2007 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK CLASS heating

185 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control*
Nearly all dust particles, pollutants and
odors are filtered out before outside air
enters the interior through the air dis-
tribution system.
The air conditioning will not engage (no
cooling) if the A/Cmode is deactivated
(
page 184).Deactivating the climate control
system
Deactivating
Press button´ (page 184).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
Warning!G
Follow the recommended settings for
heating and cooling given on the following
pages. Otherwise the windows could fog up,
impairing visibility and endangering you and
others.
iSevere conditions (e.g. strong air pollution)
may require replacement of the filter before its
scheduled interval. A clogged filter will reduce
the air volume to the interior.
If the vehicle interior is hot, ventilate the interior
before driving off. The automatic climate control
will then adjust the interior temperature to the
set value much faster.
Keep the air intake grille in front of the wind-
shield free of snow and debris.
When the retractable hardtop is closed, do not
obstruct air flow by placing objects on the air
flow-through exhaust slots below the rear win-
dow.
Warning!G
When the automatic climate control is
switched off, the outside air supply and
circulation are also switched off. Only
choose this setting for a short time.
Otherwise the windows could fog up,
impairing visibility and endangering you
and others.

188 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control*
Closing the cockpit air vent and center
air vents
Turn thumbwheels2,4andb
(
page 182) downward.
The cockpit air vent and the center air
vents are closed.
Opening and closing side air vents
Turn thumbwheels8andd
(
page 182) in the corresponding
direction.
Side air vents7ande are open or
closed.
Adjusting air volume
Use buttonU (
page 184) for auto-
matic mode or air volume control1
(
page 184) to adjust air volume
manually.
Eleven blower speeds are available.
Turn air volume control1
(
page 184) to the desired position.
The indicator lamp on buttonU
(
page 184) goes out.
The automatic operation of air volume
switches off.
Front defroster
You can use this setting to defrost the
windshield, for example if it is iced up.
You can also defog the windshield and the
side windows.
Activating
Press buttonP (page 184).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The air conditioning switches
automatically to the following functions:

cooling on to dehumidify

maximum blowing and heating
power

air flows onto the windshield and
the front side windows
iKeep this setting selected only until the
windshield or the side windows are clear again.
iWhen you have activated the front defroster
using buttonP, no other settings are
possible.

192 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control*
Deactivating
It is possible to deactivate the air condi-
tioning (cooling) function of the automatic
climate control system. The air in the
vehicle will then no longer be cooled or
dehumidified.
Press buttonœ (page 184).
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
Activating
Moist air can fog up the windows. You
can dehumidify the air with the air
conditioning.
Press buttonœ (page 184).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
Residual heat and ventilation
With the engine switched off, it is possible
to continue to heat or ventilate the interior
for up to 30 minutes. This feature makes
use of the residual heat produced by the
engine.Activating
Switch off the ignition (page 37).
Press buttonT (page 184).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on. The display in the automatic
climate control panel remains switched
off.
Deactivating
Press buttonT (page 184) again.
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
iHow long the system will provide heating
depends on

the coolant temperature

the temperature set by the operator
The blower will run at speed setting1 regardless
of the air volume control setting.
iThe residual heat is automatically turned off:

when the ignition is switched on (page 37)

after about 30 minutes

if the battery voltage drops

256 Controls in detail
Useful features
Cigarette lighter
Switch on the ignition (page 37).1Cigarette lighter
Push in cigarette lighter1.
Cigarette lighter1 will pop out auto-
matically when hot.
Reinsert cigarette lighter1 in its
socket after use.
Warning!G
Never touch the heating element or sides of
the cigarette lighter; they are extremely hot.
Hold the knob only.
Make sure that any children traveling with
you do not injure themselves or start a fire
with the hot cigarette lighter.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.
A child’s unsupervised access to a vehicle
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
!The lighter socket can be used to
accommodate 12V DC electrical accessories
(up to a maximum of 85 W) designed for use with
the standard “cigarette lighter” plug type. Keep
in mind, however, that connecting accessories
to the lighter socket (for example extensive con-
necting and disconnecting, or using plugs that do
not fit properly) can damage the lighter socket.
With the socket damaged, the lighter may no
longer be able to be placed in the heating
(pushed-in) position, or the lighter may pop out
too early with the lighter not hot enough.
To help avoid damaging the cigarette lighter
socket, we recommend connecting 12V DC
electrical accessories designed for use with the
standard “cigarette lighter” plug type to the 12V
power outlets (
page 257) in your vehicle
whenever possible.

