MERCEDES-BENZ SL65AMG 2008 R230 Owner's Manual

360 Practical hints
What to do if …
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of the most important warning
and malfunction messages that may
appear in the multifunction display.
For your convenience the messages are
divided into two sections:

Text messages (page 361)

Symbol messages (page 376)
Warning!G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative. Contact your nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving conditions,
such as speed or outside temperature,
warning/indicator lamps,
malfunction/warning messages or the fail-
ure of any systems. Driving characteristics
may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, do so with
added caution. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
iSwitching on the ignition causes all instru-
ment cluster lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator lamps
unless activated) as well as the multifunction dis-
play to come on. Make sure the lamps and the
multifunction display are in working order before
starting your journey.

361 Practical hints
What to do if …
Text messages
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
Check tires,
then restart
Run Flat Indicator
.
There was a warning message about a
loss in the tire inflation pressure and
the Run Flat Indicator has not been
restarted yet.Make sure that the correct tire inflation
pressure is set for each tire.
Then restart the Run Flat Indicator.
Tire Pressure
Check TiresThe Run Flat Indicator indicates that
the pressure is too low in one or more
tires.Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoid-
ing abrupt steering and braking maneu-
vers. Observe the traffic situation around
you.
Check and adjust tire inflation pressure as
required (
page 302).
If necessary, change the wheel
(
page 417).
Restart the Run Flat Indicator after adjust-
ing the tire inflation pressure values
(
page 304).
ABCMalfunction
Stop CarYou have started driving although the
vehicle level is still too low.
The vehicle is being raised. The ABC
message goes out after a few seconds.Stop your vehicle in a safe location or as
soon as it is safe to do so.
Wait until the message disappears from
the multifunction display.
You may then drive off.

362 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
ABCMalfunction
Stop CarThe vehicle is losing oil.
The ABC message is continuously
shown.Stop your vehicle in a safe location or as
soon as it is safe to do so.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
The ABC is malfunctioning.Stop the vehicle in a safe location and
press the vehicle level control button to
select a higher vehicle level (
page 231).
If the vehicle does not raise, observe the
following when you continue to drive:
Do not turn steering wheel too far to
avoid damaging the front fenders.
Listen for scraping noises.
Do not exceed a speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
ABCMalfunctionThe capability of the ABC system is
restricted. This can impair handling.Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h).
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.

363 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
ABCVehicle Rising
Please WaitThe vehicle’s level is too low while at a
standstill. The vehicle will be raised.Do not drive off.
Wait until the message disappears from
the multifunction display.
You may then drive off.
ABSABS, ESP
Unavailable
See
Oper. ManualThe ABS and ESP® are not available
due to a malfunction. The BAS is also
deactivated.
The system’s self-diagnosis may not
be completed yet.
The electro-hydraulic brake system is
still functioning normally but without
the ABS, the ESP
®, and the BAS avail-
able.
Drive a short distance with added
caution at a vehicle speed of above
12 mph (20 km/h).
When the message disappears, the ABS,
the ESP
®, and the BAS are available again.
If the message does not disappear:
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.

364 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
ABSABS, ESP
Inoperative
See
Oper. ManualThe ABS and ESP® have switched off
due to a malfunction.
The BAS is also deactivated.
The electro-hydraulic brake system is
still functioning normally but without
the ABS, the ESP
®, and the BAS avail-
able.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.
Cruise Control––– MPHYou have attempted to set a speed
below 20 mph (30 km/h).Accelerate to a speed exceeding
20 mph (30 km/h) and set the speed
(
page 215).
The ESP® is switched off.Switch on the ESP® (page 94).
The gear selector lever is set to
position P, R, or N.Move the gear selector lever to position D.
The vehicle is secured with the parking
brake.Release the parking brake (page 55).
Cruise Control
AND SPEEDTRONICInoperativeThe cruise control is malfunctioning.Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.

365 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
DISTRONIC––– MPHYou have attempted to set a speed
below 20 mph (30 km/h).Accelerate to a speed exceeding
20 mph (30 km/h) and set the speed
(
page 215).
The ESP® is switched off.Switch on the ESP® (page 94).
The gear selector lever is set to
position P, R, or N.Move the gear selector lever or position D.
The vehicle is secured with the parking
brake.Release the parking brake (page 55).
InoperativeDistronic* is malfunctioning or the
display is malfunctioning.Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.

366 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
DISTRONICCurrently
Unavailable.
See
Oper. ManualDistronic* is deactivated because:

The Distronic* cover in the radiator
grille is dirty.

The functionality is impaired by
heavy precipitation or fog.

The functionality is impaired by ex-
ternal interferences, e.g. high-fre-
quency sources such as toll
stations, speed measuring systems
etc.

The Distronic* sensor has not
sensed any other vehicles or ob-
jects, e.g. road sign or such, for a
long time.
Distronic* becomes operational again and
the message in the multifunction display
disappears when:

Dirt on the radiator grille has fallen off
while driving (e.g. slush or snow).

The system recognizes full sensor avail-
ability due to lessening rain, because the
road is drying, or because you have left
the area of an external interference for
example.
If the message in the multifunction display
does not disappear:
Clean the Distronic* cover in the radiator
grille (
page 336).
Restart the engine.

367 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
ESPESP
Inoperative
See
Oper. ManualThe ESP® has detected a malfunction
and switched off.
The ABS may not be operational.
The electro-hydraulic brake system is
still functioning normally but without
the ESP
® available.
Continue driving with added caution.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.
ESP Unavailable
See
Oper. ManualThe ESP® is deactivated because the
power supply has been interrupted.
The electro-hydraulic brake system is
still functioning normally but without
the ESP
® available.
Synchronize the ESP®. With the vehicle
stationary, turn the steering wheel com-
pletely to the left and then to the right.
If the ESP
® message does not go out:
Continue driving with added caution.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.
!When synchronizing the ESP®, make sure
you can turn the steering wheel in both direc-
tions as far as it will go without the wheels hitting
any objects, e.g. a road curb.

368 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display Right display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Front Passeng.
AirbagEnabled
See Oper. ManualThe passenger front air bag is
activated while driving even
though a child, small individual,
or object below the system’s
weight threshold is on the pas-
senger seat, or the passenger
seat is empty. Objects on the
seat or forces acting on the seat
may make the system sense
supplemental weight.Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and
check the passenger seat for the following:
Switch off the ignition (page 40).
Apply the parking brake (page 63).
Remove child and child restraint from passenger seat.
Make sure that no objects which are applying supple-
mental weight onto the seat are present. The system
may recognize such supplemental weight and sense that
an occupant on the passenger seat is of a greater weight
than actually present.
Keep the seat unoccupied, close the passenger door
and switch on the ignition (
page 40).
Monitor the 5/indicator lamp (
page 78) and the
multifunction display in the instrument cluster (
page 143)
for the following:
(Continued on next page)

369 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display Right display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition switched on,

the 5/indicator lamp (page 78) should illumi-
nate and remain illuminated, indicating that the OCS
(
page 74) has deactivated the air bag.

the message Front Passeng. Airbag Enabled See
Oper. Manual
or the message Front Passeng. Airbag
Disabled See Oper. Manual
should not appear in the
multifunction display at any time the seat is unoccupied.
Wait at least 60 seconds for the system to complete the
necessary check cycles and to make sure neither
message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the passenger
seat again. Depending on the passenger classification
sensed by the OCS (
page 74), the 5/indicator
lamp will remain illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working
properly. Have the system checked as soon as possible by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
If the 5/ indicator lamp remains
out even after performing the above correc-
tive steps, do not have any children 12 years
old and under and other small individualsuse the passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.