2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SL600 ESP

Version 1 (depending on vehicle production date)FunctionPageATachometer with:K High-beam headlamp
indicator lamp 92
; Engine malfunction
indicator lamp 263
7 Seat belt telltale 48,
256
I Roll bar warning lamp258! Antilock Brake
System (ABS) indicator
lamp
55,
255
+ Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS)
indicator lamp
38,
257
å ESP® OFF warning
lamp 258
h Combination low tire
pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale, USA
only
190,
265
FunctionPageh Low tire pressure
telltale, Canada only
190,
265 SPORT handling
mode warning lamp,
SL 63 AMG only
58,
258
BRight multifunction display
with:
Trip odometer113Transmission position
indicator104
Gear range indicator106Transmission program
mode indicator106
CFuel gauge with:8 Fuel tank reserve
warning lamp (the arrow
indicates that the fuel filler
flap is on the right-hand
side) 262
Instrument cluster31At a glance230_AKB; 6; 22, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-28T18:49:58+02:00 - Seite 31Z

Version 2 (depending on vehicle production date)FunctionPageATachometer with:K High-beam headlamp
indicator lamp 92
; Engine malfunction
indicator lamp, Canada only263
7 Seat belt telltale 48,
256
I Roll bar warning lamp258! Antilock Brake
System (ABS) indicator
lamp
55,
255
+ Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS)
indicator lamp
38,
257
= Engine malfunction
indicator lamp, USA only 263
h Combination low tire
pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale, USA
only
190,
265
h Low tire pressure
telltale, Canada only
190,
265
FunctionPage% ESP® OFF warning
lamp, SL 63 AMG only
58,
261
BRight multifunction display
with:
Trip odometer113Transmission position
indicator104
Gear range indicator106Transmission program
mode indicator106
CFuel gauge with:8 Fuel tank reserve
warning lamp (the arrow
indicates that the fuel filler
flap is on the right-hand
side) 262
32Instrument clusterAt a glance
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Lower partFunctionPage:Gear selector lever103;Parktronic system
deactivation switch147
=Exterior rear view mirror
adjustment86
?ABC suspension tuning
button143
ATow-away alarm switch64BPower-folding exterior rear
view mirrors, Canada only88
CRetractable hardtop switch155Roll bar buttons51DABC vehicle level control
button142
EElectronic Stability
Program (ESP®) switch656
FunctionPageFThumbwheel for setting
following distance for
Distronic6133,
138
GDistance warning function
switch6133,
141
HProgram mode selector
switch61066Layout in SL 63 AMG differs.34Center consoleAt a glance
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could result in serious or fatal injury. The SRS
might also deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in injury
as well.
In addition, improper work on the SRS creates
a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment. Work
on the SRS must therefore only be performed
by qualified technicians. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system
to accommodate a person with disabilities,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
USA only: Call our Customer Assistance
Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) for details.
Air bags
GWarning!
Air bags are designed to reduce the potential
of injury and fatality in certain
R frontal impacts (front air bags and driver’s
side knee bag)
R side impacts (head-thorax air bags)
However, no system available today can
completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
Deployment of the air bags temporarily
releases a small amount of dust from the air
bags. This dust, however, is neither harmful
to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in the
vehicle. The dust might cause some
temporary breathing difficulty for people with
asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get fresh
air by opening a window or door.
GWarning!
To reduce the risk of injury when the front air
bags inflate, it is very important for the driver
and passenger to always be in a properly
seated position and to wear their seat belts.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the seat backrest.
Fasten your seat belt and make sure it is
properly positioned on your body.
Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
not wearing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
R Sit with the seat belt properly fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
R Move the driver’s seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver’s chest to the center of
the air bag cover on the steering wheel
must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) or more.
You should be able to accomplish this by
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
R Keep hands on the outside of the steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms inside
the rim can increase the risk and potential
severity of hand/arm injury when the driver
front air bag inflates.
R Adjust the passenger seat as far as possible
rearward from the dashboard when the
seat is occupied.
R Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door where the head-
thorax air bag inflates. This could result in
serious injuries or death should the head-Occupant safety39Safety and security230_AKB; 6; 22, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-28T18:49:58+02:00 - Seite 39Z

thorax air bag be deployed. Always sit as
upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the size and
weight of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you
make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator’s Manual.GWarning!
