2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER ESP

Occupant safet
y 45not perform its protective function. The
child cannot be restrained in the event of
a
sudden change of direction, heavy braking
or an accident. This may lead to serious or
even fatal injuries. For this reason, when
fitting a child restraint system observe the
manufacturer's installation instructions
and correct use of the child restraint sys-
tem.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always be resting on the seat cushion.
Never place objects, e.g. a cushion, under
the child restraint system.
Only use child restraint systems with their
original covers. Only replace damaged cov-
ers with genuine Mercedes-Benz covers.
For safety reasons, you should only use
child restraint systems which have been
approved for use in Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles. Child seat on the front-passenger seat Warning on the front-passenger sun visor
Warning symbol for a rearward-facing child
restraint system G
Risk of injury
If the front-passenger front airbag is not
disabled :
R a child secured in a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat can be seri-
ously and even fatally injured by the
front-passenger airbag deploying. This is
especially likely if the child is in the imme-
diate vicinity of the front-passenger front
airbag when it is deployed.
R a child must never be secured on the
front-passenger seat in a rearward-facin g
child restraint system .
R always move the front-passenger seat to
the rearmost position if you secure a
child in a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
The front-passenger front airbag is not dis-
abled if:
R no child restraint system with automati c
child seat recognition is fitte d
R if the 5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
warning lamp on the centre console is
not lit
To draw attention to this danger, there is an
appropriate warning sticker on the dash- Safety
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Driving safety sys
tems50 Driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information abou t
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R ESP ®
( Electronic Stability Program)
i In wintry road conditions, always use win-
ter tyres (M+S tyres) and, where necessary ,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section
work as effectively as possible. G
Risk of accident
The risk of an accident is significantl y
increased by driving too fast. This is partic-
ularly the case when cornering on wet and
slippery roads and when driving too clos e
to the vehicle in front.
The driving safety systems described in thi s
section cannot reduce this risk or override
the laws of physics.
For this reason, always adapt your driving
style to suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Maintain sufficient distance
from other road users and objects on the
road. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently. G
Risk of accident
Do not depress the brake pedal severa l
times in quick succession (pumping) .
Depress the brake firmly and evenly. Pump-
ing the brake pedal reduces the braking
effect.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will fee
l
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
If ABS intervenes:
X Continue to depress the brake pedal wit h
force until the braking situation is over.
For full braking application:
X Depress the brake pedal with maximum
force. G
Risk of accident
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. This limits the steerability of the
vehicle when braking and the braking dis-
tance may increase.
If ABS is deactivated due to a malfunction,
then BAS and ESP are also deactivated. The
risk of your vehicle skidding is then
increased in certain situations.
You should therefore always adapt your
driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions . BAS (Brake Assist)
BAS operates in emergency braking situa -
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
X Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. Safety
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Driving safety sys
tems 51G
Risk of accident
If BAS has malfunctioned, the braking sys-
tem remains available with full brake boost-
ing effect. However, braking force is not
automatically increased in emergency
braking situations and the stopping dis-
tance may increase. ES
P®
(Electronic Stability Program)
ES P®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tyres
and the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviatin g
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified, if
necessary, to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within the scope of the laws of phys-
ics. ESP ®
assists the driver when pulling away
on wet or slippery roads. ES P®
can also sta-
bilise the vehicle during braking.
When ESP ®
intervenes, the vwarning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the instrumen t
cluster flashes, proceed as follows: R
Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any cir -
cumstances .
R Only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
R Adapt your driving style to suit the pre -
vailing road and weather conditions.
The vehicle could otherwise go into a skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot overrid e
the laws of physics .
! The ignition must be switched off (key in
position 0or Iin the ignition lock) if:
R the vehicle is being towed with the front
or rear axle raised
R you are having the handbrake checke d
on the brake dynamometer
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
could
otherwise destroy the brake system on the
front or rear axle.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly . To deactivate/activate ES
P® ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running.
