warning light MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER 2012 Owner's Manual

G
WARNING
Deactivate SPORT handling mode and acti-
vate ESP ®
as soon as the situations described
above no longer apply.O therwise, SPORT
handling mode will only be able to stabilise
the vehicle to a limited degree if the vehicle
starts to skid or a whee lstarts to spin.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R engine torque is only restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels are able to
spin. The spinning of the wheels results in
a cutting action for better traction.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a
limited degree. X
To activate: briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
The SPORT handling mode message
appears in the multifunctio ndisplay.
X To deactivate: briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrumen tcluster goes out. Deactivating/activating ESP
®
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
i Vehicles with ECO start/stop function:
the ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
comes to a stop. When pulling away again,
the engine starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its previously selected status.
Example: if ESP ®
was deactivated before
the engine was switched off, ESP ®
remains
deactivated when the engine is switched on
again.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
WARNING
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin .The spinning
of the wheels results in a cutting action for
better traction.
R traction control is still activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
inter-
venes.
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available;
nor is it activated if you brake firmly and
ESP ®
intervenes.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in 58
Driving safety systemsSafety

the instrument cluste
rdoes not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle. X
To deactivate: press button:until the
å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster.
The ÷OFF message appears in the mul-
tifunction display. G
WARNING
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and åwarning
lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not availa-
ble due to a malfunction.
There is an increased risk of your vehicle skid-
ding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.
X To activate: briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ONmessage appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 53). EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking. G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the braking system
remains available with full brake boosting
effect .However, the rear wheels can still lock,
e.g. under full braking. This could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and cause an
accident .You should therefore adapt your
driving style to the different handling charac-
teristics.
X Observe the notes on warning and indicator
lamps (Y page 226) as well as display mes-
sages (Y page 202). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In addi-
tion to the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE
also has the HOLD function (Y page 165) and
hill start assist (Y page 130). For further
information, see Driving tips (Y page 148). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 53).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimise
the risk of a frontal collision with a vehicle
ahead or reduce the effect sofsuch a colli-
sion. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk
of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically as well as by automatic braking.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot prevent a collision
without your intervention.
This function will issue a warning at speeds of
around 30 km/h or more if:
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
short for the speed you are driving at for Driving safety systems
59Safety Z

several seconds. The
·distance warn-
ing lamp then lights up in the instrument
cluster.
R you are rapidly approaching the vehicle in
front. An intermittent warning tone will
then sound and the ·distance warning
lamp will light up in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
If the driver and passengers have fastened
their seat belts, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also
can also perform the following at speeds of
above approximately 30 km/h:
R brake the vehicle automatically from a
speed of up to approximately 200 km/h
R trigger preventative passenger protection
measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) (Y page 43)
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause
unnecessary warnings or the unnecessary
intervention of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake. To end this,
you can either depress the accelerator pedal
further, activate kickdown or release the
brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you drive slower than approximately
15 km/h.
R you manoeuvre to avoid the obstacle.
R there is no longer any danger of a rear-end
collision.
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle.
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect obstacles that
are in front of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
At speeds up to approximately 70 km/h, PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake can also detect stationary
obstacles, for example, stopped or parked
vehicles. If you approach an obstacle and PRE-SAFE
®
Brake detects a risk of a collision, the system
will initially alert you both visually and acous-
tically. If you do not brake or take evasive
action, the system will warn you by automat-
ically braking the vehicle gently. If there is an
increased risk of collision, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)
are activated (Y page 43). If the risk of colli-
sion remains and you do not brake, take eva-
sive action or accelerate significantly, the
vehicle may perform automatic emergency
braking. Automatic emergency braking is not
performed until immediately prior to an acci-
dent that can no longer be avoided. G
WARNING
Even if PRE-SAFE ®
Brake slows the vehicle
before an imminent rear-end collision, the
system cannot avert a collision without the
intervention of the driver. There is a risk of an
accident. Brake according to the situation or
take evasive action. Delayed intervention by
the driver can lead to an accident. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify objects and complex traffic conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident. Always pay par-
ticular attention to the traffic situation and be
ready to brake, especially if PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
warns you. Terminate the intervention in a
non-critical driving situation.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else cover-
ing the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example, in multi-storey car parks 60
Driving safety systemsSafety

