Contents
Introduction....................................... 12
Product information ............................. 13
Operator’s Manual ............................... 14
Service and warranty information .. 14
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 15
Maintenance .................................. 16
Roadside Assistance ...................... 16
Change of address or ownership.... 16
Operating your vehicle outside the USA
or Canada ...................................... 17
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
compliance .................................... 17
Where to find it .................................... 18
Symbols ............................................... 19
Operating safety .................................. 20
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 20
Problems with your vehicle .................. 21
Reporting safety defects...................... 22
Reporting safety defects ................ 22
Vehicle data recording......................... 23
Information regarding electronic
recording devices........................... 23
At a glance.......................................... 24
Cockpit ................................................. 26
Instrument cluster ................................ 28
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 30
Center console ..................................... 31
Upper part ...................................... 31
Lower part ...................................... 32
Overhead control panel ........................ 33
Control panel on the door sill ............... 34Getting started................................... 36
Unlocking ............................................. 38
Starter switch positions .................. 40
Adjusting .............................................. 41
Seats............................................... 41
Steering wheel ................................ 42
Mirrors ............................................ 43
Driving .................................................. 45
Fastening the seat belts.................. 45
Starting the engine ......................... 47
Parking brake.................................. 49
Driving off ....................................... 50
Switching on headlamps ................. 51
Turn signals .................................... 51Windshield wipers ........................... 52
Problems while driving.................... 54
Parking and locking .............................. 55
Parking brake ................................. 55
Switching off headlamps................. 56
Turning off the engine ..................... 56
Releasing seat belts........................ 56
Locking ........................................... 57
Safety and Security........................... 58
Occupant safety ................................... 60
Air bags .......................................... 62
Occupant Classification System ..... 67
Seat belts ....................................... 72
Children in the vehicle .................... 76
Panic alarm .......................................... 81
Activating........................................ 81
Deactivating.................................... 81
Driving safety systems ......................... 82
ABS ................................................. 82
BAS ................................................. 84
ESP® .............................................. 84
Electro-hydraulic brake system....... 87
Performance enhancement system ...... 90
Airbrake .......................................... 90
ContentsAnti-theft systems................................ 93
Immobilizer..................................... 93
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 93
Tow-away alarm ............................. 95Controls in detail............................... 96
Locking and unlocking ......................... 98
SmartKey ....................................... 98
Opening the doors........................ 101
Opening the trunk ........................ 102
Closing the trunk lid ..................... 103
Trunk emergency release ............. 104
Automatic locking ........................ 104
Locking and unlocking from the inside
105
Lighting .............................................. 106
Exterior lamp switch ..................... 106
Combination switch...................... 110
Hazard warning flasher................. 111
Interior lighting ............................. 112
Courtesy lighting .......................... 113
Trunk lamp ................................... 113
Instrument cluster ............................. 114
Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination................................... 114Coolant temperature gauge ......... 115
Resetting trip odometer ............... 115
Tachometer .................................. 116
Outside temperature indicator ..... 116
Control system .................................. 117
Multifunction display .................... 117
Multifunction steering wheel ........ 118
Menus .......................................... 120
Standard display menu ................ 122
722 S menu ................................. 123
AUDIO menu ................................ 127
Vehicle status message memory menu
128
Settings menu .............................. 129
Trip computer menu ..................... 139
TEL menu ..................................... 141
Audio system ..................................... 145
Audio and telephone, operation ... 145
Operating safety........................... 145
Location of the audio system ....... 145
Operating and display elements ... 146
Button and soft key operation ...... 148
Operation ..................................... 148
Radio operation ............................ 151
Cassette operation....................... 154
CD changer operation .................. 158Telephone operation .................... 162
Automatic transmission ..................... 169
Gear selector lever....................... 169
Shifting procedure ....................... 170
Gear selector lever positions ....... 171
Driving tips................................... 173
Gear ranges ................................. 174
Shift program mode selector switch ....
175
Gear selector lever one-touch
gearshifting .................................. 175
Steering wheel gearshift control
one-touch gearshifting ................. 177
Manual shift program ................... 178
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) ...................... 180
Good visibility .................................... 181
Headlamp cleaning system .......... 181
Rear view mirrors ......................... 181
Sun visors .................................... 182
Rear window defroster ................. 183
Automatic climate control ................. 184
Deactivating the automatic climate
control system ............................. 188
Operating the automatic climate
control system in automatic mode 188
39 Getting started
Unlocking
Press unlock buttonŒ on the
SmartKey.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
anti-theft alarm system is disarmed.
5Door handle
Press the front part of the door
handle5.
The door swings outwards and
upwards automatically.
Opening a door causes the door win-
dows on that side of the vehicle to
open slightly. They will return to the up
position when the door is closed.
Enter the vehicle and insert the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 98).
i
The electro-hydraulic brake system is
activated.Warning!
G
Always stand to the rear of the door before
opening it, otherwise the opening action
may cause injury. Outside temperature may
affect door opening speed.!
Ensure sufficient side- and overhead
clearance prior to opening the doors, see “Main
dimensions” (
page 391).
Warning!
G
Only Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
722 S:
Because of the carbon fiber the footwell
could be slippery when wet. Be careful when
entering the vehicle with wet shoe soles,
you could slip on it.!
The door windows will not open or close if
the battery is discharged or the door windows
are impeded by ice. In this case open or close
the door with increased caution. Do not attempt
to force the door opened or closed. Doing so
may damage the door seals or the side window.
42 Getting startedAdjustingThe seat adjustment switch is located on
the door sill.
1Seat fore and aft adjustment
2Seat height
3Seat angleSeat fore and aft adjustment
Slide the switch forwards or backwards
in the direction of arrow 1.
Seat height
Slide the switch up or down in the
direction of arrow 2.
Seat angle
Slide the switch up or down in the
direction of arrow 3.
Steering wheel
!
When moving the seat, make sure that there
are no items in the footwell or behind the seat,
otherwise you could damage the seat.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the steering wheel while
driving. Adjusting the steering wheel while
driving could cause the driver to lose control
of the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle.
Even with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch, the steering wheel can be ad-
justed. Therefore, 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 acci-
dent and/or serious personal injury.
50 Getting startedDrivingDriving off
Depress the brake pedal.
The gear selector lever lock is released.
Place the gear selector lever in drive
positionD or reverse gearR.
Release the brake pedal.
Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.After a cold start, the transmission engag-
es at a higher revolution. This allows the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature earlier.
Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector le-
ver out of park positionP or neutral
positionN if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the en-
gine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
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.!
In order to avoid damage to the
transmission:
Wait for the gear selection process to com-
plete before setting the vehicle in motion.
Place the gear selector lever in reverse
gearR or park positionP only when the vehi-
cle is stopped.
!
If you hear a warning signal and the mes-
sage Release Parking Brake
appears in the multifunction display when driving
off, you have forgotten to release the parking
brake.
Release the parking brake (
page 49).
!
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.
i
Once the vehicle is in motion, the automatic
central locking system engages.
You can deactivate the automatic locking using
the control system (
page 139).
You can open a locked door from the inside.
Open door only when conditions are safe to do
so.
56 Getting startedParking and locking
Pull parking brake lever1 up a s m a ny
notches as possible.
When the engine is running, the
warning lamp; (USA only)
or3(Canada only) in the
instrument cluster comes on.
Switching off headlamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch
toM(
page 106).
Turning off the engine
Place the gear selector lever in park
positionP.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.
The immobilizer is activated.
Releasing seat belts
Press the seat belt release button4
(page 46).
Allow the retractor to completely
rewind the seat belt by guiding the
latch plate.
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 and/or
move the gear selector lever from park
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 park
positionP is dangerous. Also, when parked
on an incline, park positionP alone may not
prevent your vehicle from moving, possibly
hitting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park positionP (
page 48).
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
i
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting automatic transmission to park
positionP.
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
i
The SmartKey can only be removed from the
starter switch with the gear selector lever in park
positionP.
!
M a k e s u r e t h e s e a t b e l t r e t r a c t s f u l l y s o t h a t
the seat belt and/or latch plate cannot get
caught or pinched in the door or in the seat
mechanism. This can damage the seat belt and
impair the effectiveness of the seat belt, and/or
cause damage to the door and/or door trim
panel. Such damage is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
57 Getting started
Parking and locking
Locking
Exit the vehicle and close all doors.
Opening a door causes the door win-
dows on that side of the vehicle to
open slightly. They will return to the up
position when the door is closed.
Press the lock button‹ on the
SmartKey (
page 38).
With the hood, trunk and all doors
closed, all turn signal lamps flash three
times. The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 98).
Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially 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.
Warning!
G
Only Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
722 S:
Because of the carbon fiber the footwell
could be slippery when wet. Be careful when
exiting the vehicle with wet shoe soles, you
could slip on it.!
The door windows will not open or close if
the battery is discharged or the door windows
are impeded by ice. In this case open or close
the door with increased caution. Do not attempt
to force the door opened or closed. Doing so
may damage the door seals or the side window.
i
If you hear a warning signal you have forgot-
ten to switch off the headlamps before opening
the driver’s door.
In addition the message$
Lights Are
Still On
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the headlamps.
76 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyChildren in the vehicle
If an infant or child is traveling with you in
the vehicle:
Secure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and
size of the child.
Make sure the infant or child is proper-
ly secured at all times while the vehicle
is in motion.
Infant and child restraint seats and
information on choosing an appropriate
restraint system can be obtained from any
Mercedes-Benz Center.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
fastening 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.Warning!
G
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. The children could
injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or
cold
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 209)
through (
page 210).
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