seats MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 2004 R230 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle.................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting safety defects ................ 18
At a glance.......................................... 19
Cockpit ................................................. 20
Instrument cluster ................................ 22
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 24
Center console ..................................... 25
Upper part ...................................... 25
Lower part ...................................... 26
Overhead control panel ........................ 27
Door control panel................................ 28
Getting started................................... 29
Unlocking ............................................. 30
Unlocking with the SmartKey......... 30
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*......... 32
Adjusting .............................................. 34
Seats .............................................. 34
Steering wheel ................................ 37
Mirrors ............................................ 38
Driving .................................................. 40
Fastening the seat belts ................. 40
Starting the engine......................... 43
Switching on headlamps ................. 46
Turn signals and high beam ............ 47
Windshield wipers........................... 47
Problems while driving .................... 49
Parking and locking .............................. 51
Parking brake ................................. 52
Switching off headlamps................. 52
Turning off the engine..................... 53
Emergency engine shut-down ......... 55

ContentsSafety and Security........................... 57
Occupant safety................................... 58
Airbags ........................................... 59
Seat belts ....................................... 65
Roll bar ........................................... 69
Children in the vehicle.................... 70
Panic alarm .......................................... 74
Activating ....................................... 74
Deactivating ................................... 74
Driving safety systems ......................... 75
ABS ................................................ 76
BAS ................................................ 77
ESP................................................. 78
SBC brake system .......................... 81
Anti-theft systems................................ 84
Immobilizer..................................... 84
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 85
Tow-away alarm ............................. 86
Controls in detail............................... 89
Locking and unlocking ......................... 90
SmartKey ....................................... 90
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ........ 93
Opening the doors from the
inside ............................................. 99
Opening the trunk .......................... 99
Closing the trunk lid ..................... 102
Trunk lid emergency release ........ 102
Separately locking the trunk ........ 103
Automatic central locking ............ 105
Locking and unlocking from
the inside ..................................... 105
Seats ................................................. 107
Easy-entry / exit feature ............... 107
Moving the seats forward and
backward ..................................... 108
Lumbar support............................ 108
Multicontour backrest*
(standard on SL 600 and
SL 55 AMG) .................................. 109Seat heating................................. 110
Seat ventilation*
(standard on SL 600) ................... 112
Memory function ............................... 114
Storing positions into memory ..... 115
Recalling positions from memory. 115
Storing exterior rear view mirror
parking position ........................... 115
Lighting ............................................. 117
Exterior lamp switch .................... 117
Combination switch ..................... 120
Hazard warning flasher ................ 121
Interior lighting ............................ 122
Courtesy lighting .......................... 123
Instrument cluster ............................. 124
Instrument cluster illumination .... 124
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 124
Trip odometer .............................. 125
Tachometer.................................. 125
Outside temperature indicator ..... 126

34 Getting startedAdjusting
AdjustingSeatsWarning!
G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.Warning!
G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position
as this can be dangerous. You could slide
under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the belt would apply force at the ab-
domen or neck. That could cause serious or
fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat
belts provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a nearly upright position and
belts are properly positioned on the body.
Your seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten your seat belt (
page 40).
Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being ad-
justed.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* with you, and
lock your vehicle.
Even with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* removed from the vehicle,
the power seats can be operated when the
respective door is open. Therefore, do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsu-
pervised use of vehicle equipment may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.

35 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat adjustment
The seat adjustment switch is located in
the door.
1Head restraint height
2Seat height
3Seat cushion tilt
4Seat cushion depth
5Seat fore and aft adjustment
6Backrest tilt
Switch on ignition.
or

Open the respective door.Seat fore and aft adjustment

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow 5.
Adjust seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach
the accelerator / brake pedal safely.
The position should be as far to the rear
as possible, consistent with ability to
properly operate controls.
Warning!
G
Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in this vehicle, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmart
TM1

compatible child seat, which operates with
the BabySmart
TM system installed in the ve-
hicle to deactivate the passenger front air-
bag when it is properly installed. Otherwise
they will be struck by the airbag when it in-
flates in a crash. If this happens, serious or
fatal injury will result.
Infants and small children must be seated in
an appropriate infant or child restraint sys-
tem, which is properly secured with the ve-
hicle’s seat belt, fully in accordance with the
child seat manufacturer’s instructions.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
1BabySmart
TM
is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
!When moving the seats, make sure
there are no items in the footwell or be-
hind the seats. Otherwise you could
damage the seats.
The memory function (
page 114) lets
you store the setting for the seat posi-
tion together with the settings for the
steering wheel and the rear view mir-
rors.

36 Getting startedAdjustingSeat cushion tilt
Press the switch up or down in the
direction of arrow3 until your upper
legs are lightly supported.
Seat cushion depth

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow4 until your
legs are supported comfortably.
Seat backrest tilt

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow6 until your
arms are slightly angled when holding
the steering wheel.
Seat height

Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow2.Head restraint height

Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow1.Head restraint tilt
Manually adjust the angle of the head re-
straint.

Push or pull on the lower edge of the
head restraint cushion.
For more information on seats, see “Seats”
(
page 107).
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the center of
the head restraint supports the back of the
head at eye level. This will reduce the poten-
tial for injury to the head and neck in the
event of an accident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are intend-
ed to help reduce injuries during an acci-
dent.

58 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Occupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seats


Child seat recognition
As independent systems, their protective
effects work in conjunction with each oth-
er.The 1 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on


for about four seconds when you turn
the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 1 or press the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button once. It then goes
out briefly, comes on again and re-
mains lit until you start the engine, turn
the SmartKey to position 2 or press the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button once
more (
page 30).


for about four seconds when you turn
the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 2 or press the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button twice (
page 30).


for about four seconds when you start
the engine by turning the SmartKey in
the starter switch or by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once
with the brake pedal depressed
(page 43).
The 1 indicator lamp goes out shortly
after you start the engine. This shows that
the restraint systems are operational.A malfunction in the system has been de-
tected if the 1 indicator lamp


fails to go out after approximately four
seconds


does not come on at all


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 289).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 70).

70 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyLowering the roll bar
If the roll bar was raised manually:
Lift the switch for the retractable hard-
top.

Press and hold button1 until the roll
bar is lowered.
If the roll bar was raised automatically:

Press and hold button2 until you hear
the roll bar lock into place.

Press and hold button1 until the roll
bar is lowered.
Children in the vehicle
If an infant or child is traveling with you in
the vehicle:

Secure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and
size of the child and recommended for
use by Mercedes-Benz.


Make sure the infant or child is proper-
ly secured by a belt at all times while
the vehicle is in motion.
Infant and child restraint seats and infor-
mation on choosing an appropriate re-
straint system can be obtained from any
Mercedes-Benz Center.Infant and child restraint systems
Only use a BabySmart
TM1
compatible child
restraint for the front passenger seat in
this vehicle.
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
The passenger lap-shoulder belt has a spe-
cial seat belt retractor for the secure fas-
tening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint follow child re-
straint instructions for mounting. Then pull
the shoulder belt out completely and let it
retract. During the seat belt retraction a
ratcheting sound can be heard to indicate
that the special seat belt retractor is acti-
vated. The belt is now locked. Push down
on child restraint to take up any slack.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and
let seat belt retract completely. The seat
belt can again be used in the usual man-
ner.
iIf you raised the roll bar manually using
the button, the roll bar will be automat-
ically lowered and then raised again
when you close and open the retract-
able hardtop.
1BabySmart
TM
is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.

72 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
BabySmart
TM1
airbag deactivation
system
Special BabySmart
TM compatible child
seats, designed for use with the
Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center, are
required for use with the BabySmart
TM air-
bag deactivation system. With the special
child seat properly installed, the passenger
front airbag will not deploy.The 7indicator lamp located on the
glove box will be illuminated, except with
the SmartKey removed or in starter switch
position0.
Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special
child seat installed
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2 or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once or
twice, the 7 indicator lamp located on
the glove box comes on for approximately
six seconds and then goes out.
If the indicator lamp should not come on or
is continuously lit, the system is not func-
tioning. You must see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center before seating any
child on the passenger seat.
Warning!
G
Children too big for child restraint systems
should use regular seat belts. Position the
shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not
face or neck. A booster seat may be neces-
sary to achieve proper belt positioning for
children from 41 lbs until they reach a
height where a lap/shoulder belt fits proper-
ly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, re-
move it from the vehicle or secure it with the
seat belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an ac-
cident.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle; even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system. Unsupervised chil-
dren in a child restraint system may use ve-
hicle equipment and cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
1BabySmart
TM
is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iThe system does not deactivate the
head-thorax airbag and the emergency
tensioning device.

73 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!
G
The BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation sys-
tem will ONLY work with a special child seat
designed to operate with it. It will not work
with child seats which are not BabySmart
TM
compatible.
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the deactivation sys-
tem. The bottom of the child seat must
make full contact with the passenger seat
cushion. An incorrectly mounted child seat
could cause injuries to the child in case of an
accident, instead of protecting the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of special child seats.
Warning!
G
When using a BabySmart
TM compatible
child seat on the front passenger seat, the
passenger front airbag will not deploy only if
the
7
indicator lamp remains illuminat-
ed.
Please be sure to check the indicator every
time you use the special system child seat.
Should the light go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. If the
light remains out, do not use the
BabySmartTM restraint to transport children
on the passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
Warning!
G
Do not place powered-on laptops, cell
phones and like electronic devices on the
passenger seat. Signals from such devices
may interfere with the BabySmart
TM system.
Such signal interference may cause the
7
indicator lamp not to come on during
self-test or be continuously lit, indicating
that the system is not functioning.

89 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Seats
Memory function
Lighting
Instrument cluster
Control system
Automatic transmission
Good visibility
Automatic climate control
Power windows
Retractable hardtop
Driving systems
Useful features