2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG keyless

175 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Driving tips
Accelerator position
Your driving style influences the
transmission’s shifting behavior:
Less throttle Earlier upshifting
More throttle Later upshifting
Kickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
Press the accelerator past the point of
resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.
Ease on the accelerator when you have
reached the desired speed.
The transmission shifts up again.
Effect
êDrive
The transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears
are available.
!Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other
reason with gear selector lever in neutral
positionN can result in transmission damage
that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear
selector lever not fully engaged in park
positionP is dangerous. Also, park
positionP alone is not intended to or capa-
ble of preventing your vehicle from moving,
possibly hitting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park positionP (
page 63).
When parked on an incline, turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.
Do not park this vehicle in areas where
combustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
Warning!G
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 unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Children could move the
gear selector lever from park positionP,
which could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.

199 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Activating
Moist air can fog up the windows. You can
dehumidify the air with the air condition-
ing.
Press button 2 once more
(
page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The air conditioning uses the refrigerant
R134A. This refrigerant is free of CFCs
which are harmful to the ozone layer.
Residual heat and ventilation
With the engine switched off, it is possible
to continue to heat or ventilate the interior
for up to 30 minutes. This feature makes
use of the residual heat produced by the
engine.Activating
With the SmartKey:
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1 or0, or remove it from
the starter switch.
Press button T (page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
With KEYLESS-GO*:
Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button and
open the driver’s door (with the driver’s
door open, the starter switch is in posi-
tion 0, same as with the SmartKey re-
moved from the starter switch)
Press button T (page 190).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
!If the 2 button on the automatic climate
control panel starts to flash, this indicates that
the air conditioning is losing refrigerant. The
compressor has turned off. The air conditioning
cannot be turned on again.
Have the air conditioning checked at the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
iHow long the system will provide heating
depends on the coolant temperature and the
selected temperature. The blower will run at low
speed regardless of the air distribution control
setting.

201 Controls in detail
Power windows
Power windows
Opening and closing the windows
The windows are opened and closed elec-
trically. The switches for all the windows
are on the driver’s door. The switch for the
passenger side windows is on the passen-
ger door.
1Left door and rear side windows
2Right door and rear side windows
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Warning!G
When closing the windows, make sure that
there is no danger of anyone being injured
by the closing procedure.
The closing of the door windows can be im-
mediately halted by releasing the switch or,
if the switch was pulled past the resistance
point and released, by either pressing or
pulling the respective switch.
The closing of the rear side windows can be
immediately halted by releasing the switch.
If a door window encounters an obstruction
that blocks its path in a circumstance where
you pulled the switch past the resistance
point and released it to close the door win-
dow, the automatic reversal function will
stop the door window and open it slightly.
If the door window encounters an obstruc-
tion that blocks its path in a circumstance
where you are closing the door window by
pulling and holding the switch, by pressing
and holding button ‹on the SmartKey,
by pressing and holding the lock button
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*) on an outside
door handle, by pressing and holding the re-
tractable hardtop switch, or by pressing and holding button,on the automatic
climate control panel, the automatic
reversal function will not operate.
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.
iDepending on the current position, the win-
dows may also open or close when the air recir-
culation button, on the control panel of the
automatic climate control (
page 196) is
pressed and held.
iAfter switching off the ignition (page 40)
or removing the SmartKey from the starter
switch, the windows can be operated

until you open a door

for at least 5 minutes if no door was opened

203 Controls in detail
Power windows
Fully closing the door windows
(Express-close)
Pull switch1 or2 past the resis-
tance point and release.
The corresponding door window closes
completely.
If the upward movement of the door win-
dow is blocked during the closing proce-
dure, the door window will stop and open
slightly.
Stopping windows
Press or pull the respective switch
again.Closing the windows with
KEYLESS-GO*
Press and hold lock button on an out-
side door handle (
page 66) until the
windows are closed.
Synchronizing power windows
The power windows must be synchronized
each time

after the battery has been dis-
connected

if the power windows cannot be fully
opened (Express-open) or closed
(Express-close)
Synchronizing the power windows
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Pull the power window switches until
the side windows are closed.
Hold the switches for approximately
1 second.
The power windows are synchronized.
Warning!G
Driver’s door only:
If within 5 seconds the switch is again
pulled past the resistance point and
released, the automatic reversal will not
operate.
Warning!G
When closing the windows make sure that
there is no danger of anyone being harmed
by the closing procedure.
The windows will not automatically re-open
if blocked during convenience closing.
If potential danger exists, proceed as
follows:

Release the lock button.

