cornering MERCEDES-BENZ SLK250 2012 R172 Owner's Manual

Wiper blades
.................................. 268
Wooden trim .................................. 270
Car wash (care) ................................. 265
CD player/CD changer (on-board
computer) .......................................... 188
Center console Lowe rsection .................................. 31
Uppe rsection .................................. 30
Central locking
Automatic locking (on-board
computer) ...................................... 193
Locking/unlocking (SmartKey) ........68
Changing bulbs
High-beam headlamps ...................111
Important safety notes ..................109
Low-beam headlamps ....................111
Overview of bul btypes .................. 110
Parking lamps ................................ 112
Removing/replacing the cover
(front wheel arch) .......................... 111
Reversing lamps ............................ 112
Standing lamps (front) ...................112
Turn signals (front) ......................... 112
Children
In the vehicle ................................... 53
Restraint systems ............................ 53
Child seat
Specia lseat belt retractor ...............55
Cigarette lighter ................................ 247
Cleaning Mirro rturn signal ........................... 268
Climate control
Air-conditioning system .................117
Automatic climate control (dual-
zone) .............................................. 119
Controlling automatically ...............122
Cooling with aird ehumidification..121
Defrosting the windshield ..............124
Important safety notes ..................116
Indicator lamp ................................ 122
Maximum cooling .......................... 124
Notes on using automatic climate
control ........................................... 120
Notes on using the air-
conditioning system ....................... 118
Overview of systems ......................116
Problems with cooling with air
dehumidification ............................ 122Problem with the rear window
defroster
........................................ 125
Setting the aird istribution.............123
Setting the airflow .........................123
Setting the airv ents...................... 126
Setting the temperature ................122
Switching air-recirculation mode
on/off ............................................ 125
Switching on/off ........................... 121
Switching residual hea ton/off ......125
Switching the rear window
defroster on/off ............................ 124
Switching the ZONE function on/
off .................................................. 123
Cockpit
Overview .......................................... 26
see Instrument cluster
Collapsible spare wheel
Inflating ......................................... 280
see Emergency spare wheel
COMAND
see separate operating instructions
Combination switch ..........................107
Consumption statistics (on-board
computer) .......................................... 185
Convenience closing feature ..............81
Convenience opening feature see Opening/closing the side
windows (all)
Coolan t(engine)
Checkin gthe level ......................... 262
Display message ............................ 216
Filling capacity ............................... 328
Notes ............................................. 327
Temperature (on-board computer) .195
Temperature gauge ........................ 181
Warning lamp ................................. 235
Cooling
see Climate control
Cornering light (display message) ...213
Cornering light function Function/notes ............................. 108
Crash-responsive emergency
lighting ............................................... 109
Cruise control Cruise control leve r....................... 156
Deactivating ................................... 158
Display message ............................ 2226
Index

Key positions
KEYLESS-GO .................................. 131
SmartKey ....................................... 131
Kickdown
Driving tips .................................... 142
Manual drive program ....................145
Knee bag .............................................. 40L
Lamps see Warning and indicator lamps
Lap time (RACETIMER) ......................196
License plate lamp (display
message) ............................................ 214
Light function ,active
Display message ............................ 215
Lighting
see Lights
Lights
Activating/deactivating the
interio rlighting delayed switch-off .193
Automatic headlamp mode ............106
Cornering light function .................108
Display message ............................ 213
Driving abroad ............................... 104
Fog lamps ...................................... 106
Hazard warning lamps ...................108
High beam flasher .......................... 107
High-beam headlamps ...................107
Ligh tswitc h................................... 104
Low-beam headlamps ....................105
Rea rfog lamp ................................ 106
Setting the brightness of the
ambient lighting (on-board
computer) ...................................... 192
Standing lamps .............................. 104
Switching the daytime running
lamps on/off (on-board
computer) ...................................... 192
Switching the daytime running
lamps on/off (switch) ....................105
Switching the exterio rlighting
delayed switch-off on/off (on-
board computer )............................ 193Switching the surround lighting
on/off (on-board computer)
..........193
Turn signals ................................... 107
see Changing bulbs
see Interior lighting
Light sensor (display message) .......216
Locking see Centra llocking
Locking (doors)
Automatic ........................................ 75
Emergency locking ........................... 76
From inside (central locking
button) ............................................. 75
Locking centrally
see Centra llocking
Locking verification signal (on-
board computer) ............................... 194
Low-beam headlamps Changing bulbs .............................. 111
Display message ............................ 213
Setting for driving abroad
(symmetrical) ................................. 104
Switching on/off ........................... 105
Luggage cover
see Trunk partition
Lumbar support ................................... 95 M
M+S tires ............................................ 296
MAGIC SKY CONTROL .........................88
Maintenance see ASSYST PLUS service interval
display
Malfunction message
see Display messages
Manual transmission
Engaging revers egear ................... 139
Gea rlever ...................................... 139
Pulling away ................................... 133
Shift recommendatio n................... 139
Starting the engine ........................133
Matte finish (cleaning
instructions) ...................................... 267
mbrace Call priority .................................... 252
Display message ............................ 207 Index
11

