2015 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK-Class ignition

i
The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
Further information on the ECO start/stop function (Y page 144). Shift recommendation
X
Shift gear according to gearshift recom-
mendation 0043when shown in the multi-
function display of the instrument cluster.
The gearshift recommendations assist you in adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunctiondisplay. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake. Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions Selector lever
005D
Park position with selector lever lock
005E Reverse gear
005C Neutral
005B Drive
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display 0043
Transmission position display
0044 Drive program display
The current position of the selector lever is
shown by the indicators next to the selector
lever.
The indicators light up when the SmartKey is inserted into the ignition lock. The indicators go out when the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock. Automatic transmission
151Driving and parking Z

Transmission positions
0045 Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Y page 151) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake when parking. Always apply the
electronic parking brake in addi-
tion to the parking lock in order to
secure the vehicle.
The SmartKey can only be removedif the transmission is in position P.
If the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock, the selector lever
is locked.
If the vehicle electronics are mal-
functioning, the selector lever may be locked in position P. To release
a locked selector lever, see "Man-
ual override of parking lock"
(Y page 158). 0046 Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary. 0044 Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brake pedal will allow
you to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to posi-
tion Nif the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
! Rolling in neutral
Ncan damage
the drive train. 003A Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. This automatic gear shift-
ing behavior is determined by:
R the selected drive program (Y page 153)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 152)
R the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts 152
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

X
Switch the engine off.
X Remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
X Press the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow 0043.
The fuel filler flap swings up.
X Turn the fuel filler flap counter-clockwise
and remove it.
X Insert the fuel filler cap into the holder
bracket on the inside of fuel filler flap 0044.
X Completely insert the filler neck of the fuel
pump nozzle into the tank, hook in place
and refuel.
X Only fill the tank until the pump nozzle
switches off.
i Do not add any more fuel after the pump
stops filling for the first time. Otherwise,
fuel may leak out.
Closing the fuel filler flap X
Place fuel filler cap on the fuel filler neck
and turn clockwise until it engages.
X Close fuel filler flap 0043.
i Close the fuel filler flap before locking the
vehicle.
i If you are driving with the fuel filler cap
open, the 00B6reserve fuel warning lamp
flashes. The 00B9Check Engine warning
lamp may also light up. A message appears in the multifunction display (Y page 231).
For further information on warning and indi-
cator lamps in the instrument cluster, see
(Y page 251). 160
RefuelingDriving and parking

Problems with fuel and the fuel tank
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle. The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
G WARNING
Risk of explosion or fire. X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition lock and remove
it immediately (Y page 139).
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The SmartKey battery is discharged.
X Unlock the vehicle (Y page 72).
or X Unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Y page 74).The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi- cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. 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 leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral.
R start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. Parking
161Driving and parking Z

!
Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle
or its drivetrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied.
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage first gear or reverse gear.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in park position P
and the transmission position display in the
multifunction display must show P.
R the SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock.
R the front wheels must be turned towards
the curb on steep uphill or downhill gradi-
ents. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.Using the SmartKey
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
i The SmartKey can only be removed if the
transmission is in position P.
Using KEYLESS-GO
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 140).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
i When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0: "Key removed".
If you try to switch off the engine when the
transmission is not in position P, a message
appears in the multifunction display. A signal sounds. Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral.
R start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. 162
ParkingDriving and parking

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

If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you have shifted out of Por you have pre-
viously driven faster than 2 mph (3 km/h).
i The electric parking brake can only be
released automatically on vehicles with
automatic transmission.
Ensure that you do not depress the acceler-
ator pedal unintentionally. Otherwise the
parking brake will be released and the vehicle
will start to move.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
X While driving, push handle 0043of the electric
parking brake.
i The vehicle is braked for as long as the
handle of the electric parking brake is
pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle is depressed, the greater the braking force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds
R the Please Release Parking Brake Please Release Parking Brake
message appears
R the red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus- ter flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-
still, 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. X
Connecting a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If you leave the vehicle parked 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. Driving tips
General notes
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 equip-
ment while driving, you will be distracted from traffic conditions. You could also lose controlof the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicleis stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the coun- try in which you are driving. Some jurisdic-
tions 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 164
Driving tipsDriving and parking

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.
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 warn-
ing tone while the engine is running, the
brake fluid level may be too low. Observe
additional warning messages in the multi-
function display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immedi-
ately. This work should be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! As the ESP ®
system operates automati-
cally, the engine and the ignition must be
switched off (SmartKey in position 0or 1in
the ignition lock) if the electric parking
brake is being tested on a brake dynamom-
eter (maximum 10 seconds).
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 quali-
fied specialist workshop. Have this work car-
ried out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
Have the brake pads replaced and the brake
fluid renewed at a qualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen- ter.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the function- ality of your brakes at regular intervals. To doso, depress the brake pedal firmly when driv-
ing at a high speed. This improves the grip of
the brake pads.
A description of Brake Assist (BAS):
(Y page 62) Driving tips
167Driving and parking Z