2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG COUPE ECO mode

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 124) until the RS
indicator on the switch lights up in red.
The multifunction display shows the
message RACE START
RACE START Confirm: Paddle Confirm: Paddle
UP
UP Cancel: Paddle DOWN
Cancel: 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 125).
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 125).
The RACE START Available Depress
RACE START Available Depress
gas pedal
gas pedal message appears in the
multifunction display.
i If you do not depress the accelerator
pedal within a few seconds, RACE START is
canceled. The multifunction display shows
the RACE START Canceled
RACE START Canceled message.
X Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed is increased.
The RACE START Release brake to
RACE START Release brake to
start start message appears in the
multifunction display.
i If you do not release the brake pedal
within a few seconds, RACE START is
canceled. The multifunction display shows
the RACE START Canceled
RACE START Canceled message.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal while
keeping the accelerator pedal fully
depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum
acceleration.
The RACE
RACE START START Active
Active message appears
in the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 30 mph (50 km/h). Drive program
S+is activated.
SPORT handling mode remains switched on.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if
you release the accelerator pedal during
RACE START or if any of the activation
conditions are no longer fulfilled. The RACE
RACE
START Not Possible START Not Possible orRACE START
RACE START
Canceled
Canceled message appears in the
multifunction display.
i If RACE START is used repeatedly within
a short period of time, it is only available
again after the vehicle has been driven a
certain distance. Automatic drive program
Drive program Cis characterized by the
following:
R comfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the transmission shifting up sooner
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
R the transmission shifting up sooner; This
results in the vehicle being driven at lower
engine speeds and the wheels being less
likely to spin
Drive programs Sand S+are characterized
by the following:
R sporty engine and transmission settings
R the transmission shifting up later and
shifting down dynamically
R as a result of the later transmission
upshifts, the fuel consumption may be
higher
R if a period of dynamic driving is followed by
an extended phase with a constant
accelerator pedal position, the vehicle 126
AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports trans
missionDriving and parking

X
While driving, push handle :of the electric
parking brake (Y page 133).
i The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
the handle of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle is depressed, the greater the
braking force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds
R the Release Parking Brake
Release Parking Brake message
appears
R the red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster appears.
When the vehicle has been braked to a
standstill, the electric parking brake is
engaged. Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, the vehicle may suffer
damage as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist
workshop. Driving tips
General driving tips
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
G
WARNING
If you operate mobile communication
equipment while driving, you will be
distracted from traffic conditions. You could
also lose control of the vehicle. There is a risk
of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the
country in which you are driving. Some
jurisdictions prohibit the driver from using a
mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per
second.
Drive sensibly – save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
X
The tires should always be inflated to the
recommended tire pressure.
X Remove unnecessary loads.
X Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
X Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
X Have all maintenance work carried out
according to the service intervals listed in
the Maintenance Booklet or the service
interval display.
Fuel consumption also increases when
driving in cold weather, in stop-start traffic
and in hilly terrain. 134
Driving tipsDriving and parking

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 the
vehicle has been washed or driven through
deep water.
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.
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. !
As the ESP ®
system operates
automatically, the engine and the ignition
must be switched off (the SmartKey must
be in position 0or 1in the ignition lock or
the Start/Stop button must be in position
0 or 1) if:
R the electric parking brake is tested using
a brake dynamometer.
R the vehicle is towed with one axle raised.
Braking triggered automatically by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. Have this work
carried out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Have the brake pads replaced and the brake
fluid renewed at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the
functionality of your brakes at regular
intervals. To do so, press firmly on the brake
pedal when driving at a high speed. This
improves the grip of the brake pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on ( Ypage 55).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
have brake pads/linings installed on 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.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use brake fluid that has been specially
approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz,
or which corresponds to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake fluid which has not been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which is not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety. 136
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Making adjustments in 1 mph
increments
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up :for a higher speed or
down ;for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Making adjustments in 10 mph
increments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever
forwards =.
or
X Brake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you press the electric parking brake
handle.
R you are driving below 20 mph (30 km/h).
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you shift the transmission to Nwhile the
vehicle is in motion.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. The "Cruise Control Off Cruise Control Off"
message is displayed in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. AMG adaptive sport suspension
system
General notes The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection of Sport, Sport +
or Comfort
If you select Comfort or Sport + mode and
restart the engine, the mode reverts to Sport.
i GT model: you can only choose between
Sport and Sport + modes. If you select
Sport + mode and restart the engine, the
mode reverts to Sport. Sport mode
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
X
Press button :once.
Indicator lamp ?lights up. You have
selected Sport mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT AMG Ride Control SPORT message
appears in the multifunction display.
i GT model: Sport mode is the standard
setting. Indicator lamp ?cannot be
switched off. 140
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Sport + mode
The very firm setting of the suspension tuning
in Sport + mode ensures the best possible
contact with the road. Select this mode only
when driving on race circuits.
If indicator lamps =and ?are off:
X Press button :twice.
Indicator lamps =and ?light up. You
have selected Sport + mode.
The AMG
AMG Ride Ride Control
Control SPORT +
SPORT +message
appears in the multifunction display.
If indicator lamp ?lights up:
X Press button :once.
Second indicator lamp =lights up. You
have selected Sport + mode.
The AMG
AMG Ride Ride Control
Control SPORT +
SPORT +message
appears in the multifunction display.
Comfort mode i
GT model: Comfort mode is unavailable.
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you favor a more comfortable
driving style, but also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. freeways.
X Press button :repeatedly until indicator
lamps =and ?go out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG Ride Control COMFORT AMG Ride Control COMFORT
message appears in the multifunction
display.
Storing and calling up settings Once the suspension tuning and drive
program have been selected, you can store
and call up your settings using AMG
button ;.
X To store: press AMG button ;until you
hear a tone. X
To call up: press AMG button ;.
The stored suspension tuning and drive
program are selected.
X To display: briefly press AMG button ;.
Your selection appears in the multifunction
display. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC 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.
!
When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R Release the electric parking brake. Driving systems
141Driving and parking Z

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 22).Important safety notes
You will find an illustration of the instrument
cluster in the "At a glance" section
(Y page 27). G
WARNING
If you operate information systems and
communication equipment integrated in the
vehicle while driving, you will be distracted
from traffic conditions. You could also lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Only operate the equipment when the traffic
situation permits. If you are not sure that this
is possible, park the vehicle paying attention
to traffic conditions and operate the
equipment when the vehicle is stationary. G
WARNING
If the instrument cluster has failed or
malfunctioned, you may not recognize
function restrictions in systems 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
immediately. You must observe the legal requirements for
the country in which you are currently driving
when operating the on-board computer.
The on-board computer only shows messages
or warnings from certain systems in the
multifunction display. You should therefore
make sure your vehicle is operating safely at
all times. Otherwise, a vehicle that is not
operating safely may cause an accident.
Displays and operation
Engine oil temperature display
The engine oil temperature gauge is in the
instrument cluster on the right-hand side.
Under normal operating conditions, the
temperature may rise to 140 †.
The transmission fluid temperature and the
coolant temperature are displayed in the
AMG menu (Y page 161). Tachometer
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
! Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
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
conditions when temperatures are around
freezing point.
The outside temperature display is in the
multifunction display (Y page 152).
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a short delay. 150
Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 22).Engine compartment
Hood
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the hood is unlatched, it may open up when
the vehicle is in motion and block your view.
There is a risk of an accident.
Never unlatch the hood while driving. G
WARNING
When opening and closing the hood, it may
suddenly fall into the closed position. There is
a risk of injury to persons within range of
movement of the hood.
Open and close the hood only when no one is
within its range of movement. G
WARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is
overheated or when there is a fire in the
engine compartment could expose you to hot
gases or other service products. There is a
risk of injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department. G
WARNING
The engine compartment contains moving
components. Certain components, such as
the radiator fan, may continue to run or start
again suddenly when the ignition is off. There
is a risk of injury.
If you need to do any work inside the engine
compartment,
R switch off the ignition
R never reach into the area where there is a
risk of danger from moving components,
such as the fan rotation area
R keep clothing away from moving parts
Opening the hood G
WARNING
Certain components in the engine
compartment, such as the engine, radiator
and parts of the exhaust system, can become
very hot. Working in the engine compartment
poses a risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and
touch only the components described in the
following. G
WARNING
When the hood is open and the windshield
wipers are set in motion, you can be injured
by the wiper linkage. There is a risk of injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before opening the hood. Hood release lever in driver's footwell218
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 22).Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If wheels and tires of the wrong size are used,
the wheel brakes or suspension components
may be damaged. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always replace wheels and tires with those
that fulfill the specifications of the original
part.
When replacing wheels, make sure to use the
correct:
R designation
R model
When replacing tires, make sure to use the
correct:
R designation
R manufacturer
R model G
Warning
A flat tire severely impairs the driving,
steering and braking characteristics of the
vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
do not drive with a flat tire. Immediately
replace the flat tire with your spare wheel, or
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Accessories that are not approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz or that are not being used correctly can impair the operating
safety.
Before purchasing and using non-approved
accessories, visit a qualified specialist
workshop and inquire about:
R
suitability
R legal stipulations
R factory recommendations
Information on dimensions and types of
wheels and tires for your vehicle can be found
(Y page 273).
Information on air pressure for the tires on
your vehicle can be found:
R on the vehicle's Tire and Loading
Information placard on the B-pillar
R on the tire pressure label on the fuel filler
flap
R under "Tire pressure"
i Further information on wheels and tires
can be obtained at any qualified specialist
workshop. Operation
Information on driving
R If the vehicle is heavily loaded, check the
tire pressures and correct them if
necessary.
R While driving, pay attention to vibrations,
noises and unusual handling
characteristics, e.g. pulling to one side.
This may indicate that the wheels or tires
are damaged. If you suspect that a tire is
defective, reduce your speed immediately.
Stop the vehicle as soon as possible to
check the wheels and tires for damage.
Hidden tire damage could also be causing
the unusual handling characteristics. If you
find no signs of damage, have the wheels
and tires checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
R When parking your vehicle, make sure that
the tires do not get deformed by the curb
or other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive 248
OperationWheels and tires