2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER steering

Applying automatically
The electric parking brake is automatically
applied when the transmission is in position P
and:
R the engine is switched off or
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
To prevent the electric parking brake from being automatically applied, pull handle :.
The electric parking brake is also applied auto-
matically if:
R Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brings the vehicle
to a standstill or
R the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle sta-
tionary
In addition, at least one of the following condi-
tions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
R there is a system malfunction
R the power supply is insufficient
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
The electric parking brake is not automatically
applied if the engine is switched off by the ECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically The electric parking brake is released automat-
ically 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 boot lid
must be closed.
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 previ-
ously driven faster than 3 km/h
Ensure that you do not depress the accelerator
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 emer-
gency by using the electric parking brake.
X While driving, push handle :of the electric
parking brake.
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 Release parking brake
Release parking brake message
appears
R the red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-
still, the electric parking brake is applied. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer than
six weeks, it may suffer from lack of use.
X Contact a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop. 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 Driving tips
155Driving and pa rking
Z

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

Other vehicles changing lane
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC has not detected the
vehicle cutting in yet. The distance to this vehi-
cle will be too short.
Narrow vehicles Distance Pilot DISTRONIC has not yet detected
the vehicle in front on the edge of the carriage-
way because of its narrow width. The distance to the vehicle in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles Distance Pilot DISTRONIC does not brake for
obstacles or stationary vehicles. If, for example,
the detected vehicle turns a corner and an
obstacle or stationary vehicle is then revealed, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC will not brake for
them.
Crossing vehicles Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may mistakenly
detect vehicles that are crossing your lane.
If you activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC in the
following situations, the vehicle could pull away
unintentionally:
R At traffic lights with crossing traffic, for exam-
ple.
R With a vehicle ahead on the other side of a
junction and the HOLD function active.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering
Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot General notes
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering Pilot
and Stop&Go Pilot aids you in keeping the vehi-
cle in the centre of the driving lane by means of
moderate steering interventions in a speed
range from 0 - 200 km/h.
It monitors lane markings and vehicles in front of your vehicle by means of camera system :at
the top of the windscreen. 168
Driving systemsDriving and parking

In a speed range from 0 - 60 km/h, Stop&Go
Pilot focuses on the vehicle in front, taking into
account lane markings, e.g. when following vehi-
cles in a traffic jam.
At speeds of more than 60 km/h, the Steering
Pilot focuses on detected lane markings (left
and right), only focusing on the vehicle in front if detected lane markings are not present at
speeds of up to 130 km/h.
If these conditions are not present, Steering
Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot cannot provide assis-
tance.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC must be active in
order for the function to be available.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering Pilot and
Stop&Go Pilot can neither reduce the risk of an
accident nor override the laws of physics. It can-
not take into account road, weather or traffic
conditions. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with
Steering Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot is only an aid.
You are responsible for the distance to the vehi- cle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in lane.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering Pilot
and Stop&Go Pilot does not detect road and
traffic conditions and does not detect all road
users. If you are following a vehicle which is
driving towards the edge of the carriageway,
your vehicle could come into contact with the
kerb or other road boundaries. Be particularly
aware of other road users, e.g. cyclists, that are directly next to your vehicle.
Obstacles such as traffic pylons on the lane or
projecting into the lane are not detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g. after
intentionally driving over a lane marking, can be
corrected at any time if you steer slightly in the opposite direction.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with Steering Pilot
and Stop&Go Pilot cannot continuously keep
your vehicle in the lane. In some cases, the
steering intervention is not sufficient to bring
the vehicle back to the lane. In such cases, youmust steer the vehicle yourself to ensure that it
does not leave the lane. The support offered by the system may be
impaired if:
R
there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient
illumination of the road, or due to snow, rain,fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, the
sun or reflection from other vehicles (e.g. if
the road surface is wet)
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
R there are no lane markings, or several unclear
lane markings are present, e.g. around con-
struction sites
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-
ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too short
and thus the lane markings cannot be detec-
ted
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross one another or merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are highly variable shade conditions on
the road
The system is switched to passive and no longer assists you by performing steering interventions
if:
R you actively change lanes
R you switch on the turn signal
R you take your hands off the steering wheel or
do not steer for a prolonged period of time
i After you have finished changing lanes,
Steering Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot are auto-
matically active again.
Steering Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot cannot provide
assistance:
R on very sharp corners
R a loss of tyre pressure or a defective tyre has
been detected and displayed
Pay attention also to the important safety notes
on Distance Pilot DISTRONIC (Y page 162).
The steering interventions are carried out with a
limited steering moment. The system requires
the driver to keep his hands on the steering
wheel and to steer himself.
If you do not steer yourself or if you take your
hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you with a visual warning. A steering wheel symbol
appears in the multifunction display. If you have Driving systems
169Driving and parking Z

