four wheel drive MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 2007 R230 Owner's Manual

93 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
The electro-hydraulic brake system is auto-
matically activated when you

unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*


open the driver’s or passenger door


turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1


in vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*, press
the start/stop button on the gear se-
lector lever once


depress the brake pedal


release the parking brake
Warning!
G
The electro-hydraulic brake system requires
electrical power to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. In such a case, the
red brake warning lamp (
page 335)
comes on and warning messages
(
page 366) appear in the multifunction
display while driving. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes are only applied to the
front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased!
If there is a malfunction in the
electro-hydraulic brake system, we recom-
mend that the vehicle be transported with
all wheels off the ground using flatbed or ap-
propriate wheel lift/dolly equipment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For more infor-
mation, see “Towing the vehicle”
(page 421).

260 OperationDriving instructionsPower assistance
Brakes
Warning!
G
The brake system requires electrical energy
for operation.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. In such a case, the
red brake warning lamp (
page 335) and
warning messages (
page 347) in the in-
strument cluster come on while driving. To
brake, the driver must then apply signifi-
cantly greater brake pedal pressure and de-
press the pedal much further to obtain the
expected braking effect. If necessary, apply
full pressure to the brake pedal. Brakes are
only applied to the front wheels. Stopping
distance is increased! If there is a malfunc-
tion in the electro-hydraulic brake system,
we recommend that the vehicle be trans-
ported with all wheels off the ground using
flatbed or appropriate wheel lift/dolly equip-
ment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For more infor-
mation, see “Towing the vehicle”
(page 421).
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle.
Warning!
G
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components,
the first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may
be necessary to obtain expected braking ef-
fect. Maintain a safe distance from vehicles
in front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating
thereby significantly reducing their effec-
tiveness. It may not be possible to stop the
vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an acci-
dent.

265 Operation
Driving instructions
Tire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or
icy road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperatures are close to the freezing
point.Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(
page 316) with a minimum tread depth
of approximately
1/6in (4 mm) on all four
wheels for the winter season to ensure
normal balanced handling characteristics.
On packed snow, they can reduce your
stopping distance as compared with sum-
mer tires. Stopping distance, however, is
still considerably greater than when the
road is not covered with snow or ice. Exer-
cise appropriate caution.
Tire speed rating
Regardless of the tire speed rating, local
speed limits should be obeyed. Use pru-
dent driving speeds appropriate to prevail-
ing conditions.
Warning!
G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake
with extreme caution.
!
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited War-
ranty.
Warning!
G
Even when permitted by law, never operate
a vehicle at speeds greater than the maxi-
mum speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure, causing loss of vehicle control and pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury and possible death, for you
and for others.

294 OperationTires and wheels
Reactivating the Run Flat Indicator
The tire inflation pressure monitor must be
reactivated in the following situations:

if you have changed the tire inflation
pressure


if you have replaced the wheels or tires


if you have installed new wheels or
tires

Using the tire placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar or, if available, the inside
of the fuel filler flap, make sure the tire
inflation pressure of all four tires is cor-
rect.
Warning!
G
When the multifunction display shows the
message
Tire pressure Check tires
,
one or more of your tires is significantly un-
der-inflated. You should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper tire inflation pressure as
indicated on the vehicle’s tire information
placard. Driving on a significantly under-in-
flated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. Each tire, including the
spare, should be checked monthly when
cold and set to the recommended tire infla-
tion pressure as specified on the Tire And
Loading Information placard (
page 287)
or on the tire inflation pressure label
(
page 291).
Warning!
G
The Run Flat Indicator does not provide a
warning for wrongly selected tire inflation
pressures. Always adjust tire inflation pres-
sure according to the placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar or fuel filler flap.
The Run Flat Indicator does not replace reg-
ular checks of the tire inflation pressures
since a gradual pressure loss in all four tires
cannot be detected by the Run Flat
Indicator.
The Run Flat Indicator is not able to issue a
warning due to a sudden dramatic loss of
tire inflation pressure (e.g. tire blowout
caused by a foreign object). In this case
bring the vehicle to a halt by carefully apply-
ing the brakes and avoiding abrupt steering
maneuvers.
Warning!
G
The Run Flat Indicator can only warn you in
a reliable manner if you have set the correct
tire inflation pressures for each tire.
If an incorrect tire inflation pressure was
set, the system will monitor the pressure ac-
cording to the incorrect value.

296 OperationTires and wheelsThe TPMS only functions on wheels that
are equipped with the proper electronic
sensors. It monitors the tire inflation pres-
sure, as selected by the driver, in all four
tires. A warning is issued to alert you to a
decrease in pressure in one or more of the
tires.Warning!
G
The TPMS does not indicate a warning for
wrongly selected inflation pressures. Always
adjust tire inflation pressure according to
the placard on the driver’s door B-pillar or, if
available, the supplemental tire pressure in-
formation on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
The TPMS is not able to issue a warning due
to a sudden dramatic loss of pressure (e.g.
tire blowout caused by a foreign object). In
this case bring the vehicle to a halt by care-
fully applying the brakes and avoiding
abrupt steering maneuvers.
Warning!
G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly underinflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly underinflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately
one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended.

297 Operation
Tires and wheels
Reactivating the TPMS
The TPMS must be reactivated when you
have adjusted the tire inflation pressure to
a new level (e.g. because of different load
or driving conditions). The TPMS is then
recalibrated to the current tire inflation
pressures.
Using the tire placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar (
page 286) or, if avail-
able, the supplemental tire pressure
information on the inside of the fuel fill-
er flap (
page 271), make sure the tire
inflation pressure of all four tires is cor-
rect.

Press buttonè orÿ on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display menu ap-
pears in the multifunction display
(page 145).

Press thej or kbutton repeat-
edly until you see the following mes-
sage:Tire pressure monitor
active
Menu: R-button
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of in-
compatible replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue
to function properly.i
If a condition causing the TPMS to malfunc-
tion develops, it may take up to 10 minutes for
the system to signal a malfunction using the
TPMS telltale flashing and illumination se-
quence.
The telltale extinguishes after a few minutes driv-
ing if the malfunction has been corrected.
i
Operating radio transmission equipment
(e.g. wireless headsets, two-way radios) in or
near the vehicle could cause the TPMS to mal-
function.
Warning!
G
It is the driver’s responsibility to calibrate
the TPMS on the recommended cold infla-
tion pressure. Underinflated tires affect the
ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
might loose control over the vehicle.
i
Reactivate the TPMS after adjusting the tire
inflation pressure to the inflation pressure rec-
ommended for the vehicle operating condition.
Tire pressure should only be adjusted on cold
tires. Observe the recommended tire inflation
pressure on the placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar (
page 286). Some vehicles may have
supplemental tire pressure information for driv-
ing at high speeds (
page 292) or for vehicle
loads less than the maximum loaded vehicle con-
dition (
page 292). If such information is pro-
vided, it can be found on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.


298 OperationTires and wheels
Press the reset button (
page 27).
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Restart tire
pressure monitor?

Press the æbutton.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:Tire pressure monitor restartedAfter driving a few minutes the system
verifies that the current tire inflation
pressures are within the system’s
specified range. Afterwards the current
tire inflation pressures are accepted as
reference pressures and then moni-
tored.
If you wish to cancel activation:

Press the çbutton.Checking tire pressure electronically
with the Advanced Tire Pressure Moni-
toring System (Advanced TPMS)*,
(Canada only)
The TPMS only functions on wheels that
are equipped with the proper electronic
sensors. It monitors the tire inflation pres-
sure, as selected by the driver, in all four
tires. A warning is issued to alert you to a
decrease in pressure in one or more of the
tires.
Tire pressure inquiries are made using the
multifunction display. The present inflation
pressures are displayed only after a few
minutes’ travel time.

Switch on the ignition (
page 39).

Press thej or kbutton until
the current inflation pressures for each
tire appear in the multifunction display.
i
Possible differences between the readings
of a tire pressure gauge of an air hose, e.g. gas
station equipment, and the vehicle’s control
system can occur. Usually the readings issued by
the control system are more precise.
i
When the message
Tire pressure
displayed after driving for a few
minutes
appears in the multifunction display,
the individual inflation pressure values are
matched with the tires. The individual values are
displayed after a few minutes driving.
Warning!
G
It is the driver’s responsibility to calibrate
the TPMS on the recommended cold infla-
tion pressure. Underinflated tires affect the
ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
might lose control over the vehicle.


300 OperationTires and wheelsReactivating Advanced TPMS*
The TPMS must be reactivated when you
have adjusted the tire inflation pressure to
a new level (e.g. because of different load
or driving conditions). The TPMS is then
recalibrated to the current tire inflation
pressures.
Using the tire placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar (
page 286) or, if avail-
able, the supplemental tire pressure
information on the inside of the fuel
filler flap (
page 292), make sure the
tire inflation pressure of all four tires is
correct.

Press buttonè orÿ on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display menu
appears in the multifunction display
(page 139).

Press thej or kbutton repeat-
edly until you see the current inflation
pressures for each tire appear in the
display or the following message ap-
pears in the displayTire pressure
displayed after
driving for
a few minutes

Press the reset button (
page 27).
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Restart tire
pressure monitor?

Press the æbutton.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:Tire pressure monitor restartedAfter a few minutes driving, the current
tire inflation pressure values are ac-
cepted as reference values and then
monitored.
If you wish to cancel activation:

Press the çbutton.
Warning!
G
It is the driver’s responsibility to calibrate
the TPMS on the recommended cold infla-
tion pressure. Underinflated tires affect the
ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
might lose control over the vehicle.
i
Reactivate the TPMS after adjusting the tire
inflation pressure to the inflation pressure rec-
ommended for the vehicle operating condition.
Tire pressure should only be adjusted on cold
tires. Observe the recommended tire inflation
pressure on the placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar (
page 286). Some vehicles may have
supplemental tire pressure information for driv-
ing at high speeds (
page 292) or for vehicle
loads less than the maximum loaded vehicle con-
dition (
page 292). If such information is pro-
vided, it can be found on the inside of the fuel
filler flap.

367 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
T
Reduced
brake effect
Depress brake
pedal fully!
The electro-hydraulic brake system
is in emergency operation mode.
Considerably greater brake pedal
force is required and the stopping
distance is increased.
The maximum speed is limited to
55 mph (90 km/h).

Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do so.

Apply the parking brake (
page 61).

Do not drive any further.

Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
blocking the wheels with wheel chocks or oth-
er sizable objects.

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or call for Roadside Assistance (
page 247).
Warning!
G
Driving while this message is displayed can
result in an accident. Have your brake sys-
tem checked immediately.
If the electro-hydraulic brake system enters
its emergency operation mode, the driver
must apply significantly greater brake pedal
pressure and depress the pedal much fur-
ther than normal to obtain braking effect.
If necessary, apply full pressure to the brake
pedal. Brakes are only applied to the front
wheels. Stopping distance is increased!
If there is a malfunction in the
electro-hydraulic brake system, we recom-
mend that the vehicle be transported with
all wheels off the ground using flatbed or ap-
propriate wheel lift/dolly equipment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For more infor-
mation, see “Towing the vehicle”
(page 421).

368 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
USA only:;Canada only:3
Reduced
brake effect
Visit
workshop
The electro-hydraulic brake system
is in emergency operation mode.
Considerably greater brake pedal
force is required and the stopping
distance is increased.

Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do so.

Apply the parking brake (
page 61).

Do not drive any further.

Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
blocking the wheels with wheel chocks or oth-
er sizable objects.

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or call for Roadside Assistance (
page 247).
Warning!
G
Driving while this message is displayed can
result in an accident. Have your brake sys-
tem checked immediately.
If the electro-hydraulic brake system enters
its emergency operation mode, the driver
must apply significantly greater brake pedal
pressure and depress the pedal much fur-
ther than normal to obtain braking effect.
If necessary, apply full pressure to the brake
pedal. Brakes are only applied to the front
wheels. Stopping distance is increased!
If there is a malfunction in the
electro-hydraulic brake system, we recom-
mend that the vehicle be transported with
all wheels off the ground using flatbed or ap-
propriate wheel lift/dolly equipment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For more infor-
mation, see “Towing the vehicle”
(page 421).