2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK-CLASS ROADSTER steering wheel

from overrevving, even if the shift range is
restricted.
Derestricting the shift rangeXBriefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
XPull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The shift range is derestricted.
Clearing the shift range restriction
XPress and hold the selector lever towards
D+ until D is shown once more in the
multifunction display.
or
XPull and hold the right-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter until D is shown again in the
multifunction display.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.
Selecting the ideal shift range
XPress the selector lever to the left towards
D– and hold it in position.
or
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter and hold it in position.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
gear which allows optimum acceleration
and deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission shifts down one or more
gears.
Manual drive program
Switching on the manual drive program
Manual drive program M is different from
drive program S with regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
Manual drive program M can be selected
using the program selector button. You can
change gears using the steering wheel paddle
shifters or the selector lever in manual drive
program M if the transmission is in position
D . The gear selected is shown in the
multifunction display.XPress the program selector button
( Y page 142) repeatedly until M appears in
the multifunction display.
Upshifting
XBriefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
XPull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter ( Y page 142).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Vehicles with AMG engines
! In manual drive program M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up
automatically even when the engine
limiting speed for the current gear is
reached. When the engine limiting speed is
reached, the fuel supply is cut to prevent
the engine from overrevving. Always make
sure that the engine speed does not reach
the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the AMG
menu of the multifunction display.
144Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

:Gear indicator;Upshift indicatorXShift up a gear if the color in the
multifunction display in the speedometer
changes to red and the UP display message
is shown.
Downshifting
XBriefly press the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
or
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter ( Y page 142).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you brake the vehicle or stop without
shifting down, the automatic transmission
will shift down to a gear that will allow the
vehicle to accelerate or pull away again.
i For maximum acceleration, push the
selector lever to the left or pull and hold the
left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter until
the transmission shifts to the optimal gear
for the current speed.
Kickdown
i Vehicles with an AMG engine: it is not
possible to use kickdown in manual drive
program M.
You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program M.XVehicles for USA: fully depress the
accelerator pedal.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.XVehicles for Canada: depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the pressure
point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
Switching off the manual drive program
XPress the program selector button
( Y page 142) repeatedly until E (C in AMG
vehicles) or S appears in the multifunction
display.Automatic transmission145Driving and parkingZ

control. Your vehicle's ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering
and braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise
control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:XVehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.XVehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position N.
i
For more information on driving with
snow chains, see ( Y page 297).
GWARNING
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. You must
select a low gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden. Select shift range 1, 2 or 3
on vehicles with automatic transmission in
order to use the engine's braking effect,
which relieves the load on the brake system
and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic
conditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
GWARNING
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle's speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road, traffic,
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on winding roads or in heavy
traffic because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid
changes in tire traction can result in wheel
spin and loss of control.
R Deactivate the cruise control when driving
in fog.
The "Resume" function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
Cruise control lever:To activate or increase speed;To activate or reduce speed=To deactivate cruise control?To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds. After that, it is permanently
shown in the status indicator:
R USA only: e.g., CRUISE 55Miles
R Canada only: e.g. ¯90 Km/h
156Driving systemsDriving and parking

