2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG instrument panel

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle.................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting safety defects ................ 18
At a glance.......................................... 19
Cockpit ................................................. 20
Instrument cluster ................................ 22
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 24
Center console ..................................... 25
Upper part ...................................... 25
Lower part ...................................... 26
Overhead control panel ........................ 27
Door control panel................................ 28
Getting started................................... 29
Unlocking ............................................. 30
Unlocking with the SmartKey......... 30
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*......... 32
Adjusting .............................................. 34
Seats .............................................. 34
Steering wheel ................................ 37
Mirrors ............................................ 38
Driving .................................................. 40
Fastening the seat belts ................. 40
Starting the engine......................... 43
Switching on headlamps ................. 46
Turn signals and high beam ............ 47
Windshield wipers........................... 47
Problems while driving .................... 49
Parking and locking .............................. 51
Parking brake ................................. 52
Switching off headlamps................. 52
Turning off the engine..................... 53
Emergency engine shut-down ......... 55

19 At a glance
Cockpit
Instrument cluster
Multifunction steering wheel
Center console
Overhead control panel
Door control panel

21 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Parking brake pedal
45
2
Hood lock release
253
3
Parking brake release
52
4
Door control panel
28
5
Exterior lamp switch
46,
117
6
Headlamp washer button
168
7
Combination switch

Turn signals


Windshield wipers


High beam
47
47
120
Item
Page
8
Cruise control switch

Cruise control


Distronic*
193
196
9
Instrument cluster
22,
124
a
Multifunction steering
wheel
24,
128
b
Lever for voice control
system*, see separate
operating instructions
c
Front Parktronic* warn-
ing indicator
210
d
Digital clock
140
e
Overhead control panel
27
Item
Page
f
Interior storage compart-
ments (locking/unlock-
ing)
216
g
7 indicator lamp
72
h
Glove box
214
j
Center console
25, 26
k
Starter switch
33
l
Horn
m
Steering wheel adjust-
ment lever
Heated steering wheel*
37
220

63 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
emergency tensioning device and
airbag
When you sell your vehicle, we strongly
urge you to give notice to the subsequent
owner that it is equipped with an SRS by
alerting them to the applicable section in
the Operator’s Manual.Warning!
G


Damaged seat belts or belts that were
highly stressed in an accident must be
replaced and their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use belts in-
stalled or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


Airbags and ETDs (Emergency Tension-
ing Devices) are designed to function on
a one-time-only basis. An airbag or ETD
that was activated must be replaced.


No modifications of any kind may be
made to any components or wiring of
the SRS. This includes changing or re-
moving any component or part of the
SRS, the installation of additional trim
material, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, passenger front airbag cover
or door trim panels, and installation of
additional electrical /electronic equip-
ment on or near SRS components and
wiring. Keep area between airbags and
occupants free from objects (e.g. pack-
ages, purses, umbrellas, etc.).


Do not pass belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.


Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the belts.


Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this
may severely weaken them. In a crash,
they may not be able to provide ade-
quate protection.


An airbag system component within the
steering wheel gets hot after the airbag
has inflated. Do not touch.


Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.


In addition, improper repair work on the
SRS creates a risk of rendering the SRS
inoperative or causing unintended air-
bag deployment. Work on the SRS must
therefore only be performed by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


For your protection and the protection
of others, when scrapping the airbag
unit or emergency tensioning device,
our safety instructions must be fol-
lowed. These instructions are available
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


Given the considerable deployment
speed and the textile structure of the
airbags, there is the possibility of abra-
sions or other injuries resulting from air-
bag deployment.

64 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyFront airbags
Driver and passenger airbags are de-
ployed:

in the event of a frontal impact


if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold


independently of the head-thorax air-
bags
The airbags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protect-
ed by the fastened seat belts.The passenger airbag will only be deployed
if:


the passenger seat is occupied


the 7 indicator lamp on the glove
box is not lit (
page 72)


the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment threshold
1Driver airbag
2Passenger airbag
3KneebagKneebag
The kneebag is located on the driver-side
lower instrument panel. It is designed to
operate together with the driver airbag in
certain frontal impacts exceeding a preset
threshold. The kneebag operates best in
conjunction with a properly positioned and
fastened seat belt.
!Do not place objects heavier than 20
lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger seat.
This could cause the front airbag or the
head-thorax airbag on the front passen-
ger side to deploy in a crash which ex-
ceeds the system's deployment
threshold.

68 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Emergency tensioning device (ETD),
seat belt force limiter
The seat belts are equipped with emergen-
cy tensioning devices, belt force limiters,
and automatic comfort-fit.
The ETD is designed to activate in the fol-
lowing cases when the seat belts are fas-
tened:

in frontal or rear-end impacts exceed-
ing a preset severity level


if the restraint systems are operational
and functioning correctly, see 1 in-
dicator lamp (
page 58).
In an impact, emergency tensioning devic-
es remove slack from the belts in such a
way that the seat belts fit more snugly
against the body. Belt force limiters reduce
the force exerted by the seat belts on oc-
cupants during a crash.Automatic comfort-fit feature seat belt
The automatic comfort-fit feature reduces
the retracting force of the seat belts when
they are in normal use.


Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat
belt around a person and another per-
son or other objects.


Belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you wouldn’t have the full width
of the belt to manage impact forces. The
twisted belt against your body could
cause injuries.


Pregnant women should also use a
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible
on the hips to avoid any possible pres-
sure on the abdomen.


Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
Warning!
G
An emergency tensioning device (ETD) that
was activated must be replaced.
When disposing of the emergency tension-
ing device, our safety instructions must be
followed. These are available at your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.!Do not place objects heavier than
20 lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger
seat. This could cause the front or side
impact airbag on the passenger side to
deploy in a crash which exceeds the
system's deployment threshold.


117 Controls in detail
Lighting
Lighting
For information on how to switch on the
headlamps and use the turn signals, see
“Switching on headlamps” (
page 46).
Exterior lamp switch
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.MOff
UAutomatic headlamp mode
CParking lamps (also side marker
lamps, tail lamps, license plate
lamps, instrument panel lamps)
Canada only: When engine is run-
ning, the low beam is also switched
on.
BLow beam plus parking lamps or
high beam headlamps (combination
switch pushed forward)
ˆStanding lamps, right
‚Standing lamps, left
iIf you drive in countries where vehicles
drive on the other side of the road than
the country in which the vehicle is reg-
istered, you must have the headlamps
modified for symmetrical low beams.
Relevant information can be obtained
at your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.