2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK CLASS lock

45 Getting started
Driving
Single wipe
Press switch briefly in the direction of
arrow2.
The windshield wipers wipe one time
without washer fluid.
Wiping with windshield washer fluid

Push switch in the direction of arrow2
past the resistance point.
The windshield wiper operates with
washer fluid.
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.
!If leaves, snow, etc. block the wind-
shield wipers, switch off the wipers.

For safety reasons, withdraw the
key from the steering lock. Remove
blockage.


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.

47 Getting started
Parking and locking
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.
Parking brake
1Brake lever
2Release button
Pull up brake lever1 firmly.
When the engine is running, the indica-
tor lamp
;
(USA only) or
3
(Canada only) in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated.
Warning!
G
Wait until the vehicle is stationary before re-
moving the key from the starter switch. The
vehicle cannot be steered when the key is
removed.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
system. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to stop or steer the vehi-
cle.
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.


Pull up the brake lever firmly.


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
and remove.

48 Getting startedParking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
M

(
page 43).
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 83).
Turning off engine 
Place the gear selector lever in
positionP (manual transmission: first
or reverse gear).

Turn the key in the steering lock to
position0 (
page 29) and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the steering lock and lock the vehi-
cle. Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehi-
cle. Children could release the parking
brake and/or move the gear selector lever
from positionP, either of which could result
in an accident and/or serious injury.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the selector
lever not fully engaged in positionP is dan-
gerous. Also, when parked on an incline,
positionP alone may not prevent your vehi-
cle from moving, possibly hitting people or
objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (manual transmission:
first or reverse gear).
When parked on an incline, turn front wheel
towards the road curb.
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to positionP (manual
transmission: first or reverse gear). iOn steep slopes, turn the front wheels
towards the road curb.

49 Getting started
Parking and locking

Press the seat belt release button
(page 38).

After exiting the vehicle, press the lock
button
‹
on the remote control
(
page 28).
The turn signal lamps blink three times.
The locking knobs on the doors move
down.More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 74).
iVehicles with automatic transmission:
The key can only be removed from the
steering lock with the gear selector
lever in positionP.!With the key removed and the driver’s
door open, a warning sounds if the ve-
hicle’s exterior lamps (except standing
lamps) are not switched off.
Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, make sure that there
is no possibility of someone getting caught
in a door during closing.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the steering lock and lock your ve-
hicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

52 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Occupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seats


Child seat recognition
As independent systems their protective
effects work in conjunction with each oth-
er.The
1
warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up for about 4 seconds when
you turn the key in the steering lock to
position1 or2. It goes out when you start
the engine. This shows that the restraint
systems are operational.
If the lamp does not come on at all or if it
fails to extinguish after approximately
4 seconds or if it comes on thereafter, a
malfunction in the system has been de-
tected.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 197).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 60).
Warning!
G
In the event that the SRS malfunction indica-
tor lamp lights up during driving or does not
come on at all, the SRS may not be opera-
tional. For your safety, we strongly recom-
mend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may
not be activated when needed in an acci-
dent, which could result in serious or fatal
injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in inju-
ry.
Improper work on the restraint systems, in-
cluding incorrect installation and removal,
can lead to possible injury through an unin-
tended activation of the SRS.
In addition, through improper work there is
a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended airbag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be per-
formed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

57 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Side impact airbags
The side impact airbags are deployed:

on the impacted side of the vehicle


in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold


independently of the front airbags
The side impact airbags will not deploy in
impacts which do not exceed the system’s
deployment threshold.
The passenger side impact airbag will only
be deployed if the system senses that the
passenger seat is occupied.
Seat belts
The seat belt nonusage warning lamp
<

in the instrument cluster lights up and a
warning sounds for a short time when you
turn the key in the steering lock to
position2 and the driver’s seat belt is not
fastened.
After starting the engine, the seat belt non-
usage warning lamp blinks for a brief peri-
od to remind the driver and passengers to
fasten the seat belts.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in
most states and all Canadian provinces.
Even where this is not the case, all vehicle
occupants should have their seat belts fas-
tened whenever the vehicle is in motion.
Information on fastening seat belts is
found in the “Getting started” section
(
page 37).
!Do not place objects heavier than
20 lbs (9 kg) on the passenger seat.
This could cause the front or side im-
pact airbag on the passenger side to
deploy in a crash which exceeds the
system's deployment threshold.
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 60).

61 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The passenger lap-shoulder belt has a spe-
cial seat belt retractor for secure fastening
of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow child re-
straint instructions for mounting. Then pull
the shoulder belt out completely and let it
retract. During seat belt retraction, a ratch-
eting sound can be heard to indicate that
the special seat belt retractor is activated.
The belt is now locked. Push down on child
restraint to take up any slack.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and
let seat belt retract completely. The seat
belt can again be used in the usual man-
ner.BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
Warning!
G
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat
belt retractor will be deactivated.
!The use of infant or child restraints is
required by law in all 50 states, the
District of Columbia, the U.S. territo-
ries and all Canadian provinces.
Infants and small children should be
seated in an appropriate infant or child
restraint system properly secured by a
lap shoulder belt that complies with
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard 213 and Canadian Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standard 213.
A statement by the child restraint man-
ufacturer of compliance with this stan-
dard can be found on the instruction
label on the restraint and in the instruc-
tion manual provided with the restraint.
When using any infant or child restraint
system, be sure to carefully read and
follow all manufacturer’s instructions
for installation and use.
Please read and observe warning labels
affixed to inside of vehicle and to infant
or child restraints. Warning!
G
Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in this vehicle, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat, which operates with
the BabySmart
TM system installed in the ve-
hicle to deactivate the passenger side front
airbag when it is properly installed. Other-
wise they will be struck by the airbag when
it inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious
or fatal injury can result.
Infants and small children must be seated in
an appropriate BabySmart
TM compatible in-
fant or child restraint system, which is prop-
erly secured with the vehicle’s seat belt,
fully in accordance with the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions.

63 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The
7
indicator lamp located in the
center console will be illuminated, except
with the key removed or in the steering
lock position0.Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special
child seat installed
After turning the key in the steering lock to
position1 or2, the
7
indicator lamp
located in the center console lights up for
approx. 6 seconds and then goes out.
If the indicator lamp should not come on or
is continuously lit, the system is not func-
tioning. You must see an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center before seating any
child on the passenger seat.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (page 205).
iThe system does not deactivate the
side impact airbag and the emergency
tensioning device.
Warning!
G
The BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation sys-
tem will ONLY work with a special child seat
designed to operate with it. It will not work
with child seats which are not BabySmart
TM
compatible.
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the deactivation sys-
tem. The bottom of the child seat must
make full contact with the passenger seat
cushion. An incorrectly mounted child seat
could cause injuries to the child in case of an
accident, instead of protecting the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of special child seats.