MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class 2013 R131 Repair Manual

The roll bars are located in the rear area of
the vehicle under the two outer rear
compartment trim covers.
The roll bars are extended automatically if
systems detect that the vehicle is in danger
of rolling over. The two rear compartment
trim covers are opened and the roll bars are
extended within fractions of a second.
Once the roll bars are extended, you can no
longer lower them. An open roof can no
longer be closed. In this case, visit the nearest
qualified specialist workshop. Occupant Classification System
(OCS)
Method of operation G
WARNING
If the 0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp illuminates when an adult or
someone larger than a small individual is in
the front-passenger seat, have the front
passenger reposition himself or herself in the
seat until the 0016PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp goes out.
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow front-passenger fronta ir
bag and front-passenge rknee bag
deployment when the OC Shas classified the
front-passenger occupant as weighing as
much as or less than a typical 12 month old
child in a standard child restraint or if the
front-passenger seat is classified as being
unoccupied. When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being up to or less than the weigh
tofatypical
12-month-old child in a standard child
restraint, the 0016PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp will illuminate when the engine
is started and remai nilluminated. This
indicates that the front-passenger front air
bag and the front-passenge rknee bag are
deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger sea tis classified as being empty,
the 0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp will illuminate when the engine is started
and remain illuminated. This indicates that
the front-passenger front air bag and the
front-passenger knee bag are deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being heavier than the weight of a typical 12-
month-old child seated in astandard child
restraint or as being a small individual (such
as a young teenager or asmall adult), the
0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp will illuminate for approximately 6
seconds when the engine is started.
Depending on occupant weight sensor
readings from the seat, it will then remain
illuminated or go out. If the 0016PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is illuminated, the
front-passenger front air bag and the front-
passenger knee bag are deactivated. If the
0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is not illuminated, the front-passenger
front air bag and the front-passenger knee
bag are activated.
When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat occupant is classified as an
adult or someone larger than a small
individual, the 0016PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp will illuminate for
approximately six seconds when the engine is
started and then go out. This indicates that
the front-passenger front air bag and the
front-passenger knee bag are activated. Occupant safety
59Safety
Z

If the
0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is illuminated ,the front-
passenger front air bag and the front-
passenger knee bag are deactivated and are
not deployed.
If the 0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is not illuminated, the front-
passenger front air bag and the front-
passenger knee bag are activated and are
deployed:
R in certain front impacts
R independently of the side impact air bag
and head bag
R if the impact has exceeded a
predetermined threshold value for
deployment
If the front-passenger front air bag is
deployed, the rate of inflation will be
influenced by:
R the rate of vehicle deceleration as assessed
by the air bag control unit
R the front passenger's weight category as
determined by the OCS G
WARNING
Children under 12 years must be secured
correctly in a suitable infant or child restraint
system or booster seat suitable for the size
and weight of the child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt fully in
accordance with the child seat
manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, in particular children, must sit as
upright as possible, fasten the seat belt
correctly and use a suitable infant restraint
system, child restraint system or booster seat
suitable for the size and weight of the child.
Children can be seriously or even fatally
injured by an air bag deploying.
Observe the following information:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the
front-passenger front air bag and the front- passenger knee bag in your vehicle when
the system senses the weight of a typical
12-month-old child or less along with the
weight of a standard appropriate child
restraint on the front-passenger seat.
R A child in a rear-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat will be
seriously injured or even killed if the front-
passenger front air bag inflates in a collision
despite the air bag technology installed in
your vehicle, which could occur under some
circumstances.
R If you must install a rearward-facing child
restraint on the front-passenger seat, make
sure the 0016PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is illuminated, indicating
that the front-passenger front air bag and
front-passenger knee bag are deactivated.
If the 0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp does not light up or goes out
when a rearward-facing child restraint
system is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check the 0016
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
while driving to make sure the 0016
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is
illuminated. If the 0016PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp goes out or
remains out do not carry a child on the
front-passenger seat.
R Ac hild in a rearward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat will be
seriously injured or even killed if the front-
passenger air bag is deployed. 60
Occupant safetySafety

R
When securing a child in achild restraint
system on the front-passenger seat, you
must:
- move the front-passenger seat as far
back as possible
- use a child restraint system that is
suitable for the age, size and weight of
the child
- observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions in order to install and secure
the child restraint system correctly.
R For children larger than the typical 12-
month-old child, the front-passenger front
air bag may or may not be activated. G
WARNING
If the red 001BSRS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and the 0016PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp light up
simultaneously, the OCS is malfunctioning.
The front-passenger front air bag and the
front-passenger knee bag will be deactivated
in this case. Have the system checked as soon
as possible by qualified technicians. Consult
an authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter.
Only have the seat repaired at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
In order to ensure correct operation of the air
bag system and OCS:
R sit with the seat belt fastened correctly and
in a position that is as upright as possible
with your back against the backrest.
R while seated, an occupant should not
position themselves in such away as to
cause their weigh tto be lifted from the seat
cushion as this may result in OCS being
unable to correctly assess the occupant's
weight category.
R read and observe all warnings in this
section. If the key has been removed from the ignition
lock or is in position
0, the00040006
indicator lamp 0002does not light up.
The 00040005 indicator lamp 0003is
inoperative. It lights up briefly when the
ignition is switched on and then goes out
again.
Occupant Classification System (OCS)
categories the occupant on the front-
passenger seat using a weight sensor. The
front-passenger front air bag and the front-
passenger knee bag are deactivated
automatically for certain weight categories.
The 00040006 indicator lamp 0002shows you
the current status. If the 00040006indicator
lamp 0002lights up, the front-passenger air bag
and the front-passenger knee bag are
disabled.
The OCS weight sensor reading is affected if
the occupant's weight is transferred, e.g. by
leaning on the armrest.
Both the driver and the front passenger
should always observe the 00040006
indicator lamp 0002to determine whether or
not the front passenger is positioned
correctly. Also observe the air bag display
messages, which appear in the instrument
cluster (Y page 250).
The system does not deactivate:
R the side impact air bag
R the front-passenger head bag
R the Emergency Tensioning Devices Occupant safety
61Safety Z

To be classified correctly, the frontp
assenger
must sit:
R with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in a positio nthat is as upright as possible
with their back against the seat backrest
R with their feet on the floor
If the driver's air bag deploys, this does not
mean that the front-passenger front air bag
will also deploy.
The OCS may have detected that the seat:
R is empty or occupied by the weight of a
typical child up to twelve months old,
seated in a child restraint system
R is occupied by a small individual, such as a
young teenager or a small adult
R is occupied by a child in a child restraint
system whose weight is greater than that
of a typical twelve month old child.
These are examples of when the OCS
deactivates the front-passenger front air bag
and front-passenger knee bag. Deactivation
takes place although the collision fulfills the
criteria for deploying the driver's air bag.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or
the seat cushion are damaged, have the
necessary repair work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Ben zrecommends that you only
use seat accessories which have been
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
System self-test G
WARNING
If the 0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp does not illuminate, the system
is not functioning. Consult an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center before seating a child
on the front-passenger seat. G
WARNING
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. a pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the OCS. The underside
and rear side child restraint system must be placed entirely on the seat cushion and the
backrest of the front-passenger seat
backrest.
If necessary, adjust the tilt of the passenger
seat backrest.
An incorrectly mounted child seat could cause
injuries to the child in case of an accident,
instead of increasing protection for the child.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for
installation of child restraint systems.
The 00040006 indicator lamp lights up:
R if you turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock
to position 1or 2
R if you press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop
button once or twice on vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO
R if an adult is seated properly on the front-
passenger seat and the OCS classifies the
occupant as an adult
The 00040006 indicator lamp goes out after
approximately 6seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the OCS
detects that the front-passenger seat is
empty, the 00040006indicator lamp will
continue to light up. The 00040006front-
passenger fron tair bag warning lamp then
stays lit continuously.
For more information about the OCS, see
"Problems with the Occupant Classification
System" (Y page 63). 62
Occupant safetySafety

Problems with the occupant classification system
G
WARNING
If the 0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp illuminates and remains illuminated when
the weight of a typical adult or an individual that is the size of a typical adult has been detected
on the front-passenger seat, do not allow any occupant to use the front-passenger seat until the
system has been repaired. G
WARNING
If the 0016 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp does not illuminate or remains out with the
weight of a typical 12-month-old child in a standard child restraint or less, or is unoccupied, on
the front-passenger seat, do not transport a child on the front-passenger seat until the system
has been repaired. Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0003 Solutions
The
00040006
indicator lamp lights up
and stays on.
The person on the
front-passenger seat:
R has the weight of a
typical adult
R has been determined
by the system not to
be a child The OCS is malfunctioning.
X
Have the OCS checked as soon as possible at a qualified
specialist workshop.
X Observe the additional messages in the multifunction display
(Y page 250). Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0003 Solutions
The
00040006
indicator lamp does not
light up and/or does
not stay on.
The front-passenger
seat is:
R unoccupied
R occupied with a
weight up to that of a
typical twelve-
month-old child in a
standard child
restraint system The OCS is malfunctioning.
X
Make sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the
child seat.
X Check the installation of the child restraint system.
X Make sure that no objectsa re applying additional weight onto
the seat.
X If the 00040006 indicator lamp remains off, have the OCS
checked as soon as possible at a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not transport a child on the front-passenge rseat as long as
the OCS is not functioning.
X Observe the additional messages in the multifunction display
(Y page 250). Occupant safety
63Safety Z

PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection system) G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as you adjust the seat. G
WARNING
The PRE-SAFE ®
system reduces the impact of
an accident on vehicle occupants, as long as
their seat belts have been fastened correctly.
Although your vehicle is equipped with a PRE-
SAFE ®
system, the possibility of injury in the
event of an accident cannot be ruled out. You
should therefore always drive carefully and
adapt your driving style to the prevailing road,
weather and traffic conditions.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when resetting
the seats. There is a risk that the seats
and/or the objects could be damaged.
PRE-SAFE ®
takes preemptive measures to
protect occupants in certain hazardous
situations.
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes:
R if BAS intervenes, e.g. in emergency
braking situations.
R when BAS PLUS intervenes powerfully on
vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS.
R when the radar sensor system detects an
imminent danger of collision in certain
situations on vehicles with DISTRONIC
PLUS.
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when
physical limits are exceeded and the
vehicle understeers or oversteers severely.
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation
detected:
R the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R the front-passenger seat is adjusted if it is
in an unfavorable position.
R vehicles with a multicontour seat or active
multicontour seat: the air pressure in the side bolsters of the seat cushion and
backrest is increased.
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows are
closed almost completely.
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pre-tensioning. All settings made by
PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belts are not released:
X When the vehicle is stationary, move the
backrest or seat back slightly.
The seat belt pre-tensioning is reduced and
the locking mechanism is released.
More information about seat belt adjustment,
a convenience function integrated into PRE-
SAFE (Y page 68). NECK-PRO head restraints
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Do not secure any objects (e.g. coat hangers)
on the NECK-PRO head restraints. Otherwise,
the NECK-PRO head restraints may not
function properly, or in the event of a rear-end
collision may not be able offer the level of
protection they are designed to provide. G
WARNING
Seat or head restraint covers can cause a
malfunction when the NECK-PRO head
restraints are activated or when the side
impact air bags are deployed, or they can
prevent this completely. The NECK-PRO head
restraints or side impact air bags can
therefore not provide the intended protection.
Do not use any seat or head restraint covers. G
WARNING
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint so that it is as close
to the head as possible and the center of the
head restraint supports the back of the head 64
Occupant safetySafety

at eye level. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and nec kinthe event of an
accident or similar situation. G
WARNING
For safety reasons, have the NECK-PRO head
restraints checked at a qualified specialist
workshop after a rear-end collision.
The NECK-PRO head restraints reduce the
likelihood of head and chest injuries. The
NECK-PRO head restraints on the driver's and
front-passenger seats are moved forwards
and upwards in the event of a rear-end
collision of a certain severity. This provides
better head support.
If the NECK-PRO head restraints have been
triggered in an accident, reset the NECK-PRO
head restraints on the driver’s and front-
passenger seat (Y page 65). Otherwise, the
additional protection will not be available in
the event of another rear-end collision. You
can recognize when NECK-PRO head
restraints have been triggered by the fact that
they have moved forwards and can no longer
be adjusted.
Resetting triggered NECK-PRO head
restraints G
WARNING
When pushing back the NECK-PRO head
restraint cushion, make sure your fingers do
not become caught between the head
restraint cushion and the cover. Failure to
observe this could result in injuries. X
Tilt the top of the NECK-PRO head restraint
cushion forwards in the direction of
arrow 0002.
X Push the NECK-PRO head restraint cushion
down in the direction of arrow 0003as far as
it will go.
X Firmly push the NECK-PRO head restraint
cushion back in the direction of arrow 0027
until the cushion engages.
X Repeatt his procedure for the second
NECK-PRO head restraint.
i Resetting the NECK-PRO head restraints
requires a lot of strength. If you have
difficulty resetting the NECK-PRO head
restraints, have this work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. Seat belts
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Always fasten your seat belt before driving off.
Always make sure your passenger is properly
restrained. You and your passenger should
always wear seat belts.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt considerably increases
your risk of injuries and their likely severity in
an accident.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
could be considerably more severe if you have
not fastened your seat belt correctly. If you do
not fasten your seat belt, you are much more
likely to collide with parts of the vehicle
interior or be ejected from it. This may result
in serious or fatal injury.
In the same crash, the possibility of serious or
fatal injury is considerably reduced if you wear
your seat belt properly. The air bags can only
offer the intended protection if the occupants
are wearing their seat belts properly. Occupant safety
65Safety Z

G
WARNING
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat beltinacollision. If you slide under
it, the sea tbelt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck .That could cause serious
or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belt provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a position that is as upright as
possible and the seat belt is properly
positioned on the body. G
WARNING
Never let more people ride in the vehicle than
there are seat belts available. Make sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly
restrained with a separate seat belt. Never
use a seat belt for more than one person at a
time. G
WARNING
Always have damaged seat belts or seat belts
that have been subjected to a load in an
accident replaced and the anchorages
checked.
Only use seat belts that have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
Never tamper with seat belts. This can result
in the unintended deployment of the
Emergency Tensioning Devices or the failure
to deploy when necessary.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts, as this may
severely weaken them. In the event of a
collision, they may be unable to provide
adequate protection.
Have all work carried out only by qualified
technicians. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in:
R all 50 states
R U.S. territories
R the DistrictofC olumbia
R all Canadia nprovinces Even where this is not required by law, all
vehicle occupants should correctly fasten
their seat belts before starting the journey.
i
See "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page 70) for further information on
infants and children traveling in the vehicle
as well as on child restraint systems.
Proper use of the seat belts G
WARNING
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY
R Seat belts can only work when used
properly.N ever wear seat belts in any other
way than as described in this section, as
that could result in serious injuries in the
event of an accident.
R Each occupant should wear their seat belt
at all times, because seat belts help reduce
the likelihood of and potential severity of
injuries in accidents, including rollovers.
The integrated restraint system includes
SRS (driver front air bag, knee bags, front-
passenger fron tair bag, side impact air
bags, head air bags), Emergency
Tensioning Devices (ETDs) and seat belt
force limiters. The system is designed to
enhance the protection offered to properly
belted occupants in certain frontal (front air
bags, knee bags and ETDs) and side (side
impact air bags, head air bags and ETDs)
impacts which exceed prese tdeployment
thresholds.
R Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, across your neck or off your shoulder.
In a frontal crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The seat
belt would also apply too much force to the
ribs or abdomen, which could severely
injure internal organs such as your liver or
spleen.
Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder (it should not
touch the neck). 66
Occupant safetySafety

R
Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips and not across the abdomen. If
the lap belt is positioned across your
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in
a crash.
R Never wear seat belts over rigid or
breakable objects in or on your clothing,
such as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as
these might cause injuries.
R Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.
R Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt
around a person and another person or
other objects at the same time.
R Seat belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you would not have the full width of
the seat belt to distribute impact forces.
The twisted seat belt against your body
could cause injuries.
R Pregnant women should also always use a
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible on
the hips to avoid any possible pressure on
the abdomen.
R Place the seat backrest in a position that is
as upright as possible.
R Check your seat belt during travel to make
sure it is properly positioned.
R Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
R When using a seat belt to secure infant
restraints, toddler restraints, or children in
booster seats, always follow the child seat
manufacturer's instructions. G
WARNING
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the seat belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the seat belt. Never attempt to make modifications to seat
belts. This could impair the effectiveness of
the seat belts.
Fastening seat belts G
WARNING
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, child
restraint system, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. For additional information, see the
"Children in the vehicle" section.
Ac hild's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint. X
Adjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almost vertical position (Y page 114).
X Pull the seat belt smoothly through seat
belt guide 0002.
X Without twisting it, guide the shoulder
section of the seat belt across the middle
of your shoulder and the lap section across
your pelvis. Occupant safety
67Safety Z

X
Engage belt tongue 0003in buckle 0027.
Seat-belt adjustment: if necessary, the
driver's and front-passenge rseat belts
automatically adjust to the upper body
(Y page 68).
X If necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the seat belt to tighten the belt
across your body.
The seat belt on the front-passenger side is
equipped with a special seat belt retractor to
secure a child restraint system properly to the
front-passenger seat. Further information on
the "Special seat belt retractor"
(Y page 72).
Information on releasing the seat belt with
release button 0026(Ypage 68).
Seat belt adjustment The seat-belt adjustment function adjusts the
driver's and front-passenger seat belt to the
upper body of the occupants.
The belt strap is tightened slightly when:
R
you engage the belt tongue in the belt
buckle and you then turn the SmartKey to
position 2in the ignition lock.
R the SmartKey is in position 2in the ignition
lock and you then engage the belt tongue
in the buckle.
The seat-belt adjustment will apply a
retraction force if any slack is detected
between the occupan tand the sea tbelt. Do
not hold on to the seat belt tightly while it is
adjusting. You can switch the seat-belt
adjustment on and off in the on-board
computer (Y page 236).
The seat belt adjustment is a convenience
function integrated in PRE-SAFE ®
(preventative occupant protection). More
information on PRE-SAFE ®
(Y page 64).
Releasing seat belts !
Make sure that the seat belt is fully rolled
up. Otherwise, the seat belt or belt tongue
will be trapped in the door or in the seat mechanism. This could damage the door,
the door trim panel and the seat belt.
Damaged seat belts can no longer fulfill
their protective function and must be
replaced. Visit a qualified specialist
workshop.
X
Press release button 0026on belt buckle 0027.
X Guide belt tongue 0003back to seat belt
guide 0002.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger Regardless of whether the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts have already been
fastened, the
000Fseat belt warning lamp
lights up for six seconds each time the engine
is started. It then goes out if the driver and
the fron tpassenger have fastened their seat
belts.
If the driver's seat belt is no tfastened when
the engine is started, an additional warning
tone will sound. The warning tone goes out
after approximately six seconds or once the
driver's seat belt is fastened. 68
Occupant safetySafety