2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER warning lights

cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®X
To switch off: press button:.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To switch on: press button:.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur- faces.
R traction control is still activated
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(AMG
vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 70). You can select between the following states
of ESP
®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R SPORT handling mode is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is a greater risk of skidding and acci-
dents.
Only activate SPORT handling mode in the sit- uations described in the following. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
In the following situations, it may be better to activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP ®
:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
R on specially designated roads when the
vehicle's own oversteering and understeer-
ing characteristics are desired
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP ®
requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin. Driving safety systems
75Safety Z

Deactivating/activating ESP
®X
To activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up. The
SPORT handling mode
SPORT handling mode message appears
in the multifunction display.
X To deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out.
X To deactivate ESP ®
:press button :until
the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF
OFF message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷
ESP ®
ON
ON message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
Characteristics of activated SPORT han-
dling mode
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a
limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R the engine's torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels are able to spin. The spinning of the wheels results in a
cutting action, which provides better grip.
R ETS is still active.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-faces.
R traction control is still activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; nor is it
activated if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
.
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available; it
is also not activated if you brake firmly with
assistance from ESP ®
.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake. EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General notes EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 70).76
Driving safety syste
msSafety

In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, detec-
tion can be impaired.
Detection by the radar sensor system is also
impaired in the event of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the radar sensor settings and oper- ation checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop. This also applies to collisions at slow
speeds where there is no visible damage to
the front of the vehicle.
Function X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-board
computer (Y page 238).
When PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is deactivated, the
æ symbol appears in the assistance
graphic in the multifunction display.
This function will issue a warning if:
R at a speed of around 30 km/h or more, the
distance maintained to the vehicle travel-
ling in front is insufficient for several sec-
onds.
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R at a speed of approximately 7 km/h or
more, you rapidly approach a vehicle in
front.
An intermittent warning tone will then
sound and the ·distance warning lamp
will light up in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately to defuse the situation.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so. The PRE-SAFE
®
Brake function can also brake
the vehicle automatically under the following
conditions:
R the driver and front-passenger have their
seat belts fastened
and
R the vehicle speed is between approx-
imately 7 km/h and 200 km/h
At speeds of up to approximately 70 km/h,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also detect stationary
objects. Examples of stationary objects are
stopped or parked vehicles.
i If there is an increased risk of collision,
preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated.
If the risk of collision with the vehicle in front
remains and you do not brake, take evasive
action or accelerate significantly, the vehicle
may perform automatic emergency braking,
up to the point of full brake application. Auto- matic emergency braking is not performed
until immediately prior to an imminent acci-
dent.
You can prevent the intervention of the PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake at any time by:
R depressing the accelerator pedal further
R activating kickdown
R releasing the brake pedal
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you manoeuvre to avoid the obstacle
R there is no longer any danger of a collision
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle STEER CONTROL
General notes STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering
wheel in the direction required for vehicle
stabilisation. 78
Driving safety systemsSafety

or
X Lock or unlock the vehicle using KEYLESS-
GO. The key must be outside the vehicle.
If you unlock the vehicle using the emergency
key element, the fuel filler flap will not auto-
matically be unlocked.
X To unlock the fuel filler flap: insert the
key into the ignition lock.
Removing the emergency key element X
Push release catch :in the direction of
the arrow and at the same time, remove
emergency key element ;from the key.
For further information about: R unlocking the driver's door (Y page 93)
R unlocking the boot (Y page 99)
R locking the vehicle (Y page 93)
Inserting the emergency key element X
Push emergency key element ;com-
pletely into the key until it engages and
release catch :is back in its basic posi-
tion. Battery of the key
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Batteries contain toxic and corrosive substan- ces. If batteries are swallowed, it can result in severe health problems. There is a risk of fatal
injury.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children. If
a battery is swallowed, seek medical attention immediately. H
Environmental note Batteries contain pollutants.
It is illegal to dispose of them
with the household rubbish.
They must be collected sep-
arately and disposed of in anenvironmentally responsible
recycling system. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used batter-
ies.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the batteries replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
Checking the battery X
Press the &or% button.
The battery is working properly if battery
check lamp :lights up briefly.
The battery is discharged if battery check
lamp :does not light up briefly.
X Replace the battery (Y page 88). Key
87Opening and closing Z

opened. This occurs irrespective of the posi-
tion of the key in the ignition lock. This makes it easier to exit the vehicle and rescue the
occupants.
The crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
only operational if the EASY-EXIT/ENTRY fea-
ture is activated in the on-board computer
(Y page 243). Mirrors
Rear-view mirror
X
Anti-dazzle mode: flick anti-dazzle
switch :forwards or back. Exterior mirrors
Adjusting the exterior mirrors G
WARNING
The exterior mirrors reduce the size of the
image. Objects visible in the mirrors are
closer than they appear. You could misjudge
the distance from road users driving behind
you when changing lanes, for instance. There is a risk of an accident.
You should therefore always look over your
shoulder to determine the actual distance
from road users driving behind you. G
WARNING
The exterior mirror on the front-passenger
side reduces the size of the image. Visible
objects are actually closer than they appear. This means that you could misjudge the dis-
tance from road users travelling behind, e.g.
when changing lane. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
For this reason, always make sure of the
actual distance from the road users travelling behind by glancing over your shoulder. X
Make sure that the key is in position 1or 2
in the ignition lock.
X Press button :for the left-hand exterior
mirror or button ;for the right-hand exte-
rior mirror.
The indicator lamp in the corresponding
button lights up in red.
The indicator lamp goes out again after
some time. You can adjust the selected
mirror using adjustment button =as long
as the indicator lamp is lit.
X Press adjustment button =up, down, to
the right or to the left.
The exterior mirror must be set to a position
that provides you with a good overview of
traffic conditions.
The convex exterior mirrors provide a larger
field of vision.
After the engine has been started, the exte-
rior mirrors are automatically heated if the
rear window heating is switched on and the
outside temperature is low. Heating takes a
maximum of 10 minutes.
i The exterior mirrors can also be heated
manually by switching on the rear window
heating. 120
MirrorsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

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). Exterior lighting
General notes
For reasons of safety, Mercedes-Benz recom- mends that you drive with the lights switched
on even during the daytime. In some coun-
tries, operation of the headlamps varies due
to legal requirements and self-imposed obli-
gations. Driving abroad
Symmetrical dipped-beam headlamps If your journey takes you to countries where
vehicles are driven on the opposite side of the road to the country in which the vehicle is
registered, your headlamps must be switched
to symmetrical dipped beam. This prevents
oncoming traffic from being dazzled. Sym-
metrical lights do not illuminate as large an
area of the edge of the carriageway.
Convert the headlamps as close to the border as possible before driving in these countries
(Y page 240).
Asymmetrical dipped-beam headlamps Convert the headlamps back to asymmetrical
dipped beam as soon as possible after cross-
ing the border (Y page 240).
If the headlamps are converted to symmetri-
cal dipped beam, the "motorway mode" and "extended range foglamps" functions (Intelli-
gent Light System) are not available. Setting the exterior lighting
Setting options Exterior lighting can be set by:
R using the light switch
R using the combination switch
(Y page 129)
R using the on-board computer
(Y page 239)
Light switch Operation
1
W
Left-hand parking lamps
2 X
Right-hand parking lamps
3 T
Side lamps, licence plate and instru-
ment cluster lighting
4 Ã
Automatic headlamp mode, control-
led by the light sensor
5 L
Dipped-beam/main-beam head-
lamps
B R
Rear foglamp
If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
X Turn the light switch to Ã.126
Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers

The exterior lighting (except the side lamps/
parking lamps) switches off automatically if
you:
R remove the key from the ignition lock
R open the driver's door with the key in posi-
tion 0
Automatic headlamp mode G
WARNING
When the light switch is set to Ã, the
dipped-beam headlamps may not be switched on automatically if there is fog, snow or othercauses of poor visibility due to the weather
conditions such as spray. There is a risk of an
accident.
In such situations, turn the light switch to
L.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid. The driver is responsible for the vehicle
lighting at all times. 1
W
Left-hand parking lamps
2 X
Right-hand parking lamps
3 T
Side lamps, licence plate and instru-
ment cluster lighting
4 Ã
Automatic headlamp mode, control-
led by the light sensor
5 L
Dipped-beam/main-beam head-
lamps
B R
Rear foglamp Ã
is the preferred light switch setting. The
light setting is automatically selected accord- ing to the brightness of the ambient light
(exception: poor visibility due to weather con- ditions such as fog, snow or spray):
R Key in position 1in the ignition lock: the
side lamps are switched on or off automat- ically depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
R With the engine running: if you have
switched on the daytime driving lights func-
tion in the on-board computer, the daytime
driving lights or the side lamps and dipped- beam headlamps are switched on or off
automatically depending on the brightnessof the ambient light.
X To switch on automatic headlamp
mode: turn the light switch to Ã.
The daytime driving lights improve the detect- ability of your vehicle during the day. Here,
the daytime driving lights function must be
switched on via the on-board computer
(Y page 239).
When the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on, the green Lindicator lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up and the day-
time driving lights are switched off or dim-
med.
Dipped-beam headlamps G
WARNING
When the light switch is set to Ã, the
dipped-beam headlamps may not be switched on automatically if there is fog, snow or othercauses of poor visibility due to the weather
conditions such as spray. There is a risk of an
accident.
In such situations, turn the light switch to
L. Exterior lighting
127Lights and windscreen wipers Z

Main-beam headlamps
:
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right
= Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To switch on the main-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow :.
In the Ãposition, the main-beam head-
lamps are only switched on when it is dark
and the engine is running.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the main-beam head-
lamps are switched on.
X To switch off the main-beam head-
lamps: move the combination switch back
to its normal position.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Headlamp flasher :
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right
= Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To switch on: turn the key in the ignition
lock to position 1or 2or start the engine.
X Pull the combination switch in the direction
of arrow =. Hazard warning lamps
X
To switch on the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on a turn signal using the combination switch,
only the turn signal lamp on the corre-
sponding side of the vehicle will flash.
X To switch off the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.130
Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers