2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER Owners Manual

Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salt-treated roads, a layer of salt
may form on the brake discs and pads. This can increase the braking distance considerably.
R In order to prevent any salt build-up, apply the
brakes occasionally while paying attention to the traffic conditions.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal at the end
of the journey and when starting the next
journey.
R Maintain a much greater distance to the vehi-
cle in front.
New brake pads/linings 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.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which corre-
spond to an equivalent quality standard. Brake
pads/linings which have not been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which are not of an
equivalent quality could affect your vehicle's
operating safety.
High-performance and ceramic brake
system (Mercedes-AMG vehicle) The AMG brake systems are designed for heavy
loads. This may lead to noise when braking. This is dependent on:
R speed
R braking force
R ambient conditions, e.g. temperature and
humidity
The wear of individual components of the brake system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake discs, depends on the individual driving style
and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a mile-
age (service life) that will be valid under all cir-
cumstances. An aggressive driving style will
lead to high wear. You can obtain more infor-
mation on this from a qualified specialist work-
shop. 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. Always be aware of this and adapt your
driving and braking accordingly during the run-
ning-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in correspond-
ingly high brake wear. Observe the brake system
warning lamp in the instrument cluster and note
any brake status messages in the multifunction
display. If you regularly drive at high speeds, it is particularly important to have the brake system
checked and maintained regularly. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of aquaplan-
ing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, drive in the following manner in
the event of heavy rain or in conditions in which aquaplaning can occur:
R lower your speed
R avoid tyre ruts
R avoid sudden steering movements
R brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in front
or in the opposite direction create waves. This may cause the maximum permissible water
depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all cir-
cumstances. You could otherwise damage
the engine, the electronics or the transmis-
sion.
If you must drive on stretches of road on which
water has collected, please bear in mind that:
R in the case of standing water, the water level
must be no higher than the lower edge of the
vehicle body
R you should drive no faster than walking pace 158
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Winter driving
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.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
! Take care not to damage the sealing strip
and the moulding on the side of the rear win- dow when scraping ice off the rear window.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration,
steering and braking manoeuvres. Do not use
cruise control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by using
corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in wooded areas or on bridges. The vehicle could
skid if you fail to adapt your driving style. Always adapt your driving style and drive at a speed to
suit the prevailing weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Further information on driving with snow chains (Y page 307).
Further information on driving with summer
tyres (Y page 306).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (Y page 306). 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 relieves the 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 set any
road speed above 30 km/h.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. Cruise control can-
not take road, weather and traffic conditions
into account. Cruise control is only an aid. You
are responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time and for maintaining lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g.
heavy traffic or winding roads.
R on slippery roads. Braking or accelerating
may 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. Driving systems
159Driving and parking Z

If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the stored speed.
Cruise control lever :
To store the current speed or a higher speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed or call up the last
stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower speed
A To switch between cruise control and varia-
ble limiter
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and the variable limiter with the cruise control lever.
LIM indicator lamp ;on the cruise control lever
indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp ;
; off: cruise control is
selected.
R LIM indicator lamp ;
;on: variable limiter is
selected.
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds. The speed is then permanently
displayed in the status indicator together with
the ¯ symbol.
In vehicles with a segment circle in the speed-
ometer, the segments between the currently
stored speed and the end of the segment circle
light up.
If you have activated the permanent limiter and
a speed is stored, the segments up to the stored speed light up.
Selecting cruise control X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected. If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected.
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed Storing and maintaining the speed
X Accelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the stored speed.
You can store the current speed if you are driv-
ing faster than 30 km/h.
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically braking the vehicle.
Storing or calling up the speed G
WARNING
If you call up a stored speed and this is dif-
ferent from the current speed, the vehicle
accelerates or brakes. If you do not know
what the stored speed is, the vehicle may
accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a
risk of an accident.
Take the traffic conditions into account
before calling up the stored speed. If you do
not know what the stored speed is, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously stored
speed. 160
Driving systemsDriving and parking

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

Distance Pilot DISTRONIC operates in the range
between 0 km/h and 200 km/h.
Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC while driv-
ing on roads with steep gradients.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC does not recognise
R people or animals
R stationary objects on the road, e.g. stopped
or parked vehicles
R oncoming vehicles or crossing traffic
As a result, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may
neither give warnings nor intervene in such
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot always
clearly identify other road users and complex
traffic situations.
In such cases, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
R accelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, especially if Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
warns you. G
WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brakes your vehicle with up to 50% of the maximum possible
deceleration. If this deceleration is not suffi-
cient, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC alerts you
with a visual and acoustic warning. There is a
risk of an accident.
Apply the brakes yourself in these situations
and try to take evasive action.
! When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or the
HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations. To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and the HOLD
function in the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC can neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions. Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time
and for staying in lane.
Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC:
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 smooth or slippery roads. Braking or accel-
erating can cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
R when visibility is poor, e.g. due to fog, heavy
rain or snow
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may not detect nar-
row vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections, for
example, in multi-storey car parks
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC no longer detects a vehicle in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate
to the speed stored.
This speed can:
R be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high in the right lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the left
R be so high in the left lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the right
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored. 162
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

