2007 MERCEDES-BENZ SLR CLASS ESP

290 Operation
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.

Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“MB Summerfit” to a premixed wind-
shield washer solvent/antifreeze
which is formulated for below freezing
temperatures (
page 397).

Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure that the engine can be started,
even at low ambient temperatures.

Tire change. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends M+S rated radial-ply tires with a
minimum tread depth of approximately
1/6in (4 mm) on all four wheels for the
winter season.
Winter tires*
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show the
mountain/snowflake.marking on the
tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and the Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Use of
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS and
ESP
® in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure that all
mounted winter tires are of the same make
and have the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your
vehicle, you must place a notice to this
effect where it will be seen by the driver.
Such notices are available from your tire
dealer or from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
!A wheel change should only be carried out
at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Other-
wise there is a danger of damaging the vehicle by
jacking it up incorrectly.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.

291 Operation
Winter driving
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:

Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations.

Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer’s mounting instructions.

Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
be glad to advise you on this subject.

Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you may
wish to deactivate the ESP® (page 85) before
setting the vehicle in motion. This will improve
the vehicle’s traction.!If snow chains are mounted to the front
wheels, they may scrape against the body or axle
components. The tires or the vehicle could be
damaged as a result.
!Use of snow chains is not permissible with
tire sizes:

255/35 ZR19 (96Y) XL

295/30 ZR19 (100Y) XL

295/35 ZR18 (99Y)

300 Practical hints
What to do if ...
Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during the bulb self-check when switching on the
ignition, have the respective bulb checked
and replaced if necessary.
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solutions
vThe yellow ABS/ESP® warn-
ing lamp comes on while the
engine is running.Risk of accident!
The ESP
® has been switched off.
When the ESP
® is switched off it will not
stabilize the vehicle if the system recog-
nizes that the vehicle starts to skid or that
a wheel is spinning.
Switch the ESP® back on (page 86).
Exceptions: (
page 85).
If leaving the ESP® switched off, adapt your
speed and driving to the prevailing road and
weather conditions.
If the ESP
® cannot be switched on:
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Risk of accident!
The ESP
® is not operational due to a
malfunction.
Read and observe additional messages in
the multifunction display (
page 314).
Continue driving with added caution.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.

301 Practical hints
What to do if ...
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solutions
vThe yellow ABS/ESP® warn-
ing lamp flashes while
driving.Risk of accident!
The ESP
®, ABS, 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 prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Do not deactivate ESP®.
Exceptions: (
page 85).
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.

302 Practical hints
What to do if ...
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solutions
-The yellow ABS indicator
lamp comes on while the
engine is running.Risk of accident!
The ABS has detected a malfunction and
has switched off. The BAS and the ESP
®
are also switched off.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning,
other systems such as the automatic
transmission may also be malfunctioning.
The electro-hydraulic brake system is still
functioning normally but without ABS
available.
Continue driving with added caution. Wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing
steering capability.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.
Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display (
page 314).
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts. The ABS has switched off.
The battery may not be charged
sufficiently.When the voltage is above this value again, the
ABS is operational again and the ABS indicator
lamp should go out.
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out:
Have the generator (alternator) and the
battery checked.

311 Practical hints
What to do if ...
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
HLow tire pressure telltale for the
TPMS illuminates continuously.The TPMS detects a loss of pressure in at
least one tire.Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt,
avoiding abrupt steering and braking
maneuvers. Observe the traffic
situation around you.
Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display.
The low tire pressure telltale goes out
once the TPMS has been reactivated after
the tire inflation pressure has been
corrected.
Warning!G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly underinflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly underinflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.

316 Practical hints
What to do if ...
Text messages
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
ABSABS, ESP
unavailable
See
Oper. ManualRisk of accident!
The ABS and ESP
® are not available
due to a malfunction. The BAS is also
deactivated.
The system’s self-diagnosis may not
be completed yet.
The electro-hydraulic brake system
is still functioning normally but with-
out the ABS, the ESP
®, and the BAS
available.
Drive a short distance with added caution at
a vehicle speed of above 12 mph
(20 km/h).
When the message disappears, the ABS, the
ESP
®, and the BAS are available again.
If the message does not disappear:
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.

317 Practical hints
What to do if ...
Left displayRight displayPossible cause/consequencePossible solution
ABSABS, ESP
inoperative
See
Oper. ManualRisk of accident!
The ABS and ESP
® ha ve s witc he d off
due to a malfunction.
The BAS is also deactivated.
The electro-hydraulic brake system
is still functioning normally but with-
out the ABS, the ESP
®, and the BAS
available.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.
Convenience
functionstemporarily
unavailableThe battery for electrical consumers
has insufficient voltage and can no
longer supply the convenience func-
tions such rear window heating.As soon as the on-board voltage is sufficient,
you will see the following message in the multi-
function display:
Convenience functions
available again
. The electrical consumers are
switched on again.
Cruise control––– mph
(USA only)
––– km/h
(Canada only)
You have attempted to resume a
stored speed, but nothing is stored.Store a speed (page 204).
You have attempted to set a speed
below 20 mph (30 km/h).Accelerate to a speed exceeding
20 mph (30 km/h) and set the speed
(
page 204).
The ESP® is switched off.Switch on the ESP® (page 86).
Exceptions: (
page 85).