2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-CLASS ROADSTER warning light

PRE-SAFE
®
(preventative occupant
protection) G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as you adjust the seat. G
WARNING
The PRE-SAFE
®
system
reduces the impact of
an accident on vehicle occupants, as long as
their seat belts have been fastened correctly.
Although your vehicle is equipped with a PRE-
SAFE ®
system, the possibility of injury in the
event of an accident cannot be ruled out. You
should therefore always drive carefully and
adapt your driving style to the prevailing road,
weather and traffic conditions.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when resetting
the seats. There is a risk that the seats
and/or the objects could be damaged.
PRE-SAFE ®
takes preemptive measures to
protect occupants in certain hazardous
situations.
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes:
R if BAS intervenes, e.g. in emergency
braking situations
R when BAS PLUS intervenes powerfully on
vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS.
R when the radar sensor system detects an
imminent danger of collision in certain
situations on vehicles with DISTRONIC
PLUS.
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when
physical limits are exceeded and the
vehicle understeers or oversteers severely
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation
detected:
R the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R the front-passenger seat is adjusted if it is
in an unfavorable position.
R vehicles with a multicontour seat or active
multicontour seat: the air pressure in the side bolsters of the seat cushion and
backrest is increased.
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows are
closed almost completely.
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in

an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pretensioning. All settings made by
PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belts are not released:
X Move the backrest or seat back slightly, but
only when the vehicle is stationary.
The belt pretensioning is reduced and the
locking mechanism is released.
More information about seat belt adjustment,
a convenience function integrated into PRE-
SAFE (

Y page 52). NECK-PRO head restraints
Introduction G
WARNING
Do
not secure any objects (e.g. coat hangers)
on the

NECK-PRO head restraints. Otherwise,
the NECK-PRO head restraints may not
function properly, or in the event of a rear-end
collision may not be able offer the level of
protection they are designed to provide. G
WARNING
Seat or head restraint covers can cause a
malfunction when the NECK-PRO head
restraints are activated or when the side
impact air bags are deployed, or they can
prevent this

completely. The NECK-PRO head
restraints or side impact air bags can
therefore not provide the intended protection.
Do not use any seat or head restraint covers. G
WARNING
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the

head restraint so that it is as close
to the head as possible and the center of the
head restraint supports the back of the head 48
Occupant safety
Safety

X
Engage belt tongue ; in buckle =.
Seat-belt adjustment: if necessary, the
driver's and front-passenger seat belts
automatically adjust to the upper body
(Y page 52).
X If necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the seat belt to tighten the belt
across your body.
The seat belt on the front-passenger side is
equipped with
al special seat belt retractor to
secure a child restraint system properly to the
front-passenger seat. Further information on
the "special seat belt retractor"
(Y page 56).
For more information about releasing the seat
belt with release button ?, see "Releasing
seat belts" ( Y page 52).
Seat belt adjustment The seat-belt adjustment function adjusts the
driver's and front-passenger seat belt to the
upper body of the occupants.
The belt strap is tightened slightly when:
R
you engage the belt tongue in the belt
buckle and you then turn the SmartKey to
position 2 in the ignition lock.
R the SmartKey

is in position 2 in the ignition
lock and you then engage the belt tongue
in the buckle.
The seat-belt adjustment will apply a
retraction force if any slack is detected
between the occupant and the seat belt. Do
not hold on to the seat belt tightly while it is
adjusting. You can switch the seat-belt
adjustment on and off in the on-board
computer (Y page 219).
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function.
Further information on PRE-SAFE ®
(Pre-
Crash Safety System) ( Y page 48).
Releasing seat belts !
Make sure

that the seat belt is fully rolled
up. Otherwise, the seat belt or belt tongue will be trapped in the door or in the seat
mechanism. This could damage the door,
the door trim panel and the seat belt.
Damaged seat belts can no longer fulfill
their protective function and must be
replaced. Visit a qualified specialist
workshop.
X
Press release button ? on
belt buckle =.
X Guide belt tongue ; back to seat belt
guide :.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger Regardless of whether the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts have already been
fastened, the ü seat belt warning lamp
lights
up

for six seconds each time the engine
is started. It then goes out if the driver and
the front passenger have fastened their seat
belts.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened when
the engine is started, an additional warning
tone will sound. The warning tone goes out
after approximately six seconds or once the
driver's seat belt is fastened. 52
Occupant safety
Safety

If after six seconds the driver or front
passenger have not fastened their seat belts
and the doors are closed, the
ü seat belt
warning lamp lights up:
R until the driver's or front passenger's seat
belt is fastened
R if a vehicle speed of 15 mph (25 km/h
) is
exceeded, a warning tone also sounds with
increasing intensity for a maximum of
60 seconds or until the driver or front
passenger have fastened their seat belts.
If the driver/front passenger unfasten their
seat belt while the vehicle is in motion, the
ü seat belt warning lamp lights up and a
warning tone sounds again.
The warning tone ceases even if the driver or
front passenger have still not fastened their
seat belt after 60 seconds. The ü seat belt
warning lamp stops flashing but remains
illuminated.
After the vehicle comes to a standstill, the
warning tone is reactivated and the ü seat
belt warning lamp flashes again if the vehicle
speed again exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
The ü seat belt warning lamp only goes
out if:
R both the driver and the front passenger
have fastened their seat belts.
or
R the vehicle is stationary and a door is open.
i For more information on the ü seat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
seat belt" ( Y page 256).
Emergency Tensioning Devices, belt
force limiters G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic ETDs that were activated must be
replaced.
For your safety, when disposing of the
pyrotechnic ETDs always follow our safety
instructions. These are available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. !
If the front-passenger seat is not
occupied, do not engage the seat belt
tongue in the buckle on the front-
passenger seat.
Otherwise, the Emergency
Tensioning Device could be triggered in the
event of an accident.
The seat belts are equipped with Emergency
Tensioning Devices and belt force limiters.
The ETDs tighten the seat belts in an accident,
pulling them close against the body.
The ETDs do not correct incorrect seat
positions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull vehicle occupants back
towards the backrest.
When triggered, seat belt force limiters help
to reduce the peak force exerted by the seat
belt on the vehicle occupant.
The seat belt force limiters are synchronized
with the front air bags, which take on a part
of the deceleration force. Thus, the force
exerted on the occupant is distributed over a
greater area.
The ETDs can only be activated when:
R the ignition is switched on.
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" ( Y page 37).
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the three-point seat belts.
The ETDs are triggered depending on the type
and severity of an accident:
R if, in the event of a head-on or rear-end
collision, the vehicle decelerates or
accelerates rapidly in a longitudinal
direction during the initial stages of the
impact
R if, in the event of a side impact, on the side
opposite the impact the vehicle
decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a
lateral direction
R if, in certain situations where the vehicle
overturns, the system determines that it
can provide additional protection
If the ETDs are deployed, you will hear a bang,
and a small amount of powder may also be Occupant safety
53
Safety Z

released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The
6 SRS warning lamp
lights up. Child restraint systems
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and
properly secured in an appropriate
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
The infant or child restraint system must be
correctly secured using the vehicle's seat belt
in complete accordance with the child seat
manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, in particular children, must sit as
upright as possible, fasten the seat belt
correctly and use a suitable infant restraint
system, child restraint system or booster seat
suitable for the size and weight of the child.
Children can be seriously or even fatally
injured by an air bag deploying. Observe the
following information:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the
front-passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the passenger seat.
R A child in a rearward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat could
be seriously injured or even killed if the
front-passenger air bag inflates in a
collision despite the air bag technology
installed in your vehicle, which could occur
under some circumstances.
R If you install a rearward-facing child
restraint on the front-passenger seat, make
sure that the 4 PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front-passenger front air
bag is deactivated. Should the
4
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
not illuminate or go out while a rearward-
facing child restraint system is installed,
please check installation. Periodically
check the 4 PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp

while driving to make sure it
is illuminated. If the 4 PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport a child on the
front-passenger seat.
R A child in a rearward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat can be
seriously injured or even killed if the front-
passenger air bag is deployed.
R When securing a child in a child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat, you
must:
-move the front-passenger seat as far
back as possible
- use a child restraint system that is
suitable for the age, size and weight of
the child
- observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions in order to install and secure
the child restraint system correctly.
R For children larger than the typical 12-
month-old child, the front-passenger front
air bag may or may not be activated. G
WARNING
Infants and small children should never share
a seat

belt with another occupant. In the event
of an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt.
A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Children that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal seat belts.
Position the shoulder belt across the chest
and shoulder, not face or neck. A booster seat
may be necessary to achieve proper seat belt 54
Child restraint systems
Safety

positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until
they reach

a height where a lap-shoulder belt
fits properly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove
it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat
belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an
accident. G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to

a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could:
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts. G
WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment unless they are
firmly secured in place. Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child's risk of injury in the event
of:
R
strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
If an

infant or child is traveling in the vehicle:
X Secure the child with a child or infant seat
restraint system

appropriate to the age and
weight of the child.
X Make sure that the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you always
properly secure all infants and children with
a child or infant seat restraint system for the
trip.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in:
R all 50 states
R U.S. territories
R the District of Columbia
R all Canadian provinces
Infants and

children must always be seated in
an appropriate infant or child restraint system
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. The infant or child restraint system
must be properly secured with a three-point
seat belt in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.
All infant or child restraint systems must meet
the following standards:
R U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 225
R Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2
An information label on the child restraint
system indicates whether it meets these
standards. This information is also provided
in the installation instructions supplied with
the child restraint system. Child restraint systems
55
Safety Z

When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become
inoperative.
Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp ( Y page 257) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 224).
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 if you only brake gently.
The yellow ! ABS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition
is switched on. It goes out when the engine is
running.
Brakes X
If ABS intervenes: continue
to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking
situation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
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)
G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
BAS operates in emergency braking
situations. If you depress the brake pedal quickly, BAS automatically boosts the braking
force,
thus

shortening the stopping distance.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System Plus)
BAS PLUS is only available in vehicles
equipped with DISTRONIC PLUS.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in
hazardous situations at speeds greater than
4 mph (7 km/h) and uses radar sensor
technology to assess the traffic situation.
With the

help of the radar sensor system, BAS
PLUS can detect obstacles that are in the
path of your vehicle for an extended period of
time.
At speeds up to 40 mph (70 km/h), BAS PLUS
may also detect stationary obstacles, for
example, stopped or parked vehicles.
To prevent a front-end collision, BAS PLUS
calculates the brake force necessary if:
R you approach an obstacle, and
R BAS PLUS has detected a risk of collision
At a speed greater than 20 mph
(30 km/h) : if you depress the brake sharply,
BAS PLUS automatically raises the brake
pressure to a value adapted to the traffic
situation.
At a speed less than 20 mph (30 km/h) : if
you depress the brake, BAS PLUS is
activated. The increase in brake pressure will
be carried out at the last possible moment.
If BAS PLUS demands particularly high
braking force, preventative passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are
activated simultaneously.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.58
Driving safety systems
Safety

BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes
function as usual, if:
R
you release the brake pedal.
R there is
no longer any danger of a rear-end
collision.
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the
radar sensor system must be switched on and
operational. You will find further information
under the keyword "Radar sensor system”.
If the radar sensor system is malfunctioning,
BAS PLUS will not be available. The brake
system is still available with complete brake
boosting effect and BAS. G
WARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations. BAS
PLUS cannot intervene in these cases. There
is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle

traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle G
WARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering As a result, BAS PLUS may not intervene in all
critical situations. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have

the configuration and operation
of the radar sensors checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the front of the vehicle.
i This device has been approved by the FCC
as a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removing, altering or
tampering with the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use the
device in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes !
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.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the å warning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the å
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 259) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 224). Driving safety systems
59
Safety Z

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. 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 ÷ ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any
circumstances.
X only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
X adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ETS (Electronic Traction System) 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 ®
.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
AMG vehicles) G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer
stabilizes the vehicle. There is an increased
risk of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations
described in the following.
! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could

otherwise damage the drivetrain. X
To deactivate: press button :.
The å ESP ®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: press button :.
The å ESP ®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving. The engine starts
automatically when the driver wants to pull
away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously
selected status. Example: if ESP ®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched
off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
If ESP ®


is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the
following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R traction control is still activated.60
Driving safety systems
Safety