2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 Ac on off switch

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 7
Product information ................................ 7
Operator’s Manual .................................. 8
Service and warranty information ..... 8
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles ............. 9
Maintenance .................................. 10
Roadside Assistance ...................... 10
Change of address or ownership.... 10
Operating your vehicle outside the USA
or Canada ...................................... 11
Where to find it .................................... 12
Symbols ............................................... 13
Operating safety .................................. 14
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 14
Problems with your vehicle .................. 15
Reporting safety defects...................... 16
Reporting safety defects ................ 16At a glance......................................... 17
Cockpit ................................................ 18
Instrument cluster ............................... 20
Multifunction steering wheel ............... 22Center console ..................................... 23
Upper part ...................................... 23
Lower part ...................................... 24
Overhead control panel ........................ 25
Door control panel................................ 26
Getting started................................... 27
Unlocking ............................................. 28
Unlocking with the SmartKey.......... 28
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO* ......... 30
Adjusting .............................................. 32
Seats............................................... 32
Steering wheel ................................ 34
Mirrors ............................................ 35
Driving .................................................. 37
Fastening the seat belts.................. 37
Starting the engine ......................... 39
Switching on headlamps ................. 43
Turn signals and high beam ............ 43
Windshield wipers ........................... 44
Problems while driving .................... 45
Parking and locking .............................. 47
Parking brake.................................. 47
Switching off headlamps................. 48
Turning off engine with the key ....... 48Turning off engine with
KEYLESS-GO* ................................ 49
Emergency engine shut-down ......... 50
Safety and Security........................... 51
Occupant safety ................................... 52
Airbags ........................................... 53
Seat belts ....................................... 58
Roll bar ........................................... 61
Children in the vehicle .................... 62
Panic alarm .......................................... 67
Activating........................................ 67
Deactivating.................................... 67
Driving safety systems ......................... 68
ABS ................................................. 68
BAS ................................................. 69
ESP ................................................. 70
SBC brake system .......................... 72
Anti-theft systems ................................ 75
Immobilizer ..................................... 75
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 75
Tow-away alarm .............................. 77

23 At a glance
Center console
Center console
Upper part
Item
Page
1
Central locking switch
92
2
Hazard warning flasher
on/off switch
105
3
Central unlocking switch
92
4
Center and side air vent
adjustment
147
5
COMAND system, see
separate operating in-
structions
113
6
Automatic climate control
149
7
Right cup holder
190
8
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button
30
9
Ashtray
Cigarette lighter
196
197
10
Left cup holder
190

24 At a glanceCenter consoleLower part
Item
Page
1
Parking assist (Parktronic
system)* deactivation
switch
186
2
Active Body Control (ABC)
switch
183
3
Tow-away alarm switch
77
4
Hardtop open/close con-
trol with buttons for roll bar
159
61
5
Exterior rear view mirror
adjustment
35
Item
Page
6
Vehicle level control switch
184
7
ESP control switch
71
8
Thumbwheel for setting
distance for Distronic*
179
9
Distance warning func-
tion* on/off switch
179
10
Program mode selector for
automatic transmission
141
11
Selector lever for
automatic transmission
137

31 Getting started
Unlocking
Position 1
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton once.
Power supply for some electrical con-
sumers, such as seat adjustment.Ignition (or Position 2)

Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton twice.
Power supply for all electrical consum-
ers. All the lights in the instrument
cluster light up.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 84).
For information on starting the engine us-
ing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button,
see Starting with KEYLESS-GO
(
page 40).
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button twice, the power
supply is again switched off.
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button once, the power sup-
ply is again switched off.

40 Getting startedDrivingStarting with the SmartKey
Turn the key in the starter switch to
position3 and hold until the engine
starts (
page 29).

Depress the brake pedal.
The selector lever lock is released.
For information on turning off the engine
with the key, see “Turning off engine with
the key” (
page 48).Starting with KEYLESS-GO*
You can start your vehicle without a key
using the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
on the gear selector lever.
1KEYLESS-GO start/stop button

Depress the brake pedal during the
starting procedure. Do not depress ac-
celerator.
The selector lever lock is released.

Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button1 once.
The engine starts automatically.
For information on turning off the engine
with KEYLESS-GO, see “Turning off engine
with KEYLESS-GO*” (
page 49).
iYou can also use the “touch-start”
function. Turn the key to position3 and
release it again immediately. The en-
gine then starts automatically.

43 Getting started
Driving
Switching on headlampsExterior lamp switch1Off
2Low beam headlamps on
Turn the switch to
B
.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (page 102).
Turn signals and high beam
The combination switch is on the left of the
steering column.Combination switch1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left
Press the combination switch up1 or
down2.High beam

Push the combination switch forward.
The high beam symbol
A
in the
tachometer lights up.
iTo signal minor directional changes,
move combination switch to point of
resistance only and release. The turn
signal blinks three times.

44 Getting startedDrivingWindshield wipers
The combination switch is on the left of the
steering column.Combination switch1Single wipe
2Switching on windshield wipers
Make sure that the ignition is switched
on.Switching on windshield wipers

Turn the combination switch to the de-
sired position depending on the inten-
sity of the rain.
0 Windshield wipers off
I Intermittent wiping (interval depen-
dent on wetness of windshield)
IINormal wiper speed
IIIFast wiper speed (Canada only:
goes to setting II when the car is
standing still)
Single wipe

Press switch briefly in the direction of
arrow1.
The windshield wipers wipe one time
without washer fluid.
iThe intermittent wiping interval is de-
pendent on wetness of windshield.
Wiping will not occur with a door open.
!Do not leave windshield wipers in inter-
mittent setting when vehicle is taken to
an automatic car wash or during wind-
shield cleaning. Wipers will operate in
the presence of water sprayed on the
windshield, and wipers may be dam-
aged as a result.
The switch should not be left in inter-
mittent setting as the wipers will wipe
the windshield once every time the en-
gine is started. Dust that accumulates
on the windshield might scratch the
glass when wiping occurs on a dry
windshield.

45 Getting started
Driving
Wiping with windshield washer fluid
Push switch in the direction of arrow1
past the resistance point.
The windshield wiper operates with
washer fluid.
Information on filling up the washer reser-
voir can be found in the "Operation" sec-
tion (page 233).
Problems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.


The engine electronics may not be op-
erating properly.


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

Give very little gas.

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

Stop the vehicle as soon as possible
and turn off the engine. Allow engine
and coolant to cool.

Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 230).
!If leaves, snow, etc. block the wind-
shield wipers, the wiper motor turns
off.

For safety reasons, withdraw key
from starter switch. Remove block-
age.


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.