traction control MERCEDES-BENZ SLK55AMG 2007 R171 Owner's Manual

Contents
Loading .............................................. 251
Roof rack ...................................... 251
Useful features .................................. 252
Storage compartments................. 252
Shelf behind roll bars ................... 254
Cup holder.................................... 254
Ashtray ......................................... 255
Cigarette lighter ........................... 256
Power outlet ................................. 257
Floormat (driver’s side only) ......... 257
Telephone*................................... 258
Tele Aid* ...................................... 261
Garage door opener* ................... 270
Heated steering wheel*
(SLK 280, SLK 350, Canada only) 276
Operation......................................... 277
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km)......... 278
Driving instructions............................ 279
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 279
Drinking and driving ..................... 279
Pedals .......................................... 279
Power assistance ......................... 280
Brakes .......................................... 280
Driving off .................................... 282
Parking ......................................... 282
Tires ............................................. 283
Hydroplaning ................................ 284
Tire traction.................................. 284
Tire speed rating .......................... 285
Winter driving instructions ........... 286
Standing water ............................. 287
Passenger compartment .............. 287
Driving abroad.............................. 287
Control and operation of radio
transmitter ................................... 287
Catalytic converter ....................... 288
Emission control .......................... 289
Coolant temperature .................... 289At the gas station .............................. 291
Refueling ...................................... 291
Check regularly and before a
long trip ....................................... 292
Engine compartment ......................... 294
Hood ............................................ 294
Engine oil ..................................... 296
Transmission fluid level* .............. 300
Coolant level ................................ 300
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*......... 302
Battery ......................................... 303
Tires and wheels................................ 304
Important guidelines .................... 304
Tire care and maintenance........... 305
Direction of rotation..................... 307
Loading the vehicle ...................... 307
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 312
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 314
MOExtended system* .................. 317
Tire labeling ................................. 318
Load identification ....................... 322

88 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Electronic traction system
The electronic traction system is a
component of ESP
®.
The electronic traction system 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
electronic traction system is still enabled.Switching off the ESP
®
To improve the vehicle’s traction, turn off
the ESP® in driving situations where it
would be advantageous to have the drive
wheels spin and thus cut into surfaces for
better grip such as:

when driving with snow chains

in deep snow

in sand or gravelWhen you switch off the ESP
®

the ESP® does not stabilize the vehicle

the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for a better grip

the traction control will still apply the
brakes to a spinning wheel

the ESP® continues to operate when
you are braking

you cannot activate the cruise control

the cruise control switches off if
currently activated
Warning!G
If you are driving too fast, the electronic
traction system cannot reduce the risk of an
accident.
The electronic traction system cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting
on the vehicle.
Warning!G
The ESP® should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.
Do not switch off the ESP
® when a spare
wheel is mounted.
Warning!G
Switch on the ESP® immediately if the afore-
mentioned circumstances do not apply any-
more. Otherwise the ESP
® will not stabilize
the vehicle when it is starting to skid or a
wheel is spinning.

162 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission*
Press program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the letter of the
desired program mode appears in the
multifunction display.
SelectCfor comfort driving:

The vehicle starts out in second
gear (both forward and reverse) for
gentler starts. This does not apply if
full throttle is applied or gear
range1 is selected.

Traction and driving stability are
improved on icy roads.

Upshifts occur earlier even when
you give more gas. The engine then
operates at lower rpms and the
wheels are less likely to spin.
SelectSfor standard driving:

The vehicle starts out in first gear.

Upshifts occur later.Gear selector lever one-touch
gearshifting
With the gear selector lever in drive posi-
tion D and driving in program modeC orS,
you can limit or extend the gear range.
If your vehicle is equipped with manual
shift programM, you can use the gear
selector lever to manually shift the gears.
The following instructions describe opera-
tion of the gear selector lever when driving
in the automatic program modeC orS.Limiting gear range
Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the left in theD-direction.
The transmission will shift to the next
lower gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the transmis-
sion (
page 160).
iFor information on using the gear selector
lever in program modeM, see “Manual shift
program*” (
page 165).
!Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
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.
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when down-
shifting, the transmission will not shift to a lower
gear if the engine’s max. speed would be
exceeded.

193 Controls in detail
Audio system
Audio system
Audio and telephone*, operation
These instructions are intended to help
you become familiar with your
Mercedes-Benz audio system. They con-
tain useful tips and a detailed description
of the user functions.Operating safety
Warning!G
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.Warning!G
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 opera-
tional 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
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

209 Controls in detail
Audio system
General notes
The system may not be able to play audio
CDs with copy protection.
Playing copied CDs may cause
malfunctions during playback.Should excessively high or low tempera-
tures occur while in CD changer mode*,
CD TEMP will appear in the display, and the
CD will be muted until the temperature has
reached an acceptable level for the system
to continue operation.
The single CD player and the CD changer*
play audio CDs.
Warning!G
In order to avoid distraction which could
lead to an accident, the driver should insert
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.
iThe audio system plays both CD-Rs and
CD-RWs with audio data.
!If you affix stickers to the CDs, they can be-
come warped due to the heat that develops in
the CD drive or CD changer.
In certain situations, the CDs can then no longer
be ejected and cause damage to the drive. Such
damage is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
!Your CD drive or CD changer has been
designed to play CDs which correspond to the
EN 60908 standard. You can therefore only use
CDs with a maximum thickness of 1.3 mm.
If you insert thicker data carriers, e.g. ones that
have data on both sides (one side with DVD data,
the other side with audio data), they cannot be
ejected and will damage the drive.
!Do not use CDs with an 8 cm diameter, not
even with a CD adapter. Attempting to play CDs
with an 8 cm diameter or playing such CDs with
an adapter may cause damage to the CD drive.
Such damage is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

247 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving system of your vehicle is
described on the following pages:

Cruise control, with which the vehicle
can maintain a preset speed.
The BAS, ABS and ESP
® driving systems
are described in the “Safety and Security”
section (
page 84).
Cruise control
The cruise control automatically maintains
the speed you set for your vehicle.
Use of cruise control is recommended for
driving at a constant speed for extended
periods of time.
You can set or resume cruise control at any
speed over 20 mph (30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
The cruise control lever is the uppermost
lever on the left-hand side of the steering
column (
page 24).
Warning!G
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must remain at
all times responsible for the vehicle 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 steady speed.

The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.

The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in
tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.

Deactivate the cruise control when driv-
ing in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.

284 Operation
Driving instructions
For more information, see “Tires and
wheels” (
page 304).
Hydroplaning
Depending on the depth of the water layer
on the road, hydroplaning may occur, even
at low speeds and with new tires. Reduce
vehicle speed, avoid track grooves in the
road and apply brakes cautiously in the
rain.
Tire traction
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
temperatures are close to the freezing
point.Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(
page 332) 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 as compared with sum-
mer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still consid-
erably greater than when the road is not
covered with snow or ice. Exercise appro-
priate caution.
Warning!G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high
speed with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.
Warning!G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake
with extreme 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.

326 Operation
Tires and wheels
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, 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
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades rep-
resent 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 perfor-
mance.Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and ex-
cessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds 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 represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Warning!G
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.

350 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
vThe yellow ESP® warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.The ESP® has been switched off
with the ESP® switch or has been
switched off due to a malfunction.
Risk of accident!
When the ESP
® is switched off, it
will not stabilize the vehicle if the
system recognizes that the vehicle
starts to skid or that a wheel is
spinning.
The cruise control is deactivated
and cannot be switched on.
Switch the ESP® back on (page 89).
Exceptions: (
page 86).
If leaving the ESP® switched off, adapt your
speed and driving to the prevailing road,
weather and traffic conditions.
If the ESP
® cannot be switched back on:
Continue driving with added caution.
Observe additional messages that may appear
in the multifunction display (
page 359).
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
The yellow ESP® warning lamp
flashes when the engine is running.The ESP® or traction control has
come into operation because of
detected traction loss in at least
one tire.
The cruise control is deactivated.When driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
While driving, ease up on the accelerator.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing
road and weather conditions.
Do not deactivate the ESP®.
Exceptions: (
page 86).
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.

455 Index
Delayed shut-off
Exterior lamps 144
Interior lighting 145
Department of Transportation see DOT
Difficulties
Wile driving 58
With starting the engine 52
Digital speedometer 128
Dimensions, Vehicle 441
Dipstick see Oil dipstick
Direction of rotation (Tires) 307
Display text see Messages in the
multifunction display
Displays
Digital speedometer 128
Maintenance service indicator 334
Multifunction display 121
Outside temperature 128
Symbol messages 366
Text messages 358
Vehicle status message memory 135
Vehicle status messages 356Distance to empty (range), Trip
computer 149
Door
Control panel 34
Entry lamps 117
Locking in an emergency 388
Locking/unlocking, SmartKey 94
Opening from inside 99
Remote door unlock, Tele Aid* 269
Unlocking in an emergency 387
DOT 328
Drink holder see Cup holder
Drinking and driving 279
Driver’s air bag see Air bagsDriving 53
Abroad 287
Accelerator position 159
Automatic transmission* 53
Driving off 282
Fuel saving 279
Hydroplaning 284
In winter 286
Instructions 48, 279
Kickdown 159
Manual transmission 53
Standing water 287
Tires 283
Driving safety systems 84
ABS 84
BAS 86
Electronic traction system 88
ESP
®86
Driving systems
Cruise control 247
Driving tips 159