2006 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
Vehicle data recording ......................... 19
Information regarding electronic
recording devices ........................... 19
At a glance.......................................... 21
Cockpit ................................................. 22
Instrument cluster ................................ 24
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 28
Center console ..................................... 29
Upper part ...................................... 29
Lower part ...................................... 30
Overhead control panel ........................ 31
Door control panel................................ 32
Getting started................................... 33
Unlocking ............................................. 34
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 34
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*......... 35
Starter switch positions .................. 36
Adjusting .............................................. 39
Seats .............................................. 39
Steering wheel ................................ 42
Mirrors ............................................ 44
Driving .................................................. 46
Fastening the seat belts ................. 46
Starting the engine ......................... 49
Parking brake ................................. 51
Driving off ....................................... 51
Switching on headlamps ................. 53
Turn signals .................................... 53
Windshield wipers ........................... 54
Problems while driving.................... 56
Parking and locking .............................. 58
Parking brake ................................. 59
Switching off headlamps................. 59
Turning off the engine..................... 60
Releasing seat belts........................ 61
Locking ........................................... 61

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

23 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Parking brake pedal
51
2
Hood lock release
272
3
Parking brake release han-
dle
59
4
Door control panel
32
5
Exterior lamp switch
53, 123
6
Headlamp washer button
177
7
Combination switch

Turn signals


Windshield wipers


High beam
53
54
129
Item
Page
8
Steering wheel gearshift
control
(SL 55 AMG, SL 65 AMG,
and vehicles with
Sport Package* only)
170
9
Cruise control lever

Cruise control


Distronic*
204
207
a
Instrument cluster
24, 132
b
Multifunction steering
wheel
28, 136
c
Lever for voice control sys-
tem*, see separate
operating instructions
d
Front Parktronic* warning
indicator
225
Item
Page
e
Digital clock
150
f
Overhead control panel
31
g
Interior storage compart-
ments (locking/unlocking)
230
h
7 indicator lamp
78
j
Glove box
228
k
Center console
29, 30
l
Starter switch
38
m
Horn
n
Steering wheel adjustment
stalk
Heated steering wheel*
42
235

69 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 cov-
er, outboard sides of the front seat
backrests, door trim panels, or door
frame trims, 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.


Airbag system components will be hot
after an 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.

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

in the event of certain frontal impacts


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 78)


the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment threshold1Driver airbag
2Passenger airbag
3Knee bagKnee bag
The knee bag 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 knee bag 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
passenger side to deploy in a crash
which exceeds the system’s deploy-
ment threshold.

74 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:


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 64).
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.


Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, against your neck or off your shoul-
der. In a crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The
belt would also apply too much force to
the ribs or abdomen, which could se-
verely injure internal organs such as
your liver or spleen.


Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., as these
might cause injuries.


Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips and not across the abdo-
men. If the belt is positioned across your
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries
in a crash.


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 would not 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.
iThe ETDs will only activate if the re-
spective seat belt is fastened (latch
plate properly inserted into buckle).


123 Controls in detail
Lighting
 Lighting
For information on how to switch on the
headlamps and use the turn signals, see
“Switching on headlamps” (
page 53)
and “Turn signals” (
page 53).
Exterior lamp switch
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.
MOff
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 125)
UAutomatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(page 125)CParking lamps (also tail lamps, li-
cense plate lamps, side marker
lamps, instrument panel lamps)
Canada only: When the engine is
running, the low beam headlamps
are also switched on.
BLow beam headlamps (or high
beam headlamps when the combi-
nation switch is pushed forward)
and parking lamps
ˆStanding lamps, right (turn left one
stop)
‚Standing lamps, left (turn left two
stops)
CIndicator lamp for parking lamps
‡Indicator lamp for front fog lamps
†Indicator lamp for rear fog lamp
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 any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

468 IndexInstrument panel see Instrument cluster
Instruments and controls see Cockpit
Interior lighting 130
Delayed switch-off 155
Interior rear view mirror 44
Antiglare position 177
Auto-dimming 177
J
Jack 384
Jacking up the vehicle 404
Jump starting 419
K
Key, Mechanical 385
Valet locking 110
Key, SmartKey
Battery check lamp 96
Factory setting 98
Locking/unlocking 34, 61, 96
Messages in the multifunction
display 372
Opening retractable hardtop 199
Positions in starter switch 36
Remote control 96
Replacing batteries 389
Selective setting 98Turning off the engine 60
Unlocking, Trunk lid 99
Key, SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* 100
Battery check lamp 101
Factory setting 103
Locking/unlocking 35, 61, 100
Messages in the multifunction
display 372
Opening retractable hardtop 199
Remote control 100
Replacing battery 390
Selective setting 104
Starter switch positions 37
Turning off the engine 60
Unlocking, Trunk lid 99
KEYLESS-GO* 456
Closing windows 194
Important notes 102
Locking/unlocking 35, 61, 100
Messages in the multifunction
display 372
Start/stop button 29, 37, 50
Starter switch positions 37
Starting the engine 50
Turning off the engine 60
Unlocking, Trunk lid 106Kickdown 166, 456
Kilopascal 311
Kilopascal (kPa) 456
Knee bag 70
kPa see Kilopascal
L
Labels, identification 430
Lamp bulbs, exterior 391
Lamps, exterior
Delayed switch-off 154
Exterior lamp switch 23, 53
Front 392
Light sensor 376
Replacing bulbs for rear 392, 396
Switching off 123
Switching on 123
Lamps, indicator and warning
ABS 27, 333
ABS/ESP
®
332
AIRBAG OFF 344
Airbag Off 70
Brakes 334
CHECK ENGINE 335, 336
Coolant 336
DTR* 209
Electro-hydraulic brake system 88