2015 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class change time

Useful information
i This Operator's manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip- ment 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 Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops (Y page 35). Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle
Important safety notes
The sensor system of some driving and driv-
ing safety systems adjusts automatically
while a certain distance is being driven after
the vehicle has been delivered or after
repairs. Full system effectiveness is not
reached until the end of this teach-in proce-
dure.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometers of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal. The first 1000 miles (1500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance in the future.
R You should therefore drive at varying vehi-
cle and engine speeds for the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
R Avoid heavy loads, e.g. driving at full throt-
tle, during this period.
R Change gear in good time, before the tach-
ometer needle is 00C3of the way to the red
area of the tachometer. R
Do not manually shift to a lower gear to
brake the vehicle.
R Try to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the point of resistance (kick-
down).
R Ideally, for the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km),
drive in program C.
After 1,000 miles (1,500 km), you can
increase the engine speed gradually and bring
the vehicle to full speed.
Additional breaking-in notes for AMG vehi-
cles:
R Do not drive faster than 85 mph
(140 km/h) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
R Only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
R Change gear in good time.
i You should also observe these notes on
breaking in if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced. AMG vehicles with self-locking rear
axle differential
Your vehicle is equipped with a self-locking
differential on the rear axle. To protect the
differential on the rear axle, carry out an oil
change after a breaking-in phase of
2,000 miles (3,000 km). This oil change pro-
longs the service life of the differential. Have the oil change carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use an authorized Mercedes- Benz Center for this purpose. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident. 150
DrivingDriving and parking

Double-clutch function
When shifting down, the double-clutch func-
tion is active regardless of the currently selec-
ted drive program. The double-clutch function reduces load change reactions and is condu-cive to a sporty driving style. The sound gen-
erated by the double-clutch function depends
on the drive program selected.
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up. Program selector button
Selecting drive program Program selector button
Program selector button 0043allows you to
choose between different driving character-
istics.
X Press program selector button 0043repeat-
edly until the letter for the desired gearshift
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play in the speedometer. R
EEconomy: comfortable, economical
driving
R SSport: sporty driving style
R M Manual: manual gearshifting
i Further information about permanent
drive program M(Y page 166).
As well as this permanent drive program M,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M(Y page 165).
i The automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive program Eeach time the
engine is started.
i Further information on the "Automatic
drive program" (Y page 164).
Drive program for AMG vehicles With the drive program selector switch, you
can choose from a range of different trans-
mission configurations or select the RACE
START drive mode.
X Turn drive program selector 0043until the
desired drive program appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
The drive program indicator on the drive
program selector lights up red.
R CControlled Efficiency: comfortable
engine and transmission design that pro-
vides for optimum fuel consumption
R SSport: sporty engine and transmission
settings
R S+ SportPlus: extremely sporty engine and
transmission settings Automatic transmission
163Driving and parking Z

R
M Manual: manual gearshifting
R RS driving mode RACE START: optimum
acceleration dynamics from a standstill (SL 63 AMG only)
i Further information about permanent
drive program M(Y page 166).
As well as this permanent drive program M,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M(Y page 165).
i The automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive program Ceach time the
engine is started.
i RS
cannot be selected during normal driv-
ing. For further information on RACE
START, see (Y page 192).
AMG button (SETUP) You can save and call up the following pre-
settings with the AMG button:
R Drive program (Y page 163)
R Suspension tuning X
To store: press and hold AMG button 0043
until you hear a tone.
X To call up: press AMG button 0043.
The stored drive program is selected.
X To display: briefly press AMG button 0043.
The multifunction display shows the SETUP in the AMG menu (Y page 236). Steering wheel paddle shifters
0043
Left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
0044 Right-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel pad- dle shifters (Y page 165).
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Y page 166).
Further information about temporary drive
program M(Y page 165).
i The full range of functions for the steering
wheel paddle shifters is available only once operating temperature has been reached.
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel paddle shifters when the trans-
mission is in position D. Automatic drive program
Automatic drive programs E and S Drive program
Eis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
R comfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully 164
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

