heating MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER 2012 User Guide

The AIRSCARF function warms the head and
neck area of vehicle occupants with warm air.
The warm air flows out of the holes in the head restraints.
The three red indicator lamps in the button
indicate the heating level you have selected.
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in the
ignition lock.
X To switch on: press button:.
Three red indicator lamps in the button light up. The blower starts up after a preheating
phase of seven seconds.
X Press button :repeatedly until the
desired heating level is set.
X To switch off: press button:repeatedly
until all the indicator lamps go out.
i The blower continues running for seven
seconds to cool down the heating ele-
ments.
i If the battery voltage is too low, AIRSCARF
may switch off. steering wheel
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle while
driving if you:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident. Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirrors and fasten your seat
belt before starting the engine. G
WARNING
If the steering wheel lock is engaged, the vehi- cle can no longer be steered. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always switch on the ignition when towing
with a tow rope or a towing bar. Adjusting the steering wheel electri-
cally
:
To adjust the steering wheel height
; To adjust the steering wheel position
(fore-and-aft adjustment)
i Further related subjects:
R EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature
(Y page 118)
R storing settings (Y page 123) EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you drive off while the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT
feature is making adjustments, you could lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always wait until the adjustment process is
complete before driving off. 118
steering wheelSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

opened. This occurs irrespective of the posi-
tion of the key in the ignition lock. This makes it easier to exit the vehicle and rescue the
occupants.
The crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
only operational if the EASY-EXIT/ENTRY fea-
ture is activated in the on-board computer
(Y page 243). Mirrors
Rear-view mirror
X
Anti-dazzle mode: flick anti-dazzle
switch :forwards or back. Exterior mirrors
Adjusting the exterior mirrors G
WARNING
The exterior mirrors reduce the size of the
image. Objects visible in the mirrors are
closer than they appear. You could misjudge
the distance from road users driving behind
you when changing lanes, for instance. There is a risk of an accident.
You should therefore always look over your
shoulder to determine the actual distance
from road users driving behind you. G
WARNING
The exterior mirror on the front-passenger
side reduces the size of the image. Visible
objects are actually closer than they appear. This means that you could misjudge the dis-
tance from road users travelling behind, e.g.
when changing lane. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
For this reason, always make sure of the
actual distance from the road users travelling behind by glancing over your shoulder. X
Make sure that the key is in position 1or 2
in the ignition lock.
X Press button :for the left-hand exterior
mirror or button ;for the right-hand exte-
rior mirror.
The indicator lamp in the corresponding
button lights up in red.
The indicator lamp goes out again after
some time. You can adjust the selected
mirror using adjustment button =as long
as the indicator lamp is lit.
X Press adjustment button =up, down, to
the right or to the left.
The exterior mirror must be set to a position
that provides you with a good overview of
traffic conditions.
The convex exterior mirrors provide a larger
field of vision.
After the engine has been started, the exte-
rior mirrors are automatically heated if the
rear window heating is switched on and the
outside temperature is low. Heating takes a
maximum of 10 minutes.
i The exterior mirrors can also be heated
manually by switching on the rear window
heating. 120
MirrorsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

Control panel for THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control (2-zone)
:
To set the temperature, left (Y page 145)
; To set climate control to automatic mode (Y page 144)
= To demist the windscreen (Y page 146)
? To activate/deactivate the residual heat function (Y page 149)
A To activate/deactivate cooling with air dehumidification (Y page 142)
B To switch the rear window heating on/off (Y page 147)
C To switch the ZONE function on/off (Y page 146)
D To set the temperature, right (Y page 145)
E To switch climate control on/off (Y page 142)
F To set the air distribution (Y page 145)
G To set the airflow (Y page 146)
H To adjust the airflow (Y page 144)
I To activate/deactivate air-recirculation mode (Y page 148)Information about using
THERMOTRONIC automatic climate
control
Automatic climate control The following contains instructions and rec-
ommendations to enable you to get the most
out of your THERMOTRONIC automatic cli-
mate control.
R Activate climate control using the Ãand
¿ buttons on the control panel of the climate control. The indicator lamps in
the
à and¿ buttons light up.
R In automatic mode, the ñbutton on the
climate control panel may be used to addi- tionally adjust the airflow (FOCUS/
MEDIUM/DIFFUSE). The MEDIUM level is
recommended.
R Set the temperature to 22 †.
R Only use the "Windscreen demisting" func-
tion briefly until the windscreen is clear
again.
R Only use air-recirculation mode briefly, e.g.
if there are unpleasant outside odours or Overview of climate control systems
141Climate control

Air-recirculation mode remains deactiva-
ted.
or
X Press the Ãbutton.
The indicator lamp in the ¬button goes
out. Airflow and air distribution are set to
automatic mode.
or X Turn the temperature controls on the left or
the right on the climate control panel clock- wise or anti-clockwise.
Turn temperature controls :orD clock-
wise or anti-clockwise (Y page 141).
or
X Press the KorI button. Demisting the windows
Windows misted up on the inside X
Activate the ¿cooling with air dehu-
midification function.
X Activate the Ãmode button.
X If the windows continue to mist up, activate
the ¬ "Windscreen demisting" function.
i You should only select this setting until
the windscreen is clear again.
Windows misted up on the outside X
Activate the windscreen wipers.
X Press the _button repeatedly until the
P orO symbol appears in the dis-
play.
i You should only select this setting until
the windscreen is clear again. Rear window heating
General notes The rear window heating has a high current
draw. You should therefore switch it off as
soon as the window is clear. It otherwise
switches off automatically after several
minutes.
If the battery voltage is too low, the rear win-
dow heating may switch off.
Activating/deactivating X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 155).
X Press button ¤.
The indicator lamp in the ¤button lights
up or goes out. Operating the climate control system
147Climate control

Problems with the rear window heating
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The rear window heat-
ing has switched off
prematurely or cannot
be activated. The on-board voltage is too low because too many electrical con-
sumers are switched on.
X Switch off any consumers that are not required, e.g. reading
lamps, interior lighting or the seat heating.
When the battery is sufficiently charged, the rear window heat-
ing can be activated again. Activating/deactivating air-recircula-
tion mode
General notes If you switch on air-recirculation mode, the
windows can mist up more quickly, in partic-
ular at low temperatures. Only use air-recir-
culation mode briefly to prevent the windows
misting up.
Activating/deactivating X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 155).
X To activate: press thegbutton.
The indicator lamp in the gbutton lights
up.
i Air-recirculation mode is automatically
activated at high levels of pollution or at
high outside temperatures. When air-recir-
culation mode is activated automatically,
the indicator lamp in the gbutton is not lit. Outside air is added after about
30 minutes.
X To deactivate: press thegbutton.
The indicator lamp in the gbutton goes
out.
i Air-recirculation mode is deactivated
automatically:
R after around five minutes at outside tem-
peratures below approximately 5 †
R after approximately five minutes if cool-
ing with air dehumidification is deactiva- ted
R after around 30 minutes at outside tem-
peratures above approximately 5 †if the
"Cooling with air dehumidification" func- tion is activated Convenience opening/closing using
the air-recirculation button
G
WARNING
When using convenience closing, you could
become trapped within the sweep of the clos- ing window. There is a risk of injury.
Monitor the entire closing procedure when
using convenience closing. When closing,
make sure that no one has any parts of the
body within the closing area. G
WARNING
During convenience opening parts of the body could be drawn in or become trapped 148
Operating the climate control systemClimate control

between the side window and window frame.
There is a risk of injury.
When opening, make sure that nobody is
touching the side window. If someone
becomes trapped, press the Wswitch
immediately to open/close the side window
in the door. The side window stops. To con-
tinue closing the side window, pull on the
W switch. X
Convenience closing feature: press and
hold the gbutton until the side win-
dows are closed.
The indicator lamp in the gbutton lights
up. Air-recirculation mode is activated.
If parts of the body are in the closing area
during convenience closing, proceed as fol-
lows: X Press the Wbutton for opening/closing
the side windows.
The side window stops.
X To then open the side window, press the
W button again.
i Notes on the reversing feature for the side
windows (Y page 99).
X Convenience opening feature: press and
hold the gbutton until the side win-
dows are opened. The side windows move
back to their original positions.
The indicator lamp in the gbutton goes
out. Air-recirculation mode is deactivated.
i If you open the side windows manually
after closing them with the convenience
closing feature, they will remain in this posi- tion when opened using the convenience
opening feature. Activating/deactivating the residual
heat function
General notes It is possible to make use of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heating the station- ary vehicle for up to 30 minutesafter the
engine has been switched off. The heating
time depends on the temperature that has
been set for the vehicle interior.
Activating/deactivating X
Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock or remove it (Y page 155).
X To activate: press theÌbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ìbutton lights
up.
i The blower will run at a low speed regard-
less of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed.
X To deactivate: press theÌbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ìbutton goes
out. Operating the climate control system
149Climate control Z

