2006 MERCEDES-BENZ SLR brake

177 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Downshifting

Press button1 (
page 174) on the
left side of the steering wheel.
or

Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the left in theD-direction.
The transmission shifts to the next low-
er gear.
The current gear selector position ap-
pears in the right multifunction display
(page 117).Upshifting
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.
iWhen you brake or stop, the transmis-
sion shifts down to a gear from which
you can easily accelerate or take off.
!In the manual program modeM, the
transmission will not upshift, even if
the engine has reached its overrevving
range. Shift up to the next gear before
the engine has reached its overrevving
range. Make absolutely certain that the
engine speed does not reach the red
marking on the tachometer
(page 28). Otherwise the engine
could be damaged which is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

197 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving system of your vehicle is
described on the following pages:

Cruise control, with which the vehicle
can maintain a preset speed
For information on the BAS, ABS and ESP
®
driving systems, (
page 79).
Cruise control
Cruise control automatically maintains the
speed you set for your vehicle.
Use of cruise control is recommended for
driving at a constant speed for extended
periods of time. You can set or resume
cruise control at any speed over 20 mph
(30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
The cruise control lever is the uppermost
lever on the left-hand side of the steering
column (
page 30).
Warning!
G
Cruise control is a convenience system de-
signed to assist the driver during vehicle op-
eration. The driver is and must remain at all
times responsible for the vehicle speed and
for safe brake operation.
Only use cruise control if the road, traffic
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a steady speed.

The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.


The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in
tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.


Deactivate cruise control when driving
in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.

198 Controls in detailDriving systems1Sets current or higher speed
2Sets current or lower speed
3Cancels cruise control
4Resumes at last set speed
Setting current speed
Accelerate or decelerate to the desired
speed.

Briefly lift1 or depress2 the cruise
control lever.
The current speed is set.

Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated.
Canceling cruise control
There are several ways to cancel cruise
control:

Step on the brake pedal.
Cruise control is canceled. The last
speed set is stored for later use.
or

Briefly push the cruise control lever to
position3.
Cruise control is canceled. The last
speed set is stored for later use.The cruise control is automatically can-
celled, when


the vehicle speed is below 20 mph
(30 km/h)


ESP
® is in operation or switched off
with the ESP switch (
page 83)


you move the gear selector lever to
positionN while driving
iOn uphill or downhill grades, cruise
control may not be able to maintain the
set speed. Once the grade eases, the
set speed will be resumed.
!However, the gear selector lever
should not be moved to positionN
while driving, except to coast when the
vehicle is in danger of skidding (e.g. on
icy roads).iDepressing the accelerator pedal does
not deactivate the cruise control. After
brief acceleration (e.g. for passing), the
cruise control will resume the last
speed set.
The last stored speed is canceled when
you turn off the engine.

199 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Setting a higher speed
Lift cruise control lever to position1
and hold it up until the desired speed is
reached.

Release cruise control lever.
The new speed is set.
Setting a lower speed

Depress cruise control lever to
position2 and hold it down until the
desired speed is reached.

Release cruise control lever.
The new speed is set.Fine adjustment in 1 mph
(Canada: 1 km/h) increments
Faster

Briefly tip cruise control lever in
direction of arrow1.
Slower

Briefly tip cruise control lever in
direction of arrow2.Setting to last stored speed
(“Resume” function)

Briefly push cruise control lever to
position4.
The cruise control resumes the last set
speed.

Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
iDepressing the accelerator pedal does
not deactivate cruise control. After
brief acceleration (e.g. for passing),
cruise control will resume the last
speed set.
iWhen you use the cruise control lever
to decelerate, the transmission will
automatically downshift if the engine’s
braking power does not brake the
vehicle sufficiently.
Warning!
G
The speed stored in memory should only be
set again if prevailing road conditions per-
mit. Possible acceleration or deceleration
differences arising from returning to preset
speed could cause an accident and/or seri-
ous injury to you and others.

232 OperationDriving instructionsPower assistance
Brakes
Warning!
G
The brake system requires electrical energy
for operation.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. In such a case, the
red brake warning lamp (
page 300) and
warning messages (
page 307) in the in-
strument cluster come on while driving. To
brake, the driver must then apply signifi-
cantly greater brake pedal pressure and de-
press the pedal much further to obtain the
expected braking effect. If necessary, apply
full pressure to the brake pedal. Brakes are
only applied to the front wheels. Stopping
distance is increased! If there is a malfunc-
tion in the electrohydraulic brake system,
we recommend that the vehicle be trans-
ported with all wheels off the ground using
flatbed or appropriate wheel lift/dolly equip-
ment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For more infor-
mation, see “Towing the vehicle”
(page 360).
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
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components,
the first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may
be necessary to obtain expected braking ef-
fect. Maintain a safe distance from vehicles
in front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating
thereby significantly reducing their effec-
tiveness. It may not be possible to stop the
vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an acci-
dent.

233 Operation
Driving instructions
After driving on wet or snow-covered
roads, you should apply your brakes firmly
before parking your vehicle. This produces
heat which serves to dry the brake disks.
If the parking brake is released and the red
brake warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter stays on, there is a malfunction in the
electrohydraulic brake system
(
page 300) or the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is too low.
Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.
Have the brake system inspected immedi-
ately.All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only install brake pads and brake fluid rec-
ommended by Mercedes-Benz.
iThe brake system is designed to decel-
er ate you r S LR f rom hi gh sp ee ds a t the
best possible rate. Depending on the
applied brake force, speed, and ambi-
ent conditions, the brake system may
produce a squeak-type noise when you
apply the brakes at a moderate rate,
e . g . a t c i t y t r a f f i c . I f y o u e x p e r i e n c e t h i s
noise, you should occasionally test the
effectiveness of the brakes by applying
above-normal braking pressure at high
speeds. Please perform this braking
procedure three times. This will also
enhance the grip of the brake pads. If
the noise continuous, contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking
maneuvers.!Refer to the description of the Brake
Assist System (BAS) (
page 81).
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.
Be certain to read and observe the warning
notices on brake pad replacement
(page 85).

234 OperationDriving instructionsAfter hard braking, it is advisable to drive
on for some time, rather than immediately
park, so the air stream will cool down the
brakes faster.Driving 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
operating temperature has been reached
(page 303).When starting off on a slippery surface, do
not allow a drive wheel to spin for an
extended 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
!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.
!Simultaneously depressing the
accelerator pedal and applying the
brake reduces engine performance and
causes premature brake and drivetrain
wear.!Set the parking brake whenever park-
ing or leaving the vehicle. In addition,
move gear selector lever to positionP.
When parking on hills, always turn front
wheels towards the road curb.
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 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.


Take the SmartKey with you and lock
the vehicle when leaving.

235 Operation
Driving instructions
Tires
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of
approximately
1/16
in (1.6 mm), at which
point the tire is considered worn and
should be replaced.The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.Specified tire inflation pressures must be
maintained. This applies particularly if the
tires are subjected to high loads (e.g. high
speeds, heavy loads, high ambient temper-
atures).
Warning!
G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possi-
ble damage to your vehicle has occurred,
you should turn on the hazard warning flash-
ers, carefully slow down, and drive with cau-
tion to an area which is a safe distance from
the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center or tire
dealer for repairs.
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor
vehicle safety laws consider a tire to be
worn when the treadwear indicators (TWI)
become visible at approximately
1/16in
(1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not
allow your tires to wear down to that level.
As tread depth approaches
1/8in (3 mm),
the adhesion properties on a wet road are
sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
Have worn tires replaced in pairs (front pair
or rear pair). Otherwise the driving stability
of the vehicle will be adversely affected.
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high
speed with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.!A wheel change should only be carried
out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Otherwise there is a danger of
damaging the vehicle by jacking it up
incorrectly.