2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 start stop button

58 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 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on


for about four seconds when you turn
the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 1 or press the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button once. It then goes
out briefly, comes on again and re-
mains lit until you start the engine, turn
the SmartKey to position 2 or press the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button once
more (
page 30).


for about four seconds when you turn
the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 2 or press the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button twice (
page 30).


for about four seconds when you start
the engine by turning the SmartKey in
the starter switch or by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once
with the brake pedal depressed
(page 43).
The 1 indicator lamp goes out shortly
after you start the engine. This shows that
the restraint systems are operational.A malfunction in the system has been de-
tected if the 1 indicator lamp


fails to go out after approximately four
seconds


does not come on at all


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 289).
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 70).

72 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
BabySmart
TM1
airbag deactivation
system
Special BabySmart
TM compatible child
seats, designed for use with the
Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center, are
required for use with the BabySmart
TM air-
bag deactivation system. With the special
child seat properly installed, the passenger
front airbag will not deploy.The 7indicator lamp located on the
glove box will be illuminated, except with
the SmartKey removed or in starter switch
position0.
Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special
child seat installed
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2 or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once or
twice, the 7 indicator lamp located on
the glove box comes on for approximately
six 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.
Warning!
G
Children too big for child restraint systems
should use regular seat belts. Position the
shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not
face or neck. A booster seat may be neces-
sary to achieve proper belt positioning for
children from 41 lbs until they reach a
height where a lap/shoulder belt fits proper-
ly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, re-
move it from the vehicle or secure it with the
seat belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an ac-
cident.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle; even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system. Unsupervised chil-
dren in a child restraint system may use ve-
hicle equipment and cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
1BabySmart
TM
is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.
iThe system does not deactivate the
head-thorax airbag and the emergency
tensioning device.

76 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even to light brake pressure. The - indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on when you turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position2 or press the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button twice. It goes out when
the engine is running.
Braking
If the ABS activates during braking, the
ABS/ESP warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster dial flashes. Because of the
SBC brake system, you will not feel any
pulsation in the brake pedal.

Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.The ABS/ESP warning lamp v flashes
whenever the ABS is activated which can
be an indication of hazardous road condi-
tions and functions as a reminder to take
extra care while driving.
Emergency brake maneuver

Keep continuous, full pressure on the
brake pedal.
Warning!
G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

78 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsESP
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
monitors the vehicle's traction (force of
adhesive friction between the tires and the
road surface) and handling.
The ESP recognizes when a wheel is spin-
ning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By ap-
plying brakes to the appropriate wheel and
by limiting engine output, the ESP works to
stabilize the vehicle. The ESP is especially
useful while driving off and on wet or slip-
pery road surfaces.
The ABS/ESP warning lamp v in the in-
strument cluster (
page 23) flashes when
the ESP is engaged.
The ABS/ESP warning lamp v in the in-
strument cluster (page 23) comes on
when you turn the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position2 or press the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button twice. It
goes out when the engine is running.
Warning!
G
Never switch off the ESP when you see the
ABS/ESP warning lamp
v
flashing in the
instrument cluster. In this case proceed as
follows:


While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.


While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP cannot prevent accidents resulting
from excessive speed.
Warning!
G
The ESP cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ESP equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the us-
er’s safety or the safety of others.iDistronic* is switched off when the ESP
is engaged.

82 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsThe SBC brake system is automatically ac-
tivated when you

unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*


open the driver’s or passenger door


turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1


in vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*, press
start/stop button on gear selector le-
ver once


depress the brake pedal


release the parking brake
iIf the SBC brake system is activated as
the brake pedal is first depressed, you
may feel a reduced pedal resistance
and longer pedal travel than normal.
When releasing the pedal, you may also
feel the brake pedal pulsate and you
may hear a sound which is caused by
the activation of the SBC pump. This is
normal and not an indication of a mal-
function. Pedal travel returns to normal
when you release the brake pedal and
the sound soon ceases.
If you experience the above while driv-
ing and the red brake warning lamp
(page 284) illuminates and/or warn-
ing messages appear in the multifunc-
tion display (
page 299), the brake
system is malfunctioning. Follow the in-
structions of the warning message(s)
and have the brake system checked
immediately.
Warning!
G
Have brake pad replacement and other work
on the SBC brake system carried out by
qualified technicians only. Contact your
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion. The SBC brake system must be deacti-
vated prior to working on the system. High
pressure is intermittently built up in the sys-
tem as part of its automatic self-test. In ad-
dition, the system is automatically activated
when the vehicle is unlocked by remote con-
trol, when the driver or passenger door is
opened, when the SmartKey in the starter
switch is turned to position1 or the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button is pressed
once, when the brake pedal is depressed or
when the parking brake is released. Failure
to deactivate the system prior to mainte-
nance will cause brake pistons to extend
and brake fluid to leak, which may result in
injuries (contusions and acid burns). Extend-
ed brake pistons may also cause injury.

83 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
The SBC brake servo assistance switches
off automatically

approximately two minutes after you
turned the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position0 or removed the
SmartKey


approximately two minutes after you
pressed the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button to turn off the engine or power
supply and opened the driver’s door
(with driver’s door open, the starter
switch is set to position 0, same as
SmartKey removed from starter
switch)


approximately 20 seconds after you
locked the vehicle from outside Note on driving with SBC


Following extended periods of only mi-
nor loads to your brake system, you
should occasionally apply the brakes
when traveling at high speeds. This im-
proves the grip of the brake pads.
After driving on wet or snow-covered
roads, you should apply your brakes
firmly before parking your vehicle. This
produces heat which serves to dry the
brake disks and help prevent corro-
sion.


On long and steep grades, shift to a
lower gear (gear range1, 2, or 3) to
prevent the brakes from overheating
and to reduce brake wear.


After hard braking, it is advisable to
drive on for some time so that the air
stream will cool down the brakes fast-
er.


Only Mercedes-Benz approved compo-
nents (e.g. brake pads) should be in-
stalled on your vehicle. Brake pads not
approved by Mercedes-Benz may im-
pair the safety of your vehicle.
Warning!
G
Be very careful not to endanger other road
users when you apply the brakes.

84 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systems
Anti-theft systemsImmobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating

With the SmartKey: Removing the
SmartKey from the starter switch acti-
vates the immobilizer.


With KEYLESS-GO*: Turning off the en-
gine by means of the start/stop button
on the gear selector lever activates the
immobilizer. Deactivating


With the SmartKey: Inserting the
SmartKey in the starter switch deacti-
vates the immobilizer.


With KEYLESS-GO*: Starting the en-
gine by means of the start/stop button
on the gear selector lever deactivates
the immobilizer.
iIn case the engine cannot be started
(yet the vehicle’s battery is charged),
the system is not operational. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA), or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).

86 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systemsDisarming the alarm system
The alarm system is disarmed when you
unlock your vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO*. The turn signal lamps flash
once to indicate that the alarm system is
deactivated.Canceling the alarm
To cancel the alarm:
With the SmartKey

Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
or

Press the Œ or ‹ button on the
SmartKey.
With KEYLESS-GO*

Grasp the outside door handle.
or

Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton.
Tow-away alarm
Once the tow-away alarm is armed, a visual
and audible alarm will be triggered when
someone attempts to raise the vehicle.
iThe alarm system will rearm automati-
cally again after approximately 40 sec-
onds if no door was opened.
iThe tow-away protection alarm is trig-
gered, for example, if the vehicle is lift-
ed on one side.
If the alarm stays on for more than
20 seconds, an emergency call is initi-
ated automatically by the Tele Aid sys-
tem (
page 225) provided Tele Aid
service was subscribed to and properly
activated, and that necessary cellular
service and GPS coverage are avail-
able.