2011 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK55AMG parking brake

Working on the vehicle
G
Warning!
When working on the vehicle, engage the
parking brake and shift the automatic
transmission into park position P. Otherwise
the vehicle could roll away which could result
in an accident and/or serious personal injury. Gear ranges
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D and driving in automatic program
mode C or S, you can limit or extend the gear
range, see “One-touch gearshifting”
(Y page 89).
The current gear range appears in the
multifunction display. :
Gear range indicator Effect
=
With this selection you can use the
braking effect of the engine.
5
Allows the use of the engine’s
braking effect when driving
R
on steep downgrades
R in mountainous regions
R under extreme operating
conditions 4
For maximum use of the engine’s
braking effect on very steep or
lengthy downgrades. Automatic shift program
Program mode selector switch
C Comfort For comfort driving
S Sport For sporty driving
Program mode selector switch on vehicles with
AMG Sport Package and SLK 55 AMG
C Comfort For comfort driving
S Sport For standard driving
M Manual For manual gearshifting
(Y page 90)88
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:
Setting current or higher speed
; Setting current or lower speed
= Canceling the cruise control
? Resume to last set speed
Activating cruise control You can activate the cruise control at a
vehicle speed above 20 mph (30 km/h).
You cannot activate the cruise control
R
when you brake
R when you have engaged the parking brake
R when the automatic transmission is in park
position P, reverse gear R, or neutral
position N
R the ESP ®
is switched off or has switched off
due to a malfunction
Setting current speed X
Accelerate or decelerate to the desired
speed.
X Briefly lift the cruise control lever in
direction of arrow : or press in direction
of arrow ;.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
i On uphill grades, the cruise control may
not be able to maintain the set speed. Once
the grade eases, the set speed will be
resumed. On downhill grades, the cruise control
maintains the set speed by braking with the
vehicle’s brake system.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
In addition, on longer downhill grades the
automatic transmission will downshift
automatically.
i Vehicles with manual transmission:
If you depress the clutch pedal when
shifting into another gear, the engine speed
may increase.
R Always drive with sufficient, but not
excessive, engine speed.
R Shift the gear in a timely manner.
R Avoid shifting down more than one gear
if at all possible.
Canceling cruise control X
Depress the brake pedal.
or
X Briefly push the cruise control lever in
direction of arrow =.
The last set speed is stored for later use.
The last stored speed is deleted from memory
when the engine is turned off.
The cruise control switches off automatically
when
R you depress the brake pedal
R you engage the parking brake
R the vehicle speed falls below 20 mph
(30 km/h)
R the ESP ®
is in operation
R the ESP ®
is switched off with the ESP ®
switch
R the ESP ®
has switched off due to a
malfunction
R Vehicles with manual transmission: you
engage neutral or depress the clutch pedal
for more than 7 seconds during shifting into
another gear 160
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G
Warning!
Before operating the retractable hardtop,
make sure there is no danger of anyone being
injured by the moving parts (retractable
hardtop, roof frame, and trunk lid).
Hands must never be placed near the roof
frame, upper windshield area, hardtop, shelf
behind roll bars, or trunk lid while the
retractable hardtop is being raised or
lowered. Serious personal injury may occur.
If potential danger exists, release the
retractable hardtop switch or button % or
& on the SmartKey. This immediately
interrupts the raising or lowering procedure.
You then can operate the retractable hardtop
switch or press button % or & on the
SmartKey to raise or lower the retractable
hardtop away from the danger zone
! Never sit or place heavy objects on the
rear shelf. Doing so could cause damage to
the retractable hardtop and the rear shelf.
! Please keep in mind that weather
conditions can sometimes change rapidly.
Make sure to close the retractable hardtop
when leaving the vehicle. If water enters
the vehicle interior, vehicle electronics
could be damaged which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
! When opening and closing the retractable
hardtop, make sure
R there is sufficient clearance for the
retractable hardtop to move up and for
the trunk lid to move back
R the luggage cover is installed, extended
and closed
R the trunk is loaded only to the height of
the luggage cover
R the luggage/cargo does not push up the
closed luggage cover R
the trunk lid is closed
R the outside temperature is above +5‡
(-15†)
Otherwise the retractable hardtop and
trunk as well as other parts of the vehicle
could be damaged. Opening and closing
With the retractable hardtop switch G
Observe Safety notes, see page 170.
X Engage the parking brake.
X Close the luggage cover ( Y page 173).
X Close the trunk lid.
X Switch on the ignition. Retractable hardtop switch
Opening
i
Make sure the retractable hardtop is dry
before you open it. Otherwise water may
enter the trunk interior.
X Push and hold the retractable hardtop
switch in direction of arrow : until the
retractable hardtop is completely lowered
into its trunk storage compartment.
Closing
X Push and hold the retractable hardtop
switch in direction of arrow ; until the
retractable hardtop is completely closed
and locked. Retractable hardtop
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X
Lift up vanity mirror cover B.
Vanity mirror lamp : comes on. Ashtray
X
Opening: Press cover plate : briefly in
direction of the arrow.
X Removing ashtray insert: Secure vehicle
from movement by setting the parking
brake.
X Automatic transmission: Shift the
automatic transmission into neutral
position N.
X Manual transmission: Shift the manual
transmission into 2nd gear.
X Reach into both recesses on the left and
right side of the retainer and pull out the
ashtray insert.
X Reinstalling ashtray insert: Place the
ashtray insert into the retainer.
X Push the ashtray insert down into the
retainer until it engages.
X Closing: Press cover plate : until the
ashtray engages. Cigarette lighter
G
Observe Safety notes, see page 45. G
Warning!
Never touch the heating element or sides of
the lighter; they are extremely hot. Hold the
knob only. Make sure any children traveling with you do
not injure themselves or start a fire with the
hot cigarette lighter.
If the engine is off and the cigarette lighter is
being used extensively, the vehicle battery
may become discharged. X
Switch on the ignition.
X Push in cigarette lighter :.
Cigarette lighter : will pop out
automatically when hot.
X Reinsert cigarette lighter : in its socket
after use. Power outlet
The power outlet can be used to
accommodate 12V DC electrical accessories
(e.g. auxiliary lamps, mobile phone chargers)
up to a maximum of 15 A (180 W).
If the engine is off and the power outlet is
being used extensively, the vehicle battery
may become discharged.
X Switch on the ignition. Useful features
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Power assistance
G
Warning!
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the brake when the engine is not running.
Steering and braking requires significantly
more effort and you could lose control of the
vehicle and cause an accident as a result.
Do not turn off the engine while the vehicle is
in motion. Brakes
Downhill grades !
When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes by
shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s

braking power. This helps prevent
overheating of the brakes and reduces
wear.
When using the engine’s braking power, a
drive wheel may not spin for an extended
period of time, e.g. on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage
to the drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Continuous or hard braking G
Warning!
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their
effectiveness. It may not be possible to stop
the vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an
accident.
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive on
for

some time, rather than immediately park,
so that the air stream will cool down the
brakes faster. Wet roads G
Warning!
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without
applying the brakes or through water
deep enough to wet brake components, the
first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may be
necessary to obtain expected brake effect.
Maintain a safe distance from vehicles in
front.
To help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet or salt-covered roads, it is
advisable to brake the vehicle with
considerable force prior to parking. The heat
generated serves to dry the brakes.
Salt-covered roads G
Warning!
A layer of salt on the brake discs and the brake
linings may cause a delay in the braking
effect, resulting in a significantly increased
braking distance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully when you are
driving on salt-covered roads, so that any
layer of salt that may have built up on the
brake discs and the brake linings is
removed without putting other road users
at risk
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new

trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake disc
Brake service !
The brake fluid level in the reservoir may
be

too low if the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster comes on and an
acoustic warning sounds although the 222
Driving instructions
Operation
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parking brake is released. Observe
additional messages in the multifunction
display that may appear.
Brake
pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the
reservoir.
Have the brake system inspected
immediately. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only install brake pads and use brake fluid
recommended by Mercedes-Benz. G
Warning!
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle

can be degraded to an extent that safe
braking is substantially impaired. This could
result in an accident.
! Because the ESP ®
operates
automatically, the engine and ignition must
be shut off (SmartKey in starter switch
position 0 or 1) when the parking brake is
being tested on a brake test dynamometer
or when the vehicle is being towed with the
front axle raised.
Active braking action through the ESP ®
may otherwise seriously damage the brake
system which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
If your brake system is only subjected to
moderate loads, you should occasionally test
the effectiveness of the brakes by applying
above-normal braking pressure at higher
speeds. This will also enhance the grip of the
brake pads. G
Warning!
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking
maneuvers. Refer to the description of the Brake Assist
System (BAS) (
Y page 49).
High-performance brake system The high-performance brake system is only
available on SLK 55 AMG.
G
Warning!
New vehicle brake pads and discs, and
replacement brake pads and discs may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide

optimum braking efficiency. Until that
time, you may need to use increased brake
pedal pressure while braking. Please be aware
of this and adjust your driving and braking
accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive high-demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
The high-performance brake system is
designed to operate under the extremely high
operating demands required to
accommodate the performance capabilities
of the vehicle.
The brakes may produce a squeaking-type
noise depending on the
R vehicle speed
R brake force applied
R ambient conditions, e.g. temperature and
humidity
As with any brake system, the wear of
individual brake system components such as
brake pads or disks strongly depends on your
driving style and the conditions under which
you operate the vehicle. Thus, a driving style
calling for high-demand braking will cause
your vehicle’s brakes to wear more quickly. Driving instructions
223
Operation
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Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsFront-
passenger
Airbag
Enabled
See
Operator’s
Manual The passenger front air bag and the passenger-side knee bag
are activated while driving even though a child, small
individual, or object below the system’s weight threshold is
on the passenger seat, or the passenger seat is empty.
Objects on the seat or forces acting on the seat may make
the system sense supplemental weight.
X
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible.
X Engage the parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition.
X Open the passenger door.
X Remove child and child restraint from passenger seat.
X Make sure no objects which apply supplemental weight to
the seat are present. The system may recognize such
supplemental weight and sense that an occupant on the
passenger
seat is of a greater weight than actually present.
X Keep the seat unoccupied, close the passenger door and
switch on the ignition.
Monitor the 04 indicator lamp in the center
console (Y page 39) and the multifunction display in the
instrument cluster

(Y page 26) for the following:
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition switched on,
R the 04 indicator lamp in the center console
should illuminate and remain illuminated, indicating that
the OCS (Y page 37) has deactivated the passenger front
air bag and the passenger-side knee bag.
R the message Front-passenger Airbag Enabled See
Operator’s Manual or the message Front-passenger
Airbag Disabled See Operator’s Manual should not
appear in the multifunction display at any time the seat is
unoccupied. Wait at least 60 seconds for the system to
complete the necessary check cycles and to make sure
neither message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the passenger
seat again. Depending on the passenger classification sensed
by the OCS, the 04 indicator lamp will remain
illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working
properly. Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible. Vehicle status messages in the multifunction display
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G
Warning!
If the 04 indicator lamp remains out even after performing the above corrective
steps, do not have any children 12 years old and under and other small individuals use the
passenger seat until the system has been repaired. Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
X SolutionsFront-
passenger
Airbag
Disabled
See
Operator’s
Manual The passenger front air bag and the passenger-side knee bag
are deactivated while driving even though an adult or
someone larger than a small individual is occupying the
passenger seat. Forces acting on the seat may make the
system sense a decrease in weight.
X
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible.
X Engage the parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition.
X Have the passenger vacate the seat and exit the vehicle.
X Keep the seat unoccupied, close the passenger door and
switch on the ignition.
Monitor the 04 indicator lamp in the center
console (Y page 39) and the multifunction display in the
instrument cluster
(Y page 26) for the following:
With the seat unoccupied and the ignition switched on,
R the 04 indicator lamp in the center console
should illuminate and remain illuminated, indicating that
the OCS (Y page 37) has deactivated the passenger front
air bag and the passenger-side knee bag.
R the message Front-passenger Airbag Enabled See
Operator’s Manual or the message Front-passenger
Airbag Disabled See Operator’s Manual should not
appear in the multifunction display at any time the seat is
unoccupied. Wait at least 60 seconds for the system to
complete the necessary check cycles and to make sure
neither message appears in the multifunction display.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the passenger
seat again. Depending on the passenger classification sensed
by the OCS, the 04 indicator lamp will remain
illuminated or go out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working
properly. Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible. 240
Vehicle status messages in the multifunction displayPractical hints
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