check engine MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER 2014 User Guide

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The engine can no lon-
ger 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 303).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 304).
or
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine can no lon-
ger be started using
KEYLESS-GO. The key
is in the vehicle. The vehicle is locked.
X Unlock the vehicle 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
United Kingdom only: G
WARNING
When the double locks are activated, the
doors can no longer be opened from the
inside. People in the vehicle can no longer get out, e.g. in hazardous situations. There is a
risk of injury.
Therefore, do not leave any people unsuper-
vised in the vehicle, particularly children, eld-
erly people or people in need of special assis-
tance. Do not activate the double lock when
people are in the vehicle.
If the vehicle has been locked from the out-
side, the double-lock function is activated as
standard. It is then not possible to open the
doors from inside the vehicle. You can deac-
tivate the double lock function by deactivat-
ing the interior motion sensor (Y page 69).
The doors can then be opened from the inside after the vehicle has been locked from the
outside. The anti-theft alarm system is trig- gered if the door is opened from the inside.
Switch off the alarm (Y page 68).
All countries: G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open doors, thereby endangering other per-
sons or road users
R get out and be struck by oncoming traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
In addition, the children could also set the
vehicle in motion, for example, if they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position P or shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children and animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Keep the keys out of the reach of children. 78
DoorsOpening and closing

except for when the key is in position
2in the
ignition lock.
The colour and brightness of the ambient
lighting may be set using the on-board com-
puter (Y page 215).
Automatic interior lighting control X
To switch on/off: press the|button.
When the automatic interior lighting con-
trol is activated, the button is flush with the overhead control panel.
The interior lighting automatically switches
on if you:
R unlock the vehicle
R open a door
R remove the key from the ignition lock
The interior lighting is activated for a short
time when the key is removed from the igni-
tion lock. You can activate this delayed
switch-off using the on-board computer
(Y page 216).
Manual interior lighting control X
To switch the interior lighting on/off:
press the cbutton.
X To switch the reading lamps on/off:
press the pbutton. Crash-responsive emergency lighting
The interior lighting is activated automatically
if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
X To switch off the crash-responsive
emergency lighting: press the hazard
warning lamp button.
or X Lock and then unlock the vehicle using the
key. Replacing bulbs
Important safety notes
Xenon bulbs G
DANGER
Xenon bulbs are under high voltage. You can
get an electric shock if you remove the cover
of the xenon bulb and touch the electrical
contacts. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Never touch the parts or the electrical con-
tacts of the xenon bulb. Always have work on the xenon bulbs carried out at a qualified spe- cialist workshop.
If your vehicle is equipped with xenon bulbs,
you can recognise this by the following: the
cone of light from the xenon bulbs moves
from the top to the bottom and back again
when you start the engine. For this to be
observed, the lights must be switched on
before starting the engine.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly.
Other bulbs G
WARNING
Bulbs, lamps and plug connectors can
become very hot during use. When replacing a bulb, you could burn yourself on these com-
ponents. There is a risk of injury.
Allow these components to cool down beforereplacing the bulb.
Do not use a bulb that has been dropped or if
its glass tube has been scratched.
The bulb may explode if:
R you touch it
R it is hot
R you drop it
R you scratch it
Only operate bulbs in enclosed lamps
designed for that purpose. Only fit spare Replacing bulbs
117Lights and windscreen wipers Z

Problems with the windscreen wipers
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The windscreen wipers
are jammed. Leaves or snow, for example, may be obstructing the windscreen
wiper movement. The wiper motor has been deactivated.
X For safety reasons, you should remove the key from the ignition
lock.
or
X Switch off the engine using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door.
X Remove the cause of the obstruction.
X Switch the windscreen wipers back on. The windscreen wipers
fail completely. The windscreen wiper drive is malfunctioning.
X Select another wiper speed on the combination switch.
X Have the windscreen wipers checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. The windscreen washer
fluid from the spray
nozzles no longer hits
the centre of the wind-
screen. The spray nozzles are misaligned.
X Have the spray nozzles adjusted at a qualified specialist work-
shop. Windscreen wipers
123Lights and windscreen wipers Z

the case if you are not depressing the brake
pedal.
If you depress the brake pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts immedi-
ately.
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the key
determines whether a valid key is in the vehi- cle. This occurs, for example, when starting
the engine.
To start the vehicle without actively using the
key:
R the Start/Stop button must be inserted in
the ignition lock
R the key must be in the vehicle
R the vehicle must not be locked with the key
or KEYLESS-GO (Y page 73)
Do not keep the key:
R with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another key
R with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
film
R inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can affect the function of the key with
KEYLESS-GO.
i The engine can be switched off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding the Start/Stop button for three seconds.
This function operates independently of the
ECO start/stop automatic engine switch-
off function. Key positions with KEYLESS-GO :
Start/Stop button
; Ignition lock
When you switch on the ignition, all of the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving,
see (Y page 252).
If Start/Stop button :has not yet been
pressed, this corresponds to the key being
removed from the ignition.
X To switch on the power supply: press
Start/Stop button :once.
The power supply is switched on. You can
now activate the windscreen wipers, for
example.
i If you then open the driver's door when in
this position, the voltage supply is switched
off.
X To switch on the ignition: press Start/
Stop button :twice.
The ignition is switched on.
i The ignition is switched off if:
R the driver's door is opened and
R you press Start/Stop button :once
when in this position 142
DrivingDriving an
d parking

Removing the Start/Stop button
You can remove the Start/Stop button from
the ignition lock and start the vehicle as nor-
mal using the key.
X Remove Start/Stop button :from ignition
lock ;.
i You do not have to remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock when you
leave the vehicle. You should, however,
always take the key with you when leaving
the vehicle. As long as the key is in the
vehicle:
R the vehicle can be started using the
Start/Stop button
R electrically powered equipment can be
operated Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open doors, thereby endangering other per-
sons or road users
R get out and be struck by oncoming traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example In addition, the children could also set the
vehicle in motion, for example, if they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position P or shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children and animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Keep the keys out of the reach of children. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
! Do not depress the accelerator when
starting the engine.
i AMG vehicles:
the exhaust flap of the
exhaust system is checked after each cold start. The sound produced by this proce-
dure is audible.
i Vehicles with a petrol engine:
the
engine runs at a higher engine speed during the cold start procedure so that the cata-
lytic converter can reach operating tem-
perature more quickly. The sound of the
engine may change as a result. Driving
143Driving and parking Z

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The coolant tempera-
ture display is showing
more than 120 †. The
coolant warning lamp
may also be on and a
warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 283). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue
driving to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-start traffic. Manual transmission
Gear lever
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
! When shifting between
5thand 6thgear,
you should always push the gear lever all
the way to the right. Otherwise, you could
shift unintentionally into 3rdor4th gear
and damage the transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine to overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
clutch. Gear lever
k
Reverse gear
1 -6
Forward gears Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear
Rwhen the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Select neutral N.
X Move the gear lever firmly to the left,
beyond the point of resistance, then for-
wards. Manual transmission
151Driving and parking Z

Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Releasing the parking lock manually
! Do not use any sharp-edged objects to
remove the selector lever gaiter from the
centre console. This could damage the
selector lever gaiter. X
Engage the electric parking brake.
X Press the frame of selector level gaiter :
together somewhat on the side edge at the back and hold with one hand ;.
X With the other hand, prise out the frame of
selector level gaiter :with a flat, blunt
object (e.g. a screwdriver wrapped in cloth) at rear edge
=, pulling it up and out at the
same time.
X Press release button ?down and simul-
taneously move the selector lever out of
position P.
The selector lever can now be moved freely until it is returned to position P.
In the event of an electrical fault, it is possible
to release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P. This occurs if the
vehicle is towed away, for example. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refuelling. 158
RefuellingDriving and parking

Using the key
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
i The key can only be removed if the trans-
mission is in position P.
Using KEYLESS-GO
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 141).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
i When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0: "key removed".
i The engine can be switched off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for about three sec-
onds. This function operates independently of the ECO start/stop automatic engine
switch-off function. Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or if there is a malfunc-
tion in the system, it may not be possible to
apply the released parking brake.
X If this is the case, only park the vehicle on
level ground and secure it to prevent it from
rolling away.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first gear.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or if there is a malfunction in the system. Con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
i The electric parking brake carries out a
function check at regular intervals when
the engine is switched off. Noises that
occur are normal.
Applying/releasing manually X
To apply: push handle :.
When the electric parking brake is applied, the red !indicator lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
i The electric parking brake can also be
applied when the key is removed.
X To release: pull handle:.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
i The electric parking brake can only be
released: Parking
163Driving and parking Z

in good time. By doing so, you will make use of
the braking effect of the engine. This relieves
the load on the brake system and prevents
the brakes from overheating and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con- ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You canstore any road speed above 30 km/h.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take road, weather and traffic
conditions into account. Cruise control is only an aid. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for
braking in good time and for maintaining lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. heavy traffic or winding roads.
R on slippery roads. Braking or accelerating
may cause the drive wheels to lose traction
and the vehicle could then skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new driver of the stored speed. Cruise control lever Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed and to call up
the last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
LIM indicator lamp ;on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec- ted:
R LIM indicator lamp ; ;off: cruise control
is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp ;
;on: variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected.
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds. The speed is then perma-
nently displayed in the status indicator
together with the ¯symbol.
Selecting cruise control X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected. Driving systems
169Driving and parking Z

This speed can:
R be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high in the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the left
R be so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the right
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; To set the specified minimum distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed and to call up
the last stored speed
A To store the current speed or a lower
speed
B To switch between DISTRONIC PLUS and
variable SPEEDTRONIC
C To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
You can operate DISTRONIC PLUS and varia-
ble SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control
lever.
LIM indicator lamp =on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec- ted:
R LIM indicator lamp =
= off: DISTRONIC
PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp = =on: variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected. Selecting DISTRONIC PLUS X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp =is off.
If it is off, DISTRONIC PLUS is already selec- ted.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow B.
LIM indicator lamp =in the cruise control
lever goes out. DISTRONIC PLUS is selec-
ted.
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS; storing,
maintaining and calling up a speed Important safety notes
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
To activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the following
conditions must be fulfilled: R the engine must be running. It may take up
to two minutes of driving before DIS-
TRONIC PLUS is ready for use.
R your vehicle must not be secured by the
electric parking brake.
R ESP ®
must be activated.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R the bonnet must be closed.
R the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door must be closed.
R the vehicle must not be skidding. Driving systems
173Driving and parking Z