2007 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK CLASS light

61 Getting started
Parking and locking
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch toM
(
page 109).
For more information, see “Lighting”
(
page 109).
Turning off engine
Manual transmission: Move the gear-
shift lever into first or reverse gear.
Automatic transmission*: Place the
gear selector lever in positionP.
Apply the parking brake (page 59).
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.
The immobilizer is activated.
Releasing seat belts
Press the seat belt release button
(
page 49).
Allow the retractor to completely
rewind the seat belt by guiding the
latch plate.
iAlways set the parking brake in addition to
shifting into first or reverse gear (automatic
transmission*: gear selector lever in positionP).
When parked on an incline, also turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.
iVehicles with automatic transmission*: The
SmartKey can only be removed from the starter
switch with the gear selector lever in positionP.
!Make sure the seat belt retracts fully so that
the seat belt and/or latch plate cannot get
caught or pinched in the door or in the seat
mechanism. This can damage the seat belt and
impair the effectiveness of the seat belt, and/or
cause damage to the door and/or door trim
panel. Such damage is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

62 Getting started
Parking and locking
LockingExit the vehicle and close all doors.Press the lock button‹on the
SmartKey (
page 36).

All turn signal lamps flash three
times.

An acoustic warning sounds three
times (if equipped and feature acti-
vated). For more information, see
“Factory setting” (
page 96).

The locking knobs in the doors
move down.

The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 94).
Warning!G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors.
Be especially careful when small children
are around.
Before closing doors, make sure there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.
Warning!G
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.
iIf you hear a warning signal, you have forgot-
ten to switch off the headlamps before opening
the driver’s door.
In addition, the message
Turn off lights
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the headlamps.
!Failure to switch off the headlamps when
leaving the vehicle may result in a discharged
battery.
!Opening a door causes the windows on that
side of the car to open slightly. They will return to
the up position when the door is closed.
The side windows will not open or close if the
battery is discharged or the windows are imped-
ed by ice. As a result, you may no longer be able
to properly close the door. Do not attempt to
force the door shut. Doing so may damage the
door or the side window. Correct the condition
that prevents the windows from operating before
attempting to close the door.
iWithout the antenna on the left rear side of
the vehicle installed, the SmartKey signaling
range is considerably reduced. Hold the
SmartKey in close proximity towards the anten-
na base when locking or unlocking the vehicle.

70 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The air bags 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 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

the 75indicator lamp in
the center console is not lit
(
page 74)

the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment threshold
Knee bags
The driver-side knee bag is located on the
driver’s side lower instrument panel. The
passenger-side knee bag is located on the
passenger side below the glove box. They
are designed to operate together with the
front air bags in certain frontal impacts
exceeding a preset threshold. The knee
bags operate best in conjunction with
properly positioned and fastened seat
belts.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
system’s deployment threshold.
iThe front air bags in this vehicle have been
designed to inflate in two stages. This allows
the air bag to have different rates of inflation that
are based on the rate of relevant vehicle deceler-
ation as assessed by the air bag control unit.
On the passenger side, the front air bag
deployment is additionally influenced by the
passenger’s weight category as identified by the
Occupant Classification System (OCS)
(
page 71).
The lighter the passenger side occupant, the
higher the vehicle deceleration rate required for
the second stage inflation of the air bag.

80 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Infant and child restraint systems
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
The passenger lap-shoulder belt has a
special seat belt retractor for secure fas-
tening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint follow child
restraint instructions for mounting. Then
pull the shoulder belt out completely and
let it retract. During seat belt retraction, a
ratcheting sound can be heard to indicate
that the special seat belt retractor is acti-
vated. The seat belt is now locked. Push
down on child restraint to take up any
slack.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and
let seat belt retract completely.
The seat belt can again be used in the
usual manner.The use of infant or child restraints is re-
quired by law in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, the U.S. territories, and all
Canadian provinces.
Infants and small children should be
seated in an appropriate infant or child
restraint system which is properly secured
by a lap-shoulder belt and that complies
with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 255 and Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213
and 210.2.Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system’s
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts.
If children open a door, they could

injure other persons

get out of the car and injure themselves
or be injured by following traffic
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment unless they are
firmly secured in place.
For more information, please refer to the
“Useful features” section (
page 252)
through (
page 254).
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child’s risk of injury in the event
of

strong braking maneuvers

sudden changes of direction

an accident
Warning!G
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat
belt retractor will be deactivated.


84 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (Antilock Brake System)

BAS (Brake Assist System)

ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of
approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) indepen-
dent of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will
respond even to light brake pressure.
The -indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 26) comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
Warning!G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns

Wet and slippery road surfaces

Following another vehicle too closely
The driving systems described in this sec-
tion cannot reduce these risks or prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on
the vehicle.
Always adjust your driving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions and
keep a safe distance to other road users and
objects on the street.
iIn winter operation, the maximum
effectiveness of the ABS, the BAS, and the ESP®
is only achieved with winter tires (
page 332)
or snow chains as required.
Warning!G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

85 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode.
Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal while experiencing the
pulsation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions
and functions as a reminder to take extra
care while driving.Emergency brake maneuver
Keep continuous full pressure on the
brake pedal.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 346).
Warning!G
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the BAS
and the ESP® are also switched off. The
basic driving and braking functions are still
available.
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing
steering capability and extending the brak-
ing distance.
Warning!G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency
beyond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction af-
forded. The ABS cannot prevent accidents,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle too
closely, or hydroplaning. Only a safe, atten-
tive, and skillful driver can prevent
accidents. The capabilities of an ABS
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.

93 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Seats
Memory function*
Lighting
Instrument cluster
Control system
Manual transmission
Automatic transmission*
Good visibility
Climate control
Automatic climate control*
Audio system
Power windows
Retractable hardtop
Driving systems
Loading
Useful features

95 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Warning!G
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.
!Opening a door causes the windows on that
side of the car to open slightly. They will return to
the up position when the door is closed.
The side windows will not open or close if the
battery is discharged or the windows are imped-
ed by ice. As a result, you may no longer be able
to properly close the door. Do not attempt to
force the door shut. Doing so may damage the
door or the side window. Correct the condition
that prevents the windows from operating before
attempting to close the door.
!To prevent possible malfunction, avoid
exposing the SmartKey to high levels of electro-
magnetic radiation.
!If you can no longer lock or unlock the
vehicle with the SmartKey, the batteries in the
SmartKey are discharged, the SmartKey is
malfunctioning, or the vehicle battery is drained.

Check the batteries in the SmartKey and
replace them if necessary (
page 391).

Use the mechanical key to unlock the
driver’s door (
page 387) and the trunk
(
page 388).

Use the mechanical key to lock the vehicle
(
page 388).

Have the vehicle battery and the battery
connections checked (
page 415).
If the SmartKey is malfunctioning, contact
Roadside Assistance or an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iWithout the antenna on the left rear side of
the vehicle installed, the SmartKey signaling
range is considerably reduced. Hold the
SmartKey in close proximity towards the
antenna base when locking or unlocking the
vehicle.
iYou can also open and close the retractable
hardtop using the SmartKey* (
page 244).
iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.