ABS MERCEDES-BENZ SL550 2007 R230 Owner's Manual

ContentsSafety and Security........................... 65
Occupant safety................................... 66
Air bags .......................................... 68
Occupant Classification System ..... 72
Seat belts ....................................... 77
Roll bar ........................................... 81
Children in the vehicle .................... 83
Panic alarm .......................................... 86
Activating ....................................... 86
Deactivating ................................... 86
Driving safety systems ......................... 87
ABS ................................................ 87
BAS ................................................ 89
ESP
®............................................... 89
Electro-hydraulic brake system ...... 92
Anti-theft systems................................ 96
Immobilizer..................................... 96
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 96
Tow-away alarm ............................. 98
Controls in detail............................. 101
Locking and unlocking ....................... 102
SmartKey ..................................... 102
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 105
Opening the doors from the
inside ........................................... 111
Opening the trunk ........................ 111
Closing the trunk.......................... 113
Valet locking ................................ 117
Trunk lid emergency release ........ 117
Power closing assist for trunk lid . 118
Automatic central locking ............ 119
Locking and unlocking from the
inside ........................................... 119
Seats ................................................. 121
Moving the seats forward and
backward ..................................... 121
Lumbar support............................ 121
Multicontour backrest* ................ 122
Seat heating ................................. 123
Seat ventilation* .......................... 125
Memory function ............................... 126
Storing positions into memory ..... 127
Recalling positions from memory . 127 Lighting ............................................ 128
Exterior lamp switch .................... 128
Corner-illuminating front fog
lamps ........................................... 132
Combination switch ..................... 133
Hazard warning flasher ................ 133
Interior lighting ............................ 134
Courtesy lighting .......................... 135
Trunk lamp ................................... 135
Instrument cluster ............................. 136
Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination .................................. 136
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 137
Trip odometer .............................. 137
Tachometer.................................. 138
Outside temperature indicator ..... 138
Control system .................................. 139
Multifunction display.................... 139
Multifunction steering wheel........ 140
Menus .......................................... 142
Standard display menu ................ 145
AMG menu ................................... 146
AUDIO menu ................................ 149
NAV menu .................................... 151
Distronic* menu .......................... 151

27 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
Coolant temperature
gauge with:DCoolant temperature
warning lamp
337
2
Speedometer with:LLeft turn signal indi-
cator lamp
56
KRight turn signal indi-
cator lamp
56
;Brake warning lamp,
USA only
335
3Brake warning lamp,
Canada only
335
vABS/ESP
® warning
lamp
332
Item
Page
EDistronic* indicator
lamp
1 (white) or
distance warning
lamp (red)
213,
339
3
Left multifunction display
with:

Trip odometer
137


Main odometer


Stored speed for

Cruise control


Distronic*
209
151,
213
1Vehicles without Distronic*: Warning/indicator
lamp without function. It illuminates when the igni-
tion is on. It should go out when the engine is run-
ning.
Item
Page
4
Reset button for:

Resetting trip odometer
137


Resetting individual set-
tings
153


Adjusting instrument
cluster illumination
136

29 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
5
Tachometer with:
138
AHigh beam head-
lamp indicator
133
úEngine malfunction
indicator lamp, USA
only
±Engine malfunction
indicator lamp,
Canada only
336
CRoll bar warning
lamp
340
-Antilock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS) indicator
lamp
334
1Supplemental
Restraint System
(SRS) indicator lamp
342
Item
Page
341
XCombination low tire
pressure/TPMS mal-
function telltale,
USA only
Low tire pressure
telltale*,
Canada only
343
6
Right multifunction
display with:

Gear selector lever
position
170


Outside temperature
display
138


Program mode
169
7
Fuel gauge with:AFuel reserve warning
lamp
339

49 Getting started
Driving
Driving
Fastening the seat belts
Warning!
G
Make sure that absolutely no objects are ob-
structing the pedal’s range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure the pedals still have
sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneu-
vers, the objects could get caught between
the pedals. You could then no longer brake
or accelerate. This could lead to accidents
or injury.
Warning!
G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure your passengers are
properly restrained, even pregnant women.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and po-
sition your seat belt greatly increases your
risk of injuries and their likely severity in an
accident. You and your passenger should al-
ways wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are wearing your
seat belt. The air bags can only provide the
protection they were designed to afford if
the occupants are using their seat belts
(page 66).
Warning!
G
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an appropri-
ate infant, or toddler restraint, or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight
of the child. For additional information, see
“Children in the vehicle” (
page 83).
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.

55 Getting started
Driving

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
Once the vehicle is in motion, the automat-
ic central locking system engages and the
locking knobs drop down.After a cold start, the transmission engag-
es at a higher revolution. This allows the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature earlier.
Switching on headlamps
Low beam headlamps
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.Exterior lamp switch1Off
2Low beam headlamps on
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position B.
The low beam headlamps come on.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.!
In order to avoid damage to the transmis-
sion:


Wait for the gear selection process to com-
plete before setting the vehicle in motion.


Place the gear selector lever in positionD
orR only when the vehicle is stopped.
!
If you hear a warning signal and the mes-
sage Release parking brake
appears in the
multifunction display when driving off, you have
forgotten to release the parking brake.
Release the parking brake.
!
Do not run cold engine at high engine speed.
Running a cold engine at high engine speed may
shorten the service life of the engine.
!
Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brake reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake and
drivetrain wear.
i
You can open a locked door from the inside.
Open door only when conditions are safe to do
so.
You can deactivate the automatic locking using
the control system (
page 162).

87 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)


BAS (B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)


ESP
® (E
lectronic S
tability P
rogram)


Electro-hydraulic brake system
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of
approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) indepen-
dent of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even to light brake pressure.
Warning!
G
The following factors increase the risk of ac-
cidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns


Wet and slippery road surfaces


Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS, ESP
®, and the electro-hy-
draulic brake system cannot reduce this
risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
i
In winter operation, the maximum effective-
ness of the ABS, the BAS, the ESP
®, and the
electro-hydraulic brake system is only achieved
with winter tires (
page 316) or snow chains as
required.
Warning!
G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

88 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsThe - indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on when you switch on the
ignition. It goes out when the engine is run-
ning.
Braking
If the ABS activates during braking, the
ABS/ESP
® warning lamp v in the in-
strument cluster dial flashes. Because of
the electro-hydraulic brake system, you
will not feel any pulsation in the brake ped-
al.

Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.The ABS/ESP
® warning lamp v flashes
whenever the ABS is activated which can
be an indication of hazardous road condi-
tions and functions as a reminder to take
extra care while driving.
Emergency brake maneuver

Keep continuous, full pressure on the
brake pedal.
For more information, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 332).
Warning!
G
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the BAS
and the ESP
® are also switched off.
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing
steering capability and extending the brak-
ing distance.
Warning!
G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency be-
yond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction
afforded. The ABS cannot prevent acci-
dents, including those resulting from exces-
sive speed in turns, following another
vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning. Only a
safe, attentive, and skillful driver can pre-
vent accidents. The capabilities of an ABS
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.

89 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
BAS
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the
brakes very quickly, the BAS automatically
provides full brake boost, thereby poten-
tially reducing the braking distance.
Apply continuous full braking pressure
until the emergency braking situation is
over.
The ABS will prevent the wheels from
locking.
When you release the brake pedal, the
brakes function again as normal. The BAS
is then deactivated.
ESP
®
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®) is
operational as soon as the engine is run-
ning and monitors the vehicle’s traction
(force of adhesive friction between the
tires and the road surface) and handling.
The ESP
® recognizes when a wheel is spin-
ning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By ap-
plying brakes to the appropriate wheel and
by limiting engine output, the ESP
® works
to stabilize the vehicle. The ESP
® is espe-
cially useful while driving off and on wet or
slippery road surfaces. The ESP® also sta-
bilizes the vehicle during braking maneu-
vers.
The ABS/ESP
® warning lamp v in the
instrument cluster (
page 27) flashes
when the ESP
® is engaged.
The ABS/ESP® warning lamp v in the
instrument cluster comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
Warning!
G
If the BAS is malfunctioning, the brake sys-
tem is still functioning normally, but without
the additional brake boost available that
BAS would normally provide in an emergen-
cy braking maneuver. Therefore, the braking
distance may increase.
Warning!
G
BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking efficiency beyond that af-
forded by the condition of the vehicle brakes
and tires or the traction afforded. The BAS
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, fol-
lowing another vehicle too closely, or hydro-
planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful
driver can prevent accidents. The capabili-
ties of a BAS equipped vehicle must never
be exploited in a reckless or dangerous
manner which could jeopardize the user’s
safety or the safety of others.

90 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systems
For more information, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 332) and
(
page 355).
Warning!
G
Never switch off the ESP
® when you see the
ABS/ESP
® warning lamp v flashing in
the instrument cluster. In this case proceed
as follows:


While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.


While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
Warning!
G
The ESP
® cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
®
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ESP
® equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the us-
er’s safety or the safety of others.
!
Because the ESP
® operates automatically,
the engine must be shut off (SmartKey in starter
switch position 0 or 1or KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button in position 0 or 1) when


the parking brake is being tested on a brake
test dynamometer


the vehicle is being towed with the
front/rear axle raised
Active braking action through the ESP
® may oth-
erwise seriously damage the brake system.
The ESP
® will only function properly if you use
wheels of the recommended tire size
(
page 435).
i
The cruise control and the Distronic* sys-
tem deactivate automatically when the ESP
® is
in operation (
page 220).

91 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Electronic traction system
The electronic traction system is a compo-
nent of ESP
®.
The electronic traction system improves
the vehicle’s ability to utilize available trac-
tion, especially under slippery road condi-
tions by applying the brakes to a spinning
wheel.
When you switch off the ESP
®, the elec-
tronic traction system is still enabled.Switching off the ESP
®
To improve the vehicle’s traction, switch
off the ESP
® in driving situations where it
would be advantageous to have the drive
wheels spin and thus cut into surfaces for
better grip such as:


when driving with snow chains


in deep snow


in sand or gravelWhen you switch off the ESP
®


the ESP
® does not stabilize the vehicle


the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip


the electronic traction system will still
apply the brakes to a spinning wheel


the ESP
® continues to operate when
you are braking


you cannot activate the cruise control
or the Distronic* system


the cruise control or the Distronic* sys-
tem switch off if currently activated
Warning!
G
If you are driving too fast, the electronic
traction system cannot reduce the risk of an
accident.
The electronic traction system cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting
on the vehicle.
Warning!
G
ESP
® should not be switched off during nor-
mal driving other than in the circumstances
described below. Disabling of the system
will reduce vehicle stability in standard driv-
ing maneuvers.
Do not switch off the ESP
® when a spare
wheel is mounted.
!
Switch on the ESP
® immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore.
i
When the ESP
® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ABS/ESP
®
warning lamp v in the speedometer flashes.
However, the ESP
® will then not stabilize the
vehicle.