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 203).
When PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is deactivated, the
assistance graphic shows the 00D4symbol
in the multifunction display.
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 00BAdistance 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. 68
Driving safety systemsSafety
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 26). Correct driver's seat position
X
Observe the safety guidelines on seat
adjustment (Y page 97).
X Make sure that seat 0087is adjusted prop-
erly.
Manual seat adjustment (Y page 98)
Electrical seat adjustment (Y page 98)
When adjusting the seat, make sure that:
R you are as far away from the driver's air bag
as possible
R you are sitting in a normal upright position
R you can fasten the seat belt properly R
you have moved the backrest to an almost
vertical position
R you have set the seat cushion angle so that
your thighs are gently supported
R you can depress the pedals properly
X Check whether the head restraint is adjus-
ted properly.
When doing so, make sure that you have
adjusted the head restraint so that the back of your head is supported at eye level by the center of the head restraint.
X Observe the safety guidelines on steering
wheel adjustment (Y page 100).
X Make sure that steering wheel 0043is adjus-
ted properly.
Adjusting the steering wheel manually
(Y page 101)
Adjusts the steering wheel electrically
(Y page 101)
When adjusting the steering wheel, make
sure that:
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent
R you can move your legs freely
R you can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly
X Observe the safety guidelines for seat belts
(Y page 42).
X Check whether you have fastened seat
belt 0044properly (Y page 44).
The seat belt should:
R fit snugly across your body
R be routed across the middle of your shoul-
der
R be routed in your pelvic area across the hip
joints
X Before starting off, adjust the rear-view mir-
ror and the exterior mirrors (Y page 103) in
such a way that you have a good view of
road and traffic conditions.
X Vehicles with a memory function: save
the seat, steering wheel and exterior mirror settings (Y page 106). 96
Correct driver's seat positionSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Children could become trapped if they adjust the seats, particularly when unattended.
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.
The seats can still be adjusted when there is
no SmartKey in the ignition lock. G
WARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on the seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure when adjusting a seat that no one
has any body parts in the sweep of the seat.
Observe the safety notes on "Air bags"
(Y page 46) and "Children in the Vehicle"
(Y page 57). G
WARNING
If the driver's seat is not engaged, it could
move unexpectedly while the vehicle is in
motion. This could cause you to lose control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Always make sure that the driver's seat is
engaged before starting the engine. G
WARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or other vehicle occupants could be trapped andthereby injured. Children in particular could
accidentally press the electrical seat adjust-
ment buttons and become trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under the
lever assembly of the seat adjustment sys-
tem. G
WARNING
If head restraints are not installed and adjus-
ted correctly, they cannot provide protection
as intended. There is an increased risk of
injury in the head and neck area, e.g. in the
event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level. G
WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors and fasten your seat belt before start- ing the engine.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R keep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat
heating should also not be used to dry
the seats.
R clean the seat covers as recommended;
see the "Interior care" section.
R do not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place sharp objects on the
seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools. The seats should only be occupied by
passengers, if possible.
R when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating mate- rials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat cov-
ers, child seats or booster seats.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when Seats
97Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z
AIRSCARF
Activating/deactivating G
WARNING
When AIRSCARF is switched on, very hot air
can flow from the vents in the head restraints. This could result in burns in the immediate
vicinity of the air vents. There is a risk of injury.
Reduce the heater output before it becomes
too hot. The AIRSCARF function warms the head and
neck area of vehicle occupants with warm air.
The warm air flows out of the holes in the head restraints.
The three red indicator lamps in the button
indicate the heating level you have selected.
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.
X To switch on: press button0043.
Three red indicator lamps in the button light
up. The blower starts up after a preheating phase of seven seconds.
X Press button 0043repeatedly until the
desired heating level is set.
X To switch off: press button0043repeatedly
until all the indicator lamps go out.
i The blower continues running for seven
seconds to cool down the heating ele-
ments.
i If the battery voltage is too low, AIRSCARF
may switch off. Problems with AIRSCARF AIRSCARF has switched off prematurely or
will not switch on. The vehicle's electrical sys-
tem voltage is too low because too many
electrical consumers are switched on.
X Switch off electrical consumers that you do
not need, such as the rear window
defroster or interior lighting.
X Switch on AIRSCARF again. Steering wheel
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
R adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine. G
WARNING
You can no longer steer the vehicle if the
steering wheel lock has been engaged. There is a risk of an accident.
Always switch off the ignition when towing the
vehicle with a tow cable or a tow bar. G
WARNING
Children could injure themselves if they
adjust the steering wheel. 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.
The electrically adjustable steering wheel can
still be adjusted when there is no key in the
ignition lock. 100
Steering wheelSeats
, steering wheel and mirrors
R
the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached.
R the battery is sufficiently charged.
R the system detects that the windshield is
not fogged up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the hood is closed.
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened.
If the conditions for automatic engine switch- off are not all fulfilled, the 00D6symbol is lit
yellow.
i All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is stopped automatically.
i The engine can be switched off automat-
ically a maximum of four times (first stop
and three subsequent stops) in succession.
The 00D6 ECO symbol is shown in yellow in
the multifunction display after the engine
has been started automatically for the
fourth time. When the 00D6ECO symbol is
shown in green in the multifunction display,
automatic engine switch-off is again possi- ble.
i The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automati-
cally. It is then not necessary to continue
applying the brakes during the automatic
stop phase. When you depress the accel-
erator pedal, the engine starts automati-
cally and the braking effect of the HOLD
function is deactivated.
Vehicles with manual transmission (SLK
250) The ECO start/stop function switches off the
engine automatically at low speeds.
X Brake the vehicle.
X Engage neutral N(follow gearshift instruc-
tion 0043to engage neutral N, if necessary).
X Release the clutch pedal.
The engine is switched off automatically.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
(SLK 250)
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in Dor N,
the ECO start/stop function switches off the engine automatically.
SLK 350
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in Dor N,
the ECO start/stop function switches off the engine automatically.
The ECO start/stop function is operational
when:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green.
R the outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system.
R the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature.
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached.
R the battery is sufficiently charged.
R the system detects that the windshield is
not fogged up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the hood is closed.
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened.
i All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is stopped automatically.
i The engine can be switched off automat-
ically a maximum of four times (first stop
and three subsequent stops) in succession.
i The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automati-
cally. It is then not necessary to continue
applying the brakes during the automatic Driving
145Driving an d parking Z
stop phase. When you depress the accel-
erator pedal, the engine starts automati-
cally and the braking effect of the HOLD
function is deactivated.
SLK 55 AMG
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in Dor N,
the ECO start/stop function switches off the engine automatically.
The ECO start/stop function is operational
and the 00D6ECO symbol is displayed in
green in the multifunction display, if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green.
R the outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system.
R the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature.
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached.
R the battery is sufficiently charged.
R the system detects that the windshield is
not fogged up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the hood is closed.
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened.
If the conditions for automatic engine switch-
off are not all fulfilled, the 00D6ECO symbol is
lit yellow.
i All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is stopped automatically.
i The engine can be automatically switched
off an unlimited number of times.
i The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automati-
cally. It is then not necessary to continue
applying the brakes during the automatic
stop phase. When you depress the accel-
erator pedal, the engine starts automati-
cally and the braking effect of the HOLD
function is deactivated. Automatic engine start Operation (SLK 250)
The engine starts automatically if:
R you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button.
R you engage reverse gear R.
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the
driver's door.
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires this.
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range.
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
shield when the air-conditioning system is
switched on.
R the battery's condition of charge is too low.
Vehicles with manual transmission (SLK
250)
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
The engine is started automatically if you: R fully depress the clutch pedal.
R depress the accelerator pedal.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
(SLK 250)
The engine is started automatically if you: R release the brake pedal in transmission
position Dor Nwhen the HOLD function is
not active.
R depress the accelerator pedal.
R move the transmission out of position P.
i Shifting the transmission to position
P
does not start the engine.
i If you shift the transmission from
Rto D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the 00D6ECO symbol reap-
pears in green in the multifunction display. 146
DrivingDriving and parking
SLK 350
The engine starts automatically if:
R you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button.
R in transmission position Dor Nthe brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is not active.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
R you engage reverse gear R.
R you move the transmission out of position
P.
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the
driver's door.
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires this.
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range.
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
shield when the air-conditioning system is
switched on.
R the battery's condition of charge is too low.
i Shifting the transmission to position
P
does not start the engine.
SLK 55 AMG
The engine starts automatically if:
R you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button.
R in transmission position Dor Nthe brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is not active.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
R you engage reverse gear R.
R you move the transmission out of position
P.
R you switch to drive program Sor M.
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the
driver's door.
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires this.
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range. R
the system detects moisture on the wind-
shield when the air-conditioning system is
switched on.
R the battery's condition of charge is too low.
i Shifting the transmission to position
P
does not start the engine.
i If you shift the transmission from
Rto D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the 00D6ECO symbol reap-
pears in green in the multifunction display.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function SLK 250
X
To deactivate: press ECO button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044and the 00D6ECO sym-
bol in the multifunction display go out.
X To activate: press ECO button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 144) are fulfilled, the
00D6 ECO symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 144) are fulfilled, the
00D6 ECO symbol is shown in yellow in the
multifunction display.
If this is the case, the ECO start/stop func-
tion is not available.
Conditions for the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 144). Driving
147Driving and parking Z
The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or there is a malfunction in the system, it may not be possible to apply
the released parking brake.
X If this is the case, only park the vehicle on
level ground and secure it to prevent it roll-
ing away.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first gear.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or
there is a malfunction in the system. Contact a qualified specialist workshop.
i The electric parking brake performs a
function test at regular intervals while the
engine is switched off. The sounds that can
be heard while this is occurring are normal.
Applying/releasing manually X
To engage: push handle 0043.
When the electric parking brake is
engaged, the 0049(USA only) or 0024
(Canada only) red indicator lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
i The electric parking brake can also be
applied when the SmartKey is removed. X
To release: switch on the ignition.
X Pull handle 0043.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter goes out.
i The electric parking brake can only be
released:
R if the SmartKey is in position 1in the
ignition lock (Y page 139) or
R if the ignition was switched on using the
Start/Stop button.
Applying automatically The electric parking brake is applied auto-
matically:
R if DISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
R if the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle
stationary
In addition, at least one of the following con-
ditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off.
R the driver's seat belt is not inserted in the
belt buckle and the driver's door is open.
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up.
Releasing automatically The electric parking brake is released auto-
matically when all of the following conditions
are fulfilled:
R the engine is running.
R the transmission is in position Dor R.
R the driver's seat belt is fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
If the transmission is in position R, the trunk
lid must be closed. Parking
163Driving and parking Z