2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG warning

243 Controls in detail
Useful features
Pull strap1 out of holder2.
Secure the luggage with the strap so
that it cannot move.
Insert strap1 into latch3.
Releasing strap
Press release button4 and guide
strap1 back to holder2.
Cup holders
1Left cup holder
2Right cup holder
Opening
Briefly press cup holder cover.
The cup holder opens automatically.
Warning!G
The shelf below the rear window should not
be used to carry objects. This will avoid such
objects from being thrown about and injur-
ing vehicle occupants during an accident or
sudden maneuver.
The trunk is the preferred place to carry
objects.
Warning!G
In order to help prevent spilling liquids on
vehicle occupants and/or vehicle equip-
ment, only use containers that fit into the
cup holder. Use lids on open containers and
do not fill containers to a height where the
contents, especially hot liquids, could spill
during braking, vehicle maneuvers, or in an
accident. Liquids spilled on vehicle occu-
pants may cause serious personal injury.
Liquids spilled on vehicle equipment may
cause damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
When not in use, keep the cup holder
closed. An open cup holder may cause injury
to or others when contacted during braking,
vehicle maneuvers, or in an accident.
Keep in mind that objects placed in the cup
holder may come lose during braking, vehi-
cle maneuvers, or in an accident and be
thrown around in the vehicle interior. Ob-
jects thrown around in the vehicle interior
may cause an accident and/or serious per-
sonal injury.

244 Controls in detail
Useful features
Ashtray
1Cover plate
2Sliding knob
Opening ashtray
Briefly touch cover plate1.
The ashtray opens automatically.
Closing ashtray
Press cover plate1 down until it
latches.Removing the ashtray insert
Secure vehicle from movement by set-
ting the parking brake.
Move the gear selector lever to
positionN.
Now you have more room to take out
the insert.
Press sliding knob2 to the right.
The insert will eject a short distance.
Replacing the ashtray insert
Press the insert into the frame until it
snaps into place.
Cigarette lighter
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Warning!G
Remove ashtray only with vehicle standing
still. Set the parking brake to secure vehicle
from movement. Move gear selector lever to
positionN. With gear selector lever in
positionN, turn off the engine.
Warning!G
Never touch the heating element or sides of
the 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 or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
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.

245 Controls in detail
Useful features
1Cigarette lighter
Push in cigarette lighter1.
The lighter will pop out automatically
when hot.
Load assist in the trunk
To facilitate trunk loading after opening the
trunk lid, use the load assist feature to
raise the retracted hardtop from its stor-
age position in the trunk.!The lighter socket can 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, how-
ever, that connecting accessories to the lighter
socket (for example extensive connecting and
disconnecting, or using plugs that do not fit prop-
erly) can damage the lighter socket. With the
socket damaged, the lighter may no longer be
able to be placed in the heating (pushed-in) posi-
tion, 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 elec-
trical accessories designed for use with the stan-
dard “cigarette lighter” plug type to the
12V power outlet (
page 246) in your vehicle
whenever possible.
Warning!G
To prevent injuries, make sure that there is
no possibility of body parts getting caught in
moving parts. If potential danger exists,
press the switch again. This will immediately
stop the movement of the hardtop.

246 Controls in detail
Useful features
1Retracted hardtop
2Luggage cover
3Load assist button
Hardtop 1 can only be raised or lowered
when

luggage cover 2 is closed

the trunk lid is completely openedRaising the hardtop
Press button3.
Hardtop 1 rises a short distance.
Button3 comes on brightly. You can
now open luggage cover 2.
Lowering the hardtop
Close luggage cover 2.
Press button3.
Hardtop 1 lowers. Button3 is dimly
lit.
Power outlet
A power outlet is located on the right side
of the trunk.
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Flip up cover and insert electrical plug
(cigarette lighter type).
!Only close the trunk if the hardtop is com-
pletely lowered. Otherwise you could damage
the hardtop.
If you begin to close the trunk lid before the hard-
top is completely lowered, button3 will flash
and a warning will sound.
iThe power outlet can be used to accommo-
date electrical consumers (e.g. air pump,
auxiliary lamps) up to a maximum of 180 W.

247 Controls in detail
Useful features
Floormat*
1Eyelet
2Retainer pin
Removing
Pull floormat off of retainer pin2 in
direction of arrow1.
Remove the floormat.
Installing
Lay down the floormat.
Press the floormat eyelet1 onto
retainer pin2.
Telephone*
Radio transmitters, such as a portable tele-
phone or a citizens band unit, should only
be used inside the vehicle if they are con-
nected to an antenna that is installed on
the outside of the vehicle.
The external antenna must be approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Please contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for informa-
tion on the installation of an approved
external antenna. Refer to the radio trans-
mitter operation instructions regarding use
of an external antenna.
Warning!G
Whenever you are using floormats, make
sure there is enough clearance and the
floormats are securely fastened.
Floormats should always be securely fas-
tened using eyelets1 and retainer pins2.
Before driving off, check that the floormats
are securely in place and adjust them if
necessary. A loose floormat could slip and
hinder proper functioning of the pedals.
Do not place several floormats on top of
each other as this may impair pedal move-
ment.
iTo install or remove the floormat more
easily, move the driver’s seat as far to the rear
as possible (
page 43).
Warning!G
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

248 Controls in detail
Useful features
When the mobile phone is inserted in the
cradle, you can operate the telephone
using the following devices:

mobile phone keypad

Voice Control System* (see separate
operating instructions)

COMAND (see separate operating
instructions)

buttonss andt on the multi-
function steering wheel (
page 144)Please note that these functions are only
available with Mercedes-Benz approved
mobile phones. Please contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for informa-
tion on features available for your mobile
phone of choice.
The cradle is located in the front center
armrest.
Open the telephone compartment
(
page 239).
Inserting mobile phone in mobile phone
cradle
Once the mobile phone has been inserted
in the mobile phone cradle, you have to
use the hands-free device to respond
during phone calls.
Warning!G
Please do not forget that your primary re-
sponsibility is to drive the vehicle. A driver’s
attention to the road must always be
his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call.
If you choose to use the telephone
1 while
driving, please use the hands-free device
and only use the telephone when road,
weather and traffic conditions permit. Some
jurisdictions prohibit the driver from using a
mobile telephone while driving a vehicle.
Only operate the COMAND (Cockpit
Management and Data System)
1 if road,
weather, and traffic conditions permit.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet
(approximately 14 m) every second.
1Observe all legal requirements.
iVarious mobile phone cradles can be
installed in the center armrest, see separate
installation instructions for the mobile phone
cradle. These mobile phone cradles can be
obtained from an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
The functions and services available to you while
using the mobile phone depend on your service
provider and the type of mobile phone you are
using. See also separate operating manual for
instructions on how to use your mobile phone.
!Do not try to remove the mobile phone along
with the cradle. You could otherwise damage the
mobile phone cradle.

251 Controls in detail
Useful features
The Tele Aid system
(Tele
matic Alarm Identification on De-
mand)
The Tele Aid system consists of three
types of response:

Automatic and manual emergency

Roadside Assistance

Information
The Tele Aid system is operational provid-
ing that the vehicle’s battery is charged,
properly connected, not damaged and cel-
lular and GPS coverage is available.
The speaker volume of a Tele Aid call can
be adjusted when using the volume control
on the multifunction steering wheel. To
raise, press buttonæ and to lower,
press buttonç or use the volume knob
on your COMAND headunit.
To activate, press the SOS button, the
Roadside Assistance button• or
the Information button¡, depend-
ing on the type of response required.Shortly after the completion of your Tele
Aid acquaintance call, you will receive a
user ID and password. By visiting
www.mbusa.com and selecting “Tele Aid”
(USA only), you will have access to account
information, remote door unlock, and
more.
System self-check
Initially, after switching on the ignition,
malfunctions are detected and indicated
(the indicator lamps in the SOS button, the
Roadside Assistance button• and the Information button¡ stay on longer
than 10 seconds or do not come on). The
message
Tele Aid Inoperative appears
for approximately 10 seconds in the multi-
function display.
iThe SOS button is located above the interior
rear view mirror (
page 253).
The Roadside Assistance button• and the
Information button¡ are located below the
center armrest cover (
page 239).
!The Tele Aid system utilizes the cellular
network for communication and the GPS (Global
Positioning System) satellites for vehicle loca-
tion. If either of these signals are unavailable, the
Tele Aid system may not function and if this
occurs, assistance must be summoned by other
means.
Warning!G
If the indicator lamps in the SOS button, in
the Roadside Assistance button, and/or in
the Information button do not come on dur-
ing the system self-check, or if any of these
indicators remain illuminated continuously
in red and/or the message
Tele Aid
Inoperative
is displayed in the multifunc-
tion display after the system self-check,
a malfunction in the system has been
detected.
If a malfunction is indicated as outlined
above, the system may not operate as ex-
pected. Have the system checked at the
nearest Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.

252 Controls in detail
Useful features
Emergency calls
An emergency call is initiated
automatically following an accident in
which the emergency tensioning devices
(ETDs) or air bags deploy.
An emergency call can also be initiated
manually by opening the cover next to the
interior rear view mirror labeled SOS, then
briefly pressing the button located under
the cover. See (
page 253) for instruc-
tions on initiating an emergency call man-
ually.
Once the emergency call is in progress, the
indicator lamp in the SOS button will begin
to flash. The message
Connecting Call
appears in the multifunction display and
the audio system is muted. When the con-
nection is established, the message
Call Connected appears in the multifunc-
tion display. All information relevant to the
emergency, such as the location of the ve-
hicle (determined by the GPS satellite loca-
tion system), vehicle model, identification
number and color are generated.A voice connection between the Response
Center and the occupants of the vehicle
will be established automatically soon af-
ter the emergency call has been initiated.
The Response Center will attempt to deter-
mine more precisely the nature of the
emergency provided they can speak to an
occupant of the vehicle.
The Tele Aid system is available if

it has been activated and is operational
Activation requires a subscription for
monitoring services, connection and
cellular air time.

the relevant cellular phone network
and GPS signals are available and pass
the information on to the Response
Center
iLocation of the vehicle on a map is only pos-
sible if the vehicle is able to receive signals from
the GPS satellite network and pass the informa-
tion on to the Response Center.
Warning!G
If the indicator lamp in the SOS button is
flashing continuously and there was no
voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could
not initiate an emergency call (e.g. the rele-
vant cellular phone network is not available).
The message
Call Failed appears in the
multifunction display for approximately
10 seconds.
Should this occur, assistance must be sum-
moned by other means.