steering MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS 2019 User Guide

Panic alarm
XTo activate:press3buttonCfor atleast one second.A visual and audible alarm is triggered if thealarm system is armed.
XTo deactivate:press3buttonCagain.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or
XPress the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button.
The KEYLESS-GO key must be in the vehicle.
Occupant safety
Introduction to the restraint system
The restraint system can reduce the risk ofvehicle occupants coming into contact withparts of the vehicle's interior in the event of anaccident. The restraint system can also reducethe forces to which vehicle occupants are sub-jected during an accident.
The restraint system includes the followingcomponents:
Rseat belt system
Rair bags
The components of the restraint system workin conjunction with each other. They can onlydeploy their protective function if, at all times,all vehicle occupants:
Rhave fastened their seat belts correctly(Ypage 43)
Rhave the seat and head restraint adjustedproperly (Ypage 97)
As the driver, you also have to make sure thatthe steering wheel is adjusted correctly.
Observe the information relating to the correctdriver's seat position (Ypage 97).
You also have to make sure that an air bag caninflate properly if deployed (Ypage 45).
An air bag supplements a correctly worn seatbelt. As an additional safety device, the air bagincreases the level of protection for vehicleoccupants in the event of an accident. Forexample, if, in the event of an accident, theprotection offered by the seat belt is sufficient,the air bags are not deployed. When an acci-dent occurs, only the air bags that increaseprotection in that particular accident situationare deployed. However, seat belts and air bagsgenerally do not protect against objects pene-trating the vehicle from the outside.
Information on restraint system operation canbe found under "Triggering of the EmergencyTensioning Devices and air bags"(Ypage 53).
See "Children in the vehicle" for informationon children traveling with you in the vehicle aswell as on child restraint systems(Ypage 57).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Modifications to the restraint system may
cause it to no longer work as intended. The
restraint system may then not perform its
intended protective function and may fail in
an accident or trigger unexpectedly, for
example. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
Never modify parts of the restraint system.
Never tamper with the wiring, the electronic
components or their software.
If it is necessary to modify components of therestraint system to accommodate a personwith disabilities, contact an authorizedMercedes-Benz Center for details. USA only:for further information contact our CustomerAssistance Center at 1-800 FOR-MERCEDES(1‑800‑367‑6372).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only usedriving aids which have been approved specifi-cally for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
40Occupant safety
Safety

passenger seat belts are not fastened, a warn-ing tone sounds. A warning tone also soundswith increasing intensity for 60 seconds oruntil the driver or front passenger have fas-tened their seat belts.
If the driver or front passenger unfasten theirseat belts during the journey, the seat beltwarning is activated again.
Air bags
Introduction
The installation point of an airbag can be rec-ognized by the AIRBAG marking.
An airbag complements the correctly fastenedseat belt. It is no substitute for the seat belt.When deployed, an airbag can increase theprotection provided for the respective vehicleoccupant.
Not all airbags are deployed in an accident.The various airbags work independently ofeach other (Ypage 53).
However, no system available today can com-pletely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
It is also not possible to rule out a risk of injurycaused by an airbag due to the high speed atwhich the airbag must be deployed.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you do not sit in the correct seat position,
the air bag cannot protect as intended and
could even cause additional injury when
deployed. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
To avoid hazardous situations, always make
sure that all of the vehicle's occupants:
Rhave fastened their seat belts correctly,
including pregnant women
Rare sitting correctly and maintain the
greatest possible distance to the air bags
Rfollow the following instructions
Always make sure that there are no objects
between the air bag and the vehicle's occu-
pants.
All vehicle occupants must observe the follow-ing notes to avoid risks posed by the airbagwhen it deploys.
RAdjust the seats properly before beginningyour journey. Always make sure that theseat is in an almost upright position. Thecenter of the head restraint must supportthe head at about eye level.
RMove the driver's and front-passenger seatsas far back as possible. The driver's seatposition must allow the vehicle to be drivensafely.
ROnly hold the steering wheel on the outside.This allows the airbag to be fully deployed.
RAlways lean against the backrest while driv-ing. Do not lean forward or lean against thedoor or side window. You may otherwise bein the deployment area of the airbags.
RAlways keep your feet in the footwell infront of the seat. Do not put your feet on thedashboard, for example. Your feet may oth-erwise be in the deployment area of the air-bag.
RFor this reason, always secure persons lessthan 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in suitable restraintsystems. Up to this height, the seat beltcannot be worn correctly.
If a child is traveling in your vehicle, alsoobserve the following notes:
RAlways secure children under twelve yearsof age and less than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in suit-able child restraint systems.
RSecure a child to the front-passenger seatonly when the front-passenger front airbagis deactivated, and then only in a rearward-facing child restraint system. The front-passenger front airbag is deactivated whenthe PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicatorlamp is lit continuously (Ypage 41).
RAlways observe the instructions and safetynotes on the "Occupant Classification Sys-tem (OCS)" (Ypage 48) and on "Childrenin the vehicle" (Ypage 57) in addition tothe child restraint system manufacturer'sinstallation and operating instructions.
Objects in the vehicle interior may restrictthe airbag from functioning correctly.Toavoid risks resulting from the speed of the air-bag as it deploys, vehicle occupants mustensure the following points.
Occupant safety45
Safety
Z

Before commencing your journey, ensure that:
Rthere are no people, animals or objectsbetween the vehicle occupants and an air-bag
Rthere are no objects between the seat, doorand B-pillar
Rthere are no hard objects, e.g. coat hangers,hanging on the grab handles or coat hooks
Rno accessories, such as cup holders, areattached to the vehicle within the deploy-ment area of an airbag, e.g. to doors or sidewindows
Rno heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects arein the pockets of your clothing. Store suchobjects in a suitable place
GWARNING
If you modify the cover of an air bag or affix
objects such as stickers to it, the air bag
can no longer perform its intended function.
There is an increased risk of injury.
Never modify the cover of an air bag or affix
objects to it.
GWARNING
Sensors to control the air bags are located
in the doors. Modifications or work not per-
formed correctly to the doors or door panel-
ing, as well as damaged doors, can lead to
the function of the sensors being impaired.
The air bags might therefore not function
properly anymore. Consequently, the air
bags cannot protect vehicle occupants as
they are designed to do. There is an
increased risk of injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the
doors. Always have work on the doors or
door paneling carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Front air bags
!Do not place heavy objects on the front-passenger seat. This could cause the sys-tem to identify the seat as being occupied.In the event of an accident, the restraintsystems on the front-passenger side may betriggered and have to be replaced.
Driver's air bagCdeploys in front of thesteering wheel. Front-passenger front airbagDdeploys in front of and above the glovebox.
When deployed, the front air bags offer addi-tional head and thorax protection for the occu-pants in the driver's and front-passengerseats.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lampinforms you about the status of the front-passenger front air bag (Ypage 41).
The front-passenger front air bag will onlydeploy if:
Rthe system, based on the OCS weight sen-sor readings, detects that the front-passenger seat is occupied (Ypage 48).The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicatorlamp is not lit (Ypage 48)
Rthe restraint system control unit predicts ahigh accident severity
Knee bags
Driver's knee bagCdeploys under the steer-ing column and front-passenger knee bagDunder the glove box. The driver's and front-passenger knee bags are triggered togetherwith the front air bags.
46Occupant safety
Safety

Rsetting a more favorable seat position forthe front-passenger seat.
Rvehicles with a multicontour seat: increasingthe air pressure in the side bolsters of theseat backrest.
!Make sure that there are no objects in thefootwell or behind the seats. There is a dan-ger that the seats and/or objects could be
damaged when PRE-SAFE®is activated.
Should an accident not occur, the preventativemeasures taken are reversed. Certain settingsmust be made yourself.
XIf the seat belt pre-tensioning is notreduced, move the seat backrest backslightly.Seat belt pre-tensioning is released.
PRE-SAFE®PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection system PLUS)
Introduction
PRE-SAFE®PLUS is only available in vehicleswith the Driving Assistance package.
Using the radar sensor system, PRE-SAFE®
PLUS is able to detect that a head-on or rear-end collision is imminent. In certain hazardous
situations, PRE-SAFE®PLUS takes pre-emptivemeasures to protect the vehicle occupants.
Important safety notes
The intervention of PRE-SAFE®PLUS cannotprevent an imminent collision.
The driver is not warned about the intervention
of PRE-SAFE®PLUS.
PRE-SAFE®PLUS does not intervene if thevehicle is backing up.
When driving, or when parking or exiting aparking space using Active Parking Assist,
PRE-SAFE®PLUS will not apply the brakes.
Function
PRE-SAFE®PLUS intervenes in certain situa-tions if the radar sensor system detects animminent head-on or rear-end collision.
PRE-SAFE®PLUS takes the following meas-ures depending on the hazardous situationdetected:
Rif the radar sensor system detects that ahead-on collision is imminent, the seat beltsare pre-tensioned.
Rif the radar sensor system detects that arear-end collision is imminent:
-the brake pressure is increased if thedriver applies the brakes when the vehicleis stationary.
-the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
The PRE-SAFE®PLUS braking application iscanceled:
Rif the accelerator pedal is depressed when agear is engaged
Rif the risk of a collision passes or is no lon-ger detected
Rif Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC indi-cates an intention to intervene
If the hazardous situation passes withoutresulting in an accident, the original settingsare restored.
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the followingmeasures are implemented, depending on thetype and severity of the impact:
Rthe hazard warning lamps are switched on
Rthe emergency lighting is activated
Rthe vehicle doors are unlocked
Rthe front side windows are lowered
Rthe electrically adjustable steering wheel israised when the driver's door is opened
Rthe engine is switched off and the fuel sup-ply is cut off
Rvehicles with Mercedes me connect: auto-matic emergency call
56Occupant safety
Safety

If you install a child restraint system on thefront passenger seat, be sure to observe theinstructions and safety notes on the "Occu-pant Classification System (OCS)" (Ypage 48).There you will also find information on disa-bling the front passenger front air bag.
All child restraint systems must meet the fol-lowing standards:
RU.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards213 and 225
RCanadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards213 and 210.2
Confirmation that the child restraint systemcorresponds to the standards can be found onan instruction label on the child restraint sys-tem. This confirmation can also be found inthe installation instructions that are includedwith the child restraint system.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-rior and on the child restraint system.
Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat
General notes
If you install a child restraint system on thefront-passenger seat, always observe theinstructions and safety notes on the "Occu-pant Classification System (OCS)" (Ypage 48).
You can thus avoid the risks that could ariseas a result of:
Ran incorrectly categorized person in thefront-passenger seat
Rdeactivating the front passenger front airbag unintentionally
Rthe unsuitable positioning of the childrestraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-board
Rearward-facing child restraint system
If circumstances require you to secure a childin a rearward-facing child restraint system onthe front-passenger seat, always make surethat the front passenger front air bag is deacti-vated. Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFFindicator lamp is lit continuously (Ypage 41),is the front passenger front air bag deactiva-ted.
Always observe the child restraint systemmanufacturer's installation and operatinginstructions.
Forward-facing child restraint system
If you secure a child in a forward-facing childrestraint system on the front-passenger seat,always move the front-passenger seat as farback as possible. Fully retract the seat cushionlength. The entire base of the child restraintsystem must always rest on the seat cushionof the front-passenger seat. The backrest ofthe child restraint system must lie as flat aspossible against the backrest of the front-passenger seat. The child restraint systemmust not touch the roof or be subjected to aload by the head restraint. Adjust the angle ofthe seat backrest and the head restraint posi-tion accordingly. Always make sure that theshoulder belt strap is correctly routed from thefront-passenger seat belt guide to the shoulderbelt guide on the child restraint system. Theshoulder belt strap must be routed forwardand down from the front-passenger seat beltguide. If necessary, adjust the front-passengerseat accordingly.
Always observe the child restraint systemmanufacturer's installation and operatinginstructions.
Pets in the vehicle
GWARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may press buttons
or switches, for instance.
In this way, animals may:
Ractivate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
Rswitch systems on or off and thereby
endanger other road users
Furthermore, unsecured animals may be
flung around inside the vehicle in the event
of an accident or abrupt steering or braking
maneuver, and thereby injure vehicle occu-
pants. There is a risk of accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle.
Pets in the vehicle59
Safety
Z

Always secure animals properly when driv-
ing, for instance with a suitable pet carrier.
Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information aboutthe following driving safety systems:
RABS (Anti-lockBrakingSystem)(Ypage 60)
RBAS (BrakeAssistSystem) (Ypage 61)
RBrake Assist with cross-traffic function(Ypage 61)
RActive Brake Assist (Ypage 63)
RAdaptive brake lights (Ypage 65)
RESP®(ElectronicStabilityProgram)(Ypage 65)
REBD (ElectronicBrake forceDistribution)(Ypage 69)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 70)
RActive Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-tion (Ypage 70)
RSTEER CONTROL (Ypage 72)
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if youare inattentive, the driving safety systems canneither reduce the risk of an accident noroverride the laws of physics. Driving safetysystems are merely aids designed to assistdriving.
You are responsible for maintaining the dis-tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed,for braking in good time, and for staying inlane. Always adapt your driving style to suitthe prevailing road and weather conditions andmaintain a safe distance from the vehicle infront. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described onlywork as effectively as possible when there isadequate contact between the tires and theroad surface. Pay particular attention to theinformation regarding tires, recommendedminimum tire tread depths etc. in the "Wheelsand tires" section (Ypage 293).
In wintry driving conditions, always use wintertires (M+S tires) and if necessary, snow
chains. Only in this way will the driving safetysystems described in this section work aseffectively as possible.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General information
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a waythat the wheels do not lock when you brake.This allows you to continue steering the vehi-cle when braking.
The%ABS warning lamp in the instrumentcluster lights up when the ignition is switchedon. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface condi-tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, evenwhen you only brake gently.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 60).
GWARNING
If ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels could
lock when braking. The steerability and
braking characteristics would be severely
affected. There is an increased danger of
skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,including driving safety systems, will alsobecome inoperative. Observe the informationon the ABS warning lamp (Ypage 236) anddisplay messages which may be shown in theinstrument cluster (Ypage 206).
Brakes
XIf ABS intervenes:continue to depress thebrake pedal vigorously until the braking sit-uation is over.
XTo make a full brake application:depressthe brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel apulsing in the brake pedal.
60Driving safety systems
Safety

Drive programESP®modeCharacteristics
CComfort
EEconomy
ESP®onThis drive program offers the best compromisebetween traction and stability.
Select drive programEorCin difficult roadconditions such as snow and ice or on wetroads.
SSportESP®onThis drive program offers the best compromisebetween traction and stability.
S+Sport PlusESP®SportThe vehicle's own oversteering and understeer-ing characteristics are emphasized. This ena-bles a more active driving style.
This drive program requires increased driverinteraction.
Select this drive program only when road con-ditions are good, e.g. the roads are dry and theroute is clear.
Always adapt your driving style and drive program to the prevailing road and weather conditions.
Additional information for drive programs (Ypage 138).
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches theengine off automatically when the vehiclestops moving. The engine starts automaticallywhen the driver wants to pull away again.
ESP®remains in its previously selected status,
e.g. if ESP®was deactivated before the enginewas automatically switched off.
Deactivating/activating ESP®(except
Mercedes‑AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 60).
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
described 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
Spinning the wheels results in a cutting actionwhich provides better grip.
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP®willotherwise not be able to stabilize the vehicleif the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel startsto spin.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated. Youcould otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Driving safety systems67
Safety
Z

Up to a speed of approximately 44 mph(70 km/h), Active Brake Assist with cross-traf-fic function may react to:
Rstationary objects in the path of your vehi-cle, e.g. stopped or parked vehicles
Rpedestrians in the path of your vehicle
iIf there is an increased risk of a collision,preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE®) are triggered (Ypage 55).
If the risk of collision with the vehicle in frontremains and you do not brake, take evasiveaction or accelerate significantly, the vehiclemay perform automatic emergency braking, upto the point of full brake application. Auto-matic emergency braking is not performeduntil immediately prior to an imminent acci-dent.
You can prevent the intervention of ActiveBrake Assist with cross-traffic function at anytime by:
Rdepressing the accelerator pedal further
Ractivating kickdown
Rreleasing the brake pedal
The braking application of Active Brake Assistwith cross-traffic function is ended automati-cally if:
Ryou maneuver to avoid the obstacle
Rthere is no longer a risk of collision
Ran obstacle is no longer detected in front ofyour vehicle
STEER CONTROL
General information
STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting anoticeable steering force to the steering wheelin the direction required for vehicle stabiliza-tion.
This steering assistance is provided in particu-lar if:
Rboth right wheels or both left wheels are ona wet or slippery road surface when youbrake
Rthe vehicle starts to skid
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 60).
No steering support is provided from STEERCONTROL, if:
RESP®is deactivated
RESP®is malfunctioning
Rthe steering is faulty
If ESP®is malfunctioning, you will be assistedfurther by the electrical power steering.
Protection against theft
Immobilizer
XTo activate with the SmartKey:removethe SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XTo activate with KEYLESS-GO:switch theignition off and open the driver's door.
XTo deactivate:switch on the ignition.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle frombeing started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take theSmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Theengine can be started by anyone with a validSmartKey that is left inside the vehicle.
iThe immobilizer is always deactivatedwhen you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be star-ted (yet the vehicle's battery is charged),the system is not operational. Contact anauthorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA) or1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
72Protection against theft
Safety

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,
steering wheel and mirror and fasten your
seat belt before starting the engine.
XObserve the safety guidelines on seatadjustment (Ypage 97).
XMake sure that seat

The seats can still be adjusted when there isno SmartKey in the ignition lock.
GWARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on
the seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
When adjusting a seat, make sure that no
one has any body parts in the sweep of the
seat.
GWARNING
If the driver's seat is not engaged, it could
move forwards as far as the next catch dur-
ing movement such as braking or abrupt
changes of direction. As a result, you would
be pushed against your seat belt by the
unsecured driver's seat.
This could cause you to lose control of the
vehicle. The seat belt cannot protect as
intended and could result in additional
injury.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Before every journey, make sure that the
driver's seat is fully engaged.
Observe the safety notes on "Air bags"(Ypage 45) and "Children in the vehicle"(Ypage 57).
GWARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you
or other vehicle occupants could be trapped
and thereby injured. Children in particular
could accidentally press the electrical seat
adjustment buttons and become trapped.
There is a risk of injury.
While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under
the lever assembly of the seat adjustment
system.
GWARNING
If the head restraints are not installed or not
adjusted correctly, they cannot provide pro-
tection as intended. There is an increased
risk of injury in the head and neck area, e.g.
in the event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level.
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,
steering wheel and mirror and fasten your
seat belt before starting the engine.
!To prevent damage to the seats and theseat heating, observe the following notes:
RDo not spill liquids onto the seats. Dry theseats as soon as possible if liquid doesget spilled on the seats.
RIf the seat covers are damp or wet, do notswitch on the seat heating. Also, do notuse the seat heating to dry the seats.
RClean the seat covers as recommended;see the "Interior care" section.
RDo not transport heavy loads on theseats. Do not place pointed objects onthe seat cushions such as knives, nails ortools. Where possible, use the seats onlyfor carrying passengers.
RWhen operating the seat heating, do notcover the seats with insulating materials,e.g. blankets, coats, bags, protective cov-ers, child seats or booster seats.
RWhen the seat heating is switched on, theseat surface can be damaged as a resultof objects being placed on the seats, forexample, seat cushions, child seats andprotective covers not approved byMercedes-Benz.
!Make sure that there are no objects in thefootwell under or behind the seats whenmoving the seats back. There is a risk thatthe seats and/or the objects could be dam-aged.
iThe head restraints cannot be removed.
98Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors