2011 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK300 service

Product Information
Please observe the following in your own best
interest:
We recommend using Genuine Mercedes-
Benz Parts as well as conversion parts and
accessories explicitly approved by us for your
vehicle model.
We have tested these parts to determine their
reliability, safety and special suitability for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
We are unable to make an assessment for
other products and therefore cannot be held
responsible for them, even if in individual
cases an official approval or authorization by
governmental or other agencies should exist.
Use of such parts and accessories could
adversely affect the safety, performance or
reliability of your vehicle. Please do not use
them.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz Parts and pre-
approved conversion parts and accessories
are available at any authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center. In addition, you will receive
comprehensive information on permissible
technical modifications and expert
installations. Operator’s Manual
Notes
This
Operator’s Manual contains a great deal
of useful information. We urge you to read it
carefully and familiarize yourself with the
vehicle before driving.
For your own safety and longer service life of
the vehicle, we urge you to follow the
instructions and warnings contained in this
Operator’s Manual. Ignoring them could
result in damage to the vehicle or personal
injury to you or others. Vehicle damage
caused by failure to follow instructions is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty. We continuously strive to improve our
product and ask for your understanding that
we reserve the right to make changes in
design and equipment. Therefore,
information, illustrations, and descriptions in
this

Operator’s Manual might differ from your
vehicle. Vehicle equipment
Your vehicle may have some or all of the
equipment described in this manual.
Therefore, you may find explanations for
optional equipment not installed in your
vehicle. If you have any questions about
operating particular equipment, any
authorized

Mercedes-Benz Center will be glad
to demonstrate the proper procedures.
Optional equipment is also described in this
manual, including operating instructions
wherever necessary. Since they are special-
order items, the descriptions and illustrations
herein may vary slightly from the actual
equipment of your vehicle.
If there are any equipment details that are not
shown or described in this Operator’s
Manual, any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center will be glad to inform you of correct
care and operating procedures. The
Operator’s Manual and Maintenance Booklet
are important documents and should be kept
with the vehicle. Service and warranty information
The Service and Warranty Information
booklet contains detailed information about
the

warranties covering your Mercedes-Benz,
including:
R New Vehicle Limited Warranty
R Emission System Warranty
R Emission Performance Warranty
R California, Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, 18
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Rhode Island, and Vermont Emission
Control System Warranty
R State Warranty Enforcement Laws (Lemon
Laws) Important notice for California retail
buyers
and lessees of Mercedes-Benz
automobiles
Under California law you may be entitled to a
replacement of your vehicle or a refund of the
purchase price or lease price, if after a
reasonable number of repair attempts
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and/or its
authorized repair or service facilities fail to fix
one or more substantial defects or
malfunctions in the vehicle that are covered
by its express warranty. During the period of
18 months from original delivery of the
vehicle or the accumulation of 18 000 miles
(approximately 29 000 km) on the odometer
of the vehicle, whichever occurs first, a
reasonable number of repair attempts is
presumed for a retail buyer or lessee if one or
more of the following occurs:
(1) the same substantial defect or malfunction results in a condition that is
likely to cause death or serious bodily
injury if the vehicle is driven, that defect
or

malfunction has been subject to repair
two or more times, and you have directly
notified Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC in
writing of the need for its repair,
(2) the same substantial defect or malfunction
of a less serious nature than
category (1) has been subject to repair
four or more times and you have directly
notified us in writing of the need for its
repair, or
(3) the vehicle is out of service by reason of repair
of the same or different substantial
defects or malfunctions for a cumulative
total of more than 30 calendar days.
Written notification should not be sent to a
dealer, it should be addressed to Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Customer Assistance Center
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350 Maintenance
The Maintenance Booklet describes all the
necessary maintenance work which should
be performed at regular intervals.
Always have the Maintenance Booklet with
you when you take the vehicle to an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
service. The service advisor will record each
service in the booklet for you. Roadside Assistance
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program provides factory-trained technical
help

in the event of a breakdown. Calls to the
toll-free Roadside Assistance number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372)
(in the USA) 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada)
will be answered by Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Representatives
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
For additional information refer to the
Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program brochure (in the USA) or the
Roadside Assistance section of the Service
and Warranty Information Booklet (in
Canada) in your vehicle literature portfolio. Change of address or ownership
If you change your address, be sure to send
in the “Change of Address Notice” found in
the Service and Warranty Information
Booklet, or simply call the Mercedes-Benz
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. This will assist us in Introduction
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contacting you in a timely manner should the
need arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave all
literature
with the vehicle to make it available
to the next operator.
If you bought this vehicle used, be sure to
send in the “Notice of Purchase of Used Car”
found in the Service and Warranty
Information Booklet, or call the Mercedes-
Benz Customer Assistance Center (in the
USA) at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes, or Customer
Service (in Canada) at 1-800-387-0100. Operating your vehicle outside the
USA or Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in foreign
countries, please be aware that:
R Service

facilities or replacement parts may
not be readily available.
R Unleaded gasoline for vehicles with
catalytic converters may not be available;
the use of leaded fuels will damage the
catalysts.
R Gasoline may have a considerably lower
octane rating, and improper fuel can cause
engine damage.
Certain Mercedes-Benz models are available
for delivery in Europe under our European
Delivery Program. For details, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or write to:
In the USA:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada:
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9 Operating safety
G
Warning!
Work improperly carried out on electronic
components and associated software could
cause

them to cease functioning. Because the
vehicle’s electronic components are
interconnected, any modifications made may
produce an undesired effect on other
systems. Electronic malfunctions could
seriously impair the operating safety of your
vehicle.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for repairs or modifications to electronic
components.
Other improper work or modifications on the
vehicle could also have a negative impact on
the operating safety of the vehicle.
Some safety systems only function while the
engine is running. You should therefore never
turn off the engine while driving. G
Warning!
Heavy blows against the vehicle underbody or
tires/wheels may cause serious damage and
impair the operating safety of your vehicle.
Such blows can be caused, for example, by
running over an obstacle, road debris or a
pothole. If you feel a sudden significant
vibration or ride disturbance, or you suspect
that damage to your vehicle as occurred:
R turn on your hazard warning flashers
R slow down carefully
R drive

with caution to an area which is a safe
distance from the road
Inspect the vehicle underbody and tires/
wheels for possible damage. If the vehicle
appears unsafe, have it towed to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or other
qualified maintenance or repair facility for
further inspection or repairs. 20
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This information helps, for example, to
diagnose
vehicle systems after a collision and
to continuously improve vehicle safety.
Daimler may access the information and
share it with others
R for safety research or vehicle diagnosis
purposes
R with the consent of the vehicle owner or
lessee
R in response to an official request by law
enforcement or other government agency
R for use in dispute resolution involving
Daimler, its affiliates or sales/service
organization and/or
R 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. 22
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thorax air bag be deployed. Always sit as
upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately 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. G
Warning!
There is a possibility of a head-thorax air bag-
related injury if occupants, especially
children,

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, wear
the seat belt properly, and for
children 12 years old and 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
passenger side head-thorax air bag
deactivated,

then deactivation can be carried
out upon your written request at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center at an
additional cost.
Please

contact an 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.
Air bags are designed to deploy only in certain
frontal impacts (front air bags and knee bags)
and in side impacts (head-thorax air bags) if
the system determines the need for air bag
deployment. Only in the event of such a
situation will they provide their supplemental
protection.
The driver and passenger should always wear
their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible
for the air bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In case of other types of impacts and impacts
below air bag deployment thresholds, air
bags will not deploy. The driver and passenger
will then be protected to the extent possible
by a properly fastened seat belt. A properly
fastened seat belt is also needed to provide
the best possible protection in a rollover.
Air bags are not a substitute for seat belts.
Always wear your seat belt, regardless of
whether or not your vehicle is equipped with
air bags.
It is important to your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air
bags will continue to provide supplemental
crash protection for occupants.
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD)
and air bag G
Warning!
R Damaged
seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident
must be replaced. Their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use seat belts 34
Occupant safety
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R
independently of the front air bags
R independently of the ETDs
The passenger head-thorax air bag : will
only deploy if the OCS senses that the
passenger seat is occupied and the impact
exceeds a preset deployment threshold.
Head-thorax air bags : are not deployed in
side impacts which do not exceed the
system’s deployment threshold. G
Warning!
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 deployment of
the head-thorax air bags. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
availability. Occupant Classification System
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
activates or deactivates the passenger front
air bag and passenger-side knee bag
automatically.
The respective status is based
on the classified occupant weight category
determined by weight sensor readings from
the passenger seat.
The system does not deactivate the
passenger head-thorax air bag and the
Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs).
To be classified correctly, the passenger must
sit
R with the seat belt properly fastened
R in a position that is as upright as possible
with the back against the seat backrest
R with the feet on the floor
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.
If your 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.
Both the driver and the passenger should
always use the
04 indicator
lamp as an indication of whether or not the
passenger is properly positioned. G
Warning!
If the 04 indicator lamp
illuminates when an adult or someone larger
than a small individual is in the passenger
seat, have the passenger reposition himself
or herself in the seat until the
04 indicator lamp goes out.
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow passenger front air bag
deployment when the OCS has classified the
passenger seat occupant as weighting as
much as or less than a typical 12-month-old
child in a standard child restraint or if the
passenger seat is classified as being empty.
When

