2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER instrument cluster

Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salt-treated roads, a layer of
salt may form on the brake discs and pads.
This can increase the braking distance con-
siderably.
R Apply the brakes occasionally in order to
prevent any salt build-up. Ensure that you
do not endanger other road users when
doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal at the
end of the journey and when starting the
next journey.
R Maintain a much greater distance to the
vehicle in front.
New brake pads/linings Brake pads/linings and discs that are either
new or have been replaced only achieve opti-
mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Compensate for the
reduced braking effect by applying greater
force to the brake pedal.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
High-performance and ceramic brake
system for AMG vehicles The high-performance brake system is only
available on AMG vehicles.
The AMG brake systems are designed for
heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This is dependent 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 driv-
ing style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage (service life) 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.
Brake pads/linings and discs that are either
new or have been replaced only achieve opti- mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Compensate for the
reduced braking effect by applying greater
force to the brake pedal. Always be aware of
this and adapt your driving and braking
accordingly during the running-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in corre-
spondingly high brake wear. Observe the
brake system warning lamp in the instrument
cluster and note any brake status messages
in the multifunction display. If you regularly
drive at high speeds, it is particularly impor-
tant to have the brake system checked and
maintained regularly. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, drive in the following manner in the event of heavy rain or in conditions in
which aquaplaning can occur:
R lower your speed
R avoid tyre ruts
R avoid sudden steering movements
R brake carefully Driving tips
167Driving and parking Z

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

Use Parking Guidance for parking spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are on straight roads, not bends
R that are on the same level as the road, i.e.
not on the pavement, for example. Parking
Guidance may not detect flat kerbs
Parking tips:
R on narrow roads, drive as closely as possi-
ble past the parking space.
R parking spaces that are littered or over-
grown might be identified or measured
incorrectly.
R parking spaces that are partially occupied
by trailer drawbars might not be identified
as such or be measured incorrectly.
R snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R pay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(Y page 186) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
R when transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you must not use Parking Guidance.
R never use Parking Guidance with snow
chains or an emergency spare wheel fitted.
R make sure that the tyre pressures are
always correct. This has a direct effect on
the steering instructions.
R the way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the posi-
tion and shape of the vehicles parked in
front and behind it and the conditions of the
location. In some cases, Parking Guidance
may guide you too far or not far enough into
a parking space. In some cases, it may also lead you across or onto the kerb. If neces-
sary, cancel the parking procedure with
Parking Guidance. Detecting parking spaces Example: vehicles with colour multifunction display
: Detected parking space on the left
; Parking symbol
= Detected parking space on the right
Parking Guidance is automatically activated
when you drive forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately 35 km/h. While in operation, the system inde- pendently locates and measures parking
spaces on both sides of the vehicle. When
driving at speeds below 30 km/h, you will see
parking symbol ;as a status indicator in the
instrument cluster.
When a parking space has been detected, an arrow towards the right =or the left :also
appears. Parking Guidance only displays
parking spaces on the front-passenger side
as standard. Parking spaces on the driver's
side are displayed as soon as the turn signal
on the driver's side is activated. To park on
the driver's side, you must leave the driver's
side turn signal switched on until you have
engaged reverse gear.
Parking Guidance will only detect parking
spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are at least 1.5 m wide
R that are at least 1.3 m longer than your
vehicle
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are approx-
imately 15 m away from it. Driving systems
189Driving and parking Z

Parking
Moving the vehicle to the stop position
X Stop the vehicle when the parking symbol
shows the desired parking space in the
instrument cluster.
X Vehicles with manual transmission: shift to
reverse gear.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: shift into position R.
The multifunction display shows the
Check vehicle surroundings Con‐
Check vehicle surroundings Con‐
firm with OK
firm with OK message. Example: vehicles with colour multifunction display
X Press the abutton on the multifunction
steering wheel to confirm.
The multifunction display switches to Park-
ing Guidance.
Depending on your distance from the park-
ing space, the Please reverse
Please reverse message
will appear in the multifunction display.
X If necessary, reverse towards the parking
space. This is indicated by an arrow point-
ing backwards.
Continue reversing until you hear a tone.
Stop – the parking position has been
reached. The arrow is white.
The Please steer to the right
Please steer to the right or
Please steer to the left Please steer to the left message
appears in the multifunction display. Reversing into a parking space
Example: vehicles with colour multifunction display
X While the vehicle is stationary, turn the
steering wheel in the specified direction
until the arrow is white and a warning tone
sounds.
X To reverse into the parking space: main-
tain the steering wheel angle and reverse
carefully.
X Stop as soon as you hear a warning tone.
The vehicle has reached the position in
which you need to countersteer.
The Please steer to the right
Please steer to the right or
Please steer to the left Please steer to the left message
appears in the multifunction display.
X To countersteer: while the vehicle is sta-
tionary, turn the steering wheel in the
specified direction until the arrow is white
and a warning tone sounds.
X To reverse into the parking space: main-
tain the steering wheel angle and reverse
carefully.
X Stop as soon as you hear a warning tone. At
the latest, stop when PARKTRONIC sounds
the continuous warning tone.
The Parking Guidance finished Parking Guidance finished mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display
and a tone sounds. You may be asked to
steer in a different direction and then
change gear. In this case, further displays
in the multifunction display will direct you
to the final position. 190
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos- sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 24). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Operating the integrated information systems and communications equipment in the vehicle
while driving will distract you from traffic con-
ditions. You could then lose control of the
vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate these devices if road traffic con-
ditions permit. If you are unsure about the
surrounding conditions, pull over to a safe
location and make entries only while the vehi-
cle is stationary.
You must observe the legal requirements for
the country in which you are currently driving when operating the on-board computer. G
WARNING
If the instrument cluster has failed or mal-
functioned, you may not recognise function
restrictions relevant to safety. The operating
safety of your vehicle may be impaired. There is a risk of an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have the vehicle checked
at a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately.
The on-board computer only shows messages
or warnings from certain systems in the mul- tifunction display. You should therefore make
sure your vehicle is operating safely at all times. Otherwise, a vehicle that is not oper-
ating safely may cause an accident.
If the operating safety of your vehicle is
impaired, park the vehicle safely as soon as
possible. Consult a qualified specialist work-
shop.
For an overview, see the instrument panel
illustration (Y
page 30). Displays and operation
Instrument cluster lighting
The lighting in the instrument cluster, in the
displays and the controls in the vehicle inte-
rior can be adjusted using the brightness con-
trol knob.
The brightness control knob is on the bottom left of the instrument cluster (Y page 30).
X Turn the brightness control knob anti-
clockwise or clockwise.
If the light switch is set to Ã,Tor
L, the brightness is dependant upon
the brightness of the ambient light.
i The light sensor in the instrument cluster
automatically controls the brightness of
the multifunction display.
In daylight, the displays in the instrument
cluster are not lit. Coolant temperature gauge
G
WARNING
If you open the bonnet while the engine is
overheating or while there is a fire in the
engine compartment, you could come into
contact with hot gases or other leaking ser-
vice products. There is a danger of injury.
Allow an overheating engine to cool down
before opening the bonnet. If there is a fire in the engine compartment, leave the bonnet
closed and notify the fire brigade. 200
Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays

The coolant temperature gauge is in the
instrument cluster on the right-hand side
(Y page 30).
Under normal operating conditions and with
the specified coolant level, the coolant tem-
perature may rise to 120 †.
At high outside temperatures and when driv-
ing uphill, the coolant temperature may rise
to the end of the scale. Rev counter
! Do not drive in the overrevving range.
Doing so will damage the engine.
The red band in the rev counter indicates the engine's overrevving range.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached. Outside temperature display
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around the
freezing point.
Bear in mind that the outside temperature
display indicates the temperature measured
and does not record the road temperature.
The outside temperature display is in the mul- tifunction display (Y page 202).
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay. Speedometer with segments
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
R Cruise control activated (Y page 168):
The segments light up from the stored
speed to the maximum speed.
R Variable SPEEDTRONIC activated
(Y page 180):
The segments light up from the start of the
scale to the selected limit speed.
R DISTRONIC PLUS activated (Y page 171):One or two segments in the set speed
range light up.
R DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front:
The segments between the speed of the
vehicle in front and the stored speed light
up. Operating the on-board computer
Overview :
Multifunction display
; Right control panel
= Left control panel
X To activate the on-board computer: turn
the key to position 1in the ignition lock.
You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel. Displays and operation
201On-board computer and displays Z

R
Checking the tyre pressure electronically
(Y page 320)
R Calling up the service due date
(Y page 285) Settings menu
Introduction Example: settings menu view (colour multifunction
display)
In the Settings
Settings menu, you have the following
options:
R changing the instrument cluster settings
(Y page 213)
R changing the light settings (Y page 214)
R changing the vehicle settings
(Y page 216)
R changing the convenience settings
(Y page 217)
R restoring the factory settings
(Y page 218)
Instrument cluster Selecting the unit of measurement for dis-
tance
You can determine whether the multifunction
display shows some messages in miles or kil- ometres.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings
Settings menu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Instrument cluster Instrument cluster submenu.
X Press ato confirm. X
Press the :or9 button to select the
Display unit Speed-/odometer
Display unit Speed-/odometer func-
tion.
You will see the selected setting: km kmor
miles
miles.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
The selected unit of measurement for dis-
tance applies to:
R digital speedometer in the Trip Tripmenu
R total distance recorder and the trip meter
R trip computer
R current consumption and the range
R navigation instructions in the Navi Navimenu
R cruise control
R SPEEDTRONIC
R DISTRONIC PLUS
R ASSYST PLUS service interval display
Switching the additional speedometer
on/off
Vehicles for the United Kingdom: this func-
tion is unavailable.
Only vehicles with manual transmission have this function.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Instrument cluster
Instrument cluster submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Dig. speedo [mph]
Dig. speedo [mph] function.
You will see the selected setting: on
onoroff
off .
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
i The speed is displayed in mph.
The Dig.
Dig. speedo
speedo [mph]
[mph]function allows you
to choose whether the status area in the mul- tifunction display always shows the speed in
mph
mph instead of the outside temperature.
Selecting the permanent display function
Vehicles for the United Kingdom: this func-
tion is unavailable. Menus and submenus
213On-board computer and displays Z