2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK250 warning light

Exhaust check
G
WARNING
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your
health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause
unconsciousness and possible death.
Do no trun the engin einconfined areas (such
as a garage) which are not properly ventilated.
If you think that exhaust gas fumes are
entering the vehicle while driving, have the
cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one
window fully open at all times.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust
fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance with
the manufacturer's specifications. For this
reason, all work on the engine should only be
carried out by qualified and authorized
Mercedes-Benz technicians.
The engine settings must not be changed
under any circumstances. Furthermore, all
specific service work must be carried out at
regular intervals and in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz service requirements. Details
can be found in the Maintenance Booklet. Brakes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle's ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control. G
WARNING
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes. Downhill gradients !
On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting
early to a lower gear. This allows you to take
advantage of the engine braking effect and
helps avoid overheating and excessive
wear of the brakes.
When you take advantage of the engine
braking effect, a drive wheel may not turn
for some time, e.g. on a slippery road
surface. This could cause damage to the
drive train. This type of damage is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
Depressing the brake pedal constantly results
in excessive and premature wear to the brake
pads.
It may also cause the brakes to overheat,
seriously impairing their effectiveness. It may
then not be possible to stop the vehicle in
sufficient time to avoid an accident.
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
airflow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads G
WARNING
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through water
deep enough to wet brake components, the
first braking action may be somewhat
reduced. You have to depress the brake pedal
more firmly. Maintain a safe distance from
vehicles in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the
vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying
attention to the traffic conditions. This will
warm up the brake discs, thereby drying them
more quickly and protecting them against
corrosion. Driving tips
153Driving and parking Z

Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
G
WARNING
The layer of salt on th ebrake discs and the
brake pads/linings may caus eadelay in the
braking effect, resulting in a significantly
longer braking distance, which could lead to
an accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without
putting 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 distanc eto 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.
Servicing the brakes !
If the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a
warning tone while the engine is running,
the brake fluid level may be too low.
Observe additional warning messages in
the multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked
immediately. This work should be carried
out at a qualified specialist workshop.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. Consult a
qualified specialist workshop to arrange this.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
If brake pads or brake fluid other than those
recommended are used, the braking properties of the vehicle can be degraded to
an extentt
hat safe braking is substantially
impaired. This could result in an accident.
! As the ESP ®
system operates
automatically, the engine and the ignition
must be switched off (SmartKey in position
0 or 1in the ignition lock) if the electric
parking brake is being tested on a brake
dynamometer (maximum 10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake system.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the
functionality of your brakes at regular
intervals. To do so, press firmly on the brake
pedal when driving at a high speed. This
improves the grip of the brake pads. G
WARNING
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on (Y page 57).
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles The high-performance brake system is
installed only on the SLK 55 AMG.
G
WARNING
New vehicle brake pads and discs, and
replacement brake pads and discs may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide optimum braking efficiency. Until that
time, you may need to use increased brake
pedal pressure while braking. Please be aware
of this and adjust your driving and braking
accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive high-demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performance driving, it is 154
Driving tipsDriving and parking

important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
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
temperature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual
driving style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all
circumstances. An aggressive driving style
will lead to high wear. You can obtain further
information about this fro myour authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds.
R the tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or
in conditions in which hydroplaning can
occur, you must drive in the following
manner:
R lower your speed.
R avoid ruts.
R brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving
through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment. This can damage the electronic
components in the engine or the automatic
transmission. Water can also be drawn in
by the engine's air suction nozzles and this
can cause engine damage.
Winter driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the vehicle becomes trapped in snow,
ensure that snow is kept away from the
exhaust pipe and from around the vehicle as
long as the engine is running. Otherwise,
poisonous carbon monoxide (CO) may enter
the vehicle, resulting in loss of consciousness
and even death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open
a window slightly on the side of the vehicle
not facing the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 296).
Driving with summer tires Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y
page 296).
Slippery road surfaces G
WARNING
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. G
WARNING
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle Driving tips
155Driving and parking
Z

Top view
Front sensors
Center approximately 40in
(approximately 100cm)
Corners approximately 24in
(approximately 60cm)
Rear sensors
Center approximately 48in
(approximately 120cm)
Corners approximately 32in
(approximately 80cm)
!
When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain. Minimum distance Center approximately 8in
(approximately 20cm)
Corners approximately 6in
(approximately 15cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a
warning tone sounds. If the distance falls
below the minimum, the distance may no
longer be shown.
Warning displays
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located
on the dashboard above the center air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is
located between the roll bars.
Warning display for the front area
0002
Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
0003 Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
0023 Segments showing operational readiness
The warning display for each side of the
vehicle is divided into five yellow and two red
segments. PARKTRONIC is operational if
yellow segments showing operational
readiness 0023light up.
The gear lever position or the transmission
position of the automatic transmission and
the direction in which the vehicle is rolling Driving systems
171Driving and parking Z

determine which warning display is active
when the engine is running.
Manual transmission: Gear lever
position Warning display
Forwards gear
or
Neutral
Front area activated
Reverse gear
, or
the vehicle is rolling
backwards Rear and front areas
activated
Automatic transmission:
Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R,
Nor the vehicle
is rolling
backwards Rear and front areas
activated
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, dependin
gonthe
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for
approximately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two
seconds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance. Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC 0002
Indicator lamp
0003 To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp 0002lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Parking Guidance is also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2
in the ignition lock. 172
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately
20 seconds, and the
indicator lamp in the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
X
If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately
20 seconds. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X
Cleant he PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 269).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Parking Guidance
Important safety notes Parking Guidance is an electronic parking aid
with ultrasound. Ultrasound is used to
measure the road on both sides of the vehicle.
As uitable parking space is indicated by the
parking symbol. You receive steering
instructions when parking .You may also use
PARKTRONIC (Y page 170). G
WARNING
Parking Guidance is merely an aid and may
display parking spaces that are not suitable
for parking, for example:
R no-parking areas
R parking spaces with unsuitable surfaces
(road surface) R
driveways
R entrances and exits
Parking Guidance detects and measures
potential parking spaces while driving past.
Changes to the parking space after this point
are not taken into account, for example if the
vehicle in front of or behind the parking space
changes position or objects in the parking
space are moved.
Even when using Parking Guidance, you are
still responsible for driving carefully. If you
rely on Parking Guidance alone, you could
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
Safety always remains your responsibility and
you must continue paying careful attention to
your immediate surroundings when parking
and maneuvering. Driving systems
173Driving and parking Z

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). G
WARNING
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. G
WARNING
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/indicato rlamps R
malfunction/warning messages
R failure of any systems
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, do so with added
caution .Contactana uthorized Mercedes-
Ben zCenter as soon as possible. G
WARNING
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).
X Turn the brightness control knob clockwise
or counter-clockwise.
Instrument cluster: if the light switch is set
to 0005, 0011or0009, 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 0005,
brightness control takes ambient light into
account. If the light switch is set to 0011or
0009, brightness control does not take
ambient light into account. 180
Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays

Coolant temperature display
G
WARNING
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 jus tby 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 no tstand nea rthe vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.
The coolant temperature gauge is in the
instrumentc luster on the right-hand side.
Under normal operating conditions and with
the specified coolan tlevel, the coolant
temperature may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
! Adisplay 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).G
WARNING
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 shor tdelay. 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 fron tand the stored speed light up. Operating the on-board computer
Overview The on-board compute
ris activated as soon
as you turn the SmartKey to position 1in 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 operation
181On-board computer and displays Z