2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER change time

You can remove the Start/Stop button from
the ignition lock and start the vehicle as nor-
mal using the key.
X Remove Start/Stop button :from ignition
lock ;.
i You do not have to remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock when you
leave the vehicle. Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they can:
R open doors and endanger other persons or
road users
R climb out and be injured by the traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and, for exam-
ple, trap themselves.
Children could also set the vehicle in motion, for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key out of reach of children. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
i The catalytic converter is preheated for
up to 30 seconds after a cold start. The
sound of the engine may change during this
time.
Starting procedure with the key X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
The transmission position indicator in the
multifunction display shows P.
i You can also start the engine when the
transmission is in position N.
X Turn the key to position 3in the ignition
lock (Y page 155) and release it as soon as
the engine is running.
Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine The Start/Stop button can be used to start
the vehicle without inserting the key into the
ignition lock. The key must be in the vehicle
and the Start/Stop button must be inserted
in the ignition lock.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
The transmission position indicator in the
multifunction display shows P.
i You can also start the engine when the
transmission is in position N.
X Press the Start/Stop button once
(Y page 155).
The engine starts. Driving
157Driving and parking Z

Steering wheel gearshift paddles
:
Left-hand steering wheel gearshift paddle
; Right-hand steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
gearshift paddles (Y page 169).
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Ypage 170).
Further information about temporary drive
program M(Ypage 169).
i The full range of functions of the steering
wheel gearshift paddles is available only
once the operating temperature is reached.
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddles when the trans-
mission is in position D.Automatic drive program
Automatic drive programs E and S Drive program
Eis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R comfort-orientated engine and transmis-
sion settings
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully R
increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin.
Drive program Sis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine and transmission settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption pos-sibly being higher
Manual drive program M General notes
In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
gearshift paddles. The transmission must be
in position D.
You can activate manual drive program Min
the Eand Sautomatic drive programs.
i In addition to temporary drive program
M,
you can also activate permanent drive pro- gram M(Y page 167).
Further information about permanent drive program M(Y page 170).
Activating
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 169).
Manual drive program Mis temporarily acti-
vated. The selected gear and Mappear in
the multifunction display.
Shifting gears
If you pull on the left or right steering wheel
gearshift paddle, the automatic transmission switches to manual drive program Mfor a
limited amount of time. Depending on which Automatic transmission
169Driving and parking Z

gearshift paddle is pulled, the automatic
transmission immediately shifts into the next
gear up or down, if permitted.
X To shift up: pull the right-hand steering
wheel gearshift paddle (Y page 169).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the next gear.
i If the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts up in
order to prevent engine damage.
X To shift down: pull on the left-hand steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddle (Y page 169).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto- matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down.
i Automatic downshifting occurs when
coasting.
Gearshift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
X Shift to recommended gear ;according
to gearshift recommendation :when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster.
Deactivating
If you have activated manual drive program
M, it will remain active for a certain amount of time. Under certain conditions the minimum
amount of time is extended, e.g. in the case of lateral acceleration, during an overrun phase
or when driving on steep terrain.
If manual drive program Mhas been deacti-
vated, the automatic transmission shifts into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. Eor S.
You can also deactivate manual drive pro-
gram Myourself:
X Pull on the right-hand steering wheel gear-
shift paddle and hold it in place
(Y page 169).
or
X Use the lever to switch the transmission
position.
or X Use the program selector button to change
the drive program (Y page 167).
Manual drive program Mis deactivated.
The automatic transmission switches into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. Eor S. Manual drive program
General notes In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel gearshift paddles. The transmission
must be in position D.
i In addition to permanent drive program
M, you can also activate temporary drive
program M(Y page 169).
Activating the manual drive program Manual drive program
Mdiffers from drive
program Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and the smoothness of the
gear changes.
You can select manual drive program Mwith
the program selector button or the drive pro-
gram selector (AMG vehicles ). In manual
drive program M, you can change gear your-
self using the steering wheel gearshift pad- 170
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

in the ECO display does not indicate a fixed
consumption.
In addition to driving style, the consumption is
affected by many other factors, such as:
R load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style takes the following three categories into consideration:
R Acceleration
Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
- The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- The bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant Constant (assessment of driving behav-
iour at all times):
- The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting
Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes):
- The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping your distance and early release
of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes
- The bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style involves driv-
ing at a moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration
Acceleration andConstant Constant :
R observe the gearshift recommendation.
R drive the vehicle in drive program E.
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the motorway, only the bar for Constant
Constant
will change.
i The ECO display summarises the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey to its completion. Therefore, there are
dynamic changes in the bars at the start of
a journey. During a prolonged driving time, these changes are smaller. For more
dynamic changes, perform a manual reset.
For further information on the ECO display,
see (Y page 232). Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. Take particular note of this when driving a laden vehicle.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving. Driving tips
179Driving and parking Z

You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around the
freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Y page 599).
For more information on driving with summer tyres, see (Y page 598).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 598). Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select a lower gear in good time. By doing so, you will make use of
the braking effect of the engine. This relieves the load on the brake system and prevents
the brakes from overheating and wearing tooquickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 30 km/h.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take road, weather and traffic
conditions into account. Cruise control is only
an aid. You are responsible for the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for
braking in good time and for maintaining lane. Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g.
heavy traffic or winding roads.
R on slippery roads. Braking or accelerating
may cause the drive wheels to lose traction
and the vehicle could then skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the stored speed.
Cruise control lever Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed and to call up
the last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
LIM indicator lamp ;on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec- ted:
R LIM indicator lamp ;
; off: cruise control
is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp ; ;on: variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected. 182
Driving systemsDriving and parking

!
If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style, DIS-
TRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take account of
road and weather conditions or traffic condi-
tions. DISTRONIC PLUS is only an aid. You are responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time, and for staying correctly in lane.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed
(e.g. in heavy traffic or on winding roads).
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or
accelerating can cause the drive wheels to
lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow.
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else cover-
ing the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example, in multi-storey car parks
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi-
cle in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate to the speed stored. This speed can:
R be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high in the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the left
R be so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the right
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; To set the specified minimum distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed and to call up
the last stored speed
A To store the current speed or a lower
speed
B To switch between DISTRONIC PLUS and
variable SPEEDTRONIC
C To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
You can operate DISTRONIC PLUS and varia- ble SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control
lever.
LIM indicator lamp =on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec- ted:
R LIM indicator lamp = =off: DISTRONIC
PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp = =on: variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected. 186
Driving systemsDriving and parking

vehicle is laden, you must select a lower gear
in good time. By doing so, you will make use of the braking effect of the engine. This relieves
the load on the brake system and prevents
the brakes from overheating and wearing too quickly.
You can set a variable or permanent limit
speed:
R variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up
areas
R permanent for long-term speed restric-
tions, e.g. when driving with winter tyres
fitted (Y page 196)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. SPEED-
TRONIC cannot take into account road,
weather or traffic conditions. SPEEDTRONIC
is only an aid. You are responsible for the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time, and for staying cor-
rectly in lane.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored. Variable SPEEDTRONIC Cruise control lever
Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed and to call up
the last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed
A To switch between cruise control or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS and variable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS and vari-
able SPEEDTRONIC.
LIM indicator lamp ;on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp ;
; off: cruise control
or DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp ; ;on: variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected.
You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the speed to any speed above 30 km/h while the engine is running. 194
Driving systemsDriving and parking

R
Snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R The way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the posi-
tion and shape of the vehicles parked in
front and behind it and the conditions of the location. In some cases, Active Parking
Assist may guide you too far into a parking
space, or not far enough into it. In some
cases, it may also lead you across or onto
the kerb. If necessary, you should cancel
the parking procedure with Active Parking
Assist.
R You can also engage forward gear prema-
turely. The vehicle redirects and does not
drive as far into the parking space. Should a
gear be changed too early, the parking pro- cedure will be cancelled. A sensible parkingposition can no longer be achieved from
this position.
Exiting a parking space Active Parking Assist can only assist you with
exiting a parking space if you have parked thevehicle using Active Parking Assist.
X Start the engine.
X Switch on the turn signal on the side facing
the street.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No: Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
% message appears in the multifunction
display.
X To cancel the procedure: press the%
button on the multifunction steering wheel
or pull away.
or X To exit a parking space using Active
Parking Assist: press theabutton on
the multifunction steering wheel.
The Park Assist active Accelerate
Park Assist active Accelerate
and
and brake brake Observe
Observe surroundings
surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display. X
Release the multifunction steering wheel.
X Reverse the vehicle or drive forwards, being
ready to brake at all times. Do not exceed a maximum speed of approximately 10 km/h
when exiting a parking space. Otherwise,
Active Parking Assist will be cancelled.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor Ras
required while the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in the other direction.
i You will achieve the best results by wait-
ing for the steering procedure to complete before pulling away.
If you reverse after activation, the steering
wheel is moved to the straight-ahead posi- tion.
X Drive forwards or reverse the vehicle, being
ready to brake at all times.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
X Drive forwards and reverse as prompted by
the PARKTRONIC warning displays, several
times if necessary.
Once you have exited the parking space com- pletely, the steering wheel is moved to the
straight-ahead position. You hear a tone and
the Park Assist switched off
Park Assist switched off message
appears in the multifunction display. You will
then have to steer and merge into traffic on
your own. PARKTRONIC is still available.
Cancelling Active Parking Assist You can cancel Active Parking Assist at any
time.210
Driving systemsDriving and parking