2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 page 96

82 Controls in detailLocking and unlocking
Checking the batteries
Press button
‹
or
Œ
.
The battery check lamp5 lights up
briefly to indicate that the key batteries
are in order.Unlocking the trunk lid
You can unlock the trunk separately.

Press and hold button
Š
until trunk
unlocks.
!If you can no longer lock or unlock the
vehicle with the key, then either the
batteries in the electronics are dis-
charged or the key is malfunctioning.

Check the batteries in the key
(page 82) and replace them if
necessary (
page 293).
or


Use the mechanical key to unlock
the doors (
page 290) and trunk
(
page 291) as required. Lock the
vehicle using the mechanical key
(page 292).
If the key is malfunctioning, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!If the battery check lamp5 does not
light up briefly during check then the
key batteries are discharged.

Change the batteries (
page 293).
You can obtain the required batteries
at any authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
iIf the vehicle was previously centrally
locked, the trunk lid will lock automati-
cally when closed. The turn signals will
flash three times to confirm locking.

83 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Opening the trunk lid
The handle is located in the rear license
plate recess.
1Trunk lid lock
2Handle 
Lift the trunk lid.The trunk can also be opened from the in-
side in an emergency, see Trunk lid emer-
gency release (
page 90).
Separately locking the trunk

Close the trunk lid (
page 91).

Pull the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (
page 290).

Insert the mechanical key in the trunk
lid lock.1Unlocked
2Locked

Turn the key completely to the right to
position2.
The trunk remains locked even when
the vehicle is centrally unlocked.
iThe vehicle must be unlocked.
To facilitate trunk loading and unload-
ing when the hardtop is retracted, you
can raise the hardtop from its storage
position in the trunk using the loading
aid feature (
page 198). You may also
unhook the luggage cover.
Remember to resecure the luggage
cover after loading/unloading the
trunk. Otherwise you will not be able to
lower the retractable hardtop.
iYou can only cancel the separate trunk
locking mode by means of the mechan-
ical key.

86 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingFactory setting
Global unlocking
Grasp the door handle.
The vehicle will lock again automatically
within approximately 40 seconds of un-
locking if neither door nor trunk is opened.
Global locking

Press lock button at door handle
(page 50) or trunk (
page 88).Individual setting
If you frequently travel alone, you may wish
t o r e p r o g r a m t h e K E Y L E S S - G O c a r d s o t h a t
grasping a door handle only unlocks the
driver’s door, interior lockable storage
compartments and the fuel filler flap.
1Programming button
2“Driver’s door” symbol
3“Global unlock” symbol

Press and hold the programming
button1 until the “Driver’s door”
symbol2 lights up.
The KEYLESS-GO card will then func-
tion as follows:Unlocking the driver’s door

Grasp the driver’s handle.
Global unlocking

Grasp the door handle on the pas-
senger side.
Global locking

Press lock button at door handle or
trunk.
iThe vehicle could inadvertently unlock
if the KEYLESS-GO card is within 3 ft.
(1 m) of the vehicle and

the door handle is splashed with
water, or


you attempt to clean the door
handle.

87 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Restoring to factory setting
Press and hold the programming
button1 until the “Global unlock”
symbol3 lights up.Checking the batteries

Briefly press the programming
button1.
The KEYLESS-GO card batteries are in
order if the indicator lamp for either the
“Driver’s door”2 or “Global unlock”3
comes on red or green.Checking vehicle lock status
If you cannot remember whether you have
locked the vehicle, you can check the lock
status using the KEYLESS-GO card.

Briefly press the programming
button1.
The indicator lamp for the “Driver’s
door”2 or “Global unlock”3 lights up
in red or green.
Vehicle lock status:
Red Vehicle is locked
Green Vehicle is unlocked
!If you cannot lock or unlock the vehicle
with the KEYLESS-GO card, then either
the batteries of the KEYLESS-GO card
are discharged or the KEYLESS-GO
card is malfunctioning.

Check the batteries of the
KEYLESS-GO card (
page 87) and
replace them if necessary
(
page 294).
or


Use the key to unlock the doors
(page 81) and trunk (
page 82)
as required. Lock the vehicle using
the key (
page 81).
If your KEYLESS-GO card is malfunc-
tioning, contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
!If the symbols2 or3 do not light up
during the check, then the batteries of
the KEYLESS-GO card are discharged.

Change the batteries
(page 294).
You can obtain the batteries at any au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

88 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingUnlocking the trunk lid
The handle is located in the rear license
plate recess.
Pull on the handle and lift up the trunk
lid.
The vehicle unlocks the trunk lid only.Locking the vehicle
1Trunk lock button

Press the lock button at door
(page 49) or trunk.Closing the side windows

Press and hold lock button at door
(page 49) until the side windows are
closed.
iIf the vehicle was previously centrally
locked, the trunk lid will lock automati-
cally when closed. The turn signals will
flash three times to confirm locking.
To prevent a possible inadvertent lock-
out, the trunk lid will open automatical-
ly if a KEYLESS-GO card is recognized
inside the trunk.
Warning!
G
When closing the windows, be sure that
there is no danger of anyone being harmed
by the closing procedure.
If potential danger exists, proceed as fol-
lows:

Release the lock button.


Pull on the door handle and hold firmly.
The side windows will open for as long
as the door handle is held but the door
is not opened.

90 Controls in detailLocking and unlocking
Pull remote trunk lid release switch1.
The trunk unlocks. The indicator
lamp2 comes on. It remains lit until
you close the trunk again.
Trunk lid emergency release
The emergency release button is located
on the left side of the trunk.
Illumination of the emergency release but-
ton:

The button will blink for 30 minutes af-
ter opening the trunk.


The button will blink for 60 minutes af-
ter closing the trunk.

Briefly press the emergency release
button.
The trunk unlocks and the trunk lid
opens.
iTo facilitate trunk loading and unload-
ing when the hardtop is retracted, you
can raise the hardtop from its storage
position in the trunk using the loading
aid feature (
page 198). You may also
unhook the luggage cover.
Remember to resecure the luggage
cover after loading/unloading the
trunk. Otherwise you will not be able to
lower the retractable hardtop.
!The emergency release button does
not open the trunk lid if the vehicle bat-
tery is discharged or disconnected.iIf the emergency release button is
pressed and the vehicle was centrally
locked, the exterior lamps will flash and
the alarm will sound as the trunk lid
opens.
To cancel the alarm, insert the key in
the starter switch or press button
Œ

or
‹
on the key.

91 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Closing the trunk lid
1Handle
Lower trunk lid by pulling firmly on
handle1.
Automatic central locking
The doors and the trunk lid automatically
lock when the vehicle is set into motion.
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
You can deactivate the automatic locking
using the control system (
page 128).
Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the trunk
opening when closing the trunk lid. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
iTo prevent an inadvertent lockout, do
not place the key in the trunk.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*: To pre-
vent a possible inadvertent lockout, the
trunk lid will open automatically if a
KEYLESS-GO card is recognized inside
the trunk.
When the hardtop is retracted, it must
be completely lowered in the trunk be-
fore the trunk lid can be closed
(page 199).
Warning!
G
Only drive with the trunk closed as, among
other dangers such as visibility blockage,
exhaust fumes may enter the vehicle interi-
or.
iThe doors unlock automatically after an
accident if the force of the impact ex-
ceeds a preset threshold.
The vehicle automatically locks when
the ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or
more. You could therefore lock yourself
out when the vehicle

is pushed


is on a test stand

93 Controls in detail
Seats
Seats
Information on seat adjustment can be
found in the “Getting started” section
(page 32).
Lumbar support
You can adjust the contour of the seat’s
lumbar support to best support your spine.
The thumbwheel is located on the lower
side of the seat.
1Thumb wheel
Make sure the ignition is switched on.
All the lamps in the instrument cluster
should light up.

Set the lumbar support between 0
and 5.
Multicontour backrest*
You can adjust the backrest contour of the
seat to support your spine.
The switches are located on the lower side
of the seat.
1Lumbar region support
2Shoulder region support
3Backrest side cushions
4Massage function (PULSE)
Make sure the ignition is switched on.
All the lamps in the instrument cluster
should light up.