2007 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280 Practical Hints

350 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
vThe yellow ESP® warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.The ESP® has been switched off
with the ESP® switch or has been
switched off due to a malfunction.
Risk of accident!
When the ESP
® is switched off, it
will not stabilize the vehicle if the
system recognizes that the vehicle
starts to skid or that a wheel is
spinning.
The cruise control is deactivated
and cannot be switched on.
Switch the ESP® back on (page 89).
Exceptions: (
page 86).
If leaving the ESP® switched off, adapt your
speed and driving to the prevailing road,
weather and traffic conditions.
If the ESP
® cannot be switched back on:
Continue driving with added caution.
Observe additional messages that may appear
in the multifunction display (
page 359).
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
The yellow ESP® warning lamp
flashes when the engine is running.The ESP® or traction control has
come into operation because of
detected traction loss in at least
one tire.
The cruise control is deactivated.When driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
While driving, ease up on the accelerator.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing
road and weather conditions.
Do not deactivate the ESP®.
Exceptions: (
page 86).
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.

351 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
on for a maximum of 6 seconds
after starting the engine.The seat belt telltale reminds you and your
passenger to fasten your seat belts before
driving off.Fasten your seat belts.
Regardless of whether the seat belts
are fastened or not, the seat belt tell-
tale always comes on and remains lit
for 6 seconds after starting the en-
gine.
maximum of 6 seconds after
starting the engine.You have forgotten to fasten your seat belt.Fasten your seat belt.
The warning chime stops sounding.
on while the vehicle is standing
still and the engine is running or
during driving.You and/or your passenger have forgotten to
fasten your seat belts.Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
There are items placed on the passenger seat
and therefore the system senses the passen-
ger seat as being occupied.Remove the items from the passenger
seat and put them in a safe place.
The seat belt telltale goes out.

352 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
telltale flashes and you addition-
ally hear an intermittent warning
chime sound with increasing in-
tensity.The vehicle’s speed once exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h) and you and/or your passenger
have forgotten to fasten your seat belts.Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out and the
warning chime stops sounding.
There are items placed on the passenger seat
and therefore the system senses the passen-
ger seat as being occupied.Remove the items from the passenger
seat and put them in a safe place.
The seat belt telltale goes out and the
warning chime stops sounding.
iAfter 60 seconds with an unfastened seat
belt, the warning chime stops sounding and the
seat belt telltale illuminates continuously. The
seat belt telltale will only go out if both, the driver
and passenger’s seat belt are fastened, or the
vehicle is standing still and a door is opened.

353 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
4The yellow fuel reserve warning lamp
flashes after starting the engine.The fuel cap is not closed properly.Close the fuel cap.
The yellow fuel reserve warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.
Additionally you see the message
Reserve fuel in the multifunction
display.
The fuel level has gone below the
reserve mark.Refuel at the next gas station (page 291).
After refueling you will see the message
1 message in the multifunction display.
Press reset buttonJto confirm the
message (
page 26).
1The red SRS indicator lamp comes
on when the engine is running.There is a malfunction in the
restraint systems. The air bags or
emergency tensioning devices
(ETDs) could deploy unexpectedly or
fail to deploy in an accident.Drive with added caution to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is
indicated as outlined above, the SRS may
not be operational. For your safety, we
strongly recommend that you contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately to have the system checked;
otherwise the SRS may not be deployed
when needed in an accident, which could
result in serious or fatal injury, or it might
deploy unexpectedly and unnecessarily
which could also result in an accident
and/or injury to you or to others.

354 Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamp in center console
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
75The passenger front air bag off in-
dicator lamp illuminates and re-
mains illuminated with the weight
of a typical adult or someone larg-
er than a small individual on the
passenger seat.The system is malfunctioning.Have the system checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Also read and observe any messages
in the multifunction display and follow
corrective steps (
page 361).
Warning!G
If the75indicator lamp
illuminates and remains illuminated with the
weight of a typical adult or someone larger
than a small individual on the passenger
seat, do not have any passenger use the
passenger seat until the system has been
repaired.

355 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
75The front passenger front air bag
off indicator lamp does not illumi-
nate and/or does not remain illu-
minated with the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint or less on
the passenger seat.The system is malfunctioning.Make sure there is nothing between
seat cushion and child seat and check
installation of the child seat.
Make sure that no objects applying
supplemental weight onto the seat are
present.
If the front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp remains out, have the
system checked as soon as possible
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Do not transport a child on the
passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
Also read and observe any messages
in the multifunction display and follow
corrective steps (
page 361).
Warning!G
If the75indicator lamp does
not illuminate or remains out with the
weight of a typical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint or less on the
passenger seat, do not transport a child on
the passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.

356 Practical hints
What to do if …
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display
Warning and malfunction messages
appear in the multifunction display located
in the instrument cluster.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.
Selecting the vehicle status message
memory menu in the control system
(
page 135) displays both cleared and
uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the
multifunction display in red color.Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset buttonJ(
page 26) or
buttonj, k, ·, orè on the
multifunction steering wheel.
Other high-priority messages and
messages of less immediate priority
(regular display colors) can be cleared
from the multifunction display using the
reset buttonJ(
page 26) or
buttonj, k, ·, orè on the
multifunction steering wheel. They are
then stored in the vehicle status message
memory (
page 135). Remember that
clearing a message will only make the mes-
sage disappear. Clearing a message will
not correct the condition that caused the
message to appear.
Warning!G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated, ad-
dressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property dam-
age or personal injury.

357 Practical hints
What to do if …
On the pages that follow, you will find
a compilation of the most important warn-
ing and malfunction messages that may
appear in the multifunction display.
For your convenience the messages are
divided into two sections:

Text messages (page 358)

Symbol messages (page 366)
Warning!G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
Contact your nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iSwitching on ignition (page 37) causes all
instrument cluster lamps (except high beam
headlamp indicator lamp and turn signal indica-
tor lamps unless activated) as well as the multi-
function display to come on. Make sure the
lamps and multifunction display are in working
order before starting your journey.