276 Controls in detail
Useful features
Heated steering wheel*
(SLK 280, SLK 350, Canada only)
The steering wheel heating warms up the
leather area of the steering wheel.
The stalk is located on the lower left-hand
side of the steering wheel.
1Switching on
2Indicator lamp
3Switching offSwitching onSwitch on the ignition (page 37).
Turn switch at tip of stalk in direction of
arrow1 and release it.
The steering wheel is heated. Indicator
lamp2 comes on.Switching off
Turn switch at tip of stalk in direction of
arrow3 and release it.
The steering wheel heating is switched
off. Indicator lamp2 goes out.
iThe steering wheel heating is temporarily
suspended while indicator lamp2 remains on
when

the temperature of the vehicle interior is
above 86°F (30°C)

the temperature of the steering wheel is
above 95°F (35°C)
When these conditions do not apply anymore,
steering wheel heating continues.
iIndicator lamp2 flashes or switches off in
case of

power surge or undervoltage

steering wheel heating malfunction
iThe steering wheel heating switches off
automatically when you remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.

280 Operation
Driving instructions
Power assistanceBrakes
To help prevent brake disc corrosion after
driving on wet road surfaces (particularly
salted roads), it is advisable to brake the
vehicle with considerable force prior to
parking. The heat generated serves to dry
the brakes.
If your brake system is normally only sub-
jected to moderate loads, you should occa-
sionally test the effectiveness of the
brakes by applying above-normal braking
pressure at higher speeds. This will also
enhance the grip of the brake pads.
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
vehicle.
Warning!G
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components
or salty road conditions, the first braking ac-
tion may be somewhat reduced and in-
creased pedal pressure may be necessary to
obtain expected braking effect. 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.
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine must be turned off (SmartKey in
starter switch position0 or1) when

the parking brake is being tested on a brake
test dynamometer

the vehicle is being towed with the front axle
raised
Active braking action through the ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system.

281 Operation
Driving instructions
Refer to the description of the Brake Assist
System (BAS) (
page 86).
Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.
The brake fluid level in the reservoir may
be too low if the brake warning lamp in
the instrument cluster (
page 26)
comes on although the parking brake is
released (
page 348). Observe additional
messages that may appear in the multi-
function display (
page 367).
Have the brake system inspected immedi-
ately. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Install only brake pads and brake fluid
recommended by Mercedes-Benz.
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
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking
maneuvers.
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 prevent overheating of the brakes and
reduces brake pad wear.

451 Index
A
ABS 84
Indicator lamp 346, 347
Messages in the multifunction
display 358
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 159
Accessory weight 327
Accident 58
Air bags 66
Children in the vehicle 79
Front 69
Head-thorax 70
Knee bag 70
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) 71
Passenger 69
Passenger front air bag off indicator
lamp 74
Safety guidelines 68Air conditioning
Automatic climate control* 191
Climate control 180
Air conditioning refrigerant 445
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure
AIRSCARF neck level heating* 105
Alarm system see Anti-theft systems
Alignment bolt
(Vehicle tool kit) 382, 409
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 449
Antilock Brake System see ABS
Anti-theft systems 90
Alarm system 90
Immobilizer 90
Tow-away alarm 91
Ashtray 32, 255
Aspect ratio 327
Audio search function 146Audio system 193
Audio and telephone*, operation 193
CD changer* 212
CD operation 208
Introduction to satellite radio*
(USA only) 203
MP3 210
Operating and display elements 194
Auto-dimming*, Rear view mirrors 169
Automatic central locking 102
Control system 146
Automatic climate control* 182
Air conditioning refrigerant 444
Air conditioning, Cooling 191
Air recirculation mode 189
Air vents 182, 187
Air volume 188
Automatic mode 186
Control panel 184