2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG COUPE Owners Manual

Exiting in an emergency (Coupe only)
If the vehicle is lying on its roof after an
accident, the hinge fasteners of the gullwing
doors are released pyrotechnically. You will
hear a bang if this is the case. After the
fasteners have been released, the doors are
forced outwards. Simultaneously, the door
locks are unlocked. The 6SRS warning
lamp lights up.
i The hinge fasteners are only released
when the control unit recognizes that
certain conditions have been fulfilled, e.g.
when the vehicle is in a stabilized position
on its roof.
The doors can then be moved from the
inside/outside by pulling the door handle. Seat belts
Important safety notes The use of infant or child restraints is required
by law in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, the U.S. territories and all
Canadian provinces.
Even where this is not the case, all vehicle
occupants should have their seat belts
fastened when the vehicle is in motion.
i See "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page 51) for further information on
infants and children traveling in the vehicle
as well as on child restraint systems. G
WARNING
Always fasten your seat belt before driving off.
Always make sure your passenger is properly
restrained. You and your passenger should
always wear seat belts.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt considerably increases
your risk of injuries and their likely severity in
an accident.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
could be considerably more severe if you have
not fastened your seat belt correctly. If you do not fasten your seat belt, you are much more
likely to collide with parts of the vehicle
interior or be ejected from it. This may result
in serious or fatal injury.
In the same crash, the possibility of serious or
fatal injury is considerably reduced if you wear
your seat belt properly. The air bags can only
offer the intended protection if the occupants
are wearing their seat belts properly.
G
WARNING
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. That could cause serious
or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belt provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a position that is as upright as
possible and the seat belt is properly
positioned on the body. G
WARNING
Never let more people ride in the vehicle than
there are seat belts available. Make sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly
restrained with a separate seat belt. Never
use a seat belt for more than one person at a
time. G
WARNING
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident must
be replaced and their anchoring points must
also be checked.
Only use seat belts which have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat
belts. This can lead to unintended activation
of the ETDs or to their failure to activate when
necessary.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection. Occupant safety
47Safety
Z

Have all work carried out only by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Correct use of the seat belts G
WARNING
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY
R Seat belts can only work when used
properly. Never wear seat belts in any other
way than as described in this section, as
that could result in serious injuries in the
event of an accident.
R Each occupant should wear their seat belt
at all times, because seat belts help reduce
the likelihood of and potential severity of
injuries in accidents, including rollovers.
The integrated restraint system includes
SRS (driver front air bag, knee bags, front-
passenger front air bag, side impact air
bags, head air bags), Emergency
Tensioning Devices (ETDs) and seat belt
force limiters. The system is designed to
enhance the protection offered to properly
belted occupants in certain frontal (front air
bags, knee bags and ETDs) and side (side
impact air bags, head air bags and ETDs)
impacts which exceed preset deployment
thresholds.
R Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, across your neck or off your shoulder.
In a frontal crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The seat
belt would also apply too much force to the
ribs or abdomen, which could severely
injure internal organs such as your liver or
spleen.
Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder (it should not
touch the neck).
R Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips and not across the abdomen. If
the lap belt is positioned across your abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in
a crash.
R Never wear seat belts over rigid or
breakable objects in or on your clothing,
such as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as
these might cause injuries.
R Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.
R Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt
around a person and another person or
other objects at the same time.
R Seat belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you would not have the full width of
the seat belt to distribute impact forces.
The twisted seat belt against your body
could cause injuries.
R Pregnant women should also always use a
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible on
the hips to avoid any possible pressure on
the abdomen.
R Place the seat backrest in a position that is
as upright as possible.
R Check your seat belt during travel to make
sure it is properly positioned.
R Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
R When using a seat belt to secure infant
restraints, toddler restraints, or children in
booster seats, always follow the child seat
manufacturer's instructions. G
WARNING
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the seat belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the seat belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to seat
belts. This could impair the effectiveness of
the seat belts. 48
Occupant safetySafety

