2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG brake light

Contents
Safety and Security........................... 67
Occupant safety................................... 68
Air bags .......................................... 70
Occupant Classification System ..... 74
Seat belts ....................................... 79
Roll bar ........................................... 83
Children in the vehicle .................... 84
Panic alarm .......................................... 88
Activating ....................................... 88
Deactivating ................................... 88
Driving safety systems ......................... 89
ABS ................................................ 89
BAS ................................................ 91
ESP
®............................................... 91
Electro-hydraulic brake system ...... 94
Anti-theft systems................................ 98
Immobilizer..................................... 98
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 98
Tow-away alarm ........................... 100
Controls in detail............................. 103
Locking and unlocking ....................... 104
SmartKey ..................................... 104
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 108
Checking the batteries in the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* .............................. 113
Loss of the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 113
Opening the doors from
the inside ..................................... 113
Opening the trunk ........................ 114
Closing the trunk.......................... 116
Valet locking ................................ 120
Trunk lid emergency release ........ 121
Power closing assist for trunk lid . 121
Automatic central locking ............ 122
Locking and unlocking from
the inside ..................................... 122Seats ................................................. 124
Moving the seats forward and
backward ..................................... 124
Lumbar support ........................... 124
Multicontour backrest*................ 125
Seat heating................................. 126
Seat ventilation* .......................... 128
Memory function ............................... 129
Storing positions into memory ..... 130
Recalling positions from memory. 130
Lighting ............................................. 131
Exterior lamp switch .................... 131
Combination switch ..................... 135
Corner-illuminating front
fog lamps* ................................... 136
Hazard warning flasher ................ 137
Interior lighting ............................ 138
Courtesy lighting .......................... 139
Trunk lamp ................................... 139

Contents
Power windows .................................. 201
Opening and closing the
windows ....................................... 201
Synchronizing power windows ..... 203
Retractable hardtop ........................... 204
Opening and closing the
retractable hardtop ...................... 204
Driving systems ................................. 214
Cruise control............................... 214
Distronic*..................................... 218
Distance warning function*.......... 229
Active Body Control (ABC) ............ 230
Parktronic system*
(Parking assist)............................. 233
Useful features .................................. 238
Storage compartments................. 238
Cup holders .................................. 243
Ashtray ......................................... 244
Cigarette lighter ........................... 244
Load assist in the trunk ................ 245
Power outlet ................................. 246
Floormat* ..................................... 247
Telephone*................................... 247
Tele Aid ........................................ 250
Garage door opener ..................... 257
Operation......................................... 265
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km)......... 266
Driving instructions............................ 267
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 267
Drinking and driving ..................... 267
Pedals .......................................... 267
Power assistance ......................... 268
Brakes .......................................... 268
Driving off .................................... 270
Parking ......................................... 271
Tires ............................................. 271
Hydroplaning ................................ 272
Tire traction.................................. 273
Tire speed rating .......................... 273
Winter driving instructions ........... 274
Standing water ............................. 275
Passenger compartment .............. 276
Driving abroad.............................. 276
Control and operation of
radio transmitters ........................ 276
Catalytic converter ....................... 277
Emission control .......................... 277
Coolant temperature .................... 278At the gas station .............................. 279
Refueling ...................................... 279
Check regularly and before
a long trip..................................... 280
Engine compartment ......................... 282
Hood ............................................ 282
Engine oil ..................................... 283
Transmission fluid level................ 287
Oil level in the ABC system .......... 287
Coolant ........................................ 288
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system........... 289
Battery ......................................... 290
Tires and wheels................................ 291
Important guidelines .................... 291
Tire care and maintenance........... 292
Direction of rotation..................... 294
Loading the vehicle ...................... 294
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 300
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 302
MOExtended system* .................. 312
Tire labeling ................................. 313
Load identification ....................... 317
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................. 317

39 Getting started
Unlocking
Enter the vehicle and insert the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Opening a door causes its window to open
slightly. It will fully close when the door is
shut.
For more information, see “SmartKey”
(
page 104).
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*
With the KEYLESS-GO function, you can
lock and unlock the vehicle without using
the remote control buttons on the
SmartKey and start the engine without in-
serting the SmartKey in the starter switch.
The function of the SmartKey overrules the
KEYLESS-GO function.
Grasp an outside door handle.

All turn signal lamps flash once.

An acoustic warning sounds once.

The locking knobs in the doors
move up.

The anti-theft alarm system is
disarmed.

The electro-hydraulic brake system
is activated.
!A side window will not work if it is blocked
with ice or if the battery needs charging. If you
cannot shut a door, do not force it or you could
damage the door or the side window.
Fix whatever is affecting the window before
trying to shut the door.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* 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.
iTo unlock the vehicle, the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO must be outside the vehicle, no
further than approximately 3 feet (1 meter) away
from the door.
iIf the vehicle has been parked for more than
72 hours, you must pull an outside door handle
in order to activate the KEYLESS-GO function.


43 Getting started
Adjusting
Adjusting
Seats
Warning!G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.Warning!G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position
as this can be dangerous. You could slide
under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the seat belt would apply force at
the abdomen or neck. That could cause
serious or fatal injuries. The seat backrest
and seat belts provide the best restraint
when the wearer is in a position that is as
upright as possible and seat belts are prop-
erly positioned on the body.
Your seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten your seat belt (
page 50).
Observe the following points:

Adjust the seat backrest until your arms
are slightly angled when holding the
steering wheel.

Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely.
The position should be as far back as
possible with the driver still able to oper-
ate the controls properly.

Adjust head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the
center of the head restraint supports
the back of the head at eye level.

Never place hands under the seat or
near any moving parts while a seat is
being adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

63 Getting started
Parking and locking
Parking brake
1Parking brake pedalStep firmly on parking brake pedal1.
When the engine is running, the indica-
tor lamp;(USA only) or3
(Canada only) in the instrument cluster
will be illuminated.
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position M (
page 131).
Warning!G
Engaging the parking brake while the vehicle
is in motion can cause the rear wheels to
lock up. You could lose control of the vehicle
and cause an accident. In addition, the
vehicle’s brake lights do not light up when
the parking brake is engaged.
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 release the
parking brake and/or move the gear selec-
tor lever from positionP, either of which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
Warning!G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear se-
lector lever not fully engaged in positionP is
dangerous. Also, when parked on an incline,
positionP alone may not prevent your vehi-
cle from moving, possibly hitting people or
objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (
page 174).
When parked on an incline, also turn front
wheels towards the road curb.

89 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (Antilock Brake System)

BAS (Brake Assist System)

ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)

Electro-hydraulic brake system
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of
approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) indepen-
dent of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even to light brake pressure.
Warning!G
The following factors increase the risk of ac-
cidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns

Wet and slippery road surfaces

Following another vehicle too closely
The driving systems described in this sec-
tion cannot reduce these risks or prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on
the vehicle.
Always adjust your driving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions and
keep a safe distance to other road users and
objects on the street.
iIn winter operation, the maximum effective-
ness of the ABS, the BAS, the ESP®, and the
electro-hydraulic brake system is only achieved
with winter tires (
page 327) or snow chains as
required.
Warning!G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

157 Controls in detail
Control system
If conditions have occurred causing status
messages to be recorded, the number of
messages appears in the right multifunc-
tion display:
1Number of recorded status messages
Press button k or j.
The stored messages will now be dis-
played in the order in which they have
occurred. For malfunction and warning
messages, see “Vehicle status messag-
es in the multifunction display”
(
page 359).Should the vehicle’s system record any
conditions while driving, the number of
messages will reappear in the multifunc-
tion display

when the SmartKey in the starter
switch is turned to position0 or
removed from the starter switch
or

when you turn off the engine by press-
ing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button on the gear selector lever once
and open the driver’s door (this puts
the starter switch in position 0, same
as with the SmartKey removed from
the starter switch)
Settings menu
In the
Settings menu there are two
functions:

The function Reset, with which you can
reset most settings to those set at the
factory.

A collection of submenus with which
you can make individual settings for
your vehicle.
The following settings and submenus are
available:
iAfter you have scrolled through all recorded
status messages, the first recorded message
appears again.
iThe vehicle status message memory will be
cleared when you then turn the SmartKey in the
starter switch to position 1 or 2, or when you
press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once
or twice without depressing the brake pedal. You
will then only see high priority messages in the
multifunction display (
page 359).
FunctionPage
Resetting all settings158
Submenus in the Settings menu158
Instrument cluster submenu160
Time submenu161
Lighting submenu163
Vehicle submenu166
Convenience submenu166

176 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights:
Leave the transmission in gear.
Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop for a longer period of time
with the engine idling and/or on a hill:
Set the parking brake.
Move the gear selector lever to park
positionP.Maneuvering
When you maneuver in tight areas,
e.g. when pulling into a parking space:
Control the vehicle speed by gradually
releasing the brakes.
Accelerate gently.
Never abruptly step on the accelerator.
Working on the vehicle
Gear ranges
With the gear selector lever in drive
positionD and driving in program modeC
orS, you can select a gear range for the
automatic transmission to operate within.
Gear selector lever (
page 179):
You can limit the gear range by pressing
the gear selector lever to the left (D-), and
reverse the gear range limit by pressing
the gear selector lever to the right (D+).
Steering wheel gearshift control*
(
page 180):
You can limit the gear range by pulling the
left gearshift paddle on the steering wheel
gearshift control, and reverse the gear
range limit by pulling the right gearshift
paddle on the steering wheel gearshift
control.Warning!G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and move gear selector lever
to park positionP. Otherwise the vehicle
could roll away.