2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK CLASS park assist

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
Center console .................................... 23Upper part ...................................... 23
Lower Part ...................................... 24
Overhead control panel ........................ 25
Getting started................................... 27
Unlocking ............................................. 28
Unlocking with the remote control.. 28
Adjusting .............................................. 30
Seats............................................... 30
Telescoping steering column* ........ 34
Mirrors ............................................ 35
Driving .................................................. 37
Fastening the seat belts.................. 37
Starting the engine ......................... 40
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 ........................... 48
Safety and Security........................... 51
Occupant safety ................................... 52
Airbags ........................................... 53
Seat belts ....................................... 57
Children in the vehicle .................... 60
Panic alarm .......................................... 65
Activating........................................ 65
Deactivating.................................... 65
Driving safety systems ......................... 66
ABS ................................................. 66
BAS ................................................. 68
ESP ................................................. 68
Anti-theft systems ................................ 71
Immobilizer ..................................... 71
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 71
Tow-away alarm .............................. 72Controls in detail................................ 73
Locking and unlocking.......................... 74
Keys ................................................ 74
Opening the trunk ........................... 77
Closing the trunk ............................ 77
Opening the doors from the inside . 78
Trunk lid emergency release ........... 78

Contents
Pedals .......................................... 159
Power assistance ......................... 160
Brakes .......................................... 160
Driving off .................................... 161
Parking ......................................... 161
Tires ............................................. 162
Hydroplaning................................ 163
Tire traction ................................. 163
Tire speed rating .......................... 163
Winter driving instructions ........... 164
Standing water ............................. 165
Passenger compartment .............. 165
Driving abroad.............................. 165
Control and operation
of radio transmitter ...................... 166
Catalytic converter....................... 166
Emission control .......................... 167
Coolant temperature .................... 167
At the gas station .............................. 169
Check regularly and before
a long trip..................................... 170
Engine compartment ......................... 171
Hood ............................................ 171
Engine oil ..................................... 172
Transmission fluid level ................ 176
Coolant ........................................ 176Battery .......................................... 178
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*.......... 179
Tires and wheels................................. 180
Important guidelines ..................... 180
Life of tire ..................................... 181
Direction of rotation...................... 181
Checking tire inflation pressure .... 181
Rotating wheels ............................ 182
Winter driving ..................................... 183
Winter tires ................................... 183
Block heater (Canada only) ........... 184
Snow chains.................................. 184
Maintenance....................................... 185
Clearing the service indicator ....... 185
Service term exceeded ................. 186
Calling up the service indicator..... 186
Resetting the service indicator ..... 186
Vehicle care........................................ 187
Cleaning and care of vehicle ......... 187
Practical hints.................................. 193
What to do if ...................................... 194
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 194Additional indicators in the
speedometer display .................... 204
Lamp in center console ................ 205
Where will I find ...? ............................ 206
First aid kit.................................... 206
Vehicle tool kit.............................. 206
Unlocking/locking in an emergency... 210
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 210
Locking the vehicle ....................... 211
Changing batteries
in remote control .......................... 212
Synchronizing remote control ....... 213
Fuel filler flap ................................ 213
Manually unlocking the
transmission selector lever ........... 214
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 215
Raising retractable hardtop
manually ....................................... 215
Replacing bulbs .................................. 221
Bulbs............................................. 221
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 223
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 225
Adjusting headlamp aim
(Halogen headlamps only) ............ 226
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 228
Removing ...................................... 228

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.

151 Controls in detail
Useful features
Remote door unlock
In case you have locked your vehicle unin-
tentionally (e.g. key inside vehicle), and the
reserve key is not handy:
Contact the Mercedes-Benz Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA)
or 1-888-923-8367 (in Canada).
You will be asked to provide your pass-
word which you provided when you
completed the subscriber agreement.

Then return to your vehicle and pull
outside trunk handle for minimum of
20 seconds until the SOS button is
flashing.
As an alternative, you may unlock the vehi-
cle via Internet using the ID and password
sent to you shortly after the completion of
your acquaintance call.
The Response Center will then unlock your
vehicle with the remote door unlocking
feature.
iThe indicator lamp in the respective
button flashes until the call is conclud-
ed. Calls can only be terminated by a
Response Center or Customer Assis-
tance Center representative, except
Roadside Assistance and Information
calls.iWhen a Tele Aid call has been initiated,
the audio system is muted and the se-
lected mode (radio, tape or CD) paus-
es. The optional cellular phone (if
installed) switches off. If you must use
this phone, the vehicle must be parked.
Disconnect the coiled cord and place
the call.
iThe remote door unlock feature is avail-
able if the relevant cellular phone net-
work is available.
The SOS button will flash to indicate re-
ceipt of the door unlock command.
Once the vehicle is unlocked, a Re-
sponse Center specialist will attempt
to establish voice contact with the ve-
hicle occupants.
If the trunk handle was pulled for more
than 20 seconds before door unlock
authorization was received by the Re-
sponse Center, you must wait
15 minutes before pulling the trunk
handle again.

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.

229 Practical hints
Flat tire
Flat tire
Your vehicle is equipped with a TIREFIT kit
(SLK 32 AMG only) (
page 208) or a
spare wheel with collapsible tire
(SLK 230 Kompressor and SLK 320 only)
(
page 207).
You can identify which TIREFIT kit
(SLK 32 AMG only) you have as follows:


The TIREFIT container of kit 1 is a
squeeze container.


The TIREFIT container of kit 2 is a rigid
container and includes a flange for filler
hose (outlet) and air hose (inlet).
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.

Turn on hazard warning flashers.

Engage the steering wheel lock in the
straight ahead position and set the
parking brake.

Move the selector lever toP (manual
transmission to first or reverse gear.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Sealing tires with TIREFIT kit 1
Small tire punctures, only those in the
tread, can be sealed with TIREFIT.
TIREFIT can be used in ambient tempera-
tures down to -4°F (-20°C).
The TIREFIT kit stored in the trunk
(page 208) contains the TIREFIT
container, a filler hose, a valve stem tool,
a valve core and a sticker.

Foreign objects (e.g. screws or nails)
should not be removed from the tire.

Attach the sticker where it will be easily
seen by the driver on the instrument
cluster.
Warning!
G
Keep TIREFIT away from sparks, open flame
or heat source.
Do not smoke.
Warning!
G
TIREFIT is a limited repair device. TIREFIT
cannot be used for:

cuts or punctures larger than approx.
0.16 in (4 mm)


on a flat tire, or a damaged wheel


tire damage caused by driving with ex-
tremely low tire pressure
Do not drive the vehicle under such circum-
stances.
Contact your nearest Mercedes-Benz
Center for assistance or call Roadside Assis-
tance.

233 Practical hints
Flat tire

Detach the electric air pump.

Reinstall tire valve cap.

Store the electrical plug and the air
hose behind the flap and place the air
pump back into the trunk.

Close the trunk lid.

Drive away immediately.
The TIREFIT sealant will distribute itself
evenly inside the tire.

After driving vehicle for an initial
10 minutes, check tire pressure using
the pressure gauge on the air pump.
Warning!
G
If a tire pressure of 26 psi (1.8 bar) is not at-
tained, tire is too severely damaged for
TIREFIT to provide a reliable tire repair
In this case, TIREFIT cannot properly seal
the tire.
Do not drive the vehicle.
Contact the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
or call Roadside Assistance.Warning!
G
To prevent possible injury when unscrewing
air pump filler hose from tire valve after in-
flating the tire, use a rag since the tire valve
could be hot.
Warning!
G
Do not exceed vehicle speed of 50 mph
(80 km / h). A TIREFIT repair is not designed
to operate at higher speeds.
The sticker must be attached on the instru-
ment cluster where it will be easily seen by
the driver.
Vehicle handling characteristics may
change. Adapt your driving accordingly.
Warning!
G
If tire pressure has fallen below
20 psi (1.3 bar) do not continue to drive the
vehicle.
Park your vehicle safely away from the road-
way and contact the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or Roadside Assis-
tance.
If tire pressure is at least 20 psi (1.3 bar), in-
flate tire to correct pressure (see label on
fuel filler flap), and drive vehicle to nearest
tire repair facility to have tire repaired or re-
placed.
Recommended duration of use: 300 miles
(500 km) at 50 mph (80 km / h) with the
recommended tire pressure.


282 Technical termsRetractable hardtop
Hardtop that can be opened and closed
at the push of a button and stored in
the trunk.
Roll bar
Occupant protection system which
consists of tubular steel sheathed in
plastic.
RON
(R
esearch O
ctane N
umber)
The Research Octane Number for gaso-
line as determined by a standardized
method. It is an indication of a gaso-
line's ability to resist undesired detona-
tion (knocking). The average of both
the ->MON (Motor Octane Number)
and RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.Shift lock
When the vehicle is parked, this lock
prevents the transmission selector le-
ver from being moved out of positionP
without key turned and brake pedal de-
pressed.
SRS
(S
upplemental R
estraint S
ystem)
Seat belts, emergency tensioning de-
vice and airbags. Though independent
systems, they are closely interfaced to
provide effective occupant protection.
Tele Aid System
(T
elematic A
larm I
dentification on
D
emand)
The Tele Aid system consists of three
types of response: automatic and man-
ual emergency, roadside assistance
and information. Tele Aid is initially ac-
tivated by completing a subscriber
agreement and placing an acquain-
tance call.The Tele Aid system is operational pro-
viding that the vehicle’s battery is
charged, properly connected, not dam-
aged and cellular and GPS coverage is
available.
Tightening torque
Force times lever arm (e.g. a lug
wrench) with which threaded fasteners
such as wheel bolts are tightened.
TIREFIT
Accessory for emergency and tempo-
rary tire repair. The TIREFIT kit consists
of a container with sealant material, a
filler hose, a valve stem tool, a valve in-
sert, and an air compressor.