winter tyres MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER 2012 Owners Manual

Switching off .................................. 447
Switching on .................................. 447
Weather map (COMAND
Online) ........................................ 448, 449
Legend ........................................... 449
Showing/hiding the menu ............. 448
Switching to the weather informa- tion display .................................... 449
Website .............................................. 458
Adding to favourites ....................... 458
Wheel and tyre combinations
see Tyres
Wheel bolt tightening torque ........... 609
Wheel chock ...................................... 606
Wheels
Changing a wheel .......................... 605
Changing/replacing ....................... 605
Checking ........................................ 597
Cleaning ......................................... 570
Cleaning (warning) ......................... 606
Emergency spare wheel ................. 614
Fitting a new wheel ........................ 609
Fitting a wheel ............................... 606
Important safety notes .................. 596
Overview ........................................ 596
Removing a wheel .......................... 608
Storing ........................................... 606
Tightening torque ........................... 609
Wheel size/tyre size ...................... 610
Windows
Cleaning ......................................... 570
see Side windows
Windscreen
Demisting ...................................... 146
Windscreen washer fluid
see Windscreen washer system
Windscreen washer system
Notes ............................................. 628
Topping up ..................................... 566
Windscreen wipers
Display message ............................ 272
Problem (malfunction) ................... 138
Replacing the wiper blades ............ 136
Switching on/of f........................... 135
Winter operation
Important safety notes .................. 598
Overview ........................................ 598
Slippery road surfaces ................... 181 Snow chains .................................. 599
Winter tyres
Limiting the speed (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 242
M+S tyres ...................................... 598
Wiper blades
Cleaning ......................................... 571
Important safety notes .................. 136
Replacing ....................................... 136
Wooden trim (cleaning instruc-
tions) .................................................. 573
Workshop
see Qualified specialist workshop Z
ZONE function Switching on/of f........................... 146 30
Index

tance from the vehicle in front. Drive care-
fully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tyres and the road surface. Please pay special atten-
tion to the notes on tyres, recommended
minimum tyre tread depths etc.
(Y page 596).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
The yellow !ABS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition is switched on. It goes out when the engine is
running.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 70). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition-
ally, further driving safety systems are deac-
tivated. There is an increased danger of skid- ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
If ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 275) anddisplay messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 248).
ABS works from a speed of about
8 km/hupwards, regardless of road-surface
conditions. ABS works on slippery surfaces,
even when you only brake gently.
Brakes X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit- uation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions, and func-
tions as a reminder to take extra care while
driving. BAS (Brake Assist System)
General notes BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 70). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking. Driving safety systems
71Safety Z

brake system warning lamp in the instrument
cluster and note any brake status messages
in the multifunction display. If you regularly
drive at high speeds, it is particularly impor-
tant to have the brake system checked and
maintained regularly. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans- mission.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the maximum permissible fording depth in
still water is 12 cm
R you should drive no faster than walking
pace Winter driving
G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident. Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
! Take care not to damage the sealing strip
and the moulding on the side of the rear
window when scraping ice off the rear win-
dow.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres. Do
not use cruise control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Move the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges. The vehicle could skid if you fail to adapt your
driving style. Always adapt your driving style
and drive at a speed to suit the prevailing
weather conditions. Driving tips
181Driving and parking Z

You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around the
freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Y page 599).
For more information on driving with summer tyres, see (Y page 598).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 598). Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select a lower gear in good time. By doing so, you will make use of
the braking effect of the engine. This relieves the load on the brake system and prevents
the brakes from overheating and wearing tooquickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 30 km/h.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take road, weather and traffic
conditions into account. Cruise control is only
an aid. You are responsible for the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for
braking in good time and for maintaining lane. Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g.
heavy traffic or winding roads.
R on slippery roads. Braking or accelerating
may cause the drive wheels to lose traction
and the vehicle could then skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the stored speed.
Cruise control lever Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed and to call up
the last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
LIM indicator lamp ;on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec- ted:
R LIM indicator lamp ;
; off: cruise control
is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp ; ;on: variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected. 182
Driving systemsDriving and parking

vehicle is laden, you must select a lower gear
in good time. By doing so, you will make use of the braking effect of the engine. This relieves
the load on the brake system and prevents
the brakes from overheating and wearing too quickly.
You can set a variable or permanent limit
speed:
R variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up
areas
R permanent for long-term speed restric-
tions, e.g. when driving with winter tyres
fitted (Y page 196)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. SPEED-
TRONIC cannot take into account road,
weather or traffic conditions. SPEEDTRONIC
is only an aid. You are responsible for the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time, and for staying cor-
rectly in lane.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored. Variable SPEEDTRONIC Cruise control lever
Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed and to call up
the last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed
A To switch between cruise control or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS and variable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS and vari-
able SPEEDTRONIC.
LIM indicator lamp ;on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp ;
; off: cruise control
or DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp ; ;on: variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected.
You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the speed to any speed above 30 km/h while the engine is running. 194
Driving systemsDriving and parking

trol lever up
:past the pressure point for
a higher speed, or down ;for a lower
speed.
or X Keep the cruise control lever pressed
beyond the pressure point until the desired speed is set. Press the cruise control lever
up : for a higher speed or down ;for a
lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 km/ hincre-
ments: briefly press the cruise control
lever up :to the pressure point for a
higher speed, or down ;for a lower speed.
or X Keep the cruise control lever pressed to the
pressure point until the desired speed is
set. Press the cruise control lever up :for
a higher speed or down ;for a lower
speed.
Deactivating variable SPEEDTRONIC Cruise control lever
There are several ways to deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or
X Briefly move the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow =.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Variable SPEEDTRONIC is
deactivated.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is selec-
ted. If you depress the accelerator pedal beyond
the pressure point (kickdown), variable
SPEEDTRONIC is automatically deactivated,
but only if your current speed does not differ
by more than 20 km/hf rom the stored speed.
You will hear a warning tone if this is the case.
It is not possible to deactivate variable
SPEEDTRONIC by braking.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
Permanent SPEEDTRONIC
You can use the on-board computer to limit
the speed permanently to a value between
160 km/h(e.g. for driving on winter tyres) and the maximum speed (Y page 242).
Shortly before the stored speed is reached, it
appears in the multifunction display.
Permanent SPEEDTRONIC remains active,
even if variable SPEEDTRONIC is deactivated.
You cannot exceed the stored limit speed,
even if you depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown). HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when manoeuvring on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is cancelled and the HOLD function is deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away. 196
Driving systemsDriving and parking

X
Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings
Settings menu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Lights
Lights submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Lighting delayed sw.-off
Lighting delayed sw.-off function.
If the Lighting delayed sw.-off
Lighting delayed sw.-off func-
tion has been switched on, the vehicle inte- rior is displayed in orange in the multifunc-
tion display.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
Vehicle Setting permanent SPEEDTRONIC
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings
Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Vehicle
Vehicle submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press :or9 to select the Limit
Limit
speed (winter tyres)
speed (winter tyres) function.
You will see the current setting.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to adjust
permanent SPEEDTRONIC in increments of
ten (240 km/h 240 km/h to160 km/h
160 km/h). The Off
Offset-
ting switches permanent SPEEDTRONIC
off.
X Press the abutton to store the entry.
For further information on permanent SPEED- TRONIC (Y page 196).
Switching the automatic locking feature
on/off
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Vehicle
Vehicle submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Automatic door locks
Automatic door locks function.
When the Automatic door locks
Automatic door locks func-
tion is activated, the left-hand vehicle door is displayed in orange in the multifunction
display.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
If you activate the Automatic door locks
Automatic door locks
function, the vehicle is centrally locked above
a speed of around 15 km/h.
For further information on the automatic lock- ing feature; see (Y page 92).
Activating/deactivating the acoustic
locking confirmation
If you activate the Acoustic Lock Acoustic Lockfunction,
an acoustic signal sounds when you lock the
vehicle.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Vehicle
Vehicle submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Acoustic Lock
Acoustic Lock function.
If the Acoustic
Acoustic Lock
Lockfunction is activated,
the & symbol in the multifunction dis-
play lights up orange.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
Activating/deactivating the radar sensor
system
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Vehicle
Vehicle submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Radar sensor (See Owner's Man.)
Radar sensor (See Owner's Man.).
You will see the selected setting: on onoroff
off.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
The following systems are switched off when
the radar sensor system is deactivated:
R DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 185)
R BAS PLUS (Y page 72)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 77)
R Active Blind Spot Assist (Y page 220)242
Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays

mirrors in using button
:, they will not fold
out automatically (Y page 121).
You can then only fold out the exterior mirrors using button :.
If you have switched the function on and you fold the exterior mirrors in using the button on
the door (Y page 121), they will not fold out
automatically. The exterior mirrors can then
only be folded out using the button on the
door.
Resetting to factory settings X
Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Factory setting
Factory setting submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
The Reset all settings?
Reset all settings? message
appears.
X Press the :or9 button to select No
No
or Yes
Yes.
X Press the abutton to confirm the selec-
tion.
If you have selected Yes Yes, the multifunction
display shows a confirmation message.
For safety reasons, not all functions are reset: the Limit
Limit speed
speed(winter
(winter tyres)
tyres)function
in permanent SPEEDTRONIC can only be set
in the Vehicle
Vehicle submenu. If you want to reset
the Daytime
Daytime driving
drivinglights
lightsin theLights
Lights
submenu, you must turn the key to position 1
in the ignition lock. AMG menu in AMG vehicles
AMG displays :
Digital speedometer
; Gear indicator
= Upshift indicator
? Engine oil temperature
A Coolant temperature
B Transmission fluid temperature
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the AMG
AMG menu.
Upshift indicator UP
UP= indicates that the
engine has reached the overrevving range
when in the manual gearshift program.
Upshift indicator UP UP= fades out other
messages until you have shifted up.
If the engine oil temperature is below 80 †, oil temperature ?is shown in blue. Avoid
using the full output of the engine during
this time.
If the transmission fluid temperature is
below 50 †, oil temperature Bis shown in
blue. Avoid using the full output of the
engine during this time.
SETUP :
Drive program (C C/SS+SS+/M M)
; ESP ®
mode (ON ON/OFFOFF) or SPORT handling
mode (SPORT SPORT)
= Suspension tuning (SPORT SPORT/COMFORT COMFORT) 244
Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays

vehicle in a tow-through car wash. Other
transmission positions may lead to damage to the vehicle.
! Make sure that:
R the side windows and the roof are com-
pletely closed
R the climate control blower is switched off
R the windscreen wiper switch is at posi-
tion 0
The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
Wash off excess dirt before cleaning the vehi- cle in an automatic car wash.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe wax
off the windscreen and the wiper blades. This
will prevent smears and reduce wiping noises caused by residue on the windscreen.
Washing by hand In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements for each indi- vidual country.
X Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use a soft sponge to clean.
X Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlet.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible. High-pressure cleaning equipment G
WARNING
The water jet of circular-jet nozzles (dirt grind- ers) can cause damage not visible from the
outside to tyres or chassis components. Com-
ponents damaged in this way can unexpect-
edly fail. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have dam- aged tyres or chassis components replaced
immediately.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
30 cm between the vehicle and the high-
pressure cleaner nozzle. Information about
the correct distance is available from the
equipment manufacturer.
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door gaps, roof gaps, joints etc.
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
R trim elements
R ventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to leaks or failures.
! Vehicles with HANDS-FREE ACCESS: if a
key with KEYLESS-GO is within the detec-
tion range of the KEYLESS-GO antenna, the
following situations could lead to the unin-
tentional opening of the boot lid:
R using a car wash
R using a high-pressure cleaner
Make sure that the key is at least 2 m away
from the vehicle. Care
569Maintenance and care Z

You can recognise MOExtended tyres by the
MOExtended marking which appears on the
tyre wall. You will find this marking next to the
tyre size designation, the load-bearing capa-
city and the speed index.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with an activated tyre pressure loss
warning system or tyre pressure monitor.
If the pressure loss warning message
appears in the multifunction display:
R observe the instructions in the display mes-
sages (Y page 267).
R check the tyre for damage
R if driving on, observe the following notes
The maximum driving distance is approx-
imately 80 km when the vehicle is partially
laden and approximately 30 km when the
vehicle is fully laden.
In addition to the vehicle load, the driving dis- tance possible depends upon:
R speed
R road condition
R outside temperature
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode may be reduced by extreme driving condi-
tions/manoeuvres, or it can be increased
through a moderate style of driving.
The maximum permissible distance which
can be driven in run-flat mode is counted from
the moment the tyre pressure loss warning
appears in the multifunction display.
You must not exceed a maximum speed of
80 km/h.
i When replacing one or all tyres, make
sure that you use only:
R the tyre size specified for the vehicle and
R tyre(s) marked "MOExtended"
If a tyre has gone flat and cannot be
replaced with an MOExtended tyre, a
standard tyre may be used as a temporary
measure. Make sure that you use the
proper size and type (summer or winter
tyre). i
Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat
characteristics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT
kit is available, for example, from a qualified
specialist workshop.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When driving in emergency mode, the driving characteristics deteriorate, e.g. when corner-
ing, accelerating quickly and when braking.
There is a risk of accident.
Do not exceed the stated maximum speed.
Avoid abrupt steering and driving manoeu-
vres, and driving over obstacles (kerbs, pot-
holes, off-road). This applies in particular to a laden vehicle.
Stop driving in emergency mode if:
R you hear banging noises.
R the vehicle starts to shake.
R you see smoke and smell rubber.
R ESP ®
is intervening constantly.
R there are tears in the sidewalls of the tyre.
After driving in emergency mode, have the
wheel rims checked at a qualified specialist
workshop with regard to their further use. The
faulty tyre must be replaced. TIREFIT kit
Important safety notes TIREFIT is a tyre sealant.
You can use TIREFIT to seal punctures of up to
4 mm, particularly those in the tyre tread. You can use TIREFIT at outside temperatures
down to Ò20 †. Flat tyre
579Breakdown assistance Z