It may be best to deactivate ES P®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chain s
R in deep sno w
R on sand or gravel G
Risk of accident
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ES P®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi -
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability
R Engine torque is not limited and the drive
wheels are able to spin. The spinning
wheels produce a cutting effect for better
traction.
R traction control is still activated .
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake. Safety
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Anti-theft syste
ms52
i
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or mor e
wheels start to spin, the vwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. ES P®
does not, stabilise the vehicle. 1
To deactivate/activate ESP ®
X To deactivate :press button 1until th e
v warning lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster. G
Risk of acciden
t
ESP ®
is deactivated if the vwarnin g
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engine is running.
The risk of your vehicle skidding is then
increased in certain situations. You should therefore always adapt your
driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions.
X To activate :press button 1until th e
v warning lamp goes out in the instru-
ment cluster. Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
X To activate :remove the key from the igni -
tion lock.
X To deactivate :turn the key to position 2
in the ignition lock . ATA* (anti-theft alarm system)
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if th e
alarm system is primed and you open :
R a door
R a door using the emergency key elemen t
R the boot li d
R the bonne t
R the glove compartment
R the stowage space under the armrest
The alarm is not switched off even if you clos e
an open door again. Safety
* optional
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Seat belts
70 as low down as possible, i.e. over your
hip joints – not across your abdomen. If
necessary, push down the belt strap
slightly and then retighten it in the roll-up
direction.
R Seat belts must not be twisted and mus t
always be inside the belt loop of the seat .
R Do not route the belt strap across sharp
or fragile objects, especially if these ar e
located on or in your clothing, e.g. spec -
tacles, pencils, keys, etc. The seat belt
strap could be damaged and tear in an
accident and you or other vehicle occu -
pants could be injured.
R Only one person should use each seat
belt at any one time. Children must never
travel sitting on the lap of other occu-
pants. It would not be possible to restrain
the child in the event of a sudden change
in direction, braking or an accident. This
could result in severe or even fatal inju-
ries to the child and other occupants.
R Persons less than 1.50 m tall cannot
wear the seat belts correctly. For this
reason, secure persons less than 1.50 m
tall in specially designed, suitabl e
restraint systems . R
Children less than 1.50 m tall or under
12 years of age cannot wear the seat
belts properly. Therefore, always secure
these children in suitable child restraint
systems on suitable vehicle seats. You
can find more information under "Chil-
dren in the vehicle" in the "Safety" sec -
tion of the Owner's Manual. Follow the
manufacturer's installation instructions
when fitting the child restraint system.
R Do not secure any objects with a seat belt
if the seat belt is also being used by one
of the vehicle's occupants. G
Risk of injury
The seat belt does not offer the intended
level of protection unless the backrest is
almost vertical. Under certain circumstan-
ces this could cause severe or even fata l
injuries.
Before starting a journey, make sure that
the seat is properly adjusted and that the
backrest is almost vertical. G
Risk of injury
A dirty or damaged seat belt or a seat bel t
that has been subjected to a load in an
accident or modified no longer offers the intended level of protection. Under certai
n
circumstances this could cause severe or
even fatal injuries.
For this reason, check regularly that the
seat belts are not damaged or dirty.
Always have damaged seat belts or sea t
belts that have been subjected to a load in
an accident replaced at a qualified special-
ist workshop. Choose a qualified specialist
workshop which has the necessary special-
ist knowledge and tools for the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre for this purpose.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom -
mends that you only use seat belts which
have been approved by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle. Controls
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Light
s 74
X
Make sure that constant headlamp mode
has been set with the on-board computer
(Y page 101). 8
X To switch on :turn the light switch to
M orU .
The dipped-beam headlamps, side lamps
and licence plate lighting are switched on
when the engine is running.
i When you turn the light switch to any
position other than MorU , the cor -
responding light goes on.
Automatic headlamp mode The side lamps, dipped-beam headlamps and
licence plate lighting are switched on or off
automatically, depending on the brightness of
the ambient light. G
Risk of accident
If the light switch is set to U, the head-
lamps may temporarily switch off due to
exposure to light, or the lights may not
come on automatically if it is foggy. This
could endanger you and others. Therefore,
turn the light switch to Bin the dark or
in fog. The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid. The driver is responsible for the vehicle
lighting at all times.
G
Risk of accident
When it is dark or foggy, turn the light
switch quickly from UtoB . You
could otherwise cause an accident if the
headlamps were to switch off temporarily.
X To switch on :turn the light switch to
U .
The side lamps are switched on and off
automatically when the key is in position
1 in the ignition lock .
The dipped-beam headlamps, side lamps
and licence plate lighting are switched on
automatically when the engine is running.
When the parking lamp or dipped-beam
headlamps are switched on, the indicator
lamp next to the light switch lights up.
Front foglamps/rear foglamp G
Risk of accident
If you suspect that driving conditions will be
foggy, turn the light switch to Bbefore you start your journey. Otherwise, your
vehicle may not be visible and you could
therefore endanger yourself and others.
G
Risk of accident
When it is dark or foggy, turn the light
switch quickly from UtoB . You
could otherwise cause an accident if the
headlamps were to switch off temporarily.
i When the light switch is set to Uyou
cannot switch on the front or rear fog-
lamps.
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock .
X To switch on the front foglamps: turn the
light switch to the BorC position .
X Pull the light switch out to the first stop.
The ¥ green indicator lamp next to the
light switch lights up.
X To switch on the rear foglamp: turn the
light switch to the Bposition .
X Pull the light switch out to the second stop.
The † yellow indicator lamp next to th e
light switch lights up.
8 This is not possible in countries where constant headlamp mode is required by law. Controls
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Light
s 75
X
To switch off the front foglamps/rear
foglamp: push in the light switch to the
stop .
The corresponding indicator lamp goes out. Combination switch (main-beam
headlamps, headlamp flasher, turn
signals)
Turn signals Combination switch
1
To indicate a right turn
2 To indicate a left turn X
To switch on :press the combination
switch in the direction of arrow 1or2 .
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lamp in the instrument cluster flashes.
i If you only wish to indicate a minor change
of direction, press the combination switch
briefly in the appropriate direction. The cor-
responding turn signal flashes three times.
Main-beam headlamps/headlamp flas-
her Combination switch
1
Main-beam headlamp
2 Headlamp flasher Main-beam headlamp
X
Turn the light switch to BorU .
X To switch on: press the combinatio n
switch in the direction of arrow 1.
The main-beam indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
X To switch off: move the combinatio n
switch back to its normal position.
The main-beam indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Headlamp flasher
X To switch on: briefly pull the combinatio n
switch in the direction of arrow 2. Cont
rols
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Light
s 76 Hazard warning lamps
1
Hazard warning lamp button
X To activate :press hazard warning lamp
button 1.
All turn signals flash. If you now activate a
turn signal, only those turn signal lamps on
the corresponding side of the vehicle will
flash.
X To deactivate :press hazard warning lamp
button 1. Adjusting the headlamp range (vehi-
cles with halogen headlamps)
The headlamp range control allows you to
adjust the cone of light from the headlamps
according to how your vehicle is laden.
You can only adjust the headlamp range while
the engine is running. 1
Thumbwheel for headlamp range Position Load
0 Seats occupied
1 Seats occupied, boot lade
n X
Turn thumbwheel for headlamp range 1to
the position which corresponds to the load
in your vehicle. Headlamp cleaning system*
i The headlamps are cleaned automatically
if the "Wipe with windscreen washer fluid"
function is operated five times while the
lights are on and the engine is running.
When you switch off the ignition, the auto-
matic headlamp cleaning system is reset
and counting is resumed from 0. Cornering light function (vehicles
with bi-xenon headlamps*)
Specially designed headlamps light up the
area into which you are driving when turning
corners.
If you are driving at speeds below 40 km/h,
the cornering light function is activated either
by the turn signals or when the steering wheel
is turned. If you are driving at speeds above
40 km/h the cornering light function is deac-
tivated.
Switching on X
Make sure that the engine is running.
X Switch on the dipped-beam headlamps. Control
s
* optional
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