2015 MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class ESP

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 71).
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. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilizes 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 designated roads when the vehicle's
own oversteering and understeering char-
acteristics 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 stabilize the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® X
To activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button 0043.
The 0074 SPORT 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 0043.
The 0074 SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster goes out.
X To deactivate ESP ®
:press button 0043until
the 00BB ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
The 00E5 OFF OFFmessage appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button 0043.
The 00BB ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The 00E5
ESP ®
ON
ON message appears in the multifunc-
tion display. 76
Driving safety systemsSafety

Characteristics of activated SPORT han-
dling mode
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the 00E5ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilizes 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 only to a
limited degree and the drive wheels can
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 00E5ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize 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 PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
intervenes.
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available, it
is also not activated if you brake firmly and
ESP ®
intervenes.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake. EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 71). G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the rear wheels can still lock, e.g. under full braking. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Havethe brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 271) as well as dis-
play messages (Y page 242). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 71).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In addi-
tion to the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has the HOLD function (Y page 191) and
hill start assist (Y page 154). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
General information i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 71).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS. Driving safety systems
77Safety Z

For PRE-SAFE
®
Brake to assist you when driv-
ing, the radar sensor system must be opera-
tional.
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect obstacles that
are in front of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize
the risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead, and reduce the effects of such a collision. If PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk of collision,
you will be warned visually and acoustically as
well as by automatic braking. PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot prevent a collision without your intervention.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brake your vehi-
cle by a partial application of the brakes if a
danger of collision is detected. There may be
a collision unless you also brake. Automatic
emergency braking cannot prevent a colli-
sion. There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify objects and complex traffic conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R not give a warning or 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, the rec-
ognition can be impaired.
Recognition by the radar sensor system is
also impaired in the event of:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at low 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 231).
When the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is deactivated,
the multifunction display in the assistance
graphic shows the 00D4symbol.
Starting at a speed of around 4 mph (7 km/h),
this function warns you if you rapidly
approach a vehicle in front. An intermittent
warning tone will then sound and the 00BA78
Driving safety systemsSafety

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.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake 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 4 mph (7 km/h) and 124 mph
(200 km/ h)
At speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/h) PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also detect
stationary objects. Examples of stationary
objects are stopped or parked vehicles.
i If there is an increased risk of collision,
preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated.
If the risk of collision with the vehicle in front
remains and you do not brake, take evasive
action or accelerate significantly, the vehicle
may perform automatic emergency braking,
up to the point of full brake application. Auto- matic emergency braking is not performed
until immediately prior to an imminent acci-
dent.
You can prevent the intervention of the PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake at any time by:
R depressing the accelerator pedal further.
R activating kickdown.
R releasing the brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you maneuver to avoid the obstacle.
R there is no longer any danger of a collision.
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle. STEER CONTROL
General information STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering
wheel in the direction required for vehicle
stabilization.
This steering assistance is provided in partic-
ular if:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake.
R the vehicle starts to skid.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 71).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if:
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning.
R the lighting is faulty.
Power steering will, however, continue to
function. Protection against theft
Immobilizer
X To activate with the SmartKey: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. The
engine can be started by anyone with a valid
SmartKey that is left inside the vehicle.
i The immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be star- ted (yet the vehicle's battery is charged), Protection against theft
79Safety Z

When closing make sure that no parts of the
body are in the closing area. If somebody
becomes trapped, release the switch or press the switch to open the side window again. G
WARNING
If children operate the side windows they
could become trapped, particularly if they are left unsupervised. There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. Side window reversing feature
The front side windows are equipped with an automatic reversing feature. If a solid object
blocks or restricts one of the front side win-
dows from traveling upwards during the auto-
matic closing process, the side window opens
again automatically. During the manual clos-
ing process, the side window only opens
again automatically after the corresponding
switch is released. However, the automatic
reversing feature is only an aid and does not
relieve you of the responsibility of paying
attention when closing a side window. G
WARNING
The reversing feature does not react:
R to soft, light and thin objects, e.g. small fin-
gers
R while resetting
This means that the reversing feature cannot
prevent someone being trapped in these sit-
uations. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that no body parts are in close
proximity during the closing procedure. If
someone becomes trapped, press the switch
to open the side window again. Opening and closing the side win-
dows
Opening and closing the side windows
in the front The switches for the side windows are located
on the driver's door. There is also a switch for
the front-passenger side window on the front- passenger door.
The switches on the driver's door take prec-
edence. 0043
Left
0044 Right
X Turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock.
X To open manually: press and hold the cor-
responding button.
X To open fully: press the button beyond the
point of resistance and release it.
Automatic operation is started.
X To close manually: pull the corresponding
button and hold it.
X To close fully: pull the button beyond the
point of resistance and release it.
Automatic operation is started.
X To interrupt automatic operation: press
or pull the corresponding button again.
i You can continue to operate the side win-
dows after you switch off the engine. This
function is available for up to five minutes
or until the driver's or front-passenger door
is opened. Side windows
97Opening and closing Z

Opening/closing the rear side windows
X
To open: open the front side window on the
corresponding side (Y page 97).
X Press the corresponding switch again and
release.
The corresponding rear side window opens
fully.
X To stop the rear side windows: briefly
pull the corresponding switch up and
release.
X To close: close the front side window on
the corresponding side (Y page 97).
X Pull the respective switch and hold it.
The corresponding rear side window will
continue to close until you release the
switch. Opening and closing all side windows
Using the switch on the center console You can use the switch on the center console
to close all side windows simultaneously.
X Open the cover in the lower center console.
The switch for all side windows is under the
cover. X
To open all side windows: press
switch 0043to the point of resistance.
X To open all side windows fully: press
switch 0043beyond the point of resistance.
All side windows open simultaneously. i
If, after opening the windows, you close
one side window using the switch in the
door control panel:
R the front side window closes first and
R then the corresponding rear side window
closes.
X To close all side windows: pull switch0043.
All side windows begin the closing proce-
dure simultaneously. The rear side win-
dows close after the front side windows.
X Make sure that all the side windows are
fully closed.
Using the SmartKey G
WARNING
When using the convenience closing feature,
parts of the body could be trapped in the clos- ing area when a side window is being closed. There is a risk of injury.
Observe the complete closing procedure
when the convenience closing feature is oper-
ating. Make sure that no body parts are in
close proximity during the closing procedure.
If someone is trapped: X Release the 0037button immediately.
X Press and hold the 0036button until the
side windows open again.
You can use the SmartKey to open or close all
side windows simultaneously.
X Close the roof (Y page 101).
X Open the trunk partition (Y page 102).
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: point the
tip of the SmartKey at the door handle on
the driver's door.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: the Smart-
Key must be within 6 ft (2 m) of the vehicle.
X To open all side windows: press the0036
button on the SmartKey until the side win-
dows are fully opened.
X To interrupt the opening procedure:
release the 0036button. 98
Side windowsOpening and closing

X
To close all side windows: press the
0037 button on the SmartKey until the side
windows are fully closed.
X To interrupt the closing procedure:
release the 0037button.
Convenience closing with KEYLESS-GO G
WARNING
When using the convenience closing feature,
parts of the body could be trapped in the clos- ing area when a side window is being closed. There is a risk of injury.
Observe the complete closing procedure
when the convenience closing feature is oper-
ating. Make sure that no body parts are in
close proximity during the closing procedure.
If someone is trapped: X Release the recessed sensor surface on the
door handle immediately.
X Pull the door handle immediately and hold
it until the side windows open again.
With KEYLESS-GO you can close all side win-
dows simultaneously. The KEYLESS-GO key
must be outside the vehicle. All the doors
must be closed. X
Touch recessed sensor surface 0043on the
door handle until the side windows are fully
closed.
i Make sure you only touch recessed sen-
sor surface 0043. X
Make sure that all the side windows are
closed.
X To interrupt convenience closing:
release recessed sensor surface 0043on the
door handle. Resetting the side windows
If a side window can no longer be closed fully, you must reset it.
X Close all the doors.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock.
X Pull the corresponding switch on the door
control panel until the side window is com- pletely closed. (Y page 97)
X Hold the switch for an additional second.
If the side window opens again slightly: X Immediately pull the corresponding switch
on the door control panel until the side win-
dow is completely closed (Y page 97).
X Hold the switch for an additional second.
X If the corresponding side window remains
closed after the button has been released,
the side window has been reset correctly. If
this is not the case, repeat the steps aboveagain. Side windows
99Opening and closing Z

Problems with the side windows
G
WARNING
If you close a side window again immediately after it has been blocked or reset, the side window
closes with increased or maximum force. The reversing feature is then not active. Parts of the
body could be trapped in the closing area in the process. This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Make sure that no parts of the body are in the closing area. To stop the closing process, releasethe switch or push the switch again to reopen the side window. Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050 0050Solutions A side window cannot
be closed because it is
blocked by objects, e.g.
leaves in the window
guide. X
Remove the objects.
X Close the side window. A side window cannot
be closed and you can-
not see the cause. If a side window is obstructed during closing and reopens again
slightly:
X Immediately after the window blocks, pull the corresponding
switch again until the side window has closed.
The side window is closed with increased force.
If a side window is obstructed again during closing and reopens
again slightly: X Immediately after the window blocks, pull the corresponding
switch again until the side window has closed.
The side window is closed without the anti-entrapment feature. Roof
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you do not fully open/close the soft top, the soft-top hydraulics depressurize after a short
time. This causes the soft top to lower unex-
pectedly and may cause you or others to be
trapped. There is a risk of injury.
Always open or close the soft top completely. G
WARNING
Closing the roof manually is a complicated
and technically demanding procedure, which
requires a lot of strength. You or others can
become trapped. There is a risk of injury. Only have the soft top closed manually at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! Never sit on the rear compartment trim or
stow heavy objects there. You will other-
wise damage the roof and rear compart-
ment trim of the vehicle.
! Do not forget that the weather can
change abruptly. Make certain that the roof
is closed when you leave the vehicle. The
vehicle electronics can be damaged if
water enters the vehicle interior.
! When opening and closing the roof, make
sure that: 100
RoofOpening and closing