2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER Owners Manual

Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
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 10seconds 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 at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Releasing the parking lock manually
In the event of an electrical fault, it is possible
to release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P, e.g. if you wish to
tow the vehicle away. !
Do not use any sharp-edged objects to
remove the selector lever gaiter from the
centre console. This could damage the
selector lever gaiter. X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Press the frame of selector level gaiter :
together somewhat on the side edge at the
back and hold with one hand ;.
X With the other hand, prise out the frame of
selector level gaiter :with a flat, blunt
object (e.g. a screwdriver wrapped in cloth)
at rear edge =, pulling it up and out at the
same time.
X Press release button ?down and simul-
taneously move the selector lever out of
position P.
The selector lever can now be moved freely
until it is returned to position P. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. Fire, naked flames
and smoking are therefore prohibited when
handling fuels. 142
RefuellingDriving and parking

Switch off the engine before refuelling.
G
WARNING
Avoid contact with fuels.
It is hazardous to your health if your skin
comes into direct contact with fuels or you
breathe in fuel vapours. G
WARNING
Do not use petrol to refuel a diesel tank. Never
mix diesel with petrol .Doing so could damage
the fuel system and the engine. The vehicle
could also catch fire.
! Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not use diesel to refuel
vehicles with a petrol engine. Even small
amounts of the wrong fuel result in damage
to the fuel system and the engine.
! Do not switch on the ignition if you acci-
dentally refuel with the wrong fuel. Other-
wise, the fuel will enter the fuel lines. Notify
a qualified specialist workshop and have
the fuel tank and fuel lines drained com-
pletely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when adding fuel from a fuel
can. The fuel lines and/or the diesel injec-
tion system could otherwise be blocked by
particles from the fuel can.
Further information on fuel and on fuel grades
can be found in the "Fuel" section
(Y page 303). Refuelling
Fuel filler flap :
Fuel filler flap
; To insert the fuel filler cap
= Tyre pressure table
? Fuel type
The fuel filler flap is unlocked or locked auto-
matically when you open or close the vehicle
with the key or using KEYLESS-GO.
The position of the fuel filler cap is displayed
8 in the instrument cluster. The arrow
next to the filling pump indicates the side of
the vehicle.
Opening X
Switch off the engine.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X KEYLESS-GO: open the driver’s door.
This corresponds to key position 0: "key
removed".
The driver’s door can be closed again.
X Press the fuel filler flap in marked area :.
Fuel filler flap :swings up.
X Turn the fuel filler flap anti-clockwise and
remove it.
X Insert the fuel filler cap into the holder
bracket on the inside of filler flap ;.
X Completely insert the filler neck of the fuel
pump nozzle into the tank and refuel.
X Only fill the tank until the pump nozzle
switches off. Refuelling
143Driving and parking Z

i
Do not add any more fuel after the pump
stops filling for the first time. Otherwise,
fuel may leak out.
Closing X
Replace the cap on the fille rneck and turn
clockwise until it engages audibly.
X Close fuel filler flap :.144
RefuellingDriving and parking

Problems with the fuel and fuel tank
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle.
G
Risk of explosion or fire
The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock immediately and
remove it (Y page 127).
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The fuel tank of a vehicle with a diesel engine has been run com-
pletely dry.
X
Refuel the vehicle with at least 5litres of diesel.
X Turn the ignition on for around 10 seconds(Y page 127).
X Start the engine continuously for up to 10 seconds until it runs
smoothly.
or
X Start the engine using the touch-star tfunction .To do this, turn
the key to position 3in the ignition lock and then release it
immediately (Y page 127).
If the engine does not start:
X Turn the ignition on again for approximately
10 seconds(Y page 127).
X Start the engine again continuously for up to 10 seconds until
it runs smoothly.
or
X Start the engine again via the touch-start function.
If the engine does not start after three attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened. The fuel filler flap cannot be unlocked using the button on the key.
or
The key battery is discharged.
X
Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element
(Y page 68). The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Refuelling
145Driving and parking Z

Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only remove the key from the ignition lock
when the vehicle is stationary, as you cannot
steer the vehicle when the key is removed.
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. They might release the electric parking
brake. This could lead to aserious or fatal
accident. G
WARNING
Under no circumstances should the exhaust
system come into contact with flammable
materials such as dry grass or petrol, for
example. Do not park the vehicle on dry grass-
land or harvested grain fields. The hot exhaust
system could otherwise ignite the flammable
material and set the vehicle on fire.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied.
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage first gear or reverse gear.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in park position
Pand the transmission position display in
the multifunction display must show P.
R the key must be removed from the ignition
lock.
R on uphill or downhill gradients, turn the
fron twheels towards the kerb. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is not running, there is no power
assistance for the steering and brakes. Steer-
ing and braking then requires significantly
greater effort. As a result, you might lose control of the vehi-
cle, cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
Therefore, do not switch off the engine while
you are driving.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Using the key
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
i The key can only be removed if the trans-
mission is in position P.
Using KEYLESS-GO
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 127).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrumentc luster go out.
i When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0, i.e. key removed.
i The engine can be turned off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for three seconds.
This function operates independently of the
ECO start/stop automatic engine switch-
off function. 146
ParkingDriving and parking

Electric parking brake
General notes i
The electric parking brake carries out a
function check at regular intervals when
the engine is switched off .Noises that
occur are normal. Engaging/releasing manually
X
To engage: push handle :.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
i The electric parking brake can also be
applied when the key is removed.
X To release: pull handle:.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
i The electric parking brake can only be
released when the key in the ignition lock
is in position 1or the ignition is switched
on using the Start/Stop button.
Engaging automatically The electric parking brake of your vehicle is
automatically applied if DISTRONIC PLUS
(only for vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion) or the HOLD function brakes the vehicle
until it is stationary or keeps the vehicle sta-
tionary. In addition, at least one of the follow-
ing conditions must be fulfilled: R
the engine is switched off.
R the driver's door is open and the seat belt
is not fastened.
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
i The electric parking brake is not automat-
ically engaged if the engine is switched off
by the ECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically i
The electric parking brake can only be
released automatically in vehicles with
automatic transmission.
The electric parking brake of your vehicle is
released automatically when all of the follow-
ing conditions are fulfilled:
R the engine is running.
R the transmission is in position Dor R.
R the seat belt is fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
If the transmission is in position R, the boot
lid must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you have shifted out of Por you have pre-
viously driven faster than 3 km/h.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency using the electric parking brake.
X
While driving, push handle :of the electric
parking brake (Y page 147).
i The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
the handle of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle is depressed, the greater the
braking force. Parking
147Driving and parking Z

During braking:
R
a warning tone sounds.
R the Release parking brake message
appears.
R the red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluste rflashes.
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 discharge.
X Disconnect the battery (Y page 274) or
connect it to a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers fro maqualified 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 driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off G
WARNING
Never switch the engine off while the vehicle
is in motion.
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the service brake when the engine is not
running.
You will require considerably more effor tto
steer and brake, and you could therefore lose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident. Short journey
! Vehicles with adiesel particle filter: if
the vehicle is mostly driven for short dis-
tances, it is possible that malfunctions may
occur during the automatic cleaning of the
diesel particle filter. This may lead to fuel
collecting in the engine oil and cause
engine failure. Therefore, if you frequently
drive short distances, you should take a 20
minute trip on a motorway or rural road at
least every 500km. Brakes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
WARNING
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking.
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden, you must shift to
a lower gear in good tim eor, on vehicles with
automatic transmission, select shift range 1,
2 or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. 148
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Heavy and light loads
G
WARNING
Never depress the brake peda lcontinuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by applying constant slight
pedal pressure. This causes the brake system
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely.
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 driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes when brak-
ing for the first time. This may also occur after
the vehicle has been washed.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle 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
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads G
WARNING
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in the
braking effect, resulting in a significantly lon-
ger braking distance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should: R
occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you are
driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake discs.
New brake pads/linings G
WARNING
New brake pads/linings only reach their opti-
mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Before this optimum brak-
ing effect is reached, you should compensate
for the reduced braking effect by applying
greater pressure when braking. This also
applies after the brake discs or the brake
pads/linings have been replaced.
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 brake system for
AMG vehicles The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. This may lead to
noise when braking. This will depend on:
R
speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as temper-
ature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings Driving tips
149Driving and parking Z