light MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS 2019 Workshop Manual

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
The engine is not run-ning smoothly and ismisfiring.
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanicalcomponent of the engine management system.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal slightly.Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic con-verter and damage it.
XHave the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialistworkshop.
The coolant tempera-ture display shows avalue above 248 ‡(120 †). The coolantwarning lamp may alsobe on and a warningtone may sound.
The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine isno longer being cooled sufficiently.
XStop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant tocool down.
XCheck the coolant level (Ypage 267). Observe the warning notesas you do so and add coolant if necessary.
If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled suf-ficiently.
XAt coolant temperatures below 248 ‡ (120 †), drive to the near-est qualified specialist workshop.
XAvoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving inmountainous terrain and stop-and-go traffic.
Notes on towing vehicles
The vehicle is not suitable for attaching towbar systems, such as those used for flat tow-ing or dinghy towing.
Attaching or using tow bar systems may resultin damage to the vehicle.
When towing a vehicle with tow bar systems,safe driving characteristics cannot be guaran-teed for the towing vehicle or the towed vehi-cle.
The vehicle/vehicle combination may swerve.
Observe the permissible towing methods(Ypage 289) and the notes on towing withboth axles on the ground (Ypage 289).
DYNAMIC SELECT button (all vehi-
cles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT button to changethe drive program. Depending on the drive pro-gram selected the following vehicle character-istics will change:
Rthe drive (engine and transmission manage-ment)
Rthe suspension
Rthe steering
Rthe curve tilting function (vehicles withActive Body Control)
Rthe control thresholds of ESP®
Each time you start the engine with the Smart-Key or the Start/Stop button, drive programCis activated. Further information about startingthe engine (Ypage 127).
Each time you start the engine with the Smart-Key, drive programCis activated. Furtherinformation about starting the engine(Ypage 127).
132DYNAMIC SELECT button (all vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Driving and parking

Selecting the drive program
XTurn DYNAMIC SELECT controllerCasmany times as necessary until the desireddrive program is selected.The symbol of the selected drive program isshown in the multifunction display.
In addition, the current drive program set-tings are displayed briefly in the multimediasystem display.
The drive program indicator on DYNAMICSELECT controllerClights up in red.
Additional information for drive programs(Ypage 138).
Additional settings
CECO start/stop function (Ypage 129)
DESP®(Ypage 65)

kinetic energy and consumes less fuel(coasting mode).
RESP®provides the optimum compromisebetween traction and stability. Further infor-
mation about ESP®(Ypage 66).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
RACE drive program
iThe RACE drive program may not be usedon normal roads. RACE must only be activa-ted and used on dedicated race circuits, noton public roads.
TheRACEdrive program is characterized bythe following:
Rthe vehicle exhibits driving characteristicssuitable for the racetrack.
Rall vehicle systems are set for maximumsportiness.
Rthe gearshift recommendation gives youinformation for slowly warming up the driveassemblies and for adopting a fuel-efficientdriving style (Ypage 141). You can followthe gearshift recommendations at all timesand shift gear accordingly using the steeringwheel paddle shifters. On the basis of thegearshift recommendation, using the steer-ing wheel paddle shifters, you can optimizethe drive train and engine operating mode atany time.
Rif you have selected a gear manually, thiswill be maintained until the vehicle speedincreases or decreases dramatically.
Rthe vehicle pulls away in first gear.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.The fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly firmdamping settings.
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
RESP®switches to SPORT handling mode.ThetSPORT handling mode warninglamp in the instrument cluster lights up. TheSPORT Handling ModeSPORT Handling Modemessage appears inthe multifunction display. Observe theimportant safety notes for the SPORT han-dling mode (Ypage 68).
RESP®only improves driving stability to alimited degree. The engine's torque is only
restricted to a limited degree and the drivewheels can spin. Further information about
ESP®(Ypage 68).
Drive program S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive programS+is characterized by the fol-lowing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driv-ing characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away in first gear.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.The fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly firmdamping settings.
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
RESP®provides the optimum compromisebetween traction and stability. Further infor-
mation about ESP®(Ypage 66).
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive programSis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits sporty driving character-istics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away in first gear.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.The fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly firmdamping settings.
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
RESP®provides the optimum compromisebetween traction and stability. Further infor-
mation about ESP®(Ypage 66).
Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive programCis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rthe vehicle delivers comfortable, economicalhandling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently inforward and reverse gears, unless the accel-erator pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle has improved driving stability,for example on slippery road surfaces.
140Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Applying or releasing manually
XTo apply:push handleC.When the electric parking brake is applied,the redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp lights up in the instru-ment cluster.
The electric parking brake can also beapplied when the SmartKey is removed.
XTo release:pull handleC.The redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-ter goes out.
The electric parking brake can only bereleased:
Rwhen the SmartKey is in positionGin theignition lock (Ypage 126) or
Rif the ignition was switched on using theStart/Stop button
Applying automatically
The electric parking brake is automaticallyapplied when the transmission is in position]and:
Rthe engine is switched off or
Rthe driver is not wearing a seat belt and thedriver's door is opened
To prevent the electric parking brake frombeing automatically applied, pull handleC.
The electric parking brake is also applied auto-matically if:
RActive Distance Assist DISTRONIC bringsthe vehicle to a standstill or
Rthe HOLD function is keeping the vehiclestationary
In addition, at least one of the following condi-tions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine is switched off
Rthe driver is not wearing a seat belt and thedriver's door is opened
Rthere is a system malfunction
Rthe power supply is insufficient
Rthe vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp in the instrument clusterlights up.
The electric parking brake is not automaticallyapplied if the engine is switched off by theECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically
The electric parking brake is released auto-matically when all of the following conditionsare fulfilled:
Rthe engine is running
RThe seat belt tongue is engaged in the beltbuckle
Rthe transmission is in position[or^andyou depress the accelerator pedal or shiftfrom position]to[or^
Rif the transmission is in position^, thetrunk lid must be closed
If the seat belt tongue is not engaged in theseat belt buckle, the following conditions mustbe fulfilled:
Rthe driver's door is closed
Ryou move the transmission out of position]or you have previously driven at a speedabove 2 mph (3 km/h)
Rif the transmission is in position^, thetrunk lid must be closed
When the electric parking brake is released,the$indicator lamp goes out in the instru-ment cluster.
Emergency braking
The vehicle can also be braked during anemergency by using the electric parking brake.
XWhile driving, push handleCof the electricparking brake.The vehicle is braked for as long as the han-dle of the electric parking brake is pressed.The longer the electric parking brake handleis depressed, the greater the braking force.
148Parking
Driving and pa rking

economical driving. A higher level indicates amore economical driving style. If the threeouter areas are completely filled at the sametime, the driver has adopted the most eco-nomical driving style for the selected settingsand prevailing conditions. The ECO displayborder lights up.
The ECO display does not indicate the actualfuel consumption. The additionally achievedrange displayed underBonus fr. startBonus fr. startdoesnot indicate a fixed consumption reduction.
In addition to driving style, the actual con-sumption is affected by other factors, such as:
Rload
Rtire pressure
Rcold start
Rchoice of route
Ractive electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-play.
An economical driving style specially requiresdriving at moderate engine speeds.
Achieving a higher value in the categories"Acceleration" and "Constant":
Robserve the gearshift recommendations.
Rdrive the vehicle in drive programCorE.
In urban traffic and stop-start traffic, drive pro-gramCis recommended.
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. onthe highway, only the outer area for "constant"will change.
The ECO display summarizes the driving stylefrom the start of the journey to its completion.Therefore, there are more marked changes inthe outer areas at the start of a journey. Onlonger journeys, there are fewer changes. Formore marked changes, perform a manual rest(Ypage 194).
Further information on the ECO display(Ypage 193).
Braking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface
in an attempt to increase the engine's brak-
ing effect, the drive wheels could lose their
grip. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
!On long, steep gradients, you must reducethe load on the brakes. To use engine brak-ing, shift to a lower gear in good time. Thishelps you to avoid overheating the brakesand wearing them out excessively.
When making use of the engine brakingeffect, it is possible that a drive wheel maynot turn for some time, e.g. in the case ofsuddenly changing or slippery road surfaceconditions. This could cause damage to thedrive train. This type of damage is not cov-ered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Change into a lower gear in good time on longand steep downhill gradients. This is especiallyimportant if the vehicle is laden.
This also applies if you have activated cruisecontrol or Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving, the braking system can over-
heat. This increases the stopping distance
and can even cause the braking system to
fail. There is a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest.
Never depress the brake pedal and the
accelerator pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantlyresults in excessive and premature wear tothe brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavyload, do not stop the vehicle immediately, butdrive on for a short while. This allows the air-flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rainwithout braking, there may be a delayed reac-tion from the brakes when braking for the first
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Z

time. This may also occur after the vehicle hasbeen washed or driven through deep water.
You then have to depress the brake pedalmore firmly. Maintain a greater distance fromthe vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-cle washed, brake firmly while paying attentionto the traffic conditions. This will warm up thebrake discs, thereby drying them more quicklyand protecting them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt resi-due may form on the brake discs and brakepads. This can result in a significantly longerbraking distance.
RIn order to prevent any salt build-up, applythe brakes occasionally while paying atten-tion to the traffic conditions.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and thebeginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicleahead.
Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up inthe instrument cluster and
Ryou hear a warning tone while the engineis running
Observe additional warning messages in themultifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due tobrake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immedi-ately. Consult a qualified specialist work-shop to arrange this.
!As the ESP®system operates automati-cally, the engine and the ignition must beswitched off (the SmartKey must be in posi-tion

Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
General notes
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC regulatesthe speed and automatically helps you main-tain the distance from the vehicle detected infront. Vehicles are detected with the aid of theradar sensor system. Active Distance AssistDISTRONIC brakes automatically to avoidexceeding the set speed or to maintain thedesignated distance from the vehicle in front.
You must select a lower gear in good time onlong and steep downhill gradients, especially ifthe vehicle is laden. By doing so, you will makeuse of the braking effect of the engine. Thisrelieves the load on the brake system and pre-vents the brakes from overheating and wear-ing too quickly.
If Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC detectsthat there is a risk of a collision with the vehi-cle in front, you will be warned visually andaudibly. Active Distance Assist DISTRONICcannot prevent a collision without your inter-vention. An intermittent warning tone will thensound and the distance warning lamp will lightup in the instrument cluster. Brake immedi-ately in order to increase the distance fromthe vehicle in front, or take evasive action, pro-vided it is safe to do so.
For Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC toassist you when driving, the radar sensor sys-tem must be operational.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC operates inthe speed range between 0 mph (0 km/h) and120 mph (200 km/h).
Do not use Active Distance Assist DISTRONICwhile driving on roads with steep gradients.
As Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC trans-mits radar waves, it can resemble the radardetectors of the responsible authorities. Youcan refer to the relevant chapter in the Opera-tor's Manual if questions are asked about this.
iUSA only:
This device has been approved by the FCCas a "Vehicular Radar System". The radarsensor is intended for use in an automotiveradar system only. Removing, tamperingwith, or altering the device will void any war-ranties, and is not permitted by the FCC. Donot tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this devicecould void the user's authority to operatethe equipment.
iCanada only: This device complies withRSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation issubject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,and
2. This device must accept any interferencereceived, including interference that maycause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of thedevice will void any warranties, and is notpermitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or usein any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this devicecould void the user's authority to operatethe equipment.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC does not
react to:
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary objects in the road, e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles
Roncoming vehicles and crossing traffic
As a result, Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC may neither give warnings nor
intervene in such situations. There is a risk
of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
GWARNING
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC does not
react to:
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary objects in the road, e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles (vehicles without
the Driving Assistance package)
Rstationary objects in the road, e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles, if sufficient detec-
tion is not possible (vehicles with the Driv-
ing Assistance package)
Roncoming vehicles and crossing traffic
156Driving systems
Driving and pa rking

revealed, Active Distance Assist DISTRONICwill not brake for them.
Crossing vehicles
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC may mis-takenly detect vehicles that are crossing yourlane.
If you activate Active Distance AssistDISTRONIC under the following conditions, thevehicle could pull away unintentionally:
Rat traffic lights with crossing traffic, forexample
Rif there is a vehicle in front, after a crossing,with the HOLD function activated
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC with
Active Steering Assist
General notes
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC with ActiveSteering Assist aids you in keeping the vehiclein the center of the driving lane by means ofmoderate steering interventions in a speedrange from 0 - 125 mph (0 - 200 km/h).
It monitors lane markings and vehicles in frontof your vehicle by means of camera systemCat the top of the windshield.
In a speed range from 0 - 37 mph(0 - 60 km/h), Active Steering Assist focuseson the vehicle in front, taking into accountlane markings, e.g. when following vehicles ina traffic jam.
At speeds of more than 37 mph (60 km/h),Active Steering Assist focuses on clear lanemarkings (left and right), only focusing on thevehicle in front if detected lane markings arenot present at speeds of up to 80 mph(130 km/h).
If these conditions are not present, ActiveSteering Assist cannot provide assistance.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC must beactive in order for the function to be available.
Important safety notes
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC with ActiveSteering Assist can neither reduce the risk ofan accident if you fail to adapt your drivingstyle, nor override the laws of physics. It can-not take into account road, weather or trafficconditions. Active Distance Assist DISTRONICwith Active Steering Assist is only an aid. Youare responsible for the distance to the vehiclein front, for vehicle speed, for braking in goodtime and for staying in your lane.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC with ActiveSteering Assist does not detect road and traf-fic conditions and does not detect all roadusers. If you are following a vehicle which isdriving towards the edge of the road, yourvehicle could come into contact with the curbor other road boundaries. Be particularlyaware of other road users, e.g. cyclists, thatare directly next to your vehicle.
Obstacles such as traffic pylons on the lane orprojecting into the lane are not detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g.after intentionally driving over a lane marking,can be corrected at any time if you steerslightly in the opposite direction.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC with ActiveSteering Assist cannot continuously keep yourvehicle in lane. In some cases, the steeringintervention is not sufficient to bring the vehi-cle back to the lane. In such cases, you muststeer the vehicle yourself to ensure that itdoes not leave the lane.
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try roads or, ideally, when driving on closedrace circuits.
XPress DYNAMIC SELECT buttonCrepeat-edly until theSport Plusdrive program isselected.
Activating the driving dynamics dis-
play
Using the driving dynamics display in the mul-timedia system display, you can see the driveprogram you selected as well as additionalinformation on the vehicle's operating state.
XSwitch on the multimedia system. Furtherinformation can be found in the Digital Oper-ator's Manual.
XPress buttonC.The driving dynamics display appears in themultimedia system display.
The following information on the vehicle'soperating status is displayed in the drivingdynamics display:
RDrive program selected (Ypage 132)
RAccelerator pedal position shown in %
RBrake pedal position shown in %
RSteering angle
RDamping setting selected
RG-FORCE cross displaying longitudinal andlateral acceleration (only available inSportorSport Plusdrive programs)
Active Body Control ABC (except
Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Setting the vehicle level
General notes
The vehicle level can be set using theDYNAMIC SELECT button (Ypage 132) or thelevel button. The setting always correspondsto the last selected function.
In order to reduce fuel consumption andimprove the driving dynamics, the vehicle islowered as its speed increases. In theSportandSport Plusdrive programs, it is loweredby up to 0.5 in (13 mm) compared to the nor-mal vehicle level. In theComfortandCURVEdrive programs, it is lowered by up to 0.2 in(5 mm) compared to the normal vehicle level.As the speed is reduced, the vehicle is raisedup to the set vehicle height.
Select the normal level for normal road surfa-ces and the raised level for driving with snowchains or on particularly poor road surfaces.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The vehicle is lowered slightly in the follow-
ing situations:
Rthe SPORT suspension setting is selected
at the normal vehicle level
Rthe engine is switched off
Persons in the vicinity of the wheel arch or
the underbody may thus become trapped.
There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of
the wheel arch or the underbody when you
switch off the engine.
168Driving systems
Driving an d parking

Setting raised level
XMake sure that the engine is running or thatit has been switched off by the ECO start/stop function.
XMake sure that a speed of 75 mph(120 km/h) is not exceeded.
XIf indicator lampDDis not lit:press but-tonC.If the engine has been switched off by theECO start/stop function, it is now restarted.
Indicator lampDlights up. The vehicle israised by 1.2 in (31 mm).
Setting the normal level
XMake sure that the engine is running or thatit has been switched off by the ECO start/stop function.
XIf indicator lampDDis lit:press buttonC.Indicator lampDgoes out. The vehicle isadjusted to normal level
The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
Rare driving faster than approximately75 mph (120 km/h).
Rdrive for approximately three minutes at aspeed over 50 mph (80 km/h).
Ror switch to the drive program while thevehicle is in motion.
Suspension tuning
General notes
The electro-hydraulically controlled suspensionfeatures improved driving dynamics, drivingsafety and ride comfort. You can also choosebetween a sporty, a particularly sporty, a com-fortable and a comfortable mode with curvetilting function (CURVE).
The suspension is continuously tuned to eachwheel individually and depends on:
Rthe road surface condition, e.g. bumps
Rthe vehicle load
Rthe drive program selected
Each time you start the engine with the Smart-Key or the Start/Stop button, theComfortdrive program is activated. Further informationabout starting the engine (Ypage 127).
Selecting Comfort mode
In theComfortdrive program, the drivingcharacteristics of your vehicle are more com-fortable. Select this mode if you favor a morecomfortable driving style.
XPress DYNAMIC SELECT buttonCas manytimes as necessary until theComfortdriveprogram is selected.
Selecting Sport mode
The firmer setting of the suspension tuning intheSportdrive program ensures even bettercontact with the road. Select this mode if youfavor a firmer suspension setting.
XPress DYNAMIC SELECT buttonCas manytimes as necessary until theSportdriveprogram is selected.
Selecting Sport Plus mode
The firmer setting of the suspension tuning intheSport Plusdrive program ensures evenbetter contact with the road. Select this modeif you favor a firmer suspension setting.
XPress DYNAMIC SELECT buttonCas manytimes as necessary until theSport Plusdrive program is selected.
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