2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG ROADSTER automatic transmission

1, 2, 3 ...
12 V socket see Sockets A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) Function/notes ................................ 55
Warning lamp .................................1 89
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification .................104
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 58
Additional speedometer ...................154
Additives (engine oil) ........................280
Adjusting lumbar support ..................84
Air bags Display message ............................ 167
Front air bag (driver, front
passenger) ....................................... 39
Head bag ......................................... 41
Important safety notes ....................38
Knee bag .......................................... 40
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp .................................. 42
Safety guidelines ............................. 37
Side impact air bag ..........................40
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control
Air filter (display message) ..............176
AIRSCARF Setting the vents ........................... 109
Switching on/off .............................. 85
Air vents
Important safety notes ..................108
Setting ........................................... 108
Setting the AIRSCARF vents ..........109
Setting the center air vents ...........108
Setting the side air vents ...............108
Switching AIRSCARF on/off ............85
see Climate control
Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
AMG
Adaptive sport suspension
system ........................................... 136
Button for AMG menu ....................124
E-SELECT leve r.............................. 117Menu (on-board computer)
............157
SETUP ............................................ 124
SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-gear sport
transmission .................................. 117
Anti-lock braking system
see ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Anti-theft alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Ashtray ............................................... 199
ASSYST PLUS service interval
display
Hiding service messages ...............218
Service messages ..........................217
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Activating/deactivating ...................58
Function .......................................... .58
Switching off the alarm ....................58
Audio menu (on-board computer) ....151
Audio system see separate operating instructions
Authorized Centers
see Qualified specialist workshop
Authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
see Qualified specialist workshop
Authorized workshops
see Qualified specialist workshop
AUTO lights
Display message ............................ 170
Automatic headlamp mode ................92 B
Backup lamp Display message ............................ 171
BAS (Brake Assist System) .................55
Battery Display message ............................ 181
Battery (SmartKey)
Checking .......................................... 64
Important safety notes ....................63
Replacing ......................................... 64
Battery (vehicle)
Charging ........................................ 238
Display message ............................ 174
Important safety notes ..................236
Jump starting ................................. 2404
Index

G
WARNING
If the BAS malfunctions, the brake system still
functions, but without the additional brake
boost available that the BAS would normally
provide in an emergency braking maneuver.
Therefore, the braking distance may increase. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 56).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tires and
the road surface.
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.
ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 56).
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, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further
driving safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident. Drive on carefully. Have ESP
®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! 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.
When SPORT handling mode is activated, the
0074 warning lamp lights up in the instrument
panel.
When ESP ®
is deactivated, the 00BBand
0089 warning lamps light up in the instrument
panel.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 190) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 166).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the 0089ESP®
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.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 54). 56
Driving safety systemsSafety

005A
To remove the SmartKey
0047 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
0048 Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
0049 To start the engine
i The SmartKey can be turned in the
ignition lock even if it is not the correct
SmartKey for the vehicle. The ignition is not
switched on. The engine cannot be started. Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of
parking position P.
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces
without sufficient ventilation. i
Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
Starting procedure with the Start/Stop
button i
The Start/Stop button can be used to
start the vehicle without inserting the
SmartKey into the ignition lock. You merely
need to carry the SmartKey on your person.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 113)
once.
The engine starts.
Starting procedure with the SmartKey If the Start/Stop button is inoperative, you
can also start the vehicle using the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
X
Turn the SmartKey to position 3in the
ignition lock (Y page 113) and release it as
soon as the engine is running. Pulling away
AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports
transmission 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.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position, if:
R the engine is running and
R you depress the brake pedal
Only then is the parking lock released. If the
brake pedal is not depressed, the E-SELECT 114
DrivingDriving and parking

lever can still be moved but the parking lock
remains engaged.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Use the E-SELECT lever to shift the
transmission to position Dor R.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake is automatically
released (Y page 129).
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down. The automatic door lock can
also be deactivated (Roadster only).
Hill start assist G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no
longer brake your vehicle and it could roll
away. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist will aid you when pulling away
on a hill. It holds the vehicle for a short time
after you have removed your foot from the
brake pedal. This gives you enough time to
move your foot from the brake pedal to the
accelerator pedal and depress it before the
vehicle begins to roll.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist does not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or on
a downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.R
the vehicle is secured with the electric
parking brake.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. Driving
115Driving and parking Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions The coolant
temperature gauge
shows a value above
248 ‡ (120 †). 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 216). 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 on to the
nearest qualified specialist workshop, e.g. to an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and start/stop traffic. AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports
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.
Observe the "Important safety notes" section
on activating/deactivating ESP ®
(Y page 56). E-SELECT selector lever
Overview of transmission positions 005D
Park position with parking lock
005E Reverse gear
005C Neutral
005B Drive
! If the engine speed is too high or if the
vehicle is rolling, do not shift the
transmission directly from Dto R, from R
to Dor directly to P.
Do not open the driver's door while the
vehicle is in motion. At low speeds in
transmission position Dor R, park position
P is otherwise engaged automatically. AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission
117Driving and parking Z

The transmission could be damaged.
i The E-SELECT lever always returns to its
original position.
The current transmission position P,R, N
or Dappears in the transmission position
display in the multifunction display.
If you wish to select a transmission position
or to disengage park position P, the engine
must be running.
Engaging park position P
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Press the Pbutton in the center console.
i Park position Pis disengaged if you:
R depress the brake pedal and
R push the E-SELECT lever forwards or
back to the first point of resistance
The transmission shifts to neutral N.
To shift directly from Pto R:
X Depress the brake pedal and push the
E-SELECT lever forwards past the first
point of resistance.
To shift directly from Pto D:
X Depress the brake pedal and push the
E-SELECT lever back past the first
point of resistance.
Engaging park position P automatically
Park position is engaged automatically in the
following circumstances:
R if you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open the driver's or front-
passenger door.
R if you remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock.
R if you open the door while traveling at low
speed in transmission position Dor R. Shifting to neutral N
X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the E-SELECT lever forwards or back
to the first point of resistance.
i If you use the E-SELECT lever to shift the
transmission to Nbefore switching off the
engine, the transmission remains for
approximately 30 minutes in N. If you open
the driver's or front-passenger door during
this period, the transmission automatically
shifts to P.
The transmission remains in Nif:
R the SmartKey is in the ignition lock and
R you use the E-SELECT lever to shift the
transmission to Nbefore switching the
engine off
This still applies if you open the driver's or
front-passenger door.
Further information is available in the "Car
wash" section (Y page 219).
Engaging reverse gear R
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the E-SELECT lever forward past the
first point of resistance.
Shifting to transmission position D
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the E-SELECT lever back past the first
point of resistance. 118
AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmissionDriving and parking

0044
Neutral
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.
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. The transmission
could otherwise be damaged.
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. 003A
Drive
The transmission shifts into drive
programs (C/S/S+) automatically.
All forward gears are available.
Changing gear
The transmission shifts into individual gears
automatically. This is determined by:
R drive position D
R the selected drive program (C/S /S+)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
R a shift range restriction, if selected
The shift points primarily depend on:
R the position of the accelerator pedal:
little throttle: early upshifts; high throttle:
late upshifts
R the driving dynamics
A dynamic driving style with high
longitudinal and lateral acceleration delays
the shift points to higher engine speeds. Driving tips
Double-clutch function When shifting down, the double-clutch
function is active regardless of the currently
selected drive program. The double-clutch function reduces the load change reaction on
the drive axle. The sound generated by the
double-clutch function and its characteristics
depend on the drive program selected.
Kickdown
i
Kickdown is not available in manual drive
program M.
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
Depending on the selected drive program,
the transmission shifts to the lowest gear
allowing ideal acceleration. Drive program selector
With the drive program selector switch, you
can choose from a range of different
transmission configurations or select the
RACE START drive mode. Drive
program Characteristic
C
Controlled
Efficiency Comfort-oriented,
optimum-economy engine
and transmission settings S
Sport Sporty engine and
transmission settings
S+
SportPlus Extremely sporty engine
and transmission settings M
Manual Manual gear shifting120
AMG SPEE
DSHIFT DCT 7-speed spor ts transmissionDriving and parking

Drive
program Characteristic
Driving mode
RS
RACE
START Optimal vehicle
acceleration from a
standstill
X
Turn drive program selector switch 0043until
the desired drive program is shown in the
multifunction display.
i RScannot be selected during normal
driving. For further information on RACE
START, see (Y page 121). Steering wheel paddle shifters
In transmission position D, you can use the
steering wheel paddle shifters to restrict or
derestrict the transmission shift range. One
of the automatic drive programs, C,Sor S+,
must be selected in order to do so.
In manual drive program M, you need to
change gear yourself using the steering wheel
paddle shifters. At low engine speeds, the
transmission shifts down automatically.
i GT model: in manual drive program M,
the transmission shift and response times
are significantly shorter with sportier and
more aggressive gear changes. 0043
Left steering wheel paddle shifter
(DOWN): shift down/restrict shift range
0044 Right steering wheel paddle shifter (UP):
shift up/derestrict shift range RACE START
RACE START enables optimal acceleration
from a standing start under suitable high-grip
road surface conditions.
RACE START is intended solely for activation
on dedicated race circuits.
Conditions for activation You can activate RACE START if:
R
the doors are closed
R the engine is running and the engine and
transmission are at operating temperature
(Y page 157)
R SPORT handling mode is switched on
(Y page 56)
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake
pedal is depressed (left foot)
R the transmission is set to D
Activating RACE START X
Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Turn the drive program selector switch
clockwise (Y page 120) until the RS
indicator on the switch lights up in red.
The multifunction display shows the
message RACE STARTConfirm: Paddle RACE STARTConfirm: Paddle
UPCancel: Paddle DOWN
UPCancel: Paddle DOWN.
i If the conditions for activation are not
fulfilled, RACE START is canceled. The
RACE START Not Possible RACE START Not Possible message
appears in the multifunction display.
X To cancel: pull the left-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter (DOWN) (Y page 121).
The multifunction display shows the RACE
RACE
START Canceled
START Canceled message.
X To confirm: pull the right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (UP) ( Ypage 121).
The RACE START Available Depress
RACE START Available Depress
gas pedal
gas pedal message appears in the
multifunction display. AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission
121Driving and parking Z