2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 radio

ContentsOperation......................................... 237
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 238
Driving instructions ............................ 239
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 239
Drinking and driving ..................... 239
Pedals .......................................... 239
Power assistance ......................... 240
Brakes .......................................... 240
Driving off..................................... 242
Parking ......................................... 242
Tires ............................................. 243
Hydroplaning ................................ 243
Tire traction .................................. 244
Tire speed rating .......................... 244
Winter driving instructions ........... 245
Standing water ............................. 246
Passenger compartment .............. 246
Driving abroad .............................. 246Control and operation of radio
transmitters ................................. 247
Catalytic converter ....................... 247
Emission control .......................... 248
Coolant temperature .................... 249
At the gas station .............................. 250
Refuelling ..................................... 250
Check regularly and before
a long trip ..................................... 252
Engine compartment ......................... 253
Hood ............................................ 253
Engine oil ..................................... 255
Transmission fluid level ................ 258
Oil level in the ABC system .......... 258
Coolant ........................................ 258
Battery ......................................... 260
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system ........... 261Tires and wheels................................ 262
Important guidelines .................... 262
Life of tires................................... 263
Direction of rotation..................... 263
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 263
Rotating wheels ........................... 267
Winter driving .................................... 268
Winter tires .................................. 268
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 269
Snow chains................................. 269
Maintenance...................................... 271
Clearing the service indicator ...... 271
Service term exceeded ................ 272
Calling up the service indicator .... 272
Resetting the service indicator .... 272
Vehicle care....................................... 274
Cleaning and care of the vehicle .. 274

44 Getting startedDrivingStarting with KEYLESS-GO*
You can start your vehicle without the
SmartKey in the starter switch using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button on the
gear selector lever.
1KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
Make sure the gear selector lever is set
to P.

Depress the brake pedal during the
starting procedure. Do not depress ac-
celerator.
The selector lever lock is released.

Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button1 once.
The engine starts automatically if the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is in the
vehicle.
For information on turning off the engine
with KEYLESS-GO, see “Turning off with
KEYLESS-GO*” (
page 54).
Starting difficulties
If the engine does not start as described,
carry out the following steps:

If you are starting the engine with the
SmartKey: Turn SmartKey in starter
switch 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 SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO.
Or:
Start the engine with the SmartKey as
radio signals from another source may
be interfering with the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*.

Repeat the starting procedure
(page 43). Remember that extended
starting attempts can drain the battery.

Get a jump start (
page 363).
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.

128 Controls in detailControl systemMultifunction 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.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 volumeçdown / to decreaseæup / to increase
4
Telephone*íto take a callìto end a call
5
Menu systemsèfor next menuÿfor previous menu
6
Moving within a menujfor next displaykfor previous display

131 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, 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
Select satel-
lite radio sta-
tion*
(USA only)
Instrument clus-
ter submenu
Fuel consump-
tion statistics
since the last re-
set
Search for
name in
phone book
Check tire
pressure*
Operate CD
player
Lighting sub-
menu
Call up range
Check engine
oil level
Vehicle sub-
menuConvenience
submenu

132 Controls in detailControl 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
132
Call up FSS
272
Check tire pressure*
264
Check engine oil level
255
Function
Page
Select radio station
133
Select satellite radio station*
(USA only)
133
Operate CD player
134

133 Controls in detail
Control system
Select 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 146):


Memory: the next stored station is
selected (SP)


Station searchSelect satellite radio station*
(USA only)
The satellite radio is treated as a radio ap-
plication.

Select satellite radio with the corre-
sponding key on the COMAND control
panel (SAT).

Press button è or ÿ repeatedly
until you see the currently tuned sta-
tion in the right display.
1SAT mode and preset number
2Setting for station selection using
memory
3Channel name or number

Press button k or j repeatedly
until the desired channel is found.
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.

134 Controls in detailControl system
Operate 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.
NAVI menu
The
NAVI
menu contains the functions
needed to operate your navigation system.

Press button è or ÿ repeatedly
until you see the message
NAVI
in the
left display.
The message shown in the right display
field depends on the status of the naviga-
tion system:


If the navigation system is off, the mes-
sage
NAVI OFF
is shown in the display.


If the navigation system is on, the mes-
sage
NAVI READY
is shown in the dis-
play.
Please refer to the COMAND manual for in-
structions on how to activate the route
guidance system.
iFeature description is based on prelim-
inary information available at time of
printing.
Additional optional satellite radio
equipment and a subscription to satel-
lite radio service provider are required
for satellite radio operation. At time of
printing, no date for the availability of
optional equipment required for satel-
lite radio operation had been set. Con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for details and availability for
your vehicle.
For more information, refer to separate
COMAND operating instructions.

139 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