There is a possibility of a head-thorax air bag-
related injury if occupants, especially
children, are not properly seated or restrained
when next to a head-thorax air bag which
needs to deploy rapidly in a side impact in
order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1)Occupants, especially children,
should never place their bodies or
lean their heads in the area of the
door where the head-thorax air
bag inflates. This could result in
serious injuries or death should
the head-thorax air bag be
deployed.(2)Always sit as upright as possible,
wear the seat belt properly, and for
children 12 years old and under,
use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the
size and weight of the child.(3)Always wear seat belts properly.
If you believe that, even with the use of these
guidelines, it would be safer for your
passenger seat occupants to have the
passenger side head-thorax air bag
deactivated, then deactivation can be carried
out upon your written request at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center at an
additional cost.
Please contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call the Customer Assistance
Center (in the USA) at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372), or Customer Service (in
Canada) at 1-800-387-0100 for details.
Air bags are designed to deploy only in certain
frontal impacts (front air bags and driver’s
side knee bag) and in side impacts (head-
thorax air bags) if the system determines the
need for air bag deployment. Only in the event
of such a situation will they provide their
supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always wear
their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible
for the air bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In case of other types of impacts and impacts
below air bag deployment thresholds, air
bags will not deploy. The driver and passenger
will then be protected to the extent possible
by a properly fastened seat belt. A properly
fastened seat belt is also needed to provide
the best possible protection in a rollover.
Air bags are not a substitute for seat belts.
Always wear your seat belt, regardless of
whether or not your vehicle is equipped with
air bags.
It is important to your safety and that of your
passenger to have deployed air bags replaced
and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air
bags will continue to provide supplemental
crash protection for occupants.
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD)
and air bag GWarning!
R Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident
must be replaced. Their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use seat belts
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Driver and passenger front air bag and
driver’s side knee bag are deployed
Rin the event of certain frontal impacts
Rif the system determines that air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
Rdepending on whether the respective seat
belt is in use
Rindependently of the head-thorax air bags
The front air bags in this vehicle have been
designed to inflate in two stages. This allows
the air bags to have different rates of inflation.
The rate of inflation is based on the vehicle
deceleration rate as assessed by the air bag
control unit.
The passenger front air bag deployment is
additionally influenced by the passenger’s
weight category as identified by the Occupant
Classification System (OCS) (Y page 43).
The lighter the passenger-side occupant, the
higher the vehicle deceleration rate required
for second stage inflation of the passenger
front air bag.
The air bags will not deploy in impacts which
do not exceed the system’s preset
deployment thresholds. You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belts.
The front air bags will not deploy in the event
of a rollover unless the vehicle’s rate of
longitudinal deceleration or acceleration
exceeds the preset deployment threshold for
the front air bags.
The passenger air bag will only be deployed if
Rthe system, based on OCS weight sensor
readings, detects that the passenger seat
is occupied
Rthe 45 indicator lamp in the center
console is not lit (Y page 43)
Rthe impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold
Knee bag
Knee bag = is designed to provide increased
protection for the driver against the risk of
injuries to the knees, thighs and lower legs.
Knee bag = is located on the driver side
lower instrument panel. It is designed to
operate together with the driver front air bag
in certain frontal impacts if the system
determines that air bag deployment can offer
additional protection to that provided by the
seat belt. Knee bag = operates best in
conjunction with a properly positioned and
fastened seat belt.
Head-thorax air bags
GObserve Safety notes, see page 39.
Head-thorax air bags : are designed to
provide increased protection for the head and
thorax but not for the arms.
Head-thorax air bags : are deployed
Ron the impacted side of the vehicle
Rin instances with a high rate of lateral
vehicle deceleration or acceleration
Rif the system determines that air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
Rdepending on whether the seat belt is in
use
Rindependently of the front air bags
Rindependently of the ETDs
The passenger head-thorax air bag : will
only deploy if the OCS senses that the
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passenger seat is occupied and the impact
exceeds a preset deployment threshold.
Head-thorax air bags : are not deployed in
side impacts which do not exceed the
system’s deployment threshold.
Occupant Classification System
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
activates or deactivates the passenger front
air bag automatically. The respective status
is based on the classified occupant weight
category determined by weight sensor
readings from the passenger seat.