GWARNING
Objects located above the height range of
Parking Guidance will not be detected when
the parking space is measured. These objects
are not taken into account when the parking
procedure is calculated, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles. Under some circumstances, Parking
Guidance might therefore issue steering
instructions too soon. This may lead to a
collision. For this reason, you should avoid
using Parking Guidance in such situations.
GWARNING
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
the maneuvering range. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
! Pay particular attention to low objects or
objects with flat surfaces, such as trailer
drawbars, posts, cross beams and curbs.
These types of objects cannot be detected
by Parking Guidance and may damage the
vehicle.
When PARKTRONIC is deactivated, Parking
Guidance is also unavailable.
Use Parking Guidance for parking spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are on straight roads, not bends
R that are on the same level as the road, i.e.
not on the pavement, for example. Parking
Guidance may not detect flat curbs
Parking tips:
R on narrow roads, drive past the parking
space as close as possible.
R parking spaces that are littered, overgrown
or partially occupied by trailer drawbars
might be identified incorrectly or not at all.
R snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R pay attention to the PARKTRONIC
( Y page 171) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
R when transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you must not use Parking
Guidance.
R never use Parking Guidance with snow
chains or an emergency spare wheel
mounted.
R make sure that the tire pressures are
always correct. This has a direct effect on
the steering instructions.
R the way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the
position and shape of the vehicles parked
in front and behind it and the conditions of
the location. In some cases, Parking
Guidance may guide you too far or not far
enough into a parking space. In some
cases, it may also lead you across or onto
the curb. If necessary, cancel the parking
procedure with Parking Guidance.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at
a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Detecting a parking space:Detected parking space on the left;Parking symbol=Detected parking space on the right
Parking Guidance is automatically activated
when you drive forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately
22 mph (35 km/h). While in operation, the
system independently locates and measures
174Driving systemsDriving and parking

parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h), you will see parking symbol ; as
a status indicator in the instrument cluster.
When a parking space has been detected, an
arrow towards the right = or the left : also
appears. Parking Guidance only displays
parking spaces on the front-passenger side
as standard. Parking spaces on the driver's
side are displayed as soon as the turn signal
on the driver's side is activated. To park on
the driver's side, you must leave the driver's
side turn signal switched on until you have
engaged reverse gear.
Parking Guidance will only detect parking
spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are at least 5 ft (1.5 m) wide
R that are at least 4.3 ft (1.3 m) longer than
your vehicle
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are
approximately 50 ft (15 m) away from it.
ParkingGWARNING
The Parking Guidance is only an aid and may
not detect all obstacles. The Parking
Guidance does not relieve you of the
responsibility to pay attention. You are always
responsible for safety and must continue to
pay attention to your immediate surroundings
when parking and maneuvering. Otherwise,
you could endanger yourself and others.
XStop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.XVehicles with manual transmission: shift to
reverse gear.Vehicles with automatic transmission: shift
into position R.
The following message appears in the
multifunction display: Check vehicle
surroundings Confirm with OK .XPress the a button on the multifunction
steering wheel to confirm.
The multifunction display switches to
Parking Guidance.
Depending on your distance from the
parking space, the Please reverse
message appears in the multifunction
display.XIf necessary, reverse towards the parking
space. This is indicated by an arrow
pointing backwards.
Continue backing up until you hear a tone.
Stop – the parking position has been
reached. The arrow is white.
The Please steer to the right or
Please steer to the left message
appears in the multifunction display.XWhile the vehicle is stationary, turn the
steering wheel in the specified directionDriving systems175Driving and parkingZ

until the arrow is white and a warning tone
sounds.XTo reverse into the parking space:
maintain the steering wheel angle and
reverse carefully.XStop as soon as you hear a warning tone,
The vehicle has reached the position in
which you need to countersteer.
The Please steer to the left or
Please steer to the right message
appears in the multifunction display.XCountersteering: while the vehicle is
stationary, turn the steering wheel in the
specified direction until the arrow is white
and a warning tone sounds.XTo reverse into the parking space:
maintain the steering wheel angle and
reverse carefully.XStop as soon as you hear a warning tone,
at the latest when PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone.
The Parking Guidance finished
message appears in the multifunction
display and a warning tone sounds. You
may be asked to steer in a different
direction and then change gear. In this
case, further displays in the multifunction
display will direct you to the final position.XManeuver if necessary.XAlways observe the warning messages
displayed by PARKTRONIC ( Y page 171).
Canceling Parking Guidance
XPress the PARKTRONIC button on the
center console ( Y page 172).
Parking Guidance is canceled immediately
and PARKTRONIC is deactivated.
Parking Guidance is canceled automatically if
it is no longer possible to guide you into the
parking space, or if a malfunction occurs.
The parking space symbol goes out and a
warning tone sounds. The Parking
Guidance Canceled message appears in the
multifunction display.
ATTENTION ASSIST
Important safety notes
ATTENTION ASSIST helps you during long,
monotonous journeys such as on freeways
and interstate highways. It is active in the
range between 50 mph (80 km/h) and
112 mph (180 km/h).
If ATTENTION ASSIST detects typical
indicators of fatigue or increasing lapses in
concentration on the part of the driver, it
suggests you take a break.
GWARNING
ATTENTION ASSIST is only an aid and may
detect your tiredness or lapses in
concentration too late or not at all. It is not a
substitute for a well-rested and attentive
driver.
Fatigue may cause you to recognize
hazardous situations too late, misjudge a
situation or react more slowly. For this
reason, make sure you feel rested before you
begin driving and during your journey. Make
sure that you take regular breaks in time,
particularly on long journeys. Otherwise, you
may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause
an accident and injure yourself and others.
ATTENTION ASSIST assesses your level of
fatigue or lapses in concentration by taking
the following criteria into account:
R your personal driving style, e.g. steering
characteristics
R driving conditions, e.g. time, driving time
The functionality of ATTENTION ASSIST is
restricted and warnings may be delayed or
not occur at all:
R if the road condition is poor, e.g. if the
surface is uneven or if there are potholes
R if there is a strong side wind
R if you have adopted a sporty driving style
with high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration
176Driving systemsDriving and parking

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops ( Y page 23).
Important safety notes
You will find an illustration of the instrument
cluster in the "At a glance" section
( Y page 27).
GWARNING
The driver's concentration must always be
directed primarily at road traffic.
For your safety and the safety of others,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions permit
it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 feet (approximately 14 m) per
second.
GWARNING
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving conditions,
such as
R speed
R outside temperature
R warning/indicator lamps
Rmalfunction/warning messages
R failure of any systems
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, do so with added
caution. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center as soon as possible.GWARNING
Malfunction and warning messages are only
indicated for certain systems and are
intentionally not very detailed. The
malfunction and warning messages are
simply a reminder with respect to the
operation of certain systems. They do not
replace the owner's and/or driver's
responsibility to maintain the vehicle's
operating safety. Have all required
maintenance and safety checks performed on
the vehicle. Bring the vehicle to an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center to address the
malfunction and warning messages.
Displays and operation
Instrument lighting
The brightness control knob is located on the
bottom left of the instrument cluster
( Y page 27).
XTurn the brightness control knob clockwise
or counter-clockwise.
Instrument cluster: if the light switch is set
to à , T or L , brightness control
takes ambient light into account.
i The light sensor in the instrument cluster
automatically controls the brightness of
the multifunction display.
In daylight, the displays in the instrument
cluster are not illuminated.
Displays and switches in the vehicle
interior: if the light switch is set to Ã,
brightness control takes ambient light into
account. If the light switch is set to T or
L , brightness control does not take
ambient light into account.
180Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays

Coolant temperature displayGWARNING
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some fluids which may have leaked into
the engine compartment to catch fire. You
could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns which can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of the
vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.
The coolant temperature gauge is in the
instrument cluster on the right-hand side.
Under normal operating conditions and with
the specified coolant level, the coolant
temperature may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
! A display message is shown if the coolant
temperature is too high.
If the coolant temperature is over
248 ‡(120 †), do not continue driving. The
engine will otherwise be damaged.
Tachometer
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
! Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached.
Outside temperature display
The outside temperature display is in the
multifunction display ( Y page 183).
GWARNING
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a short delay.
Speedometer with segments
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
Cruise control ( Y page 156) activated:
The segments light up from the stored speed
to the maximum speed.
DISTRONIC PLUS ( Y page 158) activated:
One or two segments in the set speed range
light up.
DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front:
The segments between the speed of the
vehicle in front and the stored speed light up.
Operating the on-board computer
Overview
The on-board computer is activated as soon
as you turn the SmartKey to position 1 in the
ignition lock.
You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel.
Displays and operation181On-board computer and displaysZ