2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK280 light

62 Getting started
Parking and locking
LockingExit the vehicle and close all doors.
Opening a door causes its window to open
slightly. It will fully close when the door is
shut.Press the lock button‹on the
SmartKey (
page 36).

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.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 94).
Warning!G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors.
Be especially careful when small children
are around.
Before closing doors, make sure there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.
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.
A child’s unsupervised access to a vehicle
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
!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.
iIf you hear a warning signal, you have forgot-
ten to switch off the low beam headlamps or the
parking lamps before opening the driver’s door.
In addition, the message
Switch Off Lights
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the low beam headlamps or the park-
ing lamps.
If the message
Switch off lights or
remove key.
appears in the multifunction
display, remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch or switch off the automatic headlamp
mode.
!Failure to switch off the exterior lamps when
leaving the vehicle may result in a discharged
battery.
iWithout the antenna on the left rear side of
the vehicle installed, the SmartKey signaling
range is considerably reduced. Hold the
SmartKey in close proximity towards the anten-
na base when locking or unlocking the vehicle.

70 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The air bags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protect-
ed by the fastened seat belts.The passenger air bag will only be de-
ployed if

the system, based on OCS weight sen-
sor readings, senses that the front pas-
senger seat is occupied

the 75indicator lamp in
the center console is not lit
(
page 74)

the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment threshold
Knee bags
The driver-side knee bag is located on the
driver’s side lower instrument panel. The
passenger-side knee bag is located on the
passenger side below the glove box. They
are designed to operate together with the
front air bags in certain frontal impacts
exceeding a preset threshold. The knee
bags operate best in conjunction with
properly positioned and fastened seat
belts.Head-thorax air bags
1Head-thorax air bag
The head-thorax air bags are deployed

in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold

on the impacted side of the vehicle

independently of the front air bags
The head-thorax air bags are not deployed
in impacts which do not exceed the
system’s deployment threshold.
iThe front air bags in this vehicle have been
designed to inflate in two stages. This allows
the air bag to have different rates of inflation that
are based on the rate of relevant vehicle deceler-
ation as assessed by the air bag control unit.
On the passenger side, the front air bag
deployment is additionally influenced by the
passenger’s weight category as identified by the
Occupant Classification System (OCS)
(
page 71).
The lighter the passenger side occupant, the
higher the vehicle deceleration rate required for
the second stage inflation of the air bag.

80 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Infant and child restraint systems
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
The passenger lap-shoulder belt has a
special seat belt retractor for secure fas-
tening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint follow child
restraint instructions for mounting. Then
pull the shoulder belt out completely and
let it retract. During seat belt retraction, a
ratcheting sound can be heard to indicate
that the special seat belt retractor is acti-
vated. The seat belt is now locked. Push
down on child restraint to take up any
slack.
To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and
let seat belt retract completely.
The seat belt can again be used in the
usual manner.The use of infant or child restraints is re-
quired by law in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, the U.S. territories, and all
Canadian provinces.
Infants and small children should be
seated in an appropriate infant or child
restraint system which is properly secured
by a lap-shoulder belt and that complies
with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 225 and Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213
and 210.2.Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system’s
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts.
If children open a door, they could

injure other persons

get out of the car and injure themselves
or be injured by following traffic
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment unless they are
firmly secured in place.
For more information, please refer to the
“Useful features” section (
page 253)
through (
page 255).
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child’s risk of injury in the event
of

strong braking maneuvers

sudden changes of direction

an accident
Warning!G
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat
belt retractor will be deactivated.


84 Safety and Security
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)
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
respond even to light brake pressure.
The -indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 26) comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
Warning!G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

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
effectiveness of the ABS, the BAS, and the ESP®
is only achieved with winter tires (
page 335)
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.

85 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode.
Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal while experiencing the
pulsation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions
and functions as a reminder to take extra
care while driving.Emergency brake maneuver
Keep continuous full pressure on the
brake pedal.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 348).
Warning!G
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the BAS
and the ESP® are also switched off. The
basic driving and braking functions are still
available.
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing
steering capability and extending the brak-
ing distance.
Warning!G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency
beyond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction af-
forded. The ABS cannot prevent accidents,
including those resulting from excessive
speed in turns, following another vehicle too
closely, or hydroplaning. Only a safe, atten-
tive, and skillful driver can prevent
accidents. The capabilities of an ABS
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.

93 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Seats
Memory function*
Lighting
Instrument cluster
Control system
Manual transmission
Automatic transmission*
Good visibility
Climate control
Automatic climate control*
Audio system
Power windows
Retractable hardtop
Driving systems
Loading
Useful features

98 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Loss of SmartKey or mechanical key
If you lose a SmartKey or mechanical key,
you should do the following:
Have the SmartKey deactivated by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Report the loss of the SmartKey or the
mechanical key to your car insurance
company immediately.
If necessary have the mechanical lock
replaced.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
be glad to supply you with a replacement.
Opening the doors from the inside
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
1Inside door handle
2Locking knob
Pull on door handle1 on the respec-
tive door.
If the door was locked, locking knob2
will move up.
Opening a door causes its window to
open slightly. It will fully close when the
door is shut.
!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.
iIf you hear a warning signal, you have forgot-
ten to switch off the low beam headlamps or the
parking lamps before opening the driver’s door.
In addition, the message
Switch Off Lights
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the low beam headlamps or the park-
ing lamps.
If the message
Switch off lights or
remove key.
appears in the multifunction
display, remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch or switch off the automatic headlamp
mode.
!Failure to switch off the exterior lamps when
leaving the vehicle may result in a discharged
battery.

99 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Opening the trunk
You can open the trunk if the vehicle is
stationary.
A minimum height clearance of 5.78 ft
(1.76 m) is required to open the trunk lid.Press and hold buttonŠ on the
SmartKey.
The trunk is unlocked and opens
slightly.
Pull on the handle.
Lift the trunk lid and swing it open.
The trunk lid can also be opened from the
inside in an emergency, see “Trunk lid
emergency release” (
page 102).
iIf the vehicle has previously been centrally
locked with the SmartKey, opening a door from
the inside will trigger the anti-theft alarm system.
To cancel the alarm, do one of the following:

Press buttonŒor‹on the
SmartKey.

Insert the SmartKey in the starter switch.
Warning!G
Make sure the trunk is closed when the
engine is running and while driving.
Among other dangers, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle
interior resulting in unconsciousness and
death.
!Always make sure there is sufficient over-
head clearance.
iThe vehicle or trunk must be unlocked
before the trunk lid can be opened.
The trunk lid can only be opened when the vehi-
cle is not in motion and the retractable hardtop
is fully opened or closed.