service indicator MERCEDES-BENZ SLR 2009 R199 Owner's Manual

Contents
Tire labeling .................................. 276
Load identification........................ 280
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN) .
281
Maximum tire load ....................... 282
Maximum tire inflation pressure... 283
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
(U.S. vehicles) .............................. 284
Tire ply material............................ 286
Tire and loading terminology ........ 286
Rotating tires................................ 289
Anti-theft wheel nuts .................... 290
Winter driving..................................... 292
Winter tires*................................. 292
Snow chains ................................. 293
Maintenance ...................................... 294
Clearing the maintenance service
indicator message ........................ 294
Maintenance service term exceeded ...
295
Calling up the maintenance service due
date .............................................. 295
Resetting the maintenance service
indicator ....................................... 296
Vehicle care ....................................... 297
Cleaning and care of the vehicle .. 297Vehicle washing ........................... 298
Soft top care ................................ 300
Practical hints.................................. 302
What to do if ... .................................. 304
Lamps in instrument cluster ........ 304
Lamp in center console ................ 317
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display .................... 319
Symbol messages ........................ 332
Where will I find ...? ........................... 356
First aid kit ................................... 356
TIREFIT kit, electric air pump, towing
eye bolt and vehicle literature portfolio
356
Unlocking in an emergency ............... 357
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 357
Replacing SmartKey batteries............ 359
Replacing bulbs ................................. 361
Front lamps .................................. 362
Rear lamps ................................... 362
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 363
Removing wiper blades ................ 363
Installing wiper blades ................. 364
Flat tire .............................................. 365Preparing the vehicle ................... 365
Sealing tires with TIREFIT ............. 365
Batteries ............................................ 370
Charging the batteries ................. 371
Towing the vehicle ............................. 373
Installing/reinstalling towing eye bolt..
375
Points to bear in mind .................. 375
Transporting the vehicle .............. 375
Fuses ................................................. 376
Technical data................................. 378
Parts service ...................................... 380
Warranty coverage ............................ 381
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet ..................... 381
Identification labels ........................... 382
Engine number ............................. 382
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 383
Engine ............................................... 384
Rims and tires ................................... 385
Mixed size tires ............................ 386
Winter tires* ................................ 388
Electrical system ............................... 390
Main dimensions ............................... 391

67 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Head-thorax air bags
1Head-thorax air bag
The head-thorax air bags are deployed:

in side impacts exceeding a preset de-
ployment threshold


on the impacted side of the vehicle


independently of the front air bags
The head-thorax air bags are not deployed
in side impacts which do not exceed the
system’s deployment threshold.
Occupant Classification System
The O
ccupant C
lassification S
ystem (OCS)
automatically turns the passenger front air
bag and passenger-side knee air bag on or
off based on the classified occupant
weight category determined by weight
sensor readings from the passenger seat.
Occupants must sit properly belted in a
position that is as upright as possible with
their back against the seat backrest and
feet on the floor to be correctly classified.
If the occupant’s weight is transferred to
another object in the vehicle (e.g. by
leaning on armrests), the OCS may not be
able to properly approximate the
occupant’s weight category. Both driver and the passenger should
always use the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp (
page 70) as an indica-
tion of whether or not the passenger is
properly positioned.
i
The system does not deactivate the
head-thorax air bag and the emergency tension-
ing device.
i
If the seat needs to be serviced in any way,
take the vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Only seat accessories approved by
Mercedes-Benz may be used.

95 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Tow-away alarm
Once the tow-away alarm is armed, a visual
and audible alarm will be triggered when
someone attempts to raise the vehicle.
Arming tow-away alarm
Lock your vehicle with the SmartKey.
The tow-away alarm is automatically
armed after about 30 seconds.Disarming tow-away alarm
To prevent triggering the tow-away alarm,
switch off the tow-away alarm feature
before towing the vehicle, or when parking
on a surface subject to movement, such as
a ferry or auto train.
The button is located on the lower part of
the center console.
1Tow-away alarm off button
2Indicator lamp

Switch off the ignition and remove the
SmartKey.

Press button 1.
Indicator lamp2 in button1 comes
on briefly.

Exit and lock your vehicle with the
SmartKey.
The tow-away alarm remains disarmed
until you lock your vehicle again.
Canceling the alarm
To cancel the alarm:

Press buttonŒ or‹ on the
SmartKey.
or

Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
i
The tow-away protection alarm is triggered,
for example, if the vehicle is lifted on one side.
If the alarm stays on for more than 30 seconds,
a call to the Response Center is initiated auto-
matically by the Tele Aid system (
page 221)
provided Tele Aid service was subscribed to and
properly activated, and that necessary cellular
service and GPS coverage are available.
i
When you unlock your vehicle, the tow-away
protection disarms automatically. The tow-away
alarm remains disarmed until you lock the
vehicle again.
i
You cannot disarm the tow-away alarm while
the ignition is switched on.

217 Controls in detail
Useful features
A voice connection between the Response
Center and the occupants of the vehicle
will be established automatically soon
after the emergency call has been initiat-
ed. The Response Center will attempt to
determine more precisely the nature of the
accident provided they can speak to an
occupant of the vehicle.Initiating an emergency call manually
1Cover
2SOS button

Briefly press on cover1.
The cover will open.

Press SOS button2 briefly.
The indicator lamp in SOS button2
will flash until the emergency call is
concluded.

Wait for a voice connection to the
Response Center.

Close cover1 after the emergency
call is concluded.
Warning!
G
If the indicator lamp in the SOS button is
flashing continuously and there was no
voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could
not initiate an emergency call (e.g. the rele-
vant cellular phone network is not available).
The message
Call Failed
appears in the
multifunction display for approximately
10 seconds.
Should this occur, assistance must be
summoned by other means.
i
The “911” emergency call system is a public
service. Using it without due cause is a criminal
offense.
Warning!
G
If you feel at any way in jeopardy when in the
vehicle (e.g. smoke or fire in the vehicle, ve-
hicle in a dangerous road location), please
do not wait for voice contact after you have
pressed the emergency button. Carefully
leave the vehicle and move to a safe loca-
tion. The Response Center will automatically
contact local emergency officials with the
vehicle’s approximate location if they re-
ceive an automatic SOS signal and cannot
make voice contact with the vehicle
occupants.

218 Controls in detailUseful featuresRoadside Assistance button •
The Roadside Assistance button• is
located in the center armrest cover.
1Roadside Assistance button•
Open the storage compartment be-
tween the backrests (
page 210).

Press and hold the button1 for longer
than 2 seconds.
A call to a Mercedes-Benz Roadside
Assistance dispatcher will be initiated.
The button• will flash while the call
is in progress. The message Connecting Call
will appear in the
multifunction display.When the connection is established, the
message
Call Connected
appears in the
multifunction display. The Tele Aid system
will transmit data generating the vehicle
identification number, model, color and lo-
cation (subject to availability of cellular
and GPS signals).
A voice connection between the Roadside
Assistance dispatcher and the occupants
of the vehicle will be established.

Describe the nature of the need for
assistance.
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
dispatcher will either dispatch a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or arrange to
tow your vehicle to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. For services such
as labor and/or towing, charges may
apply. Refer to the Roadside Assistance
Manual for more information.These programs are only available in the
USA:


Sign and Drive services: Services such
as jump start, a few gallons of fuel or
the replacement of a flat tire are
obtainable.
i
If the indicator lamp in the Roadside Assis-
tance button• is flashing continuously and
there was no voice connection to the Response
Center established, then the Tele Aid system
could not initiate a Roadside Assistance call (e.g.
the relevant cellular phone network is not avail-
able). The message
Call Failed!
appears in
the multifunction display.
Roadside Assistance calls can be terminated us-
ing the tbutton on the multifunction
steering wheel.

219 Controls in detail
Useful features
Information button ¡
The Information button¡ is located in
the center armrest cover.
1Information button¡ 
Open the center storage compartment
(page 210).

Press and hold the button1 for longer
than 2 seconds.
A call to the Customer Assistance
Center will be initiated. The button will
flash while the call is in progress. The
message
Connecting Call
will appear
in the multifunction display.When the connection is established, the
message
Call Connected
appears in the
multifunction display. The Tele Aid system
will transmit data generating the vehicle
identification number, model, color and
location (subject to availability of cellular
and GPS signals).
A voice connection between the Customer
Assistance Center representative and the
occupants of the vehicle will be estab-
lished. Information regarding the operation
of your vehicle, the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Center or Mercedes-Benz
USA products and services is available to
you.
For more details concerning the Tele Aid
system, please visit www.mbusa.com and
use your ID and password (sent to you
separately) to learn more (USA only).
i
If the indicator lamp in the Information
button¡ is flashing continuously and no
voice connection to the Response Center was
established, then the Tele Aid system could not
initiate an Information call (e.g. the relevant
cellular phone network is not available). The
message
Call Failed
appears in the
multifunction display.
Information calls can be terminated using the
tbutton on the multifunction steering
wheel.

220 Controls in detailUseful featuresCall priority
If other service calls such as a Roadside
Assistance call or Information call are
active, an Emergency call is still possible.
In this case, the Emergency call will take
priority and override all other active calls.
The indicator lamp in the respective button
flashes until the call is concluded. Emer-
gency calls can only be terminated by a Re-
sponse Center or Customer Assistance
Center representative, whereas Roadside
Assistance and Information calls can also
be terminated by pressing button
t
on
the multifunction steering wheel.Remote door unlock
In case you have locked your vehicle unin-
tentionally (e.g. SmartKey inside vehicle),
and the reserve SmartKey is not handy:

Contact the Mercedes-Benz Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA)
or 1-888-923-8367 (in Canada).
You will be asked to provide your pass-
word which you provided when you
completed the subscriber agreement.

