2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG stop start

57 Getting started
Driving
The coolant temperature gauge is
above 248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.
Stop the vehicle as soon as possible in
a safe location and turn off the engine.
Allow engine and coolant to cool.

Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 278).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:

Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.

Notify local fire and/or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If no damage can be determined on the


major assemblies


fuel system


engine mount:

Start the engine in the usual manner.

58 Getting startedParking and lockingYou have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before
turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:


Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.


Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch, or press the
start/stop button (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO*).


Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* and lock vehicle when
leaving.

60 Getting startedParking and lockingTurning off the engine
Place the gear selector lever in
positionP.

Apply the parking brake (
page 59).Turning off with the SmartKey

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 (
page 36).

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
The immobilizer is activated.Turning off with KEYLESS-GO*

Place the gear selector lever inP.

Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton (
page 37) to turn off the engine.
With the driver’s door closed, the start-
er switch is now in position1. With the
driver’s door opened, the starter switch
is set to position0, same as SmartKey
removed from starter switch
(
page 36).
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to positionP.
On slopes, turn the front wheels to-
wards the road curb.
iThe SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in positionP.iWith the SmartKey removed and the
driver’s door open, a warning sounds if
the vehicle’s exterior lamps are not
switched off.

64 Safety and SecurityOccupant 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 4 seconds when you turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to posi-
tion 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 37).


for about 4 seconds when you turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 2 or press the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button twice (
page 37).


for about 4 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 49).
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
4 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 341).
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 76).

71 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Head-thorax airbags
The head-thorax airbags are deployed:

on the impacted side of the vehicle


in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold


independently of the front airbags
The head-thorax airbags are not deployed
in impacts which do not exceed the sys-
tem’s deployment threshold.
The passenger head-thorax airbag will only
deploy if the system senses that the pas-
senger seat is occupied.
1Head-thorax airbag
Seat belts
When the engine is started, the seat belt
telltale< illuminates for a maximum of
6 seconds and a warning chime sounds to
remind you and your passenger to fasten
your seat belts.
If after these 6 seconds, the driver’s or the
passenger’s seat belt (with the passenger
seat occupied) are not fastened with all
doors closed,

and the vehicle speed does not exceed
15 mph (25 km/h), the seat belt
telltale< remains illuminated for as
long as either the driver’s or
passenger’s seat belt is not fastened


and the vehicle speed exceeds
15 mph (25 km/h), the seat belt
telltale< starts flashing and a
warning chime sounds with increasing
intensity until both the driver’s and
passenger’s seat belt are fastened, or
for a maximum of 60 seconds from
the time the vehicle speed exceeded 15 mph (25 km/h) if either
the driver’s or passenger’s seat belt
remains unfastened.
If the driver’s or passenger’s seat belt
remains unfastened after 60 seconds,
the seat belt telltale< stops flash-
ing and the warning chime stops
sounding. The seat belt telltale<
then continues to be illuminated for as
long as either the driver’s or passen-
ger’s seat belt are not fastened.
The seat belt telltale< will only go out
if both the driver’s and the passenger’s
seat belt (with the front passenger seat oc-
cupied) are fastened, or the vehicle is
standing still and a front door is opened.
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 340).

79 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
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
6 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.
iThe system does not deactivate the
head-thorax airbag and the emergency
tensioning device.
Warning!
G
The BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation sys-
tem will ONLY work with a special child seat
designed to operate with it. It will not work
with child seats which are not BabySmart
TM
compatible.
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the deactivation sys-
tem. The bottom of the child seat must
make full contact with the passenger seat
cushion. An incorrectly mounted child seat
could cause injuries to the child in case of an
accident, instead of protecting the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
installation of special child seats.
Warning!
G
When using a BabySmart
TM compatible child
seat on the front passenger seat, the pas-
senger front airbag will not deploy only if the
7 indicator lamp remains illuminated.
Please be sure to check the indicator every
time you use the special system child seat.
Should the light go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation. If the
light remains out, do not use the
BabySmart
TM restraint to transport children
on the passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.

81 Safety and Security
Panic alarm
Panic alarm
An audible alarm and flashing exterior
lamps will operate for approximately
21/2minutes.
1Â button
Activating
Press and hold button1 for at least
1 second.
Deactivating
Press button1 again.
or

Insert SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* in starter switch.
or

Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button on the gear selector lever.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* must
be in the vehicle.
iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired
operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interfer-
ence, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.

86 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsFor more information, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 332).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:


when driving with snow chains


in deep snow


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


you cannot activate Distronic*
!Because of the ESP
®’s automatic oper-
ation, the engine must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0
or 1 or KEYLESS-GO* start/stop but-
ton in position 0 or 1) when


the parking brake is being tested on
a brake test dynamometer


the vehicle is being towed with the
front/rear 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 434).
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.
Do not switch off the ESP
® when a spare
wheel is mounted.
!Turn on the ESP
® immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not
apply anymore.
iWhen the ESP
® is switched off and one
or more drive wheels are spinning, the
ABS/ESP
® warning lamp v in the
speedometer flashes. However, the
ESP
® will then not stabilize the vehicle.