2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280 ESP

285 Controls in detail
Useful features
If you live in Canada or if you are having
difficulties programming a gate operator
(regardless of where you live) by using the
programming procedures, replace step 4
with the following:
Step 4:
Press and hold the signal transmitter
button (2, 3 or4). Do not release
this button until it has been successful-
ly trained.

While still holding down the signal
transmitter button (2, 3 or4),
“cycle” your hand-held remote control
button6 as follows: Press and hold
button6 for 2 seconds, then release
it for 2 seconds, and again press and
hold it for 2 seconds. Repeat this se-
quence on the hand-held remote con-
trol until the frequency signal has been
learned. Upon successful training, the
indicator lamp1 will flash slowly and
then rapidly after several seconds.

Proceed with programming step 5 and
step 6 to complete.Reprogramming a single signal trans-
mitter button
To program a device using a signal trans-
mitter button previously trained, follow
these steps:

Switch on the ignition (
page 36).

Press and hold the desired signal
transmitter button (2, 3 or4).
Do not release the button.

The indicator lamp1 will begin to
flash after 20 seconds. Without releas-
ing the signal transmitter button, pro-
ceed with programming starting with
step 3.
iUpon completion of programming the
integrated remote control, make sure
you retain the hand-held remote con-
trol that came with the garage door
opener, gate operator or other device.
You may need it for use in other vehi-
cles, for future programming of an
integrated remote control, or simply for
continued use as a hand-held remote
control to operate the respective
device in other situations.

295 Operation
Driving instructions
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive
on for some time, rather than immediately
park, so that the air stream will cool down
the brakes faster.High-performance brake system
(SLK 55 AMG only)
The high-performance brake system is de-
signed to operate under the extremely high
operating demands required to accommo-
date the performance capabilities of the
vehicle. The brakes may produce a squeak-
ing-type noise depending on the


vehicle speed


brake force applied


ambient conditions, e.g. temperature
and humidity
As with any brake system, the wear of indi-
vidual brake system components such as
brake pads or discs strongly depends on
your driving style and the conditions under
which you operate the vehicle. Thus, a driv-
ing style calling for high demand braking
will cause your vehicle’s brakes to wear
more quickly.
Warning!
G
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can be degraded to an extent that
safe braking is substantially impaired. This
could result in an accident.!When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes
by shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s braking power. This helps pre-
vent overheating of the brakes and re-
duces brake pad wear.
Warning!
G
New vehicle brake pads and discs, and
replacement brake pads and discs may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide optimum braking efficiency. Until
that time, you may need to use increased
brake pedal pressure while braking. Please
be aware of this and adjust your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in
period.
Excessive high demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition mes-
sages in the multifunction display. Especial-
ly for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain the brake system and
have it checked regularly.

296 OperationDriving instructionsDriving off
Apply the brakes to test them briefly after
driving off. Perform this procedure only
when the road is clear of other traffic.
Warm up the engine smoothly. Do not
place full load on the engine until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.
When starting off on a slippery surface, do
not allow a drive wheel to spin for an ex-
tended period with the ESP
® switched off.
Doing so may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Parking
!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and applying the brake re-
duces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear.
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.


Pull the parking brake lever up as many
notches as possible.


Move the selector lever to positionP
(manual transmission: first or reverse
gear).


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.


Take the SmartKey and lock vehicle
when leaving.!Set the parking brake whenever park-
ing or leaving the vehicle. In addition,
place gear selector lever* in positionP
(manual transmission: move gearshift
lever to first or reverse gear).
In addition, when parking on hills, turn
front wheel towards the road curb.

329 Operation
Tires and wheels
Checking tire inflation pressure
Regularly check your tire inflation pressure
at least once a month.
Check and adjust the tire inflation
pressure when the tires are cold. The tires
can be considered cold if the vehicle has
been parked for at least 3 hours or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km).
If you check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are warm (the vehicle has
been driven for several miles or sitting less
than 3 hours), the reading will be
approximately 4 psi (0.3 bar) higher than
the cold reading. This is normal. Do not let
air out to match the specified cold tire in-
flation pressure. Otherwise, the tire will be
underinflated.Checking tire inflation pressure
manually
Follow the steps below to achieve correct
tire inflation pressure:

Remove the cap from the valve on one
tire.

Firmly press a tire gauge onto the
valve.

Read tire inflation pressure on tire
gauge and check against the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure on the
placard on the driver’s door B-pillar
(page 327). If necessary, add air to
achieve the recommended tire inflation
pressure.

Install the valve cap.

Repeat this procedure for each tire.
Run Flat Indicator*
While the vehicle is being driven, the Run
Flat Indicator monitors the set tire inflation
pressures by evaluating each wheel’s rota-
tional speed. This allows the system to de-
tect a significant loss of pressure in a tire.
If a wheel’s rotational speed changes due
to falling tire inflation pressure, you will
see a corresponding warning message in
the multifunction display.
The Run Flat Indicator may function in a re-
stricted manner or with a delay if:


snow chains are mounted to the
vehicle


winter road conditions prevail


you are driving on a loose surface (e.g.
sand or gravel)


you are driving in a very sporty manner
(involving rapid acceleration or high
speeds in curves)
iIf you have overfilled the tire, release
tire inflation pressure by pushing the
metal stem of the valve with e.g. a tip of
a pen. Then recheck the tire inflation
pressure with the tire gauge.

333 Operation
Tires and wheels
MOExtended system*
The MOExtended system allows you to
continue driving your vehicle even if there
is a total loss of pressure in one or more
tires.
You may only use the MOExtended system
in conjunction with the Run Flat Indicator*.
!The maximum distance in emergency
mode depends on the vehicle’s load. It
is 30 miles (50 km) if the vehicle is par-
tially loaded and 18 miles (30 km) if the
vehicle is fully loaded.
The point at which the maximum driv-
ing distance begins in emergency
mode is when the warning message
appears in the multifunction display
indicating that there is a loss of tire
inflation pressure.
Do not exceed the maximum speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).
Warning!
G
In emergency mode, your vehicle’s driving
characteristics are diminished in such situa-
tions as:

driving around curves


while braking


while accelerating rapidly
Therefore, your driving style must be adapt-
ed accordingly. Avoid abrupt steering and
driving maneuvers, as well as driving over
obstacles (road curbs, potholes, or off-road
areas). This is especially important if the ve-
hicle is heavily loaded.
The emergency driving distance that can be
achieved greatly depends on the demands
placed on the vehicle. Depending on speed,
load, driving maneuvers, road conditions,
outside temperature, etc., the distance can
be significantly shorter or, if the vehicle is
driven cautiously, somewhat longer.
Do not continue driving in emergency mode
if

you notice knocking sounds


the vehicle starts to shake


smoke develops and you smell rubber


ESP
® is intervening continuously


you notice tears on the tire sidewalls
After driving in emergency mode, you must
have the rims inspected by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center to check if they are
suitable for further use. The failed tire must
be replaced in any case.iWhen replacing individual or all tires on
the vehicle, make sure only tires
marked with “MOExtended” are mount-
ed in the size specified for your vehicle
(page 439).

343 Operation
Tires and wheels
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and ex-
cessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Tire ply material
1Plies in sidewall
2Plies under tread
This marking tells you about the type of
cord and number of plies in the sidewall
and under the tread.
Warning!
G
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underin-
flation, or excessive loading, either sepa-
rately or in combination, can cause
excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehi-
cle and may vary from data shown in
above illustration.

348 OperationWinter drivingBefore the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:

Checking anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.


Adding of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning* system. Add
MB Concentrate “S” to a pre-mixed
windshield washer solvent/antifreeze
which is formulated for temperatures
below freezing point (
page 456).


Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure the engine can be started, even at
low ambient temperatures.


Tire change.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show M+S and
the mountain/snowflake.marking on
the tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and the Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Using
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS and
ESP
® in winter operation.For safe handling, make sure all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.
Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires mounted to your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-
tices are available at your tire dealer or any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.!When scraping ice or snow from the
rear window, be careful not to damage
the sealing strip or apertures along the
side of the window.
Warning!
G
Winter tires with a tread depth under
1/6 in
(4 mm) must be replaced. They are no long-
er suitable for winter operation.

349 Operation
Winter driving
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not higher
than 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.
Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:

Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations.


Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer’s mounting instructions.


Only use snow chains that are ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz. Your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center will be
glad to advise you on this subject.


Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.
Warning!
G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you
may wish to deactivate the ESP
®
(
page 85) before setting the vehicle
in motion. This will improve the vehi-
cle’s traction.
!Some tire sizes do not leave adequate
clearance for snow chains. To help
avoid serious damage to your vehicle or
tires, use of snow chains is not permit-
ted with the collapsible tire and
MOExtended tires in general, and/or
the following tire sizes:

225/45 R17


245/40 R17


225/40 ZR18 92Y XL (Extra Load)


245/35 ZR18 92Y XL (Extra Load)