stop start MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class 2016 R231 User Guide

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).
Panic alarm
XTo activate: press!button :for at
least one second.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed.
XTo deactivate: press!button :
again.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or
XPress the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button.
The KEYLESS-GO key must be in the vehi-
cle.
Occupant safety
Introduction to the restraint system
The restraint system can reduce the risk of
vehicle occupants coming into contact with
parts of the vehicle's interior in the event of
an accident. The restraint system can also
reduce the forces to which vehicle occupants
are subjected during an accident.
The restraint system comprises:
RSeat belt system
RAir bags
RChild restraint system
The components of the restraint system work
in conjunction with each other. They can only
deploy their protective function if, at all times,
all vehicle occupants:
Rhave fastened their seat belts correctly
(
Ypage 53)
Rhave adjusted their seat and head restraint
properly (
Ypage 109).
As the driver, you also have to make sure that
the steering wheel is adjusted correctly.
Observe the information relating to the cor-
rect driver's seat position (
Ypage 108).
You also have to make sure that an air bag can inflate properly if deployed (
Ypage 56).
An air bag supplements a correctly worn seat
belt. As an additional safety device, the air
bag increases the level of protection for vehi-
cle occupants in the event of an accident. For
example, if, in the event of an accident, the
protection offered by the seat belt is suffi-
cient, the air bags are not deployed. When an
accident occurs, only the air bags that
increase protection in that particular accident
situation are deployed. However, seat belts
and air bags generally do not protect against objects penetrating the vehicle from the out-
side.
Information on restraint system operation
can be found under "Triggering of the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices and air bags"
(
Ypage 64).
50Occupant safety
Safety

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. Dam-
aged seat belts can no longer fulfill their
protective function and must be replaced.
Visit a qualified specialist workshop.
Basic illustration
XPress release button :, hold belt
tongue ;firmly and guide back towards
belt guide =.
Seat belt adjustment
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE®convenience function. This
function adjusts the driver's and front-
passenger seat belt to the upper body of the
occupants.
The belt strap is tightened slightly when:
Rthe belt tongue is engaged in the buckle
and
Rthe ignition is switched on
The seat-belt adjustment will apply a certain
retraction force if any slack is detected
between the vehicle occupant and the seat
belt. 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
(
Ypage 235).
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger
The
7 seat belt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster is a reminder that all vehicle
occupants must wear their seat belts. It may
light up continuously or flash. In addition,
there may be a warning tone.
Regardless of whether the driver's seat belt
has already been fastened, the 7seat belt
warning lamp lights up for six seconds each
time the engine is started. If, after
six seconds, the driver or front-passenger
seat belt has not been fastened and the doors
are closed, the 7seat belt warning lamp
lights up. As soon as the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts are fastened or a front
door is opened again, the 7seat belt
warning lamp goes out.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened after
the engine is started, an additional warning
tone will sound. This warning tone stops after
six seconds or when the driver's seat belt is
fastened.
If the vehicle's speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h) once and the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts are not fastened, a
warning tone sounds. A warning tone also
sounds with increasing intensity for
60 seconds or until the driver or front
passenger have fastened their seat belts.
If the driver or front passenger unfasten their
seat belts during the journey, the seat belt
warning is activated again.
iFor more information on the 7seat
belt warning lamp, see "
Warning and indi-
cator lamps in the instrument cluster, seat belts" (
Ypage 271).
Occupant safety55
Safety
Z

Occupant Classification System
(OCS)
Introduction
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
categorizes the person in the front-passenger
seat. Depending on that result, the front-
passenger front air bag and front-passenger
knee bag are either enabled or deactivated.
The system does not deactivate:
Rthe side impact air bag
Rthe front-passenger head bag
Rthe Emergency Tensioning Devices
Prerequisites
To be classified correctly, the front passenger
must sit:
Rwith the seat belt fastened correctly
Rin an almost upright position with their
back against the seat backrest
Rwith their feet resting on the floor, if possi-
ble
If the front passenger does not observe these
conditions, OCS may produce a false classi-
fication, e.g. because the front passenger:
Rtransfers their weight by supporting them-
selves on a vehicle armrest
Rsits in such a way that their weight is raised from the seat cushion
If you install a child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat, be sure to observe the
correct positioning of the child restraint sys-
tem. Never place objects under or behind the
child restraint system, e.g. cushions. Fully
retract the seat cushion length. The entire
base of the child restraint system must
always rest on the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. The backrest of the forward- facing child restraint system must lie as flat as
possible against the backrest of the front-
passenger seat.
The child restraint system must not touch the roof or be subjected to a load by the head
restraint. Adjust the angle of the seat back- rest and the head restraint position accord-
ingly.
Only then can OCS be guaranteed to function
correctly. Always observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
Occupant Classification System opera-
tion (OCS)
:PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
;PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
The indicator lamps inform you whether the
front-passenger front air bag is deactivated or
enabled.
XPress the Start/Stop button once or twice,
or turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in
the ignition lock.
The system carries out self-diagnostics.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamps
must light up simultaneously for approx-
imately six seconds.
The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front air bag.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up: the
front-passenger front air bag is enabled. If,
in the event of an accident, all deployment
criteria are met, the front-passenger front
air bag is deployed.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the
front-passenger front air bag is deactiva-
ted. It will then not be deployed in the event of an accident.
Occupant safety59
Safety
Z

If ESP®intervenes, the÷ESP®warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP
®intervenes:
XDo not deactivate ESP®under any circum-
stances.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
XAdapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving. The engine starts automati-
cally when the driver wants to pull away again.
ESP
®remains in its previously selected sta-
tus. Example: if ESP®was deactivated before
the engine was switched off, ESP®remains
deactivated when the engine is switched on
again.
Deactivating/activating ESP®(except
Mercedes‑AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Ypage 71).
You can select between the following states
of ESP
®:
RESP®is activated.
RESP®is deactivated.
GWARNING
If you deactivate ESP
®, ESP®no longer sta-
bilizes the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP
®in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP®in the fol-
lowing situations:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP®will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP
®
XTo deactivate: press button:.
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
XTo activate: press button :.
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
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.
RESP®still provides support when you brake
firmly.
Driving safety systems75
Safety
Z

distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster.
XBrake immediately to defuse the situation.
or
XTake evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
PRE-SAFE
®Brake can also brake the vehicle
automatically under the following conditions:
Rthe driver and front-passenger have their
seat belts fastened
and
Rthe vehicle speed is between approx-
imately 4 mph (7 km/h) and 124 mph
(200 km/ h)
At speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/h) PRE-SAFE
®Brake can also detect
stationary objects. Examples of stationary
objects are stopped or parked vehicles.
iIf there is an increased risk of collision,
preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE
®) are activated.
If the risk of collision with the vehicle in front
remains and you do not brake, take evasive
action or accelerate significantly, the vehicle
may perform automatic emergency braking,
up to the point of full brake application. Auto-
matic emergency braking is not performed
until immediately prior to an imminent acci-
dent.
You can prevent the intervention of the PRE-
SAFE
®Brake at any time by:
Rdepressing the accelerator pedal further.
Ractivating kickdown.
Rreleasing the brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE
®Brake is
ended automatically if:
Ryou maneuver to avoid the obstacle.
Rthere is no longer any danger of a collision.
Rthere is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle.
STEER CONTROL
General information
STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a noticeable steering force to the steering
wheel in the direction required for vehicle
stabilization.
This steering assistance is provided in partic-
ular if:
Rboth right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake.
Rthe vehicle starts to skid.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Ypage 71).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if:
RESP®is malfunctioning.
Rthe lighting is faulty.
Power steering will, however, continue to
function.
Protection against theft
Immobilizer
XTo activate with the SmartKey: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XTo activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
XTo deactivate: switch on the ignition.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. The
engine can be started by anyone with a valid
SmartKey that is left inside the vehicle.
iThe immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be star-
ted (yet the vehicle's battery is charged),
Protection against theft79
Safety
Z

the system is not operational. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(in the USA) or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
XTo arm: lock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is armed after approximately
15 seconds.
XTo deactivate: unlock the vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open:
Ra door
Rthe vehicle with the mechanical key
Rthe trunk lid
Rthe hood
Rthe glove box
Rthe stowage space under the armrest
Ra stowage compartment in the rear
XTo turn the alarm off with the SmartKey:
press the %or& button on the
SmartKey.
The alarm is switched off.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
XTo stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The Smart-
Key must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or
XPress the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The SmartKey must be inside the
vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that triggered it, for
example.
iIf the alarm continues for more than
30 seconds, the mbrace emergency call
system automatically notifies the Cus-
tomer Assistance Center. This is done
either by text message or data connection.
The emergency call system sends the mes-
sage or data provided that:
Ryou have subscribed to the mbrace ser-
vice.
Rthe mbrace service has been activated
properly.
Rthe necessary mobile phone network is
available.
80Protection against theft
Safety