Cruise control lever
Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher speed
; To set the specified minimum distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed or call up the last
stored speed
A To store the current speed or a lower speed
B To switch between Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC and variable limiter
C To deactivate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
You can operate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and
the variable limiter with the cruise control lever.
LIM indicator lamp =on the cruise control lever
indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp =
= off: Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp = =on: variable limiter is
selected.
Selecting Distance Pilot DISTRONIC X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp =is off.
If it is off, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is already selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow B.
LIM indicator lamp =in the cruise control
lever goes out. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is
selected. Activating Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
and storing, maintaining and calling up
a speed Important safety notes
! When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or the
HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and the HOLD
function in the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
To activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC, the fol-
lowing conditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine must be running. It may take up to
two minutes of driving before Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is ready for use.
R the electric parking brake must be released.
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but not interven-
ing.
R Active Parking Assist must not be activated.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door must be closed.
R the vehicle must not be skidding.
Activating
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, up :or down A.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is activated.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed up :or
down Auntil the desired speed is set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the Distance Pilot passive Distance Pilot passive mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display. The
set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in
front will then not be maintained. The position of the accelerator pedal will determine the
speed.
You can also activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC when stationary. The lowest speed that can be
set is 30 km/h. Driving systems
163Driving and parking Z

Activating at the current speed/last
stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up a stored speed and this is dif-
ferent from the current speed, the vehicle
accelerates or brakes. If you do not know
what the stored speed is, the vehicle may
accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a
risk of an accident.
Take the traffic conditions into account
before calling up the stored speed. If you do
not know what the stored speed is, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The first time Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is
activated, it stores the current speed or reg-
ulates the speed of the vehicle to the previ-
ously stored speed.
Pulling away and driving
X If you want to pull away with Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC: remove your foot from the
brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
or X If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is activated:
accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its speed
to that of the vehicle in front. If no vehicle is
detected in front, your vehicle accelerates to the set speed.
The vehicle can also pull away when it is facing
an unidentified obstacle or is driving on a differ-
ent line from another vehicle. The vehicle then
brakes automatically. Be ready to brake at all
times.
If there is no vehicle in front, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC operates in the same way as cruise control.
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC detects a slower-
moving vehicle in front, it brakes your vehicle. In
this way, the distance you have selected is main- tained.
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC detects a faster-
moving vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed. However, the vehicle is only accelerated
up to the speed you have stored.
Selecting the drive program
All vehicles (except AMG vehicles): Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC supports a sporty driving style when you have selected the Sor S+ drive pro-
gram (Y page 139). Acceleration behind the
vehicle in front or to the set speed is then notice- ably more dynamic. If you have selected the Cor
E drive program, the vehicle accelerates more
gently. This setting is recommended in stop-
start traffic.
AMG vehicles: Distance Pilot DISTRONIC sup-
ports a sporty driving style when you have selec- ted the S,S+ orMdrive program (Y page 140).
Acceleration behind the vehicle in front or to the set speed is then noticeably more dynamic.
When you select the Cdrive program, the vehi-
cle accelerates more gently. This setting is rec- ommended in stop-start traffic.
Changing lanes
If when driving on multilane roads you wish to
change to the overtaking lane, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC supports you if:
R you are driving faster than 70 km/h
R Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is maintaining the
distance to a vehicle in front
R you switch on the respective turn signal
R Distance Pilot DISTRONIC does not currently
detect a danger of collision
If these conditions are met, your vehicle is accel-
erated. Acceleration will be interrupted if chang- ing lanes takes too long or if the distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
becomes too small.
Road and traffic conditions 164
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

i
The following function is not operational in
all countries.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC uses additional infor- mation from your navigation system so that it
can adapt to certain traffic situations. This is the
case if, while following a vehicle, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is active and you:
R approach or drive around a roundabout
R approach a T-junction
R turn off at a motorway exit
Even if the vehicle in front leaves the detection
range, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC temporarily
maintains the current driving speed and does
not accelerate. This is based on the current map
data in the navigation system.
Afterwards, the vehicle accelerates back to the
speed you set.
The system takes into account the fact that
overtaking on the right is not permitted on
motorways or high-speed major roads at speeds
above 80 km/h. The driving speed is adjusted to the speed of the queue of vehicles in the adja-
cent lane to the left.
i Prevention of overtaking on the right applies
to countries where traffic drives on the right.
In countries where traffic drives on the left,
overtaking on the left is prevented accord-
ingly.
Stopping If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC detects that the
vehicle in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle
until it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains sta-
tionary and you do not need to depress the
brake. After a short period, the vehicle is
secured by the electric parking brake, thus
relieving the service brake.
Depending on the specified minimum distance,
your vehicle will come to a standstill at a suffi-
cient distance behind the vehicle in front. The
specified minimum distance is set using the
control on the cruise control lever.
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is
activated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's seat
belt is unfastened
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function R
a system fault occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
If a malfunction in the electric parking brake
occurs, then the transmission may also be shif-
ted into position Pautomatically.
Setting a speed Bear in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the set speed.
X Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down Afor a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until the
desired speed is reached or press the cruise
control lever repeatedly until the desired
speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored. Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is activated and adjusts the vehi-
cle's speed to the new speed 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 Afor 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 Afor a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or reduced.
Setting the specified minimum distance You can set the specified minimum distance for
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC by varying the time
span between one and two seconds. With this
function you can set the minimum distance that Distance Pilot DISTRONIC maintains to the vehi-
cle in front, dependent on vehicle speed. You
can see this distance in the multifunction dis-
play (Y page 166).
The specified minimum distance can be
changed when Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is acti- vated or deactivated.
Make sure that you maintain a sufficient and
safe distance from the vehicle in front. Adjust
the distance to the vehicle in front if necessary. Driving systems
165Driving and parking Z