ECU MERCEDES-BENZ SLK CLASS 2005 Owner's Manual

75 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
BabySmart
TM1
air bag deactivation
system
175indicator lamp
Infants and small children should never
share a seat belt with another occupant.
During an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt.
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.
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.
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 may cause serious
personal injury.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.

76 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetySpecial BabySmart
TM1
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 spe-
cial child seat properly installed, the pas-
senger front air bag will not deploy.
The 75indicator lamp1 will be
illuminated, except with the SmartKey re-
moved or in starter switch position0.Self-test BabySmart
TM without special
child seat installed
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1or2, the
75indicator lamp1 comes on
for approximately six seconds and then
goes out.
If the 75indicator lamp should
not come on or is continuously lit, the sys-
tem is not functioning. You must see an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center before
seating any child on the passenger seat.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 347).
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iThe system does not deactivate the
head-thorax air bag and the ETD (emer-
gency tensioning device).
Warning!
G
The BabySmart
TM air bag 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.

77 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!
G
When using a BabySmart
TM1
compatible
child seat on the passenger seat, the front
passenger air bag will not deploy only if the
75
indicator lamp remains illu-
minated.
Please be sure to check the
75
indicator lamp every time
you use the special system child seat.
Should the
75
indicator lamp go
out while the restraint is installed, please
check installation. If the
75
indicator lamp remains out,
do not use the BabySmart
TM restraint to
transport children on the passenger seat un-
til the system has been repaired.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
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
75
indicator lamp not to come
on during self-test or be continuously lit, in-
dicating that the system is not functioning.

78 Safety and SecurityPanic alarmAn audible alarm and flashing exterior
lamps will operate for approximately
21/2minutes.
1Âbutton
Activating
Press and hold button1for at least
one second.
Deactivating
Press button1again.
or

Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
iWithout the antenna on the left rear
side of the vehicle installed, the
SmartKey signaling range for the panic
alarm is considerably reduced. The
panic alarm then only functions if the
SmartKey is held in close proximity
towards the antenna base.

79 Safety and Security
Panic alarm
iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired
operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.
iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.

80 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsIn 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)
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
respond even to light brake pressure.
The -indicator lamp in the speedome-
ter dial (
page 24) comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
iIn winter operation, the maximum
effectiveness of the ABS, the BAS, and
the ESP is only achieved with winter
tires (M + S tires), or snow chains as
required.
Warning!
G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns


Wet and slippery road surfaces


Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS, and ESP cannot reduce this
risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
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.

81 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode.
Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal while experiencing the pul-
sation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions 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 “Practical Hints”
(
page 342).
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 braking distance. Apply con-
tinuous 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.
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 af-
forded. The ABS cannot prevent accidents,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle too
closely, or hydroplaning. Only a safe, atten-
tive, and skillful driver can prevent acci-
dents. The capabilities of an ABS equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner which could jeop-
ardize the user’s safety or the safety of
others.
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.

82 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsFor more information, see “Practical Hints”
(page 351).
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 applying brakes to the appropriate
wheel and by limiting engine output, the
ESP works to stabilize the vehicle. The ESP
is especially useful while driving off and on
wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP also
stabilizes the vehicle during braking ma-
neuvers.
The ESP warning lampv in the speed-
ometer dial flashes when the ESP is en-
gaged.
The ESP warning lampv in the speed-
ometer dial comes on when you switch on
the ignition. It goes out when the engine is
running.
Warning!
G
The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking efficiency beyond that
afforded by the condition of the vehicle
brakes and tires or the traction afforded.
The BAS cannot prevent accidents, includ-
ing those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, following another vehicle too closely,
or hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of a BAS 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.
Warning!
G
Never switch off the ESP when you see the
ESP warning lampv flashing in the
speedometer dial. 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 resulting
from excessive speed.

83 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see “Practical Hints”
(page 345).Switching off the ESP
To improve the vehicle’s traction, turn 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:


starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains


in sand or gravel
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.iThe ESP will only function properly if
you use wheels of the recommended
tire size (
page 413).
!Because of the ESP’s automatic opera-
tion, the engine must be turned off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0
or1) when

the parking brake is being tested on
a brake test dynamometer


the vehicle is being towed with the
front axle raised
Active braking action through the ESP
may otherwise seriously damage the
brake system.
Warning!
G
The ESP should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.!Turn on the ESP immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not
apply anymore.

84 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsWhen 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 a better grip


the traction control will still brake a
spinning wheel


the ESP continues to operate when you
are brakingThe switch is located on the upper part of
the center console.
1ESP switch (off/on)

Press ESP switch1.
The ESP warning lampv in the
speedometer dial comes on.
The ESP is deactivated.Switching on the ESP

Press ESP switch1.
The ESP warning lampv in the
speedometer dial goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode with the ESP switched on.
iWhen the ESP is switched off and one
or more drive wheels are spinning, the
ESP warning lampv in the speed-
ometer dial flashes. However, the ESP
will then not stabilize the vehicle.
Warning!
G
When the ESP warning lampv is illumi-
nated continuously, the ESP is switched off.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP.!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP switched
off. This may cause serious damage to
the drivetrain which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.