2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER light

accelerator. The vehicle can coast with-
out use of the brakes.
- the bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style involves driv-
ing at a moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration
Acceleration andConstant Constant:
R observe the gearshift recommendation
R drive the vehicle in drive program E(vehi-
cles with automatic transmission)
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the motorway, only the bar for Constant
Constant
will change.
i The ECO display summarises the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey to its completion. Therefore, there are
dynamic changes in the bars at the start of
a journey. During a prolonged driving time, these changes are smaller. For more
dynamic changes, perform a manual reset.
Further information on the ECO display
(Y page 204). Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. Take particular note of this when driving a laden vehicle.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC. This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
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 air- flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet road surfaces If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac- tion from the brakes when braking for the firsttime. This may also occur after a car wash or
after driving through deep water.
You will have to depress the brake pedal more firmly. Maintain a greater distance to the vehi-
cle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion. 166
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Deactivating cruise control
Cruise control lever
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards =.
or
X Brake.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow ;.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM
indicator lamp :in the cruise control lever
lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you apply the electric parking brake
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R on vehicles with manual transmission, you
shift to a gear that is too high, and as a
result the engine speed is too low
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a warning tone. You will see the Cruise con‐
Cruise con‐
trol off trol off message in the multifunction dis-
play for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. DIS-
TRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so that
the set speed is not exceeded.
On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden, you must select a lower gear in good time. By doing so, you will make use of the braking effect of the engine.
This relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front, DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle. It
maintains the preset distance to the vehicle infront.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and acoustically. Without your intervention, DIS-
TRONIC PLUS cannot prevent a collision. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the distance warning lamp will light up in the instrument cluster. Brake immediately to
increase the distance to the vehicle driving in
front, or take evasive action, provided it is
safe to do so.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you, the radar
sensor system must be operational.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between 30 km/h and 200 km/h. If a vehicle is driving in front ofyou, it operates in the speed range between
0 km/h and 200 km/h.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on roads with steep gradients. Driving syste
ms
171Driving an d parking Z

Activating
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, or press it up :or down A.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed up :
or down Auntil the desired speed has
been set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
If the vehicle in front has been detected and is
shown in the multifunction display, you can
also activate DISTRONIC PLUS when driving
at speeds below 30 km/h. If the vehicle in
front is no longer detected and displayed, for
example because it has changed lanes, DIS-
TRONIC PLUS is deactivated. You will hear a
warning tone if this is the case.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC PLUS inactive
DISTRONIC PLUS inactive
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play. The set distance to a slower-moving
vehicle in front will then not be maintained. You will be driving at the speed you deter-
mine by the position of the accelerator
pedal.
Pulling away and driving
DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated when you
depress the brake, except when the vehicle is
stationary.
X If the vehicle in front pulls away: remove
your foot from the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control. If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front has slowed down, it brakes your vehicle.
It maintains the preset distance to the vehicle
in front.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. Without your intervention, DIS-
TRONIC PLUS cannot prevent a collision. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and the distance warning lamp will light up in theinstrument cluster. Brake immediately to
increase the distance to the vehicle driving in
front, or take evasive action, provided it is
safe to do so.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed.
However, the vehicle is only accelerated up to the speed you have stored.
Changing lanes
If you wish to move into the overtaking lane (in countries where traffic drives on the right, thepassing lane is the left-hand lane), DIS-
TRONIC PLUS assists you if:
R you are driving faster than 60 km/h
R DISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the dis-
tance to a vehicle in front
R you have switched on the corresponding
turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision
If these conditions are met, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted
if changing lanes takes too long or if the dis-
tance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front becomes too small.
Vehicles with COMAND Online
i The following function is not operational
in all countries. 174
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

Make sure that you maintain a sufficient and
safe distance from the vehicle in front. Adjust
the distance to the vehicle in front if neces-
sary. Cruise control lever
X To increase: turn control=in direc-
tion ;.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a greater distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
X To decrease: turn control=in direc-
tion :.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a shorter distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the instru-
ment cluster Displays in the speedometer
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, one or
two segments ;in the set speed range light
up. If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
segments ;between speed of the vehicle in
front :and stored speed =light up.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from the speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS.
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is deacti-
vated Assistance graphic
:
Vehicle in front, if detected
; Distance indicator: current distance to
the vehicle in front
= Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
? Own vehicle Distance display
:
Symbol for activated PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
; Vehicle in front, if detected
= Distance indicator: current distance to
the vehicle in front
? Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
A Own vehicle Driving systems
177Driving and parking Z

X
Vehicles with black and white multi-
function display: select theDistance Distance
display
display function using the on-board com-
puter (Y page 210).
X Vehicles with colour multifunction dis-
play: select the Assistance graphic
Assistance graphic
function using the on-board computer
(Y page 210).
In the Assistance menu of the on-board com-
puter, you can also activate or deactivate
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 211).
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is activa-
ted Assistance graphic
:
Vehicle in front, if detected
; Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
= Own vehicle
? DISTRONIC PLUS activated Distance display
:
DISTRONIC PLUS activated
; Own vehicle =
Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
? Vehicle in front, if detected
X Vehicles with black and white multi-
function display: select theDistance Distance
display display function using the on-board com-
puter (Y page 210).
X Vehicles with colour multifunction dis-
play: select the Assistance graphic Assistance graphic
function using the on-board computer
(Y page 210).
You will initially see the stored speed for
about five seconds when you activate DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS Cruise control lever
There are several ways to deactivate DIS-
TRONIC PLUS:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow =.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM
indicator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, you
will see the DISTRONIC
DISTRONIC PLUS PLUSoff
offmessage in
the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds. 178
Driving systemsDriving and parking

DISTRONIC PLUS has not detected the vehi-
cle cutting in yet. The distance to this vehicle will be too short.
Narrow vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS has not yet detected the
vehicle in front on the edge of the carriage-
way, because of its narrow width. The dis-
tance to the vehicle in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for obsta-
cles 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. Activat-
ing DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with
crossing traffic, for example, could cause
your vehicle to pull away unintentionally. SPEEDTRONIC
General notes SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that
you do not exceed the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select a lower gear in good time. By doing so, you will make use of the braking effect of the engine. This relieves
the load on the brake system and prevents
the brakes from overheating and wearing too quickly.
You can set a variable or permanent limit
speed:
R variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up
areas
R permanent for long-term speed restric-
tions, e.g. when driving with winter tyres
fitted (Y page 182)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of acci-180
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

dent nor override the laws of physics. SPEED-
TRONIC cannot take into account road,
weather or traffic conditions. SPEEDTRONIC
is only an aid. You are responsible for the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed,
for braking in good time, and for staying cor-
rectly in lane.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new driver of the speed stored.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC Cruise control lever
Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed and to call up
the last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed
A To switch between cruise control or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS and variable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS and vari-
able SPEEDTRONIC.
LIM indicator lamp ;on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp ; ;off: cruise control
or DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp ;
;on: variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected. You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the speed to any speed above 30 km/
hwhile
the engine is running.
Selecting variable SPEEDTRONIC
X Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is on.
If it is on, variable SPEEDTRONIC is already
selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever lights up. Variable SPEEDTRONIC is
selected.
Storing the current speed X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :
or down ?.
The current speed is stored. The multifunc-
tion display shows the stored speed, such
as Limit 100 km/h
Limit 100 km/h, for five seconds.
Vehicles with cruise control: the stored
speed is permanently displayed in the sta-
tus indicator, e.g. LIM 100 km/h LIM 100 km/h.
Vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS: the seg-
ments from the start of the scale up to the
stored speed light up in the speedometer.
You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the speed to any speed above 30 km/h while
the engine is running.
Storing the current speed and calling up
the last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the vehicle could decelerate unexpectedly. There
is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =. Driving systems
181Driving and parking Z

Sports tuning
The firmer suspension settings in sports
mode ensures even better contact with the
road. Select this mode if you wish to experi-
ence direct feedback from the road surface,
when employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on
winding country roads.
X If indicator lamp : :is not lit: press but-
ton ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. You have selec-
ted the suspension for a sporty driving
style.
Comfort tuning Select comfort mode if you prefer a more
comfortable style of driving.
X If indicator lamp : :is lit: press but-
ton ;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. You have selec-
ted the suspension for a comfortable driv-
ing style. HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when manoeuvring on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is cancelled and the HOLD function is deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away. Important safety notes G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator pedal being depressed, e.g. by
a vehicle occupant
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 184).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R the driver's door is closed or if your seat
belt is fastened
R the bonnet is closed
R the electric parking brake is released
R the selector lever is in position D,Ror Non
vehicles with automatic transmission
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated Driving systems
183Driving and parking Z