2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER change time

Thank you for buying Mercedes-Benz
Before you first drive off, read this Owner's
Manual carefully and familiarise yourself with
your vehicle. For your own safety and a longer
vehicle life, follow the instructions and warn-
ing notices in this manual. Disregarding them may lead to damage to the vehicle or personal
injury.
The equipment or model designation of your
vehicle may vary according to:
R model
R order
R country variant
R availability
The illustrations in this manual show a left-
hand-drive vehicle. On right-hand-drive vehi-
cles, the layout of components and controls
differs accordingly.
Mercedes-Benz is constantly updating its
vehicles to the state of the art.
Mercedes-Benz therefore reserves the right
to introduce changes in the following areas:
R design
R equipment
R technical features
The equipment in your vehicle may therefore
differ from that shown in the descriptions and
illustrations.
The following are integral components of the vehicle:
R Owner's Manual
R Service Booklet
R Equipment-dependent supplements
Keep these documents in the vehicle at all
times. If you sell the vehicle, always pass all
documents on to the new owner.
i You can get to know the important fea-
tures of your vehicle in the interactive Own- er's Manual on the Internet at:
http://www.mercedes-benz.de/
betriebsanleitung The technical documentation team at
Daimler AG wishes you safe and pleasant
motoring.
2315842500Z102 É2315842500Z102bËÍ

Protection of the environment
General notes
H
Environmental note
Daimler's declared policy is one of compre-
hensive environmental protection.
Our objectives are to use the natural resour-
ces which form the basis of our existence on
this planet sparingly and in a manner which
takes the requirements of both nature and
humanity into consideration.
You too can help to protect the environment
by operating your vehicle in an environmen-
tally-responsible manner.
Fuel consumption and the rate of engine,
transmission, brake and tyre wear depend on
the following factors:
R operating conditions of your vehicle
R your personal driving style
You can influence both factors. Therefore,
please bear the following in mind:
Operating conditions:
R avoid short trips, as these increase fuel
consumption.
R observe the correct tyre pressure.
R do not carry any unnecessary weight in the
vehicle.
R remove the roof rack once you no longer
need it.
R a regularly serviced vehicle will contribute
to environmental protection. You should
therefore adhere to the service intervals.
R all maintenance work should be carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop.
Personal driving style:
R do not depress the accelerator pedal when
starting the engine.
R do not warm up the engine when the vehicle
is stationary.
R drive carefully and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front.
R avoid frequent, sudden acceleration and
braking. R
change gear in good time and use each gear
only up to Ôof its maximum engine speed.
R switch off the engine in stationary traffic.
R monitor the vehicle's fuel consumption. Returning an end-of-life vehicle
EU countries only:
Mercedes-Benz will take back your old vehicle to dispose of it in an environmentally-respon-sible manner in accordance with the Euro-
pean Union (EU) End of Life Vehicles Direc-
tive.
There is a network of return points and dis-
assembly plants available. You can return
your vehicle to these plants free of charge.
This makes a valuable contribution to the
recycling process and the conservation of
resources.
For further information on recycling old vehi- cles, recovery and the terms of the policy,
visit the Mercedes-Benz homepage. Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
H
Environmental note
Daimler AG also supplies reconditioned
assemblies and parts which are of the same
quality as new parts. For these, the same war-
ranty applies as for new parts.
! Airbags and seat belt tensioners, as well
as control units and sensors for these
restraint systems, may be installed in the
following areas of your vehicle:
R doors
R door pillars
R door sills
R seats
R dashboard
R instrument cluster
R centre console Introduction
31 Z

