2007 MERCEDES-BENZ SL550 Console

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
Exterior view ......................................... 22
Cockpit ................................................. 24
Instrument cluster ................................ 26
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 30
Center console ..................................... 31
Upper part ...................................... 31
Lower part ...................................... 32
Overhead control panel ........................ 33
Storage compartments ......................... 34
Door control panel................................ 36
Getting started................................... 37
Unlocking ............................................. 38
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 38
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*......... 39
Starter switch positions .................. 39
Adjusting .............................................. 42
Seats .............................................. 42
Steering wheel ................................ 45
Mirrors ............................................ 47
Driving .................................................. 49
Fastening the seat belts ................. 49
Starting the engine ......................... 52
Parking brake ................................. 54
Driving off ....................................... 54
Switching on headlamps ................. 55
Turn signals .................................... 56
Windshield wipers ........................... 57
Problems while driving.................... 59
Parking and locking .............................. 60
Parking brake ................................. 61
Switching off headlamps................. 61
Turning off the engine..................... 62
Releasing seat belts........................ 62
Locking ........................................... 63

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

25 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Exterior lamp switch
55, 128
2
Headlamp washer button
180
3
Cruise control lever

Cruise control


Distronic*
209
213
4
Shift paddle*: downshift
175
5
Instrument cluster
26, 136
6
Multifunction steering
wheel
30, 140
7
Shift paddle*: upshift
175
8
Lever for voice control
system*, see separate
operating instructions
9
Front Parktronic* warning
indicator
230
Item
Page
a
Digital clock
b
Front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
76
c
Interior storage compart-
ments (locking/unlocking)
235
d
Overhead control panel
33
e
Glove box
233
f
Center console
31, 32
g
Starter switch
41
h
Horn
j
Steering wheel adjustment
stalk
Heated steering wheel*
45
240
Item
Page
k
Combination switch

Turn signals


Windshield wipers


High beam
56
57
133
l
Parking brake pedal
54, 61
m
Parking brake release han-
dle
54
n
Hood lock release
274
o
Door control panel
36
p
Power window switch
196

31 At a glance
Center console
Center console
Upper part
Item
Page
1
Central locking switch
119
2
Hazard warning flasher
on/off switch
133
3
Central unlocking switch
120
4
Center and side air vent
adjustment
189
5
COMAND system, see sepa-
rate operating instructions
6
Right cup holder
238
7
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button
40
8
Automatic climate control
panel
184
9
Ashtray
Cigarette lighter
239
239
a
Left cup holder
238

32 At a glanceCenter consoleLower part
Item
Page
1
Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission
173
2
Parktronic system*
deactivation switch
228
3
Exterior rear view mirror
adjustment
47
4
ABC suspension tuning
button
225
5
Tow-away alarm switch
98
6
Retractable hardtop
open/close switch with
buttons for roll bar
199,
81
Item
Page
7
ABC vehicle level control
button
225
8
ESP
® switch
91
9
Thumbwheel for setting fol-
lowing distance for
Distronic*
221
a
Distance warning function*
on/off switch
224
b
Program mode selector
switch for automatic trans-
mission
177

48 Getting startedAdjustingInterior rear view mirror
Manually adjust the interior rear view
mirror.
For more information, see “Rear view mir-
rors” (
page 180).
Exterior rear view mirrorsThe buttons are located on the lower part
of the center console.
1Driver’s side exterior rear view mirror
button
2Passenger-side exterior rear view mir-
ror button
3Adjustment button

Switch on the ignition (
page 39).

Press button1 or button2 to select
the desired exterior rear view mirror.

Push adjustment button3 up, down,
left, or right according to the desired
setting.For more information, see “Good visibility”
(
page 180).
Warning!
G
Exercise care when using the passenger
side exterior rear view mirror. The mirror
surface is convex (outwardly curved surface
for a wider field of view). Objects in mirror
are closer than they appear. Check your in-
terior rear view mirror or glance over your
shoulder before changing lanes.
!
If an exterior rear view mirror was forcibly
pushed forward (hit from the rear) or forcibly
pushed rearward (hit from the front), reposition
it by applying firm pressure until it snaps into
place. The mirror housing is then properly posi-
tioned and you can adjust the mirror in the usual
manner.
i
At low ambient temperatures, the exterior
rear view mirrors will be heated automatically.
i
The memory function (
page 126) lets you
store the setting for the exterior rear view mir-
rors together with the settings for the steering
wheel and the seat position.

72 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyThe passenger front air bag will only be de-
ployed if:

the system, based on OCS weight sen-
sor readings, senses that the front pas-
senger seat is occupied


the5/ indicator lamp in the
center console is not lit (
page 76)


the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment threshold
Knee bag
The knee bag is located on the driver-side
lower instrument panel. It is designed to
operate together with the driver air bag in
certain frontal impacts exceeding a preset
threshold. The knee bag operates best in
conjunction with a properly positioned and
fastened seat belt.Head-thorax air bags
1Head-thorax air bag
The head-thorax air bags are deployed:


in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold


on the impacted side of the vehicle


independently of the front air bags
The head-thorax air bags are not deployed
in impacts which do not exceed the sys-
tem’s deployment threshold.
Occupant Classification System
The O
ccupant C
lassification S
ystem (OCS)
automatically turns the passenger front air
bag on or off based on the classified occu-
pant weight category determined by
weight sensor readings from the
passenger seat.
Occupants must sit properly belted in a
nearly upright position with their back
against the seat backrest and feet on the
floor to be correctly classified. If the
occupant's weight is transferred to
another object in the vehicle (e.g. by
leaning on armrests), the OCS may not be
able to properly approximate the
occupant’s weight category.
i
The system does not deactivate the
head-thorax air bag and the emergency tension-
ing device.

76 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyThe 5/indicator lamp is located in
the upper part of the center console, be-
tween the center air vents.
1Front passenger front air bag off indica-
tor lamp
The 5/indicator lamp1 will be
illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed or in starter switch position0.Self-test Occupant Classification
System
After turning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position1 or2 or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once or
twice, the 5/ indicator lamp
located in the upper part of the center con-
sole, between the center air vents illumi-
nates. If an adult occupant is properly
sitting on the passenger seat and the sys-
tem senses the occupant as being an
adult, the5/ indicator lamp will
illuminate and go out after
approximately 6 seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the system
senses the passenger seat as being empty,
the 5/ indicator lamp will
illuminate and not go out.
Warning!
G
If the 1indicator lamp and the
5/indicator lamp are lit at the same
time, there is a malfunction in the Occupant
Classification System. The passenger front
air bag will be deactivated in this case.
In order to ensure proper operation of the
air bag system and OCS:

Have the system checked as soon as
possible by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


Sit properly belted in a nearly upright
position with your back against the seat
backrest.


Do not lean on the armrests or lift your-
self from the seat by using the handle
over the door as this may cause the OCS
to be unable to correctly approximate
the occupant weight category.


Only have the seat repaired or replaced
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.