Fastening seat belts
G
WARNING
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, child
restraint system, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. For additional information, see the
"Children in the vehicle" section.
A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint. Example: Coupe
X
Adjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almost vertical position(Y page 85).
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from belt sash
guide :.
X Without twisting it, guide the shoulder
section of the seat belt across the middle
of your shoulder and the lap section across
your hips. X
Engage belt tongue ;in buckle =.
X If necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the seat belt to tighten the belt
across your body.
The seat belt on the front-passenger side is
equipped with a special seat belt retractor to
secure child restraint systems properly on the
front-passenger seat. For further information
on special seat belt retractors, see
(Y page 53).
For more information about releasing the seat
belt with release button ?, see "Releasing
seat belts" ( Ypage 49).
Releasing seat belts X
Press release button ?(Ypage 49) and
guide belt tongue ;(Ypage 49) back
towards belt sash guide :(Ypage 49).
! Make sure that the seat belt is fully rolled
up. Otherwise, the seat belt or belt tongue
will be trapped in the door or in the seat
mechanism. This could damage the door,
the door trim panel and the seat belt.
Damaged seat belts can no longer fulfill
their protective function and must be
replaced. Consult an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger Regardless of whether the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts have already been
fastened, the
7seat belt warning lamp
lights up for six seconds each time the engine
is started. It then goes out once the driver and
the front passenger have fastened their seat
belts.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened when
the engine is started, an additional warning
tone will sound. The warning tone switches
off after approximately six seconds or once
the driver's seat belt is fastened. Occupant safety
49Safety Z

If after six seconds the driver or front
passenger have not fastened their seat belts
and the doors are closed:
R the 7 seat belt warning lamp remains lit
as long as either the driver's or front-
passenger's seat belt is not fastened
R and if the vehicle speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h) once, the 7seat belt warning
lamp lights up. Additionally, a warning tone
sounds with increasing intensity for a
maximum of 60 seconds or until the
driver's and front passenger's seat belts
are fastened.
If the driver or front-passenger seat belt is
unfastened while the vehicle is in motion, the
7 seat belt warning lamp lights up and a
warning tone sounds again.
The warning tone ceases even if the driver or
front-passenger seat belt has still not been
fastened after 60 seconds. The 7seat belt
warning lamp stops flashing but remains lit.
After the vehicle comes to a standstill, the
warning tone is reactivated and the 7seat
belt warning lamp flashes again if the vehicle
speed exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
The 7 seat belt warning lamp only goes
out if:
R both the driver and the front passenger
have fastened their seat belts.
or
R the vehicle is stationary and a door is open.
i For more information on the 7seat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
seat belt" (Y page 191).
Emergency Tensioning Devices, seat
belt force limiters The seat belts are equipped with ETDs and
seat belt force limiters.
! If the co-driver's seat is unoccupied, do
not insert the belt tongue into the buckle of
the co-driver's seat. This may otherwise
lead to the triggering of the Emergency Tensioning Device in the event of an
accident, which will then need to be
replaced.
The ETDs tighten the seat belts in an accident,
pulling them close against the body.
The ETDs do not correct incorrect seat
positions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull vehicle occupants back
towards the backrest.
Seat belt force limiters, when activated, are
employed to help reduce the peak force
exerted by the seat belts on occupants during
a crash.
The seat belt force limiters are synchronized
with the front air bags, which take on a part
of the deceleration force. Thus, the force
exerted on the occupant is distributed over a
greater area.
When the ignition is switched on, the ETDs
cannot be triggered unless:
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" (Y page 37)
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the three-point seat belts
R the front-passenger seat is occupied and
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the front-passenger side
The ETDs are triggered depending on the type
and severity of an accident:
R in the event of a head-on or rear-end
collision, if the vehicle decelerates or
accelerates rapidly in a longitudinal
direction during the initial stages of the
impact
R in the event of a side impact, if the vehicle
is subjected to high lateral acceleration/
deceleration
R Coupe: in certain situations if the vehicle
rolls over, and the system determines that
it can provide additional protection
R Roadster: if the vehicle rolls over
If the Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)
are triggered, you will hear a bang, and a small
amount of smoke may also be released. Only 50
Occupant safetySafety

