key MERCEDES-BENZ SLR CLASS 2005 User Guide

57 Getting started
Parking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch
toM(
page 51).
For more information on headlamps, see
“Lighting” (
page 105).
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
positionP, either of which could result in an
accident and/or serious injury.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear se-
lector lever not fully engaged in positionP is
dangerous. Also, when parked on an incline,
positionP alone may not prevent your vehi-
cle from moving, possibly hitting people or
objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (
page 48).
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.

58 Getting startedParking and lockingTurning off the engine 
Place the gear selector lever in
positionP.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.
The immobilizer is activated.

Press the seat belt release button
(page 46).
Allow the retractor to completely
rewind the seat belt by guiding the
latch plate.

After exiting the vehicle, 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 96).
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to positionP.
On slopes, turn the front wheels to-
wards the road curb. iThe SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in positionP.
iWith the SmartKey removed and the
driver’s door open, a warning sounds if
the vehicle’s exterior lamps are not
switched off.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. Unsuper-
vised use of vehicle equipment may cause
an accident and/or serious personal injury.

62 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


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seats


Child seat recognition
As independent systems, their protective
effects work in conjunction with each
other.The 1 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on


for about four seconds when you turn
the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 1. It then goes out briefly,
comes on again and remains lit until
you start the engine or turn the
SmartKey to position 2.


for about four seconds when you turn
the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 2.


for about four seconds when you start
the engine using the start button
(page 48).
The 1 indicator lamp goes out shortly
after you start the engine. This shows that
the restraint systems are operational.A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the 1 indicator lamp


fails to go out after approximately four
seconds


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 302).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 72).

71 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!
G
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY

Seat belts can only work when used
properly. Never wear seat belts in any
other way than as described in this sec-
tion, as that could result in serious inju-
ries in case of an accident.


Each occupant should wear their seat
belt at all times, because seat belts help
reduce the likelihood of and potential
severity of injuries in accidents, includ-
ing rollovers. The integrated restraint
system includes SRS (driver airbag, pas-
senger airbag, knee airbags, head-tho-
rax airbags) and ETD (seat belt
emergency tensioning device). The sys-
tem is designed to enhance the protec-
tion offered to properly belted
occupants in certain frontal (front air-
bags, knee airbags and ETD) and side
(head-thorax airbags and ETD) impacts
which exceed preset deployment
thresholds.


Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, against your neck or off your shoul-
der. In a crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The
belt would also apply too much force to
the ribs or abdomen, which could se-
verely injure internal organs such as
your liver or spleen.


Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., as these
might cause injuries.


Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips and not across the abdo-
men. If the belt is positioned across your
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries
in a crash.


Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat
belt around a person and another per-
son or other objects.


Belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you wouldn’t have the full width
of the belt to manage impact forces. The
twisted belt against your body could
cause injuries.


Pregnant women should also use a
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible
on the hips to avoid any possible pres-
sure on the abdomen.


Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.

75 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
BabySmart
TM1
airbag deactivation
system
1PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp
Special BabySmart
TM compatible child
seats, designed for use with the
Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center, are
required for use with the BabySmart
TM air-
bag deactivation system. With the special
child seat properly installed, the passenger
front airbag and the passenger knee airbag
will not deploy.The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp1 located on the lower part of the
center console will be illuminated, except
with the SmartKey removed or in starter
switch position0.Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special
child seat installed
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2, the PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp comes on for
approximately six seconds and then goes
out.
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp should not come on or is continuous-
ly lit, the system is not functioning. You
must see an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center before seating any child on the
front passenger seat.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iThe system does not deactivate the
head-thorax airbag and the emergency
tensioning device.

78 Safety and SecurityPanic alarmAn audible alarm and flashing exterior
lamps will operate for approximately
3 minutes.
1ÂbuttonActivating
Press and hold button1 for at least
one second.
Deactivating
Press button1 again.
or

Insert SmartKey in starter switch.
iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired
operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.
iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interfer-
ence, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.

82 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systems
For more information, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 297).
Warning!
G
Never switch off the ESP when you see the
ABS/ESP warning lamp v fla s hi n g in th e
instrument cluster. In this case proceed as
follows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.


While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP cannot prevent accidents resulting
from excessive speed.
Warning!
G
The ESP cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ESP equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.
!Because of the ESP’s automatic opera-
tion, the engine must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0
or1) when

the parking brake is being tested on
a brake test dynamometer


the vehicle is towed with the front
axle raised
Active braking action through the ESP
may otherwise seriously damage the
brake system.
The ESP will only function properly if
you use wheels of the recommended
tire size (
page 369).

85 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
The SBC brake system is automatically ac-
tivated when you

unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey


open the driver’s or passenger door


turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1


depress the brake pedal


release the parking brake
If there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system, we recommend that the vehicle be
transported with all wheels off the ground
using flatbed or appropriate wheel lift/dolly
equipment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
u p t o 3 0 m i l e s ( 5 0 k m ) a n d a t a s p e e d n o t t o
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For more infor-
mation, see “Towing the vehicle”
(page 357).
iIf the SBC brake system is activated as
the brake pedal is first depressed, you
may feel a reduced pedal resistance
and longer pedal travel than normal.
When releasing the pedal, you may also
feel the brake pedal pulsate and you
may hear a sound which is caused by
the activation of the SBC pump. This is
normal and not an indication of a mal-
function. Pedal travel returns to normal
when you release the brake pedal and
the sound soon ceases.
If you experience the above while driv-
ing and the red brake warning lamp
(page 298) illuminates and/or warn-
ing messages appear in the multifunc-
tion display (
page 312), the brake
system is malfunctioning. Follow the in-
structions of the warning message(s)
and have the brake system checked
immediately.
Warning!
G
Have brake pad replacement and other work
on the SBC brake system carried out by
qualified technicians only. Contact your
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion. The SBC brake system must be deacti-
vated prior to working on the system. High
pressure is intermittently built up in the sys-
tem as part of its automatic self-test. In ad-
dition, the system is automatically activated
when the vehicle is unlocked by remote con-
trol, when the driver or passenger door is
opened, when the SmartKey in the starter
switch is turned to position1, when the
brake pedal is depressed or when the park-
ing brake is released. Failure to deactivate
the system prior to maintenance will cause
brake pistons to extend and brake fluid to
leak, which may result in injuries (contu-
sions and acid burns). Extended brake
pistons may also cause injury.

86 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsThe SBC brake servo assistance switches
off automatically

approximately two minutes after you
turned the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position0 or removed the
SmartKey


approximately 20 seconds after you
locked the vehicle from outside Note on driving with SBC


Following extended periods of only mi-
nor loads to your brake system, you
should occasionally apply the brakes
when traveling at high speeds. This im-
proves the grip of the brake pads and
prevents possible brake noise.


After driving on wet or snow-covered
roads, you should apply your brakes
firmly before parking your vehicle. This
produces heat which serves to dry the
brake disks.


On long and steep grades, shift to a
lower gear (gear range1, 2, or 3) to
prevent the brakes from overheating
and to reduce brake wear.


After hard braking, it is advisable to
drive on for some time so that the air
stream will cool down the brakes fast-
er.


Only Mercedes-Benz approved compo-
nents (e.g. brake pads) should be in-
stalled on your vehicle. Brake pads not
approved by Mercedes-Benz may im-
pair the safety of your vehicle.
Warning!
G
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking
maneuvers.

90 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systemsImmobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating
Removing the SmartKey from the starter
switch activates the immobilizer.
Deactivating
Inserting the SmartKey in the starter
switch deactivates the immobilizer.
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens

a door


the trunk lid


the hood


a storage compartment in the rear


the storage compartment under the
armrest
is opened.The alarm system will also be triggered
when


someone attempts to raise the vehicle


someone opens a door from the inside
if the vehicle was locked from the out-
side with the SmartKey


someone opens the trunk lid with the
emergency release button
iIn case the engine cannot be started
(yet the vehicle’s battery is charged),
the system is not operational. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA), or 1-888-881-6611 (in Canada).
iThe alarm will stay on, even if the acti-
vating element (a door, for example) is
immediately closed.
If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response
Center is initiated automatically by the
Tele Aid system (
page 215) provided
Tele Aid service was subscribed to and
properly activated, and that necessary
cellular service and GPS coverage are
available.