2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK CLASS parking brake

96 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission*Gear selector lever position
Effect
P
Park position
Selector position when the vehicle
is parked. Only place selector lever
in positionP when vehicle is
stopped. The park position is not in-
tended to serve as a brake when
the vehicle is parked. Rather, the
driver should always set the park-
ing brake in addition to placing the
selector lever in positionP to se-
cure the vehicle.
The key can only be removed from
the steering lock with the selector
lever in positionP. With the key re-
moved the selector lever is locked
in positionP.
Effect
R
Reverse gear
Place selector lever in positionR only
when vehicle is stopped.
N
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the en-
gine to the drive axle. When the
brakes are released, the vehicle can
be moved freely (pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the transmission,
never engageN while driving.
If the ESP is deactivated or malfunc-
tioning:
Only move selector lever toN if the
vehicle is in danger of skidding (e.g.
on icy roads).
D
Drive
The transmission shifts automatical-
ly. All five forward gears are avail-
able.
!Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any
other reason with selector lever inN
can result in transmission damage that
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the selector
lever not fully engaged in positionP is dan-
gerous. Also, positionP alone is not intend-
ed to or capable of preventing your vehicle
from moving, possibly hitting people or ob-
jects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (
page 47).
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.

131 Controls in detail
Retractable hardtop
Opening the retractable hardtopRetractable hardtop switchBefore pulling on the retractable hardtop
switch, you must ensure that:

the parking brake is engaged
(page 47)


the luggage cover is closed, see lug-
gage cover


the trunk lid is closed


the ignition is switched on (key in steer-
ing lock position2)

Pull the retractable hardtop switch as
indicated by the arrow until the retract-
able hardtop is completely lowered into
its trunk storage compartment and the
indicator lamp in the retractable hard-
top switch goes out.
If you continuously pull on the retract-
able hardtop switch or release and pull
it again within approximately
30 seconds, the door windows will
close.
However, the door windows can also be
closed/opened later on.

Pull on the retractable hardtop switch
twice forward/backward. Pull on the
switch only briefly the first time. The
second time, pull on the switch until
the door windows have reached the de-
sired height.
The rear quarter windows cannot be raised
with the retractable hardtop lowered.
iFor safety reasons, the retractable
hardtop cannot be opened while driv-
ing.
Be sure that the retractable hardtop is
dry before you open it. Otherwise water
may enter the trunk interior.!If the indicator lamp in the retractable
hardtop switch blinks slowly, a mal-
function has occurred in the system.
If the indicator lamp in the retractable
hardtop switch blinks rapidly, the trunk
lid and/or luggage cover may be open
and need to be closed.Warning!
G
To prevent possible accidents, drive the ve-
hicle only with the retractable hardtop either
completely closed and locked, or fully low-
ered into its storage compartment.

132 Controls in detailRetractable hardtopPrior to cleaning the rear window, read and
observe the instructions in the “Operation”
section (
page 190).Closing the retractable hardtop
Retractable hardtop switchBefore pushing on the retractable hardtop
switch, you must ensure that:

the parking brake is engaged
(page 47)


the luggage cover is closed, see lug-
gage cover


the trunk lid is closed


the ignition is switched on (key in steer-
ing lock position2)

Push the retractable hardtop switch as
indicated by the arrow until the retract-
able hardtop is completely closed and
locked and the indicator lamp in the re-
tractable hardtop switch goes out.
If you continuously push on the retract-
able hardtop switch or release and
push it again within approximately
30 seconds, the door windows will
close.
However, the door windows can also be
closed/opened later on.

Pull on the retractable hardtop switch
twice forward/backward. Pull on the
switch only briefly the first time. The
second time, pull on the switch until
the door windows have reached the de-
sired height.
!Do not manually move corner flaps or
rear shelf. Doing so will result in dam-
age to the retractable hardtop folding
mechanism that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
iFor safety reasons, the retractable
hardtop cannot be closed while driving.

142 Controls in detailUseful featuresAshtray
1Cover plate
Opening ashtray
Briefly touch cover plate1.
The ashtray opens automatically.Removing ashtray insert

Secure vehicle from movement by
setting the parking brake. Move the
selector lever to positionP (manual
transmission: in first gear).

Pull ashtray past detent.

Hold left and right side2 of ashtray
insert and pull up.Reinstalling the ashtray insert

Place the ashtray insert into the
ashtray frame.

Push the ashtray insert down until it
engages.
Coin holder

Open the ashtray.

Pull at the top of cover plate1 and fold
it under3.
Warning!
G
Remove front ashtray only with vehicle
standing still. Set the parking brake to se-
cure vehicle from movement. Move gear
selector lever to positionP (manual trans-
mission: in first gear). With gear selector le-
ver in positionP (manual transmission: in
first gear) turn off the engine.

160 OperationDriving instructionsPower assistanceBrakesTo help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet road surfaces (particularly
salted roads), it is advisable to brake the
vehicle with considerable force prior to
parking. The heat generated serves to dry
the brakes.
If your brake system is normally only sub-
jected to moderate loads, you should occa-
sionally test the effectiveness of the
brakes by applying above-normal braking
pressure at higher speeds. This will also
enhance the grip of the brake pads.Warning!
G
When the engine is not running, the brake
and steering systems are without power as-
sistance. Under these circumstances, a
much greater effort is necessary to stop or
steer the vehicle.Warning!
G
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components,
the first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may
be necessary to obtain expected braking ef-
fect. Maintain a safe distance from vehicles
in front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their effec-
tiveness. It may not be possible to stop the
vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an acci-
dent.
!Be very careful not to endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Refer to the description of the Brake
Assist System (BAS) (
page 68).
If the parking brake is released and the
brake warning lamp in the instrument
cluster stays on, the brake fluid level in
the reservoir is too low.
Brake pad wear or a leak in the system
may be the reason for low brake fluid in
the reservoir.
Have the brake system inspected at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center im-
mediately.

161 Operation
Driving instructions
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive
on for some time, rather than immediately
parking, so that the air stream will cool
down the brakes faster.Driving off
Apply the brakes to test them briefly after
driving off. Perform this procedure only
when the road is clear of other traffic.
Warm up the engine smoothly. Do not
place full load on the engine until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.
When starting off on a slippery surface, do
not allow one drive wheel to spin for an ex-
tended period with the ESP switched off.
Doing so may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Parking
All checks and service work on the
brake system should be carried out by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Install only brake pads and brake fluid
recommended by Mercedes-Benz.
Warning!
G
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can be degraded to an extent that
safe braking is substantially impaired. This
could result in an accident.!When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes
by shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s braking power. This helps pre-
vent overheating of the brakes and re-
duces brake pad wear.
!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and applying the brake re-
duces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the selector lever to positionP
(manual transmission: first or reverse
gear).


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.


Turn the key to steering lock position0.


Take the key and lock vehicle when
leaving.

162 OperationDriving instructions
Tires
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and be-
come visible at a tread depth of approxi-
mately
1/16
in (1.5 mm), at which point
the tire is considered worn and should be
replaced.The tread wear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
Specified tire pressures must be main-
tained. This applies particularly if the tires
are subject to high loads (e.g. high speeds,
heavy loads, high ambient temperatures).
!Set the parking brake whenever park-
ing or leaving the vehicle. In addition,
move selector lever to positionP (man-
ual transmission: first or reverse gear).
In addition, when parking on hills, turn
front wheel towards the road curb.
Warning!
G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possi-
ble damage to your vehicle has occurred,
you should turn on the hazard warning flash-
ers, carefully slow down, and drive with cau-
ti o n t o an a re a wh ic h i s a s a fe dis ta n c e f ro m
the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have it towed to the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Center or tire dealer for re-
pairs.
Warning!
G
Do not allow your tires to wear down too far.
As tread depth approaches
1/16
in
(1.5 mm), the adhesion properties on a wet
road are sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.

198 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
3
(Canada only)
;
(except Canada)The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the parking brake set.

Release the parking brake
(page 42).
3
(Canada only)
;
(except Canada)The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.

Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Don’t add
brake fluid before checking the brake sys-
tem.
Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can re-
sult in spilling brake fluid on hot engine
parts and the brake fluid catching fire. You
can be seriously burned.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks.