MERCEDES-BENZ SLR 2009 R199 Workshop Manual

51 Getting started
Driving
Switching on headlamps
Low-beam headlamps
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.Exterior lamp switch1Off
2Low-beam headlamps on
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB.
The low-beam headlamps come on.High beam
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.
Combination switch1High beam
2High-beam flasher
Push combination switch in direction of
arrow1.
The high-beam headlamps and
high-beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
come on (
page 29).
For more information on headlamps, see
“Lighting” (
page 106).
Turn signals
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.Combination switch1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left
Press the combination switch up 1 or
down 2.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lampL orK in the instrument
cluster flashes (
page 29).
The combination switch resets automati-
cally after major directional changes.

52 Getting startedDrivingWindshield wipers
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.Combination switch1Single wipe
Wiping with windshield washer fluid
2Switching on windshield wipers
Switch on the ignition (
page 40).Switching on windshield wipers

Turn the combination switch in direc-
tion of arrow 2 to the desired position,
depending on the intensity of the rain.
0Windshield wipers off
IIntermittent wiping
IINormal wiper speed
IIIFast wiper speed
i
To signal minor directional changes, such as
changing lanes, press combination switch to
point of resistance only and release. The corre-
sponding turn signals will flash three times.
!
Do not operate the windshield wipers when
the windshield is dry. Dust that accumulates on
a windshield might scratch the glass and/or
damage the wiper blades when wiping occurs on
a dry windshield. If it is necessary to operate the
wipers in dry weather conditions, always operate
the windshield wipers with windshield washer
fluid (page 53).
!
If anything blocks the windshield wipers
(leaves, snow, etc.), switch them off
immediately.


For safety reasons, stop the vehicle in a safe
location, remove the SmartKey from starter
switch before attempting to remove any
blockage.


The hood must be opened (
page 250) be-
fore folding the wiper arms away from the
windshield. You could otherwise damage the
hood and/or the wiper arm.


Remove the blockage.


Turn the windshield wipers on again.If windshield wipers fail to function at all in
switch positionI,


set the combination switch to the next
highest wiper speed


have the windshield wipers checked at the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center

53 Getting started
Driving
Intermittent wiping
The intermittent wiping interval is depen-
dent on the wetness of the windshield. 
Turn the combination switch in direc-
tion of arrow 2 to positionI.
After the initial wipe, pauses between
wipes are controlled by the rain sensor.Single wipe

Press combination switch briefly in
direction of arrow1 to the resistance
point.
The windshield wipers wipe one time
without washer fluid.
Wiping with windshield washer fluid

Press combination switch in direction
of arrow1 past the resistance point.
The windshield wipers operate with
washer fluid.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system”
(
page 257).
!
Do not leave windshield wipers on an
intermittent setting when the vehicle is taken to
an automatic car wash or during windshield
cleaning. Wipers will operate in the presence of
water sprayed on the windshield, and wipers
may be damaged as a result.
!
If you have set intermittent wiping, dirt on
the surface of the rain sensor or optical effects
may cause the windshield wipers to wipe in an
undesired fashion. This could then damage the
windshield wiper blades or scratch the windows.
You should therefore switch off the windshield
wipers when weather conditions are dry.
i
Intermittent wiping is interrupted when the
vehicle is at a standstill and a front door is
opened. This protects persons getting into or out
of the vehicle from being sprayed.
Intermittent wiping will be continued when


all doors are closed and the gear selector
lever is in drive positionD or reverse gearR
or


the wiper setting is changed using the com-
bination switch
i
To prevent smears on the windshield or
noisy/chattering wiper blades, wipe with wind-
shield washer fluid every now and then even
when it is raining.

54 Getting startedDrivingProblems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.


The engine electronics may not be
operating properly.


Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.

Give very little gas.

Have the problem repaired by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.The coolant temperature is
above 248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.

Stop the vehicle as soon as possible in
a safe location and turn off the engine.
Allow engine and coolant to cool off.

Check the coolant level and add
coolant if necessary (
page 255).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:

Do not start the engine under any
circumstances.

Notify local fire and/or police
authorities.
If the extent of the damage cannot be
determined:

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call Roadside Assistance.
If no damage can be determined on the


major assemblies


fuel system


engine mount:

Start the engine in the usual manner.

55 Getting started
Parking and locking
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.
Parking brake
1Parking brake lever
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
system. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the
vehicle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury or dam-
age to the vehicle drivetrain as a result of ve-
hicle movement, before turning off the
engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Pull the parking brake lever up as many
notches as possible.


Move the gear selector lever to park
positionP.


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.


Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove.


Take the SmartKey with you and lock
vehicle when leaving.
Warning!
G
Engaging the parking brake while the vehicle
is in motion can cause the rear wheels to
lock up. You could lose control of the vehicle
and cause an accident. In addition, the
vehicle’s brake lights do not light up when
the parking brake is engaged.

56 Getting startedParking and locking
Pull parking brake lever1 up a s m a ny
notches as possible.
When the engine is running, the
warning lamp; (USA only)
or3(Canada only) in the
instrument cluster comes on.
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch
toM(
page 106).
Turning off the engine 
Place the gear selector lever in park
positionP.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.
The immobilizer is activated.
Releasing seat belts
Press the seat belt release button4
(page 46).
Allow the retractor to completely
rewind the seat belt by guiding the
latch plate.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children
could release the parking brake and/or
move the gear selector lever from park
positionP, either of which could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear se-
lector lever not fully engaged in park
positionP is dangerous. Also, when parked
on an incline, park positionP alone may not
prevent your vehicle from moving, possibly
hitting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park positionP (
page 48).
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
i
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting automatic transmission to park
positionP.
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
i
The SmartKey can only be removed from the
starter switch with the gear selector lever in park
positionP.
!
M a k e s u r e t h e s e a t b e l t r e t r a c t s f u l l y s o t h a t
the seat belt and/or latch plate cannot get
caught or pinched in the door or in the seat
mechanism. This can damage the seat belt and
impair the effectiveness of the seat belt, and/or
cause damage to the door and/or door trim
panel. Such damage is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

57 Getting started
Parking and locking
Locking

Exit the vehicle and close all doors.
Opening a door causes the door win-
dows on that side of the vehicle to
open slightly. They will return to the up
position when the door is closed.

Press the lock button‹ on the
SmartKey (
page 38).
With the hood, trunk and all doors
closed, all turn signal lamps flash three
times. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 98).
Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, make sure there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. A child’s
unsupervised access to a vehicle could
result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
Warning!
G
Only Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
722 S:
Because of the carbon fiber the footwell
could be slippery when wet. Be careful when
exiting the vehicle with wet shoe soles, you
could slip on it.!
The door windows will not open or close if
the battery is discharged or the door windows
are impeded by ice. In this case open or close
the door with increased caution. Do not attempt
to force the door opened or closed. Doing so
may damage the door seals or the side window.
i
If you hear a warning signal you have forgot-
ten to switch off the headlamps before opening
the driver’s door.
In addition the message$
Lights Are
Still On
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the headlamps.

Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Panic alarm
Driving safety systems
Performance enhancement system
Anti-theft systems

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

Seat belts (
page 72)


Child restraints (
page 76)
Additional protection potential provided by


Supplemental R
estraint S
ystem (SRS)
with


Air bags (
page 62)


Air bag control unit
(with crash sensors)


Emergency T
ensioning D
evice
(ETD) for seat belts (
page 75)


Seat belt force limiter (
page 75)


Roll barsAir bag system components with


Passenger front air bag off indicator
lamp (
page 70)


Passenger seat with O
ccupant C
lassifi-
cation S
ystem (OCS) (
page 67)
Although independent systems, their
protective functions work in conjunction
with each other.The SRS system conducts a self-test when
the ignition is switched on and in regular
intervals while the engine is running. This
facilitates detection of malfunctions. The
1indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on when the ignition is
switched on and goes out no later than a
few seconds after the engine has been
started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness if the 1indicator lamp is not
lit when the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the 1indicator lamp:


fails to go out after approximately
4 seconds after the engine was started


does not come on at all


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 314).
i
For information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and restraint
systems for infants and children, see “Children
in the vehicle” (
page 76).