MERCEDES-BENZ SLR 2009 R199 Owner's Manual

301 Operation
Vehicle care
If you intend to park your vehicle for an
extended period of time, observe the fol-
lowing:

Park the vehicle with closed, dry soft
top.


When parking in confined areas, make
sure that the soft top remains dry and
ensure good ventilation.


When parking the vehicle in the open,
place a suitable cover over the soft top.Cleaning the soft top
In case of light soiling, cleaning the soft top
dry or spray or clean with water should be
sufficient.
If necessary, clean the soft top with water
and a soft brush. Always brush from the
front to the rear along the grain of the
fabric.
In case of heavy soiling or stains, clean the
soft top with suitable soft top cleaner and
a soft brush. Always brush from the front
to the rear along the grain of the fabric.
!
Do not clean the soft top with:


gasoline or benzine


thinner


tar or stain remover


other organic solvents
!
Do not choose final hot-wax conservation
when taking the vehicle to an automatic car
wash.
i
As it has a two-tone design, the soft top con-
sists of a special fabric. The appearance of the
fabric may change after opening and closing the
soft top several times. A change in fabric color or
bright lines along the soft top folds may be no-
ticed. The genuine appearance will be restored
when you clean the soft top with water
(
page 301) and then let it dry using a heat
source, insolation for example.

Practical hintsWhat to do if ...
Where will I find ...?
Unlocking in an emergency
Replacing SmartKey batteries
Replacing bulbs
Replacing wiper blades
Flat tire
Batteries
Towing the vehicle
Fuses

304 Practical hintsWhat to do if ...Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during the bulb self-check when switching on the
ignition, have the respective bulb checked
and replaced if necessary.Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solutions
v
The yellow ABS/ESP
® warn-
ing lamp comes on while the
engine is running.
Risk of accident!
The ESP
® has been switched off.
When the ESP
® is switched off it will not
stabilize the vehicle if the system recog-
nizes that the vehicle starts to skid or that
a wheel is spinning.

Switch the ESP
® back on (
page 87).
Exceptions: (
page 86).

If leaving the ESP
® switched off, adapt your
speed and driving to the prevailing road and
weather conditions.
If the ESP
® cannot be switched on:

Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Risk of accident!
The ESP
® is not operational due to a
malfunction.

Read and observe additional messages in
the multifunction display (
page 319).

Continue driving with added caution.

Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.

Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.

305 Practical hints
What to do if ...
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solutions
v
The yellow ABS/ESP
® warn-
ing lamp flashes while
driving.
Risk of accident!
The ESP
®, ABS, 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 prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.

Do not deactivate ESP
®.
Exceptions: (
page 86).
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.

306 Practical hintsWhat to do if ...Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solutions
-
The yellow ABS indicator
lamp comes on while the
engine is running.
Risk of accident!
The ABS has detected a malfunction and
has switched off. The BAS and the ESP
®
are also switched off.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning,
other systems such as the automatic
transmission may also be malfunctioning.
The electro-hydraulic brake system is still
functioning normally but without ABS
available.

Continue driving with added caution. Wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing
steering capability.

Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.

Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display (
page 319).
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts. The ABS has switched off.
The battery may not be charged
sufficiently.
When the voltage is above this value again, the
ABS is operational again and the ABS indicator
lamp should go out.
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out:
Have the generator (alternator) and the
battery checked.

307 Practical hints
What to do if ...
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solutions
3
(Canada only)
;
(USA only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and
you hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the parking brake set.

Release the parking brake (
page 49).
3
(Canada only)
;
(USA only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while the engine is
running and you hear a
warning sound.
Risk of accident!

There is a malfunction in the
electro-hydraulic brake system.


There is insufficient brake fluid in the
reservoir.

Carefully stop the vehicle in a safe location
or as soon as it is safe to do so and contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Do
not add brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.

Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display (
page 319).
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Do not add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system.
Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can re-
sult in spilling brake fluid on hot engine
parts and the brake fluid catching fire. You
can be seriously burned.!
If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark or
below, have the brake system checked for brake
pad thickness and leaks.

308 Practical hintsWhat to do if ...Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solutions
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunc-
tion indicator lamp comes on
while the engine is running.
There is a malfunction in:

The fuel injection system


The ignition system


The emission control system


Systems which effect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive
emissions values and may switch the
engine to its limp-home (emergency
operation) mode.

Have the vehicle checked as soon as possi-
ble by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is used by
the service station to link the vehicle to the
shop diagnostics system. It allows the accu-
rate identification of system malfunctions
through the readout of diagnostic trouble
codes. It is located in the front left area of
the footwell next to the parking brake pedal.
i
Some states may by law require you to visit
a workshop as soon as the engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on. Check local require-
ments.

309 Practical hints
What to do if ...
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.
The fuel filler cap is not closed tightly.

Check the fuel filler cap (
page 247).
If it is not closed properly:

Close the fuel filler cap.
If it is closed properly:

Have the fuel system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
i
Some states may by law require you to visit
a workshop immediately as soon as the engine
malfunction indicator lamp comes on. Check
local requirements.

310 Practical hintsWhat to do if ...
During severe operating conditions, e.g.
stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tempera-
ture may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
D
The red coolant temperature
warning lamp comes on while
the engine is running.
There is insufficient coolant in the reservoir.

Immediately add coolant to prevent en-
gine from overheating (
page 255).
If this warning lamp comes on frequently,
there is a leak in the cooling system.

Have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If the coolant level is correct, the electric
radiator fan may be broken.

If the coolant temperature is below
248°F (120°C), you can continue driv-
ing to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Avoid high engine loads (e.g. driving
uphill) and stop-and-go driving.
D
The red coolant temperature
warning lamp comes on while
the engine is running and you
hear a warning sound.
The coolant temperature has exceeded
248°F (120°C).

Stop as soon as possible in a safe loca-
tion and allow the engine and coolant
to cool down.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some fluids which may have leaked
into the engine compartment to catch fire.
You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns which can occur just by open-
ing the engine hood. Stay away from the en-
gine if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of
the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle
until the engine has cooled down.
!
The engine should not be operated with the
coolant temperature above 248°F (120°C). Do-
ing so may cause serious engine damage which
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.