2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK350 brake light

39 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat height
Pull or push handle2 up or down and
adjust the seat cushion until your legs
are slightly supported.
Backrest tilt

Pull handle3 and adjust the backrest
until your arms are slightly angled
when holding the steering wheel.
For more information, see “Seats”
(
page 99).Power seat* adjustment
The seat adjustment switches are located
on the outer side of each seat.
1Seat fore and aft adjustment
2Seat height
3Backrest tilt
4Seat cushion tilt

Switch on the ignition (
page 35).
or

Open the respective door.Seat fore and aft adjustment

Press the horizontal switch forward or
backward in direction of arrow1.
Adjust seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach
the accelerator / brake pedal safely.
The position should be as far rearward
as possible, consistent with ability to
properly operate controls.
Seat height

Press the horizontal switch up or down
in direction of arrow2 until your legs
are slightly supported.
Backrest tilt

Press the vertical switch forward or
backward in direction of arrow3 until
your arms are slightly angled when
holding the steering wheel.

50 Getting startedDriving1Parking brake lever
2Release button
Pull up slightly on parking brake
lever1 and press release button2.

Push parking brake lever1 down to
its original position.
The brake warning lamp; (USA
only) or3 (Canada only) in the
speedometer dial goes out.Driving
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
!If you hear a warning signal when driv-
ing off, you have forgotten to release
the parking brake.!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and the brake pedal reduces
engine performance and causes pre-
mature brake and drivetrain wear.iOnce the vehicle is in motion, the auto-
matic central locking system engages
and the locking knobs drop down.
For more information, see “Opening
the doors from the inside” (
page 94).

57 Getting started
Parking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn exterior lamp switch toM
(page 52).
For more information, see “Lighting”
(
page 106).
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear se-
lector lever* not fully engaged in positionP
(manual transmission: first or reverse gear)
is dangerous. Also, when parked on an in-
cline, positionP (manual transmission: first
or reverse gear) alone may not prevent your
vehicle 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 the front
wheels towards the road curb.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children
could release the parking brake and/or
move the gear selector lever* from
positionP (manual transmission: into
Neutral), either of which could result in an
accident and/or serious injury.

58 Getting startedParking and lockingTurning off engine 
Manual transmission: Move the gear-
shift lever into first or reverse gear.

Automatic transmission*: Place the
gear selector lever in positionP.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.
The immobilizer is activated.

Press the seat belt release button
(page 46).

Guide the latch plate to allow the re-
tractor to completely rewind the seat
belt.
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting into first or reverse gear
(automatic transmission*: gear selec-
tor lever in positionP).
On slopes, turn the front wheels to-
wards the road curb.
iVehicles with automatic transmission*:
The SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in positionP.
iWith the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch and the driver’s door
open, a warning sounds if the parking
lamps or low beam headlamps are
switched on (
page 106).
The message Turn off lights
appears
in the multifunction display.

80 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsIn this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)


BAS (B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)


ESP (E
lectronic S
tability P
rogram)
ABS
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
approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) indepen-
dent of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will
respond even to light brake pressure.
The -indicator lamp in the speedome-
ter dial (
page 24) comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
iIn winter operation, the maximum
effectiveness of the ABS, the BAS, and
the ESP is only achieved with winter
tires (M + S tires), or snow chains as
required.
Warning!
G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns


Wet and slippery road surfaces


Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS, and ESP cannot reduce this
risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
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.

81 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode.
Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal while experiencing the pul-
sation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving.Emergency brake maneuver

Keep continuous full pressure on the
brake pedal.
For more information, see “Practical Hints”
(
page 342).
BAS
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the
brakes very quickly, the BAS automatically
provides full brake boost, thereby poten-
tially reducing braking distance. Apply con-
tinuous full braking pressure until the
emergency braking situation is over. The
ABS will prevent the wheels from locking.
When you release the brake pedal, the
brakes function again as normal. The BAS
is then deactivated.
Warning!
G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency be-
yond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction af-
forded. The ABS cannot prevent accidents,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle too
closely, or hydroplaning. Only a safe, atten-
tive, and skillful driver can prevent acci-
dents. The capabilities of an ABS equipped
vehicle must never be exploited in a reck-
less or dangerous manner which could jeop-
ardize the user’s safety or the safety of
others.
Warning!
G
If the BAS is malfunctioning, the brake sys-
tem is still functioning normally, but without
the additional brake boost available that
BAS would normally provide in an emergen-
cy braking maneuver. Therefore, the braking
distance may increase.

159 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission*
Driving tips
Accelerator position
Your driving style influences the
transmission’s shifting behavior:
Less throttle Earlier upshifting
More throttle Later upshiftingKickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.

Press the accelerator past the point of
resistance.
The transmission shifts into a lower
gear.

Ease on the accelerator when you have
reached the desired speed.
The transmission shifts up again.Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights:

Leave the transmission in gear.

Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop longer with the engine
idling or on an uphill gradient:

Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.

Set the parking brake.

280 OperationDriving instructionsRoad salts and chemicals can adversely af-
fect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce
the normal brake effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn
roads can bring road-salt-impaired braking
efficiency back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed.
For more information, see “Winter driving”
(
page 327).
Standing water
Warning
G
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking ma-
neuvers.
Warning!
G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe
and from around the vehicle with the engine
running. Otherwise, deadly carbon monox-
ide (CO) gases may enter the vehicle interi-
or, resulting in unconsciousness and death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. In-
dicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice.
!Do not drive through flooded areas or
water of unknown depth. Before driving
through water, determine its depth.
Never accelerate before driving into
water. The bow wave could force water
into the engine and auxiliary equip-
ment, thus damaging them.
If you must drive through standing wa-
ter, drive slowly to prevent water from
entering the passenger compartment
or the engine compartment. Water in
these areas could cause damage to
electrical components or wiring of the
engine or transmission, or could result
in water being ingested by the engine
through the air intake, causing severe
internal engine damage. Any such dam-
age is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.