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

Winter tiresM+S tires ....................................... 570
Wiper blades
Cleaning ......................................... 545
Important safety notes .................. 131
Replacing ....................................... 131
Wooden trim (cleaning instruc-
tions) .................................................. 547
Workshop
see Qualified specialist workshop
Z
ZAGAT®rating service ...................... 340
ZONE function
Switching on/off ........................... 143
Index29

Protection of the environment
General notes
HEnvironmental note
Daimler's declared policy is one of compre-
hensive environmental protection.
The objectives are for the natural resources
that form the basis of our existence on this
planet to be used sparingly and in a manner
that takes the requirements of both nature
and humanity into account.
You too can help to protect the environment
by operating your vehicle in an environmen-
tally responsible manner.
Fuel consumption and the rate of engine,
transmission, brake and tire wear are affected by these factors:
Roperating conditions of your vehicle
Ryour personal driving style
You can influence both factors. You should
bear the following in mind:
Operating conditions:
Ravoid short trips as these increase fuel con-
sumption.
Ralways make sure that the tire pressures
are correct.
Rdo not carry any unnecessary weight.
Rremove roof racks once you no longer need
them.
Ra regularly serviced vehicle will contribute
to environmental protection. You should
therefore adhere to the service intervals.
Ralways have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Personal driving style:
Rdo not depress the accelerator pedal when
starting the engine.
Rdo not warm up the engine when the vehicle
is stationary.
Rdrive carefully and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front.
Ravoid frequent, sudden acceleration and
braking.
Rchange gear in good time and use each gear
only up to Ôof its maximum engine speed.
Rswitch off the engine in stationary traffic.
Rkeep an eye on the vehicle's fuel consump-
tion.
Environmental concerns and recom-
mendations
Wherever the operating instructions require
you to dispose of materials, first try to regen-
erate or re-use them. Observe the relevant
environmental rules and regulations when
disposing of materials. In this way you will
help to protect the environment.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
HEnvironmental note
Daimler AG also supplies reconditioned major
assemblies and parts which are of the same
quality as new parts. They are covered by the
same Limited Warranty entitlements as new
parts.
!Air bags and Emergency Tensioning Devi-
ces, as well as control units and sensors for these restraint systems, may be installed in
the following areas of your vehicle:
Rdoors
Rdoor pillars
Rdoor sills
Rseats
Rcockpit
Rinstrument cluster
Rcenter console
Do not install accessories such as audio
systems in these areas. Do not carry out
repairs or welding. You could impair the
operating efficiency of the restraint sys-
tems.
Have aftermarket accessories installed at a qualified specialist workshop.
30Introduction

You could jeopardize the operating safety of
your vehicle if you use parts, tires and wheels
as well as accessories relevant to safety
which have not been approved by Mercedes.
This could lead to malfunctions in safety-rel-
evant systems, e.g. the brake system. Use
only genuine Mercedes-Benz parts or parts of
equal quality. Only use tires, wheels and
accessories that have been specifically
approved for your vehicle.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts are subject to
strict quality control. Every part has been spe- cifically developed, manufactured or selected
for and adapted to Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Only genuine Mercedes-Benz parts should
therefore be used.
More than 300,000 different genuine
Mercedes-Benz parts are available for
Mercedes-Benz models.
All authorized Mercedes-Benz Centers main-
tain a supply of genuine Mercedes-Benz parts for necessary service and repair work. In addi-
tion, strategically located parts delivery cen-
ters provide quick and reliable parts service.
Always specify the vehicle identification num-
ber (VIN) when ordering genuine Mercedes-
Benz parts (
Ypage 601).
Operator's Manual
Vehicle equipment
This Operator's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment of
your vehicle available at the time of going to
print. Country-specific differences are possi-
ble. Bear in mind that your vehicle may not
feature all functions described here. This also
applies to safety-relevant systems and func-
tions. The equipment in your vehicle may
therefore differ from that shown in the
descriptions and illustrations.
The original purchase agreement lists all sys-
tems installed in your vehicle.
Should you have any questions concerning
equipment and operation, please consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. The Operator's Manual and Maintenance
Booklet are important documents and should
be kept in the vehicle.
Service and vehicle operation
Warranty
The implied warranty for your vehicle applies
in accordance with the warranty terms and
conditions in the Service and Warranty Infor-
mation booklet.
Your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
replace and repair all factory-installed parts in
accordance with the following warranty terms
and conditions:
RNew Vehicle Limited Warranty
REmission System Warranty
REmission Performance Warranty
RCalifornia, Connecticut, Maine, Massachu-
setts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island and Vermont Emission Control Sys-
tem Warranty
RState warranty enforcement laws (lemon
laws)
Replacement parts and accessories are cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Parts and Acces-
sories warranties. These are available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
iShould you lose your Service and War-
ranty Information booklet, have an author-
ized Mercedes-Benz Center arrange for a
replacement. The new Service and War-
ranty Information booklet will be posted to
you.
Introduction31
Z

Information for customers in Califor-
nia
UnderCalifornia law you may beentitled to a
replacement of your vehicle or a refund of the
purchase price or lease price, ifafter a rea-
sonable number of repair attempts
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and/or its author-
iz ed repair or service facilities fail to fix one or
more substantial defects or malfunctions in
the vehicle that are covered by its express
warranty. During the period of 18 months
from original delivery of the vehicle or the
accumulation of 18,000 miles (approximately
29,000 km) on the odometer of the vehicle,
whic hever occurs first, a reasonable number
of repair attempts ispresumed for a retail
buyer or lessee ifone or more of the fol lowing
occurs:
(1) the same substantial defect or malfunc- tion results ina condition that islikely to
cause death or serious bodily injury ifthe
vehicle is driven, that defect or malfunc-
tion has been subject to repair two or
more times, and you have direct lynoti-
fied Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC in writing
of the need for its repair,
(2) the same substantial defect or malfunc- tion of a less serious nature than cate-
gory (1) has been subject to repair four or
more times and you hav
e directly notified
us in writ ing of the need for its repair, or
(3) the vehicle isout of service by reason of
repair of the same or different substantial
defects or malfunctions for a cumulative
total of more than 30 calendar days.
Please send your written notice to:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Customer Assistance Center
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
Maintenance
The Service and Warranty Booklet describes
all the necessary maintenance work which
should bedone at regular intervals.
Always have the Service and Warranty Book-
let with you when you bring the vehicle to an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. The ser-
vice advisor willrecord every servic e for you
in the Service and Warranty Booklet.
Breakdown assistance
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program offers technical help inthe event of a
breakdown. Calls to the toll-free Roadside
Assistance Hotline are answered byour
agents 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372 )
(USA)
1-8 00-387-0100 (Canada)
For additional information, refer to the
Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance Pro-
gram brochure (USA) or the "RoadsideAssis-
tance" section inthe Service and Warranty
booklet (Canada). You willfind both inyour
vehicle literature portfolio.
Change of address or change of own-
ership
In the event of a change of address, please
send us the "Notific ation of Address Change"
in the Service and Guarantee booklet or sim-
ply call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assis-
tance Center (USA) at the hotline number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service Center (Canada) at
1-800-387-0100. This will assist us in con-
tacting you in a timely manner should the
need arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave the
entire literature in the vehicle so that it is
available to the next owner.
If you have purchased a used car, please send
us the "Notification of Used Car Purchase" in
32Introduction

the Service and Guarantee booklet or simply
call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center (USA) at the hotline number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service (Canada) at
1-800-387-0100.
Vehicle operation outside the USA
and Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in foreign
countries, please be aware that:
Rservice facilities or replacement parts may
not be readily available.
Runleaded fuel for vehicles with a catalytic
converter may not be available. Leaded fuel may cause damage to the catalytic con-
verter.
Rthe fuel may have a considerably lower
octane rating. Unsuitable fuel can cause
engine damage.
Some Mercedes-Benz models are available
for delivery in Europe through our European
Delivery Program. For details, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or write to
one of the following addresses.
In the USA
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9
Operating safety
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you do not have the prescribed service/
maintenance work or any required repairs
carried out, this can result in malfunctions or system failures. There is a risk of an accident.
Always have the prescribed service/mainte-
nance work as well as any required repairs
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
GWARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a risk of fire.
When driving off road or on unpaved roads,
check the vehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove parts of plants or other
flammable materials which have become
trapped. In the case of damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
GWARNING
Modifications to electronic components, their software as well as wiring can impair their
function and/or the function of other net-
worked components. In particular, systems
relevant to safety could also be affected. As a
result, these may no longer function as inten-
ded and/or jeopardize the operating safety of
the vehicle. There is an increased risk of an
accident and injury.
Never tamper with the wiring as well as elec-
tronic components or their software. You
should have all work to electrical and elec-
tronic equipment carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
!There is a risk of damage to the vehicle if:
Rthe vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
curb or an unpaved road
Ryou drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb or a hole in the road
Ra heavy object strikes the undercarriage
or parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the under-
carriage, chassis parts, wheels or tires
could be damaged without the damage
being visible. Components damaged in this
way can unexpectedly fail or, in the case of
Introduction33
Z

an accident, no longer withstand the strain
they are designed to.
If the underbody paneling is damaged,
combustible materials such as leaves,
grass or twigs can gather between the
underbody and the underbody paneling. If
these materials come in contact with hot
parts of the exhaust system, they can catch
fire.
In such situations, have the vehicle
checked and repaired immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop. If on con-
tinuing your journey you notice that driving
safety is impaired, pull over and stop the
vehicle immediately, paying attention to
road and traffic conditions. In such cases,
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Declarations of conformity
Vehicle components which receive
and/or transmit radio waves
USA: "The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Oper-
ation is subject to the following two condi-
tions: 1) These devices may not cause harm-
ful interference, and 2) These devices must
accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired oper-
ation. Changes or modifications not expressly
approved by the party responsible for com-
pliance could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment."
Canada: "The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Industry Canada license-exempt
RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) These devices
may not cause interference, and (2) These
devices must accept any interference, includ-
ing interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device."
Diagnostics connection
The diagnostics connection is only intended
for the connection of diagnostic equipment at
a qualified specialist workshop.
GWARNING
If you connect equipment to the diagnostics
connection inthe vehicle, itmay affect the
operation of the vehicle systems. As a result,
the operating safety of the vehicle could be
affected. There isa risk of an accident.
Do not connect any equipment to a diagnos-
tics connection inthe vehicle.
GWARNING
Objects inthe driver's footwell can restrict the
pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
je opardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats and do not place floormats on
top of one another.
!If the engine is switched off and equip-
ment on the diagnostics connection is
used, the starter battery may discharge.
Connecting equipment to the diagnostics
connection can lead to emissions monitoring
information being reset, for example. This
may lead to the vehicle failing to meet the
requirements of the next emissions test dur-
ing the main inspection.
Qualified specialist workshop
An authorized Mercedes-Benz Center is a
qualified specialist workshop. It has the nec-
essary specialist knowledge, tools and quali-
fications to correctly carry out the work
required on your vehicle. This is especially the
case for work relevant to safety.
34Introduction

Observe the notes in the Maintenance Book-
let.
Always have the following work carried out at
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center:
Rwork relevant to safety
Rservice and maintenance work
Rrepair work
Ralterations, installation work and modifica-
tions
Rwork on electronic components
Correct use
If you remove any warning stickers, you or
others could fail to recognize certain dangers.
Leave warning stickers in position.
Observe the following information when driv-
ing your vehicle:
Rthe safety notes in this manual
Rthe vehicle technical data
Rtraffic rules and regulations
Rlaws and safety standards pertaining to
motor vehicles
Problems with your vehicle
If you should experience a problem with your
vehicle, particularly one that you believe mayaffect its safe operation, we urge you to con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately to have the problem diagnosed
and rectified. If the problem is not resolved to
your satisfaction, please discuss the problem
again with a Mercedes-Benz Center or con-
tact us at one of the following addresses.
In the USA
Customer Assistance Center
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Customer Relations Department
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc. 98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9
Reporting safety defects
USA only:
The following text is published as required of
manufacturers under Title 49, Code of U.S.
Federal Regulations, Part 575 pursuant to the
"National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act
of 1966".
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause
injury or death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notify-
ing Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a
safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it
may order a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your
dealer, or Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-888-327-4236(TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go
to http://www.safercar.gov; or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20590.
You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov
Limited Warranty
!
Follow the instructions in this manual
about the proper operation of your vehicle
as well as about possible vehicle damage.
Damage to your vehicle that arises from
culpable contraventions against these
instructions is not covered either by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty or by the New or Used-Vehicle Warranty.
Introduction35
Z

QR codes for the rescue card
The QR codes are secured in the fuel filler flap
and on the opposite side on the B-pillar. In the event of an accident, rescue services can use
the QR code to quickly find the appropriate
rescue card for your vehicle. The current res-
cue card contains the most important infor-
mation about your vehicle in a compact form,
e.g. the routing of the electric cables.
You can find more information under http://
portal.aftersales.i.daimler.com/public/
content/asportal/en/communication/
informationen_fuer/QRCode.html.
Data stored in the vehicle
Data recording
This vehicle is capable of recording diagnostic
information relating to vehicle operation, mal-
functions, and user settings. This may include information about the performance or status
of various systems, including but not limited
to, engine, throttle, steering or brake sys-
tems, that is stored and can be read out with
suitable devices, particularly when the vehi-
cle is serviced. The data obtained is used to
properly diagnose and service your vehicle or
to further optimize and develop vehicle func-
tions.
COMAND/mbrace (Canada: TELEAID)
If the vehicle is equipped with COMAND or
mbrace, additional data about the vehicle’s
operation, the use of the vehicle in certain
situations, and the location of the vehicle may
be compiled through COMAND or the mbrace
system.
For additional information please refer to theCOMAND User Manual and/or the mbrace
Terms and Conditions.
Event data recorders
This vehicle is equipped with an event data
recorder (EDR). The main purpose of an EDR
is to record data that will assist in under-
standing how a vehicle’s systems performed
in certain crash or near crash-like situations,
such as during air bag deployment or when
hitting a road obstacle. The EDR is designed
to record data related to vehicle dynamics
and safety systems for a short period of time,
typically 30 seconds or less.
The EDR in this vehicle is designed to record
such data as:
Rhow various systems in your vehicle are
operating
Rwhether or not the driver and passenger
seat belts are fastened
Rhow far (if at all) the driver is depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal and
Rhow fast the vehicle is traveling
This data can help provide a better under-
standing of the circumstances in which
crashes and injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data is
recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial
crash situation occurs; no data is recorded by the EDR under normal driving conditions and
no personal data (e.g., name, gender, age,
and crash location) are recorded. However,
other parties, such as law enforcement, can
combine the EDR data with the type of per-
sonal identification data routinely acquired
during a crash investigation.
To read data recorded by an EDR, special
equipment is required, and access to the vehi-
cle or the EDR is needed. In addition to the
vehicle manufacturer, other parties that have
the special equipment, such as law enforce-
ment, can read the information by accessing
the vehicle or the EDR.
EDR data may be used in civil and criminal
matters as a tool in accident reconstruction,
accident claims, and vehicle safety. Since the
Crash Data Retrieval CDR tool that is used to
extract data from the EDR is commercially
available, Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
36Introduction

("MBUSA") expressly disclaims any and all lia-
bility arising from the extraction of this infor-
mation by unauthorized Mercedes-Benz per-
sonnel.
MBUSA will not share EDR data with others
without the consent of the vehicle owners or,
if the vehicle is leased, without the consent of
the lessee. Exceptions to this representation
include responses to subpoenas by law
enforcement; by federal, state or local gov-
ernment; in connection with or arising out of
litigation involving MBUSA or its subsidiaries
and affiliates; or, as required by law.
Warning: The EDR is a component of the
Restraint System Module. Tampering with,
altering, modifying or removing the EDR com-
ponent may result in a malfunction of the
Restraint System Module and other systems.
State laws or regulations regarding EDRs that conflict with federal regulation are pre-emp-
ted. This means that in the event of such con-
flict, the federal regulation governs. As of
February 2013, 13 states have enacted laws
relating to EDRs.
Information on copyright
General information
Information on license for free and open-
source software used in your vehicle and its
electronic components is available on the fol-
lowing website:
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/
opensource
Introduction37
Z

38