Do not install accessories such as audio
systems in these areas. Do not carry out
repairs or welding. You could impair the
operating efficiency of the restraint sys-
tems.
Have accessories retrofitted at a qualified
specialist workshop.
You could jeopardise the operating safety of
your vehicle if you use parts, tyres and wheels
as well as accessories relevant to safety
which have not been approved by Mercedes. This could lead to malfunctions in safety-rel-
evant systems, e.g. the brake system. Use
only genuine Mercedes-Benz parts or parts of
equal quality. Only use tyres, wheels and
accessories that have been specifically
approved for your vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz tests genuine parts and con-
version parts and accessories that have been specifically approved for your vehicle for their
reliability, safety and suitability. Despite
ongoing market research, Mercedes-Benz is
unable to assess other parts. Mercedes-Benz therefore accepts no responsibility for the
use of such parts in Mercedes-Benz vehicles, even if they have been officially approved or
independently approved by a testing centre.
In Germany, certain parts are only officially
approved for installation or modification if
they comply with legal requirements. This
also applies to some other countries. All gen-
uine Mercedes-Benz parts meet the approval
requirements. The use of non-approved parts may invalidate the vehicle's general operating
permit.
This is the case:
R if they cause a change of the vehicle type
from that for which the vehicle's general
operating permit was granted
R if other road users could be endangered
R if the emission or noise levels are adversely
affected
Always specify the vehicle identification num- ber (VIN) when ordering genuine Mercedes-
Benz parts (Y page 622). Owner's Manual
Vehicle equipment
This Owner's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment
available for your vehicle at the time of pub-
lication of the Owner's Manual. Country-spe- cific differences are possible. Note that your
vehicle may not be fitted with all features
described. This is also the case for systems
and functions relevant to safety. Therefore,
the equipment on your vehicle may differ from
that in the descriptions and illustrations.
The original purchase contract documenta-
tion for your vehicle contains a list of all of the
systems in your vehicle.
Should you have any questions concerning
equipment and operation, please consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
The Owner's Manual and Service Booklet are important documents and should kept in the
vehicle. Operating safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you do not have the prescribed service/
maintenance work or necessary repairs car-
ried out, this could result in malfunctions or
system failures. There is a risk of an accident.
Always have the prescribed service/mainte-
nance work as well as necessary repairs car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop. 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. 32
Introduction

Make sure that all occupants – in particular,
pregnant women – wear their seat belt cor-
rectly at all times.
R the seat belt must fit snugly on your body
and must not be twisted. Therefore, avoid
wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter coat.
The shoulder belt section must be routed
across the centre of your shoulder – on no
account across your neck or under your
arm – and pulled tight against your upper
body. The lap belt must always pass across your lap as low down as possible, i.e. over
your hip joints – not across your abdomen.
If necessary, push down the belt strap
slightly and then retighten it in the roll-up
direction.
R seat belts must not be twisted within the
belt loop on the seat.
R do not route the belt strap across sharp
edges or fragile objects. This is especially
the case if these are located on or in your
clothing, e.g. spectacles, pens, keys, etc.
The seat belt strap could be damaged and
tear in an accident, and you or other vehicle occupants could be injured.
R only one person should use each seat belt
at any one time. Children must never travel
sitting on the lap of other occupants. It
would not be possible to restrain the child
in the event of a sudden change in direc-
tion, braking or an accident. This could
result in severe or even fatal injuries to the
child and other occupants.
R persons less than 1.50 m tall cannot wear
the seat belts correctly. For this reason,
secure persons less than 1.50 mtall in spe-
cially designed, suitable restraint systems.
R children less than 1.50 m tall and under
twelve years of age cannot wear the seat
belts correctly. Therefore, they should
always be secured in a suitable child
restraint system on the front-passenger
seat. You can find more information under
"Children in the vehicle" in the "Safety" sec- tion of the Owner's Manual. Follow the manufacturer's installation instructions
when fitting a child restraint system.
R Do not secure any objects with a seat belt if
the seat belt is also being used by one of the
vehicle's occupants. G
WARNING
The seat belt does not offer the intended level of protection if the backrest is not in the
upright position. When braking or in the event
of an accident, you could slide underneath the
seat belt and sustain abdomen or neck inju-
ries, for example. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Adjust the seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seat
is in the upright position. G
WARNING
Seat belts cannot perform their intended pro- tective function if:
R they are damaged, modified, bleached or
coloured, or are very dirty
R the seat belt buckle is damaged or very
dirty
R modifications have been made to the seat
belt tensioners or belt anchorages
In the event of an accident, seat belts can
sustain damage that is not visible to the naked
eye, e. g. due to glass splinters. Modified or damaged seat belts could tear or fail in the
event of an accident, for example. Modified
belt tensioners could deploy unexpectedly or
fail. There is an increased risk of serious or
even fatal injuries.
Never make modifications to seat belts, belt
tensioners, belt anchorages or seat belt
retractors. Make sure that the seat belts are
undamaged, are not worn and are clean.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use seat belts that have been approved spe-
cifically for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
Seat belts are the most effective means of
restraining the movement of vehicle occu-
pants in the event of an accident. This 58
Occupant safetySafety

Problems with the side windows
G
WARNING
If you close a side window again immediately after it has been blocked or reset, the side window
closes with increased or maximum force. The reversing function is then not active. Parts of the
body could be trapped in the closing area in the process. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Make sure that no parts of the body are in the closing area. To stop the closing process, releasethe switch or push the switch again to reopen the side window. Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M MSolutions A side window cannot
be closed because it is
blocked by objects, e.g.
leaves in the window
guide. X
Remove the objects.
X Close the side window. A side window cannot
be closed and you can-
not see the cause. If a side window is obstructed during closing and reopens again
slightly:
X Immediately after the window blocks, pull the corresponding
switch again until the side window has closed.
The side window is closed with increased force.
If a side window is obstructed again during closing and reopens
again slightly: X Immediately after the window blocks, pull the corresponding
switch again until the side window has closed.
The side window is closed without the anti-entrapment feature. Roof
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you do not fully open/close the soft top, the soft-top hydraulics depressurise after a short time. This causes the soft top to lower unex-
pectedly and may cause you or others to be
trapped. There is a risk of injury.
Always open or close the soft top completely. G
WARNING
Closing the roof manually is a complex, tech-
nically challenging procedure that requires
considerable effort during certain phases. You or others could be trapped while perform-
ing this task. There is a risk of injury.
Only have the soft top closed manually at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! Never sit on the rear compartment trim or
stow heavy objects there. You will other-
wise damage the roof and rear compart-
ment trim of the vehicle.
! Do not forget that the weather can
change abruptly. Make certain that the roof
is closed when you leave the vehicle. The
vehicle electronics can be damaged if
water enters the vehicle interior. Roof
103Opening and closing Z

Sunblind for the glass roof
The roller sunblind protects you from exces-
sive glare and heat caused by the sun shining
through the glass roof.
X To close: using handle :slide the roller
blind in the direction of the arrow.
X To open: using handle :slide the roller
blind in the opposite direction to the arrow. MAGIC SKY CONTROL
General notes MAGIC SKY CONTROL is a glass roof, the
transparency of which can be changed by
applying electrical voltage.
MAGIC SKY CONTROL can be switched
between darkened and transparent states.
i MAGIC SKY CONTROL darkens automat-
ically when you turn the key to position 0in
the ignition lock or remove the key.
Risk of electric shock G
DANGER
MAGIC SKY CONTROL operates using high
voltage. If the trim behind the overhead con-
trol panel is damaged or removed, electrical
components will be exposed. If you touch
these components, you could get an electric
shock. There is a risk of fatal injury. R
Never remove the trim behind the overhead
control panel.
R If the trim is damaged, never touch the
electrical components behind it.
R Always have work on the MAGIC SKY CON-
TROL carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.
The electrical components of MAGIC SKY
CONTROL are protected by a covering behind the overhead control panel.
The MAGIC SKY CONTROL control unit has a
yellow high-voltage warning sticker. The elec-
tric cables of the high-voltage section are col- oured orange.
MAGIC SKY CONTROL operation X
Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
MAGIC SKY CONTROL switches to the sta-
tus it was set to before the engine was
switched off.
X To change the degree of transparency:
press button :.
i At sub-zero temperatures, the change is
slower and uneven. The entire process may
take some time. Roof
109Opening and closing Z

Not active:
if you are driving at speeds above
40 km/h or switch off the turn signal or turn
the steering wheel to the straight-ahead posi- tion
The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after
no more than three minutes.
Motorway mode Motorway mode increases the range of the
beam.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds above
110 km/h and do not make any large steer-
ing movements for at least 1,000 m
R if you are driving at speeds above
130 km/h
Not active: if you are driving at speeds below
80 km/h following activation
Extended range foglamps The extended range foglamps reduce the
glare experienced by the driver and improve the illumination of the edge of the carriage-
way.
Active:
if you are driving at speeds below
70 km/h and you switch on the rear foglamp
Not active: if, following activation, you are
driving at speeds above 100 km/h or if you
switch off the rear foglamp Adaptive Highbeam Assist
General notes You can use this function to set the head-
lamps to change between dipped beam and
main beam automatically. The system recog-
nises vehicles with their lights on, either
approaching from the opposite direction or
travelling in front of your vehicle, and conse-
quently switches the headlamps from main
beam to dipped beam.
The system automatically adapts the dipped-
beam headlamp range depending on the dis-
tance to the other vehicle. Once the system
no longer detects any other vehicles, it
switches on the main-beam headlamps again.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windscreen near the overhead control
panel. 132
Exterior lightingLights and
windscreen wipers

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