traction control MERCEDES-BENZ SLK300 2010 R171 Owner's Manual

as specified in the “Technical data” section
of this Operator’s Manual.
i The cruise control switches off
automatically when the ESP ®
engages.
Electronic Traction System (ETS) G
Observe Safety notes, see page 48.
The ETS (Electronic Traction System) is a
component of the ESP ®
. The ETS improves
the vehicle’s ability to utilize available
traction, especially under slippery road
conditions by applying the brakes to a
spinning wheel.
When you switch off the ESP ®
, the ETS is still
enabled.
Switching off the ESP ®G
Warning!
The ESP ®
should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the
circumstances described below. Disabling
the system will reduce vehicle stability in
driving maneuvers.
Do not switch off the ESP ®
when a spare
wheel is mounted.
To improve the vehicle’s traction, switch off
the ESP ®
. This allows the drive wheels to spin
and thus cut into surfaces for better grip, for
example
R when driving with snow chains
R in deep snow
R in sand or gravel G
Warning!
Switch on the ESP ®
immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore. Otherwise the ESP ®
will not
stabilize the vehicle when it is starting to skid
or a wheel is spinning. When you switch off the ESP
®
,
R the ESP ®
does not stabilize the vehicle
R the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and thus cut
into surfaces for better grip
R the ETS will still apply the brakes to a
spinning wheel
R the ESP ®
continues to operate when you
are braking
R the cruise control cannot be activated
R the cruise control switches off if activated
i When the ESP ®
is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP ®
warning lamp d in the instrument
cluster flashes. However, the ESP ®
will
then not stabilize the vehicle. X
With the engine running, press ESP ®
switch : until the ESP ®
warning lamp
d in the instrument cluster comes on.
The ESP ®
is switched off. G
Warning!
When the ESP ®
warning lamp d is
illuminated continuously, the ESP ®
is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction. Vehicle stability in standard
driving maneuvers is reduced.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing
road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP ®
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The current program mode appears in the
multifunction display.
:
Program mode indicator
You should only change the program mode
when the automatic transmission is in park
position P.
Automatic program mode S will not be stored.
When the engine is turned off with the
automatic program mode S selected, the
automatic transmission will go to the
automatic program mode C when the engine
is restarted.
X Press the program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the letter of the desired
program mode appears in the multifunction
display.
Selecting program mode C means:
R The vehicle starts out more gentle, both
forward and reverse, except when driving
off with full throttle.
R Traction and driving stability are improved
on icy roads.
R Upshifts occur earlier even when you give
more gas. The engine then operates at
lower revolutions and the wheels are less
likely to spin.
Selecting program mode S means that
upshifts occur later. One-touch gearshifting
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D and driving in automatic program mode
C or S, you can limit or extend the gear
range using the gear selector lever or the
steering wheel gearshift control.
Vehicles with AMG Sport Package and
SLK 55 AMG: For information on using the
gear selector lever or the steering wheel
gearshift control in manual program mode
M, see “Manual shift program”
(Y page 90). Steering wheel gearshift control (example
illustration)
i
You cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift control when the automatic
transmission is in park position P, neutral
position N, or reverse gear R.
Limiting gear range G
Warning!
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
X Briefly press the gear selector lever to the
left in the D- direction.
or
X Briefly pull left gearshift control :.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next lower gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the automatic
transmission. Automatic transmission
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Audio system
Audio and telephone operation
These instructions are intended to help you
become familiar with your Mercedes-Benz
audio system. They contain useful tips and a
detailed description of the user functions. G
Warning!
In order to avoid distraction which could lead
to an accident, the driver should enter system
settings with the vehicle at a standstill and
operate the system only when road and traffic
conditions permit. Always pay full attention to
traffic conditions first before operating
system controls while driving.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately
14 m) every second. Operating safety
G
Warning!
Any alterations made to electronic
components can cause malfunctions.
The radio, amplifier, CD changer, satellite
radio, and telephone are interconnected.
When one of the components is not
operational or has not been removed/
replaced properly, the function of other
components may be impaired.
This condition might seriously impair the
operating safety of your vehicle. We recommend that you have any service
work

on electronic components carried out at
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Audio system components
With the audio system you can operate the
following main functions:
R Audio function with the radio, Satellite
radio,

disc (CD audio or MP3 mode), Audio
AUX and external audio devices
R the mobile phone with the phone book
R various system settings
In addition, the audio system can also be
operated with the multifunction steering
wheel (Y page 94).
In these instructions, the keypad (right side
of audio control unit) and the function buttons
are referred to as “buttons”.
Audio control unit With the audio control unit you can
R
switch the audio system on/off
R adjust the volume
R select the operating modes
R enter telephone numbers and accept,
reject, initiate and end telephone calls
R load and eject CDs 112
Audio system
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CD and MP3 mode
Submenu overview Menu Submenu
CD or MP3
Normal Track
Sequence
Random Tracks
Random Folders
(MP3 mode only)
AUX
Track list (Audio
CD) or Folder
(MP3)
Select track (CD
mode only)
Select folder and/or
tracks (MP3 mode
only)
CD changer or
other media
Media selection
Sound
Treble
Bass
Balance
Surround sound
i
The components and operating principles
of the audio system can be found on
(Y page 112) and ( Y page 116).
The audio system is fitted with a CD changer.
The CD changer can play audio CDs as well
as CDs with MP3 or WMA files.
The available menu options will vary
depending on the equipment and the type of
CD.
Safety precautions G
Warning!
The CD changer is classified as a Class 1 laser
product.
You must not open the casing. There
is a risk of exposure to invisible laser radiation if you open the casing, or if the casing is faulty
or damaged.
The CD changer does not contain any parts
that you are able to maintain yourself. For
safety

reasons, all maintenance work must be
carried out by qualified technicians. G
Warning!
In order to avoid distraction which could lead
to an accident, the driver should insert or
eject CDs with the vehicle at a standstill and
operate

the audio system only if permitted by
road, weather and traffic conditions.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately
14 m) every second.
General notes i
Audio CDs with copy protection are not
compatible

with the CD audio standard and
therefore may not be able to be played by
the CD changer. There may be playback
problems when playing copied discs.
There is a large variety of discs, disc-writing
software and writers available. This variety
means that there is no guarantee that the
system will be able to play discs that you
have written/copied yourself.
There may be playback problems if you use
CD-R or CD-RW type discs you have
compiled yourself with a storage capacity
of more than 700 MB. These CDs are not
compatible with currently applicable
standards.
! Do not affix stickers or labels to the CDs,
they can become warped due to the heat
that develops in the CD changer.
In certain situations, the CDs can then no
longer be ejected and cause damage to the
CD changer. Such damage is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. Audio system
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accordance with the applicable international
and national regulations.
In many countries, reproductions are not
permitted without the prior consent of the
copyright holder, not even for private use.
Make sure you know the applicable copyright
regulations and that you comply with these.
If you own these rights yourself, e.g. for your
own compositions and recordings, or the
copyright holder has granted you permission,
these restrictions do not apply.
Operating the CD changer
:
CD slot
; Load/eject button V
= Forward F
? Rewind E
The CD changer can hold up to a total of six
audio CDs.
X Switching to CD mode: Press button
h on the audio control unit.
The CD mode display appears when you
switch to CD mode. If there is a CD in one
of the magazine trays, it will start to play
automatically. The following message will
appear if no CDs are inserted. G
Warning!
In order to avoid distraction which could lead
to an accident, the driver should insert or
eject CDs with the vehicle at a standstill and
operate the audio system only if permitted by
road, weather and traffic conditions.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately
14 m) every second.
i If the audio CD is printed on one side, this
side must face upwards when loaded. If
neither side is printed, the side to be played
must face downwards.
If a CD has been inserted incorrectly or
cannot be read, Disc Unreadable
appears in the display.
Loading an individual magazine
compartment:
X Press load/eject button V.
A menu indicates which magazine
compartments are currently loaded.
X Press desired button j to p in the
keypad to select a magazine compartment.
or
X Press button = or ; to select a
magazine compartment.
The selected magazine compartment is
indicated by a red number.
X Press button 9 to confirm.
The CD changer will switch to the selected
magazine compartment. The message
Please Wait... appears in the display.
i Only insert a CD after the audio system
has prompted you to do so with the
message Please Insert Disc . Only
insert one CD per magazine compartment.
X Insert CD into CD slot.
The CD changer automatically pulls the CD
into the CD slot and places it in the selected
magazine compartment. The message 134
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Loading Disc ... appears in the
display.
i The loading process may take a while,
depending on the type of disc. If you do not
insert a disc, the display will switch back to
the CD changer menu after approximately
20 seconds.
X Press button h, or the load/eject
button V on the audio control unit to
finish the loading process.
The CD changer plays the disc if it has been
inserted correctly and is permissible.
X Interrupting loading procedure: Press
the load/eject button again.
Filling an empty magazine compartment
X Press load/eject button V.
A menu indicates which magazine
compartments are currently loaded. A red
number indicates the last magazine
compartment that has been played or
selected. X
Press button : to select the menu bar.
X Press button ; to select Fill Empty
Slots.
X Press button 9.
The message Please Insert Disc
appears in the display.
i Only insert a CD after the audio system
has prompted you to do so with the
message Please Insert Disc . Only
insert one CD per magazine compartment.
X Insert CD into CD slot.
The CD changer automatically pulls the CD
into the CD slot and places it in an empty magazine compartment. The message
Please Wait...
appears in the display. If
the CD is loaded, the CD changer will
switch to the next empty magazine
compartment. The message Please
Insert Disc appears in the display.
X Repeat the steps until all compartments
have been loaded.
X Press load/eject button V on the audio
control unit to finish the loading process.
The CD changer plays the last loaded disc
if it has been inserted correctly and is
permissible.
X Interrupting loading procedure: Press
load/eject button V again.
The loading process has not been
completed, the audio system will play the
last inserted CD.
Ejecting CDs from CD changer G
Warning!
In order to avoid distraction which could lead
to an accident, the driver should insert or
eject CDs with the vehicle at a standstill and
operate the audio system only if permitted by
road, weather and traffic conditions.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately
14 m) every second.
i If you eject a CD while another is being
played, the audio system interrupts
playback.
X Ejecting one CD: Press load/eject button
V.
The magazine menu with active main area
appears in the audio display. The magazine
compartment with the current CD is
highlighted. Audio system
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i
You can also switch the microphone on or
off by pressing button 8.
Sending DTMF tones i
This function is not possible with all
mobile phones.
Answering

machines or other devices can be
controlled via DTMF tones, e.g. for remote
query functions.
X Transmitting individual characters:
During a call select the required
characters.
or
X Press the corresponding button on the
audio control unit.
Every selected character is transmitted
immediately.
X Transmitting a phone number of a
phone book entry as a sequence of
characters: Select Name.
X Select the desired phone book entry.
The entry is transmitted immediately as a
sequence of characters.
X Switching back to call display: Select
Back. Driving systems
Introduction
The
cruise control driving system is described
on the following pages.
The driving safety systems ABS, BAS and
ESP ®
are described in the “Safety and
security” section (Y page 47). Cruise control
The cruise control maintains the speed you
set for your vehicle automatically.
The

use of the cruise control is recommended
for driving at a constant speed for extended
periods of time. The currently set speed or last set speed
(“Resume” function) appears in the status
indicator of the multifunction display:
R
USA only: e.g. CRUISE 55 Miles
R Canada only: e.g. ¯ 90 Km/h G
Warning!
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle’s speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only

use the cruise control if the road, traffic,
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on winding roads or in heavy
traffic because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid
changes in tire traction can result in wheel
spin and loss of control.
R Deactivate the cruise control when driving
in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed. G
Warning!
When the cruise control is braking, the brake
pedal is retracted (i.e. depressed
automatically). The pedals’ range of motion
must not be impeded by any obstacles:
R Do not place any objects in the footwell.
R Make sure that the floormats and carpets
are securely in place.
R Do

not rest your foot underneath the brake
pedal, as it could otherwise be trapped.
You could otherwise cause an accident and
injure yourself and/or others. Driving systems
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based on three performance factors:
treadwear
:, traction ;, and temperature
resistance =.
Although not a Government of
Canada requirement, all tires made for sale in
North America have these grades branded on
the sidewall.
i For illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and
may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
Quality grades can be found, where
applicable, on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example: Treadwear Traction Temperature
200 AA A
All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based

on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
U.S. Government test course. For example, a
tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half
(1 1
/ 2) 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.
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 wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified

government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. G
Warning!
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction will
be
substantially reduced. Under such weather
conditions, drive, steer and brake with
extreme caution.
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperature is close to the freezing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(Y page 219) with a minimum tread depth of
approximately 1
/ 6 in (4 mm) on all four wheels
for the winter season to ensure normal
balanced handling characteristics. On
packed snow, they can reduce your stopping
distance compared to summer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
not covered with snow or ice. Exercise
appropriate caution.
! Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
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 Tires and wheels
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