2009 MERCEDES-BENZ SLR headlamp

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

27 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Cruise control lever
205
2
Steering wheel gearshift
paddle
177
3
Instrument cluster
28,
114
4
Multifunction steering wheel
30,
118
5
Overhead control panel
33
6
Center console
31, 32
7
Starter switch
40
8
Horn
Item
Page
9
Headlamp washer button
181
a
Steering wheel adjustment
stalk
42
b
Hood lock release
250
c
Exterior lamp switch
51,
106
d
Combination switch

Turn signals


Windshield wipers


High beam
51
52
110

29 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
Coolant temperature gauge
with
115
DCoolant temperature
warning lamp
310
2
Speedometer with;Brake warning lamp,
USA only
307
3Brake warning lamp,
Canada only
307
vABS/ESP
® warning
lamp
304
>Gearshift indicator
lamp
311
311
LLeft turn signal
indicator lampKRight turn signal
indicator lamp
Item
Page
3
Left multifunction display
with

Outside temperature
116


Main odometer
117
4
Reset button
114
5
Tachometer with
116
AHigh-beam headlamp
indicator
110
?Engine malfunction in-
dicator lamp, USA only
308
±Engine malfunction in-
dicator lamp, Canada
only
308
-Antilock Brake System
(ABS) indicator lamp
306
XCombination low tire
pressure/TPMS mal-
function telltale,
USA only
Low tire pressure tell-
tale, Canada only
315
Item
Page
1Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS)
indicator lamp
314
312
6
Right multifunction display
with

Current gear selector lever
position/gear range
117,
171,
174


Trip odometer
117


Automatic transmission
shift program mode
117,
175


Clock
133
=Engine oil temperature
indicator
311
7
Fuel gauge withAFuel reserve warning
lamp
311

40 Getting startedUnlockingStarter switch positions
Starter switch0For removing SmartKey
1Power supply for some consumers
2Ignition (power supply for all consum-
ers) and drive position. All lamps (ex-
cept high-beam headlamp indicator
lamp and turn signal indicator lamps
unless activated) in the instrument
cluster come on. If a lamp in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on when the
ignition is switched on, have it checked
and replaced if necessary. If a lamp in
the instrument cluster remains on after
starting the engine or comes on while
driving, see “Lamps in instrument clus-
ter” (
page 304).
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.
i
When you switch on the ignition, the
indicator and warning lamps (except high-beam
headlamp indicator lamp and turn signal indica-
tor lamps unless activated) in the instrument
cluster come on. The indicator and warning
lamps (except high-beam headlamp indicator
lamp and turn signal indicator lamps if activated)
should go out when the engine is running. This
indicates that the respective systems are
operational.
!
If the SmartKey is left in the starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it can
no longer be turned in the starter switch.


Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch and reinsert.
If the SmartKey can still not be turned in the
starter switch, the starter battery may not be
sufficiently charged.


Have the starter battery checked and
charged if necessary (
page 371). Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
To prevent accelerated battery discharge and a
possible dead battery, always remove the Smart-
Key from the starter switch when the engine is
not in operation.

51 Getting started
Driving
Switching on headlamps
Low-beam headlamps
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.Exterior lamp switch1Off
2Low-beam headlamps on
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB.
The low-beam headlamps come on.High beam
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.
Combination switch1High beam
2High-beam flasher
Push combination switch in direction of
arrow1.
The high-beam headlamps and
high-beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
come on (
page 29).
For more information on headlamps, see
“Lighting” (
page 106).
Turn signals
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.Combination switch1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left
Press the combination switch up 1 or
down 2.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lampL orK in the instrument
cluster flashes (
page 29).
The combination switch resets automati-
cally after major directional changes.

53 Getting started
Driving
Intermittent wiping
The intermittent wiping interval is depen-
dent on the wetness of the windshield. 
Turn the combination switch in direc-
tion of arrow 2 to positionI.
After the initial wipe, pauses between
wipes are controlled by the rain sensor.Single wipe

Press combination switch briefly in
direction of arrow1 to the resistance
point.
The windshield wipers wipe one time
without washer fluid.
Wiping with windshield washer fluid

Press combination switch in direction
of arrow1 past the resistance point.
The windshield wipers operate with
washer fluid.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system”
(
page 257).
!
Do not leave windshield wipers on an
intermittent setting when the vehicle is taken to
an automatic car wash or during windshield
cleaning. Wipers will operate in the presence of
water sprayed on the windshield, and wipers
may be damaged as a result.
!
If you have set intermittent wiping, dirt on
the surface of the rain sensor or optical effects
may cause the windshield wipers to wipe in an
undesired fashion. This could then damage the
windshield wiper blades or scratch the windows.
You should therefore switch off the windshield
wipers when weather conditions are dry.
i
Intermittent wiping is interrupted when the
vehicle is at a standstill and a front door is
opened. This protects persons getting into or out
of the vehicle from being sprayed.
Intermittent wiping will be continued when


all doors are closed and the gear selector
lever is in drive positionD or reverse gearR
or


the wiper setting is changed using the com-
bination switch
i
To prevent smears on the windshield or
noisy/chattering wiper blades, wipe with wind-
shield washer fluid every now and then even
when it is raining.

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.