2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class park assist

because of its narrow width. The distance to
the vehicle in fron
twill be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for
obstacles or stationary vehicles. If, for
example, the detected vehicle turns a corner
and reveals an obstacle or stationary vehicle,
DISTRONIC PLUS will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS may mistakenly detect
vehicles that are crossing your lane.
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights
with crossing traffic, for example, could cause
your vehicle to pull away unintentionally. HOLD function
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away
despite being braked by the HOL Dfunctio nif:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R the HOLD function has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator peda lorthe brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
R the electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 196).
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R
when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when maneuvering on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away. Driving systems
195Driving and parking Z

Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle
or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel
arches when the vehicle is being lowered.
In order to reduce fuel consumption and
improve the driving dynamics, the vehicle is
lowered as its speed increases. With the
SPORT suspension tuning, it is lowered by up
to 0.5 in (13mm), with COMFORT by up to
0.2 in (5mm). As the speed is reduced, the
vehicle is raised up to the set vehicle height.
Select the "Normal" setting for normal road
surfaces and "Raised" for driving with snow
chains or on particularly poor road surfaces.
Setting raised level X
Make sure that the engine is running or that
it has been switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
X Make sure that a speed of 75 mph
(120 km/h) is not exceeded.
X If icon 0003 is not shown:
press0004
or 0008 on the steering wheel to select the
DriveAssist menu.
X Press the 0006or0007 button to select
Vehicle Level .
X Press the 000Fbutton.
The following message appears: VehicleLevel Press 'OK' to Raise .
X Press the 000Fbutton.
If the engine has been switched off by the
ECO start/stop function, it is now
restarted.
Icon 0003appears. The vehicle height is
adjusted to raised level. Setting the normal level
X
Make sure that the engine is running or that
it has been switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
X If icon 0003 is shown:
press0004or0008
on the steering wheel to select the
DriveAssist menu.
X Press the 0006or0007 button to select
Vehicle Level .
X Press the 000Fbutton.
The following message appears: Vehicle Level Press 'OK' to Lower .
X Press the 000Fbutton.
Icon 0003is faded out. The vehicle is adjusted
to normal level.
The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
R are driving faster than approximately
75 mph (120 km/h).
R drive for approximately three minutes at a
speed over 50 mph (80km/h).
Suspension tuning General notes
The electronically controlled ABC suspension
system features improved driving dynamics
and ride comfort.
The ABC suspension system is tuned
individually to each wheel and depends on:
R the road surface condition,e .g. bumps
R the vehicle load
R your individual selection of the sporty or
comfort button Driving systems
201Driving and parking Z

R
Front area: following the sixth segment,
you will hear an intermitten twarning tone.
From the seventh segment, you will hear a
continuous warning tone for approximately
two seconds. This indicates that you have
now reached the minimum distance.
R Rear area: from the first segmen tonwards,
you will hea ranintermittent warning tone.
The interval gets shorter after each
segment. At the seventh segment, you will
hea racontinuous 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 0002is on then PARKTRONIC
is deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then
also deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2
in the ignition lock. Driving systems
205Driving and parking Z

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0003 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 five
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 five
seconds. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X
Cleant he PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 521).
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. Active Parking Assist
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is merely an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. When
maneuvering, parking or pulling out of a
parking space, make sure that there are no
persons, animals or objectsint
he area in
which you are maneuvering. G
WARNING
The vehicle swings out when parking and in
doing so could cross into the opposite lane.
This could result in a collision with another
road user. There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users when
parking. Stop the vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Parking Assist parking
procedure.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at
a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Active Parking Assist may possibly indicate
parking spaces which are not suitable for
parking, for example:
R where parking or stopping is prohibited
R in front of driveways or entrances and exits
R on unsuitable surfaces
Parking tips:
R On narrow roads, drive as close to the
parking space as possible.
R Parking spaces that are littered, overgrown
or partially occupied by trailer drawbars
might be identified incorrectly or not at all. 206
Driving systemsDriving and parking

R
Snowfall or heavy rai nmay lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R Pay attentio nto the PARKTRONIC
(Y page 204) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
R You can intervene in the steering procedure
to correct it at any time. Active Parking
Assist will then be canceled.
R When transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use
Active Parking Assist.
R Never use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are installed.
R Make sure that the tire pressures are
always correct. This has adirec tinfluence
on the parking characteristics of the
vehicle.
General notes Active Parking Assist 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. Active steering intervention
can assis tyou during parking.
You may also use PARKTRONIC
(Y page 203). When PARKTRONIC is switched
off, Active Parking Assist is also unavailable.
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are on straight roads, not bends
R that are on the same level as the road, e.g.
not on the pavement
Parking Important safety notes
Objects located above the height range of
Active Parking Assist will not be detected
when the parking space is measured. These
are not taken into account when the parking
procedure is calculated, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles. In some circumstances, Active Parking Assist may therefore guide you into
the parking space too early. G
WARNING
If there are objects above the detection range,
Active Parking Assist may turn prematurely.
You may cause a collision as a result. There is
a risk of an accident.
If there are objects above the detection range,
stop and deactivate Active Parking Assist. G
WARNING
Active Parking Assist merely aids you by
intervening actively in the steering. If you do
not brake there is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself when
maneuvering and parking.
Detecting parking spaces Example: detected parking space
Active Parking Assist is switched on
automatically when driving forwards. The
system is operational at speeds of up to
approximately 22 mph (35 km/h)
.While in
operation, the system independently locates
and measures parking spaces on both sides
of the vehicle. When driving at speeds below
19 mph (30 km/h), you will see parking
symbol 0003as a status indicator in the
instrumentc luster. When a parking space has
been detected, an arrow towards the right
0027 or the left 0002also appears.
By default, Active Parking Assist only displays
parking spaces on the front-passenger side.
Parking spaces on the driver's side are
displayed as soon as the tur nsignal on the
driver's side is activated. If you wish to park
in a space on the driver's side, the indicator
on the driver's side must remain on. The turn
signal must remain switched on until you Driving systems
207Driving and parking Z

acknowledge the use of Active Parking Assist
by pressing the 000Fbutton on the
multifunction steering wheel.
Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
R that are at least 40 in (1.0 m) longer than
your vehicle
Ap arking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are
approximately 50 ft (15 m) away from it.
Backing up into the parking space
X Stop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.
X Shift the transmission to position R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No: 001Fmessage appears in the multifunction
display.
X To cancel the procedure: press the
001F button on the multifunction steering
wheel or pull away.
or
X To park using Active Parking Assist:
press the 000Fbuttonont he multifunction
steering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X Let go of the multifunction steering wheel.
X Back up the vehicle, being ready to brake
at all times. Do not exceed a maximum
speed of approximately 6mph (10 km/h)
when backing up. Otherwise Active Parking
Assist will be canceled.
i When parking in tight spaces, you will
achieve the best results by backing up as far as possible. When doing so, also
observe the PARKTRONIC messages.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
Additional maneuvering may be required in
tight parking spaces.
The Park Assist Active Select D Observe Surroundings message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Shift the transmission to position Dwhile
the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
i You will achieve the best results by
waiting for the steering procedure to
complete before pulling away.
X Drive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
The Park Assist Active Select R Observe Surroundings message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Drive forwards and back up according to
the information shown in the multifunction
display.
As soon as the parking procedure is
complete, the Park Assist Finished message appears in the multifunction
display. PARKTRONIC continues to be
available.
X
Maneuver if necessary.
X Always observe the warning messages
displayed by PARKTRONIC (Y page 204).208
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Parking tips:
R
On narrow roads, drive as close to the
parking space as possible.
R Parking spaces that are littered, overgrown
or partially occupied by trailer drawbars
might be identified incorrectly or not at all.
R Snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R The way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the
position and shape of the vehicles parked
in fronta nd behind it and the conditions of
the location. In some cases, Active Parking
Assist may guide you too fa rinto a parking
space, or not far enough into it. In some
cases, it may also lead yo uacross or onto
the curb .Ifnecessary, you should cancel
the parking procedure with Active Parking
Assist.
R You can also engage forward gear
prematurely. The vehicle redirects and
does not drive as far into the parking space.
Should a gear be changed too early, the
parking procedure will be canceled. A
sensible parking position can no longer be
achieved from this position.
Exiting aparking space Active Parking Assist can only assist you with
exiting a parking space if you have parked the
vehicle using Active Parking Assist.
X Start the engine.
X Switch on the turn signal on the side facing
the street.
X Shift the transmissio ntoposition Dor R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No: 001Fmessage appears in the multifunction
display.
X To cancel the procedure: press the
001F button on the multifunction steering
wheel or pull away.
or X
To exit aparking space using Active
Parking Assist: press the000Fbutton on
the multifunctio nsteering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X Let go of the multifunctio nsteering wheel.
X Reverse the vehicle or drive forwards, being
ready to brake at all times. Do not exceed
a maximum speed of approximately
6 mph (10 km/h) when exiting a parking
space .Otherwise Active Parking Assist will
be canceled.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor Ras
required while the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction.
i You will achieve the best results by
waiting for the steering procedure to
complete before pulling away.
If you back up after activation, the steering
wheel is moved to the straight-ahead
position.
X Drive forwards or back up the vehicle, being
ready to brake at all times.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
X Drive forwards and back up as instructed
by the PARKTRONIC warning displays.
Once you have exited the parking space
completely, the steering whee lis moved to
the straight-ahead position. You hear a tone
and the message Park Assist Finished appears in the multifunction display. You will
then have to steer and merge into traffic on
your own. PARKTRONIC is still available.
Canceling Active Parking Assist
You can cancel Active Parking Assist at any
time. Driving systems
209Driving and parking Z

X
Stop the movement of the multifunction
steering wheel or stee ryourself.
Active Parking Assist will be canceled at
once. The Park Assist canceled message appears in the multifunction
display.
or
X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the
center console (Y page 205).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately canceled.
The Park Assist canceled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled
automatically if:
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible.
R you are driving faster than 6mph
(10 km/h).
R a wheel spins, ESP ®
intervenes or fails. The
000B ESP warning lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
Aw arning tone sounds. The parking space
symbol disappears and the multifunction
display shows the Park Assist canceledmessage.
When Active Parking Assist is canceled, you
must steer again yourself.
Rear view camera
Important safety notes The rear view camera is only an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering and
parking
.When maneuvering or parking, make
sure that there are no persons, animals or
objects in the area in which you are
maneuvering. Under the following circumstances, the rear
view camera will not function, or will function
in a limited manner:
R the tailgate is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent light or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In
this event, have the camera position and
setting checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
General notes Rear view camera
0002is in the trunk lid handle.
Rear view camera 0002is an optical parking and
maneuvering aid. It shows the area behind
your vehicle with guide lines in the COMAND
display.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
i The text of messages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of rear
view camera messages in the COMAND
display. 210
Driving systemsDriving and parking