warning light MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG 2004 R230 Owner's Guide

187 Controls in detail
Retractable hardtop
Locking the retractable hardtop after
raising/lowering
If the retractable hardtop is not properly
locked, lock it as described below.Unlocked status noticed when stopped

Switch on ignition.

To lock the hardtop in its fully closed
position, press hardtop switch forward.
The message
+
Vario-Roof Closed
appears in
the multifunction display.
or:

To lock the hardtop in its fully opened
position, pull up on the hardtop switch.
The message K
Vario-Roof Open

appears in the multifunction display.
Unlocked status noticed while driving

Stop the vehicle.

Leave the ignition switched on.

To lock the hardtop in its fully closed
position, press hardtop switch forward.
The message
+
Vario-Roof Closed
appears in
the multifunction display.
or:

To lock the hardtop in its fully opened
position, pull up on the hardtop switch.
The message K
Vario-Roof Open

appears in the multifunction display.
Warning!
G
The hardtop is not fully closed and locked or
not fully opened and locked if:

the indicator light in the hardtop switch
remains lit


the message
K
in operation!
is
shown in the multifunction display and
the indicator lamp in the hardtop switch
does not go out


the indicator lamp flashes and a warning
sounds for 10 seconds and the message K
Lock Vario-Roof
is shown in
the multifunction display when starting
to drive
Warning!
G
Stop the vehicle and lock the hardtop before
continuing to drive. You could otherwise en-
danger yourself and others.

190 Controls in detailRetractable hardtopIndicator lamp in the retractable hard-
top switch lights when vehicle is
stopped
If the indicator lamp in the retractable
hardtop switch lights while the vehicle is
standing still and the switch was not acti-
vated, then the retractable hardtop is not
locked.
Properly lock the retractable hardtop
(page 187) before continuing to
drive.
The retractable hardtop will not lock
There is a malfunction in the retractable
hardtop system.

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.Wind screen
The wind screen deflects drafts away from
the driver and passenger when the hardtop
is lowered. It is stored in a separate stor-
age bag.
Installing

Leave the wind screen folded and place
it on the roll bar.1Guide tabs

Slide the wind screen into the roll bar
until the guide taps on each side latch
underneath the roll bar. Make sure the
fastening straps do not get caught.

Raise the roll bar slightly (
page 69).
Warning!
G
The wind screen can restrict the driver’s vi-
sion to the rear of the vehicle. To prevent a
possible accident when visibility is limited
(e.g. in darkness), the upper part of the wind
screen should be folded back.

191 Controls in detail
Retractable hardtop
2Buckle
Guide the fastening straps around the
top of the roll bar and close buckles 2.

Tighten the fastening straps if neces-
sary.

Lower the roll bar.

Fold the upper section of the wind
screen up towards the head restraints
until it stops.Removing

Fold the upper section of the wind
screen back down.

Raise the roll bar slightly (
page 69).
1Release button

Undo the buckles on the upper section
of the roll bar by pressing release
button1.

Lower the roll bar. Make sure the fas-
tening straps do not get caught.

Pull the wind screen out towards the
front of the vehicle. Be careful not to
damage interior trim with the guide
tabs.

Place the wind screen back into the
bag.
Sunshade for panorama roof*
The sunshade protects you from excessive
sunlight coming in through the panorama
roof.Warning!
G
Do not operate the sunshade while driving.
Adjusting the sunshade while driving could
cause the driver to lose control of the vehi-
cle.

218 Controls in detailUseful featuresLuggage compartment in the rear
1Holder
2Strap
3Latch
4Release button

Pull strap2 out of holder1.

Secure the luggage with the strap so
that it cannot move.

Insert strap2 into latch3.
Releasing the strap

Press release button4 and guide
strap2 back to holder1.
Warning!
G
Secure all pieces of luggage in the rear with
the luggage straps. Unsecured pieces of lug-
gage can otherwise cause injury during a
braking maneuver and can increase the risk
of injury in an accident.
Never allow anyone to ride in the rear.
The luggage straps can only secure light lug-
gage items. Carry heavy pieces of luggage in
the trunk.
The rear compartment area is not designed
or intended to accommodate occupants. Se-
vere personal injury or death may be the re-
sult in an accident.
Warning!
G
The shelf below the rear window should not
be used to carry objects. This will avoid such
objects from being thrown about and injur-
ing vehicle occupants during an accident or
sudden maneuver.
The trunk is the preferred place to carry ob-
jects.

219 Controls in detail
Useful features
Ashtray
1Cover plate
2Sliding knob
Opening ashtray
Briefly touch cover plate1.
The ashtray opens automatically.Removing the ashtray insert

Secure vehicle from movement by set-
ting the parking brake. Move the gear
selector lever to positionN.
Now you have more room to take out
the insert.

Press sliding knob2 to the right.
The insert will eject a short distance.
Replacing the ashtray insert

Press the insert into the frame until it
snaps into place.
Cigarette lighter
The lighter socket can be used to accom-
modate electrical accessories up to a
maximum of 180 W.
1Cigarette lighter
Switch on ignition.

Push in cigarette lighter1.
The lighter will pop out automatically
when hot.
Warning!
G
Remove ashtray only with vehicle standing
still. Set the parking brake to secure vehicle
from movement. Move gear selector lever to
positionN. With gear selector lever in
positionN, turn off the engine.


220 Controls in detailUseful features
Heated steering wheel* (SL 500, SL 600)
The steering wheel heating warms up the
leather area of the steering wheel.
The lever is on the lower left-hand side of
the steering wheel.
1Switching on
2Indicator lamp
3Switching offSwitching on

Switch on ignition.
All lamps in the instrument cluster
come on.

Turn switch at tip of stalk in the direc-
tion of arrow1.
The steering wheel is heated. Indicator
lamp2 comes on.
Switching off

Turn switch at tip of stalk in the direc-
tion of arrow3.
The steering wheel heating is turned
off. Indicator lamp2 goes out.
Warning!
G
Never touch the heating element or sides of
the lighter; they are extremely hot. Hold the
knob only.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
* with you and
lock your vehicle. Do not leave children un-
attended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause serious personal
injury.
iThe steering wheel heating does not
turn off automatically.


222 Controls in detailUseful featuresElectrical outlet
An electrical outlet is located on the right
side of the trunk.
Switch on ignition

Flip up cover and insert electrical plug
(cigar lighter type).
Telephone*
Radio transmitters, such as a portable tele-
phone or a citizens band unit, should only
be used inside the vehicle if they are con-
nected to an antenna that is installed on
the outside of the vehicle.
The external antenna must be approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Please contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for informa-
tion on the installation of an approved
external antenna. Refer to the radio trans-
mitter operation instructions regarding use
of an external antenna.
iThe electrical outlet can be used to ac-
commodate electrical consumers (e.g.
air pump, auxiliary lamps) up to a max-
imum of 180 W.
Warning!
G
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
Warning!
G
Please do not forget that your primary re-
sponsibility is to drive the vehicle. A driver’s
attention to the road must always be
his /her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call.
If you choose to use the telephone
1 while
driving, please use the hands-free device
and only use the telephone when road,
weather, and traffic conditions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving a ve-
hicle.
Only operate the COMAND (Cockpit Man-
agement and Data System)
1 if road, weath-
er, and traffic conditions permit.
1Observe all legal requirements

246 OperationDriving instructionsFor more information, see “Winter driving”
(page 268).
Standing water
Passenger compartmentDriving abroad
Abroad, there is an extensive
Mercedes-Benz service network at your
disposal. If you plan to drive into areas
which are not listed in the index of your
Mercedes-Benz Center directory, you
should request pertinent information from
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure that snow is kept clear of the exhaust
pipe and from around the vehicle with the
engine running. Otherwise, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle in-
terior resulting in unconsciousness and
death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an Ice-Warning Device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice.
!Do not drive through flooded areas or
water of unknown depth. Before driving
through water, determine its depth.
Never accelerate before driving into
water. The bow wave could force water
into the engine and auxiliary equip-
ment, thus damaging them.
If you must drive through standing wa-
ter, drive slowly to prevent water from
entering the passenger compartment
or the engine compartment. Water in
these areas could cause damage to
electrical components or wiring of the
engine or transmission, or could result
in water being ingested by the engine
through the air intake, causing severe
internal engine damage. Any such dam-
age is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and cause injury
to vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
The trunk is the preferred place to carry ob-
jects.

263 Operation
Tires and wheels
Life of tires
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
various factors including but not limited to:

Driving style


Tire pressure


Distance driven
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advantag-
es, such as better hydroplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must
ensure that the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the in-
tended direction of rotation of the tire.
Checking tire inflation pressure
Regularly check your tire pressure at inter-
vals of no more than 14 days.
Correct the tire pressure only when tires
are cold.
If the tires are warm, you should only cor-
rect the tire pressure if it is too low for cur-
rent operating conditions.
A table on the fuel filler flap lists the spec-
ified tire inflation pressures for warm and
cold tires as well as for various operating
conditions.
Warning!
G
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after
six years, regardless of the remaining tread.!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as
possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease and gasoline.
Warning!
G
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly:

Check the tires for punctures from for-
eign objects.


Check to see whether air is leaking from
the valves or from around the rim.

264 OperationTires and wheelsTire pressure changes by approximately
1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per 18°F (10°C) of air
temperature change. Keep this in mind
when checking tire pressure where the
temperature is different from the outside
temperature.
The tire temperature and with it the tire
pressure is increased also while driving,
depending on the driving speed and the
tire load.Checking tire pressure electronically*
The tire inflation pressure monitor only
functions on wheels that are equipped with
the proper electronic sensors. It monitors
the tire inflation pressure, as selected by
the driver, in all four tires. A warning is is-
sued to alert you to a decrease in pressure
in one or more of the tires.
Tire pressure inquiries are made using the
multifunction display (
page 127). The
present inflation pressures are displayed
only after a few minutes travel time.
You can select the unit of measure used for
the tire inflation pressure by changing the
setting in the control system (
page 147).
iThe pressures listed for light loads are
minimum values offering high driving
comfort.
Increased inflation pressures listed for
heavier loads may also be used for light
loads. These higher pressures produce
favorable handling characteristics. The
ride of the vehicle, however, will be
somewhat harder. Never exceed the
maximum values or inflate tires below
the minimum values listed in the fuel
filler flap.
Warning!
G
Follow recommended inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can result in sudden deflation (blowout) be-
cause they are more likely to become punc-
tured or damaged by road debris, potholes,
etc.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more likely to fail
from being overheated.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified vehicle capacity weight (as indicat-
ed by the label on the pillar in the driver’s
door opening). Overloading the tires can
overheat them, possibly causing a blowout.