charging MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER 2018 Owner's Manual

Engaging neutral ............................ 132
Engaging park position automati-
cally ............................................... 132
Engaging reverse gear ................... 132
Engaging the park position ............ 131
Gearshift recommendation ............ 138
Kickdown ....................................... 134
Manual shifting .............................. 136
Oil temperature (on-board com-
puter, Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ..... 197
Overview ........................................ 130
Problem (malfunction) ................... 139
Pulling away ................................... 124
Selector lever ................................ 130
Starting the engine ........................ 124
Steering wheel paddle shifters ...... 136
Transmission position display ........ 131
Transmission positions .................. 133
Automatic transmission emer-
gency mode ....................................... 139
B
Back button ....................................... 237
BAS (Brake Assist System) ................. 60
Battery (SmartKey)
Checking .......................................... 76
Important safety notes .................... 75
Replacing ......................................... 76
Battery (vehicle)
Charging ........................................ 277
Display message ............................ 214
Important safety notes .................. 275
Jump starting ................................. 278
Overview ........................................ 275
Belt
see Seat belts
Belt warning ......................................... 44
Blind Spot Assist
see Active Blind Spot Assist
Bluetooth
®
Searching for a mobile phone ........ 240
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 236
Telephony ...................................... 239
Brake Assist System
see BAS (Brake Assist System) Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function
Function/notes ................................ 61
Important safety notes .................... 61
Brake fluid
Display message ............................ 206
Notes ............................................. 315
Brake force distribution
see EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
Brake lamps
Adaptive ........................................... 65
Display message ............................ 212
Brakes
ABS .................................................. 60
Adaptive Brake Assist ...................... 64
BAS .................................................. 60
Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function ........................................... 61
Brake fluid (notes) ......................... 315
Display message ............................ 201
EBD .................................................. 69
High-performance brake system .... 148
Important safety notes .................. 146
Maintenance .................................. 147
Parking brake ................................ 142
Riding tips ...................................... 146
Warning lamp ................................. 228
Breakdown
see Flat tire
see Towing away
Breakdown assistance
Reflective safety jacket .................. 269
Where will I find...? ........................ 269
Brightness control (instrument
cluster lighting) ................................... 33
C
California
Important notice for retail cus-
tomers and lessees .......................... 25
Calling up a malfunction
see Display messages
Car
see Vehicle
Care
Car wash ........................................ 263
6Index

Interior lighting control
General notes
In order to preven tth evehicle's battery from
discharging ,th einterio rlighting function sare
automatically deactivated after som etime,
unless th eSmartKey is in position 2in th e
ignition lock.
The color and brightness of th eambien tlighting
are set via th emultimedia system
(
Ypage 195).
Automatic interior lighting control
XTo switch on: set theswitch to center posi-
tion A.
XTo switch off :set th eswitch to th e|
position .
The interio rlighting automatically switches on if
you:
Runlock th evehicl e
Ropenadoor
Rremove th eSmartKey from th eignition loc k
The interio rlighting is switched on for aset time
when th eSmartKey is remove dfrom th eignition
lock. You can activat ethis delaye dswitch-off
usin gth eon-board computer (
Ypage 196).
Replacing bulbs
The frontand rear lamp sof your vehicl eare
equipped wit hLE Dbulbs .Do no treplace th e
bulbs yourself .Contac t aqualified specialist
workshop whic hhas th enecessar yspecialist
knowledge and tools to carry out th ewor k
required.
Bulb sand lamp sare an important aspect of
vehicl esafety. You must therefor emak esur e
that these function correctl yat all times .Hav e
th eheadlamp setting checke dregularly.
Windshield wipers
Switching the windshield wipers
on/off
!
Do no toperate th ewindshield wiper swhen
th ewindshield is dry, as this could damag e
th ewiper blades. Moreover, dust that has col- lecte
don th ewindshield can scratch th eglass
if wipin gtakes plac ewhen th ewindshield is
dry.
If it is necessar yto switch on th ewindshield
wiper sin dry weather conditions, always use
washe rfluid when operating th ewindshield
wipers.
!If th ewindshield wiper sleav esmears on th e
windshield after th evehicl ehas been washe d
in an automatic car wash, wax or other resi-
dues may be th ereason for this. Clean th e
windshield usin gwashe rfluid after washing
th evehicl ein an automatic car wash.
!Intermittent wipin gwit hrain sensor :due to
optical influence sand th ewindshield becom-
ing dirt yin dry weather conditions, th ewind-
shield wiper smay be activated inadvertently.
This could then damag eth ewindshield wiper
blade sor scratch th ewindshield.
Fo rthis reason ,you should always switch off
th ewindshield wiper sin dry weather .
Combination switch
1
$Windshield wiper off
2ÄIntermittent wipe, low (rain sensor set
to low sensitivity)
3Å Intermittent wipe, high (rain sensor
set to high sensitivity)
4° Continuous wipe, slow
5¯Continuous wipe, fas t
BíSingle wipe/ îWipes th ewind-
shield usin gwashe rfluid
If th ewiper blade sare worn, th ewindshield will
no longer be wiped properly. This could preven t
you from observing th etraffic conditions.
110Windshield wipers
Lights and windshield wipers

If the seat belt tongue is not engaged in the seat
belt buckle, the following conditions must be
fulfilled:
Rthe driver's door is closed
Ryou move the transmission out of positionj
or you have previously driven at a speed
above 2 mph (3 km/h)
Rif the transmission is in position k, the trunk
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 an emer- gency by using the electric parking brake.
XWhile driving, push handle :of the electric
parking brake.
The vehicle is braked for as long as the handle
of the electric parking brake is pressed. The
longer the electric parking brake handle is
depressed, the greater the braking force.
During braking:
Ra warning tone sounds
Rthe Release Parking Brakemessage
appears
Rthe red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-
still, the electric parking brake is engaged.
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than six
weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a
result of lack of use.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop and seek
advice.
iYou can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment when driving, you may be distracted
from the traffic situation. You could also lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the country
in which you are driving. Some jurisdictions pro-
hibit the driver from using a mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers a
distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m)per sec-
ond.
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Observe the following tips to save fuel:
RThe tires should always be inflated to the rec-
ommended tire pressure.
RRemove unnecessary loads.
RWarm up the engine at low engine speeds.
RAvoid frequent acceleration or braking.
RObserve the service intervals in the Mainte-
nance Booklet or in the service interval dis-
144Driving tips
Driving and parking

Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The yellow!warning lamp lights up. The red F(USAonly)
or ! (Canada only) indicator lamp flashes for about te nseconds
after th eelectric parking brak ehas been applie dor released. It then
goe sout or remain slit .
The electric parking brak eis malfunctioning .
XSwitchoff th eignition and tur nit bac kon .
XApply th eelectric parking brake.
If it is no tpossibl eto engage th eelectric parking brake:
XShift th etransmission to position j.
XVisitaqualified specialist workshop .
If it is no tpossibl eto release th eelectric parking brake:
XReleas eth eelectric parking brak eautomatically (Ypage 142).
If th eelectric parking brak estill canno tbe released:
XConsult aqualified specialist workshop .
The yellow!warning lamp lights up. If you manually apply or
release th eelectric parking brake, th ered F (USAonly) or !
(Canada only) indicator lamp flashes .
The electric parking brak eis malfunctioning .It is no tpossibl eto apply
th eelectric parking brak emanually.
XShift th etransmission to position j,as th eelectric parking brak e
is no tapplie dautomatically.
XVisit aqualified specialist workshop .
F(USA
only)
!(Canada
only)
Parkin gBrake Inop‐
erativ e
The yellow !warning lamp lights up. The red F(USAonly)
or ! (Canada only) indicator lamp flashes for about te nseconds
after th eelectric parking brak ehas been applie dor released. It then
goe sout or remain slit .
The electric parking brak eis malfunctioning ,e.g. because of over-
voltag eor undervoltage.
XRemove th ecaus efor th eovervoltage or undervoltage, e.g. by
charging th ebattery or restarting th eengine.
XEngage or release th eelectric parking brake.
If it remain simpossible to apply or release th eelectric parking brake:
XSwitc hoff th eignition and tur nit bac kon .
XEngage or release th eelectric parking brake.
If th eelectric parking brak estill canno tbe released:
XConsult aqualified specialist workshop .
If th eelectric parking brak estill canno tbe applied:
XVisit aqualified specialist workshop .
Display messages205
On-board computer and displays
Z

impair the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics. There is a risk of accident.
Do not continue driving. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
iIn cases such as the one mentioned above,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter. Or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
XCorrect the tire pressure if it is still at least
130 kPa (1.3 bar/19 psi). See the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the driver's
side B-pillar or the tire pressure table in the
fuel filler flap for values.
XTo increase the tire pressure: switch on the
tire inflation compressor.
XTo reduce the tire pressure: depress pres-
sure release button Enext to pressure gauge
F.
XWhen the tire pressure is correct, unscrew the
filler hose from the valve of the sealed tire.
XScrew the valve cap onto the tire valve of the
sealed tire.
XPull the tire sealant bottle out of the tire infla-
tion compressor.
The filler hose remains attached to the tire
sealant bottle.
XDrive to the nearest qualified specialist work-
shop and have the tire changed there.
XHave the tire sealant bottle replaced as soon
as possible at a qualified specialist workshop.
XHave the tire sealant bottle replaced every
four years at a qualified specialist workshop.
Battery (vehicle)
Important safety notes
Special tools and expert knowledge are required
when working on the battery, e.g. removal and
installation. You should therefore have all work
involving the battery carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
GWARNING
Work carried out incorrectly on the battery
can lead, for example, to a short circuit and
thus damage the vehicle electronics. This can
lead to function restrictions applying to
safety-relevant systems, e.g. the lighting sys-
tem, the ABS (anti-lock braking system) or the
ESP
®(Electronic Stability Program). The oper-
ating safety of your vehicle may be restricted.
You could lose control of the vehicle, for
example:
Rwhen braking
Rin the event of abrupt steering maneuvers
and/or when the vehicle's speed is not
adapted to the road conditions
There is a risk of an accident.
In the event of a short circuit or a similar inci-
dent, contact a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. Do not drive any further. You
should have all work involving the battery car- ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
For further information about ABS and ESP
®,
see (Ypage 60) and (Ypage 65).
GWARNING
Electrostatic build-up can lead to the creation of sparks, which could ignite the highly explo-
sive gases of a battery. There is a risk of an
explosion.
Before handling the battery, touch the vehicle
body to remove any existing electrostatic
build-up.
The highly flammable gas mixture forms when
charging the battery as well as when jump-start-
ing.
Battery (vehicle)275
Breakdown assistance
Z

Always make sure that neither you nor the bat-
tery is electrostatically charged. A build-up of
electrostatic charge can be caused, for exam-
ple:
Rby wearing clothing made from synthetic
fibers
Rdue to friction between clothing and seats
Rif you push or pull the battery across the car-
pet or other synthetic materials
Rif you wipe the battery with a cloth
GWARNING
During the charging process, a battery produ-
ces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or
sparks are created, the hydrogen gas can
ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
RMake sure that the positive terminal of a
connected battery does not come into con- tact with vehicle parts.
RNever place metal objects or tools on a bat-
tery.
RIt is important that you observe the descri-
bed order of the battery terminals when
connecting and disconnecting a battery.
RWhen jump-starting, make sure that the
battery poles with identical polarity are
connected.
RIt is particularly important to observe the
described order when connecting and dis-
connecting the jumper cables.
RNever connect or disconnect the battery
terminals while the engine is running.
GWARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do
not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over
the battery. Keep children away from batter-
ies. Wash away battery acid immediately with
plenty of clean water and seek medical atten-
tion.
HEnvironmental note
Batteries contain pollutants.
It is illegal to dispose of them
with the household rubbish.
They must be collected sep-
arately and disposed of in an
environmentally responsible
recycling system.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used batter-
ies.
!Have the battery regularly checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Comply with the service intervals in the Main- tenance Booklet, or contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop for more information.
!Always have work on batteries carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop.
Should it, in exceptional circumstances, be
absolutely necessary to disconnect the 12-
volt battery yourself, please observe the fol-
lowing:
RSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
RSwitch off the ignition.
RDisconnect the negative terminal first and
then the positive terminal.
After the work has been done, install the bat- tery and replace the cover of the positive ter-
minal clamp firmly.
Comply with safety precautions and take pro-
tective measures when handling batteries.
Risk of explosion.
Fire, open flames and smoking are
prohibited when handling the bat-
tery. Avoid creating sparks.
Battery acid is caustic. Avoid contact
with skin, eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective clothing,
especially gloves, apron and face-
guard.
Rinse any acid spills immediately
with clear water. Contact a physician
if necessary.
276Battery (vehicle)
Breakdo wn assis tance

Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's Manual.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use batteries which have
been tested and approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz. These batteries provide
increased impact protection to prevent vehicle
occupants from suffering acid burns should the
battery be damaged in the event of an accident.
In order for the battery to achieve the maximum
possible service life, it must always be suffi-
ciently charged.
Like other batteries, the vehicle battery may
discharge over time if you do not use the vehicle.
In this case, have the battery disconnected at a
qualified specialist workshop. You can also
charge the battery with a charger recommended
by Mercedes-Benz. Contact a qualified special-
ist workshop for further information.
Have the battery condition of charge checked
more frequently if you use the vehicle mainly for
short trips or if you leave it standing idle for a
lengthy period. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop if you wish to leave your vehicle
parked for a long period of time.
Remove the SmartKey if you park the vehicle
and do not require any electrical consumers.
The vehicle will then use very little energy, thus conserving battery power.
After an interruption to the power supply, e.g.
due to a discharged battery, you must reset the
clock (see the Digital Operator's Manual).
Charging the battery
GWARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive
gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient
ventilation while charging and jump-starting.
Do not lean over a battery.
GWARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do
not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over
the battery. Keep children away from batter-
ies. Wash away battery acid immediately with
plenty of clean water and seek medical atten-
tion.
GWARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at tempera-
tures below freezing point. When jump-start-
ing the vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of
an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before
charging it or jump-starting.
!Only use battery chargers with a maximum
charging voltage of 14.8 V.
!Only charge the battery using the jump-
starting connection point.
The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment.
If the indicator/warning lamps do not light up at
low temperatures, it is very likely that the dis-
charged battery has frozen. In this case, you
may neither charge the battery nor jump-start
the vehicle. The service life of a thawed-out bat-
tery may be shorter. The starting characteristics
can be impaired, particularly at low tempera-
tures. Have the thawed-out battery checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Read the battery charger's operating instruc-
tions before charging the battery.
XOpen the hood.
XConnect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and ground point in the same order
as when connecting the donor battery in the
jump-starting procedure (
Ypage 278).
Battery (vehicle)277
Breakdown assistance
Z

Jump-starting
For the jump-starting procedure, use only the jump-starting connection point in the engine com-
partment, consisting of a positive terminal and a ground point.
GWARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over the
battery. Keep children away from batteries. Wash away battery acid immediately with plenty of
clean water and seek medical attention.
GWARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient ven-
tilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery.
GWARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or sparks
are created, the hydrogen gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
RMake sure that the positive terminal of a connected battery does not come into contact with
vehicle parts.
RNever place metal objects or tools on a battery.
RIt is important that you observe the described order of the battery terminals when connecting
and disconnecting a battery.
RWhen jump-starting, make sure that the battery poles with identical polarity are connected.
RIt is particularly important to observe the described order when connecting and disconnecting
the jumper cables.
RNever connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running.
GWARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point. When jump-starting the
vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion. Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before charging it or jump-starting.
!Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the catalytic converter could be
damaged by the non-combusted fuel.
If the indicator/warning lamps do not light up at low temperatures, it is very likely that the dis-
charged battery has frozen. In this case, you may neither charge the battery nor jump-start the
vehicle. The service life of a thawed-out battery may be shorter. The starting characteristics can be
impaired, particularly at low temperatures. Have the thawed-out battery checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
278Jump-starting
Breakdown assistance

Do not start the vehicle using a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jumper cables.
Observe the following points:
RThe battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible, jump-
start the vehicle using a second battery or a jump-starting device.
RYou may only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust system are cold.
RDo not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
ROnly jump-start from batteries with a 12 V voltage rating.
ROnly use jumper cables which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
RIf the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected for
a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the battery slightly.
RMake sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
RThe jumper cables are not damaged.
RBare parts of the terminal clamp do not come into contact with other metal parts while the jumper
cables are connected to the battery.
RThe jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts which can move when the engine is
running, such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
XSecure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position j.
XMake sure that the ignition is switched off. All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster must be
off. When using the SmartKey, turn the SmartKey to position uin the ignition lock and remove it
(
Ypage 122).
XSwitch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window defroster, lighting, etc.
XOpen the hood.
Position number Bidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-starting
device.
XPress cover :of positive terminal ;down (in the direction of the arrow) and turn it clockwise.
To expose positive terminal ;, press cover:down further.
XConnect positive terminal ;on your vehicle to positive terminal =of donor battery Busing the
jumper cable, always begin with positive terminal ;on your own vehicle first.
Jump-starting279
Breakdown assistance
Z