2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER warning light

Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-
ther reduce the risk of an accident nor override the laws of physics. Driving safety systems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for maintaining the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in
good time, and for staying in lane. Always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only work
as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quate contact between the tyres and the road
surface. Pay particular attention to the informa- tion regarding tyres, recommended minimum
tyre tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and tyres" section (Y page 304).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary, snow
chains. Only in this way will the driving safety
systems described in this section work as effec-
tively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that
the wheels do not lock when you brake. This
allows you to continue steering the vehicle when braking.
The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h,
regardless of road-surface conditions. ABS
works on slippery surfaces, even when you only brake gently.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 62). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition-
ally, further driving safety systems are deac- tivated. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
If ABS is malfunctioning, other systems, includ-
ing driving safety systems, will also become
inoperative. Observe the information on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 246) and display mes-
sages which may be shown in the instrument
cluster (Y page 217).
Brakes X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation is over.
X To make a full brake application: depress
the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions; this serves as a
reminder to take extra care while driving. BAS (Brake Assist)
General notes BAS operates in emergency braking situations.
If you depress the brake pedal quickly, BAS
automatically boosts the braking force, thus
shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 62). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking. 62
Driving safety systemsSafety

Important safety notes
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 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
R new vehicles or after servicing is carried out
on the Active Brake Assist system
Observe the important safety notes in the
"Running-in notes" section (Y page 131).
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle,
have the configuration and operation of the
radar sensor checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. This also applies to collisions at slow speeds where there is no visible damage to thefront of the vehicle.
Activating/deactivating Active Brake Assist is automatically active after
switching on the ignition.
You can activate or deactivate Active Brake
Assist using the on-board computer
(Y page 207). When deactivated, the distance
warning function and the autonomous braking
function are also deactivated.
If Active Brake Assist is deactivated, the æ
symbol appears in the assistance graphic dis-
play.
Distance warning function General notes
The distance warning function can help you to
minimise the risk of a collision with the vehicle in
front or reduce the effects of such a collision. If the distance warning function detects that there
is a risk of a collision, you will be warned visually
and acoustically.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 62). G
WARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
Thus, the distance warning function cannot
provide a warning 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. G
WARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation; do not rely on the distance warning
function alone.
Function The distance warning function issues a warning at speeds:
R of approximately 30 km/h or more, if, over
several seconds, the distance maintained to
the vehicle travelling in front is insufficient.
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R of approximately 7 km/h or more, if you rap-
idly approach a vehicle in front. An intermit-
tent warning tone will then sound, and the
· distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause the system to display a warning. Driving safety systems
65Safety Z

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

Deactivating/activating ESP
®X
To deactivate: press button:.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the
instrument cluster flashes. In such situations,
ESP ®
will not stabilise 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
R Traction control is still activated
R Active Brake Assist is not available and is not
activated even if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available, it is not
activated even if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Assist
is not available and is not activated even if you
brake firmly with assistance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
continues to provide assistance when
you brake firmly Deactivating/activating ESP
®
(Mercedes ‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 62).
You can select between the following statuses
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated
R SPORT handling mode is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated
ESP ®
is activated every time the engine is
switched on, regardless of whether ESP ®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched off. 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-
bilises 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 specially designated roads when the vehi-
cle's own oversteering and understeering
characteristics are desired
Spinning the wheels results in a cutting action
which provides better grip.
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP ®
requires an extremely qualified and expe-
rienced driver.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle 70
Driving safety syste
msSafety

if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®X
To activate SPORT handling mode: briefly
press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. The SPORT
SPORT han‐
han‐
dling mode
dling mode message appears in the multi-
function display.
X To deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button
:.
The M handling mode warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
X To deactivate ESP ®
:press button :until
the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF
OFF message appears in the multi-
function display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ESP®
ON ON message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
Characteristics of activated SPORT han-
dling mode
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one or
more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warn-
ing lamp in the instrument cluster flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a limi-
ted degree
R Traction control is still activated
R Engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin
R ESP ®
continues to provide assistance when
you brake firmly Characteristics when ESP
®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the
instrument cluster flashes. In such situations,
ESP ®
will not stabilise 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
R Traction control is still activated
R Active Brake Assist is no longer available and
is not activated even if you brake firmly with
assistance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available, it is not
activated even if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Assist
is not available and is not activated even if you
brake firmly with assistance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
continues to provide assistance when
you brake firmly EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General notes EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
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 62). G
WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 246) as well as display
messages (Y page 219). Driving safety systems
71Safety Z

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

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The engine can no longer
be started using the key. The on-board voltage is too low.
X Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
X Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary (Y page 295).
or X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 296).
or X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine cannot be
started using KEYLESS-
GO. The key is in the
vehicle. The vehicle is locked.
X Unlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again. The key battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
X Check the key battery (Y page 80) and replace if necessary
(Y page 80).
If this does not work: X Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. You have lost a key. X
Have the key deactivated at a qualified specialist workshop.
X Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
X If necessary, have the locks changed as well. You have lost the emer-
gency key element. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
X If necessary, have the locks changed as well. Doors
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: 82
DoorsOpening and closing

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