2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER service

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
If persons (particularly children) are exposed
to heat or cold for a prolonged period, there is a risk of serious or even fatal injuries. Never
leave persons (particularly children) unatten-
ded in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is placed in direct sunlight, the parts could become very hot.
Children could be suffer burns by touching
these parts, in particular on the metallic parts
of the child restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you and your child leave the vehicle, always
make sure that the child restraint system is
not in direct sunlight. Cover it with a blanket, for example. If the child restraint system has
been exposed to direct sunlight, leave it to
cool down before securing the child in it.
Never leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle.
If a child is travelling in your vehicle, secure
the child using a child restraint system which is appropriate to the age, weight and size of
the child. In order to correctly secure the child
in the child restraint system, always comply
with the child restraint system manufactur-
er's installation instructions. Make sure that
the child is secured for the trip.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
the listed child restraint systems
(Y page 67). You can obtain further infor-
mation about the correct child restraint sys-
tem from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products to clean child restraint systems.
You can obtain information about this from
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat
G
WARNING
If the front-passenger front airbag is not dis-
abled:
R a child secured in a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat could be seri-
ously or even fatally injured by the front-
passenger airbag deploying. This is espe-
cially a risk if the child is in the immediate
vicinity of the front-passenger front airbag
when it deploys.
R never secure a child on the front-passenger
seat in a rearward-facing child restraint sys- tem.
R move the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible. When doing so, ensure that the
shoulder belt strap from the belt outlet on
the vehicle is routed towards the front to
the shoulder belt guide on the child
restraint system.
The front-passenger front airbag is not disa-
bled:
R on vehicles without automatic child seat
recognition on the front-passenger seat.
R on vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat, 62
Child restraint systemsSafety

unless a child restraint system with trans-
ponders for automatic child seat recogni-
tion is fitted to the front-passenger seat. In order to make use of the automatic child
seat recognition, a Mercedes-Benz
approved child seat with a transponder is
necessary.
R on vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat, if the
_ PASSENGER AIRBAG ON indicator
lamp lights up for 60 seconds after the igni-
tion is switched on and the 4
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up.
To make you aware of this danger, a corre-
sponding warning sticker has been affixed to
the side of the dashboard and on both sides of the sun visor on the front-passenger side.
Information about recommended child
restraint systems is available at any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Warning notice on the front-passenger sun visor
Warning symbol for a rearward-facing child
restraint system NEVER use a rearward-facing child restraint
on a seat protected by an ACTIVE AIRBAG in
front of it; DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY to the
CHILD can occur. Automatic child seat recognition on
the front-passenger seat G
WARNING
If the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indica-
tor lamp does not light up when the child
restraint system is fitted, the front-passenger front airbag has not been disabled. If the front-
passenger front airbag deploys, the child
could be seriously or even fatally injured.
Proceed as follows:
R do not use a rearward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
or
R only use a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat. Move
the front-passenger seat as far back as pos-
sible. When doing so, ensure that the shoul-
der belt strap from the belt outlet on the
vehicle is routed towards the front to the
shoulder belt guide on the child restraint
system.
R have the automatic child seat recognition
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
To ensure that the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat func-
tions/communicates correctly, never place
objects, e.g. a cushion, under the child
restraint system. The entire base of the child
restraint system must always rest on the seat
cushion. An incorrectly fitted child restraint
system cannot perform its intended protec-
tive function in the event of an accident, and
could lead to injuries. Child restraint systems
63Safety Z

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos- sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 34). Running-in notes
Important safety notes
In certain driving and driving safety systems,
the sensors adjust automatically while a cer-
tain distance is being driven after the vehicle has been delivered or after repairs. Full sys-
tem effectiveness is not reached until the end
of this teach-in procedure.
Brake pads/linings and discs that are either
new or have been replaced only achieve opti- mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Compensate for the
reduced braking effect by applying greater
force to the brake pedal. The first 1,500 km
If you treat the engine with sufficient care
from the very start, you will be rewarded with excellent performance for the remainder of
the engine's life.
R Drive at varying vehicle speeds and engine
speeds for the first 1,500 km.
R Avoid overstraining the vehicle during this
period, e.g. driving at full throttle.
R Change gear in good time, before the rev
counter needle is Ôof the way to the red
area of the rev counter. R
Do not shift down a gear manually in order
to brake.
R Try to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the point of resistance (kick-
down).
After 1,500 km, you may gradually bring the
vehicle up to full road and engine speeds.
Additional running-in notes for AMG vehicles:
R Do not drive at speeds above 140 km/ hfor
the first 1,500 km.
R Only briefly allow the engine to reach a
maximum engine speed of 4,500 rpm.
R It is advisable to select drive program Cfor
Controlled Efficiency.
i You should also observe these notes on
running-in if the engine or parts of the drive train on your vehicle have been replaced. AMG vehicles with self-locking rear
axle differential
Your vehicle is equipped with a self-locking
differential on the rear axle. Change the oil
after a running-in period of 3,000 km to
improve protection of the rear axle differen-
tial. This oil change prolongs the service life of
the differential. Have the oil change carried
out at a qualified specialist workshop. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell may restrict
the clearance around the pedals or block a
depressed pedal. This jeopardises the oper-
ating and road safety of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Stow all objects securely in the vehicle so that
they do not get into the driver's footwell.
Always fit the floormats securely and as pre-
scribed in order to ensure that there is always sufficient room for the pedals. Do not use 154
DrivingDriving and parking

Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refuelling. G
WARNING
Fuels are poisonous and hazardous to health. There is a danger of injury.
Do not swallow fuel or let it come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale fuel
vapours. Keep fuels out of the reach of chil-
dren. If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
R Wash the fuel off any affected areas of skin
with water and soap immediately.
R If you get fuel in your eyes, rinse them thor-
oughly with clean water immediately. Seek
immediate medical attention.
R If fuel is swallowed, seek immediate medi-
cal attention. Do not induce vomiting.
R Change any clothing that has come into
contact with fuel immediately. G
WARNING
Electrostatic charge can cause sparks and
thereby ignite fuel vapours. There is a risk of
fire and explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. This discharges any electrostatic
charge that may have built up.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
petrol engine. Do not switch on the ignition if you accidentally refuel with the wrong Refuelling
173Driving and parking Z

During braking:
R a warning tone sounds
R the Release parking brake
Release parking brake message
appears
R the red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand- still, the electric parking brake is engaged. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than four weeks, the battery may be damaged
by exhaustive discharging.
X Disconnect the battery or connect it to a
trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, the vehicle may suffer dam-
age as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. Drive sensibly – save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
R The tyres should always be inflated to the
recommended tyre pressure.
R Remove unnecessary loads.
R Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
R Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
R Observe the service intervals in the Service
Booklet or in the service interval display.
Have all the maintenance work carried out
in accordance with Daimler AG regulations.
Fuel consumption also increases when driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-start traffic, on
short journeys and in hilly terrain. ECO display
Example: ECO display
The ECO display provides feedback on how
economical your driving characteristics are.
The ECO display assists you in achieving the
most economical driving style for the selec-
ted settings and prevailing conditions. Con-
sumption can be significantly influenced by
your driving style.
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R Acceleration
Acceleration
R Constant Constant
R Coasting
Coasting
The percentage count is the mean value of the three bar values. The three bars and the mean
value begin at the value of 50%. A higher per- centage count indicates a more economical
driving style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual
fuel consumption. A fixed percentage count 178
Driving
tipsDriving an d parking

!
Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air- flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet road surfaces If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac- tion from the brakes when braking for the firsttime.
This may also occur after the vehicle has been
washed.
You will have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance to the vehi-
cle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi- cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm upthe brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salt-treated roads, a layer of
salt may form on the brake discs and pads.
This can increase the braking distance con-
siderably.
R Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Ensure that you do not endan-
ger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal at the
end of the journey and when starting the
next journey.
R Maintain a much greater distance to the
vehicle in front. New brake pads/linings New or replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometres of driving. Compen-
sate for the reduced braking effect by apply-
ing greater force to the brake pedal.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
High-performance and ceramic brake
system for AMG vehicles The AMG brake systems are designed for
heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This is dependent on:
R speed
R braking force
R ambient conditions, e.g. temperature and
humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake discs, depends on the individual driv-
ing style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage (service life) that will be valid under
all circumstances. An aggressive driving style
will lead to high wear. You can obtain more
information on this from a qualified specialist
workshop.
New brake pads/brake pads and discs that
have been replaced only achieve optimum
braking effect after several hundred kilome-
tres of driving. Compensate for the reduced
braking effect by applying greater force to the brake pedal. Always be aware of this and
adapt your driving and braking accordingly
during the running-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in corre-
spondingly high brake wear. Observe the 180
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Example: roundabout
The current speed is maintained:
R approximately ten seconds before the
roundabout/T-junction and for approx-
imately 1.5 second s when driving onthe
roundabout
R approximately twelve seconds before
reaching a motorway exit and approx-
imately four seconds after the motorway
exit
Afterwards, the vehicle accelerates back to
the set speed you specified.
Stopping G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
Deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 192).If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it
is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake. After a short period the vehicle is
secured by the electric parking brake, thus
relieving the service brake.
Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle in
front. The specified minimum distance is set
using the control on the cruise control lever.
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if DISTRONIC PLUS is activated
and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R a system fault occurs
R the power supply is not sufficient
If a fault occurs, then the transmission may
also be shifted into position Pautomatically.
Storing the current speed and calling up
the last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up a stored speed and this is dif-
ferent from the current speed, the vehicle
accelerates or brakes. If you do not know
what the stored speed is, the vehicle may
accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a
risk of an accident.
Take the traffic conditions into account
before calling up the stored speed. If you do
not know what the stored speed is, store the
desired speed again. Driving systems
189Driving and parking Z

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator pedal being depressed, e.g. by
a vehicle occupant
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
! 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
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 197).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R the driver's door is closed or if your seat
belt is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission is in position D,Ror N
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until :HOLD HOLD appears in the multifunction
display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R.
R you shift the transmission to position P.
R you apply the brakes again with a certain
amount of pressure until HOLD HOLDdisappears
from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
i After a short period the vehicle is secured
by the electric parking brake, thus relieving
the service brake.
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activa-
ted and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function Driving systems
197Driving and parking Z