2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG radio

Contents
Retractable hardtop........................... 159
Opening and closing the retractable
hardtop ........................................ 159
Driving systems ................................. 168
Cruise control .............................. 168
Distronic* .................................... 171
Active Body Control (ABC) ........... 183
Parktronic system* ...................... 186
Useful features .................................. 190
Interior storage spaces ................ 190
Ashtray......................................... 196
Cigarette lighter ........................... 197
Heated steering wheel* (Canada
only–model SL 500) ..................... 197
Easy-Pack load assist in the trunk 198
Electrical outlet ............................ 199
Telephone* .................................. 199
Tele Aid ........................................ 200
Garage door opener ..................... 208Operation......................................... 213
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 214
Driving instructions............................ 215
Drive sensibly – save fuel............. 215
Drinking and driving ..................... 215Pedals ........................................... 215
Power assistance .......................... 216
Brakes........................................... 216
Driving off ..................................... 218
Parking.......................................... 218
Tires .............................................. 219
Hydroplaning................................. 219
Tire traction .................................. 220
Tire speed rating ........................... 220
Winter driving instructions ............ 221
Standing water.............................. 222
Passenger compartment ............... 222
Driving abroad .............................. 222
Control and operation of radio trans-
mitters .......................................... 222
Catalytic converter........................ 223
Emission control ........................... 224
Coolant temperature..................... 224
At the gas station ............................... 225
Check regularly and before a
long trip ........................................ 226Engine compartment .......................... 227
Hood ............................................. 227
Engine oil ...................................... 228
Transmission fluid level ................ 230
Oil level in the ABC system ........... 230
Coolant ......................................... 230
Battery .......................................... 232
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system ........... 233
Tires and wheels ................................ 234
Important guidelines ..................... 234
Life of tires ................................... 235
Direction of rotation ..................... 235
Checking tire inflation pressure .... 235
Rotating wheels ............................ 238
Winter driving ..................................... 239
Winter tires ................................... 239
Block heater (Canada only) ........... 240
Snow chains ................................. 240
Maintenance ...................................... 241
Clearing the service indicator ....... 241
Service term exceeded ................. 241
Calling up the service indicator .... 242
Resetting the service indicator ..... 242
Vehicle care ....................................... 243
Cleaning and care of the vehicle ... 243

41 Getting started
Driving
Starting difficulties
If the engine does not start as described,
carry out the following steps:
If you are starting the engine with the
key: Turn key in starter to position0
and repeat starting procedure.

If you are starting the engine with
KEYLESS-GO: Close any doors that
may be open to allow for better detec-
tion of the card.
Or:
Start the engine with the key as radio
signals from another source may be in-
terfering with the KEYLESS-GO card.

Repeat the starting procedure
(page 39). Remember that extended
starting attempts can drain the battery.

Get a jump start (
page 323).
If the engine does not start after several
starting attempts, there could be a mal-
function in the engine electronics or in the
fuel supply system.

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Parking brake
1Parking brake
2Release handle

Release the parking brake by pulling on
handle2.
The indicator lamp
;
(USA only) or
3
(Canada only) in the
speedometer goes out.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle always remove the
key from the starter switch, take the KEY-
LESS-GO card (if so equipped) with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Children could release the
parking brake, which could result in an acci-
dent and/or serious injury.

111 Controls in detail
Control system
Multifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display
and the settings in the control system are
controlled by the buttons on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel (
page 20).Pressing any of the buttons on the multi-
function steering wheel will alter what is
shown in the multifunction display.
The information available in the multifunc-
tion display is arranged in menus, each
containing a number of functions or sub-
menus.
The individual functions are then found
within the relevant menu (radio or CD op-
erations under
AUDIO
, for example). These
functions serve to call up relevant informa-
tion or to customize the settings for your
vehicle.
It is helpful to think of the menus, and the
functions within each menu, as being ar-
ranged in a circular pattern.


If you press button
è
or
ÿ
re-
peatedly, you will pass through each
menu one after the other.


If you press button
k
or
j
re-
peatedly, you will pass through each
function display, one after the other, in
the current menu.
1
Left multifunction display in the
speedometer
2
Right multifunction display in the
tachometerOperating the control system
3
Selecting the submenu or setting
the volumeç
down / to decrease
æ
up / to increase
4
Telephone*í
to take a call
ì
to end a call
5
Menu systemsè
for next menu
ÿ
for previous menu
6
Moving within a menuj
for next display
k
for previous display

114 Controls in detailControl systemMenus, submenus and functions
Menu 1
Menu 2
Menu 3
Menu 4
Menu 5
Menu 6
Menu 7
Menu 8
Standard dis-
play
AUDIO
NAVI
Distronic*
Malfunction
memory
Settings
Trip computer
Telephone
Commands/submenusDigital speed-
ometer
Select radio
station
Activate
route guid-
ance
Call up set-
tings
Call up malfunc-
tion messages
Reset to factory
settings
Fuel consump-
tion statistics af-
ter start
Load phone
book
Call up FSS
Operate CD
player
Instrument clus-
ter submenu
Fuel consump-
tion statistics
since the last re-
set
Search for
name in
phone book
Check tire
pressure*
Lighting sub-
menu
Call up range
Check engine
oil level
Vehicle sub-
menuConvenience
submenu

115 Controls in detail
Control system
Standard display menu
You can select the functions in the stan-
dard display menu with button
k
or
j
.
The following functions are available:
Display digital speedometer

Press button
j
once.
The current vehicle speed is shown in
the right display field.
AUDIO menu
The functions in the
AUDIO
menu operate
the audio equipment which you currently
have turned on.
If no audio equipment is currently turned
on the message
AUDIO off
is shown in the
right display.
The following functions are available:
iThe headings used in the menus table
are designed to facilitate navigation
within the system and are not neces-
sarily identical to those shown in the
control system displays.
The first function displayed in each
menu will automatically show you
which part of the system you are in.
Function
Page
Call up digital speedometer
115
Call up FSS
242
Check tire pressure*
236
Check engine oil level
228
Function
Page
Select radio station
116
Operate CD player
116

116 Controls in detailControl systemSelect radio station
Turn on the radio. Refer to the separate
operating instructions.

Press button
è
or
ÿ
repeatedly
until you see the currently tuned sta-
tion in the right display.
1Station frequency
2Waveband setting
3Setting for station selection using
memory

Press button
k
or
j
repeatedly
until the desired station is found.
The type of search depends on the set-
ting for the station tuning
(
page 128):


Memory: the next stored station is
selected (SP)


Station searchOperate the CD player

Turn on the radio and select the CD
player. Refer to the separate operating
instructions.

Press button
è
or
ÿ
repeatedly
until the settings for the CD currently
being played are shown in the right dis-
play field.
1Current track
2Current CD (for CD changer)

Press button
k
or
j
repeatedly
until the desired track is selected.
iYou can only store new stations using
the designated feature on the radio.
Refer to the separate operating instruc-
tions.
You can also operate the radio in the
usual manner.

121 Controls in detail
Control system
The table below shows what settings can
be changed within the various menus. De-
tailed instructions on making individual
settings can be found on the following pag-
es.Instrument cluster
Lighting
Vehicle
Convenience
Select time display mode
Set daytime running
lamp mode (USA only)
Set station selection
mode (radio)
Activate easy-entry/exit
feature
Select temperature dis-
play mode
Set locator lighting
Set automatic locking
Set key dependency
Select speedometer dis-
play mode
Exterior lamps delayed
switch-off
Tire pressure display*
Set parking position for
exterior rear view mirror
Select language
Interior lighting delayed
switch-off

127 Controls in detail
Control system
Interior lighting delayed switch-off
Use this function to set whether and for
how long you would like the interior light-
ing to remain lit during darkness after the
key is removed from the starter switch. 
Move the selection marker with button æ
or
ç
to the
Lighting
sub-
menu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see this message in the left
display:
Int. lighting delayed
switch-off
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Press
æ
or
ç
to select the de-
sired lamp-on time period. You can se-
lect:


0 s
, the delayed switch-off feature
is deactivated


5 s
, 10 s
, 15 s
or
20 s
, the delayed
switch-off feature is activated.Vehicle submenu
Access the
Vehicle
submenu via the
Set-
tings
menu. Use the
Vehicle
submenu to
make general vehicle settings. The follow-
ing functions are available:
Function
Page
Set station selection mode
(radio)
128
Set automatic locking
128
Tire pressure display*
129