steering MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS 2011 Owner's Manual

Storing positions into memory
XAdjust the seats.XOn the driver’s side, also adjust the
steering wheel and exterior rear view
mirrors to the desired positions.
XPress memory button M once and within
3 seconds press memory position button
1, 2 or 3.
When the settings are stored to the
selected position, an acknowledgement
signal sounds.
Recalling positions from memory
XPress and hold desired memory position
button 1, 2 or 3 until the seat has moved
to the stored position completely. On the
driver’s side, also wait for the steering
wheel and exterior rear view mirrors to
move to the stored position.
iReleasing the memory position button
stops movement to the stored positions
immediately.
Lighting
Notes
iIf you drive in countries with left-hand
driving, you must have the headlamps
modified for symmetrical low beams.
Relevant information can be obtained at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
iThe active Bi-Xenon headlamps increase
usable illumination over conventional
headlamps because they follow the
curvature of the road ahead. The beams of
the active Bi-Xenon headlamps shift to
either side according to the vehicle’s
steering angle and speed.
Exterior lamp switch
\000J \000oStanding lamps, left\000K \000pStanding lamps, right\000L \000'Off
Daytime running lamp mode
\000M \000ZAutomatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
\000N \000lParking lamps (also tail lamps,
license plate lamps, side marker
lamps and instrument panel lamps)
\000O \000dLow-beam headlamps or high-beam
headlamps
\000P \000fFront fog lamps\000Q \000jRear fog lamp
iThe exterior lamps (except standing
lamps or parking lamps) go out
automatically when you remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch or open
the driver’s door with the ignition switched
off.
When the parking lamps or the rear fog
lamp are switched on and you remove the
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XSwitching on: Press hazard warning
flasher switch \000F.
All turn signal lamps are flashing.
iWith the hazard warning flasher activated
and the combination switch set for either
left or right turn, only the respective left or
right turn signals will operate when the
ignition is switched on.
XSwitching off: Press hazard warning
flasher switch \000F again.
iIf the hazard warning flasher has been
activated automatically, press hazard
warning flasher switch \000F to switch it off.
Headlamp cleaning system
XSwitch on the ignition.XPress headlamp cleaning button \000F.
The headlamps are cleaned with a high-
pressure water jet.
The headlamps will be cleaned automatically
when you have
Rswitched on the headlamps
and
Rthe windshield wipers have wiped the
windshield with washer fluid fifteen times
The counter resets when you switch off the
ignition.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Washer system and headlamp
cleaning system” (Y page 185).
Corner-illuminating lamps
The corner-illuminating lamps improve
illumination of the area in the direction into
which you are turning.
The corner-illuminating lamps will only
operate in low ambient lighting conditions.
If you are driving faster than 25 mph
(40 km/h) the corner-illuminating function is
not available.
Switching on
XMake sure the engine is running.XTurn the exterior lamp switch to position
\000d or \000Z (Y page 89).
or
XActivate the daytime running lamp mode
(Y page 90).
XSwitch on the left or right turn signal,
depending on whether you are turning left
or right.
The respective corner-illuminating lamp
comes on. If you have switched on the turn
signal for one side but turn the steering
wheel in the other direction, the corner-
illuminating lamp comes on on the side of
the turn signal.
or
XTurn steering wheel in desired direction.
Driving forward: The corner-illuminating
lamp on the side of your steering direction
comes on.
Driving in reverse: The corner-illuminating
lamp opposite to your steering direction
comes on.
The corner-illuminating lamps will come on
automatically depending on the steering
angle, even if you did not switch on either turn
signal. If the corner-illuminating lamps came
on automatically, they will also go out
automatically depending on the steering
angle and vehicle speed.
The corner-illuminating lamps temporarily
come on on both sides of the vehicle if you
turn the steering wheel in one direction and
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XClosing: Close the door window.XPull and hold switch 0046 or 0047.
The corresponding rear side window moves
upward until you release the switch.
Closing with KEYLESS-GO
When locking the vehicle, you can
simultaneously close the windows.
XPress and hold the lock button on an
outside door handle ( Y page 71) until the
windows are completely closed.XRelease the lock button on the outside door
handle to interrupt the closing procedure.
Synchronizing power windows
The windows must be synchronized after the
battery has been disconnected or if the
windows cannot be fully closed (express
operation).
Each window must be synchronized
separately.
XClose all doors.XSwitch on the ignition.XPull and hold switch 0046 or 0047 (Y page 97)
until the respective window is closed.
The window opens again slightly.XPull and hold the respective switch once
more immediately until the window is
closed completely.XHold the respective switch for
approximately 1 second.
The window is synchronized.
Driving and parking
Safety notes
GWarning!
Make sure absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals’ range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all
obstacles. If there are any floormats or
carpets in the footwell, make sure the pedals
still have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between or
under the pedals. You could then no longer
brake or accelerate. This could lead to
accidents and injury.GWarning!
With the engine not running, there is no power
assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the
vehicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.
Starting the engine
GWarning!
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your
health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause
unconsciousness and possible 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
window fully open at all times.
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Vehicle movement may result in serious
personal injury or damage to the vehicle or
vehicle drivetrain. Therefore, always do the
following before turning off the engine and
leaving the vehicle:
RKeep right foot on the brake pedal.
REngage the parking brake.
RShift the automatic transmission into park
position P.
RSlowly release the brake pedal.
RWhen parked on an incline, always turn the
front wheels towards the road curb.
RTurn the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 0 and remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch, or press the KEYLESS-
GO start/stop button.
RTake the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle when leaving.
Parking brake
GWarning!
Engaging the parking brake while the vehicle
is in motion can cause the rear wheels to lock
up. You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident. In addition, the vehicle’s
brake lights do not light up when the parking
brake is engaged.
GWarning!
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 and/or shift the
automatic transmission out of park position
P, either of which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
XReleasing: Pull on release handle \000F.
When the ignition is switched on or the
engine is running, the brake warning lamp
\000' (USA only) or \000M (Canada only) in
the instrument cluster goes out.
XEngaging: Step on parking brake
pedal \000G firmly.
When the engine is running, the brake
warning lamp \000' (USA only) or \000M
(Canada only) in the instrument cluster
comes on.
Turning off the engine
GWarning!
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. With the engine
not running, there is no power assistance for
the brake and steering systems. In this case,
it is important to keep in mind that a
considerably higher degree of effort is
necessary to brake and steer the vehicle.
XShift the automatic transmission into park
position P.
XEngage the parking brake.
iAlways engage the parking brake in
addition to shifting the automatic
transmission into park position P.
With SmartKey
XTurn the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 0.
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Selecting program mode C means:
RThe vehicle starts out more gentle, both
forward and reverse, except when driving
off with full throttle.
RTraction and driving stability are improved
on icy roads.
RUpshifts occur earlier even when you give
more gas. The engine then operates at
lower revolutions and the wheels are less
likely to spin.
Selecting program mode S means that
upshifts occur later.
One-touch gearshifting
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D and driving in automatic program
mode C or S, you can limit or extend the gear
range using the gear selector lever or the
steering wheel gearshift control.
SL 63 AMG and SL 65 AMG: For information
on using the gear selector lever or the
steering wheel gearshift control in manual
program mode M, see “Manual shift program”
(Y page 109).
Steering wheel gearshift control (exampleillustration)
iYou cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift control when the automatic
transmission is in park position P, neutral
position N, or reverse gear R.
Limiting gear range GWarning!
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
XBriefly press the gear selector lever to the
left in the D- direction.
or
XBriefly pull left gearshift control \000F.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next lower gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the automatic
transmission.
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when
downshifting, the automatic transmission
will not shift into a lower gear if the engine’s
maximum speed would be exceeded.
Extending gear range
XBriefly press the gear selector lever to the
right in the D+ direction.
or
XBriefly pull right gearshift control \000G.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next higher gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the automatic
transmission.
iIf you press on the accelerator pedal
when the engine has reached the
revolution limit of the current gear range,
the automatic transmission will upshift
beyond any gear range limit selected.
Canceling gear range limit
XPress and hold the gear selector lever to
the right in the D+ direction until D
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reappears in the right multifunction
display.
or
XPull and hold right gearshift control \000G until
D reappears in the right multifunction
display.
The automatic transmission will shift from
the current gear range directly into drive
position D.
Shifting into optimal gear range
XPress and hold the gear selector lever to
the left in the D- direction.
or
XPull and hold left gearshift control \000F.
The automatic transmission will select the
gear range suited for optimal acceleration
and deceleration automatically. This will
involve shifting down one or more gears.
Manual shift program
The manual shift program is available on
vehicles with AMG Sport Package, SL 63 AMG
and SL 65 AMG only.
Manual program mode M differs with regard
to spontaneity, response time, and shifting
smoothness from automatic program modes
S or S+ (SL 63 AMG only).
In manual program mode M, system-
controlled automatic gearshifting is switched
off. You need to change the gears by manually
upshifting or downshifting using the gear
selector lever or the steering wheel gearshift
control.
Program mode selector dial on SL 63 AMG
C ComfortFor standard drivingS SportFor sporty drivingS+ Sport PlusFor sporty driving with
shorter shift times
M ManualFor manual gearshiftingRS RACE STARTFor optimum
acceleration from a
standing start
iProgram mode RS cannot be selected
while driving. For more information, see
“RACE START (SL 63 AMG)” (Y page 141).
iE 63 AMG: In addition, the currently
selected program mode is indicated in red
on the program mode selector dial.
iSL 63 AMG: In addition, the currently
selected program mode is indicated in red
on the program mode selector dial.
Program mode selector switch on SL 65 AMG
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Doing so may cause serious engine damage
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Resetting trip odometer
XMake sure you are viewing the standard
display (Y page 116) in the multifunction
display.
XPress and hold the reset button in the
instrument cluster (Y page 111) until the
trip odometer is reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer
(Y page 30) denotes excessive engine speed.
! Avoid driving at excessive engine speeds,
as it may result in serious engine damage
that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply is
interrupted if the engine is operated within
the red marking.
Control system
Introduction
The control system is activated as soon as the
starter switch is in position 1.
The control system enables you to call up
information about your vehicle and to change
vehicle settings.
For example, you can use the control system
to find out when your vehicle is next due for
maintenance service, to set the language for
messages in the instrument cluster display,
and much more.
GWarning!
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions permit
it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately
14 m) every second.
The control system relays information to the
multifunction display.
Multifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display and
the settings in the control system are
controlled by using the buttons on the
multifunction steering wheel.
\000FLeft multifunction display in the
speedometer
\000GRight multifunction display in the
tachometer
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008APress button007Fto end a call
to reject an incoming call006Ato answer a call
to dial 10
to redial 10Press button005A
005Bto select submenus in the
Settings menu
to set values
to operate the RACETIMER 11
to set the volume0088Press button0059
0058to select next or previous menuPress button briefly0029
002Dto move within a menu
Within Audio/DVD menu to
select previous or next track,
scene or stored station
Within Telephone menu to
switch to the phone book and
select a name or numberPress and hold button0029
002DWithin Audio/DVD menu to
select previous or next track
with quick search or to select
previous or next station in
station list or wave band
Within Telephone menu to
start the quick search in the
phone book
Depending on the selected menu, pressing
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel will alter what appears in the
multifunction display.
The information available in the multifunction
display is arranged in menus and
accompanying functions and submenus.
The individual functions are then found within
the relevant menu (radio or CD operations
under Audio/DVD menu, for example).
These functions serve to call up relevant
information or to customize the settings for
your vehicle.
It is helpful to think of the menus, and the
functions within each menu, as being
arranged in a circular pattern.XPress button 0059 or 0058 repeatedly to
pass through each menu one after the
other.XPress button 002D or 0029 repeatedly to
pass through each function display, one
after the other, in the current menu.
In the Settings menu, instead of functions,
you will find a number of submenus for calling
up and changing settings. For instructions on
using these submenus, see “Settings menu”
( Y page 121).
The number of menus available in the system
depends on which optional equipment is
installed in your vehicle.
Multifunction display
The multifunction display consists of the
display fields in the speedometer and the
tachometer. In its default state, the left
multifunction display shows the main
odometer and the outside temperature, while
the trip odometer appears in the right
multifunction display. This default setting is
referred to as the standard display.
