2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG COUPE ignition

The driving safety systems described in this
section cannot reduce these risks or prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle. They cannot increase braking or
steering efficiency beyond that afforded by
the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires
or the traction afforded.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents.
The capabilities of a vehicle equipped with the
driving safety systems described in this
section must never be exploited in a reckless
or dangerous manner which could jeopardize
the user's safety or the safety of others.
Always adjust your driving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions and
keep a safe distance to other road users and
objects on the street.
If a driving system malfunctions, other driving
safety systems may also switch off. Observe
indicator and warning lamps that may come
on as well as messages in the multifunction
display that may appear.
i In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the
driving safety systems described in this
section work as effectively as possible.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm, steady
brake pedal pressure instead. Pumping the
brake pedal reduces the braking effect.
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the
vehicle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about
5 mph(8 km/h) upwards, regardless of road-
surface conditions. ABS works on slippery
surfaces, even when you only brake gently.
The ! warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
Braking
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
XIf ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking
situation is over.XTo make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.GWARNING
If the ABS malfunctions, other driving systems
such as the BAS or the ESP ®
are also switched
off. Observe indicator and warning lamps that
may come on as well as messages in the
multifunction display that may appear.
If the ABS malfunctions, the wheels may lock
during hard braking, reducing the steering
capability and extending the braking distance.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
Observe the "Important safety notes" section
( Y page 56).
BAS operates in emergency braking
situations. If you depress the brake pedal
quickly, BAS automatically boosts the braking
force, thus shortening the stopping distance.
XKeep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.
Driving safety systems55SafetyZ

GWARNING
If the BAS malfunctions, the brake system still
functions, but without the additional brake
boost available that the BAS would normally
provide in an emergency braking maneuver.
Therefore, the braking distance may increase.
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Under no circumstances should you
deactivate ESP ®
when the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. Proceed as follows:
R when driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R while driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R adapt your speed to suit the prevailing road
and weather conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid. ESP ®
cannot
prevent accidents resulting from excessive
speed.
! Switch the ignition off when:
R the electric parking brake is being tested
using a brake dynamometer.
R the vehicle is being towed with the rear
axle raised.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy the brake system.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
You can select between the three following
states of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R SPORT handling mode is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated.
ESP ®
is activated as soon as you start the
engine. When SPORT handling mode is
activated, the M warning lamp lights up in
the instrument panel. When ESP ®
is
deactivated, the å and h warning
lamps light up in the instrument panel.
ETS (Electronic Traction System)
Observe the "Important safety notes" section
( Y page 56).
Traction control is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individually if they spin. This enables you to
pull away and accelerate on slippery surfaces,
for example if the road surface is slippery on
one side.
Traction control remains active if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
Characteristics of ESP ®
GWARNING
ESP should not be deactivated during normal
driving.
Deactivating ESP SPORT will have the
following effects:
R there is no limit to the engine torque.
R the system-based traction control is
limited.
"ESP OFF" is designed for driving on closed
tracks when the vehicle's natural oversteer
and understeer characteristics are desired
and requires a highly skilled and experienced
driver able to handle these critical driving
situations.
You could lose control of your vehicle and
cause an accident.
Please be aware of these limits when you
switch off ESP.
GWARNING
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the vehicle
56Driving safety systemsSafety

mode message appears in the multifunction
display.XTo deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. ESP ®
is activated.
EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
Observe the "Important safety notes" section
( Y page 56).
EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking.
GWARNING
If the EBD malfunctions, the brake system will
still function with full brake boost. However,
the rear wheels could lock up during
emergency braking situations, for example.
You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident.
Adapt your driving style to the changed
driving characteristics.
ADAPTIVE BRAKE
Observe the "Important safety notes" section
( Y page 54).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In
addition to the braking function, ADAPTIVE
BRAKE also features the hill start assist
function ( Y page 117). For further
information, see Driving tips ( Y page 133).
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. The
engine can be started by anyone with a valid
SmartKey that is left inside the vehicle.XTo activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
engine off and open the driver's door.XTo activate with the SmartKey: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.XTo deactivate: switch on the ignition.
i
The immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be
started when the starter battery is fully
charged, the immobilizer may be faulty.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in
USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open:
R a door
R the trunk lid
R the hood
R Roadster: the glove box
R Roadster: a compartment in the center
console
R the vehicle with the mechanical key
The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that has triggered it, for
example.
Anti-theft systems59SafetyZ

iIf the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, the mbrace 2
system initiates
a call to the Customer Assistance Center
automatically. The emergency call system
initiates the call provided that:
R you have subscribed to the mbrace
service
R the mbrace service has been activated
properly
R the required mobile phone, power supply
and GPS are available.XTo arm: lock the vehicle with the
SmartKey.
The turn signal lamps flash three times and
an acoustic warning sounds three times to
indicate that the vehicle is locked. Indicator
lamp : flashes to indicate that the alarm
system is armed.
i If the turn signal lamps do not flash three
times and the acoustic warning does not
sound three times, a door or the trunk lid
may not be properly closed.
It may be necessary to close the affected
door or the trunk lid.
XTo deactivate: unlock the vehicle with the
SmartKey.
The turn signal lamps flash once and an
acoustic warning sounds once to indicate
that the anti-theft alarm system is switched
off.i Unless you open a door or the trunk lid
within 40 seconds of unlocking the vehicle:
R the vehicle will be locked again
R the anti-theft alarm system will be re-
armed.XTo stop the alarm: press the Start/Stop
button in the center console. The SmartKey
must be inside the vehicle.
or
XPress the % or & button on the
SmartKey.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
Tow-away alarm
An audible and visual alarm is triggered if your
vehicle's angle of inclination is altered while
the tow-away alarm is armed. This occurs if
the vehicle is jacked up on one side, for
example.
i If the alarm stays on for more than 30
seconds, the mbrace 3
system initiates a
call to the Customer Assistance Center
automatically. The emergency call system
initiates the call provided that:
R you have subscribed to the mbrace
service
R the mbrace service has been activated
properly
R the required mobile phone, power supply
and GPS are available.
XTo arm: lock the vehicle with the
SmartKey.
The tow-away alarm is armed after
approximately 30 seconds.XTo deactivate: unlock the vehicle with the
SmartKey.
The tow-away alarm is deactivated
automatically.2 TELEAID in Canada.
3 TELEAID in Canada.60Anti-theft systemsSafety

To prevent a false alarm, deactivate the tow-
away alarm manually if your vehicle:
R is being transported
R is being loaded onto a ferry or car
transporter, for example
R is parked on a movable surface, e.g. in a
split-level garageXTo deactivate: use the Start/Stop button
to set SmartKey position 0.
or
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up briefly.XLock the vehicle with the SmartKey.
The tow-away alarm is deactivated.
The tow-away alarm remains deactivated
until the vehicle is unlocked and locked
again.Anti-theft systems61SafetyZ

When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer ( Y page 158).
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked or unlocked.
The audible signal can be activated and
deactivated using the on-board computer
( Y page 159).XTo unlock centrally: press the %
button.
If you do not open the vehicle within
approximately 40 seconds of unlocking:
R the vehicle is locked again.
R the anti-theft alarm system is armed again.
XTo lock centrally: press the & button.
Changing the settings of the locking
system
You can change the setting of the locking
system in such a way that only the driver's
door and the fuel filler flap are unlocked. This
is useful if you frequently travel on your own.
XTo change the setting: press and hold
down the % and & buttons
simultaneously for approximately six
seconds until the battery check lamp
( Y page 66) flashes twice.
The SmartKey now functions as follows:
XTo unlock the driver's door: press the
% button once.XTo unlock centrally: press the %
button twice.XTo lock centrally: press the & button.
Restoring the factory settings
XPress the % and & buttons
simultaneously for approximately six
seconds until the battery check lamp
flashes twice.Mechanical key
General notes
If the vehicle can no longer be locked or
unlocked with the SmartKey, use the
mechanical key.
If you use the mechanical key to unlock and
open the driver's door, the anti-theft alarm
system will be triggered ( Y page 59).
There are several ways to turn off the alarm:
XPress the % or & button on the
SmartKey.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.XTo unlock the fuel filler flap: insert the
SmartKey into the ignition lock.
Removing the mechanical key
XPush release catch : in the direction of
the arrow and at the same time, remove
mechanical key ; from the SmartKey.
SmartKey battery
Important safety notes
It is advisable to have batteries replaced at a
qualified specialist workshop, e.g. at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
GWARNING
Batteries contain toxic substances.
SmartKey65Opening/closingZ

Problems with the SmartKeyProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsYou cannot lock or
unlock the vehicle
using the SmartKey.The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged.XPoint the tip of the SmartKey at the driver's door handle from
close range and try to unlock or lock the vehicle again.
If this does not work:
XUnlock the vehicle using the mechanical key ( Y page 65).XCheck the SmartKey battery and replace it if necessary
( Y page 66).The SmartKey is faulty.XLock or unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key
( Y page 65).XHave the SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist workshop.You have lost a
SmartKey.XHave the SmartKey canceled at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.XReport the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.XIf necessary, have the locks changed as well.You have lost the
mechanical key.XReport the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.XIf necessary, have the locks changed as well.The engine cannot be
started using KEYLESS-
GO. The SmartKey is in
the vehicle.A door is open. Therefore, the SmartKey cannot be detected as
easily.XClose the door and try to start the vehicle again.There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.XStart your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.SmartKey67Opening/closingZ

ProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe engine cannot be
started using the
SmartKey.The on-board voltage is too low.XSwitch off non-essential consumers, such as seat heating or
interior lighting, and try to start the engine again.XRemove the SmartKey and reinsert it into the ignition lock.XStart the engine within 30 seconds of inserting the SmartKey
into the ignition lock.XRepeat if necessary.
If this does not work:
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if necessary
( Y page 240).
or
XJump-start the vehicle ( Y page 243).
or
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.The SmartKey cannot
be turned in the ignition
lock.The SmartKey has been in position 0 for a considerable time.XRemove the SmartKey and reinsert it into the ignition lock.XCheck the starter battery and charge it if necessary
( Y page 240).XStart the engine.The on-board voltage is too low.XSwitch off nonessential consumers, such as seat heating or
interior lighting, and try to turn the SmartKey again.
If this does not work:
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if necessary
( Y page 240).
or
XJump-start the vehicle ( Y page 243).
or
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.68SmartKeyOpening/closing