2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER manual transmission

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment
available to your vehicle at the time of pub-
lication of the Owner's Manual. Country-
specific deviations are possible. Please
note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all features described. This also
applies to safety-relevan tsystems and
functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 22).Running-in notes
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
New brake pads/linings only have optimal
braking performance after several hundred
kilometres .Until then, compensate for this by
applying greate rforce to the brake pedal. This
also applies when brake pads/linings or
brake discs have been changed. The first 1,500 km
If you treat the engine with sufficient care
from the very start,y ou 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. Vehicles with automatic transmission:
R
Try to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the point of resistance (kick-
down).
R The shift ranges 3,2or 1should only be
engaged when driving slowly, e.g. when
driving in mountainous terrain.
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/hf or
the first 1,500 km.
R only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
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 rear axle locking
differential
Your vehicle is fitted with a self-locking dif-
ferential on the rear axle. Change the oil after
a running-in period of 3,000 km to improve
protection of the rear axle differential. This oil
change extends the service life of the differ-
ential. Have the oil change carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Do not place any objects in the driver's foot-
well. If you use a floormat or carpet in the
driver's footwell, make sure that it is correctly
secured and that there is sufficient clearance
for the pedals.
Do not place several floormats on top of one
another.
Loose objects or the floormats could other-
wise get caught between the pedals if you
accelerate or brake suddenly. You will then 126
DrivingDriving and parking

Manual transmission
X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Fully depress the clutch pedal.
X Shift to neutral N.
i You can only start the engine when the
clutch pedal is fully depressed.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P.
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows P.
i You can also start the engine when the
transmission is in position N.
Starting procedure with the key i
To start the engine using the key instead
of KEYLESS-GO, pullt he Start/Stop button
out of the ignition lock.
X To start a petrol engine: turn the key to
position 3in the ignition lock
(Y page 127) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
X To startad iesel engine: turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock
(Y page 127).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the
instrumen tcluster lights up.
X When the %preglow indicator lamp
goes out, tur nthe key to position 3
(Y page 127) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
i You can start the engine without preglow
if the engine is warm.
i Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion: you can also use the touch-start func-
tion. To do this, turn the key to position 3
(Y page 127) and release it immediately.
The engine then starts automatically. Using KEYLESS-GO to startt
he engine G
WARNING
You rvehicle can be started using a valid KEY-
LESS-GO key. For this reason, children should
never be left unsupervised in the vehicle.
Always take the key with you when leaving the
vehicle, even if you are only leaving it for a
short time.
i The Start/Stop button can be used to
start the vehicle manually without inserting
the key into the ignition lock. The key must
be in the vehicle and the Start/Stop button
must be inserted in the ignition lock. This
mode for starting the engine operates inde-
pendently of the ECO start/stop automatic
engine start function.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X To star tapetrol engine: press the Start/
Stop button (Y page 127) once.
The engine starts.
X To start adiesel engine: press the Start/
Stop button (Y page 127) once.
Preglow is activated and the engine starts. Pulling away
Manual transmission X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Fully depress the clutch pedal.
X Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Release the electric parking brake
(Y page 147).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Slowly release the clutch pedal and gently
depress the accelerato rpedal.
! Change gear in good time and avoid spin-
ning the wheels. Otherwise, you could dam-
age the vehicle. Driving
129Driving and parking Z

i
AMG vehicles: the engine can be
switched off automatically amaximum of
three times in succession .The automatic
engine switch-off is then available again
after the border of the ECO symbol appears
in the multifunction display.
Vehicles with manual transmission The ECO start/stop function switches off the
engine automatically at low speeds.
X Brake the vehicle until it comes to a stand-
still.
X Engage neutral N(Ypage 136) (follow
gearshift instruction :to engage neutral
N, if necessary).
X Release the clutch pedal.
The engine is switched off automatically.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is
braked to a standstill and the brake remains
depressed with the transmission in position
D or N.
Automatic engine start The engine is started automatically if:
R
the ECO start/stop function is deactivated
by pressing the ECO button.
R you switch to drive program Sor M(AMG
vehicles).
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires this. R
the system detects moisture on the wind-
screen when the air-conditioning system is
switched on.
R the battery's charge status is too low.
R the driver's seat belt is removed or the driv-
er's door is opened.
R you shift the transmission from position D
to R.
R you steer the vehicle.
Vehicles with manual transmission
The engine is started automatically if you:
R depress the clutch pedal
R depress the accelerator pedal
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal
is depressed.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
The engine is started automatically if you:
R release the brakes when in transmission
position Dor N, unless the HOLD function
is activated or
R engage reverse gear Ror
R depress the accelerator pedal
i Shifting the transmission to position P
does not start the engine.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function Example: ECO button
i
If indicator lamp ;is off, the ECO start/
stop function has been deactivated man-
ually or as the result of a malfunction. The 132
DrivingDriving and parking

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The coolant tempera-
ture display is showing
more than 120 †. The
coolant warning lamp
may also be lit and a
warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 251). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is less than 120 †, you can continue
driving to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving on
mountain roads and stop-start traffic. Manual transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The movement of the pedals must not be
impaired in any way. Do not keep any objects
in the driver's footwell. Make sure that floor-
mats or carpets are correctly secured and
that there is sufficient clearance for the ped-
als.
Do not place several floormats on top of one
another. 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. This could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and cause an
accident. Gear lever
Gear lever
!
Only engage gear when the clutch pedal
is depressed.
! When shifting between 5thand 6thgear,
you should always push the gear lever all
the way to the right. Otherwise, you could
shift unintentionally into 3rdor4th gear
and damage the transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine
to overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
clutch. Manual transmission
135Driving and parking Z

R
the positio nofthe accelerator pedal
R the road speed Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R
little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Double-clutch function When shifting down, the double-clutch func-
tion is active regardless of the currently selec-
ted drive program. The double-clutch function
reduces load change reactions and is condu-
cive to a sporty driving style. The sound gen-
erated by the double-clutchf
unction depends
on the drive program selected.
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X
Depress the accelerato rpedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up. Program selector button
General notes The program selector button allows you to
choose between differen tdriving character-
istics. Example
:program selector button
On AMG vehicles, drive program Eis called
drive program C. E
Economy
C Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
M
Manual Manual gearshifting
i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 139).
X Press progra mselecto rbutton :repeat-
edly until the lette rfor the desired gearshift
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i The automatic transmission switches to
automatic drive program E(drive program
C in AMG vehicles) each time the engine is
started.
i AMG vehicles: when in drive program C
and with a small load demand, e.g. in urban
traffic or on a country road, the engine will
automatically only operate with four cylin-
ders. This reduces fuel consumption. Cyl-
inder shut-off is inactive in drive programs
S and M, so that the engine will operate
with all eight cylinders. 138
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Steering wheel gearshift paddles
:
Left-hand steering wheel gearshift paddle
; Right-hand steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle
In the automatic drive program, you can
restrict or derestrict the shift range by using
the steering wheel gearshift paddles or the
selector lever (Y page 139).
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear using the steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles or the selector lever (Y page 140).
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddles when the trans-
mission is in position D.Automatic drive program
Drive program E(drive program Con AMG
vehicles) is characterised by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin. Drive program
Sis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine and transmission settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption pos-
sibly being higher Shift ranges
Introduction When the automatic transmission is in posi-
tion
D, it is possible to restrictord erestrict
the shift range (Y page 139).
The shift range selected is shown in the mul-
tifunction display. The automatic transmis-
sion shifts only as far as the selected gear. Shift range
=
To use the engine's brakin
geffect 5
To use the braking effect of the
engine on downhill gradients and
for driving:
R
on steep mountai nroads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 4
To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches
Restricting the shift range
X
Press the selector lever to the left towards
D–.
or
X Pull the left-hand steerin gwheel gearshift
paddle.
The automatic transmission shifts down
one gear and restricts the shift range to the
relevant gear. Automatic transmission
139Driving and parking Z

i
If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto-
matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down.
i If the maximum engine speed for the shift
range is reached and you continue to accel-
erate, the automatic transmission shifts up
in order to prevent the engine from over-
revving, even if the shift range is restricted.
Derestricting the shift range X
Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
X Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle.
The shift range is derestricted.
Clearing the shift range restriction X
Press and hold the selector lever towards
D+ until Dis shown once more in the mul-
tifunction display.
or
X Pull and hold the right-hand steering wheel
gearshift paddle until Dis shown again in
the multifunction display.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.
Selecting the ideal shift range X
Press the selector lever to the left towards
D– and hold it in position.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle 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
Activating the manual drive program Manual drive program
Mdiffers from drive
program Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and the smoothness of the
gear changes.
Manual drive program Mcan be selected
using the program selector button. You can
change gear using the steering wheel gear-
shift paddles or the selector lever in manual
drive program Mif the transmission is in posi-
tion D.The gear selected is shown in the mul-
tifunction display.
X Press the program selector button
(Y page 138) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
Upshifting X
Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
X Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 139).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Vehicles with AMG engines
! In manual gearshift program M, the auto-
matic transmission does not shift up auto-
matically 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. You must make sure that
the engine speed does not reach the red
area of the rev counter. Otherwise, there is
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. 140
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

:
Gear indicator
; Upshif tindicator
X Shift up a gear if the colou rinthe multi-
function display in the speedometer
changes to red and the UP display message
is shown.
Downshifting X
Briefly press the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 139).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you desire maximum acceleration, push
the selector lever to the left or pull and hold
the left-hand steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle until the transmission shifts to the opti-
mal 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.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed. Switching off the manuald
rive program X
Press the progra mselecto rbutton
(Y page 138) repeatedly until E(C in AMG
vehicles) or Sappears in the multifunction
display. Automatic transmission
141Driving and parking Z