2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-CLASS ROADSTER Owners Manual

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe coolant
temperature display is
showing more than
248 ‡
(120 †). The
coolant warning lamp
may also be lit and a
warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 498). 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.
X
At coolant temperatures under 248 ‡(120 †), drive to the next
qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-and-go traffic. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
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
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal. G
WARNING
Keep in mind that turning off the engine alone
only will

shift the automatic transmission into
neutral position N automatically.
Always shift the automatic transmission into
park position P before turning off the engine.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury. Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions !
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.
The transmission could be damaged. Selector lever
j
Park position
k Reverse gear Automatic transmission
143
Driving and parking Z

i
Neutral
h Drive
When you select a transmission position, the
selector lever subsequently returns to its
original position.
The current transmission position P, R, N or
D appears in the transmission position
display in the multifunction display.
Engaging park position P X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Press the P button in the center console.
i If you depress the brake pedal and push
the selector lever forwards or back to the
first point of resistance, park position P is
disengaged. The transmission shifts to
neutral N.
Park position P
is engaged automatically and
the electric parking brake applied:
R if you remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock
R if you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open the driver's or front-
passenger door
R if you open the driver's door while traveling
at low speed in transmission position D or
R
R when HOLD ( Y page 175) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Y page 164) brakes your vehicle
until it is stationary and at least one of the
following conditions is fulfilled:
- the engine is switched off.
- the driver's door is open and the seat belt
is not fastened.
- there is a system malfunction.
- the power supply is insufficient.
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R when the vehicle is stationary. X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the selector lever forwards past the
first point of resistance.
i When reverse gear is engaged and the
ECO start/stop

function is switched on, the
engine starts up automatically
(Y page 138).
Shifting to neutral N X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the selector lever forwards or back to
the first point of resistance.
i If the

vehicle is braked to a standstill when
in neutral N and the brake pedal continues
to be depressed, the ECO start/stop
function switches the engine off
automatically ( Y page 138).
Remaining in neutral N G
WARNING
When leaving the SmartKey in the starter
switch, do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle.

It is possible for children to switch
on the ignition which could result in
unsupervised use of vehicle equipment.
Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment could
result in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
Using the SmartKey:
R make sure that the ignition is switched on.
R when the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
R shift to neutral N.
R release the brake pedal.
R if the electric parking brake is applied,
release it.
R switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.144
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Using KEYLESS-GO:
R
make sure
that the ignition is switched on.
R when the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
R engage park position P.
R release the brake pedal.
R remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
R insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
R switch on the ignition.
R depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
R shift to neutral N.
R release the brake pedal.
R if the electric parking brake is applied,
release it.
R switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Shifting to transmission position D X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the selector lever back past the first
point of resistance.
i If the
vehicle is braked to a standstill when
in transmission position D(Y page 138) and
the brake pedal continues to be depressed,
the ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically. Transmission position and drive
program display
Display in transmission positions P, R
and N :
Transmission position: currently selected
transmission position will be highlighted
; Drive program (E/S/M)
In addition to drive program ; being shown
in the multifunction display, the currently
selected drive program is indicated in red on
the program selector button.
Display when in transmission position
D :
Transmission position
; Gear
= Drive program (E/S)
If you have restricted the shift range, the
selected shift range and gear, e.g. D4, are
shown at position :. Automatic transmission
145
Driving and parking Z

Display when in transmission position
D and drive program M
:
Gear
; Drive program (M) Transmission positions
B
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Y page 143) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock
should
not be used as a brake
when parking. Always apply the
parking brake in addition to the
parking lock in order to secure the
vehicle.
If the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock, the transmission
is locked.
The automatic transmission shifts
into P automatically:
R when the SmartKey is removed
from the ignition lock
R when the engine is switched off
with the transmission in position
R or D and one of the doors is
opened
If the vehicle electronics are
malfunctioning, the transmission
may be locked in position P.
Have the vehicle electronics
checked immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. C
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. A
Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be
damaged.
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 or tow it.
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.
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train. 7
Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the
individual gears automatically when it is in
transmission position D. This automatic
gearshifting behavior is determined by:
R a shift range restriction, if selected
R the selected drive program E, S or
M (Y page 147)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the
automatic transmission shifts gear:
R
little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts146
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Double-clutch function
When shifting down, the double-clutch
function is active regardless of the currently
selected drive program. The double-clutch
function reduces load change reactions and
is conducive to a sporty driving style. The
sound generated by the double-clutch
function depends on the drive program
selected.
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X
Vehicles for USA except AMG vehicles:
fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Vehicles for Canada except AMG
vehicles: depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
Working on the vehicle G
WARNING
When working on the vehicle, engage the
parking brake and shift the automatic
transmission into park position P. Otherwise
the vehicle
could roll away which could result
in an accident and/or serious personal injury. Program selector button
Selecting drive program Program selector button
Program selector button
: allows you to
choose between different driving
characteristics.
X Press program selector button :
repeatedly until the letter for the desired
gearshift program appears in the
multifunction display in the speedometer.
R
E Economy: comfortable, economical
driving
R S Sport: sporty driving style
R M Manual: manual gearshifting
i The automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive program E each time the
engine is started.
i For further

information on the "Automatic
drive program", see ( Y page 149).
Drive program for AMG vehicles Automatic transmission
147
Driving and parking Z

With the drive program selector switch, you
can choose from a range of different
transmission configurations or select the
RACE START drive mode.
X
Turn drive program selector : until the
desired drive program appears in the
multifunction display.
R
C Controlled Efficiency: comfortable
engine and transmission design that
provides for optimum fuel consumption
R S Sport: sporty engine and transmission
settings
R S+ SportPlus: extremely sporty engine
and transmission settings
R M Manual: manual gearshifting
R RS driving
mode RACE START: optimum
acceleration dynamics from a standstill
(SL 63 AMG only)
X Turn drive program selector switch : until
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 C

each time the
engine is started.
i RS cannot be selected during normal
driving. For further information on RACE
START, see ( Y page 177).
AMG button (SETUP) You can save and call up the following
presettings with the AMG button:
R
Drive program (Y page 147)
R Suspension tuning X
To store: press and hold AMG button :
until you hear a tone.
X To call up: press AMG button :.
The stored drive program is selected.
X To display: briefly press AMG button :.
The multifunction

display shows the SETUP
in the AMG menu (Y page 220). Steering wheel paddle shifters
In the automatic drive program, you can
restrict or derestrict the shift range by using
the steering wheel paddle shifters
(Y page 149).
In
the

manual drive program, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
paddle shifters ( Y page 150).
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. 148
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Automatic drive program
Drive program E is 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
R increased sensitivity.

This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin
Drive program S is characterized by the
following:
R sporty engine and transmission settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic
transmission shift points Shift ranges
Introduction When the automatic transmission is in
position

D, it is possible to restrict or
derestrict the shift range.
The set shift range appears in the
multifunction display. The automatic
transmission shifts

only as far as the selected
gear. Driving situations =
You can use the engine's braking
effect.
5
The
braking effect of the engine can
be utilized on downhill gradients or
when driving:
R on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 4
The braking effect of the engine can
be utilized on extremely steep
downhill gradients and long
downhill stretches. Restricting the shift range
X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter :.
The automatic transmission shifts down
one gear

and restricts the shift range to the
relevant gear.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the
automatic transmission protects against
engine damage by not shifting down.
i If the

maximum engine speed for the shift
range is reached and you continue to
accelerate, the automatic transmission
shifts up, even if the shift range is
restricted. This is to prevent the engine
from overrevving. Automatic transmission
149
Driving and parking Z

Derestricting the shift range
X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter ;.
The shift range is derestricted.
Clearing the shift range restriction X
Pull and hold right-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter ; until D is shown again in
the multifunction display.
or
X Use the selector lever to shift the
transmission to transmission position D.
The automatic
transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.
Selecting the ideal shift range X
Pull and hold left-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter : until the function is
activated.
Depending on the selected drive program,
the automatic

transmission shifts to a gear
which allows ideal acceleration and
deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission shifts down one or more
gears. Manual drive program
Switching on
the manual drive programManual drive program
M is different from
drive program S with regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
You can select manual drive program M with
the program selector button or the drive
program selector

(AMG vehicles ). In manual
drive program M, you can change gear using
the steering wheel paddle shifters if the
transmission is in position D. The selected
gear appears in the multifunction display.
X Press the program selector button until M
(Y page 147) appears in the multifunction
display. X
AMG vehicles: turn the drive program
selector until M

(Y page 147) appears in the
multifunction display.
Upshifting X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 148).
The automatic

transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Before the engine speed reaches the red
area, an upshift indicator will be shown in
the multifunction display. :
Upshift indicator
; Gear indicator
X Shift up a gear if upshift symbol : appears
in the multifunction display.
AMG vehicles !
In manual

drive program M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up
automatically even when the engine
limiting speed for the current gear is
reached. When the engine limiting speed is
reached, the fuel supply is cut to prevent
the engine from overrevving. Always make
sure that the engine speed does not reach
the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.
X If the display color of the multifunction
display changes to red and upshift
symbol : appears, shift up a gear.150
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking