MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER 2012 Owners Manual

Position number
Bidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-
starting device.
X Slide cover :of positive terminal ;in the direction of the arrow.
X Connec tpositive terminal ;on your vehicle to positive terminal =of donor battery B
using the jump lead, beginning with your own battery.
X Start the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
X Connect negative terminal ?of donor battery Bto earth point Aof your vehicle using
the jump lead, connectingt he jump lead to donor battery Bfirst.
X Start the engine.
X Before disconnecting the jump leads, let the engine run for several minutes.
X First remove the jump leads from earth point Aand negative terminal ?, then from positive
terminal ;and positive terminal =, each time beginning at the contacts on your own
vehicle first.
X Close cover :of positive terminal ;after removing the jump leads.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
i Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jump-starting cables and further information regarding jump starting can be obtained at
any qualified specialist workshop. Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
Observe the legal requirements for the rele-
vant countries when towing and tow-starting. G
WARNING
If you tow the vehicle, you must use a rigid
towing bar if:
R the engine is not running.
R there is a brake system malfunction.
R there is a malfunction in the power supply
or the vehicle's electrical system. 278
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will need more
force to steer and brake, you may have to
depress the brake pedal with maximum force.
Before towing away, make sure that the steer-
ing can be moved and is not locked.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehicle. G
WARNING
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate HOLD and DISTRONIC PLUS if the
vehicle is to be towed.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the entire
vehicle must be lifted up and transported.
! Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
! Only secure the tow rope or towing bar to
the towing eyes. The vehicle may otherwise
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
as this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! Pull away smoothly when towing away or
tow-starting a vehicle. If the tractive power
is too high, the vehicles could be damaged.
! On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
key instead of the Start/Stop button. Turn
the key to position 2in the ignitio nlock and
shift the automatic transmission to N.
Then, turn the key back to 0and leave it in
the ignition lock. When towing a vehicle with an automatic
transmission, the transmission must be in
position N.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2
R cannot shift the transmission to position
N on vehicles with automatic transmission
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P(Y page 142).
i Before the vehicle is towed, switch off the
automatic locking feature (Y page 72). You
could otherwise be locked out when push-
ing or towing the vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection
(Y page 62) before the vehicle is towed. Fitting/removing the towing eye
Fitting the towing eye X
Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 261). G
WARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be hot. You could
burn yourself if you touch the tail pipe. Be
particularly careful when removing the rear
cover.
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, under the covers. Towing and tow-starting
279Breakdown assistance Z

X
Press the mark on cover :inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Take cover :off the opening.
X Screw the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye X
Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Attach cover :to the bumper and press
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is importan tthat you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 278).
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system. X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 103).
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the key or
the KEYLESS-GO key with you. Towing the vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 278). G
WARNING
The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will then need
much more effort to brake and steer the vehi-
cle. Adapt your style of driving accordingly.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 103).
i When towing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal achange of direc-
tion. In this case, only the turn signals for
the desired direction flash. When the com-
bination switch is reset, the hazard warning
lamps start flashing again.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal.
X Engage neutral.
or
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake. 280
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

Transporting the vehicle
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
tur nthe key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Move the selector lever to N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to first gear or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
move the selector lever to P.
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0 and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X Secure the vehicle.
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle could be damaged. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety instructions (Y page 278)
and the legal requirements in each respective
country.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. The transmission
may otherwise be damaged.
You can find information on "Jump-starting"
at (Y page 277). Before tow-starting the following conditions
must be fulfilled:
R
the battery is connected.
R the engine has cooled down.
R the catalytic converters have cooled down.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 103).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 279).
X Secure the rigid towing bar or the towing
rope.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Depress the clutch pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Engage neutral.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Tow-start the vehicle.
X Engage second gear.
X Release the clutch pedal slowly;d o not
depress the accelerator pedal while doing
so.
The engine is started.
X Depress the clutch pedal and shift to neu-
tral.
X Stop at a suitable place.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Remove the rigid towing bar or towing rope.
X Remove the towing eye (Y page 280).
X Switch off the hazard warning lamps. Electrical fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which have the
correct fuse rating for the systems con-
cerned. Do not attempt to repair or bridge
faulty fuses. Using fuses which have not been
approved or attempting to repair or bridge
faulty fuses could cause the fuse to be over- Electrical fuses
281Breakdown assistance
Z

loaded and result in a fire. Have the cause
traced and rectified at a qualified specialist
workshop.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If afuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions stop
operating.
Blown fuses must be replace dwith fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognise by
the colour and fuse rating. The fuse ratings
are listed in the fuse allocation chart.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Ben zvehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system
concerned. Otherwise, components or sys-
tems could be damaged. Before replacing a fuse
X Park the vehicle and apply the electric park-
ing brake.
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
R fuse box in the engine compartment on the
left-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
R fuse box in the boot behind the partition
trim
The fuse allocation chart is located in the
vehicle tool kit (Y page 261) in the stowage
compartment under the boot floor. Fuse box in the engine compartment
X Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
turned off. G
WARNING
Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
turned off and the key is pulled out of the igni-
tion lock before you open the cover of the fuse
box. Otherwise, the windscreen wipers and
the wiper rods above the cover could be set
in motion .This could lead to you or others
being injured by the wiper rods.
X Open the bonnet (Y page 248). X
Remove any existing moisture from the
fuse box using a dry cloth.
X To open: open clamps :.
X Remove fuse box cover ;forwards.
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
X To close: check whether the rubber seal is
lying correctly in cover ;.
X Insert cover ;at the rear of the fuse box
into the retainer.
X Fold down cover ;and close clamps :.
! The cover must be fitted properly, other-
wise moisture or dirt could impair the func-
tion of the fuses.
X Close the bonnet (Y page 249). Fuse box in the boot
The fuse box is located in the boot behind the
partition covering.
X Open the boot lid (Y page 73).282
Electrical fusesBreakdown assistance

X
To open: release cover :on the right and
left-hand sides with a fla tobject.
X Open cover :downwards in the direction
of the arrow. Electrical fuses
283Breakdown assistance Z

284

Useful information
............................286
Important safety notes ....................286
Operation ........................................... 286
Winter operation ............................... 288
Tyre pressure .................................... 289
Changing awheel ............................. 294
Wheel and tyre combinations ..........295 285Wheels and tyres

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment
available to your vehicle at the time of pub-
lication of the Owner's Manual. Country-
specific deviations are possible. Please
note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all features described. This also
applies to safety-relevan tsystems and
functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 22).Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If wheels and tyres of the wrong size are used,
the wheel brakes or suspensio ncomponents
may be damaged. There is arisk of accident.
Always replace wheels and tyres with those
that fulfil the specifications of the original part
(designation, manufacturer, model). G
WARNING
Af lat tyre severely impairs the driving, steer-
ing and braking characteristics of the vehicle.
There is a risk of accident.
Tyres without run-flat characteristics:
R do not drive with aflat tyre.
R immediately replace the flat tyre with your
emergency spare wheel or spare wheel, or
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Tyres with run-flat characteristics:
R pay attention to the information and warn-
ing notices on MOExtended tyres (tyres
with run-flat characteristics).
Accessories that are not approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Ben zorare not being
used correctly can impair the operating
safety. Before purchasing and using non-approved
accessories, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop and enquire about:
R suitability
R legal stipulations
R factory recommendations
Information on the dimensions and types of
wheels and tyres for yourv ehicle can be
found in the "Wheel/tyre combinations" sec-
tion (Y page 295).
Information on air pressure for the tyres on
your vehicle can be found:
R on the tyre pressure label on the fuel filler
flap
R in the "Tyre pressure" section
Modification work on the brake system and
wheels is not permitted, nor is the use of
spacer plates or brake dust shields. This inva-
lidates the general operating permit for the
vehicle.
Pay special attention to the country-specific
requirements for tyre approval. These
requirements can stipulate aspecific tyre
type for your vehicle. Furthermore, the use of
certain tyre types in certain regions and areas
of operation can be highly beneficial. You can
find further information regarding tyres at
specialist tyre retailers, at qualified specialist
workshops or at every Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
i Further information on wheels and tyres
can be obtained at any qualified specialist
workshop. Operation
Notes on driving
R While driving, pay attention to vibrations,
noises and unusual handling characteris-
tics, e.g. pulling to one side. This may indi-
cate that the wheels or tyres are damaged.
If you suspect that a tyre is defective,
reduce your speed immediately. Stop the
vehicle as soon as possible to chec kthe 286
OperationWheels and tyres

wheels and tyres for damage. Hidde
ntyre
damage could also be causing the unusual
handling characteristics. If you find no
signs of damage, have the tyres and wheels
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
R Whe nparking your vehicle ,make sure that
the tyres do no tget deformed by the kerb
or other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive
over kerbs, speed humps or similar eleva-
tions, try to do so slowly and at an obtuse
angle. Otherwise, the tyres, particularly the
sidewalls, can get damaged. Notes on regularly inspecting wheels
and tyres G
WARNING
Damaged tyres can cause tyre inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control
of your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tyres regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tyres immediately.
R Regularly chec kthe wheels and tyres of
your vehicle for damage (e.g. cuts, punctu-
res, tears, bulges on tyres and deformation,
cracks or severe corrosion on wheels), at
least every 14days, as well as after driving
off-road or on rough roads. Damaged
wheels can cause a loss of tyre pressure.
R Regularly check the tyre tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the whole
width of the tyre (Y page 287). If neces-
sary, turn the front wheels to full lock in
order to inspect the inner side of the tyre
surface.
R All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not
fit anything onto the valve (such as tyre
pressure monitoring systems) other than
the standard valve cap or other valve caps
approved by Mercedes-Ben zfor your vehi-
cle.
R Regularly check the pressure of all the tyres
including the emergency spare wheel or the
spare wheel, particularly prior to long trips, and correc
tthe pressure as necessary
(Y page 289). Tyre tread
G
WARNING
Insufficient tyre tread will reduce tyre trac-
tion. The tyre is no longer able to dissipate
water. This means that on wet road surfaces,
the risk of aquaplaning increases, in particular
where speed is not adapted to suit the driving
conditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tyre pressure is too high or too low, tyres
may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tyre tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tyres.
Minimum tyre tread depth for:
R summer tyres: 3 mm
R M+S tyres: 4 mm
For safety reasons, replace the tyres before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tyre tread depth is reached.. Notes on selecting, fitting and replac-
ing tyres
R Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
and make.
R Only fit tyres of the correct size onto the
wheels.
R After fittingn ew tyres, run them in at mod-
erate speeds for the first 100 km, as they
only reach their full performance after this
distance.
R Do not drive with tyres which have too little
tread depth, as this significantly reduces
the traction on wet roads (aquaplaning).
R Replace the tyres after six years at the lat-
est, regardless of wear. This also applies to
the emergency spare wheel/spare wheel. Operation
287Wheels and tyres Z