Contents
Introduction....................................... 12
Product information ............................. 13
Operator’s Manual ............................... 14
Service and warranty information .. 14
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 15
Maintenance .................................. 16
Roadside Assistance ...................... 16
Change of address or ownership.... 16
Operating your vehicle outside the
USA or Canada............................... 17
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
compliance .................................... 17
Where to find it .................................... 18
Symbols ............................................... 19
Operating safety .................................. 20
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 20
Problems with your vehicle .................. 21
Reporting safety defects...................... 22
Reporting safety defects ................ 22
Vehicle data recording......................... 23
Information regarding electronic
recording devices........................... 23At a glance.......................................... 24
Cockpit ................................................. 26
Instrument cluster ................................ 28
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 30
Center console ..................................... 31
Upper part ...................................... 31
Lower part ...................................... 32
Overhead control panel ........................ 33
Control panel on the door sill ............... 34Getting started................................... 36
Unlocking ............................................. 38
Starter switch positions .................. 40
Adjusting .............................................. 41
Seats .............................................. 41
Steering wheel ................................ 42
Mirrors ............................................ 43
Driving .................................................. 45
Fastening the seat belts ................. 45
Starting the engine ......................... 47
Parking brake ................................. 49
Driving off ....................................... 50
Switching on headlamps ................. 51
Turn signals .................................... 51
Windshield wipers ........................... 52
Problems while driving.................... 54
Parking and locking .............................. 55
Parking brake ................................. 55
Switching off headlamps................. 56
Turning off the engine ..................... 56
Releasing seat belts........................ 56
Locking ........................................... 57
At a glance
Cockpit
Instrument cluster
Multifunction steering wheel
Center console
Overhead control panel
Control panel on the door sill
27 At a glance
Cockpit
ItemPage
1Cruise control lever203
2Steering wheel gearshift
button 177
Steering wheel gearshift
paddles (only Mercedes-Benz
SLR McLaren 722 Edition)177
3Instrument cluster28,
114
4Multifunction steering wheel30,
118
5Overhead control panel33
6Center console31, 32
7Starter switch40
8Horn
ItemPage
9Headlamp washer button182
aSteering wheel adjustment
stalk42
bHood lock release250
cExterior lamp switch51,
106
dCombination switch
Turn signals
Windshield wipers
High beam
51
52
110
64 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
emergency tensioning device and air
bagiAir bags are designed to activate only in cer-
tain frontal impacts (front air bags, knee air
bags) and side impacts (head-thorax air bags)
which exceed preset thresholds. Only during
these types of impacts will they provide their
supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always wear
their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible for
the air bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In cases of other types of impacts and impacts
below air bag deployment thresholds, air bags
will not deploy. The driver and passenger will
then be protected to the extent possible by a
properly fastened seat belt. A properly fastened
seat belt is also needed to provide the best pos-
sible protection in a rollover.
We caution you not to rely on the presence of the
air bags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt.
It is important to your safety and that of your pas-
senger that you replace deployed air bags and
repair any malfunctioning air bags to ensure that
the vehicle will continue to provide supplemental
crash protection for occupants.
Warning!G
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that
were highly stressed in an accident
must be replaced and their anchoring
points must also be checked. Only use
seat belts installed or supplied by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Air bags and Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs) are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or
ETD that was activated must be
replaced.
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the seat
belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this
may severely weaken them. In a crash,
they may not be able to provide
adequate protection.
No modifications of any kind may be
made to any components or wiring of
the SRS. This includes changing or
removing any component or part of the
SRS, the installation of additional trim
material, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, passenger front air bag cov-
er, outboard sides of the front seat
backrests, door trim panels, or door trim
panels, and installation of additional
electrical/electronic equipment on or
near SRS components and wiring. Keep
area between air bags and occupants
free from objects (e.g. packages,
purses, umbrellas, etc.).
Air bag system components will be hot
after an air bag has inflated. Do not
touch.
Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
66 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The passenger air bag will only be de-
ployed if:
the system, based on the OCS weight
sensor readings, senses that the pas-
senger seat is occupied
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp in the lower part of the center
console is not lit (
page 70)
the impact exceeds a preset
deployment thresholdKnee air bags
1Knee air bag, driver’s side
2Knee air bag, passenger side
The knee air bags are located on the lower
instrument panel. They are designed to op-
erate together with the front air bags in
certain frontal impacts exceeding a preset
threshold. The knee air bags operate best
in conjunction with a properly positioned
and fastened seat belts and when the foot-
well is kept clear of objects.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.
73 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!G
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY
Seat belts can only work when used
properly. Never wear seat belts in any
other way than as described in this
section, as that could result in serious
injuries in case of an accident.
Each occupant should wear their seat
belt at all times, because seat belts help
reduce the likelihood of and potential
severity of injuries in accidents, includ-
ing rollovers. The integrated restraint
system includes SRS (driver air bag,
passenger air bag, knee air bags,
head-thorax air bags) and ETD (seat belt
emergency tensioning device). The sys-
tem is designed to enhance the protec-
tion offered to properly belted
occupants in certain frontal (front air
bags, knee air bags and ETD) and side
(head-thorax air bags and ETD) impacts
which exceed preset deployment
thresholds.
Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, against your neck or off your shoul-
der. In a frontal crash, your body would
move too far forward. That would in-
crease the chance of head and neck in-
juries. The belt would also apply too
much force to the ribs or abdomen,
which could severely injure internal
organs such as your liver or spleen.
Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., as these
might cause injuries.
Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips and not across the abdo-
men. If the belt is positioned across your
abdomen, it could cause serious person-
al injuries in a crash.
Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat
belt around a person and another per-
son or other objects.
Belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you wouldn’t have the full width
of the belt to manage impact forces. The
twisted belt against your body could
cause injuries.
Pregnant women should also always use
a lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible
on the hips to avoid any possible
pressure on the abdomen.
Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
When using a seat belt to secure infant
or toddler restraints or children in
booster seats, always follow the child
seat manufacturer’s instructions.
106 Controls in detail
Lighting
For information on how to switch on the
headlamps and use the turn signals, see
“Switching on headlamps” (
page 51).
Exterior lamp switch
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.
MOff
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 108)
UAutomatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 108)
CParking lamps (also tail lamps,
license plate lamps, side marker
lamps, instrument panel lamps)BLow beam headlamps or high beam
headlamps when the combination
switch is pushed forward. The tail
lamps, license plate lamps, side
marker lamps, parking lamps and
instrument panel lamps also come
on.
ˆStanding lamps, right
(turn left one stop)
‚Standing lamps, left
(turn left two stops)
CIndicator lamp for parking lamps
‡Indicator lamp for front fog lamps
†Indicator lamp for rear fog lamp
iIf you drive in countries where vehicles drive
on the other side of the road than the country
where the vehicle is registered, you must have
the headlamps modified for symmetrical low
beams. Relevant information can be obtained at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
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 lamps
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the headlamps.
412 Index
Gear selector lever one-touch gearshifting
Automatic transmission 175
Gearshift
Indicator lamp 29
Program, Manual 175, 179
Global locking/unlocking see Key
Good visibility 182
GPS 400
Gross Axle Weight Rating see GAWR
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating see GVWR
Gross Vehicle Weight see GVW
GVW 284
GVWR 285
H
Hands-free microphone 33
Hazard warning flasher 111
Headlamp switch-off delay see Delayed
switch-off, exterior lamps
Headlamps
Automatic headlamp mode 107
Cleaning lenses 297
Cleaning system 182, 257, 397
Manual headlamp mode 107
Messages in the multifunction
display 341Replacing bulbs 359
Switch 51, 106
Head-thorax air bag 66, 400
High beam flasher 51, 110
Replacing bulbs 359
High beam headlamps
Indicator lamp 29
Messages in the multifunction
display 341
Replacing bulbs 359
Switching on 110
High mounted brake lamp 360
High performance driving 238
High-pressure cleaners 297
Hood 250
Messages in the multifunction
display 352
Horn 27
HVAC see Automatic climate control
Hydroplaning 241I
Identification labels 378
Identification Number, Vehicle (VIN) 378
Ignition 40
Immobilizer 92
Indicator lamps see Lamps, Indicator and
warning
Infant and child restraint systems see Chil-
dren in the vehicle
Inflation pressure see Tires, Inflation pres-
sure
Inside door handle 34
Instrument cluster 28, 114, 401
Illumination brightness 114
Lamps 300
Messages in display see Multifunction
display messages
Multifunction display 117
Instrument lighting see Instrument cluster,
Illumination brightness
Instrument panel see Instrument cluster
Instruments and controls see Cockpit
Interior lighting 112
Delayed switch-off 137