in rare cases will the bang affect your hearing.
The smoke that is released generally does not
constitute a health hazard. The 6SRS
warning lamp lights up. G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic ETDs that were activated must be
replaced.
For your safety, when disposing of the
pyrotechnic ETDs always follow our safety
instructions. These are available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Child restraint systems
Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an appropriate
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt fully in
accordance with the child seat
manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the
front-passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the front-passenger seat.
R A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front-passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front-passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle.
R If you install a rear-facing child restraint on
the front-passenger seat, make sure the
45 indicator lamp is illuminated,
indicating that the front-passenger front air
bag is deactivated. Should the 45
indicator lamp not illuminate or go out while
the restraint is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check the
45 indicator lamp while driving to
make sure the 45indicator lamp is
illuminated. If the 45indicator lamp
goes out or remains out, do not transport a
child on the front-passenger seat until the
system has been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front-passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front-passenger
front air bag inflates.
R If you place a child in a forward-facing child
restraint on the front-passenger seat:
-move the seat as far back as possible
- use the proper child restraint
recommended for the age, size and
weight of the child
- secure child restraint with the vehicle's
seat belt according to the child seat
manufacturer's instructions
R For children larger than a typical 12-month-
old child, the front-passenger front air bag
may or may not be activated. G
WARNING
Infants and small children should never share
a seat belt with another occupant. In the event
of an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt. Child restraint systems
51Safety
Z

A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Children that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal seat belts.
Position the shoulder belt across the chest
and shoulder, not the face or neck. A booster
seat may be necessary to achieve proper seat
belt positioning for children over 41 lbs
(18 kg) until they reach a height where a lap/
shoulder belt fits properly without a booster
seat.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove
it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat
belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an
accident. G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could:
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts.
G
WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment unless they are
firmly secured in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child's risk of injury in the event
of:
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
If an infant or child is traveling in the vehicle:
X Secure the child with a child or infant seat
restraint system appropriate to the age and
weight of the child.
X Make sure that the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you always
properly secure all infants and children with
a child or infant seat restraint system for the
trip.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in:
R all 50 states
R the U.S. territories
R the District of Columbia
R all Canadian provinces
Infants and children must always be seated in
an appropriate infant or child restraint system
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. The infant or child restraint system
must be properly secured with a three-point
seat belt in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.
All infant or child restraint systems must meet
the following standards:
R U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 225
R Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2 52
Child restraint systemsSafety

Confirmation that the child restraint system
corresponds to the standards can be found
on an instruction label on the child restraint
system. This confirmation can also be found
in the installation instructions that are
included with the child restraint system.
Always read and follow the manufacturer's
instructions when using an infant or child
restraint system or booster seat.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle
interior or on the infant or child restraint.
Special seat belt retractor G
WARNING
If you release the seat belt when driving, the
special seat belt retractor is deactivated.
The released seat belt cannot be engaged
again while driving, because the inertia reel
pulls in the seat belt a small distance. The
child restraint system is no longer properly
secured. There is an increased risk of serious
injury or even fatal injury.
Always keep the seat belt of the activated
special seat belt retractor engaged when
driving.
The seat belt on the front-passenger side is
equipped with a special seat belt retractor.
When enabled, the special seat belt retractor
ensures that the seat belt does not slacken
once the child seat is secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from the seat
belt retractor.
X Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle. Activating the special seat belt retractor:
X
Pull the seat belt out fully and let the seat
belt retractor retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat
belt retractor is activated.
X Push down on the child restraint system to
take up any slack.
Removing a child restraint system/
deactivating the special seat belt retractor:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Press the seat belt release button and
guide the belt tongue to the belt outlet.
The special seat belt retractor is
deactivated.
Installing child restraint systems Observe the "Important safety notes" section
(Y
page 51).
The Top Tether anchorage is installed behind
the front-passenger seat. X
Slide the front-passenger seat forward.
X Remove cover :from the Top Tether
anchorage in the direction of the arrow. Child restraint systems
53Safety Z

X
Position Top Tether belt ?. Comply with
the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so.
X Hook Top Tether hook =into Top Tether
anchorage ;.
Ensure that:
R Top Tether hook =is hooked into Top
Tether anchorage ;as shown.
R Top Tether belt ?is not twisted.
When Top Tether hook =is connected, the
child restraint system can be secured.
X Install the child restraint system.
X Tension Top Tether belt ?. Comply with
the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so.
The child restraint system with Top Tether
belt ?has been removed:
X Slide cover :onto Top Tether
anchorage ;. Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety
systems can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there is
adequate contact between the tires and the
road surface. Please pay special attention to
the notes on tires, recommended minimum
tire tread depths, etc. (Y page 248).
i In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the
driving safety systems described in this
section work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 54). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
Additionally, further driving safety systems
are deactivated. There is an increased danger
of skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information 54
Driving safety systemsSafety