2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK ROADSTER light

ESP
®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tyres
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 stabilise 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 stabilise the vehicle during braking.
ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 60).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
.
ETS 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. In
addition, more drive torque is transferred to
the wheel or wheels with traction.
ETS remains active when you deactivate
ESP ®
.
i AMG vehicles:
your vehicle may be
equipped with 20-inch tyres on the rear
axle. If replaced with a 19-inch tyre, ETS
may intervene noticeably sooner for the
first few kilometres. After approximately
10 km ETS will function as usual again.
Information on the dimensions and types of
wheels and tyres for your vehicle can be
found under "Wheel/tyre combinations"
(Y page 328).
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop. !
When testing the electric parking brake
on a braking dynamometer, switch off the
ignition. Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may otherwise destroy the brake system.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the notes on
ESP ®
(Y page 308).
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the åwarn-
ing lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 254) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 223).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General notes
If the
÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving. When pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was deactivated before the engine was Driving safety systems
63Safety Z

switched off, ESP
®
remains deactivated when
the engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 60).
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® X
To switch off: press button:.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To switch on: press button:.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur- faces.
R traction control is still activated
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(AMG
vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 60).
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R SPORT handling mode is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is a greater risk of skidding and acci-
dents.
Only activate SPORT handling mode in the sit- uations described in the following. 64
Driving safety systemsSafety

G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
In the following situations, it may be better to activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP ®
:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
R on specially designated roads when the
vehicle's own oversteering and understeer-
ing characteristics are desired
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP ®
requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®X
To activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up. The SPORT handling mode
SPORT handling mode message appears
in the multifunction display.
X To deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out.
X To deactivate ESP ®
:press button :until
the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF OFFmessage appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷
ESP ®
ON
ON message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
Characteristics of activated SPORT han-
dling mode
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a
limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R the engine's torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels are able to
spin. The spinning of the wheels results in a cutting action, which provides better grip.
R ETS is still active.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin. Driving safety systems
65Safety Z

In these cases, PRE-SAFE
®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a col- lision, you must apply the brakes yourself. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical sit-
uations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, detec-
tion can be impaired.
Detection by the radar sensor system is also
impaired in the event of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the radar sensor settings and oper- ation checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop. This also applies to collisions at slow
speeds where there is no visible damage to
the front of the vehicle. Function X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-board
computer (Y page 211).
Vehicles with a black and white multi-
function display: when PRE-SAFE®
Brake
is activated, the Äsymbol appears in
the status overview in the multifunction
display.
Vehicles with a colour multifunction
display: when PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is deacti-
vated, the æsymbol appears in the
assistance graphic in the multifunction dis- play.
This function will issue a warning if:
R at a speed of approximately 30 km/h or
higher, the distance maintained to the vehi-
cle travelling in front is insufficient for sev-
eral seconds.
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R at a speed of approximately 7 km/h or
higher, you rapidly approach a vehicle in
front.
An intermittent warning tone will then
sound and the ·distance warning lamp
will light up in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately to defuse the situation.
or X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
The PRE-SAFE ®
Brake function can also brake
the vehicle automatically under the following
conditions:
R the driver and front passenger have their
seat belts fastened
and
R the vehicle speed is between approx-
imately 7 km/h and 200 km/h
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also detect stationary
objects. Examples of stationary objects are
stopped or parked vehicles. Driving safety systems
67Safety Z

The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that has triggered it, for
example.
i If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, the Mercedes‑ Benz emer-
gency call system automatically sends a
message to the Customer Assistance
Centre. This is done by means of a text
message or a data connection. The emer-
gency call system sends a message or
establishes a data connection provided
that:
R you have subscribed to the
Mercedes ‑Benz emergency call system
R the Mercedes‑Benz emergency call sys-
tem has been activated properly
R the necessary mobile phone network is
available Tow-away protection
Function An audible and visual alarm is triggered if your
vehicle's angle of inclination is altered while
tow-away protection is primed. This can occur if the vehicle is jacked up on one side, for
example.
Priming X
Make sure that:
R the doors are closed
R the boot lid is closed
Only then is the tow-away protection
primed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or KEYLESS-
GO.
Tow-away protection is primed after
approximately 30 seconds. Switching off X
To switch off: unlock the vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
Tow-away protection is switched off auto-
matically.
Deactivating X
Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up briefly.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or KEYLESS-
GO.
Tow-away protection is deactivated.
Tow-away protection remains deactivated
until: R the vehicle is unlocked again
R a door is opened and closed again
R the vehicle is locked again
To prevent a false alarm, deactivate the tow-
away protection if you lock your vehicle and it:
R is being transported
R is being loaded onto a ferry or car trans-
porter, for example
R is parked on a movable surface, e.g. in a
split-level garage Interior motion sensor
Function When the interior motion sensor is primed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered if move-
ment is detected in the vehicle interior. This Protection against theft
69Safety Z

Key functions
:
& To lock the vehicle
; F To unlock the boot lid
= % To unlock the vehicle
X To unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton.
If you do not open the vehicle within
approximately 40 seconds of unlocking:
R the vehicle is locked again
R the anti-theft system is primed again
X To lock centrally: press the&button.
The key centrally locks/unlocks: R the doors
R the boot lid
R the stowage compartment in the centre
console
R the fuel filler flap
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audible signal can be activated and deactivated using
the on-board computer (Y page 217).
When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer (Y page 215). KEYLESS-GO
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a KEY-LESS-GO key in the vehicle.
Locking and unlocking centrally You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry
the key with you. You can combine the KEY-
LESS-GO functions with the functions of a
conventional key. Unlock the vehicle by using KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it using
the & button on the key.
When locking or unlocking with KEYLESS-GO,
the distance between the key and the corre-
sponding door handle must not be greater
than 1 m.
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the key
determines whether a valid key is in the vehi-
cle. This occurs, for example:
R when the external door handles are
touched
R when starting the engine
R while the vehicle is in motion X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
X To lock the vehicle: touch sensor sur-
face :.
X Convenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface ;for an exten-
ded period. Key
73Opening and closing Z

Removing the emergency key element
X
Push release catch :in the direction of
the arrow and at the same time, remove
emergency key element ;from the key.
For further information about:
R unlocking the driver's door (Y page 80)
R unlocking the boot (Y page 83)
R locking the vehicle (Y page 80)
Inserting the emergency key element X
Push emergency key element ;com-
pletely into the key until it engages and
release catch :is back in its basic posi-
tion. Battery of the key
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Batteries contain toxic and corrosive substan- ces. If batteries are swallowed, it can result in
severe health problems. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children. If
a battery is swallowed, seek medical attention immediately. H
Environmental note Batteries contain pollutants.
It is illegal to dispose of them with the household rubbish.
They must be collected sep- arately and disposed of in an
environmentally responsible
recycling system. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used batter-
ies.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the batteries replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
Checking the battery X
Press the &or% button.
The battery is working properly if battery
check lamp :lights up briefly.
The battery is discharged if battery check
lamp :does not light up briefly.
X Replace the battery (Y page 75).
i If the key battery is checked within the
signal reception range of the vehicle, press- ing the &or% button:
R locks or
R unlocks the vehicle
i You can obtain a battery from any quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Replacing the battery You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery. Key
75Opening and closing Z

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The engine can no lon-
ger be started using the key. The on-board voltage is too low.
X Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
X Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Y page 303).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 304).
or
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine can no lon-
ger be started using
KEYLESS-GO. The key
is in the vehicle. The vehicle is locked.
X Unlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. Doors
Important safety notes
United Kingdom only: G
WARNING
When the double locks are activated, the
doors can no longer be opened from the
inside. People in the vehicle can no longer get out, e.g. in hazardous situations. There is a
risk of injury.
Therefore, do not leave any people unsuper-
vised in the vehicle, particularly children, eld-
erly people or people in need of special assis-
tance. Do not activate the double lock when
people are in the vehicle.
If the vehicle has been locked from the out-
side, the double-lock function is activated as
standard. It is then not possible to open the
doors from inside the vehicle. You can deac-
tivate the double lock function by deactivat-
ing the interior motion sensor (Y page 69).
The doors can then be opened from the inside after the vehicle has been locked from the
outside. The anti-theft alarm system is trig- gered if the door is opened from the inside.
Switch off the alarm (Y page 68).
All countries: G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open doors, thereby endangering other per-
sons or road users
R get out and be struck by oncoming traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
In addition, the children could also set the
vehicle in motion, for example, if they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position P or shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children and animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Keep the keys out of the reach of children. 78
DoorsOpening and closing