MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER 2012 Owners Manual

1
W
Left-hand parking lamps
2 X
Right-hand parking lamps
3 T
Side lamps, licence plate and instru-
ment cluster lighting
4 Ã
Automatic headlamp mode, control-
led by the light sensor
5 L
Dipped-beam/main-beam head-
lamps
B R
Rear foglamp
When the ignition is switched on and the light
switch is in position L, the side lamps and
dipped-beam headlamps are switched on
even if the light sensor does not sense dark
ambient light conditions. This is advanta-
geous when there is fog or rain.
X To switch on the dipped-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to L.
The green Lindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up. Rear foglamp 1
W
Left-hand parking lamps
2 X
Right-hand parking lamps
3 T
Side lamps, licence plate and instru-
ment cluster lighting
4 Ã
Automatic headlamp mode, control-
led by the light sensor
5 L
Dipped-beam/main-beam head-
lamps
B R
Rear foglamp
The rear foglamp improves the visibility of
your vehicle in heavy fog for the following
traffic. Please observe the country-specific
laws on the use of rear foglamps.
X To switch on the rear foglamp: turn the
key in the ignition lock to position 2or start
the engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ.
X Press the Rbutton.
The yellow Rindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To switch off the rear foglamp: press the
R button.
The yellow Rindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Side lamps ! If the battery has been excessively dis-
charged, the side lamps or parking lamps
are automatically switched off to enable
the next engine start. Always park your
vehicle safely and sufficiently lit according
to legal standards. Avoid the continuous
use of the Tside lamps for several 128
Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers

hours. If possible, switch on the
Xright
or the Wleft parking lamp. 1
W
Left-hand parking lamps
2 X
Right-hand parking lamps
3 T
Side lamps, licence plate and instru-
ment cluster lighting
4 Ã
Automatic headlamp mode, control-
led by the light sensor
5 L
Dipped-beam/main-beam head-
lamps
B R
Rear foglamp
X To switch on: turn the light switch to T.
The green Tindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
Parking lamps 1
W
Left-hand parking lamps
2 X
Right-hand parking lamps
3 T
Side lamps, licence plate and instru-
ment cluster lighting
4 Ã
Automatic headlamp mode, control-
led by the light sensor 5
L
Dipped-beam/main-beam head-
lamps
B R
Rear foglamp
Switching on the parking lamps ensures that
the corresponding side of the vehicle is illu-
minated.
X To switch on the parking lamps: the key
is not in the ignition lock or it is in posi-
tion 0.
X Turn the light switch to W(left-hand side
of the vehicle) or X(right-hand side of
the vehicle). Combination switch
Turn signals :
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right
= Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To indicate briefly: press the combination
switch briefly to the pressure point in the
direction of arrow ;or?.
The corresponding turn signal flashes three
times.
X To indicate: press the combination switch
beyond the pressure point in the direction
of arrow ;or?. Exterior lighting
129Lights and windscreen wipers Z

Main-beam headlamps
:
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right
= Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To switch on the main-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow :.
In the Ãposition, the main-beam head-
lamps are only switched on when it is dark
and the engine is running.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the main-beam head-
lamps are switched on.
X To switch off the main-beam head-
lamps: move the combination switch back
to its normal position.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Headlamp flasher :
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right
= Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To switch on: turn the key in the ignition
lock to position 1or 2or start the engine.
X Pull the combination switch in the direction
of arrow =. Hazard warning lamps
X
To switch on the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on a turn signal using the combination switch,
only the turn signal lamp on the corre-
sponding side of the vehicle will flash.
X To switch off the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.130
Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers

The hazard warning lamps switch on auto-
matically if:
R an airbag is deployed or
R the vehicle decelerates rapidly from a
speed of above 70 km/h and comes to a
standstill
The hazard warning lamps switch off auto-
matically if the vehicle reaches a speed of
above 10 km/ha gain after a full brake appli-
cation.
i The hazard warning lamps continue to
operate even if the ignition is switched off. Headlamp cleaning system
The headlamps are cleaned automatically if
the "Wipe with washer fluid" function is oper-
ated five times (Y page 135) while the lights
are on and the engine is running. When you
switch off the ignition, the automatic head-
lamp cleaning system is reset and counting is
resumed from 0. Intelligent Light System
General notes The Intelligent Light System is a system that
adjusts the headlamps automatically to suit
the prevailing driving and weather conditions. It offers advanced functions for improved illu-
mination of the road surface, e.g. depending
on the vehicle speed or weather conditions.
The system includes the active light function, cornering light function, motorway mode and
extended range foglamps. The system is only
active when it is dark.
You can activate or deactivate the "Intelligent Light System" using the on-board computer
(Y page 240). Active light function
The active light function is a system that
moves the headlamps according to the steer-
ing movements of the front wheels. In this
way, relevant areas remain illuminated while
driving. This allows you to recognise pedes-
trians, cyclists and animals.
Active: when the lights are switched on
Cornering light function The cornering light function improves the illu-
mination of the road over a wide angle in the direction you are turning, enabling better vis-
ibility in tight bends, for example. The corner- ing light function can only be activated when
the dipped-beam headlamps are switched on.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds below 40 km/h
and switch on the turn signal or turn the
steering wheel
R if you are driving at speeds between
40 km/ha nd 70 km/h and turn the steer-
ing wheel Exterior lighting
131Lights andwindscreen wipers Z

Not active:
if you are driving at speeds above
40 km/h or switch off the turn signal or turn
the steering wheel to the straight-ahead posi- tion
The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after
no more than three minutes.
Motorway mode Motorway mode increases the range of the
beam.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds above
110 km/h and do not make any large steer-
ing movements for at least 1,000 m
R if you are driving at speeds above
130 km/h
Not active: if you are driving at speeds below
80 km/h following activation
Extended range foglamps The extended range foglamps reduce the
glare experienced by the driver and improve the illumination of the edge of the carriage-
way.
Active:
if you are driving at speeds below
70 km/h and you switch on the rear foglamp
Not active: if, following activation, you are
driving at speeds above 100 km/h or if you
switch off the rear foglamp Adaptive Highbeam Assist
General notes You can use this function to set the head-
lamps to change between dipped beam and
main beam automatically. The system recog-
nises vehicles with their lights on, either
approaching from the opposite direction or
travelling in front of your vehicle, and conse-
quently switches the headlamps from main
beam to dipped beam.
The system automatically adapts the dipped-
beam headlamp range depending on the dis-
tance to the other vehicle. Once the system
no longer detects any other vehicles, it
switches on the main-beam headlamps again.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windscreen near the overhead control
panel. 132
Exterior lightingLights and
windscreen wipers

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Adaptive Highbeam Assist does not recognise road users:
R who have no lights, e.g. pedestrians
R who have poor lighting, e.g. cyclists
R whose lighting is blocked, e.g. by a barrier
In very rare cases, Adaptive Highbeam Assist
recognises road users too late or not at all. In
this, or in similar situations, the automatic
main-beam headlamps will not be deactivated
or activated regardless. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always carefully observe the traffic conditions and switch off the main-beam headlamps in
good time.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist is only an aid. You
are responsible for adjusting the vehicle's
lighting to the prevailing light, visibility and
traffic conditions.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be restricted if there is:
R poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
R dirt on the sensors or if the sensors are
obscured
Switching Adaptive Highbeam Assist
on/off :
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right =
Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To switch on: turn the light switch to Ã.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow :.
The _ indicator lamp in the multifunc-
tion display lights up when it is dark and the
light sensor activates the dipped-beam
headlamps.
If you are driving at speeds above 25 km/h:
The headlamp range is set automatically
depending on the distance between the
vehicle and other road users.
If you are driving at speeds above approx-
imately 30 km/h and no other road users
are recognised:
The main-beam headlamps are switched on automatically. The Kindicator lamp in
the instrument cluster also lights up.
If you are driving at speeds below 25 km/h
or other road users are recognised or the
roads are adequately lit:
The main-beam headlamps are switched off automatically. The Kindicator lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out. The _
indicator lamp in the multifunction display
remains lit.
X To switch off: move the combination
switch back to its normal position or move the light switch to another position.
The _ indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Headlamps misted up on the inside
Certain climatic and physical conditions may
cause moisture to form in the headlamp. This
moisture does not affect the functionality of
the headlamp. Exterior lighting
133Lights and windscreen wipers Z

Interior lighting
Overview of interior lighting
Overhead control panel
:
p Switches the left-hand reading lamp
on/off
; c Switches the interior lighting on
= | Switches the interior lighting/auto-
matic interior lighting control off
? p Switches the right-hand reading
lamp on/off
A To switch the automatic interior lighting
control on Interior lighting control
General notes In order to prevent the vehicle's battery from
discharging, the interior lighting functions are
automatically deactivated after some time
except for when the key is in position 2in the
ignition lock. Automatic interior lighting control Overhead control panel
:
p To switch the left-hand reading lamp
on/off
; c To switch the interior lighting on
= | To switch the interior lighting/auto-
matic interior lighting control off
? p To switch the right-hand reading
lamp on/off
A To switch the automatic interior lighting
control on
X To switch on: set the switch to centre
position A.
X To switch off: set the switch to the |
position.
The interior lighting automatically switches
on if you:
R unlock the vehicle
R open a door
R remove the key from the ignition lock
The interior lighting is activated for a short
time when the key is removed from the igni-
tion lock. You can activate this delayed
switch-off using the on-board computer
(Y page 241). 134
Interior lightingLights and windscreen wipers

Manual interior lighting control
X
To switch the interior lighting on: set the
switch to the cposition.
X To switch the interior lighting off: set the
switch to the |or (if the door is closed)
to the centre position.
X To switch the reading lamps on/off:
press the pbutton. Crash-responsive emergency lighting
The interior lighting is activated automatically
if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
X To switch off the crash-responsive
emergency lighting: press the hazard
warning lamp button.
or X Lock and then unlock the vehicle using the
key. Replacing bulbs
G
DANGER
Xenon bulbs are under high voltage. You can
get an electric shock if you remove the cover
of the xenon bulb and touch the electrical
contacts. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Never touch the parts or the electrical con-
tacts of the xenon bulb. Always have work on the xenon bulbs carried out at a qualified spe- cialist workshop.
The front and rear lamps of your vehicle are
equipped with either xenon or LED bulbs. Do
not replace the bulbs yourself. Contact a
qualified specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools to
carry out the work required.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly. Windscreen wipers
Switching the windscreen wipers on/
off
! Do not operate the windscreen wipers
when the windscreen is dry, as this could
damage the wiper blades. Moreover, dust
that has collected on the windscreen can
scratch the glass if wiping takes place when the windscreen is dry.
If it is necessary to switch on the wind-
screen wipers in dry weather conditions,
always operate them using washer fluid.
! If the windscreen wipers leave smears on
the windscreen after the vehicle has been
washed in an automatic car wash, this may
be due to wax or other residue. Clean the
windscreen with washer fluid after an auto- matic car wash.
! Intermittent wiping with rain sensor: due
to optical influences and the windscreen
becoming dirty in dry weather conditions,
the windscreen wipers may be activated
inadvertently. This could damage the wind- screen wiper blades or scratch the wind-
screen.
For this reason, you should always switch
off the windscreen wipers in dry weather. Combination switch
1
$ Windscreen wipers off
2 Ä Intermittent wipe, low (rain sensor
set to low sensitivity)
3 Å Intermittent wipe, high (rain sensor
set to high sensitivity) Windscreen wipers
135Lights and windscreen wipers Z

4
° Continuous wipe, slow
5 ¯ Continuous wipe, fast
B í Single wipe/ îto wipe the wind-
screen using washer fluid
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 155).
X Turn the combination switch to the corre-
sponding position.
In the ÄorÅ position, the appropriate
wiping frequency is set automatically accord- ing to the intensity of the rain. In the Å
position, the rain sensor is more sensitive
than in the Äposition, causing the wind-
screen wipers to wipe more frequently.
If the wiper blades are worn, the windscreen
will no longer be wiped properly. This could
prevent you from observing the traffic condi-
tions, thereby causing an accident.
i The vehicle is equipped with the MAGIC
VISION CONTROL wipe/wash system. The
washer fluid is fed through the wiper blades
and when the screen is wiped with washer
fluid î, the water is emitted directly
from the blades. Replacing the wiper blades
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the windscreen wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiper blades, you can be trapped by the wiper arm. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windscreen wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades.
! To avoid damaging the windscreen wiper
blades, make sure that you touch only the
wiper arm of the windscreen wiper.
! Never open the bonnet if a windscreen
wiper arm has been folded away from the
windscreen. Never fold a windscreen wiper arm without
a wiper blade back onto the windscreen.
Hold the windscreen wiper arm firmly when you change the wiper blade. If you release
the windscreen wiper arm without a wiper
blade and it falls onto the windscreen, the
windscreen may be damaged by the force
of the impact.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the wiper blades changed at a qualified
specialist workshop.
! Always position the windscreen wiper
arms vertically before folding them away
from the windscreen. By doing so, you will
avoid damage to the bonnet.
Replacing the windscreen wiper blades Moving the wiper blades to a vertical posi-
tion
On vehicles without KEYLESS-GO:
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X Set the windscreen wipers to posi-
tion °.
X When the wiper arms have reached a ver-
tical position, turn the key to position 0and
remove it from the ignition lock.
X Fold the wiper arm away from the wind-
screen until it engages.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: X Switch off the engine.
X Remove your foot from the brake pedal.
X Set the windscreen wipers to posi-
tion °.
X Press the Start/Stop button repeatedly
until the windscreen wipers start.
X When the wiper arms have reached a ver-
tical position, press the Start/Stop button.
X Fold the wiper arm away from the wind-
screen until it engages. 136
Windscreen wipersLights and windscreen wipers

Removing the wiper blades
X
To bring the wiper blade into position to
be removed: hold the wiper arm firmly with
one hand. With the other hand, turn the
wiper blade in the direction of arrow =
beyond the point of resistance.
The wiper blade engages in the removal
position with an audible click.
X To remove a wiper blade: firmly press
release knob ;and pull the wiper blade
upwards :.
Fitting the wiper blades X
Push the new wiper blade in the direction of
arrow :onto the wiper arm until lug ;
engages.
X Push the wiper blade out of the removal
position in the direction of arrow =beyond
the point of resistance.
The wiper blade disengages with an audible
click and is freely movable again. X
Make sure that wiper blade is seated cor-
rectly.
X Fold the wiper arm back onto the wind-
screen. Windscreen wipers
137Lights and windscreen wipers Z