check engine MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class 2016 R231 User Guide

tection measures (PRE-SAFE®) are activa-
ted simultaneously.
XKeep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes func-
tion as usual again, if:
Ryou release the brake pedal.
Rthere is no longer a risk of collision.
Rno obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
Ryou depress the accelerator pedal.
Ryou activate kickdown.
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Ypage 71).
ESP
®monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tires and
the road surface.
If ESP
®detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to
keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP
®assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
ETS (Electronic Traction System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Ypage 71).
ETS traction control is part of ESP
®.
ETS brakes the drive wheels individually if
they spin. This enables you to pull away and
accelerate on slippery surfaces, for example
if the road surface is slippery on one side. In
addition, more drive torque is transferred to
the wheel or wheels with traction. ETS remains active when you deactivate
ESP
®.
iMercedes-AMG vehicles:
your vehicle
may be equipped with 20-inch tires on the
rear axle. After changing to 19 inch wheels,
ETS may intervene noticeably earlier during
the first few kilometers. After approx-
imately 10 km ETS will function as usual
again. Information on the dimensions and
types of wheels and tires for your vehicle
can be found in the "Wheel/tire combina-
tions" section (
Ypage 593).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If ESP
®is malfunctioning, ESP®is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv-
ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP
®checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
When towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the notes on ESP®
(Ypage 563).
ESP
®is only deactivated if the åwarning
lamp is lit continuously.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the åwarn-
ing lamp are lit continuously, ESP
®not avail-
able due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(
Ypage 274) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(
Ypage 240).
iOnly use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP®function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP®
General information
If the ÷ ESP
®warning lamp goes out
before beginning the journey, ESP®is auto-
matically active.
74Driving safet ysystem s
Safety

When SPORT handling mode is activated:
RESP®only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
Rtraction control is still activated.
Rengine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-
faces.
Rthe engine's torque is restricted only to a
limited degree and the drive wheels can
spin. The spinning of the wheels results in a cutting action, which provides better grip.
RESP®still provides support when you brake
firmly.
Characteristics when ESP
®is deactivated
If ESP
®is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP
®will not stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP
®:
RESP®no longer improves driving stability.
Rengine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-
faces.
Rtraction control is still activated.
RPRE-SAFE®is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP®
intervenes.
RPRE-SAFE®Brake is no longer available, it
is also not activated if you brake firmly and
ESP
®intervenes.
RESP®still provides support when you brake
firmly.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information
EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (
Ypage 71).
GWARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (
Ypage 272) as well as dis-
play messages (
Ypage 242).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE
i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Ypage 71).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In addi-
tion to the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE
also has the HOLD function (
Ypage 191) and
hill start assist (
Ypage 154).
PRE-SAFE®Brake
General information
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Ypage 71).
PRE-SAFE
®Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
Driving safety systems77
Safety
Z

The SmartKey centrally locks/unlocks:
Rthe doors
Rthe trunk lid
Rthe glove box
Rthe stowage compartment under the arm-
rest
Rthe stowage compartment in the rear com-
partment
Rthe fuel filler flap
The turn signals flash once when unlocking
and three times when locking.
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audible
signal can be activated and deactivated using
the on-board computer (
Ypage 235).
When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer (
Ypage 234).
KEYLESS-GO
General notes
Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a KEY-
LESS-GO key in the vehicle.
Locking/unlocking centrally
You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry
the SmartKey with you. You can combine the functions of KEYLESS-GO with those of a con-
ventional SmartKey. Unlock the vehicle by
using KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it
using the &button on the SmartKey.
When locking or unlocking with KEYLESS-GO,
the distance between the SmartKey and the
corresponding door handle must not be
greater than 3 ft (1 m). A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the
SmartKey determines whether a valid Smart-
Key is in the vehicle. This occurs, for example:
Rwhen the external door handles are
touched
Rwhen starting the engine
Rwhile the vehicle is in motion
XTo unlock the vehicle:
touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
XTo lock the vehicle: touch sensor sur-
face :.
XConvenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface ;for an exten-
ded period.
Further information on the convenience
closing feature (
Ypage 99).
XTo unlock the trunk lid: pull the handle on
the trunk lid.
The vehicle only unlocks the trunk lid.
Deactivating and activating
If you do not intend to use a SmartKey for an
extended period of time, you can deactivate
the KEYLESS-GO function of the SmartKey.
The SmartKey will then use very little power,
thereby conserving battery power. For the
purposes of activation/deactivation, the
vehicle must not be nearby.
SmartKey83
Opening and closing
Z

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The engine cannot be
started using the
SmartKey.the on-board voltage is too low.
XSwitch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(
Ypage 557).
or
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 559).
or
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using KEYLESS-
GO. The SmartKey is in
the vehicle.The vehicle is locked.
XUnlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again.
There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
XStart your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Doors
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
RStart the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
Unlocking and opening doors from
the inside
!
The side windows will not open/close if
the battery is discharged or if the side win-
dows have iced up. It will then not be pos-
sible to close the door. Do not attempt to
force the door closed. You could otherwise
damage the door or the side window.
You can open a door from inside the vehicle
even if it has been locked.
If the vehicle was previously locked with the
SmartKey or with KEYLESS-GO, opening the
vehicle from the inside will activate the anti-
theft alarm system. Switch off the alarm
(
Ypage 80).
88Doors
Opening and closing