The system does not deactivate the
passenger head-thorax air bag and the
Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs).
To be classified correctly, the passenger must
sit
R with the seat belt properly fastened
R in a position that is as upright as possible
with the back against the seat backrest
R with the feet on the floor
If the occupant’s weight is transferred to
another object in the vehicle (e.g. by leaning
on armrests), the OCS may not be able to
properly approximate the occupant’s weight
category.
If your seat, including the trim cover and
cushion, needs to be serviced in any way, take
the vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Only seat accessories approved by
Mercedes-Benz may be used.
Both the driver and the passenger should
always use the 45 indicator lamp as
an indication of whether or not the passenger
is properly positioned.
GWarning!
If the 45 indicator lamp illuminates
when an adult or someone larger than a small
individual is in the passenger seat, have the
passenger reposition himself or herself in the
seat until the 45 indicator lamp goes
out.
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow passenger front air bag
deployment when the OCS has classified the
passenger seat occupant as weighting as
much as or less than a typical 12-month-old
child in a standard child restraint or if the
passenger seat is classified as being empty.
When the OCS senses that the passenger seat
occupant is classified as being up to or less
than the weight of a typical 12-month-old
child in a standard child restraint, the
45 indicator lamp will illuminate when
the engine is started and remain illuminated,
indicating that the passenger front air bag is
deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger seat
is classified as being empty, the 45
indicator lamp will illuminate when the engine
is started and remain illuminated, indicating
that the passenger front air bag is
deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger seat
occupant is classified as being heavier than
the weight of a typical 12-month-old child
seated in a standard child restraint or as being
a small individual (such as a young teenager
or a small adult), the 45 indicator lamp
will illuminate for approximately 6 seconds
when the engine is started and then,
depending on occupant weight sensor
readings from the seat, remain illuminated or
go out. With the 45 indicator lamp
illuminated, the passenger front air bag is
deactivated. With the 45 indicator
lamp out, the passenger front air bag is
activated.
When the OCS senses that the passenger seat
occupant is classified as an adult or someone
larger than a small individual, the 45
indicator lamp will illuminate for
approximately 6 seconds when the engine is
started and then goes out, indicating that the
passenger front air bag is activated.Occupant safety43Safety and security230_AKB; 6; 22, en-USd2ureepe,Version: 2.11.8.12009-07-28T18:49:58+02:00 - Seite 43Z

If the 45 indicator lamp is illuminated,
the passenger front air bag is deactivated and
will not be deployed.
If the 45 indicator lamp is not
illuminated, the passenger front air bag is
activated and will be deployed
R in the event of certain frontal impacts
R if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold
R independently of the head-thorax air bag
If the passenger front air bag is deployed, the
rate of inflation will be influenced by
R the rate of relevant vehicle deceleration as
assessed by the air bag control unit
R the passenger’s weight category as
identified by the OCS
For more information on air bag display
messages in the multifunction display, see
( Y page 229).GWarning!
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an appropriate
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle’s seat belt fully in
accordance with the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the passenger seat.
R A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
passenger seat will be seriously injured or
even killed if the passenger front air bag
inflates in a collision which could occur
under some circumstances, even with the
air bag technology installed in your vehicle.
R If you install a rear-facing child restraint on
the passenger seat, make sure the
45 indicator lamp is illuminated,
indicating that the passenger front air bag
is deactivated. Should the 45
indicator lamp not illuminate or go out while
the restraint is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check the
45 indicator lamp while driving to
make sure the 45 indicator lamp is
illuminated. If the 45 indicator lamp
goes out or remains out, do not transport a
child on the passenger seat until the
system has been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
passenger seat will be seriously injured or
even killed if the passenger front air bag
inflates.
R If you place a child in a forward-facing child
restraint on the passenger seat, move the
seat as far back as possible, use the proper
child restraint recommended for the age,
size and weight of the child, and secure
child restraint with the vehicle’s seat belt
according to the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions. For children larger than the
typical 12-month-old child, the passenger
front air bag may or may not be activated.
Deployment of the driver front air bag does
not mean that the passenger front air bag also
should have deployed.
The OCS may have determined
R that the seat was empty or occupied by the
weight up to or less than that of a typical
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