2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 buttons

32 At a glance
Center console
Lower partItemPage
1Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission172
2Parktronic system*
deactivation switch233
3Exterior rear view mirror
adjustment49
4ABC suspension tuning
button232
5Tow-away alarm switch100
6Retractable hardtop switch204
Roll bar buttons83
ItemPage
7ABC vehicle level control
button230
8ESP® switch93
9Thumbwheel for setting
following distance for
Distronic*226
aDistance warning function*
on/off switch229
bProgram mode selector
switch for automatic
transmission182

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.


49 Getting started
Adjusting
Mirrors
Adjust the interior and exterior rear view
mirrors before driving so that you have a
good view of the road and traffic condi-
tions.
Interior rear view mirror
Manually adjust the interior rear view
mirror.
For more information, see “Rear view mir-
rors” (
page 185).
Exterior rear view mirrorsThe buttons are located on the lower part
of the center console.
1Driver’s side exterior rear view mirror
button
2Passenger-side exterior rear view mir-
ror button
3Adjustment button
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Press button1 or button2 to select
the desired exterior rear view mirror.
Push adjustment button3 up, down,
left, or right according to the desired
setting.For more information, see “Good visibility”
(
page 185).
Warning!G
Exercise care when using the
passenger-side exterior rear view mirror.
The mirror surface is convex (outwardly
curved surface for a wider field of view). Ob-
jects in mirror are closer than they appear.
Check your interior rear view mirror or
glance over your shoulder before changing
lanes.
!If an exterior rear view mirror was forcibly
pushed forward (hit from the rear) or forcibly
pushed rearward (hit from the front), reposition
it by applying firm pressure until it snaps into
place. The mirror housing is then properly posi-
tioned and you can adjust the mirror in the usual
manner.
iAt low ambient temperatures, the exterior
rear view mirrors will be heated automatically.
iThe memory function (page 129) lets you
store the setting for the exterior rear view
mirrors together with the settings for the
steering wheel and the driver’s seat position.

83 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
When activated, emergency tensioning
devices remove slack from the seat belts in
such a way that the seat belts fit more
snugly against the body. Seat belt force
limiters reduce the force exerted by the
seat belts on occupants during a crash.
Automatic comfort-fit feature seat belt
The automatic comfort-fit feature reduces
the retracting force of the seat belts when
they are in normal use.Roll bar
The roll bar raises automatically in an acci-
dent or in a critical driving situation.You can also raise and lower the roll bar
manually using the buttons provided.
The buttons for the roll bar are on the cen-
ter console under the retractable hardtop
switch.
1Raise roll bar
2Lower roll bar
The roll bar can be moved manually when
the ignition is switched on (
page 40).
Warning!G
An emergency tensioning device (ETD) that
was activated must be replaced.
When disposing of the emergency tension-
ing device, our safety instructions must be
followed. These are available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
This vehicle is a two occupant vehicle. The
rear storage area is not intended for use by
occupants and is not equipped for properly
seating or restraining occupants. Thus this
area should never be used by any persons.
Make sure that the roll bar’s path is clear
and no persons are injured by the moving
roll bar. Raising or lowering of the roll bar
could injure someone in it’s proximity.
For your own safety, we recommend to drive
with the roll bar raised if the outside temper-
ature is below +5°F (-15°C).
!If the outside temperature falls below
+5°F (-15°C), the roll bar must be raised manu-
ally using the buttons provided to avoid damag-
ing the hydraulics.
iWhen the roll bar is raised automatically,
you will hear a ratcheting sound.

107 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Selective setting
If you frequently travel alone, you may wish
to reprogram the SmartKey so that press-
ing buttonŒ only unlocks the driver’s
door, interior lockable storage compart-
ments and the fuel filler flap.
Press and hold buttonsŒand‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5 flashes
twice.
The SmartKey will then function as
follows:Unlocking driver’s door and fuel filler
flap
Press button Πonce.

All turn signal lamps flash once.

An acoustic warning sounds once.

The locking knob in the driver’s
door moves up.

The anti-theft alarm system is
disarmed.
Global unlocking
Press button Πtwice.

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.Global locking
Press button ‹.
With all doors and the trunk closed:

All turn signal lamps flash three
times.

An acoustic warning sounds three
times.

The locking knobs in the doors
move down.

The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
Restoring to factory setting
Press and hold buttons Œ and ‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5
(
page 104) flashes twice.

108 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Vehicles equipped with KEYLESS-GO come
with two SmartKeys with KEYLESS-GO,
each with remote controls and a remov-
able mechanical key.
The function of the SmartKey overrules the
KEYLESS-GO function.
The KEYLESS-GO function is integrated
into the SmartKey. On these vehicles, the
validity of the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
is checked every time you grasp a door
handle.
If the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is valid,
your vehicle unlocks

the doors

the trunk lid

the glove box

the storage compartment under the
armrest

the storage compartments in the rear

the fuel filler flap
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
1‹Lock button
2Š Opening button for trunk
(
page 114)
3Mechanical key locking tab
4ŒUnlock button
5Battery check lamp
6Â Panic button (
page 88)
For information on using the SmartKey
buttons, see “SmartKey” (
page 104).
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.
!To prevent possible malfunction, avoid
exposing the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO to
high levels of electromagnetic radiation.
iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.

112 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Selective setting
If you frequently travel alone, you may wish
to reprogram the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO so that grasping an outside
door handle only unlocks the driver’s door,
interior lockable storage compartments
and the fuel filler flap.
Press and hold buttons Œ and ‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5
(
page 108) flashes twice.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO will
then function as follows:Unlocking the driver’s door and fuel fill-
er flap
Grasp the driver’s door handle.

All turn signal lamps flash once.

An acoustic warning sounds once.

The locking knob in the driver’s
door moves up.

The anti-theft alarm system is
disarmed.
Global unlocking
Grasp the door handle on the passen-
ger side.

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.Global locking
Press lock button on an outside door
handle.
With all doors and the trunk closed:

All turn signal lamps flash three
times.

An acoustic warning sounds three
times.

The locking knobs in the doors
move down.

The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
Restoring to factory setting
Press and hold buttons Œ and ‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds
until battery check lamp5
(
page 108) flashes twice.
iVehicles with trunk opening/closing
system*: You can also lock the vehicle using
the KEYLESS-GO locking/closing switch
(
page 119).

115 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Opening the trunk from the outside
1Trunk lid handle
Vehicles without trunk opening/closing
system*
Press button Š on the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.
or
Pull on handle1.
In vehicles without KEYLESS-GO*: The
vehicle must be unlocked.
Lift the trunk lid.Vehicles with trunk opening/closing
system*
Press and hold button Š on the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* until trunk unlocks and
begins to open.
or
Pull on handle1.
Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO*: The
vehicle must be unlocked.
iTo facilitate trunk loading and unloading
when the hardtop is retracted, you can raise the
hardtop from its storage position in the trunk
using the load assist feature (
page 245). You
may also unhook the luggage cover.
Remember to re-secure the luggage cover after
loading/unloading the trunk. Otherwise you will
not be able to lower the retractable hardtop.
!The trunk lid swings open upwards automat-
ically. Always make sure that there is sufficient
overhead clearance.
!To stop the opening procedure, press
buttonŠ on the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* or pull the trunk lid handle.