10 Function only available in telephone menu.
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Convenience submenu
Access the Convenience submenu via the
Settings menu. Use the Convenience
submenu to activate the easy-entry/exit
feature (Y page 127), or to set the fold-in
function for exterior rear view mirrors
(Y page 127).
Activating easy-entry/exit feature
Use this function to activate and deactivate
the easy-entry/exit feature (Y page 85).
GWarning!
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel when the easy-entry/exit feature is
activated.
To stop steering wheel movement do one of
the following:
RMove steering wheel adjustment stalk.
RPress one of the memory position buttons.
RPress memory button M.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver’s door and
unintentionally activate the easy-entry/exit
feature, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
XPress button \000Y or \000X repeatedly until
the Settings menu appears in the
multifunction display.
XPress button \000\).XMove the selection marker with button
\000Z or \000[ to the Convenience
submenu.
XPress button \000\) or \000- repeatedly until
the message Easy-entry Function
appears in the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
XPress button \000Z or \000[ to activate (On)
or deactivate (Off) the easy-entry/exit
feature.
Switching fold-in function for exterior
rear view mirrors on or off
This feature is only available in Canada
vehicles.
Use this function to set the exterior rear view
mirrors to be folded in automatically when
you lock your vehicle.
With this function set to On and the exterior
rear view mirrors folded in using the button
on the door control panel (Y page 88), the
exterior rear view mirrors will not fold out
when you switch on the ignition. You will then
have to fold out the exterior rear view mirrors
using the button on the door control panel
(Y page 88).
Make sure both exterior rear view mirrors are
folded out completely before driving off.
XPress button \000Y or \000X repeatedly until
the Settings menu appears in the
multifunction display.
XPress button \000\).XMove the selection marker with button
\000Z or \000[ to the Convenience
submenu.
XPress button \000\) or \000- repeatedly until
the message Fold In Mirrors When
Locking appears in the multifunction
display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
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XBriefly pull the cruise control lever in
direction of arrow 0088.
If no speed is stored, the current speed is
set and stored.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The last stored speed is deleted from memory
when the engine is turned off.
Distronic
Safety notes
When activated, the Distronic adaptive cruise
control increases the driving convenience
afforded by the cruise control while traveling
on expressways and other major roadways.
R If the Distronic distance sensor detects a
slower moving vehicle directly ahead, your
vehicle speed will be reduced so that you
follow that vehicle at your preset following
distance.
R If there is no vehicle directly ahead of you,
the Distronic will function in the same way
as standard cruise control ( Y page 130).
GWarning!
The Distronic requires familiarity with its
operational characteristics. We strongly
recommend that you review the following
information carefully before operating the
system.
GWarning!
The Distronic is a convenience system. Its
speed adjustment reduction capability is
intended to make cruise control more
effective and usable when traffic speeds vary.
It is not however, intended to, nor does it,
replace the need for extreme care.
The responsibility for the vehicle’s speed,
distance to the preceding vehicle and, most
importantly, brake operation to ensure a safe
stopping distance, always remains with the
driver.
The Distronic cannot take street and traffic
conditions into account. Complex driving
situations are not always fully recognized by
the Distronic. This could result in wrong or
missing distance warnings.GWarning!
The Distronic adaptive cruise control is not a
substitute for active driving involvement. It
does not react to pedestrians or on stationary
objects, nor does it recognize or predict the
lane curvature or the movement of preceding
vehicles.
The Distronic can only apply 20% of the
maximum braking power of the vehicle.
It is the driver’s responsibility at all times to
be attentive to the road, weather and traffic
conditions. Additionally, the driver must
provide the steering, braking and other driving
inputs necessary to remain in control of the
vehicle.
High-frequency sources such as toll stations,
speed measuring systems etc. can cause the
Distronic system to malfunction.
GWarning!
The Distronic cannot take road and traffic
conditions into account. Only use the
Distronic if the road, weather and traffic
conditions make it advisable to travel at a
constant speed.
GWarning!
Use of the Distronic can be dangerous on
slippery roads. Rapid changes in tire traction
can result in wheel spin and loss of control.
The Distronic does not function in adverse
sight and distance conditions. Do not use the
Distronic during conditions of fog, heavy rain,
snow or sleet.
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