transmission MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER 2014 Owner's Manual

i
The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
For further information on the ECO start/
stop function, see (Y page 146).Gearshift recommendation
X
Shift gear according to gearshift recom-
mendation :when shown in the multi-
function display of the instrument cluster.
The gearshift recommendations assist you in adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunctiondisplay. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake. i
Bear in mind that power transmission
between the engine and the transmission is interrupted when the engine is switched
off. For this reason, shift the automatic
transmission to Pwhen the engine is
switched off and the vehicle is stationary.
Apply the electric parking brake to prevent
the vehicle from rolling away. Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions Selector lever
j
Park position with selector lever lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display :
Transmission position display
; Drive program display
The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display. 152
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Transmission positions
B Park position
This prevents the vehicle from roll-
ing away when stopped. Do not
shift the transmission into position
P (Y page 152) unless the vehicle is
stationary. The parking lock should not be used as a brake when park-
ing. In order to secure the vehicle,
always apply the electric parking
brake in addition to the parking
lock.
The key can only be removed if the transmission is in position P. If the
key is removed from the ignition
lock, the selector lever is locked. C Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. A Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brake pedal will allow
you to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to posi-
tion Nif the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
! Rolling in neutral
Ncan lead to
damage to the transmission. 7 Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available. Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. Gearshifting is deter-
mined by:
R the selected drive program (Y page 154)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 153)
R the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Double-clutch function When shifting down, the double-clutch func-
tion is active regardless of the currently selec-
ted drive program. The double-clutch functionreduces load change reactions and is condu-cive to a sporty driving style. The sound gen-
erated by the double-clutch function depends
on the drive program selected.
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up. Automatic transmission
153Driving and parking Z

Program selector button
General notes Example: program selector button
X Press program selector button :repeat-
edly until the letter for the desired gearshift program appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The program selector button allows you to
choose between different driving character-
istics.
i Further information about permanent
drive program M(Y page 156).
In addition to permanent drive program M,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M(Y page 155).
On AMG vehicles, drive program Eis called
drive program C. E
Economy
C Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
M
Manual Manual gearshifting
i
The automatic transmission switches to
automatic drive program E(drive program
C in AMG vehicles) each time the engine is
started.
i AMG vehicles:
when in drive program C
and under low load, the engine operates on
just four cylinders. This is the case in urban
traffic or on a country road, for example. This reduces fuel consumption. Cylinder
shut-off is inactive in drive programs
Sand
M, so that the engine will operate with all
eight cylinders.
i For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 155). Steering wheel gearshift paddles
:
Left-hand steering wheel gearshift paddle
; Right-hand steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear using the steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles or the selector lever (Y page 155).
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Ypage 156).
Further information about temporary drive
program M(Ypage 155).
i The full range of functions of the steering
wheel gearshift paddles is available only
once the operating temperature is reached.
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddles when the trans-
mission is in position D.154
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Automatic drive program
Automatic drive programs E and S Drive program
E(drive program Con AMG
vehicles) is characterised by the following:
R comfort-orientated engine and transmis-
sion settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin.
Drive program Sis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine and transmission settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption pos-sibly being higher
Manual drive program M General notes
In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
gearshift paddles. The transmission must be
in position D.
You can activate manual drive program Min
the Eand Sautomatic drive programs.
i In addition to temporary drive program
M,
you can also activate permanent drive pro- gram M(Y page 154).
Further information about permanent drive program M(Y page 156). Activating
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 154).
Manual drive program Mis temporarily acti-
vated. The selected gear and Mappear in
the multifunction display.
Upshifting X Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
X Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 154).
In cases where it is permissible, the auto-
matic transmission shifts up to the next
gear.
i If the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts up in
order to prevent engine damage.
Gearshift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
X Shift to recommended gear ;according
to gearshift recommendation :when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster. Automatic trans
mission
155Driving an d parking Z

