2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER brake sensor

With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect obstacles
that are in the path of your vehicle for an exten-
ded period of time.
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, the
distance warning function can also react to sta-
tionary obstacles, such as stopped or parked
vehicles.
Autonomous braking function If the driver does not react to the distance warn-
ing signal in a critical situation, Active Brake
Assist can assist with the autonomous braking
function.
If the autonomous braking function demands
particularly high braking force, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)
are activated simultaneously.
The autonomous braking function is available in
the following speed ranges:
R 7 - 105 km/h for moving objects
R 7 - 50 km/h for stationary objects
Due to the nature of the system, complicated
but non-critical driving conditions may also
cause the autonomous braking function to inter- vene.
If the autonomous braking function demands a
particularly high braking force, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)
are activated simultaneously (Y page 53).
Adaptive Brake Assist General notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 62).
With the help of Adaptive Brake Assist, the dis-
tance warning signal can detect obstacles that
are in the path of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
If Adaptive Brake Assist detects a risk of a col-
lision with the vehicle in front, it calculates the
braking force necessary to avoid a collision. If
you apply the brakes forcefully, Adaptive Brake
Assist will automatically increase the braking
force to a level suitable for the traffic conditions.
Adaptive Brake Assist provides braking assis-
tance in hazardous situations at speeds above
7 km/h. It uses radar sensor technology to
assess the traffic situation. Up to a speed of approximately 250 km/h,
Adaptive Brake Assist is capable of reacting to
moving objects that have already been detected
as such at least once over the period of obser-
vation.
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, Adap-
tive Brake Assist reacts to stationary obstacles.
If Adaptive Brake Assist demands a particularly
high braking force, preventative passenger pro-
tection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated
simultaneously (Y page 53).
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if: R you release the brake pedal
R there is no longer any danger of a collision
R no obstacle is detected in front of your vehicle
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, the Adaptive Brake Assist may not intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety

Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause Brake Assist to intervene.
If Adaptive Brake Assist is not available due to a malfunction in the radar sensor system, the
brake system remains available with full brake
boosting effect and BAS. Adaptive brake lights
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 62).
If you brake sharply from a speed of more than
50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS or
Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Assist, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way, traffic travelling
behind you is warned in an even more noticeable
manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more than
70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warning
lamps are activated automatically. If the brakes
are applied again, the brake lamps light up con- tinuously. The hazard warning lamps switch off
automatically if you travel faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off the hazard warning
lamps using the hazard warning button
(Y page 115). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 62).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.
power transmission between the tyres and the
road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating from
the direction desired by the driver, one or more wheels are braked to stabilise the vehicle. The
engine output is also modified to keep the vehi-cle on the desired course within physical limits.
ESP ®
assists the driver when pulling away on
wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise
the vehicle during braking.
ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 62). ETS traction control is part of ESP
®
.
ETS brakes the drive wheels individually if they
spin. This enables you to pull away and acceler- ate on slippery surfaces, e.g. if the road surface
is slippery on one side. In addition, more drive
torque is transferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
ETS remains active when you deactivate ESP ®
.
i Mercedes-AMG vehicles:
your vehicle may
be equipped with 20-inch tyres on the rear
axle. If replaced with 19-inch tyres, ETS may
intervene noticeably sooner for the first few
kilometres. After approximately 10 km ETS
will function as usual again. Information on
the dimensions and types of wheels and tyres
for your vehicle can be found under "Wheel/
tyre combinations" (Y page 317).
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
When towing away your vehicle with the rear
axle raised, observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 300).
If the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
continuously, then ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the å
ESP ®
OFF warning lamp are lit continuously,
ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 246) and display messages which may
be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 217).
i Only use wheels with the recommended tyre
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General notes
If the ÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active. Driving safety systems
67Safety Z

ADAPTIVE BRAKE
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 62).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety and
offers increased braking comfort. In addition to
the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has the HOLD function (Y page 172) and hill start
assist (Y page 135). Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function
General notes Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
can help you to minimise the risk of a collision
with a vehicle in front or a pedestrian and reduce
the effects of such a collision. If Active Brake
Assist with cross-traffic function has detected a risk of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically as well as by automatic braking.
i Pay attention to the important safety notes
in the "Driving safety systems" section
(Y page 62).
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function is
only available in vehicles with the Driving Assis-
tance Plus package.
For Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-
tion to assist you when driving, the radar sensor
system and the camera system must be opera-
tional.
The radar sensor system and camera system
help Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func- tion to detect obstacles that are in the path of
your vehicle for an extended period of time.
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-
cle can be detected.
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
detects pedestrians using typical characteris-
tics such as body contours and the posture of a person standing upright.
i Observe the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes" section
(Y page 72). Important safety notes G
WARNING
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function will initially brake your vehicle by a partial
application of the brakes if a danger of colli-
sion is detected. There may be a collision
unless you brake yourself. Even after subse-
quent full application of the brakes a collision
cannot always be avoided, particularly when
approaching at too high a speed. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action, provided it is safe to do
so.
In the event of a partial application of the brakes,
the vehicle is braked with up to 50% of the full
braking pressure. G
WARNING
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function cannot always clearly identify objects and
complex traffic situations.
In such cases, Active Brake Assist with cross-
traffic function might:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be prepared to brake, especially
if Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-
tion alerts you. Terminate the intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function cannot always clearly identify people, partic-
ularly if they are moving. Active Brake Assist
with cross-traffic function cannot intervene in
these cases. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be prepared to brake, especially if Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-
tion alerts you. 72
Driving safety systemsSafety

In order to maintain the appropriate distance to
the vehicle in front and thus prevent a collision,
you must apply the brakes yourself. G
WARNING
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function does not react:
R to small people, e.g. children
R to animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, Active Brake Assist with cross-
traffic function may not intervene in all critical situations. 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, detection can be impaired.
Detection by the radar sensor system is also
impaired in the event of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in multi-
storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different line
Detection by the camera system is also impaired in the event of:
R dirt on the camera or if the camera is covered
R glare on the camera system, e.g. from the sun
being low in the sky
R darkness
R if:
- pedestrians move quickly, e.g. into the path
of the vehicle
- the camera system no longer detects a
pedestrian as a person due to special cloth-
ing or other objects
- a pedestrian is concealed by other objects
- the typical outline of a person is not distin-
guishable from the background
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle, have the radar sensor settings and operation
checked at a qualified specialist workshop. This
also applies to collisions at slow speeds where there is no visible damage to the front of the
vehicle.
Following damage to the windscreen, have the
configuration and operation of the camera sys-
tem checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Function X
To activate or deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function using the on-board computer
(Y page 207).
When Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function is deactivated, the æsymbol
appears in the assistance graphic display of
the multifunction display.
This function will issue a warning if:
R at a speed of approximately 30 km/h or
higher, the distance maintained to the vehicle
travelling in front is insufficient for several
seconds.
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R at a speed of approximately 7 km/h or higher,
you rapidly approach a vehicle in front.
An intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the ·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.
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
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 approximately
7 km/h and 200 km/h
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, Active
Brake Assist with cross-traffic function may
react to:
R stationary objects in the path of your vehicle,
e.g. stopped or parked vehicles
R pedestrians in the path of your vehicle
i If there is an increased risk of a collision,
preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are triggered (Y page 53). Driving safety systems
73Safety Z

Key
Important safety notes
United Kingdom only: G
WARNING
When the double locks are activated, the
doors can no longer be opened from the
inside. People in the vehicle can no longer get out, e.g. in hazardous situations. There is a
risk of injury.
Therefore, do not leave any people unsuper-
vised in the vehicle, particularly children, eld-
erly people or people in need of special assis-
tance. Do not activate the double lock when
people are in the vehicle.
If the vehicle has been locked from the outside, the double lock function is activated as stand-
ard. It is then not possible to open the doors
from inside the vehicle. You can deactivate the
double lock function by deactivating the interior
motion sensor (Y page 76). The doors can then
be opened from the inside after the vehicle has
been locked from the outside. The anti-theft
alarm system is triggered if the door is opened
from the inside. Switch off the alarm
(Y page 74).
All countries: G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they can:
R open doors and endanger other persons or
road users
R climb out and be injured by the traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and, for exam-
ple, trap themselves.
Children could also set the vehicle in motion, for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave children unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key out of reach of children.
G
WARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the key, the key could be unintentionally turned in the
ignition lock. This could cause the engine to
be switched off. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
key. Remove any bulky keyrings before insert-
ing the key into the ignition lock.
! Keep the key away from strong magnetic
fields. Otherwise, the remote control function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the vicin-
ity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the key: R with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another key
R with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal film
R inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can affect the key's functionality. Key functions
:
& Locks the vehicle
; F Opens/closes the boot lid
= % Unlocks the vehicle
X To unlock centrally: press the%button.
If you do not open the vehicle within approx-
imately 40 seconds of unlocking:
R the vehicle locks again
R protection against theft is reactivated
X To lock centrally: press the&button. Key
77Opening and closing Z

G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they can:
R open doors and endanger other persons or
road users
R climb out and be injured by the traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and, for exam-
ple, trap themselves.
Children could also set the vehicle in motion, for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key out of reach of children. Unlocking and opening the doors
from the inside
! The side windows will not open/close if the
battery is discharged or if the side windows
have iced up. It will then not be possible to
close the door. Do not attempt to force the
door to close. You could otherwise damage
the door or the side window.
For all countries except the United Kingdom:
you can open a door from inside the vehicle even if it has been locked.
If the vehicle has previously been locked from
the outside, opening a door from the inside will
trigger the anti-theft alarm system. Switch off
the alarm (Y page 74).
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key from the outside,
the double lock function is activated as stand-
ard. It is then not possible to open the doors
from inside the vehicle. You can deactivate the
double lock function by deactivating the interior motion sensor (Y page 75). The doors can then
be opened from the inside after the vehicle has
been locked from the outside. The anti-theft
alarm system is triggered if the door is opened from the inside. Switch off the alarm
(Y
page 74). X
Pull door handle ;.
If the door is locked, locking knob :pops up.
The door is unlocked and can be opened.
When a door is opened, the side window on that
side opens slightly. When the door is closed, the
side window is raised again. Centrally locking and unlocking the
vehicle from the inside
You can centrally lock or unlock the vehicle from
the inside. For example, you can unlock the
front-passenger door from the inside or lock the
vehicle before you pull away. X
To unlock: press button :.
X To lock: press button ;.
If the front-passenger door is closed, the vehi-
cle locks.
The central locking button does not lock or
unlock the fuel filler flap or the stowage com-
partments, such as the glove compartment.
You cannot unlock the vehicle centrally from the
inside if the vehicle has been locked with the key or KEYLESS-GO. Doors
83Opening and closing Z

Running-in notes
Important safety notes
In certain driving and driving safety systems, the sensors adjust automatically while a certain dis-
tance is being driven after the vehicle has been delivered or after repairs. Full system effective-
ness is not reached until the end of this teach-in process.
Brake pads/linings and discs that are either new or have been replaced only achieve optimum
braking effect after several hundred kilometres
of driving. Compensate for the reduced braking
effect by applying greater force to the brake
pedal. The first 1,500 km
If you treat the engine with sufficient care from
the very start, you will be rewarded with excel-
lent performance for the remainder of the
engine's life.
R Drive at varying vehicle speeds and engine
speeds for the first 1,500 km.
R Avoid overstraining the vehicle during this
period, e.g. driving at full throttle.
R Change gear in good time, before the rev
counter needle is Ôof the way to the red area
of the rev counter.
R Do not shift down a gear manually in order to
brake.
R Try to avoid depressing the accelerator pedal
beyond the point of resistance (kickdown).
Additional notes on running in Mercedes-AMG
vehicles:
R Do not drive at speeds above 140 km/h for
the first 1500 km.
R Only briefly allow the engine to reach a max-
imum engine speed of 4,500 rpm.
R Drive the vehicle mainly in drive program Cfor
the first 1500 km.
After 1500 km, you can increase the engine
speed gradually and accelerate the vehicle to
full speed.
You should also observe these notes on running- in if the engine or parts of the drive train on your
vehicle have been replaced. Self-locking rear axle differential
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Your vehicle is equipped with a self-locking dif-
ferential on the rear axle.
Change the oil to improve protection of the rear axle differential:
R after a running-in period of 3000 km
R every 50,000 km or 3 years
These oil changes prolong the service life of the
differential. Have the oil change carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell may restrict
the clearance around the pedals or block a
depressed pedal. This jeopardises the oper-
ating and road safety of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Stow all objects securely in the vehicle so that
they do not get into the driver's footwell.
Always fit the floormats securely and as pre-
scribed in order to ensure that there is always sufficient room for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats and do not place several floor-mats on top of one another. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals. 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 Driving
131Driving and parking
Z

Setting a speed
X
Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ?for a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until the
desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 km/h incre-
ments:
briefly press the cruise control lever
up : to the pressure point for a higher speed
or down ?for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 10 km/h incre-
ments: briefly press the cruise control lever
up : beyond the pressure point for a higher
speed, or down ?for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or reduced.
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the speed stored.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For example, if you accelerate briefly to overtake, cruise con-
trol adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished overtak-
ing.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise con-
trol:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever forwards
=.
or
X Brake. or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow ;.
The variable limiter is selected. LIM indicator lamp :in the cruise control lever lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you apply the electric parking brake
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R Brake Assist intervenes
R you shift from transmission position D.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise con‐
Cruise con‐
trol off trol off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
General notes Distance Pilot DISTRONIC regulates the speed
and automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. Vehicles
are detected with the aid of the radar sensor
system. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brakes auto-
matically to avoid exceeding the set speed or to
maintain the designated distance from the vehi- cle in front.
You must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially if
the vehicle is laden. By doing so, you will make
use of the braking effect of the engine. This
relieves the load on the brake system and pre-
vents the brakes from overheating and wearing
too quickly.
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC detects that there is a risk of a collision, you will be warned visually
and acoustically. Without your intervention, Dis-tance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot prevent a colli-
sion. An intermittent warning tone will then
sound and the distance warning lamp will light
up in the instrument cluster. Brake immediately
to increase the distance to the vehicle driving in
front, or take evasive action, provided it is safe
to do so.
For Distance Pilot DISTRONIC to assist you
when driving, the radar sensor system must be
operational. Driving systems
161Driving and parking Z