Then return to your vehicle and pull the
trunk recessed handle for a minimum
of 20 seconds until the SOS button is
flashing.
The message
Connecting Call
ap-
pears in the multifunction display.
As an alternative, you may unlock the vehi-
cle via Internet in the “My Tele Aid” section
of “Owner’s Online”, using the ID and pass-
word (USA only).
The Response Center will then unlock your
vehicle with the remote door unlocking
feature.
i
When a Tele Aid call has been initiated, the
audio system is muted and the selected mode
(radio or CD) pauses. The mobile phone (if con-
nected) switches off. If you must use this phone,
we recommend that you use it only with the ve-
hicle at a standstill in a safe location. The multi-
function display in the instrument cluster is
available for use. After the Tele Aid call has end-
ed, the optional mobile phone switches on again.
A PIN entry might be necessary.
i
The remote door unlock feature is available
if the relevant cellular phone network is
available.
The SOS button will flash and the message
Connecting Call
will appear in the multifunc-
tion display to indicate receipt of the door unlock
command.
Once the vehicle is unlocked, a Response Center
specialist may attempt to establish voice contact
with the vehicle occupants.
If the trunk recessed handle was pulled for more
than 20 seconds before door unlock authoriza-
tion was received by the Response Center, you
must wait 15 minutes before pulling the trunk
recessed handle again.

261 Operation
Tires and wheels
Life of tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
varying factors including but not limited to:

Driving style


Tire inflation pressure


Distance driven
Tread depth
Do not allow your tires to wear down too
far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are
sharply reduced at tread depths of less
than 1/8in (3 mm).
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), at which
point the tire is considered worn and
should be replaced.
Recommended minimum tire tread depth:


Summer tires
1/8in (3 mm)


Winter tires
1/6in (4 mm)
1TWI (T
read W
ear I
ndicator)
The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
Warning!
G
Tires should be replaced after 6 years,
regardless of the remaining tread.
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor safety
laws consider a tire to be worn when the
treadwear indicators (TWI) become visible at
approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), we recom-
mend that you do not allow your tires to
wear down to that level. As tread depth
approaches
1/8in (3 mm), the adhesion
properties on a wet road are sharply
reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.

294 OperationMaintenanceIn order to maintain the performance and
safety of your vehicle, we strongly recom-
mend that you have your vehicle serviced
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center,
every 12 months, even if the vehicle has
covered less than 10 000 miles
(15 000 km) in that time.
The maintenance service indicator will
notify you when the next maintenance ser-
vice is due within the next 12 months or
10 000 miles (15 000 km), whichever
comes sooner.Before the next maintenance service is
due, one of the following messages will ap-
pear in the right multifunction display while
you are driving or when you switch on the
ignition:
Service In .. Days
Service In .. Miles

When the maintenance service is due, the
following message appears in the multi-
function display:
Service Due Now
Clearing the maintenance service indicator message
The maintenance service indicator mes-
sage is automatically cleared after 30 sec-
onds when you switch on the ignition. You
can also clear it yourself.
1Reset button
Press reset button 1.
The maintenance service indicator
message is cleared and the standard
display appears in the multifunction
display (
page 117).
!
Failure to have the vehicle maintained in ac-
cordance with the Maintenance Booklet and
maintenance service indicator at the designated
times/mileage will result in vehicle damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!
Excessive load on the brake system causes
increased wear of brake pads and brake disks. If
the brake pads have to be replaced multiple
times within one maintenance service interval,
the brake disks must be checked. Observe the
information given in the Maintenance Booklet
and contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

295 Operation
Maintenance
Maintenance service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested main-
tenance service term, you will see the fol-
lowing message in the right multifunction
display:Service Exceeded By .. Days
Service Exceeded By .. MilesAny authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
reset the maintenance service indicator
following a completed maintenance
service.Calling up the maintenance service due
date
Switch on the ignition (
page 40).

Press buttonè orÿ on the
multifunction steering wheel repeated-
ly until the standard display appears in
the multifunction display (
page 117).

Press button k or j on the
multifunction steering wheel until the
maintenance service indicator service
symbol 9 appears in the left multi-
function display and the maintenance
service deadline appears in the right
multifunction display.
i
If the vehicle is not be used for a longer pe-
riod of time, do not disconnect the consumer
battery. Instead, maintain the condition of the
battery by using the battery charger approved by
Mercedes-Benz for use on the SLR and supplied
with the car (
page 372). This charger automat-
ically controls the charge rate, and can be left
connected to the car for long periods without
damage to the battery.
If the battery supplying the vehicle’s electrical
consumers is disconnected, the days of discon-
nection will not be included in the count shown
by the maintenance service indicator. To arrive
at the true maintenance service deadline, you
will need to subtract these days from the days
shown in the maintenance service indicator.
Do not confuse the maintenance service indica-
tor with the engine oil level indicator:.