Useful information
i
This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip-
ment of your vehicle available at the time of
publication of the Operator's Manual.
Country-specific differences are possible.
Please note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all features described. This
also applies to safety-related systems and
functions.
iRead the information on qualified special-
ist workshops (
Ypage 34).
Correct driver's seat position
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine.
XObserve the safety guidelines on seat
adjustment (
Ypage 109).
XMake sure that seat =is adjusted prop-
erly.
Electrical seat adjustment (
Ypage 110)
When adjusting the seat, make sure that:
Ryou are as far away from the driver's air bag
as possible
Ryou are sitting in a normal upright position
Ryou can fasten the seat belt properly
Ryou have moved the backrest to an almost
vertical position
Ryou have set the seat cushion angle so that
your thighs are gently supported
Ryou can depress the pedals properly
XCheck whether the head restraint is adjus-
ted properly.
When doing so, make sure that you have
adjusted the head restraint so that the back
of your head is supported at eye level by the
center of the head restraint.
XObserve the safety notes on steering col-
umn adjustment (
Ypage 114).
XMake sure that steering wheel :is adjus-
ted properly.
Adjusting the steering wheel electrically
(
Ypage 114)
When adjusting the steering wheel column,
make sure that:
Ryou can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent
Ryou can move your legs freely
Ryou can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly
XObserve the safety guidelines for seat belts
(
Ypage 52).
XCheck whether you have fastened seat
belt ;properly (
Ypage 54).
108Correct driver's seat position
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

Problems with the windshield wipers
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The windshield wipers
are jammed.Leaves or snow, for example, may be obstructing the windshield
wiper movement. The wiper motor has been deactivated.
XFor safety reasons, you should remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock.
or
XSwitch off the engine using the Start/Stop button and open the driver's door.
XRemove the cause of the obstruction.
XSwitch the windshield wipers back on.
The windshield wipers
fail completely.The windshield wiper drive is malfunctioning.
XSelect another wiper speed on the combination switch.
XHave the windshield wipers checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Windshield wipers133
Lights and windshield wipers
Z

The power supply is switched off again if:
Rthe driver's door is opened and
Ryou press Start/Stop button:twice
when in this position
XTo switch on the ignition: press Start/
Stop button :twice.
The ignition is switched on.
If you press Start/Stop button :once
when in this position, the ignition is
switched off again.
Removing the Start/Stop button
You can remove the Start/Stop button from
the ignition lock and start the vehicle as nor-
mal using the SmartKey.
XRemove Start/Stop button :from ignition
lock ;.
iYou do not have to remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock when you
leave the vehicle. You should, however,
always take the SmartKey with you when
leaving the vehicle. As long as the Smart-
Key is in the vehicle:
Rthe vehicle can be started using the
Start/Stop button
Rthe electrically powered equipment can
be operated
Starting the engine
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
RStart the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
GWARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation.
GWARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
!Do not depress the accelerator when
starting the engine.
Driving153
Driving and parking
Z

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The coolant tempera-
ture gauge shows a
value above 248 ‡
(120 †). The coolant
warning lamp may also
be on and a warning
tone may sound.The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
XStop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
XCheck the coolant level (Ypage 539). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add coolant if necessary.
If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
XAt coolant temperatures below 248 ‡ (120 †), drive to the
nearest qualified specialist workshop.
XAvoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-and-go traffic.
Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is
a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions
!If the engine speed is too high or if the
vehicle is rolling, do not shift the transmis-
sion directly from Dto R, from Rto Dor
directly to P.
Do not open the driver's door while the
vehicle is in motion. At low speeds in trans-
mission position Dor R, park position Pis
otherwise engaged automatically.
The transmission could be damaged.
jPark position
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
Automatic transmission159
Driving and parking
Z

Transmission positions
BPark position
Only shift the transmission into
positionPwhen the vehicle is sta-
tionary (
Ypage 159). The parking
lock should not be used as a brake
when parking. Always apply the
electronic parking brake in addi-
tion to the parking lock in order to
secure the vehicle.
If the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock, the transmission
is locked.
The automatic transmission shifts
into Pautomatically:
Rwhen the SmartKey is removed
from the ignition lock
Rwhen the engine is switched off
with the transmission in position
R or Dand one of the doors is
opened
If the vehicle electronics are mal-
functioning, the transmission may
be locked in position P. Have the
vehicle electronics checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
CReverse gear
Only shift the transmission into
position Rwhen the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
ANeutral
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brake pedal will allow
you to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push it or tow it.
If ESP
®is deactivated or faulty:
shift the transmission only to posi-
tion Nif the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
!Rolling in neutral Ncan damage
the drive train.
7Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. This automatic gear shift-
ing behavior is determined by:
Rthe selected drive program (Ypage 163)
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
(
Ypage 162)
Rthe road speed
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rmore throttle: late upshifts
162Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Problems with the transmission
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear.The transmission is losing oil.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately.
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift intosecondgear and reverse gear.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XSwitch off the engine.
XWait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
XShift the transmission to positionDor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately.
Refueling
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refueling.
GWARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
You must make sure that fuel does not come into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
and that it is not swallowed. Do not inhale fuel
vapors. Keep fuel away from children.
If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
RWash away fuel from skin immediately
using soap and water.
RIf fuel comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with
clean water. Seek medical assistance with-
out delay.
RIf fuel is swallowed, seek medical assis-
tance without delay. Do not induce vomit-
ing.
RImmediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with fuel.
GWARNING
Electrostatic buildup can create sparks and
ignite fuel vapors. There is a risk of fire and
explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening
the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. Any existing electrostatic buildup is
thereby discharged.
168Refueling
Driving and parking