R
increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin
Drive program Sis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine and transmission settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmis- sion shift points
Manual drive program M General notes
In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel pad-
dle shifters. The transmission must be in posi- tion D.
You can activate manual drive program Min
the Eand Sautomatic drive programs.
i As well as temporary drive program
M,
you can also activate permanent drive pro-
gram M(Y page 163).
Further information about permanent drive program M(Y page 166).
Activating
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 164).
Manual drive program Mis temporarily acti-
vated. The selected gear and Mappear in
the multifunction display.
Shifting gears
If you pull on the left or right steering wheel
paddle shifter, the automatic transmission
switches to manual drive program Mfor a
limited amount of time. Depending on which paddle shifter is pulled, the automatic trans-
mission immediately shifts into the next gear
down or up, if permitted.
X To shift up: pull the right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (Y page 164).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
i If the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts up in
order to prevent engine damage.
X To shift down: pull on the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter (Y page 164).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto- matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down.
i Automatic down shifting occurs when
coasting.
Shift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
X Shift to recommended gear 0044according
to gearshift recommendation 0043when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster.
Deactivating
If you have activated manual drive program
M, it will remain active for a certain amount of time. Under certain conditions the minimum
amount of time is extended, e.g. in the case of Automatic transmission
165Driving and parking Z

The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent is greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-
ing drugs.
Emission control G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency if they are serviced exactly in accordance with
the manufacturer's specifications. All work
on the engine must be carried out only by
qualified and authorized Mercedes-Benz
technicians.
The engine settings must not be changed
under any circumstances. Furthermore, all
specific service work must be carried out at
regular intervals and in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz service requirements. Details
can be found in the Maintenance Booklet. ECO display
Example: ECO display
The ECO display provides feedback on how
economical your driving characteristics are.
The ECO display assists you in achieving the most economical driving style for the selec-
ted settings and prevailing conditions. Your
driving style can significantly influence the
vehicle's consumption.
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R
Acceleration Acceleration
R Constant
Constant
R Coasting
Coasting
The percent value is the average value of the three bars. The three bars and the mean value
begin at the value of 50 %. A higher percent-
age indicates a more economical driving
style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual fuel consumption. A fixed percentage count
in the ECO display does not indicate a fixed
consumption.
Apart from driving style, consumption is
dependent on many factors such as, e.g.:
R load
R tire pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R electrical consumers switched on
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style is carried
out using the following three categories:
R Acceleration
Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
- The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- The bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant Constant (assessment of driving behavior
at all times):
- The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes):
- The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping your distance and early release Driving tips
175Driving and parking Z

of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes.
- The bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style specially
requires driving at moderate engine
speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration
Acceleration andConstant Constant:
R observe the gearshift recommendations.
R drive in drive program E.
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the highway, only the bar for Constant
Constant
will change.
i The ECO display summarizes the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey
to its completion. For this reason, the bars
change dynamically at the beginning of the
journey. On longer journeys, there are
fewer changes. For more dynamic changes, carry out a manual reset.
For further information on the ECO display,
see (Y page 226). Brakes
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.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients !
On long, steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes. To use
engine braking, shift to a lower gear in good time. This helps you to avoid overheating
the brakes and wearing them out exces-
sively. When making use of the engine braking
effect, it is possible that a drive wheel may
not turn for some time, e.g. in the case of
suddenly changing or slippery road surface conditions. This could cause damage to the
drive train. This type of damage is not cov- ered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is espe-
cially important if the vehicle is laden.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! 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.
Wet roads 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 first
time. This may also occur after the vehicle has been washed or driven through deep water.
You then 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 vehi- cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm upthe brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion. 176
Driving tipsDriving and parking

and drive at a speed to suit the prevailing
weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Y page 571).
For more information on driving with summer tires, see (Y page 570).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 570). Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding 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 relievesthe load on the brake system and prevents
the brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con- ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take into account the road,
traffic and weather conditions. Cruise control
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 in
lane. Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever Cruise control lever
0043
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
0044 To store the current speed or call up the
last stored speed
0087 To store the current speed or a lower
speed
0085 To deactivate cruise control
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the status indicator of the
multifunction display:
R USA only: e.g. CRUISE 55 Miles
CRUISE 55 Miles
R Canada only: e.g. 00B290 Km/h 90 Km/h 180
Driving systemsDriving and parking

!
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
If you fail to adapt your driving style, DIS-
TRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take into account
the road, traffic and weather conditions. DIS- TRONIC PLUS is only an aid. You are respon-
sible for the distance to the vehicle in front,
for vehicle speed, for braking in good time and for staying in lane.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi-
cle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may unexpect- edly accelerate the vehicle to the stored
speed. This speed may:
R be too high if you are driving in a filter lane
or an exit lane
R be so high when driving in the right-hand
lane that you overtake vehicles in the left-
hand lane
R be so high when driving in the left-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the right-hand lane
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever Cruise control lever
0043 To store the current speed or a higher
speed
0044 To set the specified minimum distance
0087 To store the current speed or call up the
last stored speed
0085 To store the current speed or a lower
speed
0083 To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS 184
Driving systemsDriving and parking