2012 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG ROADSTER automatic transmission

1, 2, 3 ...
12 V socket see Sockets
A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) Function/notes ................................ 55
Warning lamp ................................. 192
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification ................. 106
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 59
Additional speedometer ................... 157
Additives (engine oil) ........................ 282
Adjusting lumbar support .................. 86
Air bags Display message ............................ 171
Front air bag (driver, front
passenger) ....................................... 39
Important safety notes ....................38
Knee bag .......................................... 40
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp .................................. 42
Safety guidelines ............................. 37
Side impact air bag ..........................40
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control
Air filter (display message) .............. 180
Air pressure see Tire pressure
AIRSCARF
Setting the vents ........................... 111
Switching on/off .............................. 87
Air vents
Important safety notes ..................110
Setting ........................................... 110
Setting the AIRSCARF vents ..........111
Setting the center air vents ...........110
Setting the side air vents ...............110
Switching AIRSCARF on/off ............87
Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
AMG
Adaptive sport suspension
system ........................................... 138
Button for AMG menu ....................126
E-SELECT lever .............................. 119
Menu (on-board computer) ............160
SETUP ............................................ 126
SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-gear sport
transmission .................................. 119
Anti-lock Braking System
see ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Anti-Theft Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Ashtray ............................................... 203
ASSYST PLUS service interval
display Hiding service messages ...............222
Service messages ..........................222
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Activating/deactivating ...................59
Function ........................................... 59
Switching off the alarm ....................59
Audio menu (on-board computer) .... 154
Audio system see separate operating instructions
Authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
see Qualified specialist workshop
Authorized workshop
see Qualified specialist workshop
AUTO lights
Display message ............................ 174
Automatic headlamp mode ................ 95
B
Back support see Lumbar support
Backup lamp
Display message ............................ 175
BAS (Brake Assist System) ................. 55
Basic settings see Settings
Battery
Display message ............................ 185
Battery (SmartKey)
Checking .......................................... 66
Important safety notes ....................65
Replacing ......................................... 66
Battery (vehicle)
Charging ........................................ 242
Display message ............................ 178
Important safety notes ..................240
4Index

Display message ............................ 181
Distribution of the vehicle
occupants (definition) ....................271
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................... 268
DOT (Department of
Transportation) (definition) ............268
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
(definition) ..................................... 269
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
(definition) ..................................... 269
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) (definition) .........................269
Important safety notes ..................250
Increased vehicle weight due to
optional equipment (definition) ......269
Kilopascal (kPa) (definition) ...........270
Labeling (overview) ........................265
Load bearing index (definition) ......271
Load index ..................................... 267
Load index (definition) ...................270
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
(definition) ..................................... 269
Maximum load on a tire
(definition) ..................................... 270
Maximum permissible tire
pressure (definition) ....................... 270
Maximum tire load .........................263
Maximum tire load (definition) .......270
Optional equipment weight
(definition) ..................................... 271
PSI (pounds per square inch)
(definition) ..................................... 270
Replacing ....................................... 271
Service life ..................................... 251
Sidewall (definition) .......................270
Speed rating (definition) ................269
Storing ........................................... 272
Structure and characteristics
(definition) ..................................... 268
Technical data ............................... 274
Temperature .................................. 264
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
(definition) ..................................... 271
Tire bead (definition) ......................270
Tire pressure (definition) ................270
Tire pressures (recommended) ......269
Tire size (data) ............................... 272Tire size designation, load-bearing
capacity, speed rating .................... 265
Tire tread ....................................... 251
Tire tread (definition) .....................270
Total load limit (definition) .............271
Traction ......................................... 264
Traction (definition) .......................271
Tread wear ..................................... 264
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards ...................................... 263
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (definition) ....................269
Unladen weight (definition) ............270
Wear indicator (definition) .............271
Wheel rim (definition) ....................269
see Flat tire
Top Tether ............................................ 53
Tow-away alarm .................................. 60
Towing Important safety guidelines ...........244
Installing the towing eye ................245
Removing the towing eye ...............246
With the rear axle raised ................246
Towing away
With both axles on the ground .......246
Transmission
Driving tips .................................... 122
Selector lever ................................ 119
Shift range ..................................... 125
Transmission position display ......... 121
Transmission positions .................... 121
Transporting the vehicle .................. 246
Trim pieces (cleaning instructions) . 229
Trip computer (on-board
computer) .......................................... 152
Trip meter see Trip odometer
Trip odometer
Calling up ....................................... 152
Resetting (on-board computer) ......152
Trunk
Emergency release ..........................75
Important safety guidelines .............73
Locking separately ...........................74
Opening (automatically from
inside) .............................................. 74Index15

if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tires and
the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. If necessary, the engine output is also
modified to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or
slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the
vehicle during braking.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the h warning lamp
flashes in the instrument cluster.GWARNING
If the h warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R do not deactivate ESP ®
under any
circumstances
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
Otherwise, the vehicle could go into a skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident if
you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override the
laws of physics.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running. In the following situations,
it may be better to activate SPORT handling
mode or deactivate ESP ®
:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
GWARNING
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. Otherwise,
ESP ®
will only be able to stabilize the vehicle
to a limited degree if the vehicle starts to skid
or if a wheel starts to spin.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is
deactivated
When you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin. The spinning
wheels produce a cutting effect for better
traction.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
i If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more
wheels start to spin, the h warning lamp
in the instrument cluster does not flash. In
such situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize the
vehicle.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
ESP
®
is activated as soon as you start the
engine.
XTo deactivate ESP ®
: press and hold down
button : until the h and å warning
lamps in the instrument panel light up.
The OFF message appears in the
multifunction display.Driving safety systems57SafetyZ

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 21).
Breaking-in notes
The first 1000 miles (1500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance in the future.
R Drive at varying vehicle speeds and engine
speeds for the first 1000 miles (1500 km)
for this reason.
R Do not drive faster than 85 mph
(140 km/h) for the first 1000 miles
(1500 km).
R Only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
R Avoid overstraining the vehicle during this
period, e.g. driving at full throttle. Do not
exceed ⅔ of the maximum permitted
engine speed for each gear.
R Select the manual drive program M in good
time.
R Do not carry out a RACE START.
R Do not manually shift to a lower gear to
brake the vehicle.
R If possible, do not depress the accelerator
pedal past the point of resistance
(kickdown).
R Only select the shift range limits 3, 2 or 1
when driving slowly, e.g. in mountainous
terrain.
After 1000 miles (1500 km), you can increase
the engine speed gradually and bring the
vehicle up to full speed.
i You should also observe these breaking-
in notes if your vehicle's engine or
transmission has been replaced.
i Always observe the respective speed
restrictions.
Driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Do not keep any objects in the driver's
footwell. If you use a floormat or carpet in the
driver's footwell, make sure that they are
correctly secured and that there is sufficient
clearance for the pedals.
Do not place several floormats on top of one
another.
The objects or floormats could otherwise get
between the pedals in the event of sudden
braking or acceleration. You may then no
longer be able to brake, change gear or
accelerate as intended. This may result in an
accident and injury.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
It is dangerous to shift the automatic
transmission out of parking position P or
neutral position N if the engine speed is
higher than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly
on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
114DrivingDriving and parking

Pulling away
AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports
transmissionGWARNING
It is dangerous to shift the transmission out
of park position P or neutral position N if the
engine is running at anything more than idling
speed. If you do not depress the brake pedal
with force, the vehicle may accelerate
forwards or backwards. This could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and cause a
collision. Only shift the transmission into the
drive position when you are firmly depressing
the brake pedal.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position P to the desired position if the
engine is running and you depress the
brake pedal.
Only then is the parking lock released. If the
brake pedal is not depressed, the E-SELECT
lever can still be moved but the parking lock
remains engaged.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.XUse the E-SELECT lever to shift the
transmission to position D or R.XRelease the brake pedal.XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake is automatically
released ( Y page 130).
i
The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down. The automatic door lock can
also be deactivated (Roadster only).
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
on uphill gradients. It holds the vehicle for a
short time after you have removed your foot
from the brake pedal. This gives you enough
time to move your foot from the brake pedal
to the accelerator pedal and depress it before
the vehicle begins to roll.GWARNING
Never leave the vehicle when it is being held
by hill start assist. After approximately one
second, hill start assist will no longer brake
your vehicle and it could roll away.
XTake your foot off the brake pedal.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
XPull away.
Hill start assist does not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.
R the vehicle is secured with the electric
parking brake.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning.
Driving117Driving and parkingZ

ProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe coolant
temperature gauge
shows a value above
248 ‡(120 †).The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.XStop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.XCheck the coolant level ( Y page 220). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add 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.XAt coolant temperatures under 248 ‡(120 †), drive on to the
nearest qualified specialist workshop, e.g. to an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.XAvoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-and-go traffic.AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports
transmission
Important safety notes
GWARNING
It is dangerous to shift the transmission out
of park position P or neutral position N if the
engine is running at anything more than idling
speed. If you do not depress the brake pedal
with force, the vehicle may accelerate
forwards or backwards. This could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and cause a
collision. Only shift the transmission into the
drive position when you are firmly depressing
the brake pedal.
E-SELECT selector lever
Overview of transmission positionsjPark position with parking lockkReverse geariNeutralhDrive
! If the engine speed is too high or if the
vehicle is rolling, do not shift the
transmission directly from D to R, from R
to D or directly to P.
Do not open the driver's door while the
vehicle is in motion. At low speeds in
transmission position D or R, park position
P is otherwise engaged automatically.
AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission119Driving and parkingZ

The transmission could be damaged.
i The E-SELECT lever always returns to its
original position.
The current transmission position P, R , N
or D appears in the transmission position
display in the multifunction display.
If you wish to select a transmission position
or to disengage park position P, the engine
must be running.
Engaging park position PXWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.XPress the P button in the center console.
i
If you depress the brake pedal and push
the E-SELECT lever forwards or back to the
first point of resistance, park position P is
disengaged. The transmission shifts to
neutral N.
To shift directly from P to R:
XDepress the brake pedal and push the
E-SELECT lever forwards past the first
point of resistance.
To shift directly from P to D:
XDepress the brake pedal and push the
E-SELECT lever back past the first
point of resistance.
Engaging park position P automatically
Park position is engaged automatically in the
following circumstances:
R if you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open the driver's or front-
passenger door.
R if you remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock.
R if you open the door while traveling at low
speed in transmission position D or R.
Shifting to neutral NXWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.XPush the E-SELECT lever forwards or back
to the first point of resistance.
i If you use the E-SELECT lever to shift the
transmission to N before switching off the
engine, the transmission remains in N for
approximately 30 minutes. If you open the
driver's or front-passenger door during this
period, the transmission automatically
shifts to P.
If the SmartKey is in the ignition lock and
you use the E-SELECT lever to shift the
transmission to N before switching off the
engine, the transmission remains in N. This
still applies if you open the driver's or front-
passenger door. Further information is
available in the "Car wash" section
( Y page 223).
Engaging reverse gear R
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.XPush the E-SELECT lever forward past the
first point of resistance.
Shifting to transmission position D
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.XPush the E-SELECT lever back past the first
point of resistance.120AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmissionDriving and parking

ANeutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it.
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. The transmission
could otherwise be damaged.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to
position N if the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.7Drive
The transmission shifts into drive
programs C/S/S+ automatically.
All forward gears are available.
Changing gear
The transmission shifts into individual gears
automatically. This is determined by:
R drive position D
R the selected drive program ( C/S/ S+ )
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
R a shift range restriction, if selected
The shift points primarily depend on:
R the position of the accelerator pedal:
little throttle: early upshifts; high throttle:
late upshifts
R the driving dynamics
A dynamic driving style with high
longitudinal and lateral acceleration delays
the shift points to higher engine speeds.
Driving tips
Double-clutch function
When shifting down, the double-clutch
function is active regardless of the currently
selected drive program. The double-clutch
function reduces the load change reaction on
the drive axle. The sound generated by the
double-clutch function depends on the drive
program selected.
Kickdown
i Kickdown is not available in manual drive
program M.
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
Depending on the selected drive program,
the transmission shifts to the lowest gear
allowing ideal acceleration.
Working on the vehicle
GWARNING
When working on the vehicle, engage the
electric parking brake and shift the automatic
transmission into park position P. Otherwise,
the vehicle could roll away and cause an
accident and/or serious injuries.
Drive program selector
With the drive program selector switch, you
can choose from a range of different
transmission configurations or select the
RACE START drive mode.
122AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmissionDriving and parking