2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SLR CLASS ABS

ContentsSafety and Security........................... 60
Occupant safety................................... 62
Airbags ........................................... 63
Seat belts ....................................... 69
Children in the vehicle .................... 72
Panic alarm .......................................... 78
Activating ....................................... 78
Deactivating ................................... 78
Driving safety systems ......................... 79
ABS ................................................ 79
BAS ................................................ 81
ESP ................................................. 81
SBC brake system .......................... 84
Performance enhancement system ..... 87
Airbrake.......................................... 87
Anti-theft systems................................ 90
Immobilizer..................................... 90
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 90
Tow-away alarm ............................. 91
Controls in detail............................... 94
Locking and unlocking ......................... 96
SmartKey ....................................... 96
Opening the doors ....................... 100
Opening the trunk ........................ 101
Closing the trunk lid ..................... 102
Trunk lid emergency release ........ 102
Automatic locking ........................ 103
Locking and unlocking from
the inside ..................................... 103
Lighting.............................................. 105
Exterior lamp switch..................... 105
Combination switch ..................... 109
Hazard warning flasher ................ 110
Interior lighting............................. 111
Trunk lamp ................................... 112
Courtesy lighting .......................... 112
Instrument cluster ............................. 113
Instrument cluster illumination .... 113
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 114
Resetting the trip odometer ......... 115
Tachometer .................................. 115
Outside temperature indicator ..... 115Control system .................................. 117
Multifunction display.................... 117
Multifunction steering wheel........ 118
Menus .......................................... 120
Standard display menu ................ 122
AUDIO menu ................................ 122
Vehicle status message memory . 124
Settings menu .............................. 125
Trip computer menu..................... 136
TEL menu ..................................... 138
Audio system ..................................... 143
Audio and telephone, operation ... 143
Operating safety .......................... 143
Location of the audio system ....... 143
Operating and display elements... 144
Button and soft key operation...... 146
Operation ..................................... 146
Radio operation ........................... 149
Cassette operation ...................... 152
CD changer operation .................. 156
Telephone operation .................... 160

29 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
Coolant temperature gauge
withDCoolant temperature
warning lamp
300
2
Speedometer with;Brake warning lamp,
USA only
298
3Brake warning lamp,
Canada only
298
vABS/ESP warning
lamp
296
>Gearshift indicator
lamp
301
301
LLeft turn signal indica-
tor lampKTurn signal indicator
lamp, right
Item
Page
3
Left multifunction display
with

Trip odometer
117


Main odometer
117
4
Reset button
113
5
Tachometer with
115
AHigh beam headlamp
indicator
109
?Engine malfunction in-
dicator lamp, USA only
299
±Engine malfunction in-
dicator lamp, Canada
only
299
-Antilock Brake System
(ABS) indicator lamp
297
Item
Page
1Supplemental restraint
system indicator lamp
302
302
6
Right multifunction display

Current gear selector lever
position/gear range
117,
170,
171


Outside temperature
115


Automatic transmission
shift program mode
117,
173


Clock
129
=Engine oil temperature
symbol
301
7
Fuel gauge withAFuel reserve warning
lamp
301

50 Getting startedDriving
Pull lever2 upwards slightly, press re-
lease knob1 and move the lever
down to the stop.
The warning lamp; (USA only)
or3 (Canada only) in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Driving

Depress the brake pedal.

Place the gear selector lever in
positionD orR.

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
Once the vehicle is in motion, the automat-
ic central locking system engages.
After a cold start, the transmission engag-
es at a higher revolution. This allows the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature earlier.
Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector le-
ver out ofP orN if the engine speed is high-
er than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly
on the brake pedal, the vehicle could accel-
erate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
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.!In order to avoid damage to the trans-
mission:

Wait for the gear selection process
to complete before setting the vehi-
cle in motion.


Place the gear selector lever in
positionR or P only when the vehi-
cle is stopped.
!If you hear a warning signal when driv-
ing off, you have forgotten to release
the parking brake.
Release the parking brake.!Do not run cold engine at high engine
speed. Running a cold engine at high
engine speed may shorten the service
life of the engine.

79 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems
In 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)


SBC (S
ensotronic B
rake C
ontrol)
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 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.
iIn winter operation, the maximum ef-
fectiveness of the ABS, the BAS, the
ESP, and the SBC is only achieved with
winter tires (M + S tires) or snow chains
as required.
Warning!
G
The following factors increase the risk of ac-
cidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns


Wet and slippery road surfaces


Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS, ESP, and SBC 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.

80 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsThe - indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on (
page 29) when you
switch on the ignition. 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.
For more information, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 297).
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. The
ABS cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, following another vehicle too closely,
or hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ABS 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.

81 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
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 potential-
ly reducing the braking distance. Apply
continuous 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.
ESP
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is
operational as soon as the engine is run-
ning and 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
spinning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By
applying brakes to the appropriate wheel
and by limiting the engine output, the ESP
works to stabilize the vehicle. The ESP is
especially useful while driving off and on
wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP also
stabilizes the vehicle during braking ma-
neuvers.
The ABS/ESP warning lamp v in the in-
strument cluster (
page 29) flashes when
the ESP is engaged.
The ABS/ESP warning lamp v in the
instrument (
page 28) cluster comes on
when you switch on the ignition. It goes out
when the engine is running.
Warning!
G
BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking efficiency beyond that af-
forded by the condition of the vehicle brakes
and tires or the traction. The BAS cannot
prevent accidents, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, following an-
other vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents. The capabilities of a BAS
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.

82 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systems
For more information, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 297).
Warning!
G
Never switch off the ESP when you see the
ABS/ESP warning lamp v fla s hi n g in th e
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
user’s safety or the safety of others.
!Because of the ESP’s automatic opera-
tion, the engine must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0
or1) when

the parking brake is being tested on
a brake test dynamometer


the vehicle is towed with the front
axle raised
Active braking action through the ESP
may otherwise seriously damage the
brake system.
The ESP will only function properly if
you use wheels of the recommended
tire size (
page 369).

83 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Switching off the ESP
To improve the vehicle’s traction, turn off
the ESP in driving situations where it would
be advantageous to have the drive wheels
spin and thus cut into surfaces for better
grip such as:

starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains


in sand or gravelWhen you switch off the ESP


the ESP does not stabilize the vehicle


the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip


the traction control will still brake a
spinning wheel


the ESP continues to operate when you
are braking
Turn on the ESP immediately if the afore-
mentioned circumstances do not apply
anymore.The switch is located on the lower part of
the center console.
1ESP switch (off/on)

Press switch1.
The v ABS/ESP warning lamp in
the instrument cluster comes on.
The ESP is deactivated.
Warning!
G
ESP should not be switched off during nor-
mal driving other than in the circumstances
described below. Disabling of the system
will reduce vehicle stability in standard driv-
ing maneuvers.
iWhen the ESP is switched off and one
or more drive wheels are spinning, the
v ABS/ESP warning lamp in the in-
strument cluster flashes. However, the
ESP will then not stabilize the vehicle.