Hazard warning lamps
The hazard warning lamps automatically
switch on if:
R
an air bag is deployed.
R the vehicle is slowed downr apidly from a
speed of over 45 mph (70 km/h) and
comes to a halt.
X To switch on th ehazard warning lamps:
press button 0002.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on
a turn signal using the combination switch,
only the turn signal lamp on the
corresponding side of the vehicle will flash.
X To switch off the hazard warning
lamps: press button 0002.
If the vehicle returns to a speed of over
6m ph (10 km/h) after a full application of the
brakes, the hazard warning lamps are
deactivated automatically.
i The hazard warning lamps still operate if
the ignition is switched off. Cornering light function
The cornering light function improves the
illumination of the road over a wide angle in
the direction you are turning, enabling better
visibility in tight bends, for example. The
cornering light function can only be activated
when the low-beam headlamps are switched
on.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds below 25 mph
(40 km/h) and switch on the turn signals
or turn the steering wheel
R if you are driving at speeds between
25 mph (40 km/h) and 45 mph (70 km/h)
and turn the steering wheel
Not active: if you are driving at speeds above
25 mph (40 km/h) or switch off the turn
signals or turn the steering wheel to the
straight-ahead position.
The cornering light function may remain lit for
a short time, but is automatically switched off
after no more than three minutes. Headlamps fogged up on the inside
The headlamps may fog up on the inside if
there is high atmospheri chumidity.
X Drive with the headlamps switched on.
The level of moisture diminishes,
depending on the length of the journey and
the weather conditions (humidity and
temperature).
If the level of moisture does no tdiminish: 108
Exterior lightingLights and windshield wipers

If yourv
ehicle is equipped with Xenon bulbs,
you can recognize 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 There are bulbs other than the Xenon bulbs
that you cannot replace. Replace only the
bulbs listed (Y
page 110). Have the bulbs that
you cannot replace yourself changed at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If you require assistance changing bulbs,
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not touch the glass tube of new bulbs with
your bare hands. Even minor contamination
can burn into the glass surface and reduce
the service life of the bulbs. Always use a lint-
free cloth or only touch the base of the bulb
when installing.
Only use bulbs of the correct type.
If the new bulb still does not light up, consult
a qualified specialist workshop.
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. G
WARNING
Bulbs and lamps can become very hot. For
this reason, allow them to cool down before
changing them. Otherwise, you could burn
yourself when you touch them.
Keep bulbs out of the reach of children.
Otherwise, they could, for example, damage
the bulbs and injure themselves.
Never use a bulb which has been dropped.
Such a bulb may explode and injure you.
Halogen bulbs are pressurized and could
explode when you change them, especially if they are very hot. You should therefore wear
eye protection and gloves when you are
changing them. Overview: changing bulbs/bulb types
You can change the following bulbs. The bulb
type can be found in the legend. Halogen headlamps
0002
Low-beam headlamp: H7 55 W
0003 High-beam headlamp: H7 55 W
0023 Turn signal lamp: PY 21 W Bi-Xenon headlamps
0002
Cornering lamp: H7 55 W 110
Replacing bulbsLights and windshield wipers

Tail lamp
0002
Backup lamp: W 16 W Changing the front bulbs
Removing and installing the cover in the
front wheel housing You must remove the cover from the front
wheel housing before you can change the
front bulbs. X
To remove: switch off the lights.
X Turn the front wheels inwards.
X Slide up cover 0002and lift it out.
X To install: insert cover 0002again and slide
it downwards until it engages. Low-beam headlamps (halogen
headlamps) X
Remove the cover in the front wheel arch
(Y page 111).
X Turn housing cover 0002counter-clockwise
and pull it out.
X Press clamp 0003upward.
X Pull out connector 0023with the bulb.
X Take the bulb out of connector 0023.
X Attach the new bulb to connector 0023and
insert it into the bracket of clamp 0003.
Make sure the bulb is positioned correctly.
X Press clamp 0003downward.
X Attach housing cover 0002and turn it
clockwise until it engages.
X Replace the cover in the front wheel arch
(Y page 111).
High-beam headlamps (halogen
headlamps)/cornering lamps( Bi-Xenon
headlamps) Replacing bulbs
111Lights andwindshield wipers Z

The driver must always be alert, observe all
traffic and intercede as required by means of
steering or braking the vehicle. G
WARNING
The DISTRONIC PLUS should not be used in
snowy or icy road conditions.
Cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend The ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect
vehicles when cornering is limited. Your
vehicle may brake unexpectedly or late.
Vehicles traveling on adifferent line DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect vehicles
traveling on a different line. The distance to
the vehicle in fron twill be too short. Other vehicles changing lane DISTRONIC PLUS has not detected the
vehicle cutting in yet. The distance to this
vehicle will be too short.
Narrow vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS has not yet detected the
vehicle in front on the edge of the road,
because of its narrow width
.The distance to
the vehicle in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for
obstacles or stationary vehicles. If, for Driving systems
167Driving and parking Z

until the arrow is white and a warning tone
sounds.
X To reverse into the parking space:
maintai nthe steering wheel angle and
reverse carefully.
X Stop as soon as you hear a warning tone,
The vehicle has reached the position in
which you need to countersteer.
The Please steer to the left or
Please steer to the right message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Countersteering: while the vehicle is
stationary, turn the steering wheel in the
specified direction until the arrow is white
and a warning tone sounds.
X To reverse into the parking space:
maintain the steering wheel angle and
reverse carefully.
X Stop as soon as you hear a warning tone,
at the latest when PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone.
The Parking Guidance finished message appears in the multifunction
display and a warning tone sounds. You
may be asked to steer in a different
direction and then change gear. In this
case, further displays in the multifunction
display will direct you to the final position.
X Maneuver if necessary.
X Always observe the warning messages
displayed by PARKTRONIC (Y page 171).
Canceling Parking Guidance X
Press the PARKTRONIC button on the
center console (Y page 172).
Parking Guidance is canceled immediately
and PARKTRONIC is deactivated.
Parking Guidance is canceled automatically if
it is no longer possible to guide you into the
parking space, or if a malfunction occurs.
The parking space symbol goes out and a
warning tone sounds. The ParkingGuidance Canceled message appears in the
multifunction display. ATTENTION ASSIST
Important safety notes ATTENTION ASSIST helps you during long,
monotonous journeys such as on freeways
and interstate highways. It is active in the
range between 50 mph (80 km/h) and
112 mph (180 km/h).
If ATTENTION ASSIST detects typical
indicators of fatigue or increasing lapses in
concentration on the part of the driver, it
suggests you take a break.
G
WARNING
ATTENTION ASSIST is only an aid and may
detect your tiredness or lapses in
concentration too late or not at all. It is not a
substitute for a well-rested and attentive
driver.
Fatigue may cause you to recognize
hazardous situations too late, misjudge a
situation or react more slowly.F or this
reason, make sure you feel rested before you
begin driving and during your journey. Make
sure that you take regular breaks in time,
particularly on long journeys. Otherwise, you
may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause
an accident and injure yourself and others.
ATTENTION ASSIST assesses your level of
fatigue or lapses in concentration by taking
the following criteria into account:
R your personal driving style, e.g. steering
characteristics
R driving conditions, e.g. time, driving time
The functionality of ATTENTION ASSIST is
restricted and warnings may be delayed or
not occur at all:
R if the road condition is poor, e.g. if the
surface is uneven or if there are potholes
R if there is a strong side wind
R if you have adopted a sporty driving style
with high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration 176
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Lights
i Display messages about LEDs:
This display message will only appear if all LEDs have failed. Displa
ymessages Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
0001
Check Left
Cornering
Light or
Check Right Cornering
Light The left or right-hand cornering light is defective.
X
Chec kwhether you are permitted to change the bulb yourself
(Y page 109).
or
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 0001
Check Left Low
Beam or
Check Right
Low Beam The left or right-hand low-beam headlamp is defective.
X
Check whether you are permitted to change the bulb yourself
(Y page 109).
or
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 0001
Check Rear Left
Turn
Signal or
Check Rear Right Turn
Signal The rear left-hand or rear right-hand turn signal is defective.
X
Check whether you are permitted to change the bulb yourself
(Y page 109).
or
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 0001
Check Front Left
Turn
Signal or
Check Front Right Turn
Signal The front left-hand or front right-hand turn signal is defective.
X
Check whether you are permitted to change the bulb yourself
(Y page 109).
or
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 0001
Check Left Mirror
Turn
Signal or
Check Right Mirror Turn
Signal The turn signal in the left-hand or right-hand exterior mirror is
defective.
X
Check whether you are permitted to change the bulb yourself
(Y page 109).
or
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Display messages
213On-board computer and displays Z

The maximum permissible distance which
can be driven in run-flat mode is counted from
the moment the tire pressure loss warning
appears in the multifunction display.
Do not exceed a vehicle speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h). G
WARNING
When driving in emergency mode, the driving
characteristics deteriorate, e.g. when
cornering, accelerating quickly and when
braking. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not exceed the stated maximum speed.
Avoid abrupt steering and driving maneuvers,
and driving over obstacles (curbs, potholes,
off-road). This applies in particular to a laden
vehicle.
Stop driving in emergency mode if:
R you hear banging noises.
R the vehicle starts to shake.
R you see smoke and smell rubber.
R ESP ®
is intervening constantly.
R there are tears in the sidewalls of the tire.
After driving in emergency mode, have the
wheel rims checked at a qualified specialist
workshop with regard to their further use. The
defective tire must be replaced in every case.
i When replacing one or all tires, make sure
that you only use tires marked
MOExtended. Also ensure that they are of
the specified size for the vehicle. Battery
Important safety notes
In order for the battery to achieve the
maximum possible service life, it must always
be sufficiently charged.
! Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or contact a qualified
specialist workshop for more information. Have the battery charge level checked more
frequently if you use the vehicle mainly for
short trips or if you leave it standing idle for
a lengthy period.
Only replace a battery with a battery that has
been recommended by Mercedes-Benz.
Consult a qualified specialist workshop if you
wish to leave your vehicle parked for a long
period of time.
G
WARNING
Comply with safety precautions and take
protective measures when handling batteries. Risk of explosion
Fire, naked flames and
smoking are prohibited
when handling the battery.
Avoid creating sparks.
Battery acid is caustic.
Avoid contact with the skin,
eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective
clothing, in particular
gloves, an apron and a face
mask.
Immediately rinse acid
splashes off with clean
water. Consult a doctor if
necessary.
Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's
Manual.282
BatteryBreakdown assistance

i
The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Where applicable, the tire grading
information can be found on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and maximum
tire width.
For example: Tread wear Traction Temperature
200 AA A
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Tread wear
The tread wear grade is acomparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
U.S. government course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government course as a
tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm, due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate conditions. Traction
G
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on a wet surface as
measured under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete.
Atire marked C may have poor
traction performance.
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on dry road
surfaces.
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
the freezing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum
tread depth of 000Ain(4 mm) for all four winter
tires (Y page 296) to maintai nnormal driving
characteristics in winter. Winter tires can
reduce the braking distance on snow-covered
surfaces in comparison with summer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
not covered with ice or snow. Take
appropriate care when driving.
! Avoid wheelspin. This can lead to damage
to the drive train. Temperature
G
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause
excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
The temperature grades are A(the highest),
B, and C. These represent the tire's
resistance to the generatio nofheat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade Ccorresponds to a level
of performance which all passenger car tires
must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A 308
Uniform Tire Quality Grading StandardsWheels and tires