XTo deactivate:press the&button on
the SmartKey twice in rapid succession.
The battery check lamp (
Ypage 85) of the
SmartKey flashes twice briefly and lights up
once, then KEYLESS-GO is deactivated.
XTo activate: press any button on the
SmartKey or insert the SmartKey into the
ignition lock.
KEYLESS-GO and all of its associated fea-
tures are available again.
Changing the settings of the locking
system
You can change the settings of the locking
system. This means only the driver's door, the
lockable stowage compartments in the vehi-
cle interior and the fuel filler flap are unlocked
when the vehicle is unlocked. This is useful if
you frequently travel on your own.
XTo change the setting: press and hold
down the %and& buttons simulta-
neously for about six seconds until the bat- tery indicator lamp flashes twice
(
Ypage 85).
iIf the setting of the locking system is
changed within the signal range of the vehi-
cle, pressing the &or% button:
Rlocks or
Runlocks the vehicle
The SmartKey now functions as follows:
XTo unlock: press the%button once.
XTo unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton twice.
XTo lock centrally: press the&button. The KEYLESS-GO function is changed as fol-
lows:
XTo unlock the driver's door:
touch the
inner surface of the door handle on the
driver's door.
XTo unlock centrally: touch the inner sur-
face of the front-passenger door handle.
XTo lock centrally: touch the outer sensor
surface on one of the door handles.
XTo restore the factory settings: press
and hold down the %and& butto
ns
simultaneously for approximately six sec-
onds until the battery check lamp flashes
twice (
Ypage 85).
Mechanical key
General notes
If the vehicle can no longer be locked or
unlocked with the SmartKey, use the
mechanical key.
If you use the mechanical key to unlock and
open the driver's door or the trunk lid, the
anti-theft alarm system will be triggered
(
Ypage 80).
There are several ways to turn off the alarm:
XTo deactivate the alarm with the key:
press the %or& button on the key.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or
XTo deactivate the alarm with KEYLESS-
GO: press the Start/Stop button in the igni-
tion lock. The SmartKey must be in the
vehicle.
or
XLock or unlock the vehicle using KEYLESS-
GO. The SmartKey must be outside the
vehicle.
84SmartKey
Opening and closing

ground and that there is sufficient clear-
ance to the rear of the vehicle. You could
otherwise lose your balance e.g. on ice.
RAlways ensure that you only make the kick-ing movement within the detection range of
sensors :.
RStand at least 12 in (30 cm) away from the
rear area while doing so.
RDo not come into contact with the bumper
while making the kicking movement. Oth-
erwise, the sensors may not function cor-
rectly.
RHANDS-FREE ACCESS does not function
when the engine is started.
RIf a KEYLESS-GO key is within the rear
detection range of KEYLESS-GO, HANDS-
FREE ACCESS could be triggered. The trunk
lid could thus be opened or closed unin-
tentionally, for example, if you:
-sit on the edge of the trunk.
-set something down or lift something up
behind the vehicle.
-polish the rear of the vehicle.
Do not carry the KEYLESS-GO key about
your person in these situations or in situa-
tions similar to these. This will prevent the
unintentional opening/closing of the trunk.
RDirt caused by road salt around sensors :
may restrict functionality.
RUsing the HANDS-FREE ACCESS with a
prosthetic leg may restrict functionality.
Operation
XTo open/close: move your foot in sensor
detection range :using your leg.
You will hear a warning tone while the trunk
lid is opening or closing.
XIf the trunk lid does not open after sev-
eral attempts: wait at least ten seconds
then move your leg under the bumper once
again.
iIf you hold your foot under the bumper for
too long, the trunk lid does not open or
close. Repeat the leg movement more
quickly if this occurs.
To stop the opening or closing procedure:
Rmove your foot in sensor detection
range :under the bumper, or
Rpull the handle on the outside of the trunk
lid or
Rpress the closing button on the trunk lid, or
Rpull or press the remote operating switch
on the driver's door or
Rpress the Fbutton on the key
If the trunk lid closing procedure has been
stopped:
Rmove your foot under the bumper again and
the trunk lid will open
If the trunk lid opening procedure has been
stopped:
Rmove your foot under the bumper again and
the trunk lid will close
94Trunk
Opening and closing

