2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280 Service c

19 Introduction
Vehicle data recording
Vehicle data recording
Information regarding electronic
recording devices
(Including notice pursuant to California Code § 9951)
Please note that your vehicle is equipped with devices that can record vehicle systems data and, if equipped with the Tele Aid* system,
may transmit some data in certain accidents.
This information helps, for example, to diagnose vehicle systems after a collision and to continuously improve vehicle safety.
DaimlerChrysler may access the information and share it with others

for safety research or vehicle diagnosis purposes

with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee

in response to an official request by law enforcement or other government agency

for use in dispute resolution involving DaimlerChrysler, its affiliates or sales/service organization and/or

as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Please check the Tele Aid* subscription service agreement for details regarding the information that may be recorded or transmitted
via that system.

53 Getting started
Driving
Parking brake
1Parking brake lever
2Release button
Pull up slightly on parking brake
lever1 and press release button2.
Push parking brake lever1 down to
its original position.
The brake warning lamp; (USA
only) or3 (Canada only) in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Driving off
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey 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. Children
could release the parking brake, which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
!If you hear a warning signal and the
message
Release Parking Brake appears in
the multifunction display when driving off, you
have forgotten to release the parking brake.
Release the parking brake (
page 53).
!Do not run cold engine at high engine speed.
Running a cold engine at high engine speed may
shorten the service life of the engine.
!Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brakes reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake and
drivetrain wear.

67 Safety and Security
Occupant safety

Occupants, especially children, should
always sit as upright as possible, proper-
ly use the seat belts and use an appro-
priately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended
for the size and weight of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can
result in severe injuries to you or other
occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that
you make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator’s Manual.Warning!G
There is a possibility of a head-thorax air bag
related injury if occupants, especially chil-
dren, are not properly seated or restrained
when next to a head-thorax air bag which
needs to deploy rapidly in a side impact in
order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their
heads in the area of the door where the
head-thorax air bag inflates. This could
result in serious injuries or death should
the head-thorax air bag be deployed.
(2) Always sit as upright as possible,
properly use the seat belts, and for all
children 12 years old or under, use an
appropriately sized infant restraint,
toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
(3) Always wear seat belts properly.
If you believe that, even with the use of
these guidelines, it would be safer for your
passenger seat occupants to have the pas-
senger side head-thorax air bag deactivated,
then deactivation can be accomplished
upon your written election to do so at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center at an
additional cost.
Please contact your local authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call the Customer
Assistance Center (in the USA) at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372),
or Customer Service (in Canada) at
1-800-387-0100 for details.

71 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Occupant Classification System
The O
ccupant Classification System (OCS)
automatically turns the passenger front air
bag and passenger-side knee bag on or off
based on the classified occupant weight
category determined by weight sensor
readings from the passenger seat.
Occupants must sit properly belted in a
position that is as upright as possible with
their back against the seat backrest and
feet on the floor to be correctly classified.
If the occupant's weight is transferred to
another object in the vehicle (e.g. by
leaning on armrests), the OCS may not be
able to properly approximate the
occupant’s weight category. Both driver and the passenger should al-
ways use the 75 indicator
lamp as an indication of whether or not the
passenger is properly positioned
(
page 76).
Warning!G
Only use seat covers which have been
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle model. Using other seat covers
may interfere with or prevent the deploy-
ment of the head-thorax air bags. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
availability.
iThe system does not deactivate the
head-thorax air bag and the emergency tension-
ing device.
iIf the seat, including the trim cover and
cushion needs to be serviced in any way, take
the vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Only seat accessories approved by
Mercedes-Benz may be used.

90 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
The engine can be started by anyone with
a valid SmartKey that is left inside the
vehicle.
Activating
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Deactivating
Switch on the ignition (page 37).
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens

a door

the trunk lid

the hood

the glove box

the storage/telephone* compartment
in the center console
The alarm system will also be triggered
when

someone attempts to raise the vehicle

unlocking and opening the driver’s
door or the trunk with the mechanical
key

someone opens a door from the inside

someone opens the trunk lid with the
emergency release buttonArming the alarm system
The alarm system indicator lamp is located
in the locking switch in the center console.
1Alarm system indicator lamp
iStarting the engine will also deactivate the
immobilizer.
In case the engine cannot be started (yet the
vehicle’s battery is charged), the system is not
operational. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA), or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
iThe alarm will stay on, even if the activating
element (e.g. a door) is immediately closed.
iIf the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response Center is
initiated automatically by the Tele Aid* system
(
page 262), provided Tele Aid* service was
subscribed to and properly activated, and that
necessary cellular service and GPS coverage are
available (
page 262).

91 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Lock the vehicle with the SmartKey.
The turn signal lamps flash three times
and an acoustic warning sounds three
times to indicate that the alarm system
is armed.
Alarm system indicator lamp 1 starts
flashing.Disarming the alarm system
Unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey.
The turn signal lamps flash once and
an acoustic warning sounds once to
indicate that the alarm system is
disarmed.
Alarm system indicator lamp 1 goes
out.
Canceling the alarm
To cancel the alarm:
Press theŒ or‹button on the
SmartKey.
or
Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
Tow-away alarm
Once the tow-away alarm is armed, a visual
and audible alarm will be triggered when
someone attempts to raise the vehicle.
iIf the turn signal lamps do not flash three
times and no acoustic warning sounds three
times, a door or the trunk lid may not be properly
closed.
Close the respective element and lock the
vehicle again.
iThe alarm system will rearm automatically
again after approximately 40 seconds if no door
was opened.
iThe tow-away protection alarm is triggered,
for example, if the vehicle is lifted on one side.
If the alarm stays on for more than 30 seconds,
a call to the Response Center is initiated auto-
matically by the Tele Aid* system (
page 262),
provided Tele Aid* service was subscribed to
and properly activated, and that necessary cellu-
lar service and GPS coverage are available
(
page 262).

121 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position1. The control system
enables you to

call up information about your vehicle

change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control
system to find out when your vehicle is
next due for service, to set the language
for messages in the instrument cluster
display, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Main odometer
2Trip odometer
3Current program mode
(automatic transmission* only)
4Status indicator (outside
temperature/digital speedometer)
5Current gear selector lever posi-
tion/gear range
(automatic transmission* only)
iThe displays for the audio systems (radio,
CD player) will appear in English, regardless of
the language selected.
Warning!G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others, se-
lecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions
permit it to be done safely.
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.

125 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Table continued on next page.
Menu1Menu2Menu3Menu4
Standard displayAMG1AUDIONAV*
(page 127)(page 128)(page 133)(page 135)
Commands/submenus
Run Flat Indicator* (Canada only)
or
TPMS (USA only)Engine oil temperatureSelecting radio stationShow route guidance
instructions, current direction
traveled
Checking coolant temperatureVehicle supply voltageSelecting satellite radio
station* (USA only)
Digital speedometer/outside
temperatureRACETIMEROperating the CD player
Calling up maintenance service
indicatorOverall analysis
Checking engine oil level
(SLK 55 AMG only)Lap analysis
1AMG vehicles only.