Downshifting
X Briefly press the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
or X Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 154).
In cases where it is permissible, the auto-
matic transmission shifts down to the next gear.
i If you desire maximum acceleration, push
the selector lever to the left or pull and hold the left-hand steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle until the transmission shifts to the opti-
mal gear for the current speed.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto-
matic transmission protects against engine damage by not shifting down.
i Automatic downshifting occurs when
coasting.
Deactivating
If you have activated manual drive program
M, it will remain active for a certain amount of time. Under certain conditions the minimum
amount of time is extended, e.g. in the case of lateral acceleration, during an overrun phase
or when driving on steep terrain.
If manual drive program Mhas been deacti-
vated, the automatic transmission shifts into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. Eor S.
You can also deactivate manual drive pro-
gram Myourself:
X Pull on the right-hand steering wheel gear-
shift paddle and hold it in place
(Y page 154).
or
X Use the lever to switch the transmission
position. or
X Use the program selector button to change
the drive program (Y page 154).
Manual drive program Mis deactivated.
The automatic transmission switches into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. Eor S. Manual drive program
General notes In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel gearshift paddles. The transmission
must be in position D.
i In addition to permanent drive program
M, you can also activate temporary drive
program M(Y page 155).
Activating the manual drive program Manual drive program
Mdiffers from drive
program Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and the smoothness of the
gear changes.
You can select manual drive program Mwith
the program selector button. You can change gear using the steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles or the selector lever in manual drive pro-
gram Mif the transmission is in position D.
The selected gear appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
X Press the program selector button
(Y page 154) until Mappears in the multi-
function display.
Upshifting X
Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or X Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 154).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the next gear. 156
Automatic transmissionDriving and pa
rking

Gearshift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunctiondisplay.
X Shift to recommended gear ;according
to gearshift recommendation :when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster.
AMG vehicles !
In manual gearshift program
M, the auto-
matic transmission does not shift up auto-
matically even when the engine limiting
speed for the current gear is reached.
When the engine limiting speed is reached, the fuel supply is cut to prevent the engine
from overrevving. You must make sure that the engine speed does not reach the red
area of the rev counter. Otherwise, there is
a risk of engine damage. :
Gear indicator
; Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area, an upshift indicator will be shown in the mul-
tifunction display.
X If the colour in the speedometer multifunc-
tion display changes to red and the UP
UP dis-
play message is shown, shift up a gear. Downshifting X
Briefly press the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
or X Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 154).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you desire maximum acceleration, push
the selector lever to the left or pull and hold the left-hand steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle until the transmission shifts to the opti-
mal gear for the current speed.
Kickdown You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program
M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
i AMG vehicles:
it is not possible to use
kickdown in manual drive program M.
Deactivating the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 154) repeatedly until E(C in AMG
vehicles) or Sappears in the multifunction
display. Automatic transmission
157Driving 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

Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rial can come into contact with hot vehicle
components. In particular, do not park on dry grassland or harvested grain fields. G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. 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.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle
or its drivetrain could be damaged. To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied.
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage 1st gear or reverse gear.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in park position P
and the transmission position display in the
multifunction display must show P.
R the key must be removed from the ignition
lock.
R the front wheels must be turned towards
the kerb on steep uphill or downhill gradi-
ents. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either 1st gear or reverse gear R.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.162
ParkingDriving 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

R
when the key is in position 1in the igni-
tion lock (Y page 141) or
R if the ignition was switched on using the
Start/Stop button
Applying automatically The electric parking brake is applied auto-
matically:
R if DISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
R if the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle
stationary
In addition, at least one of the following con-
ditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off
R the driver's seat belt is not inserted in the
belt buckle and the driver's door is open
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
i The electric parking brake is not automat-
ically applied if the engine is switched off by
the ECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically The electric parking brake is released auto-
matically when all of the following conditions
are fulfilled:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position Dor R
R the driver's seat belt is fastened
R you depress the accelerator pedal
If the transmission is in position R, the boot lid
must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R the driver's door is closed
R you have shifted out of Por you have pre-
viously driven faster than 3 km/h i
The electric parking brake can only be
released automatically in vehicles with
automatic transmission.
Ensure that you do not depress the acceler-
ator pedal unintentionally. Otherwise, the
parking brake will be released and the vehicle will start to move.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
X While driving, push handle :of the electric
parking brake.
i The vehicle is braked for as long as the
handle of the electric parking brake is
pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle is depressed, the greater the braking force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds
R the Release parking brake Release parking brake message
appears
R the red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand- still, the electric parking brake is applied. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than four weeks, the battery may be damaged by exhaustive discharging.
X Disconnect the battery or connect it to a
trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, the vehicle may suffer dam-
age as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. 164
ParkingDriving and parking