2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class lights

The rear window defroster has a high current
draw. You should therefore switch it off as
soon as the rear window is clear. Otherwise,
the rear window defroster switches off
automatically after several minutes.
If the battery voltage is too low, the rear
window defroster may switch off.
X
Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
X Press the 0010button.
The indicator lamp in the 0010button lights
up or goes out.
Problems with the rear window
defroster The rear window defroster has deactivated
prematurely or cannot be activated.
X
Switch off any consumers that are not
required, e.g. reading lamps or interior
lighting.
When the battery is sufficiently charged,
the rear window defroster is activated
again automatically. Activating/deactivating air-
recirculation mode
G
WARNING
At low outside temperatures, only switch over
to air-recirculation mode for brief periods.
Otherwise, the windows could fog up, thus
impairing visibility and endangering yourself
and others. This may prevent you from observing the traffic conditions and thereby
cause an accident.
X
Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
X To activate: press the0015button.
The indicator lamp in the 0015button lights
up.
i Air-recirculation mode is automatically
activated at high levels of pollution or at
high outside temperatures. When air-
recirculation mode is activated
automatically, the indicator lamp in the
0015 button is not lit.
Outside air is added after about
30 minutes.
X To deactivate: press the0015button.
The indicator lamp in the 0015button goes
out.
i Air-recirculation mode deactivates
automatically:
R after approximately five minutes at
outside temperatures below
approximately 41 ‡ (5 †)
R after approximately five minutes if
cooling with air dehumidification is
deactivated
R after approximately 30 minutes at
outside temperatures above
approximately 41 ‡(5† ) and when the
"Cooling with air dehumidification"
function is active 148
Operating the climate control systemsClimate control

Activating/deactivating the residual
heat function
The residual heat function is only available on
vehicles for Canada. It is possible to make use of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heating the
stationary vehicle for up to 30 minutes after
the engine has been switched off .The heating
time depends on the temperature that has
been set.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the
ignition lock or remove it.
X To activate: press the0003button.
The indicator lamp in the 0003button lights
up.
i The blower will run at a low speed
regardless of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed.
X To deactivate: press the0003button.
The indicator lamp in the 0003button goes
out.
Residual heat is deactivated automatically:
R after approximately 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops
R when the auxiliary heating is activated Setting the air vents
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Very hot or very cold air can flow from the air
vents.T his could cause burns or frostbite to
bare skin in the immediate vicinity of the
vents.K eep bare skin away from these air
vents. If necessary, direct the airflow away to
a different area of the vehicle interior.
In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air vents into the vehicle interior,
please observe the following notes:
R keep the air inlet grille on the hood and in
the engine compartment on the front-
passenger side free of blockages, such as
ice, snow or leaves.
R never cover the air vents or air intake grilles
in the vehicle interior.
i You can move the adjuster sfor the air
vents vertically or horizontally to set the
direction of the airflow.
i For optimal climate control in the vehicle,
open the air vents completely and set the
adjusters to the central position. Setting the center air vents Setting the air vents
149Climate control Z

is only the case if you are not depressing the
brake pedal.
If you depress the brake pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts
immediately.
The Start/Stop button can be removed from
the ignition lock
.Then, you can insert the
SmartKey into the ignition lock.
i You do not have to remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock when you
leave the vehicle. You should, however,
always take the SmartKey with you when
leaving the vehicle. As long as the
SmartKey is in the vehicle:
R the vehicle can be started using the
Start/Stop button and
R electrically powered equipment can be
operated.
i The engine can be turned off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for approximately
three seconds. This function operates
independently from the ECO start/stop
automatic engine switch-off function.
Key positions with KEYLESS-GO 0002
Start/Stop button
0003 Ignition lock
X Insert Start/Stop button 0002into ignition
lock 0003.
i When you insert Start/Stop button 0002
into ignition lock 0003, the system needs
approximately two seconds recognition time. You can then use Start/Stop
button 0002. Start/Stop button
0027
USA only
0026 Canada only
Activating power supply
X If Start/Stop button 0002has not yet been
pressed, this corresponds to the SmartKey
being removed from the ignition.
X Press Start/Stop button 0002once.
The power supply is switched on. You can
now activate the windshield wipers, for
example.
i The power supply is switched off if you
press Start/Stop button 0002twice when in
this position and the driver's door is open.
Switching on the ignition
X Press Start/Stop button 0002twice.
The ignition is switched on.
i The power supply is switched off if you
press Start/Stop button 0002twice when in
this position and the driver's door is open.
As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrumentc luster light
up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving,
there may be a technical problem
(Y page 271). 156
DrivingDriving and parking

automatic engine switch-off is again
possible.
i AMG vehicles: times which the engine
can be automatically switched off.
i The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off
automatically. It is then not necessary to
continue applying the brakes during the
automatic stop phase .When you depress
the accelerator pedal, the engine starts
automatically and the braking effect of the
HOLD function is deactivated.
Automatic engine start The engine starts automatically if:
R
you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button.
R in transmission position Dor Nthe brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is
not active.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
R you engage reverse gear R.
R you move the transmission out of position
P.
R you switch to drive program S, S+orM
(AMG vehicles).
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the
driver's door.
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires this.
R the temperature in the vehicle interior
deviates from the set range.
R the system detects moisture on the
windshield when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the charge level of the battery is too low.
i Shifting the transmission to position P
does not start the engine.
i If you shift the transmission from Rto D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the 000Fsymbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display. Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function
ECO button
Deactivating (except for AMG vehicles)
X
Press button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003on button 0002and the
000F symbol in the multifunction display go
out.
Activating (except for AMG vehicles)
X Press button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003on button 0002lights up. If
all conditions for automatic engine switch-
off (Y page 159) are fulfilled, the 000F
symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off are fulfilled, the
(Y page 159)000F symbol is shown in
yellow in the multifunction display. If this is
the case, the ECO start/stop function is not
available.
i If indicator lamp 0003on button 0002is off,
the ECO start/stop function has been
deactivated manually or as the result of a
malfunction. The engine will then not be
switched off automatically when the
vehicle stops. 160
DrivingDriving and parking

ECO button in AMG vehicles
Deactivating (AMG vehicles)
X
Press button 0002in drive program C.
or
X Switch to drive program S,S+ orM
(Y page 167).
Indicato rlamp 0003on button 0002and the
000F symbol in the multifunction display go
out.
The Stop/Start active or
Stop/Start inactive message in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display goes out.
Activating (AMG vehicles)
X Press button 0002.
Indicato rlamp 0003on button 0002lights up.
If drive program S, S+orMis active, the
automatic transmission switches to drive
program C.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 159) are fulfilled, the
000F symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display. In addition, the
Stop/Start active message is shown in
the AMG menu in the multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 159) are fulfilled, the
000F symbol is shown in yellow in the
multifunction display. If this is the case, the
ECO start/stop function is no tavailable. In
addition, the Stop/Start inactive message is show
ninthe AMG menu in the
multifunction display. i
If indicator lamp 0003on button 0002is off,
the ECO start/stop function has been
deactivated manually or as the result of a
malfunction. The engine will then not be
switched off automatically when the
vehicle stops. Driving
161Driving and parking Z

X
Turn drive program selector switch 0002until
the desired drive program is shown in the
multifunction display.
The drive program indicator on the drive
program selector lights up red.
i The automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive program Ceach time the
engine is started.
i RScannot be selected during normal
driving. For further information on RACE
START, see (Y page 196).
AMG button (SETUP) You can save and call up the following
presettings with the AMG button:
R
Drive program (Y page 167)
R Suspension tuning X
To store: press and hold AMG button 0002
until you hear a tone.
X To call up: press AMG button 0002.
The stored drive program is selected.
X To display: briefly press AMG button 0002.
The multifunction display shows the SETUP
in the AMG menu (Y page 237). Steering wheel paddle shifters
0002
Left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
0003 Right-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
In the automatic drive program, you can
restrict or derestrict the shift range by using
the steering wheel paddle shifters
(Y page 169).
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
paddle shifters (Y page 170).
i The full range of functions for the steering
wheel paddle shifters is available only once
operating temperature has been reached.
i You can only change gear with the
steering wheel paddle shifters when the
transmission is in position D. Automatic drive program
Drive program Eis characterized by the
following:
R comfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully 168
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

X
To engage: push handle 0002.
Whe nthe electric parking brake is
engaged, the 0005(USA only) or 000B
(Canada only) red indicator lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
i The electric parking brake can also be
applied when the SmartKey is removed.
X To release: switch on the ignition.
X Pull handle 0002.
The red 0005(USA only) or 000B(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
i The electric parking brake can only be
released:
R if the SmartKey is in position 1in the
ignition lock or
R if the ignition was switched on using the
Start/Stop button.
Applying automatically The electric parking brake is applied
automatically:
R if DISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
R if the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle
stationary
In addition, at least one of the following
conditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off, unless it is
automatically switched off by the ECO
start/stop function.
R the driver's seat belt is not inserted in the
belt buckle and the driver's door is open.
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red 0005(USA only) or 000B(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrumentc luster
lights up. Releasing automatically The electric parking brake is released
automatically when all of the following
conditions are fulfilled:
R
the engine is running.
R the transmission is in position Dor R.
R the driver's seat belt is fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
If the transmission is in position R, the trunk
lid must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you have shifted out of Por you have
previously drive nfaster than 2mph
(3 km/h).
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
X
While driving, push handle 0002of the electric
parking brake.
i The vehicle is braked for as long as the
handle of the electric parking brake is
pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle is depressed, the greater the
braking force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds.
R the Release Parking Brake message
appears.
R the red 0005(USA only) or 000B(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes.
When the vehicle has been braked to a
standstill, the electric parking brake is
engaged. Parking
177Driving and parking Z

brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.
R Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
High performance and ceramic brake
system for AMG vehicles The AMG brake systems are designed for
heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This will depend on:
R
speed
R braking force
R ambient conditions, e.g. 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 operatin gconditions.
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 more
information on this from a qualified specialist
workshop.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after
several hundred kilometers of driving.
Compensate for this by applying greater force
to the brake pedal. Keep this in mind, and
adapt your driving and braking accordingly
during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in
correspondingly high brake wear. Observe
the brake system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and note any brake status
messages in the multifunction display .For
high-performance driving in particular, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly. Servicing the brakes !
If the brake warning lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster and you hear a warning
tone even though the parking brake has
been released, 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.
! As the ESP ®
system operates
automatically, the engine and the ignition
system must be switched off (SmartKey in
position 0or 1in the ignition lock or Start/
Stop button in position 0or 1) when:
R testing the parking brake on a brake
dynamometer.
R you intend to have the vehicle towed with
the front axle raised.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake
system.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. Have this work
carried out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Have the brake pads replaced and the brake
fluid renewed at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
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.
A description of Brake Assist (BAS):
(Y page 74)
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
have brake pads/linings installed on your
vehicle which have been approved for 180
Driving tipsDriving and parking