the OCS senses that the passenger seat
occupant is classified as being up to or less
than the weight of a typical 12-month-old
child in a standard child restraint, the
04 indicator lamp will illuminate
when the engine is started and remain
illuminated, indicating that the passenger
front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger seat
is classified as being empty, the
04 indicator lamp will illuminate
when the engine is started and remain
illuminated, indicating that the passenger
front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger seat
occupant is classified as being heavier than
the weight of a typical 12-month-old child
seated in a standard child restraint or as being
a small individual (such as a young teenager
or a small adult), the 04
indicator lamp will illuminate for
approximately 6 seconds when the engine is
started and then, depending on occupant Occupant safety
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!
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP ®
switched
off. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Switching on the ESP ®X
Press ESP ®
switch : until the ESP ®
warning lamp d in the instrument
cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving mode
with the ESP ®
switched on. 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 X
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Deactivating X
Switch on the ignition.
i Starting the engine will also deactivate
the immobilizer.
In the event that 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). Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens
R a door
R the trunk
R the hood
R the glove box
R the storage compartment under the
armrest
The alarm will stay on even if the activating
element, a door, for example, is closed
immediately.
The

alarm system will also be triggered when
R the vehicle is raised (tow-away alarm)
R the vehicle is opened with the mechanical
key
R a door is opened from the inside
R the trunk is opened with the emergency
release button
To cancel the alarm after it has been
triggered, see “Canceling the alarm”
(Y page 53).
i If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, the Tele Aid system initiates a
call to the Customer Assistance Center
automatically. The Tele Aid system will
initiate the call provided that
R you have subscribed to the Tele Aid
service
R the Tele Aid service has been activated
properly
R the necessary mobile phone, power
supply and GPS coverage are available Anti-theft systems
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X
Arming: Lock the vehicle with the
SmartKey.
The turn signal lamps flash three times and
an acoustic warning sounds three times to
indicate that the vehicle is locked. Indicator
lamp : flashes to indicate that the alarm
system is armed.
i If the turn signal lamps do not flash three
times and the acoustic warning does not
sound three times, a door or the trunk may
not be properly closed.
Close the respective element.
X Disarming: 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.
i Unless you open a door or the trunk within
approximately 40 seconds after unlocking
the vehicle:
R The vehicle will be locked again.
R The anti-theft alarm system will be
rearmed. 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.
To cancel the alarm after it has been
triggered, see “Canceling the alarm”
(Y page 53). i
If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Customer
Assistance Center is initiated automatically
by the Tele Aid system provided that you
have subscribed to the Tele Aid service and
that it has been activated properly, and that
the necessary mobile phone, power supply
and GPS coverage are available.
X Arming: Lock the vehicle with the
SmartKey.
The tow-away alarm is armed after about
30 seconds automatically.
X Disarming: Unlock the vehicle with the
SmartKey.
The tow-away alarm remains disarmed until
you lock the vehicle again.
Disabling tow-away alarm To prevent triggering the tow-away alarm,
disable the tow-away alarm feature before
towing the vehicle, or when parking on a
surface subject to movement, such as a ferry
or auto train.
X
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
X Press tow-away alarm switch ;.
Indicator lamp : comes on briefly.
X Exit and lock the vehicle.
The tow-away alarm remains disabled until
you lock the vehicle again. 52
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