Residual heat is deactivated automatically:
R after approximately 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops Adjusting the air vents
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Very hot or very cold air can flow from the air vents. This could result in burns or frostbite in the immediate vicinity of the air vents. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that all vehicle occupants always
maintain a sufficient distance to the air out-
lets. If necessary, redirect the airflow to
another area of the vehicle interior. G
WARNING
When AIRSCARF is switched on, very hot air
can flow from the vents in the head restraints. This could result in burns in the immediate
vicinity of the air vents. There is a risk of injury.
Reduce the heater output before it becomes
too hot.
In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air vents into the vehicle interior, please observe the following notes:
R keep the air inlet grille on the bonnet and in
the engine compartment on the front-
passenger side free of blockages, such as
ice, snow or leaves.
R never cover the vents or ventilation grilles
in the vehicle interior.
i You can move the adjusters for the air
vents vertically or horizontally to set the
direction of the airflow.
i Optimal climate control function is ach-
ieved by opening the air vents fully and set-
ting the adjusters to the middle position. Setting the centre air vents
X
To open the centre air vent: turn the
adjuster in one of centre air vents :anti-
clockwise.
X To close the centre air vent: turn the
adjuster in one of centre air vents :clock-
wise until it engages. Adjusting the side air vents
:
Side window demister vent
; Side air vent
X To open a side air vent: turn the adjuster
in side air vent ;anti-clockwise.
X To close a side air vent: turn the adjuster
in side air vent ;clockwise until it
engages. Adjusting the glove compartment air
vent
! Close the air vent when heating the vehi-
cle. 150
Adjusting the air ventsClimate cont
rol

Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refuelling. G
WARNING
Fuels are poisonous and hazardous to health. There is a danger of injury.
Do not swallow fuel or let it come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale fuel
vapours. Keep fuels out of the reach of chil-
dren. If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
R Wash the fuel off any affected areas of skin
with water and soap immediately.
R If you get fuel in your eyes, rinse them thor-
oughly with clean water immediately. Seek
immediate medical attention.
R If fuel is swallowed, seek immediate medi-
cal attention. Do not induce vomiting.
R Change any clothing that has come into
contact with fuel immediately. G
WARNING
Electrostatic charge can cause sparks and
thereby ignite fuel vapours. There is a risk of
fire and explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. This discharges any electrostatic
charge that may have built up.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
petrol engine. Do not switch on the ignition if you accidentally refuel with the wrong Refuelling
173Driving and parking Z

in the ECO display does not indicate a fixed
consumption.
In addition to driving style, the consumption is
affected by many other factors, such as:
R load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style takes the following three categories into consideration:
R Acceleration
Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
- The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- The bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant Constant (assessment of driving behav-
iour at all times):
- The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting
Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes):
- The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping your distance and early release
of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes
- The bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style involves driv-
ing at a moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration
Acceleration andConstant Constant :
R observe the gearshift recommendation.
R drive the vehicle in drive program E.
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the motorway, only the bar for Constant
Constant
will change.
i The ECO display summarises the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey to its completion. Therefore, there are
dynamic changes in the bars at the start of
a journey. During a prolonged driving time, these changes are smaller. For more
dynamic changes, perform a manual reset.
For further information on the ECO display,
see (Y page 232). Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. Take particular note of this when driving a laden vehicle.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving. Driving tips
179Driving and parking Z

brake system warning lamp in the instrument
cluster and note any brake status messages
in the multifunction display. If you regularly
drive at high speeds, it is particularly impor-
tant to have the brake system checked and
maintained regularly. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans- mission.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the maximum permissible fording depth in
still water is 12 cm
R you should drive no faster than walking
pace Winter driving
G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident. Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
! Take care not to damage the sealing strip
and the moulding on the side of the rear
window when scraping ice off the rear win-
dow.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres. Do
not use cruise control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Move the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges. The vehicle could skid if you fail to adapt your
driving style. Always adapt your driving style
and drive at a speed to suit the prevailing
weather conditions. Driving tips
181Driving and parking Z