brake MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class 2016 R231 Owner's Guide

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

For PRE-SAFE®Brake to assist you when driv-
ing, the radar sensor system must be opera-
tional.
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE
®Brake can detect obstacles that
are in front of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
PRE-SAFE
®Brake can help you to minimize
the risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead, and
reduce the effects of such a collision. If PRE-
SAFE
®Brake has detected a risk of collision,
you will be warned visually and acoustically as
well as by automatic braking. PRE-SAFE
®
Brake cannot prevent a collision without your
intervention.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
PRE-SAFE
®Brake will initially brake your vehi-
cle by a partial application of the brakes if a
danger of collision is detected. There may be
a collision unless you also brake. Automatic
emergency braking cannot prevent a colli-
sion. There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action.
GWARNING
PRE-SAFE
®Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify objects and complex traffic conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE
®Brake may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
Rnot give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE
®Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a col-
lision, you must apply the brakes yourself.
GWARNING
PRE-SAFE
®Brake does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE
®Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical sit-
uations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the rec-
ognition can be impaired.
Recognition by the radar sensor system is
also impaired in the event of:
Rthere is dirt on the sensors or anything else covering the sensors
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
Ra vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at low speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
Function
XTo activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate PRE-SAFE®Brake in the on-board
computer (
Ypage 231).
When the PRE-SAFE®Brake is deactivated,
the multifunction display in the assistance
graphic shows the æsymbol.
Starting at a speed of around 4 mph (7 km/h),
this function warns you if you rapidly
approach a vehicle in front. An intermittent
warning tone will then sound and the ·
78Driving safety systems
Safety

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

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).
SmartKey
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
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally turned in the ignition lock. This could
cause the engine to be switched off. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to theSmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
!Keep the SmartKey away from strong
magnetic fields. Otherwise, the remote
control function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the
vicinity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the SmartKey:
Rwith electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another SmartKey.
Rwith metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
foil.
Rinside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case.
This can affect the functionality of the
SmartKey.
SmartKey functions
:& To lock the vehicle
;FTo unlock the trunk lid
=%To unlock the vehicle
XTo unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton.
If you do not open the vehicle within
approximately 40 seconds of unlocking:
Rthe vehicle is locked again.
Rprotection against theft is reactivated.
XTo lock centrally: press the&button.
82SmartKey
Opening and closing

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

XTo switch on:turn the SmartKey in the
ignition lock to position 1or 2or start the
engine.
XPull the combination switch in the direction of arrow =.
Hazard warning lamps
XTo switch on the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on a
turn signal using the combination switch,
only the turn signal lamp on the corre-
sponding side of the vehicle will flash.
XTo switch off the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.
The hazard warning lamps automatically
switch on if:
Ran air bag is deployed or
Rthe vehicle decelerates rapidly from a
speed of above 45 mph (70 km/h) and
comes to a standstill
The hazard warning lamps switch off auto-
matically if the vehicle reaches a speed of
above 6 mph (10 km/h) again after a full
brake application.
iThe hazard warning lamps still operate if
the ignition is switched off.
Cornering light function
The cornering light function improves the illu-
mination of the road over a wide angle in the
direction you are turning, enabling better vis-
ibility in tight bends, for example. The corner-
ing light function can only be activated when
the low-beam headlamps are switched on.
Active:
Rif you are driving at speeds below 25 mph
(40 km/h) and switch on the turn signal or
turn the steering wheel
Rif you are driving at speeds between
25 mph (40 km/h) and 45 mph (70 km/h)
and turn the steering wheel
The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after
no more than three minutes.
Active light function
The active light function is a system that
moves the headlamps according to the steer-
ing movements of the front wheels. In this
way, relevant areas remain illuminated while
126Exterior lighting
Lights and windshield wiper s

Replacing the wiper blades
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the windshield wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiper blades, you could be trapped by the wiper arm. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades.
!To avoid damaging the wiper blades,
make sure that you touch only the wiper
arm of the wiper.
!Never open the hood if a windshield wiper
arm has been folded away from the wind-
shield.
Never fold a windshield wiper arm without a
wiper blade back onto the windshield.
Hold the windshield wiper arm firmly when
you change the wiper blade. If you release
the windshield wiper arm without a wiper
blade and it falls onto the windshield, the
windshield may be damaged by the force of
the impact.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the wiper blades changed at a qualified
specialist workshop.
!Always position the windshield wiper
arms vertically before folding them away
from the windshield. By doing so, you will
avoid damage to the hood.
Changing the windshield wiper blades
Moving the wiper arm to a vertical posi-
tion
On vehicles without KEYLESS-GO:
XTurn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock.
XSet the windshield wiper to position °.
XWhen the wiper arms have reached the ver-
tical position, turn the SmartKey to position
0 and remove it from the ignition lock.
XFold the wiper arm away from the wind-
shield until it engages.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO:
XSwitch off the engine.
XRemove your foot from the brake pedal.
XSet the windshield wiper to the °posi-
tion.
XPress the Start/Stop button repeatedly
until the windshield wiper starts.
XWhen the wiper arms have reached a ver-
tical position, press the Start/Stop button.
XFold the wiper arm away from the wind-
shield until it engages.
Removing a wiper blade
XTo bring the wiper blade into position to
be removed: hold the wiper arm firmly with
one hand. With the other hand, turn the
wiper blade in the direction of arrow =
beyond the point of resistance.
The wiper blade engages in the removal
position with an audible click.
XTo remove a wiper blade: firmly press
release knob ;and pull the wiper blade
upwards :.
Windshield wipers131
Lights and windshield wipers
Z

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).
Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle
Important safety notes
The sensor system of some driving and driv-
ing safety systems adjusts automatically
while a certain distance is being driven after
the vehicle has been delivered or after
repairs. Full system effectiveness is not
reached until the end of this teach-in proce-
dure.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometers of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal.
The first 1000 miles (1500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance in the future.
RYou should therefore drive at varying vehi-
cle and engine speeds for the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
RAvoid heavy loads, e.g. driving at full throt-
tle, during this period.
RChange gear in good time, before the tach-
ometer needle is Ôof the way to the red
area of the tachometer.
RDo not manually shift to a lower gear to
brake the vehicle.
RTry to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the point of resistance (kick-
down).
RIdeally, for the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km),
drive in program C.
After 1,000 miles (1,500 km), you can
increase the engine speed gradually and bring
the vehicle to full speed.
Additional breaking-in notes for Mercedes-
AMG vehicles:
RDo not drive faster than 85 mph
(140 km/h) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
ROnly allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
RChange gear in good time.
You should also observe these notes on
breaking in if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed.
Self-locking rear axle differential
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Your vehicle is equipped with a self-locking
differential on the rear axle.
Change the oil to improve protection of the
rear axle differential:
Rafter a breaking-in period of 1,850 miles
(3,000 km)
Revery 31,000 miles (50,000 km) or
3 years
These oil changes prolong the service life of
the differential. Have the oil change carried
out at a qualified specialist workshop.
150Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle
Driving and parking

Driving
Important safet ynotes
GWARNING
Objects in th edriver's footwell can restric tth e
peda ltrave lor obstruct adepressed pedal.
The operatin gand road safet yof th evehicle is
jeopardized. There is aris kof an accident.
Mak esur ethat all objects in th evehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they canno tente r
th edriver's footwell. Install th efloormat s
securely and as specifie din order to ensur e
sufficien tclearanc efo rth epedals. Do no tuse
loose floormat sand do no tplac efloormat son
to pof on eanother.
GWARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correc tusag e
of th epedals, e.g. :
Rshoes withthic ksoles
Rshoes wit hhig hheels
Rslipper s
There is aris kof an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensur ecorrec t
usag eof th epedals.
GWARNING
If you switch of fth eignition whil edriving,
safety-relevant function sare only available
wit hlimitations, or no tat all. Thi scould affect,
fo rexample, th epowe rsteerin gand th ebrake
boostin geffect .You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake .There is aris k
of an accident.
Do no tswitch of fth eignition whil edriving.
GWARNING
If th eparking brake has no tbee nfull y
release dwhen driving, th eparking brake can :
Roverheat and cause afir e
Rlos eits hol dfunction .
There is aris kof fir eand an accident. Release
th eparking brake full ybefor edrivin goff.
!Do no twarm up th eengin ewit hth evehi-
cl e stationary. Drive of fimmediately. Avoid
hig hengin espeeds and drivin gat full throt-
tl e until th eengin ehas reached it soperat -
in g temperature .
Only shift th eautomatic transmissio nto
th edesire ddrive position when th evehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinnin gth edrive
wheels when pulling away on slipper y
roads. You could otherwise damage th e
drive train .
!Mercedes-AMG vehicles :at low engin e
oil temperature sbelo w68 ‡(+2 0†), th e
maximum engin espeed is restricte din
order to protect th eengine. To protect th e
engin eand maintain smoot hengin eoper-
ation ,avoid drivin gat full throttle when th e
engin eis cold.
SmartKe ypositions
SmartKe y
gTo removeth eSmartKey
1Powe rsupply fo rsom econsumers ,suc h
as th ewindshield wipers
2Ignition (power supply fo rall consumers )
and drive position
3To start th eengin e
iThe SmartKey can be turned in th eigni-
tion loc keve nif it is no tth ecorrec tSmart -
Key fo rth evehicle. The ignition is no t
switched on .The engin ecanno tbe started.
Driving151
Driving and parking
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