XTo close fully:pull the button beyond the
point of resistance and release it.
Automatic operation is started.
XTo interrupt automatic operation: press
or pull the corresponding button again.
iYou can continue to operate the side win-
dows after you switch off the engine. This
function is available for up to five minutes
or until the driver's or front-passenger door
is opened.
Opening/closing the rear side windows
XTo open: open the front side window on the
corresponding side (
Ypage 97).
XPress the corresponding switch again and
release.
The corresponding rear side window opens
fully.
XTo stop the rear side windows: briefly
pull the corresponding switch up and
release.
XTo close: close the front side window on
the corresponding side (
Ypage 97).
XPull the respective switch and hold it.
The corresponding rear side window will
continue to close until you release the
switch.
Opening and closing all side windows
Using the switch on the center console
You can use the switch on the center console
to close all side windows simultaneously.
XOpen the cover in the lower center console.
The switch for all side windows is under the
cover.
XTo open all side windows: press but-
ton :to the point of resistance.
XTo open all side windows fully: press
switch :beyond the point of resistance.
All side windows open simultaneously.
iIf, after opening the windows, you close
one side window using the switch in the
door control panel:
Rthe front side window closes first and
Rthen the corresponding rear side window
closes.
XTo close all side windows: pull switch:.
All side windows begin the closing proce-
dure simultaneously. The rear side win-
dows close after the front side windows.
XMake sure that all the side windows are
fully closed.
Using the SmartKey
GWARNING
When using the convenience closing feature,
parts of the body could be trapped in the clos-
ing area when a side window is being closed.
There is a risk of injury.
Observe the complete closing procedure
when the convenience closing feature is oper-
ating. Make sure that no body parts are in
close proximity during the closing procedure.
If someone is trapped:
XRelease the &button immediately.
XPress and hold the %button until the
side windows open again.
98Side windows
Opening and closing

Position of the steering wheel for driv-
ing
The steering wheel is moved to the last selec-
ted position when:
Rthe driver's door is closed
Ryou insert the SmartKey into the ignition
lock
or
Ryou press the Start/Stop button once on
vehicles with KEYLESS-GO
When you close the driver's door with the
ignition switched on, the steering wheel is
also automatically moved to the previously
set position.
The last position of the steering wheel is
stored when you switch off the ignition or
when you store the setting with the memory
function (
Ypage 119).
Crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature
If the crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
triggered in an accident, the steering column
will move upwards when the driver's door is
opened. This occurs irrespective of the posi-
tion of the SmartKey in the ignition lock. This
makes it easier to exit the vehicle and rescue the occupants.
The crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
only operational if the EASY-EXIT/ENTRY fea-
ture is activated in the on-board computer
(
Ypage 235).
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting the exterior mirrors
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.
GWARNING
The exterior mirror on the front-passenger
side reduces the size of the image. Visible
objects are actually closer than they appear.
This means that you could misjudge the dis-
tance from road users traveling behind, e.g.
when changing lane. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
For this reason, always make sure of the
actual distance from the road users traveling
behind by glancing over your shoulder.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position 1 or 2in the ignition lock.
XPress button :for the left-hand exterior
mirror or button ;for the right-hand exte-
rior mirror.
The indicator lamp in the corresponding
button lights up in red.
The indicator lamp goes out again after
some time. You can adjust the selected
mirror using adjustment button =as long
as the indicator lamp is lit.
XPress adjustment button =up, down, to
the right or to the left.
The exterior mirror must be set to a position
that provides you with a good overview of
traffic conditions.
The convex exterior mirrors provide a larger
field of vision.
116Mirrors
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors