2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER parking brake

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
֌
The yellow ESP
®
and
ESP ®
OFF warning
lamps are lit while the
engine is running. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
,B AS, PRE-SAFE ®
, the HOLD functio nand hill start assist are
temporarily unavailable.
The adaptive brake lights, BAS PLUS and PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may
also have failed.
ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle if it starts to ski dorifawheel
starts to spin.
Self-diagnosis is not yet complete.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above .The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
X Carefully drive on a suitable stretch of road, making slight steer-
ing movements, at a speed above 20 km/h.
The functions mentioned above are available again when the
warning lamp goes out.
If the warning lamp is still on:
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. !
The red indicator lamp
for the electric parking
brake flashes and/or
the yellow warning
lamp for the electric
parking brake lights up.
The electric parking brake is temporarily malfunctioning or is
defective.
X
Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display. 6
The red SRS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running.
G
Risk of injury
The restraint systems are malfunctioning. The airbags or belt ten-
sioners may either be triggered unintentionally or, in the event of
an accident, may not be triggered at all.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. 230
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument clusterOn-board computer and displays

Engine
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
;
The yellow engine diag-
nostics warning lamp
lights up while the
engine is running.
There may be a fault, for example:
R in the engine management
R in the fuel injection system
R in the exhaust system
R in the ignition system (for vehicles with petrol engines)
R in the fuel system
The emission limit values may be exceeded and the engin emay
be running in emergency mode.
X Have the vehicle checked as soon as possible at a qualified
specialist workshop. Vehicles with a diesel engine: the fuel tan
khas been run dry
(Y page 145).
X Start the engine three to four times after refuelling.
If the yellow engine diagnostics warning lamp goes out, emer-
gency running mode is cancelled. The vehicle need no tbe
checked. 8
The yellow reserve fuel
warning lamp lights up
while the engine is run-
ning.
The fuel level has dropped into the reserve range.
X
Refuel at the nearest filling station. ?
The red coolant warn-
ing lamp lights up while
the engine is running
and the coolant tem-
perature gauge is at the
star toft he scale. The temperature sensor for the coolant temperature gauge is
faulty.
The coolant temperature is no longer being monitored. There is a
risk of engine damage if the coolant temperature is too high.
X Stop the vehicle immediately, paying attention to road and traf-
fic conditions, and switch off the engine. Do not continue driving
under any circumstances.
X Engage the electric parking brake.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
231On-board computer and displays Z

Securing the vehicle on slight downhill gradients
X
On downhill gradients: place chocks or
othe rsuitable items in fron tofthe wheels
of the front and rear axle.
Raising the vehicle G
WARNING
If you do not position the jack correctly at the
appropriate jacking point of the vehicle, the
jack could tip over with the vehicle raised.
There is a risk of injury.
Only position the jack at the appropriate jack-
ing point of the vehicle. The base of the jack
must be positioned vertically, directly under
the jacking point of the vehicle.
The following must be observed when raising
the vehicle:
R to raise the vehicle, only use the vehicle-
specific jack that has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. If used incor-
rectly, the jack could tip over with the vehi-
cle raised.
R the jack is designed only to raise and hold
the vehicle for a short time while a wheel
is being changed. It is not suited for per-
forming maintenance work under the vehi-
cle.
R avoid changing the wheel on uphill and
downhill slopes.
R before raising the vehicle, secure it from
rolling away by applying the parking brake
and inserting wheel chocks. Never disen-
gage the parking brake while the vehicle is
raised. R
the jack must be placed on a firm, flat and
non-slip surface. On a loose surface, a
large, load-bearing underlay must be used.
On a slippery surface, a non-slip underlay
must be used, e.g. rubber mats.
R do not use wooden blocks or similar
objects as a jack underlay. Otherwise, the
jack will not be able to achieve its load-
bearing capacity due to the restricted
height.
R make sure that the distance between the
underside of the tyres and the ground does
not exceed 3 cm.
R never place your hands and feet under the
raised vehicle.
R never lie under the raised vehicle.
R never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised.
R never open or close a door or the boot lid
when the vehicle is raised.
R make sure that no persons are present in
the vehicle when the vehicle is raised. X
Using wheel wrench :, loosen the bolts on
the wheel you wish to change by about one
full turn. Do not unscrew the bolts com-
pletely.
The jacking points are located just behind the
front wheel arches and just in front of the rear
wheel arches (arrows). 268
Flat tyreBreakdown assistance

G
WARNING
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use batteries which have
been tested and approved for yourv ehicle by
Mercedes-Benz .These batteries provide
increased impact protection to prevent vehi-
cle occupants from suffering acid burns
should the battery be damaged in the event
of an accident.
To prevent acid burns, observe the following
safety notes when handling batteries:
R do not lean over the battery.
R do not place any metal objects on a battery.
Otherwise, you could cause a short circuit
and the battery's gas mixture could ignite.
R make sure that you do not create an elec-
trostatic charge, e.g. by wearing synthetic
clothing or as a result of friction on fabrics.
Therefore, you should not pull or slide the
battery over carpets or other synthetic
materials.
R never touch the battery first. To discharge
a possible electrostatic charge, step out of
the vehicle first and touch the bodywork.
R do not wipe the battery using a cloth. The
battery may explode as a result of electro-
static charge or due to flying sparks.
! Switch off the engine and remove the key
before disconnecting the terminal clamps
from the battery. On vehicles with KEY-
LESS-GO, make sure that the ignition is
switched off. Check that all the indicator
lamps in the instrumentc luster are off.You
may otherwise destroy electronic compo-
nents, such as the alternator.
i When you park the vehicle, remove the
key if you do not require any electrical con-
sumers. The vehicle will then use very little
energy, thus conserving battery power.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you do not
carry out work on batteries yourself, e.g.
removing or charging. Have this work per-
formed at a qualified specialist workshop. Installation location of the battery
Your vehicle is equipped with a battery in the
engine compartment.Iti s located on the front
bulkhead under the water tank on the right-
hand side of the vehicle when viewed in the
direction of travel.
X Apply the electric parking brake and shift
the transmission to position P.
X Switch off all electrical consumers (e.g.
radio, blower, etc.).
X Turn the key to position 0(Ypage 127) in
the ignition lock and remove it, or, on vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO, make sure that the
ignition has been switched off
(Y page 127). All indicator lamps in the
instrument cluster must be off.
X Open the bonnet (Y page 248). X
Turn fasteners ;a quarter of a turn.
X Remove water tank :.
The battery is located under water
tank :. Disconnecting the battery
! Always disconnect the battery in
the order described below. Never swap the
terminal clamps. You may otherwise dam-
age the vehicle electronics.
In vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The vehicle
is secured against rolling away. You can
then no longer move the vehicle. 274
BatteryBreakdown assistance

Jump-starting
G
WARNING
There is a risk of acid burns when jump-starting a vehicle due to the gases which escape from
the battery. Do not lean over the battery while the engine is being jump-started. G
WARNING
Gases escaping from the battery during jump-starting may cause minor explosions. Avoid cre-
ating sparks. Keep naked flames away from the battery, and do not smoke.
Comply with safety precautions when handling batteries. You will find these under "Battery (vehi-
cle)" in the index. G
WARNING
Non-combusted fuel can collect in the exhaust system and ignite. There is a risk of fire. Avoid
repeated and lengthy starting attempts.
! Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the catalytic converter could be
damaged by the non-combusted fuel.
Do not use a rapid charging device to start the vehicle. If your vehicle's battery is discharged,
the engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jump
leads. Observe the following points:
R the battery is not accessible in all vehicles. if the other vehicle's battery is not accessible,
jump-start the vehicle using a second battery or ajump-starting device.
R you may only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and catalyti cconverter are cold.
R do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. let the battery thaw first.
R jump-starting may only be performed from batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
R only use jump leads that have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
R If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected
for a few minutes before attempting to start.T his charges the empty battery a little.
R Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
R the jump leads are not damaged.
R bare parts of the terminal clamp do not come into contact with other metal parts while the
jump leads are connected to the battery.
R the jump leads cannot come into contact with parts such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
These parts move when the engine is started and while it is running.
X Secure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
X Manual transmission: engage neutral.
X Automatic transmission: move the selector lever toP.
X Switch off all electrical consumers (e.g. radio, blower, etc.).
X Open the bonnet (Y page 248). Jump-starting
277Breakdown assistance Z

The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will need more
force to steer and brake, you may have to
depress the brake pedal with maximum force.
Before towing away, make sure that the steer-
ing can be moved and is not locked.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehicle. G
WARNING
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate HOLD and DISTRONIC PLUS if the
vehicle is to be towed.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the entire
vehicle must be lifted up and transported.
! Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
! Only secure the tow rope or towing bar to
the towing eyes. The vehicle may otherwise
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
as this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! Pull away smoothly when towing away or
tow-starting a vehicle. If the tractive power
is too high, the vehicles could be damaged.
! On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
key instead of the Start/Stop button. Turn
the key to position 2in the ignitio nlock and
shift the automatic transmission to N.
Then, turn the key back to 0and leave it in
the ignition lock. When towing a vehicle with an automatic
transmission, the transmission must be in
position N.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2
R cannot shift the transmission to position
N on vehicles with automatic transmission
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P(Y page 142).
i Before the vehicle is towed, switch off the
automatic locking feature (Y page 72). You
could otherwise be locked out when push-
ing or towing the vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection
(Y page 62) before the vehicle is towed. Fitting/removing the towing eye
Fitting the towing eye X
Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 261). G
WARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be hot. You could
burn yourself if you touch the tail pipe. Be
particularly careful when removing the rear
cover.
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, under the covers. Towing and tow-starting
279Breakdown assistance Z

X
Press the mark on cover :inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Take cover :off the opening.
X Screw the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye X
Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Attach cover :to the bumper and press
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is importan tthat you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 278).
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system. X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 103).
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the key or
the KEYLESS-GO key with you. Towing the vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 278). G
WARNING
The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will then need
much more effort to brake and steer the vehi-
cle. Adapt your style of driving accordingly.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 103).
i When towing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal achange of direc-
tion. In this case, only the turn signals for
the desired direction flash. When the com-
bination switch is reset, the hazard warning
lamps start flashing again.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal.
X Engage neutral.
or
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake. 280
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

Transporting the vehicle
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
tur nthe key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Move the selector lever to N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to first gear or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
move the selector lever to P.
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0 and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X Secure the vehicle.
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle could be damaged. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety instructions (Y page 278)
and the legal requirements in each respective
country.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. The transmission
may otherwise be damaged.
You can find information on "Jump-starting"
at (Y page 277). Before tow-starting the following conditions
must be fulfilled:
R
the battery is connected.
R the engine has cooled down.
R the catalytic converters have cooled down.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 103).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 279).
X Secure the rigid towing bar or the towing
rope.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Depress the clutch pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Engage neutral.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Tow-start the vehicle.
X Engage second gear.
X Release the clutch pedal slowly;d o not
depress the accelerator pedal while doing
so.
The engine is started.
X Depress the clutch pedal and shift to neu-
tral.
X Stop at a suitable place.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Remove the rigid towing bar or towing rope.
X Remove the towing eye (Y page 280).
X Switch off the hazard warning lamps. Electrical fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which have the
correct fuse rating for the systems con-
cerned. Do not attempt to repair or bridge
faulty fuses. Using fuses which have not been
approved or attempting to repair or bridge
faulty fuses could cause the fuse to be over- Electrical fuses
281Breakdown assistance
Z