warning MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS 2019 Owner's Manual

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 acci-
dent.
Always have the prescribed service/mainte-
nance work as well as any required repairs
carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
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 on an unpaved road or off-
road, check the vehicle underside regularly.
In particular, remove trapped plant parts or
other flammable material. Contact a quali-
fied specialist workshop immediately if dam-
age is detected.
GWARNING
Modifications to electronic components,
their software as well as wiring can impair
their function and/or the function of other
networked components. In particular, sys-
tems relevant to safety could also be affec-
ted. As a result, these may no longer func-
tion as intended and/or jeopardize the oper-
ating 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 highcurb or an unpaved road
Ryou drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. acurb, a speed bump or a pothole in theroad
Ra heavy object strikes the underbody orparts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the under-body, chassis parts, wheels or tires could bedamaged without the damage being visible.Components damaged in this way can unex-pectedly fail or, in the case of an accident,no longer withstand the loads they aredesigned to.
If the underbody paneling is damaged, com-bustible materials such as leaves, grass ortwigs can gather between the underbodyand the underbody paneling. If these materi-als come in contact with hot parts of theexhaust system, they can catch fire.
In such situations, have the vehicle checkedand repaired immediately at a qualified spe-cialist workshop. If on continuing your jour-ney you notice that driving safety isimpaired, pull over and stop the vehicleimmediately, paying attention to road andtraffic conditions. In such cases, consult aqualified specialist workshop.
Declarations of conformity
Vehicle components which receive
and/or transmit radio waves
USA:"The wireless devices of this vehiclecomply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Opera-tion is subject to the two following two condi-tions: 1) These devices may not cause harmfulinterference, and 2) These devices mustaccept any interference received, includinginterference that may cause undesired opera-tion. Changes or modifications not expresslyapproved by the party responsible for compli-ance could void the user’s authority to operatethe equipment."
Canada:"The wireless devices of this vehiclecomply with Industry Canada license-exemptRSS standard(s). Operation is subject to thefollowing two conditions: (1) These devicesmay not cause interference, and (2) Thesedevices must accept any interference, includ-
Operating safety27
Introduction
Z

ing interference that may cause undesiredoperation of the device."
Diagnostics connection
The diagnostics connection is used for con-necting diagnostic equipment at a qualifiedspecialist workshop.
GWARNING
If you connect equipment to a diagnostics
connection in the vehicle, it may affect the
operation of vehicle systems. As a result,
the operating safety of the vehicle could be
affected. There is a risk of an accident.
Only connect equipment to a diagnostics
connection in the vehicle, which is approved
for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
GWARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell may restrict
the clearance around the pedals or block a
depressed pedal. This jeopardizes the oper-
ating and road safety of the vehicle. There is
a risk of an accident.
Stow all objects securely in the vehicle so
that they do not get into the driver's foot-
well. When using floormats or carpets, make
sure that they are properly secured so that
they do not slip or obstruct the pedals. Do
not place several floormats or carpets 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 con-nection can lead to emissions monitoringinformation being reset, for example. This maylead to the vehicle failing to meet the require-ments of the next emissions test during themain inspection.
Qualified specialist workshop
An authorized Mercedes-Benz Center is aqualified specialist workshop. It has the neces-sary specialist knowledge, tools and qualifica-tions to correctly carry out the work required
on your vehicle. This is especially the case forwork relevant to safety.
Observe the notes in the Maintenance Book-let.
Always have the following work carried out atan 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 oth-ers 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
Rtechnical data for the vehicle
Rtraffic rules and regulations
Rlaws and safety standards pertaining tomotor vehicles
Information about the REACH decree
The REACH regulation (Regulation (EC) no.1907/2006, Article 33) lays down an informa-tion obligation for substances of very high con-cern (SVHC).
Daimler AG acts in good faith to avoid usingthese SVHCs and to allow the customer tohandle these substances safely. In accordancewith supplier information and internal productinformation from Daimler AG, SVHCs thataccount for more than 0.1 percent by weightof individual products in this vehicle areknown.
More detailed information can be found at thefollowing addresses:
Rhttp://www.daimler.com/reach(Germanversion)
Rhttp://www.daimler.com/reach/en(English version)
28Operating safety
Introduction

to the vehicle manufacturer, other parties thathave the special equipment, such as lawenforcement, can read the information byaccessing the vehicle or the EDR.
EDR data may be used in civil and criminalmatters as a tool in accident reconstruction,accident claims and vehicle safety. Since theCrash Data Retrieval CDR tool that is used toextract data from the EDR is commerciallyavailable, Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC ("MBUSA")expressly disclaims any and all liability arisingfrom the extraction of this information byunauthorized Mercedes-Benz personnel.
MBUSA will not share EDR data with otherswithout the consent of the vehicle owners or,if the vehicle is leased, without the consent ofthe lessee. Exceptions to this representationinclude responses to subpoenas by lawenforcement; by federal, state or local govern-ment; in connection with or arising out of liti-gation involving MBUSA or its subsidiaries andaffiliates; or, as required by law.
Warning: The EDR is a component of theRestraint System Module. Tampering with,altering, modifying or removing the EDR com-ponent may result in a malfunction of theRestraint System Module and other systems.
State laws or regulations regarding EDRs thatconflict with federal regulation are pre-emp-ted. This means that in the event of such con-flict, the federal regulation governs. As ofDecember 2016, 17 states have enacted lawsrelating to EDRs.
Information on copyright
General information
Information on license for free and open-source software used in your vehicle and itselectronic components is available on the fol-lowing website:
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/opensource
Information on copyright31
Introduction
Z

Instrument cluster
FunctionPage
CSpeedometer with seg-ments190
Warning and indicatorlamps:
Electric parking brake (red)238
IUSA only
$Canada only
$Electric parking brake(yellow)238

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

Restraint system warning lamp
The functions of the restraint system arechecked after the ignition is switched on andat regular intervals while the engine is running.Therefore, malfunctions can be detected ingood time.
Theurestraint system warning lamp onthe instrument cluster lights up when the igni-tion is switched on. It goes out no later than afew seconds after the vehicle is started. Thecomponents of the restraint system are inoperational readiness.
A malfunction has occurred if theurestraint system warning lamp:
Rdoes not light up after the ignition isswitched on
Rdoes not go out after a few seconds with theengine running
Rlights up again while the engine is running
GWARNING
If the restraint system is malfunctioning,
restraint system components may be trig-
gered unintentionally or may not deploy as
intended during an accident. This can affect
for example the Emergency Tensioning
Device or the air bag. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired in a qualified specialist workshop
as soon as possible.
PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lampCand PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lampDare part of the Occupant Classifica-tion System (OCS).
The indicator lamps display the status of thefront-passenger front air bag.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up for 60seconds, subsequently both indicator lampsare off (PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and OFF):the front-passenger front air bag is able todeploy in the event of an accident.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: thefront-passenger front air bag is deactivated.It will then not be deployed in the event ofan accident.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lampis off, only the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi-cator lamp shows the status of the front-passenger front air bag. The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp may be lit continu-ously or be off.
Depending on the person in the front-passenger seat, the front-passenger front airbag must either be deactivated or enabled;see the following points. You must make sureof this both before and during a journey.
RChildren in a child restraint system:whether the front-passenger front air bag isenabled or deactivated depends on theinstalled child restraint system, and the ageand size of the child. Therefore, be sure toobserve the notes on the "Occupant Classifi-cation System (OCS)" (Ypage 48) and on"Children in the vehicle" (Ypage 57).There you will also find instructions on rear-ward and forward-facing child restraint sys-tems on the front-passenger seat.
RAll other persons:depending on the classi-fication of the person in the front-passengerseat, the front-passenger front air bag isenabled or deactivated (Ypage 48). Besure to observe the notes on "Seatbelts“ (Ypage 41) and "Air bags"(Ypage 45). There you can also find infor-mation on the correct seat position.
Seat belts
Introduction
Seat belts are the most effective means ofrestricting the movement of vehicle occupantsin the event of an accident or the vehicle roll-ing over. This reduces the risk of vehicle occu-
Occupant safety41
Safety
Z

pants coming into contact with parts of thevehicle interior or being ejected from the vehi-cle. Furthermore, the seat belt helps to keepthe vehicle occupant in the best position inrelation to the air bag.
The seat belt system comprises:
RSeat belts
REmergency Tensioning Devices and seat beltforce limiters
If the seat belt is pulled quickly or sharply bythe seat belt guide, the inertia reel locks. Thebelt strap cannot be extracted any further.
The Emergency Tensioning Device tightens theseat belt in an accident, pulling the belt closeagainst the body. However it does not pull thevehicle occupant back in the direction of thebackrest.
The Emergency Tensioning Device does notcorrect an incorrect seat position or the rout-ing of an incorrectly fastened seat belt.
When triggered, a seat belt force limiter helpsto reduce the force exerted by the seat belt onthe vehicle occupant.
The seat belt force limiters are synchronizedwith the front air bags which absorb part ofthe deceleration force. This can reduce theforce exerted on the vehicle occupants duringan accident.
!If the front-passenger seat is not occupied,do not engage the seat belt tongue in thebuckle on the front-passenger seat. Other-wise, in the event of an accident the Emer-gency Tensioning Device and the sideimpact air bag, in addition to other systems,may be triggered and have to be replaced.
Important safety notes
The use of seat belts and child restraint sys-tems is required by law in:
Rall 50 states
Rthe U.S. territories
Rthe District of Columbia
Rall Canadian provinces
Even where this is not required by law, all vehi-cle occupants should correctly fasten theirseat belts before starting the journey.
GWARNING
If the seat belt is not worn correctly, it can-
not perform its intended protective function.
An incorrectly fastened seat belt can also
cause injuries, for example, in the event of
an accident or when braking or changing
direction abruptly. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants
have their seat belts fastened correctly and
are sitting properly.
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)
GWARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended
level of protection if you have not moved the
backrest to an almost vertical position.
When braking or in the event of an accident,
you could slide underneath the seat belt and
sustain abdomen or neck injuries, for exam-
ple. This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury.
Adjust the seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always ensure that the back-
rest is in an almost vertical position and that
the shoulder section of your seat belt is
routed across the center of your shoulder.
GWARNING
Persons less than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall cannot
wear the seat belt correctly without an addi-
tional and suitable restraint system. If the
seat belt is not worn correctly, it cannot per-
form its intended protective function. An
incorrectly fastened seat belt can also cause
injuries, for example, in the event of an acci-
dent or when braking or changing direction
abruptly. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
For this reason, always secure persons
under 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in suitable additional
restraint systems.
42Occupant safety
Safety

If a child younger than twelve years old andunder 5 ft (1.50m)in height is traveling in thevehicle:
Ralways secure the child in a child restraintsystem suitable for this Mercedes-Benzvehicle. The child restraint system must beappropriate to the age, weight and size ofthe child.
Ralways observe the instructions and safetynotes on "Children in the vehicle"(Ypage 57) in addition to the childrestraint system manufacturer's installationand operating instructions
Ralways observe the instructions and safetynotes on the "Occupant Classification Sys-tem (OCS)" (Ypage 48)
GWARNING
The seat belts may not perform their inten-
ded protective function if:
Rthey are damaged, modified, extremely
dirty, bleached or dyed
Rthe seat belt buckle is damaged or
extremely dirty
Rthe Emergency Tensioning Devices, belt
anchorages or inertia reels have been
modified.
Seat belts may be damaged in an accident,
although the damage may not be visible, e.g.
due to splinters of glass. Modified or dam-
aged seat belts may tear or fail, e.g. in an
accident. Modified Emergency Tensioning
Devices could accidentally trigger or fail to
deploy when necessary. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Never modify the seat belts, Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices, belt anchorages and inertia
reels. Make sure that the seat belts are
undamaged, not worn out and clean. Follow-
ing an accident, have the seat belts checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Only use seat belts that have been approvedfor your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
Proper use of the seat belts
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt(Ypage 42).
Every vehicle occupant must observe the fol-lowing notes to ensure a properly worn seatbelt can provide full protection. Also makesure that all vehicle occupants are alwayswearing the seat belt correctly while the vehi-cle is in motion.
When fastening the seat belt, always makesure that:
Rthe seat belt buckle tongue is inserted onlyinto the belt buckle belonging to that seat
Rthe seat belt is pulled tight across your body
Avoid wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a wintercoat.
Rthe seat belt is not twisted
Only then can the forces which occur be dis-tributed over the area of the belt.
Rthe shoulder section of the belt is routedacross the center of your shoulder
The shoulder section of the seat belt shouldnot touch your neck or be routed under yourarm or behind your back.
Rthe lap belt is taut and passes across yourlap as low down as possible
The lap belt must always be routed acrossyour hip joints and not across your abdo-men. This applies particularly to pregnantwomen. If necessary, push the lap belt downto your hip joint and pull it tight using theshoulder section of the belt.
Rthe seat belt is not routed across sharp,pointed or fragile objects
If you have such items located on or in yourclothing, e.g. pens, keys or eyeglasses,store these in a suitable place.
Ronly one person is using a seat belt
Infants and children must never travel sit-ting on the lap of a vehicle occupant. In theevent of an accident, they could be crushedbetween the vehicle occupant and seat belt.
Robjects are never secured with a seat belt ifthe seat belt is also being used by one ofthe vehicle's occupants
Also ensure that there are never objectsbetween a person and the seat, e.g. cush-ions.
Seat belts are only intended to secure andrestrain vehicle occupants. Always observe thenotes in the "Stowage options/compartments"
Occupant safety43
Safety
Z

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