engine MERCEDES-BENZ SLK CLASS 2005 User Guide

36 Getting startedUnlocking
For information on starting the engine, see
(page 47).
iWhen you switch on ignition, the indi-
cator and warning lamps (except high
beam headlamp indicator lamp and
turn signal indicator lamps unless acti-
vated) in the instrument cluster come
on. This indicates that the respective
system is operational. The indicator
and warning lamps (except high beam
headlamp indicator lamp and turn sig-
nal indicator lamps if activated) should
go out when the engine is running.iVehicles with automatic transmission*:
The SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in positionP.
!If the SmartKey cannot be turned in the
starter switch, the vehicle battery may
not be sufficiently charged.

Check the vehicle battery and
charge it if necessary (
page 396).


Get a jump start (
page 399).
To prevent accelerated vehicle battery
discharge or a completely discharged
vehicle battery, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch when
the engine is not in operation.

47 Getting started
Driving


Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time.


Do not fasten a seat belt around a per-
son and another object at the same
time.


When using a seat belt to secure infant
or toddler restraints or children in
booster seats, always follow the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions.


Check your seat belt during travel to
make sure it is properly positioned.


Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.
Starting the engine
Warning!
G
Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the effective-
ness of the belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and lead to death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one win-
dow fully open.

48 Getting startedDrivingManual transmissionGearshift pattern for manual transmissionFor more information, see “Manual trans-
mission” (
page 150).Starting

Depress brake pedal.

Make sure the gearshift lever is in neu-
tral position (no gear selected).

Fully depress the clutch pedal.
Otherwise the engine cannot be start-
ed due to the integrated safety inter-
lock.

Do not depress accelerator.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position3 (
page 35) and hold until
the engine starts.
For information on turning off the engine,
see “Turning off engine” (
page 58).Automatic transmission*
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmissionPPark position with gear selector lever
lock
RReverse gear
NNeutral position
DDrive position
For more information, see “Automatic
transmission*” (
page 152).

49 Getting started
Driving
Starting
Place the gear selector lever in
positionP.

Do not depress the accelerator.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position3 (
page 35) and release it
again immediately. The engine starts
automatically.

Depress the brake pedal.
The gear selector lever lock is released.
For information on turning off the engine,
see “Turning off engine” (
page 58).Starting difficulties
If the engine does not start as described,
carry out the following steps:

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and repeat the starting
procedure.
Remember that extended starting at-
tempts can drain the vehicle battery.

Get a jump start (
page 399).
If the engine does not start after several
starting attempts, there could be a mal-
function in the engine electronics or in the
fuel supply system.

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.Parking brake
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children
could release the parking brake, which
could result in an accident and/or serious
injury.

50 Getting startedDriving1Parking brake lever
2Release button
Pull up slightly on parking brake
lever1 and press release button2.

Push parking brake lever1 down to
its original position.
The brake warning lamp; (USA
only) or3 (Canada only) in the
speedometer dial goes out.Driving
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
!If you hear a warning signal when driv-
ing off, you have forgotten to release
the parking brake.!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and the brake pedal reduces
engine performance and causes pre-
mature brake and drivetrain wear.iOnce the vehicle is in motion, the auto-
matic central locking system engages
and the locking knobs drop down.
For more information, see “Opening
the doors from the inside” (
page 94).

51 Getting started
Driving
Manual transmission
Depress the brake pedal.

Fully depress the clutch pedal.

Move gearshift lever to first gear to
drive forward, or to reverse gear to
drive rearward.

Simultaneously release the brake pedal
and slowly the clutch pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.Automatic transmission*

Depress the brake pedal.
The gear selector lever lock is released.

Move gear selector lever to positionD
to drive forward, or to positionR to
drive rearward.

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.!Wait for the gear selection process to
complete before setting the vehicle in
motion.iDuring the brief warm-up, transmission
upshifting is delayed. This allows the
catalytic converter to heat up more
quickly to operating temperature.
Warning!
G
Vehicles with automatic transmission: It is
dangerous to shift the gear selector lever
out of
PorN if the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on
the brake pedal, the vehicle could acceler-
ate quickly forward or in reverse. You could
lose control of the vehicle and hit someone
or something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.

55 Getting started
Driving
Problems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.


The engine electronics may not be op-
erating properly.


Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.

Give very little gas.

Have the problem repaired by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
The coolant temperature is above
248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.

Stop the vehicle as soon as possible
and turn off the engine. Allow engine
and coolant to cool.

Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 293).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:

Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.

Notify local fire and/or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If no damage can be determined on the


Major assemblies


Fuel system


Engine mount

Start the engine in the usual manner.
!If anything blocks the windshield wip-
ers (leaves, snow, etc.), switch them off
immediately.

For safety reasons, remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch
before attempting to remove any
blockage.


Remove blockage.


Turn the windshield wipers on
again.
If the windshield wipers fail to function
at all with combination switch in
positionI,


set combination switch to the next
higher wiper speed


have the windshield wipers
checked at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center

56 Getting startedParking and lockingYou have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.
Parking brake
1Parking brake lever
2Release button
Pull up parking brake lever1 firmly.
When the engine is running, the brake
warning lamp; (USA only) or3
(Canada only) in the speedometer dial
comes on.
Warning!
G
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Wait until the vehicle is stationary before re-
moving the SmartKey from the starter
switch. The vehicle cannot be steered when
the SmartKey is removed.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
system. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Pull up the parking brake lever firmly.


Move the gear selector lever* to
position
P (manual transmission: first or
reverse gear).


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.


Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position
0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.


Take the SmartKey and lock vehicle
when leaving.

58 Getting startedParking and lockingTurning off engine 
Manual transmission: Move the gear-
shift lever into first or reverse gear.

Automatic transmission*: Place the
gear selector lever in positionP.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.
The immobilizer is activated.

Press the seat belt release button
(page 46).

Guide the latch plate to allow the re-
tractor to completely rewind the seat
belt.
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting into first or reverse gear
(automatic transmission*: gear selec-
tor lever in positionP).
On slopes, turn the front wheels to-
wards the road curb.
iVehicles with automatic transmission*:
The SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in positionP.
iWith the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch and the driver’s door
open, a warning sounds if the parking
lamps or low beam headlamps are
switched on (
page 106).
The message Turn off lights
appears
in the multifunction display.

62 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device (ETD)


Air bags


Child seats


Child seat recognition
As independent systems, their protective
effects work in conjunction with each oth-
er.The1indicator lamp in the speedome-
ter dial (
page 24) comes on


for about four seconds when you turn
the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position1. It then goes out briefly,
comes on again and remains lit until
you start the engine.


for about four seconds when you start
the engine by turning the SmartKey.The1indicator lamp goes out shortly
after you start the engine. This shows that
the restraint systems are operational.
A malfunction in the system has been de-
tected if the1indicator lamp


fails to extinguish after approximately
four seconds with the SmartKey in the
starter switch position1


does not come on at all


comes on after the engine was started


comes on while driving
For safety reasons, we strongly recom-
mend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to
have the system checked.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 346).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 73).
iThe1indicator lamp remains lit if
the SmartKey is turned to position2
and left there. The indicator lamp will
go out when you start the engine.