still not started to steer and have not taken hold
of the steering wheel after five seconds at the
latest, a warning tone also sounds to remind you to take control of the vehicle. Steering Pilot and
Stop&Go Pilot then switch to passive mode. Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC remains active.
Activating Steering Pilot and Stop&Go
Pilot
X Activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with
Steering Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot function
using the on-board computer (Y page 207).
The Steering
Steering Pilot Piloton
onmessage appears in
the multifunctional display. The Steering Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot are switched on.
Information in the multifunction display If Steering Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot are activated
but not ready for a steering intervention, steer-
ing wheel symbol :appears in grey. If the sys-
tem provides you with support by means of
steering interventions, symbol :is shown in
green.
Deactivating Steering Pilot and Stop&Go
PilotX Deactivate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC with
Steering Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot function
using the on-board computer (Y page 207).
The Steering Pilot off
Steering Pilot off message appears
in the multifunction display. Steering Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot are deactivated.
When the Distance Pilot is deactivated or not
available, Steering Pilot and Stop&Go Pilot are
deactivated automatically. Speed limiter
General notes The limiter brakes automatically so that you do
not exceed 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.
You can set a variable or permanent limit speed:
R variable for maximum permissible speeds,
e.g. in built-up areas
R permanent for long-term speed restrictions,
e.g. when driving with winter tyres fitted
(Y page 172)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the speed stored.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, the limiter
can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor
override the laws of physics. The limiter cannot take into account road, weather or traffic con-
ditions. The limiter is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in good
time.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Variable speed limiter Cruise control lever
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 or Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC and variable limiter
B To deactivate the variable limiter 170
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Activation conditions
You can activate RACE START if:
R the doors are closed
R the engine is running and the engine and
transmission are at operating temperature.
This is the case when the oil temperature
gauge in the multifunction display is shown in
white (Y page 213).
R ESP ®
is functioning correctly (Y page 67)
R the drive program S,S+ orRace is selected
(Y page 140)
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake pedal is
depressed (left foot)
R the transmission is in position D
Activating RACE START i
When manual mode (Y
page 147) is active,
the transmission automatically shifts up to
RACE START in the drive program. This func-
tion supports maximum acceleration with
RACE START. After going through an acceler- ating process once from a stationary position,
this function is automatically deactivated.
X Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Pull and hold both steering wheel gearshift
paddles.
X The RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP
RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP
Cancel: Paddle DOWN Cancel: Paddle DOWN message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Release both steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles.
i If the activation conditions are no longer ful-
filled, RACE START is cancelled. The RACE RACE
START not possible See Owner's Man‐
START not possible See Owner's Man‐
ual
ual message appears in the multifunction
display.
X To cancel: pull the left steering wheel shift
paddle (Y page 147).
or X To confirm: pull the right steering wheel shift
paddle (Y page 147).
The RACE START available Depress
RACE START available Depress
accelerator
accelerator message appears in the multi-
function display.
i If you do not depress the accelerator pedal
within a few seconds, RACE START is cancel- led. The
RACE START cancelled
RACE START cancelled message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed increases.
The RACE
RACE START START Release
Release brake
braketo
tostart
start
message appears in the multifunction display.
i If the brake pedal is not released after a
short while, RACE START is cancelled. The
RACE RACE START
START cancelled
cancelled message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum acceler-
ation.
The RACE RACE START
START active
active message appears in
the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 50 km/h.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if you
release the accelerator pedal during RACE
START or if any of the activation conditions are
no longer fulfilled. The RACE START not pos‐
RACE START not pos‐
sible See Owner's Manual sible See Owner's Manual orRACE START
RACE START
cancelled
cancelled message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
i After using it several times in short succes-
sion, RACE START will be unavailable until a
certain distance has been driven. Adaptive Damping System
General notes Suspension with the adaptive adjustable damp-
ing provides improved driving comfort and con-
tinuously controls the calibration of the damp-
ers. The damping characteristics adapt to the
current operating and driving situation.
The damping is tuned individually to each wheel
and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface conditions
R the selected drive program (Y page 139).174
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

Selecting the Comfort or Economy drive
programs In the
Comfort andEconomy drive programs,
the driving characteristics of your vehicle are
more comfortable. Select one of these drive
programs if you prefer a more comfortable driv- ing style. Also select these drive programs when
driving fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight
stretches of motorway.
X Press DYNAMIC SELECT button :repeat-
edly until the ComfortorEconomy drive pro-
gram is selected.
Selecting Sport mode The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
the Sport drive program ensures even better
contact with the road. Select this drive program when employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on
winding country roads.
X Press DYNAMIC SELECT button :as many
times as necessary until the Sportdrive pro-
gram is selected.
Selecting Sport Plus mode The firmer suspension settings in the
Sport
Plus drive program ensures even better contact
with the road. Select this mode when employing
a sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country
roads or, ideally, when driving on closed race
circuits.
X Press DYNAMIC SELECT button :as many
times as necessary until the Sport Plusdrive
program is selected. Activating the driving dynamics display
Using the driving dynamics display in the multi-
media system display, you can see the drive
program you selected as well as additional infor- mation on the vehicle's operating state.
X Switch on the multimedia system. You can
find further information in the separate
COMAND Online operating instructions.
X Press button :.
The driving dynamics display appears in the
multimedia system display.
The following information on the vehicle's oper- ating status is displayed in the driving dynamics
display:
R Drive program selected (Y page 139)
R Accelerator pedal position shown in %
R Brake pedal position shown in %
R Steering angle
R Damping setting selected
R G-FORCE cross displaying longitudinal and
lateral acceleration (only available in Sportor
Sport Plus drive programs) Active Body Control ABC (except
Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Setting the vehicle level General notes
The vehicle level can be set using the DYNAMIC
SELECT button (Y page 139) or the level button.
The setting always corresponds to the last
selected function.
In order to reduce fuel consumption and
improve the driving dynamics, the vehicle is low- ered as its speed increases. In the Sportand
Sport Plus drive programs, it is lowered by up to Driving systems
175Driving and parking Z