2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK-Class Owner's Manual

Problems with the engine
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
The engine does not
start. X
Try to start the engine again. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.
X Turn the SmartKey back to position 0in the ignition lock before
attempting to start the engine again.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button repeatedly until all indicator lamps
in the instrument cluster go out.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 137). Avoid excessively
long and frequent attempts to start the engine, as this will drain
the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak
or discharged.
X
Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 299).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
X
Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two
minutes.
X Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine is not
running smoothly and
is misfiring. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X
Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic
converter and damage it.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. Driving
143Driving and parking Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
The 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 279). 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 below 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. Manual transmission
Gear lever
! When shifting between 5thand 6thgear,
you should always push the gea rlever all
the way to the right. You could otherwise
shift unintentionally into 3rdor4th gear
and damage the transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed
(transmission braking), this can cause the
engine to overrev, leading to engine
damage.
Never hold the vehicle stopped on a hill by
using the clutch pedal. There is otherwise
a risk of damaging the clutch. Gear lever
0011
Reverse gear
0006 bis000F
Forward gears Neutral N with ECO start/stop
function activated
The engine is switched off, if:
R the vehicle speed is below a certain
threshold in neutral Nand
R you do not depress the clutch pedal.
Further information on the ECO start/stop
function (Y page 139).144
Manual transmissionDriving and parking

Engaging reverse gear
! Only shif tinto reverse gear Rwhen the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X shift to neutral N.
X Move the gear lever firmly to the left
beyond the point of resistance and then
forwards. Shift recommendation
X
Shift gear according to gearshift
recommendation 0003when shown in the
multifunctio ndisplay of the instrument
cluster.
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The
recommended gear is shown in the
multifunction display. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident. When engaging transmission position
Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to
neutral position Nwhen you switch off the
engine. The vehicle may roll away. There is a
risk of an accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked
vehicle fro mrolling away by applying the
parking brake. Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions Selector lever
0014
Park position with selector lever lock
0011 Reverse gear
0012 Neutral
0013 Drive Automatic transmission
145Driving and parking Z

Transmission position and drive
program display
0003
Transmission positio ndisplay
0004 Drive program display
The current position of the selector lever is
shown by the indicators nex tto the selector
lever.
The indicators light up when the SmartKey is
inserted into the ignition lock. The indicators
go out when the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock. Transmission positions
0003
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position
P(Ypage 145) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake
when parking. Always apply the
electronic parking brake in
addition to the parking lock in order
to secure the vehicle.
The key can only be removed if the
transmission is in position P. If the
SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock, the selector lever is
locked.
If the vehicle electronics are
malfunctioning, the selector lever
may be locked in position P. To
release a locked selector lever, see
"Manual override of parking lock"
(Y page 152). 0004
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. 146
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

0002
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 Nif the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
! Rolling in neutral Ncan damage
the drive train. 0009
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 (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 upshifts 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
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up. Program selector button
General notes Example: program selector button
X
Press program selector button 0003
repeatedly until the letter for the desired
gearshift program appears in the
multifunction display.
The program selector button allows you to
choose between different driving
characteristics.
In AMG vehicles, drive program Eis called
drive program C. Automatic transmission
147Driving and parking Z

E
Economy
C Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
M
Manual Manual gear shifting
Only change fro
mautomatic drive program
E or Sto manual drive program Mwhen the
vehicle is stationary.
i When the engine is started, the automatic
transmission always switches to automatic
drive program E(drive program Cin AMG
vehicles).
i AMG vehicles: when in drive program C
and with a small load demand, the engine
will automatically only operate with four
cylinders. This is the cas eincity traffic or
on a country road, for example. This
reduces fuel consumption. Cylinder shut-
off is inactive in drive programs Sand M,
so that the engine will operate with all eight
cylinders.
i For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 148).Steering wheel paddle shifters
0003
Left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
0004 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 149).
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear using the steering wheel paddle shifters
or the selector lever (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. Automatic drive program
Drive program E(drive program Con AMG
vehicles) 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 mor egently 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 Sis 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 148
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Shift ranges
Introduction When the automatic transmission is in
position D, it is possible to restrictor
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 0008
You can use the engine's braking
effect.
000B
The braking effec
tofthe engine can
be utilized on downhill gradients or
when driving:
R on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 000F
The braking effect of the engine can
be utilized on extremely steep
downhill gradients and long
downhill stretches.
Restricting the shift range X
Press the selector lever to the left towards
D–.
or
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.
Derestricting the shift range X
Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
X Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The shift range is derestricted.
Clearing the shift range restriction X
Press and hold the selector lever towards
D+ until Dis shown once more in the
multifunction display.
or
X Pull and hold the right-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter until Dis shown again in the
multifunction display.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D. Automatic transmission
149Driving and parking Z

Selecting the ideal shift range
X
Press the selector lever to the left towards
D– and hold it in position.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter and hold it in position.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
gear which allows optimum acceleration
and deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission shifts down one or more
gears. Manual drive program
Switching on the manual drive program Manual drive program
Mis different from
drive program Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
Manual drive program Mcan be selected
using the program selector button. You can
change gear using the steering wheel paddle
shifters or the selector lever in manual drive
program Mif the transmission is in position
D.T he selected gear appears in the
multifunction display.
X Press the program selector button
(Y page 147) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
Upshifting X
Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
X Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 148).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
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.
0003
Gear indicator
0004 Upshift indicator
X If the color in the speedometer
multifunction display changes to red and
the UP display message is shown, shift up
a gear.
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the AMG
menu of the multifunction display.
Downshifting X
Briefly press the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 148).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you brake the vehicle or stop without
shifting down, the automatic transmission
will shift down to a gear that will allow the
vehicle to accelerate or pull away again.
i For maximum acceleration, push the
selector lever to the left or pull and hold the
left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter until 150
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking