MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG ROADSTER 2014 Owners Manual

!
Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature. The
operating temperature has been reached
when the engine oil temperature display in
the on-board computer's AMG menu no
longer flashes.
Only shift into reverse gear when the
vehicle is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
! During a cold start with low engine oil
temperatures (below 32 ‡) (0 †), the
maximum engine speed is restricted in
order to protect the engine. To protect the
engine and maintain smooth engine
operation, avoid driving at full throttle when
the engine is cold. Key positions
KEYLESS-GO start function You can switch the engine on and off with the
Start/Stop button. For this, the SmartKey
must be inside the vehicle. The Start/Stop
button is located in the center console and is
illuminated when the vehicle is unlocked.
Pressing the Start/Stop button several times
in succession corresponds to the different
key positions in the ignition lock. This is only
the case if you are not depressing the brake
pedal.
If you depress the brake pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts
immediately.
If there is a SmartKey in the ignition lock, this
takes precedence over the KEYLESS-GO start
function. X
Position 0: if Start/Stop button :has not
yet been pressed, this corresponds to the
SmartKey being removed from the ignition.
X Position 1: press Start/Stop button :.
You can now activate the windshield
wipers, for example.
If you press Start/Stop button :twice when
in this position and the driver's door is open,
the power supply is deactivated again.
X Position 2(ignition): press Start/Stop
button :twice.
The power supply is switched off again if:
R you press Start/Stop button :once when
in this position
R the driver's door is open
SmartKey You can also start the vehicle with the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
The ignition lock is located in the rear
stowage space of the center console. Driving
119Driving and parking Z

g
To remove the SmartKey
1 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
2 Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
3 To start the engine
i The SmartKey can be turned in the
ignition lock even if it is not the correct
SmartKey for the vehicle. The ignition is not
switched on. The engine cannot be started. Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R Start the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces
without sufficient ventilation. i
Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
Starting procedure with the Start/Stop
button i
The Start/Stop button can be used to
start the vehicle without inserting the
SmartKey into the ignition lock. You merely
need to carry the SmartKey on your person.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Press the Start/Stop button once
(Y page 119).
The engine starts.
Starting procedure with the SmartKey If the Start/Stop button is inoperative, you
can also start the vehicle using the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
X
Turn the SmartKey to position 3in the
ignition lock (Y page 119) and release it as
soon as the engine is running. Pulling away
AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports
transmission G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position, if:
R the engine is running and
R you depress the brake pedal
Only then is the parking lock released. If the
brake pedal is not depressed, the E-SELECT 120
DrivingDriving and parking

lever can still be moved but the parking lock
remains engaged.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Use the E-SELECT lever to shift the
transmission to position Dor R.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake is automatically
released (Y page 133).
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down. The automatic door lock can
also be deactivated (Roadster only).
Hill start assist Hill start assist will aid you when pulling away
on a hill. It holds the vehicle for a short time
after you have removed your foot from the
brake pedal. This gives you enough time to
move your foot from the brake pedal to the
accelerator pedal and depress it before the
vehicle begins to roll. G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no
longer brake your vehicle and it could roll
away. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist is not active if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or on
a downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.R
the vehicle is secured with the electric
parking brake.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports
transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
Observe the "Important safety notes" section
on activating/deactivating ESP ®
(Y page 56). E-SELECT selector lever
Overview of transmission positions j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
! If the engine speed is too high or if the
vehicle is rolling, do not shift the
transmission directly from Dto R, from R
to Dor directly to P.
Do not open the driver's door while the
vehicle is in motion. At low speeds in AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission
121Driving and parking Z

transmission position
Dor R, park position
P is otherwise engaged automatically.
The transmission could be damaged.
i The E-SELECT lever always returns to its
original position.
The current transmission position P,R, N
or Dappears in the transmission position
display in the multifunction display.
If you wish to select a transmission position
or to disengage park position P, the engine
must be running.
Engaging park position P
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Press the Pbutton in the center console.
i Park position Pis disengaged if you:
R depress the brake pedal and
R push the E-SELECT lever forwards or
back to the first point of resistance
The transmission shifts to neutral N.
To shift directly from Pto R:
X Depress the brake pedal and push the
E-SELECT lever forwards past the first
point of resistance.
To shift directly from Pto D:
X Depress the brake pedal and push the
E-SELECT lever back past the first
point of resistance.
Engaging park position P automatically
Park position is engaged automatically in the
following circumstances:
R if you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open the driver's or front-
passenger door.
R if you remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock.
R if you open the door while traveling at low
speed in transmission position Dor R. Shifting to neutral N
X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the E-SELECT lever forwards or back
to the first point of resistance.
i If you move the E-SELECT lever to N
before switching off the engine, the
transmission remains in Nfor
approximately 30 minutes. If you open the
driver's or front-passenger door during this
period, the transmission automatically
shifts to P.
The transmission remains in Nif:
R the SmartKey is in the ignition lock and
R you use the E-SELECT lever to shift the
transmission to Nbefore switching the
engine off
This still applies if you open the driver's or
front-passenger door.
Further information is available in the "Car
wash" section (Y page 223).
Engaging reverse gear R
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the E-SELECT lever forward past the
first point of resistance.
Shifting to transmission position D
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the E-SELECT lever back past the first
point of resistance. 122
AMG SPEE
DSHIFT DCT 7-speed spor ts transmissionDriving and parking

Transmission position and drive
program display
Display in transmission positions P, R
and N :
Transmission position: currently selected
transmission position is displayed in
inverted colors
; Drive program (C/S/S+/M)
In addition to drive program ;being shown
in the multifunction display, the currently
selected drive program is indicated in red on
the drive program selector switch.
Display when in transmission position
D :
Transmission position
; Gear
= Drive program (C/S/S+)
If you have restricted the shift range, the
transmission position and the selected shift
range, e.g. D3, are shown at position :.Display when in transmission position
D and manual drive program M :
Gear
; Drive program Transmission positions
B
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position
Punless the vehicle is
stationary. The parking lock should
not be used as a brake when
parking. Always apply the
electronic parking brake in
addition to the parking lock in order
to secure the vehicle.
In the event of a malfunction of the
vehicle's electronics, the
transmission may lock in position
P.
Have the vehicle electronics
checked at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center,
immediately. C
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. AMG SPEEDSHIFT
DCT 7-speed sports transmission
123Driving and parking Z

A
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it.
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. The transmission
could otherwise be damaged.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to
position Nif the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads. 7
Drive
The transmission shifts into drive
programs (C/S/S+) automatically.
All forward gears are available.
Changing gear
The transmission shifts into individual gears
automatically. This is determined by:
R drive position D
R the selected drive program (C/S /S+)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
R a shift range restriction, if selected
The shift points primarily depend on:
R the position of the accelerator pedal
Little throttle: early upshifts; high throttle:
late upshifts
R the driving dynamics
A dynamic driving style with high
longitudinal and lateral acceleration delays
the shift points to higher engine speeds. Driving tips
Double-clutch function When shifting down, the double-clutch
function is active regardless of the currently
selected drive program. The double-clutch function reduces the load change reaction on
the drive axle. The sound generated by the
double-clutch function and its characteristics
depend on the drive program selected.
Kickdown
i
Kickdown is not available in manual drive
program M.
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X In the automatic drive programs, depress
the accelerator pedal beyond the pressure
point.
Depending on the selected drive program,
the transmission shifts to the lowest gear
permissible to give optimal acceleration. Drive program selector
With the drive program selector switch, you
can choose from a range of different
transmission configurations or select the
RACE START drive mode. Drive
program Characteristic
C
Controlled
Efficiency Comfort-oriented,
optimum-economy engine
and transmission settings S
Sport Sporty engine and
transmission settings
S+
SportPlus Extremely sporty engine
and transmission settings 124
AMG SPEE
DSHIFT DCT 7-speed spor ts transmissionDriving and parking

Drive
program Characteristic
M
Manual Manual gear shifting
Driving mode
RS
RACE
START Optimal vehicle
acceleration from a
standstill
X
Turn drive program selector switch :until
the desired drive program is shown in the
multifunction display.
i In addition to the drive program being
shown in the multifunction display, the
currently selected drive program is
indicated in red on the drive program
selector switch.
i RScannot be selected during normal
driving. For further information on RACE
START, see (Y page 125). Steering wheel paddle shifters
In transmission position D, you can use the
steering wheel paddle shifters to restrict or
derestrict the transmission shift range. One
of the automatic drive programs C,Sand S
+ must be selected in order to do so.
In manual drive program M, you need to
change gear yourself using the steering wheel
paddle shifters. The transmission shifts down
automatically at low engine speeds.
i In manual drive program M, the
transmission shift and response times are
significantly shorter with sportier and more
aggressive gear changes. :
Left steering wheel paddle shifter
(DOWN): shift down/restrict shift range
; Right steering wheel paddle shifter (UP):
shift up/derestrict shift range RACE START
RACE START enables optimal acceleration
from a standing start under suitable high-grip
road surface conditions.
RACE START is intended solely for activation
on dedicated race circuits.
Conditions for activation You can activate RACE START if:
R
the doors are closed.
R the engine is running and the engine and
transmission are at operating temperature.
(Y page 161)
R SPORT handling mode is switched on.
(Y page 56)
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position.
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake
pedal is depressed (left foot).
R the transmission is set to D. AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission
125Driving and parking Z

Activating RACE START
X
Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Turn the drive program selector switch
clockwise (Y page 124) until the RS
indicator on the switch lights up in red.
The multifunction display shows the
message RACE START
RACE START Confirm: Paddle Confirm: Paddle
UP
UP Cancel: Paddle DOWN
Cancel: Paddle DOWN.
i If the conditions for activation are not
fulfilled, RACE START is canceled. The
RACE START Not Possible
RACE START Not Possible message
appears in the multifunction display.
X To cancel: pull the left-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter (DOWN) (Y page 125).
The multifunction display shows the RACE
RACE
START Canceled START Canceled message.
X To confirm: pull the right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (UP) ( Ypage 125).
The RACE START Available Depress
RACE START Available Depress
gas pedal
gas pedal message appears in the
multifunction display.
i If you do not depress the accelerator
pedal within a few seconds, RACE START is
canceled. The multifunction display shows
the RACE START Canceled
RACE START Canceled message.
X Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed is increased.
The RACE START Release brake to
RACE START Release brake to
start start message appears in the
multifunction display.
i If you do not release the brake pedal
within a few seconds, RACE START is
canceled. The multifunction display shows
the RACE START Canceled
RACE START Canceled message.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal while
keeping the accelerator pedal fully
depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum
acceleration.
The RACE
RACE START START Active
Active message appears
in the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 30 mph (50 km/h). Drive program
S+is activated.
SPORT handling mode remains switched on.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if
you release the accelerator pedal during
RACE START or if any of the activation
conditions are no longer fulfilled. The RACE
RACE
START Not Possible START Not Possible orRACE START
RACE START
Canceled
Canceled message appears in the
multifunction display.
i If RACE START is used repeatedly within
a short period of time, it is only available
again after the vehicle has been driven a
certain distance. Automatic drive program
Drive program Cis characterized by the
following:
R comfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the transmission shifting up sooner
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
R the transmission shifting up sooner; This
results in the vehicle being driven at lower
engine speeds and the wheels being less
likely to spin
Drive programs Sand S+are characterized
by the following:
R sporty engine and transmission settings
R the transmission shifting up later and
shifting down dynamically
R as a result of the later transmission
upshifts, the fuel consumption may be
higher
R if a period of dynamic driving is followed by
an extended phase with a constant
accelerator pedal position, the vehicle 126
AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports trans
missionDriving and parking

shifts up to a higher gear. This optimizes
fuel consumption
If a gentle driving style is adopted in
automatic drive programs C/S/S+, the drive
program settings are adjusted to optimize
fuel consumption. Depending on the
operating conditions, the transmission shifts
to a higher gear. Shift ranges
Introduction In certain driving situations, it is
recommended that you restrict the shift
range. The set shift range appears in the
instrument cluster's multifunction display
(Y page 123). The transmission only shifts to
the gear displayed in the instrument cluster.
When the maximum engine speed is reached,
the transmission shifts up a gear in the
automatic programs C/S/S+. Gear
restriction is correspondingly increased by
one gear. Driving situation
=
The braking effect of the engine can
be utilized in this position
5
You can use the braking effect of
the engine on downhill gradients
and for driving:
R
on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 4
To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches Derestricting the shift range/shifting
up
X
Pull the right steering wheel paddle (UP).
The shift range is derestricted. If you are
driving in manual drive program M, the
transmission shifts up to the next gear.
Restricting the shift range/shifting
down X
Pull the left steering wheel paddle (DOWN).
The transmission shifts down one gear and
restricts the shift range to this gear.
If the engine speed in manual drive
program Mis too high, it is not possible to
shift down. If you pull the left-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (DOWN)
(Y page 128), the two red segments in the
instrument cluster flash.
Clearing the shift range restriction X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (UP) until the number for the gear
disappears from the multifunction display.
or
X Use the E-SELECT lever to shift the
transmission to position D.
The transmission shifts from the current
shift range directly to D.
Selecting the ideal shift range X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter repeatedly until the function is
activated.
Depending on the selected drive program,
the transmission shifts to a gear which
allows ideal acceleration and deceleration.
To do this, the transmission shifts down
one or more gears. Manual drive program
i In manual drive program M, the
transmission shift and response times are AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission
127Driving and parking Z

significantly shorter with sportier and more
aggressive gear changes.
In manual drive program M, you need to
change gear yourself using the steering wheel
paddle shifters (Y page 125). The
transmission only shifts down automatically
at low engine speeds depending on the
respective gear.
! In manual drive program M, the
transmission does not shift up
automatically even when the engine
limiting speed for the current gear is
reached. When the engine limiting speed is
reached, the fuel supply is cut to prevent
the engine from overrevving. Always make
sure that the engine speed does not reach
the red area of the tachometer and observe
the upshift indicator. There is otherwise a
risk of engine damage.
X To activate the manual drive program:
turn the drive program selector switch until
M appears in the instrument cluster's
multifunction display.
M lights up in red on the drive program
selector switch.
X To deactivate the manual drive
program: turn the drive program selector
switch and select another drive program.
Upshift indicator The upshift indicator is a four-stage display
designed to assist you in sporty driving. The upshift indicator allows you to recognize
the ideal shift point for dynamic acceleration. White segments
:and yellow segment ;
light up in succession from left to right.
When red segments =light up and the "up"
message appears in the multifunction
display, the ideal shift point has been
reached:
X Shift up using the right-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter (UP) as quickly as possible.
The vehicle shifts up to the next gear.
i If you continue to increase the engine
speed without shifting up in time, the fuel
supply is shut off to protect the engine. This
results in abruptly reduced acceleration.
Display for downshift override You cannot shift down with the left steering
wheel paddle shifter if the engine speed is too
high due to a downshift. If you then pull the
left steering wheel paddle shifter, both red
segments
=light up briefly. AMG button (SETUP)
With the AMG button, you can call up and
store a default drive program setting and the
default suspension tuning. 128
AMG button (SETUP)Driving and parking