).
Avoid accelerating by kickdown. It is
not reco ended to brake the
vehicle by anually shifting to a
lower gear. We reco end to select
positions “3” or “2” only at oderate
speeds (for hill driving).
After 1500 k (1000 iles) speeds
ay gradually be increased to the
per issible axi u .
8