seats MERCEDES-BENZ SLK230 2004 R171 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction......................................... 7
Product information ................................ 7
Operator’s Manual .................................. 8
Service and warranty information ..... 8
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles ............. 9
Maintenance .................................. 10
Roadside Assistance ...................... 10
Change of address or ownership.... 10
Operating your vehicle outside the
USA or Canada.............................. 11
Where to find it .................................... 12
Symbols ............................................... 13
Operating safety .................................. 14
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 14
Problems with your vehicle .................. 15
Reporting safety defects...................... 16
Reporting safety defects ................ 16
At a glance.......................................... 17
Cockpit ................................................. 18
Instrument cluster ................................ 20
Center console ..................................... 23
Upper part ...................................... 23
Lower Part ...................................... 24
Overhead control panel ........................ 25Getting started................................... 27
Unlocking ............................................. 28
Unlocking with the remote control.. 28
Adjusting .............................................. 30
Seats............................................... 30
Telescoping steering column* ........ 34
Mirrors ............................................ 35
Driving .................................................. 37
Fastening the seat belts.................. 37
Starting the engine ......................... 40
Switching on headlamps ................. 43
Turn signals and high beam ............ 43
Windshield wipers ........................... 44
Problems while driving .................... 45Parking and locking .............................. 47
Parking brake ................................. 47
Switching off headlamps................. 48
Turning off engine ........................... 48
Safety and Security........................... 51
Occupant safety ................................... 52
Airbags ........................................... 53
Seat belts ....................................... 57
Children in the vehicle .................... 60
Panic alarm .......................................... 65
Activating........................................ 65
Deactivating.................................... 65
Driving safety systems ......................... 66
ABS ................................................. 66
BAS ................................................. 67
ESP ................................................. 68
Anti-theft systems ................................ 71
Immobilizer ..................................... 71
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 71
Tow-away alarm .............................. 72

ContentsControls in detail............................... 73
Locking and unlocking ......................... 74
Keys ............................................... 74
Opening the doors from the inside . 77
Opening the trunk .......................... 77
Closing the trunk ............................ 78
Trunk lid emergency release .......... 78
Automatic central locking .............. 79
Locking and unlocking from the
inside ............................................. 80
Seats.................................................... 81
Removing and installing head
restraints ........................................ 81
Heated seats* ................................ 82
Lighting ................................................ 83
Exterior lamp switch ....................... 83
Combination switch........................ 85
Hazard warning flasher................... 86
Interior lighting ............................... 87
Instrument cluster ............................... 89
Instrument cluster illumination....... 89
Coolant temperature gauge............ 89
Trip odometer................................. 90
Tachometer .................................... 90
Outside temperature indicator ....... 91Setting clock .................................. 91
Manual transmission ........................... 92
Shifting into reverse ....................... 92
Automatic transmission* ..................... 93
One-touch gearshifting................... 94
Gear ranges.................................... 95
Gear selector lever position ........... 95
Program mode selector switch....... 97
Accelerator position ....................... 98
Emergency operation (Limp Home
Mode)............................................. 98
Good visibility ...................................... 99
Headlamp cleaning system* .......... 99
Rear view mirror............................. 99
Sun visors .................................... 100
Rear window defroster ................. 101
Climate control .................................. 102
Setting the temperature ............... 104
Adjusting air volume .................... 105
Adjusting air distribution .............. 105
Air recirculation mode .................. 106
Air conditioning ............................ 106
Residual heat ............................... 107
Basic settings............................... 108
Special settings............................ 109Deactivating the climate control
system ......................................... 110
Audio system ..................................... 111
Audio and telephone, operation ... 111
Operating safety .......................... 111
Operating and display elements... 112
Anti-theft system ......................... 114
Button and soft key operation...... 115
Operation ..................................... 115
Radio mode .................................. 116
Cassette mode............................. 118
CD mode ...................................... 121
Telephone* operation .................. 125
Power windows ................................. 128
Opening and closing the windows 128
Retractable hardtop........................... 130
Opening and closing the
retractable hardtop ...................... 130
Wind screen ................................. 135
Driving systems ................................. 136
Cruise control .............................. 136
Useful features .................................. 139
Interior storage spaces ................ 139
Ashtray ........................................ 142
Cigarette lighter ........................... 143
Telephone* .................................. 143

30 Getting startedAdjusting
AdjustingSeats
The seats can be adjusted either manually
or electrically, depending on the vehicle’s
equipment.Warning!
G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
back reclined. Sitting in an excessively re-
clined position can be dangerous. You could
slide under the seat belt in a collision. If you
slide under it, the belt would apply force at
the abdomen or neck. That could cause se-
rious or fatal injuries. The seat back and seat
belts provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in an upright position and belts are
properly positioned on the body. Your seat
must be adjusted so that you can correctly
fasten your seat belt (
page 37).
Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being ad-
justed.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the steering lock and lock your ve-
hicle.
The power seats* can also be operated with
the driver’s or passenger door open. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsu-
pervised use of vehicle equipment may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.

32 Getting startedAdjusting
Let go of handle4. The seat should
make an audible click.
Backrest tilt

Turn handwheel2 forward or back-
ward until your arms are slightly angled
when holding the steering wheel.Head restraint height

Adjust the height of the head restraints
by pulling them upwards manually.

For a lower position, press release
button1 and push down on the head
restraints manually.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 73).
iWhen moving the seat, ensure there
are no items in the footwell or behind
the seats. Otherwise you could damage
the seats.
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the head re-
straint supports the back of the head at eye
level. This will reduce the potential for injury
to the head and neck in the event of an ac-
cident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are intend-
ed to help reduce injuries during an acci-
dent.

33 Getting started
Adjusting
Power seat*
Switch on the ignition by turning the
key in the steering lock to position2.
or

Open the driver’s or passenger door.
The seat adjustment switches are located
on the outer sides of the seats.
1Seat height
2Seat fore and aft adjustment
3Seat cushion tilt
4Backrest tiltSeat height

Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow1.
Seat fore and aft adjustment

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow2.
Adjust to a comfortable seating position
that still allows you to reach the
accelerator / brake pedal safely. The posi-
tion should be as far to the rear as possi-
ble, consistent with ability to properly
operate controls.
Seat cushion tilt

Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow3 until your upper
legs are lightly supported.Backrest tilt

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow4 until your
arms are slightly angled when holding
the steering wheel.
Head restraint height
iWhen moving the seat, ensure there
are no items in the footwell or behind
the seats. Otherwise you could damage
the seats.
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the head re-
straint supports the back of the head at eye
level. This will reduce the potential for injury
to the head and neck in the event of an ac-
cident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are intend-
ed to help reduce injuries during an acci-
dent.

52 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Occupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seats


Child seat recognition
As independent systems their protective
effects work in conjunction with each oth-
er.The1indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up for about four seconds
when you turn the key in the steering lock
to position1 or2. It goes out when you
start the engine. This shows that the re-
straint systems are operational.
If the lamp does not come on at all or if it
fails to extinguish after approximately four
seconds or if it comes on thereafter, a mal-
function in the system has been detected.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 203).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 60).
Warning!
G
In the event that the SRS malfunction indica-
tor lamp lights up during driving or does not
come on at all, the SRS may not be opera-
tional. For your safety, we strongly recom-
mend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may
not be activated when needed in an acci-
dent, which could result in serious or fatal
injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in inju-
ry.
Improper work on the restraint systems, in-
cluding incorrect installation and removal,
can lead to possible injury through an unin-
tended activation of the SRS.
In addition, through improper work there is
a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended airbag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be per-
formed by qualified technicians. Contact
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

60 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyEmergency tensioning device (ETD)
The seat belts are equipped with
emergency tensioning devices.
The ETD is designed to activate in the fol-
lowing cases when the seat belts are fas-
tened:

in frontal or rear-end impacts exceed-
ing a preset severity level


if the restraint systems are operational
and functioning correctly, see 1 in-
dicator lamp (
page 52).
In an impact, emergency tensioning devic-
es remove slack from the belts in such a
way that the seat belts fit more snugly
against the body.
Children in the vehicle
If an infant or child is traveling with you in
the vehicle:

Secure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and
size of the child and recommended for
use by Mercedes-Benz.


Ensure the infant or child is properly se-
cured by a belt at all times while the ve-
hicle is in motion.
Infant and child restraint seats and infor-
mation on choosing an appropriate re-
straint system can be obtained from any
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Infant and child restraint systems
Use only a BabySmart
TM compatible child
restraint for the passenger seat in this
vehicle.
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
Warning!
G
An emergency tensioning device (ETD) that
was activated must be replaced.
When disposing of the emergency tension-
ing device, our safety instructions must be
followed. These are available at your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.!Do not place objects heavier than
20 lbs (9 kg) on the passenger seat.
This could cause the front or side im-
pact airbag on the passenger side to
deploy in a crash which exceeds the
system's deployment threshold.

62 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
BabySmart
TM1
airbag deactivation
system
17 indicator lamp
Special BabySmart
TM 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 special
child seat properly installed, the passenger
front airbag will not deploy.
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 Automo-
tive Corp.


63 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The7indicator lamp 1 located in the
center console will be illuminated, except
with the key removed or in the steering
lock position0.Self-test BabySmart
TM without special
child seat installed
After turning the key in the steering lock to
position1 or2, the7indicator lamp
located in the center console lights up for
approx. six seconds and then goes out.
If the indicator lamp should not come on or
is continuously lit, the system is not func-
tioning. You must see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center before seating any
child on the passenger seat.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (page 211).
iThe system does not deactivate the
side impact airbag and the emergency
tensioning device.
Warning!
G
The BabySmart
TM airbag 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.

73 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Seats
Lighting
Instrument cluster
Manual transmission
Automatic transmission*
Good visibility
Climate control
Audio system
Power windows
Retractable hardtop
Driving systems
Useful features