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The engine cannot be
started using the key. The on-board voltage is too low.
X
Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
X Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Y page 273).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 277).
or
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine cannot be
started using KEYLESS-
GO. The key is in the
vehicle. Ad
oor is open. Therefore, the key cannot be detected as easily.
X Close the door and try to start the vehicle again. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X
Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. Doors
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key, the double lock
function is activated as standard. It is then not
possible to open the doors from inside the
vehicle.
Therefore, do not leave any people behind in
the vehicle, particularly children, elderly peo-
ple or people in need of special assistance if
the vehicle has been locked with the key. As
a result, they may not be able to free them-
selves in the event of an emergency. As a
result, they could be seriously or even fatally
injured by prolonged exposure to extremely
high or low temperatures, for example. In this
case, rescuing people from outside the vehi-
cle is difficult.
Deactivate the interior motion sensor before
you lock the vehicle with the key. The doors
can then be opened from the inside after the
vehicle has been locked from the outside with
the key. G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open a door from inside the vehicle at any
time, even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using akey which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the electric parking brake
They could thereby endanger themselves and
others. Never leave children unsupervised in
the vehicle. Always take the key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time. Unlocking and opening the doors
from the inside
For all countries except the United King-
dom: you can open a door from inside the
vehicle even if it has been locked.
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key, the double lock
function is activated as standard. It is then
not possible to open the doors from inside the Doors
71Opening and closing Z

X
Pull the corresponding switch on the door
control panel until the side window is com-
pletely closed. (Y page 76).
X Hold the switch for an additional second.
If the side window opens again slightly:
X Immediately pull the corresponding switch
on the door control panel until the side win-
dow is completely closed (Y page 76).
X Hold the switch for an additional second.
X If the corresponding side window remains
closed after the button has been released,
the side window has been reset correctly.
If this is not the case, repeat the steps
above again. Problems with the side windows
Problem: aside window cannot be closed
because it is blocked by objects, e.g.
leaves in the window guide.
X Remove the objects.
X Close the side window.
Problem :aside window cannot be closed
and you cannot see the cause. G
WARNING
Closing the side windows with increased force
or without the anti-entrapment feature could
lead to serious or even fatal injury. Make sure
that nobody can become trapped when clos-
ing the side windows.
If a side window is obstructed during closing
and reopens again slightly:
X Immediately afte rthe window blocks, pull
the corresponding switch again until the
side window has closed.
The side window is closed with increased
force. If a side window is obstructed again during
closing and reopens again slightly:
X
Immediately after the window blocks, pull
the corresponding switch again until the
side window has closed.
The side window is closed without the anti-
entrapment feature. Roof
Important safety notes
For safety reasons, the roof can only be
opened or closed when the vehicle is station-
ary. G
WARNING
Always open or close the roof fully before
driving.
If the roof does not open or close fully, the
roof hydraulic system is depressurised and
the roof is lowered:
R after about seven minutes if the ignition is
switched on
R after about
15 seconds if the ignition is switched off
Aw arning tone sounds shortly beforehand.
The K symbol and Vario-roof lower‐ ing message appear in the multifunction dis-
play.
Lock the roof again before driving on. Other-
wise, the unlocked roo fcould open during the
journey and cause you to lose control of your
vehicle. You and/or other persons could be
injured as a result. G
WARNING
Closing the roof manually is a complex, tech-
nically challenging procedure. Attempting to
manually close the roof may cause damage to
the roof and/or injury.
For this reason, the manual closing process
should only be carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. 78
RoofOpening and closing

temperature sensitivity or a limited ability to
react to excessively high temperatures may
be affected or the ymay even suffer burn-like
injuries .Therefore, do not use seat heating
level 3repeatedly.
The three red indicator lamps in the button
indicate the heating level you have selected.
i If the battery voltage is too low, the seat
heating may switch off. Driver's and front-passenger seat
The system automatically switches down
from level
3to level 2after approximately five
minutes.
The system automatically switches down
from level 2to level 1after approximately ten
minutes.
The system automatically switches off
approximately 20 minutes after it is set to
level 1.
X Make sure that the key is in position 1or
2 in the ignition lock.
X To switch on: press button:repeatedly
until the desired heating level is set.
X To switch off: press button:repeatedly
until all the indicator lamps go out. Problems with the seat heating The seat heating has switched off prema-
turely. The vehicle's electrical system voltage
is too low because too many electrical con-
sumers are switched on.
X
Switch off electrical consumers that you do
not need, such as the rear window heating
or interior lighting.
X Once the battery is sufficiently charged,
switch the seat heating back on. AIRSCARF
Switching on/off G
WARNING
Very hot air can flow out of the AIRSCARF
vents in the head restraints when AIRSCARF
is in operation. This can cause burns on unpro-
tected skin near the AIRSCARF vents. Lower
the heating output in good time, when neces-
sary.
The AIRSCARF function warms the head and
neck area of vehicle occupants with warm air.
The warm air flows out of the holes in the head
restraints.
The three red indicator lamps in the button
indicate the heating level you have selected. Seats
91Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

X
Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
X To activate: press button :.
Three red indicator lamps in the button light
up. The blower starts up after a preheating
phase of seven seconds.
X Press button :repeatedly until the
desired heating level is set.
X To switch off: press button:repeatedly
until all the indicator lamps go out.
i The blower continues running for seven
seconds to cool down the heating ele-
ments.
i If the battery voltage is too low, AIRSCARF
may switch off.
Problems with AIRSCARF AIRSCARF has switched off prematurely or
will not switch on. The vehicle's electrical sys-
tem voltage is too low because too many
electrical consumers are switched on.
X Switch off electrical consumers which you
do not need, such as the rear window heat-
ing or interior lighting.
X Switch on AIRSCARF again. Steering wheel
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The electrically adjustable steering wheel can
still be adjusted when there is no key in the
ignition lock. Therefore, do not leave children
unsupervised in the vehicle, as they could
become trapped if the steering wheel is adjus-
ted. G
WARNING
Only adjust the steering wheel when the vehi-
cle is stationary and do not pull away until the
steering wheel adjustment mechanism is
locked in position. You might otherwise drive
without the steering wheel adjustment mech- anism being locked in position. As a result,
you could be distracted from road and traffic
conditions by an unintentional movement of
the steering wheel and thereby cause an acci-
dent.
However, the steerability of the vehicle is not
affected.
Adjusting the steering wheel man-
ually
:
Release lever
; To adjust the steering wheel height
= To adjust the steering wheel position
(fore-and-aft adjustment)
X Push release lever :down completely in
the direction of the arrow.
The steering column is unlocked.
X Adjust the steering wheel to the desired
position.
X Push release lever :up completely.
The steering column is locked.
X Check if the steering column is locked.
When doing so, try to push the steering
wheel up or down or try to move it in the
fore-and-aft direction. 92
Steering wheelSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

Setting the exterior mirrors
If the battery has been disconnected or com-
pletely discharged, the exterior mirrors must
be reset. The exterior mirrors will otherwise
not fold in when you select the "Fold in mir-
rors when locking" function in the on-board
computer (Y page 195).
X Make sure that the key is in position 1in
the ignition lock.
X Briefly press button :.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
automatically If the "Fold in mirrors when locking" function
is activated in the on-board computer
(Y page 195):
R the exterior mirrors fold in automatically as
soon as you lock the vehicle from the out-
side.
R the exterior mirrors fold out again automat-
ically as soon as you unlock the vehicle and
then open the driver's or front-passenger
door.
i If the exterior mirrors have been folded in
manually, they do not fold out.
Exterior mirror out of position If an exterior mirror has been pushed out of
position, proceed as follows:
X
Vehicles without electrically folding
exterior mirrors: move the exterior mirror
into the correctp osition manually.
X Vehicles with electrically folding exte-
rior mirrors: press the mirror-folding but-
ton (Y page 94) repeatedly until you hear
the mirror engage in position.
The mirror housing is engaged again and
you can adjust the exterior mirrors as usual
(Y page 94). Automatic anti-dazzle mirrors
G
WARNING
If incident light from headlamps is prevented
from striking the sensor in the rear-view mir-
ror, for instance, by luggage piled too high in
the vehicle, the mirror's automatic anti-dazzle
function will not operate.
Incident light could then blind you. This may
distract you from the traffic conditions and,
as a result, you may cause an accident.
The rear-view mirror and the exterior mirror
on the driver's side automatically go into anti-
dazzle mode if the ignition is switched on and
incident light from headlamps strikes the sen-
sor in the rear-view mirror.
The mirrors do not go into anti-dazzle mode if
reverse gear is engaged or the interior lighting
is switched on. Parking position for the exterior mir-
ror on the front-passenger side
Setting and storing the parking position You can position the front-passenger side
exterior mirror in such a way that you can see
the rear wheel on that side as soon as you
engage reverse gear. You can store this posi-
tion.
X
Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the key is in position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press button ;for the exterior mirror on
the front-passenger side. Mirrors
95Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

4Ã
Automatic headlamp mode/daytime
driving lights
5L Dipped-beam/main-bea mhead-
lamps
BR Rear foglamp
CN Foglamps 4
The turn signals, main-beam headlamps and
the headlamp flasher are operated using the
combination switch (Y page 103).
! Switch off the side lamps and parking
lamp when you leave the vehicle. This pre-
vents the battery from discharging.
The exterior lighting (except the side lamps/
parking lamps) switches off automatically if
you:
R remove the key from the ignition lock
R open the driver's door with the key in posi-
tion 0
If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
X Turn the light switch to Ã.
Dipped-beam headlamps X
To switch on the dipped-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to L.
The L indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
Daytime driving lights You can activate or deactivate the daytime
driving lights function using the on-board
computer (Y page 191).
X Daytime driving lights: activate the day-
time driving lights function using the on-
board computer.
X Turn the light switch to Ã.
When the engine is on: depending on the
ambient light conditions, the daytime driv- ing lights or the parking and dipped-beam
headlamps are switched on.
When the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on, the
Lindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
i In vehicles with the Intelligent Light Sys-
tem, the daytime driving lights are switched
on and dimmed when the parking and
dipped-beam headlamps are switched on.
Automatic headlamp mode X
To switch on automatic headlamp
mode: turn the light switch to Ã.
Key in position 1in the ignition lock: the
side lamps are switched on or off automat-
ically depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
With the engine running: depending on the
brightness of the ambient light, the daytime
driving lights 5
or the dipped-beam head-
lamps are switched on or off automatically.
When the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on, the Lindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. G
WARNING
If the light switch is set to Ã, the dipped-
beam headlamps will not come on automati-
cally if it is foggy. This could endanger you and
others. Therefore, turn the light switch to
L in fog.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid. The driver is responsible for the vehicle's
lighting at all times.
Foglamps Only vehicles with fron
tfoglamps have the
"Foglamps" function. G
WARNING
If you suspect that driving conditions will be
foggy, turn the light switch to Lbefore you
start your journey. Your vehicle may other-
4 Only vehicles with front foglamps have the "Foglamps" function.
5 Only if daytime driving lights have been activated via the on-board computer. Exterior lighting
101Lights and windscreen wipers
Z

Combination switch
Turn signals :
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right
= Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To indicate briefly: press the combination
switch briefly to the pressure poin tinthe
direction of arrow ;or?.
The corresponding turn signal flashes three
times.
X To indicate: press the combination switch
beyond the pressure point in the direction
of arrow ;or?.
Main-beam headlamps X
To switch on the main-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of
arrow :.
In the Ãposition, the main-beam head-
lamps are only switched on when it is dark
and the engine is running. The
K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the main-beam head-
lamps are switched on.
X To switch off the main-beam head-
lamps: move the combination switch back
to its normal position.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Headlamp flasher X
To switch on: turn the key in the ignition
lock to position 1or 2or start the engine.
X Pull the combination switch in the direction
of arrow =. Hazard warning lamps
The hazard warning lamps automatically
switch on if:
R
an airbag is deployed.
R the vehicle decelerates rapidly from a
speed of more than 70 km/h and comes to
a standstill.
X To switch on the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on
a turn signal using the combination switch,
only the turn signal lamp on the corre-
sponding side of the vehicle will flash.
X To switch off the hazard warning
lamps: press button :.
The hazard warning lamps switch off auto-
matically if the vehicle reaches a speed of Exterior lighting
103Lights and windscreen wipers Z