Engaging and releasing manually
X
To engage: push handle 0043.
When the electric parking brake is
engaged, the 0049(USA only) or 0024
(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 0043.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(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.
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 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
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 driven faster than 2 mph
(3 km/h).
i The electric parking brake can only be
released automatically on vehicles with
automatic transmission.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
X
While driving, push handle 0043of 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. Parking
161Driving and parking Z
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the
airflow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed
reaction from the brakes when braking for the
first time.
This may also occur after driving through
water deep enough to wet brake
components.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the
vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying
attention to the traffic conditions. This will
warm up the brake discs, thereby drying them
more quickly and protecting them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
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 high-performance brake system is
installed only on the SLK 55 AMG. 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 operating conditions.
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 red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a
warning tone while the engine is running,
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. Driving tips
165Driving and parking Z
Obstructions and stationary vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for
obstacles or stationary vehicles. If, for
example, the detected vehicle turns a corner
and reveals an obstacle or stationary vehicle,
DISTRONIC PLUS will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS may mistakenly detect
vehicles that are crossing your lane.
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights
with crossing traffic, for example, could cause
your vehicle to pull away unintentionally. Dynamic handling package
General notes The adjustable damping system adapts to the
current driving conditions. The adjustment
depends on whether you have selected sport
or comfort mode. Your selection remains
stored even if you remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
sports mode ensures even better contact
with the road. Select this mode if you want
more direct contact with the road when
employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on
winding country roads.
X If indicator lamp 0043
0043 is not lit: press
button 0044.
Indicator lamp 0043lights up. You have
selected the suspension for a sporty driving
style.
Comfort tuning Select comfort mode if you prefer a more
comfortable driving style.
X
If indicator lamp 0043 0043is lit: press
button 0044.
Indicator lamp 0043goes out. You have
selected the suspension for a comfortable
driving style. 178
Driving systemsDriving and parking
Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately
20 seconds, and the
indicator lamp in the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
X
If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately five
seconds. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X
Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 283).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X
See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Parking Guidance
Important safety notes Parking Guidance is an electronic parking aid
with ultrasound. Ultrasound is used to
measure the road on both sides of the vehicle.
A suitable parking space is indicated by the
parking symbol. You receive steering
instructions when parking. You may also use
PARKTRONIC (Y page 180).
Parking Guidance is only an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. When
maneuvering, parking or pulling out of a
parking space, make sure that there are no
persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering. G
WARNING
If objects are located above the detection
range, Parking Guidance may provide steering
instructions too soon. You may cause a
collision as a result. There is a risk of an
accident.
If objects are located above the detection
range, stop and switch off Parking Assist.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at
a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
When PARKTRONIC is deactivated, Parking
Guidance is also unavailable. Driving systems
183Driving and parking Z
Due to the nature of the system:
R
warnings may be issued in error when
driving close to crash barriers or similar
solid lane borders.
R the warning is canceled when driving for an
extended period next to long vehicles, such
as trucks.
The two radar sensors for Blind Spot Assist
are integrated into the sides of the rear
bumper. Make sure that the bumper is free of
dirt, ice or slush in the vicinity of the sensors.
The sensors must not be covered, for
example by cycle racks or overhanging loads.
Following a severe impact or in the event of
damage to the bumpers, have the function of
the sensors checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. Blind Spot Assist may otherwise
not work properly.
Indicator and warning display 0043
Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp
When Blind Spot Assist is activated, indicator
lamp 0043in the exterior mirrors lights up
yellow at speeds of up to 20 mph (30 km/h).
At speeds above 20 mph (30 km/h), the
indicator lamp goes out and Blind Spot Assist
is operational.
If a vehicle is detected within the blind spot
monitoring range at speeds above 20 mph
(30 km/h), warning lamp 0043on the
corresponding side lights up red. This warning
is always emitted when a vehicle enters the
blind spot monitoring range from behind or
from the side. When you overtake a vehicle, the warning only occurs if the difference in
speed is less than 7 mph (12 km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse
gear is engaged. In this event, Blind Spot
Assist is no longer active.
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the
corresponding turn signal, a double warning
tone sounds. Red warning lamp
0043flashes. If
the turn signal remains on, vehicles detected
are indicated by the flashing of red warning
lamp 0043. There are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist
X Make sure that the radar sensor system
(Y page 205) and Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 201) are activated in the on-board
computer.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
Warning lamps 0043in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately
1.5 seconds and then turn yellow.
Lane Keeping Assist General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
front of your vehicle with camera
0043, which is
mounted at the top of the windshield. Lane
Keeping Assist detects lane markings on the 188
Driving systemsDriving and parking
In the
Service
Service menu, you have the following
options:
R Calling up display messages
(Y page 210)
R Restarting the tire pressure loss warning
system (Y page 314)
R Checking the tire pressure electronically
(Y page 314)
R Calling up the service due date
(Y page 279) Settings menu
Introduction In the
Settings Settings menu, you have the following
options:
R Changing the instrument cluster settings
(Y page 202)
R Changing the light settings (Y page 203)
R Changing the vehicle settings
(Y page 205)
R Changing the convenience settings
(Y page 205)
R Restoring the factory settings
(Y page 202)
Restoring the factory settings X
Press the 0059or0065 button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings
Settings
menu.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Factory Setting
Factory Setting submenu.
X Press 0076to confirm.
The Reset All Settings? Reset All Settings? message
appears. X
Press the 0064or0063 button to select
No
No orYes
Yes.
X Press the 0076button to confirm the
selection.
If you have selected Yes Yes, the multifunction
display shows a confirmation message.
For safety reasons, the Daytime Running Daytime Running
Lights Lights function in the Lights
Lightssubmenu is
only reset if the vehicle is stationary.
Instrument cluster Selecting the unit of measurement for
distance
You can determine whether the multifunction
display shows some messages in miles or
kilometers.
X
Press the 0059or0065 button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings Settings
menu.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Instrument Cluster
Instrument Cluster submenu.
X Press 0076to confirm.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Display Unit Speed-/Odometer
Display Unit Speed-/Odometer
function.
You will see the selected setting: km
km or
miles miles.
X Press the 0076button to save the setting.
The selected unit of measurement for
distance applies to:
R Digital speedometer in the Trip Tripmenu
R Odometer and the trip odometer
R Trip computer
R Current consumption and the range
R Navigation instructions in the Navi
Navimenu
R Cruise control
R DISTRONIC PLUS
R ASSYST PLUS service interval display 202
Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays
Switching the additional speedometer
on/off
Only vehicles with manual transmission have
this function.
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings
Settings
menu.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Instrument Cluster
Instrument Cluster submenu.
X Press 0076to confirm.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Additional Speedometer [mph]
Additional Speedometer [mph]
function.
You will see the selected setting: On Onor
Off
Off.
X Press the 0076button to save the setting.
i Speed is displayed in mph.
The Additional Speedometer [mph]
Additional Speedometer [mph]
function allows you to choose whether the
status area in the multifunction display
always shows the speed in mph
mph instead of the
outside temperature.
Selecting the permanent display function
You can determine whether the multifunction
display permanently shows your speed or the
outside temperature.
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings
Settings
menu.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Instrument Cluster
Instrument Cluster submenu.
X Press 0076to confirm.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Permanent Display
Permanent Display function.
You will see the selected setting Outside Outside
Temperature
Temperature orAdditional
Additional
Speedometer [km/h]
Speedometer [km/h]/Additional Additional
Speedometer [mph]
Speedometer [mph].
X Press the 0076button to save the setting.
i The speed is displayed in km/h/mph. Lights Setting the daytime running lamps
i
This function is not available in Canada.
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the
steering wheel to select the Sett
Sett menu.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Lights Lights submenu.
X Press 0076to confirm.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Daytime Running Lights
Daytime Running Lights function.
If the Daytime Running Lights
Daytime Running Lights function
has been switched on, the cone of light and
the 0086 symbol in the multifunction
display are shown in orange.
X Press the 0076button to save the setting.
Further information on daytime running
lamps (Y page 109).
Switching Adaptive Highbeam Assist on/
off
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the
steering wheel to select the Sett
Sett menu.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Lights Lights submenu.
X Press 0076to confirm.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Adaptive Highbeam
Adaptive Highbeam function.
If the Adaptive Highbeam
Adaptive Highbeam function has
been switched on, the cone of light and the
00CE symbol in the multifunction display
are shown in orange.
X Press the 0076button to save the setting.
For further information about Adaptive
Highbeam Assist, see (Y page 113).
Setting the brightness of the ambient
lighting
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings
Settings
menu.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Lights Lights submenu.
X Press 0076to confirm. Menus and submenus
203On-board computer and displays Z
X
Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Amb. Light +/-
Amb. Light +/- function.
You will see the selected setting.
X Press 0076to confirm.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to adjust the
brightness to any level from Off
Off toLevel
Level
5
5 (bright).
X Press the 0076or0038 button to save the
setting.
Setting the ambient lighting color
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings
Settings
menu.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Lights
Lights submenu.
X Press 0076to confirm.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Ambient Light Color
Ambient Light Color function.
X Press 0076to confirm.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to set the
color to SOLAR SOLAR,SOLAR orange
SOLAR orange orSOLAR
SOLAR
red
red.
X Press the 0076or0038 button to save the
setting.
Activating/deactivating surround
lighting and exterior lighting delayed
switch-off
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the
steering wheel to select the Sett
Sett menu.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Lights
Lights submenu.
X Press 0076to confirm.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Surround Lighting
Surround Lighting function.
When the Surround Lighting Surround Lighting function is
activated, the light cone and the area
around the vehicle are displayed in orange
in the multifunction display.
X Press the 0076button to save the setting. Deactivating delayed switch-off of the
exterior lighting temporarily:
X
Before leaving the vehicle, turn the
SmartKey to position 0in the ignition lock.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
The exterior lighting delayed switch-off is
deactivated.
Delayed switch-off of the exterior lighting is
reactivated the next time you start the
engine.
If you have activated the Surround
Surround
Lighting Lighting function and the light switch is set
to 0058, the following functions are activated
when it is dark:
R surround lighting: the exterior lighting
remains lit for 40 seconds after unlocking
with the SmartKey. If you start the engine,
the surround lighting is switched off and
automatic headlamp mode is activated
(Y page 109).
R exterior lighting delayed switch-off: the
exterior lighting remains lit for
60 seconds after the engine is switched off.
If you close all the doors and the trunk lid,
the exterior lighting goes off after
15 seconds.
i Depending on your vehicle's equipment,
when the surround lighting and delayed
switch-off exterior lighting are on, the
following light up:
R Parking lamps
R Front fog lamps
R Low-beam headlamps
R Daytime running lamps
R Side marker lamps
R Surround lighting in the exterior mirrors
Activating/deactivating the interior
lighting delayed switch-off
If you activate the Interior Lighting Interior Lighting
Delay
Delay function, the interior lighting remains
on for 20 seconds after you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. 204
Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays