ESP MERCEDES-BENZ SLR CLASS 2007 User Guide

57 Getting started
Parking and locking
Locking
Exit the vehicle and close all doors.
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).
!Make sure the seat belt retracts fully so that
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.
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
722 Edition:
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.
iIf you hear a warning signal you have forgot-
ten to switch off the headlamps before opening
the driver’s door.
In addition the message$
Turn off lamps
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the headlamps.

63 Safety and Security
Occupant safety

Adjust the passenger seat as far as pos-
sible rearward from the dashboard when
the seat is occupied.

Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their
heads in the area of the door where the
head-thorax air bag inflates. This could
result in serious injuries or death should
the air bag be deployed. Always sit as
upright as possible, properly use the
seat belts and an appropriately sized in-
fant, or toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can
result in severe injuries to you or other
occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that
you make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator’s Manual.
Warning!G
There is a possibility of a head-thorax air bag
related injury if occupants, especially chil-
dren, are not properly seated or restrained
when next to a head-thorax air bag which
needs to deploy rapidly in a side impact in
order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their
heads in the area of the door where the
head-thorax air bag inflates. This could
result in serious injuries or death should
the head-thorax air bag be deployed.
(2) Always sit as upright as possible, prop-
erly use the seat belts, and for children
12 years old or under, use an appropri-
ately sized infant, or toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the size
and weight of the child.
(3) Always wear seat belts properly.
If you believe that, even with the use of
these guidelines, it would be safer for your
passenger seat occupants to have the pas-
senger head-thorax air bag deactivated,
then deactivation can be accomplished
upon your written request to do so at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center at an
additional cost.
Please contact your local authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call our Customer
Assistance Center (in the USA) at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service (in Canada) at
1-800-387-0100 for details.

77 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door where the
head-thorax air bag inflates. This could
result in serious personal injuries or death
should the head-thorax air bag be triggered.
Always sit nearly upright, properly use the
seat belt and use an appropriately sized in-
fant or toddler restraint or booster seat rec-
ommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when you place a
child in the passenger seat:

Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to turn off the pas-
senger front air bag and the passenger
knee air bag in your vehicle when the
OCS senses the weight of a typical
12-month-old child or less along with
the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the passenger seat.

A child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology
installed in your vehicle.

If you install a rear-facing child restraint
on the passenger seat, make sure that
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the
passenger front air bag and the passen-
ger knee air bag are deactivated. Should
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp not illuminate or go out while the
restraint is installed, please check in-
stallation. Periodically check the PAS-
SENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
while driving to make sure the PASSEN-
GER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is
illuminated. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp goes out or remains
out, do not transport a child on the pas-
senger seat until the system has been
repaired. A child in a rear-facing child
restraint on the passenger seat will be
seriously injured or even killed if the
passenger front air bag and/or the
passenger knee air bag inflate.

If you place a child in a forward-facing
child restraint on the passenger seat,
move the seat as far back as possible,
use the proper child restraint recom-
mended for the age, size and weight of
the child, and secure child restraint with
the vehicle’s seat belt according to the
child seat manufacturer’s instructions.
For children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the passenger front
air bag may or may not be activated
(
page 68).

81 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (Antilock Brake System)

BAS (Brake Assist System)

ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)

Electro-hydraulic brake system
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will
respond even to light brake pressure.
The -indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on (
page 29) when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
Warning!G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns

Wet and slippery road surfaces

Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS, ESP
®, and the electro-hy-
draulic brake system cannot reduce this
risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
iIn winter operation, the maximum effective-
ness of the ABS, the BAS, the ESP®, and the
electro-hydraulic brake system is only achieved
with winter tires (
page 290) or snow chains as
required.
Warning!G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

82 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Braking
If the ABS activates during braking, the
ABS/ESP
® warning lamp v in the in-
strument cluster dial flashes. Because of
the electro-hydraulic brake system, you
will not feel any pulsation in the brake
pedal.
Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.The ABS/ESP
® warning lamp v flashes
whenever the ABS is activated which can
be an indication of hazardous road condi-
tions and functions as a reminder to take
extra care while driving.
Emergency brake maneuver
Keep continuous, full pressure on the
brake pedal.
For more information, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 302).
Warning!G
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the BAS
and the ESP® are also switched off. The ba-
sic driving and braking functions are still
available.
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing
steering capability and extending the
braking distance.
Warning!G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency be-
yond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction. The
ABS cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, following another vehicle too closely,
or hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ABS 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.

83 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
BAS
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the
brakes very quickly, the BAS automatically
provides full brake boost, thereby poten-
tially reducing the braking distance.
Apply continuous full braking pressure
until the emergency braking situation is
over.
The ABS will prevent the wheels from
locking.
When you release the brake pedal the
brakes function again as normal. The BAS
is then deactivated.
ESP®
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) is
operational as soon as the engine is run-
ning and monitors the vehicle’s traction
(force of adhesive friction between the
tires and the road surface) and handling.
The ESP
® recognizes when a wheel is
spinning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By
applying brakes to the appropriate wheel
and by limiting the engine output, the ESP
®
works to stabilize the vehicle. The ESP® is
especially useful while driving off and on
wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP
®
also stabilizes the vehicle during braking
and steering maneuvers.
The ABS/ESP
® warning lamp v in the
instrument cluster (
page 29) flashes
when the ESP® is engaged.
The ABS/ESP
® warning lamp v in the
instrument (
page 28) cluster comes on
when you switch on the ignition. It goes out
when the engine is running.
Warning!G
If the BAS is malfunctioning, the brake sys-
tem is still functioning normally, but without
the additional brake boost available that
BAS would normally provide in an emergen-
cy braking maneuver. Therefore, the braking
distance may increase.
Warning!G
BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking efficiency beyond that af-
forded by the condition of the vehicle brakes
and tires or the traction. The BAS cannot
prevent accidents, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, following an-
other vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents. The capabilities of a BAS
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.

84 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 300).
Warning!G
Never switch off the ESP® when you see the
ABS/ESP® warning lamp v flashing in
the instrument cluster. In this case proceed
as follows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.

While driving, ease up on the
accelerator.

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 the ESP® operates automatically,
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
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
The ESP
® will only function properly if you use
wheels of the recommended tire size
(
page 381).

85 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Electronic traction system
The electronic traction system is a compo-
nent of ESP
®.
The electronic traction system improves
the vehicle’s ability to utilize available trac-
tion, especially under slippery road condi-
tions by applying the brakes to a spinning
wheel.
When you switch off the ESP
®, the elec-
tronic 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 better grip

the electronic traction system will still
apply the brakes to a spinning wheel

the ESP® continues to operate when
you are braking
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
standard driving maneuvers.
Warning!G
Switch on the ESP® immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore. Otherwise the ESP
® will not stabi-
lize the vehicle when it is starting to skid or
a wheel is spinning.
iWhen the ESP® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ABS/ESP®
warning lampv in the instrument cluster
flashes. However, the ESP
® will then not
stabilize the vehicle.

86 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
The switch is located on the lower part of
the center console.
1ESP
® switch
Press ESP® switch1.
The ABS/ESP
® warning lampv in
the instrument cluster comes on.
The ESP
® is deactivated.
Switching on the ESP®
Press ESP® switch1.
The ABS/ESP
® warning lampv in
the instrument cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode with the ESP
® switched on.
Electro-hydraulic brake system
The electro-hydraulic brake system com-
bines a hydraulic brake circuit with elec-
tronically controlled brake servo
assistance. You have increased braking
safety and improved braking comfort.
Warning!G
When the ABS/ESP® warning lampv is
illuminated continuously, the ESP® is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction. Vehicle stability in standard
driving maneuvers reduces.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP
®.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an ex-
tended period with the ESP® switched off. This
may cause serious damage to the drivetrain
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
Never ignore a brake malfunction indicated
in the speedometer display, for example by
the ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada only)
indicator lamp. Refer to the “Practical hints”
section (
page 303). Also read and ob-
serve the messages in the instrument
cluster multifunction display (
page 329).

89 Safety and Security
Performance enhancement system
Performance enhancement system
Airbrake
The Airbrake enhances the vehicle’s driv-
ing stability. It adapts the aerodynamics of
the vehicle to the driving conditions ac-
cording to the speed and the mode set.
This is achieved using a moveable spoiler.
The Airbrake is located at the rear edge of
the trunk lid.
Warning!G
When operating the Airbrake, make sure
there is no danger of anyone being harmed
by the Airbrake operation (i.e. raising and
lowering of flap). Be especially careful when
small children are around.
Warning!G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns

Wet and slippery road surfaces

Following another vehicle too closely
The Airbrake cannot reduce this risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
iIn winter operation, the maximum effective-
ness of the Airbrake is only achieved with winter
tires (M + S tires) or snow chains as required.