Pull on the door handle and hold firmly.
The side windows open for as long as
the door handle is held but the door not
opened.

204 Controls in detail
Retractable hardtop
Opening and closing the retractable
hardtop
For safety reasons, the retractable hardtop
can only be opened and closed when the
vehicle is standing still.
Warning!G
To prevent possible accidents, only drive the
vehicle with the retractable hardtop either
completely closed and locked, or fully low-
ered into its storage compartment.
If the retractable hardtop does not com-
pletely open or close, the roof hydraulics will
lose pressure and the retractable hardtop is
lowered

after approximately 7 minutes when the
ignition is switched on

after approximately 15 seconds when
the ignition is switched off
Shortly before the retractable hardtop is
lowered, a warning will sound and in the left
multifunction display you will see K, in
the right multifunction display you will see
the message
Retractable Roof
Lowering
.
Lock the retractable hardtop again before
driving any further (
page 207). Otherwise,
the unlocked hardtop could open while the
vehicle is in motion and cause you to lose
control of the vehicle. You or others could
be injured as a result.
Warning!G
Before operating the retractable hardtop,
make sure there is no danger of anyone
being injured by the moving parts (retract-
able roof, roof frame, and trunk lid) due to in-
attention.
Hands must never be placed near the roof
frame, upper windshield area, hardtop, shelf
behind roll bars, or trunk lid while the re-
tractable hardtop is being raised or lowered.
Serious personal injury may occur.
If potential danger exists, release the re-
tractable hardtop switch. This immediately
interrupts the raising or lowering procedure.
You then can operate the retractable
hardtop switch or press
buttonŒor‹on the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* to raise or
lower the retractable hardtop away from the
danger zone.

205 Controls in detail
Retractable hardtop
Opening/closing with retractable
hardtop switch
Warning!G
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.
!Never sit or place heavy objects on the
rear shelf. Doing so could cause damage to the
retractable hardtop and the rear shelf.
!Please keep in mind that weather conditions
can sometimes change rapidly. Make sure to
close the retractable hardtop when leaving the
vehicle. If water enters the vehicle interior,
vehicle electronics could be damaged which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!When opening and closing the retractable
roof, make sure

there is sufficient clearance for the retract-
able hardtop to move up and for the trunk lid
to move back

the luggage cover is installed, extended and
closed

the trunk is loaded only to the height of the
luggage cover

luggage/cargo does not push up the closed
luggage cover

the trunk lid is closed

the outside temperature is above +5°F
(–15°C)

the roof is dry and clean when opening
Otherwise the retractable hardtop and trunk
as well as other parts of the vehicle could be
damaged.
Warning!G
Before operating the retractable hardtop,
make sure there is no danger of anyone
being injured by the moving parts (retract-
able roof, roof frame, and trunk lid) due to in-
attention.
Hands must never be placed near the roof
frame, upper windshield area, hardtop, shelf
behind roll bars, or trunk lid while the re-
tractable hardtop is being raised or lowered.
Serious personal injury may occur.
If potential danger exists, release retract-
able hardtop switch immediately. This im-
mediately interrupts the raising or lowering
procedure.

241 Controls in detail
Useful features
Insert the mechanical key into the
glove box lock.
Turn the mechanical key to position2.
The following storage compartments
will be locked. They remain locked,
even when the vehicle is unlocked with
the SmartKey or with the SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO*:

Glove box

Armrest storage compartments

Rear storage compartmentsUnlocking the storage compartments
separately
Insert the mechanical key into the
glove box lock.
Turn the mechanical key to position1.
You can now open the storage
compartments.Parcel net in passenger footwell
A small convenience parcel net is located
in the passenger footwell. It is for small
and light items, such as road maps, mail,
etc.
iThe separate locking status of these storage
compartments can only be canceled with the
mechanical key.
The storage compartments in the doors cannot
be locked.
iIf the glove box cannot be unlocked using
the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*,
see “Unlocking the glove box” (
page 404).
Warning!G
The parcel net is intended for storing
light-weight items only.
Heavy objects, objects with sharp edges or
fragile objects may not be transported in the
parcel net. In an accident, during hard brak-
ing, or sudden maneuvers, they could be
thrown around inside the vehicle and cause
injury to vehicle occupants.
The parcel net cannot protect transported
goods in the event of an accident.

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.