MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER 2012 Owners Manual

Position number
Bidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-
starting device.
X Press cover :of positive terminal ;down (in the direction of the arrow) and turn it
clockwise. Cover :is held down in the lowered position, which exposes positive termi-
nal ;.
X Connect positive terminal ;on your vehicle to positive terminal =of donor battery B
using the jump lead. Always begin with positive terminal ;on your own vehicle first.
X Start the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
X Connect negative terminal ?of donor battery Bto earth point Aof your vehicle using the
jump lead, connecting the jump lead to donor battery Bfirst.
X Start the engine.
X Before disconnecting the jump leads, let the engines run for several minutes.
X First, remove the jump leads from earth point Aand negative terminal ?, then from pos-
itive clamp ;and positive terminal =. Begin each time at the contacts on your own vehicle
first.
X After removing the jump leads, press down cover :of positive terminal ;and turn it anti-
clockwise. Cover :returns to its original position. Positive terminal ;is covered up and
thus insulated again.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
i Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jump-starting cables and further information regarding jump starting can be obtained at
any qualified specialist workshop. Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the weight of the vehicle to be towed or tow- started is greater than the permissible gross
weight of your vehicle:
R the towing eye could detach itself
R the vehicle/trailer combination could over-
turn.
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per-
missible gross weight of your vehicle. !
If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow- ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
! Only secure the tow rope or towing bar to
the towing eyes. The vehicle may otherwise be damaged.
! Observe the following points when towing
with a tow rope:
R secure the tow rope on the same side on
both vehicles.
R make sure that the tow rope is not longer
than legally permitted. Mark the tow rope in the middle, e.g. with a white cloth
(30 x 30 cm). This makes other road 588
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

users aware that a vehicle is being
towed.
R only secure the tow rope to the towing
eye.
R observe the brake lamps of the towing
vehicle while driving. Always maintain a
distance so that the tow rope does not
sag.
R do not use steel cables or chains to tow
your vehicle. You could otherwise dam-
age the vehicle.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
this could damage the vehicle. If in doubt,
recover the vehicle with a crane.
! When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! To tow vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use
the key instead of the Start/Stop button.
The automatic transmission may otherwise switch to position Pwhen you open the
driver's or front-passenger door which
could damage the transmission.
! Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum of
50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must not
be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the entire vehicle must be lifted up and transported.
! If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per- missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
i Information on your vehicle's gross vehi-
cle weight rating can be found on the vehi-
cle identification plate (Y page 622).
Observe the legal requirements for the rele-
vant countries when towing.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed. The automatic transmission must be in posi-
tion
Nwhen the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged. Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2
R cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
i Deactivate the automatic locking feature
before the vehicle is towed (Y page 242).
You could otherwise be locked out when
pushing or towing the vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection before the
vehicle is towed (Y page 80). Fitting/removing the towing eye
Fitting the towing eye G
WARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be extremely hot.
There is a risk of burning when removing the
rear cover.
Do not touch the exhaust tail pipe. Use
extreme caution when removing the rear
cover. Towing and tow-starting
589Breakdown assistance Z

Example: covers for towing eye mountings
: Front cover
; Rear cover
The mountings for the screw-in towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear under the covers. X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 577).
X Front bumper: insert a finger into the
recess on the bottom edge of cover :.
X Pull cover :out of the bumper towards
you in the direction of the arrow.
Cover :is attached by a strap in the aper-
ture.
X Rear bumper: press the mark on cover ;
inwards in the direction of the arrow.
X Remove cover ;from the aperture.
X Screw the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it. Removing the towing eye
Example: covers for towing eye mountings
: Front cover
; Rear cover
X Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Front bumper: position cover:on the
opening in the bumper, as shown.
X Twist cover :into the opening in the direc-
tion of the arrow.
Cover :is now attached at the upper edge
of the opening.
X To close, press the lower section of
cover :.
X Rear bumper: position cover;on
bumper and press until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit
(Y page 577). Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system. 590
Towing and tow-startingBreakdo
wn assis tance

X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 130).
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0 and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the key or
the KEYLESS-GO key with you.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 588).Towing the vehicle with both axles on
the ground 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.
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove the key from the ignition lock.
In order to ensure that the automatic trans-
mission stays in position Nwhen towing the
vehicle, you must observe the following
points:
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 130).
i In order to signal a change of direction
when towing the vehicle with the hazard
warning lamps switched on, use the com-
bination switch as usual. In this case, only
the turn signals for the desired direction
flash. When the combination switch is
reset, the hazard warning lamps start flash- ing again.
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the key is in position 0in the ignition
lock.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock. On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the key
instead of the Start/Stop button
(Y page 155).
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Leave the key in position 2in the ignition
lock.
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 588). Transporting the vehicle
! You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as
axle or steering components. Otherwise,
the vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transport pur-
poses.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded: X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
X Secure the vehicle. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Do not tow-start vehicles with automatic
transmission. You could otherwise damage the automatic transmission. Towing and tow-starting
591Breakdown assistance Z

i
You can find information on "Jump-start-
ing" under (Y page 586). Electrical fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you manipulate, bridge or replace a faulty
fuse with a fuse of a higher amperage, the
electric cables could be overloaded. This may result in a fire. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with specified new fuses of the correct amperage.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system concerned. Otherwise, components or sys-
tems could be damaged.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to disconnect
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the compo- nents on the circuit and their functions will
fail.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognise by
the colour and fuse rating. The fuse ratings
are listed in the fuse allocation chart.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Ser-
vice Centre. Before replacing a fuse
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 175).
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it (Y page 155).
or
X On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, make sure
the ignition is switched off (Y page 155).All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
must be off.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
R fuse box in the engine compartment on the
right-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
R dashboard fuse box
R fuse box in the rear compartment on the
right-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
The fuse allocation chart is located in the
vehicle tool kit in the stowage compartment
under the boot floor (Y page 577). Dashboard fuse box
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 592).
! Do not use a pointed object such as a
screwdriver to open the cover in the dash-
board. You could damage the dashboard or
the cover.
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it
is lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture
seeping in or dirt could otherwise impair
the operation of the fuses. X
To open: pull cover :outwards in the
direction of the arrow and remove it.
X To close: clip in cover :on the front of the
dashboard.
X Fold cover :inwards until it engages. 592
Electrical fusesBreakdown assistance

Fuse box in the engine compartment
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 592). G
WARNING
When the bonnet is open, and the windscreen wipers are set in motion, you can be injured by
the wiper linkage. There is a risk of injury.
Always switch off the windscreen wipers and
the ignition before opening the bonnet.
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it
is lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture
seeping in or dirt could otherwise impair
the operation of the fuses.
X Open the bonnet. X
Remove any existing moisture from the
fuse box using a dry cloth.
X To open: open clamps ;.
X Fold cover :of the fuse box up in the
direction of the arrow and remove it. X
To close: check whether the seal is lying
correctly in cover :.
X Insert both openings =at the rear of
cover :into the brackets on the fuse box.
The brackets on the fuse box must be com-
pletely visible in the two openings =on the
fuse box.
X Fold down cover :.
X Hook clamps ;into the fuse box and
close.
X Close the bonnet. Fuse box in the rear
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 592).
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it
is lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture seeping in or dirt could otherwise impair
the operation of the fuses. The fuse box in the rear is located on the right-hand
side when viewed in the direction of travel.
X To open: open the seat belt guide on the
right-hand seat and remove the seat belt
(Y page 115).
X Move the right-hand seat as far forward as
possible (Y page 115).
X Insert your fingers at the bottom of front
cover :between the cover and floor cov-
ering. Electrical fuses
593Breakdown assistance Z

X
Remove front cover :towards the front by
pulling it in the direction of the arrow.
X Lift off top cover ;by pulling it in the
direction of the arrow. Fuses
=are accessible through the two
openings in the top of the fuse box.
X To close: insert the securing tags under-
neath top cover ;in the recesses at the
top of the fuse box.
X Fold down top cover ;until it engages
audibly.
X Insert the securing tags underneath top
cover :in the recesses at the front of the
fuse box.
X Push front cover :towards the rear until it
engages audibly.
X Move the right-hand seat backwards
(Y page 115).
X Hook the seat belt into the seat belt guide
on the right-hand seat (Y page 115).594
Elect
rical fusesBreakdo wn assis tance

Useful information
............................596
Important safety notes ....................596
Operation ........................................... 596
Winter operation ............................... 598
Tyre pressure .................................... 600
Changing a wheel ............................. 605
Wheel and tyre combinations ..........610
Emergency spare wheel ...................614 595Wheels and tyres

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos- sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 34). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If wheels and tyres of the wrong size are used, the wheel brakes or suspension components
may be damaged. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always replace wheels and tyres with those
that fulfil the specifications of the original
part.
When replacing wheels, make sure to fit the
correct:
R designation
R type
When replacing tyres, make sure to fit the
correct:
R designation
R manufacturer
R type G
WARNING
A flat tyre severely impairs the driving, steer-
ing and braking characteristics of the vehicle.
There is a risk of accident.
Tyres without run-flat characteristics:
R do not drive with a flat tyre.
R immediately replace the flat tyre with your
emergency spare wheel or spare wheel, or
consult a qualified specialist workshop. Tyres with run-flat characteristics:
R pay attention to the information and warn-
ing notices on MOExtended tyres (tyres
with run-flat characteristics).
Accessories that are not approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz or that are not
being used correctly can impair the operating
safety.
Before purchasing and using non-approved
accessories, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop and enquire about:
R suitability
R legal stipulations
R factory recommendations
Information on dimensions and types of
wheels and tyres for your vehicle can be
found (Y page 610).
Information on air pressure for the tyres on
your vehicle can be found:
R on the tyre pressure label on the fuel filler
flap (Y page 174)
R in the "Tyre pressure" section
Modification work on the brake system and
wheels is not permitted. The use of wheel
spacers or brake dust shields is not permit-
ted. This invalidates the general operating
permit for the vehicle.
i Further information on wheels and tyres
can be obtained at any qualified specialist
workshop. Operation
Information on driving
Check the tyre pressures when the vehicle is
heavily laden and, if necessary, adjust.
While driving, pay attention to vibrations,
noises and unusual handling characteristics,
e.g. pulling to one side. This may indicate that the wheels or tyres are damaged. If you sus-
pect that a tyre is defective, reduce your
speed immediately. Stop the vehicle as soon
as possible to check the wheels and tyres for 596
OperationWheels and tyres

damage. Hidden tyre damage could also be
causing the unusual handling characteristics. If you find no signs of damage, have the tyres
and wheels checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When parking your vehicle, make sure that
the tyres do not get deformed by the kerb or
other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive over
kerbs, speed humps or similar elevations, try
to do so slowly and at an obtuse angle. Oth-
erwise, the tyres, particularly the sidewalls,
may be damaged. Regular checking of wheels and tyres
G
WARNING
Damaged tyres can cause tyre inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tyres regularly for signs of damage and replace any damaged tyres immediately.
Regularly check the wheels and tyres of your
vehicle for damage at least once a month, as well as after driving off-road or on rough
roads. Damaged wheels can cause a loss of
tyre pressure. Pay particular attention to
damage such as:
R cuts in the tyres
R punctures
R tears in the tyres
R bulges on tyres
R deformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tyre tread depth and the condition of the tread across the whole width
of the tyre (Y page 597). If necessary, turn
the front wheels to full lock in order to inspect
the inner side of the tyre surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not fit
anything onto the valve other than the stand-
ard valve cap or other valve caps approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz. Do not fit any other valve caps or systems, e.g. tyre pres-
sure monitoring systems. Regularly check the pressure of all the tyres,
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tyre
pressure as necessary (Y page 600).
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (Y page 614).
The service life of tyres depends on various
factors, including the following:
R driving style
R tyre pressure
R mileage Important safety notes on the tyre
tread
G
WARNING
Insufficient tyre tread will reduce tyre trac-
tion. The tyre is no longer able to dissipate
water. This means that on wet road surfaces, the risk of aquaplaning increases, in particularwhere speed is not adapted to suit the driving
conditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tyre pressure is too high or too low, tyres may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tyre tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tyres.
Minimum tyre tread depth for:
R summer tyres: 3 mm
R M+S tyres: 4 mm
For safety reasons, replace the tyres before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tyre tread depth is reached. Selecting, fitting and replacing tyres
G
WARNING
Exceeding the stated tyre load-bearing capa-
city and the approved maximum speed could
lead to tyre damage or the tyre bursting. There is a risk of accident.
Therefore, only use tyre types and sizes
approved for your vehicle model. Observe the Operation
597Wheels and tyres
Z