2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER ESP

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

Deactivating Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
Cruise control lever
There are several ways to deactivate Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or
X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
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.
When you deactivate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC,
the Distance Pilot off
Distance Pilot off message will appear
in the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
i The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
i Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is not deactivated
if you depress the accelerator pedal. If you
accelerate to overtake, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last speed stored after you have finished over-
taking.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is automatically deac- tivated if:
R you apply the electric parking brake or if the
vehicle is automatically secured with the elec-
tric parking brake
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R the transmission is in the P,Ror Nposition
R you pull the cruise control lever towards you
in order to pull away and the front-passenger
door is open
R the vehicle has skidded If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is automatically
deactivated, you will hear a warning tone. The
Distance Pilot off
Distance Pilot off message will appear in
the multifunction display for approximately five
seconds.
Tips for driving with Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC General notes
The following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must be particularly attentive. In such situations, brake if
necessary. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC will then
be deactivated.
Cornering, entering and exiting a bend The ability of Distance Pilot DISTRONIC to
detect vehicles when cornering is limited. Your
vehicle may brake unexpectedly or late.
Vehicles which are not driving in the mid-
dle of their lane Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may not detect vehi-
cles which are not driving in the middle of their
lane. The distance to the vehicle in front will be
too short. Driving syste
ms
167Driving an d parking Z

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

Switching off the speed limiter
Cruise control lever
There are several ways to deactivate the varia-
ble limiter:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever forwards
=.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow ;.
LIM indicator lamp :in the cruise control
lever goes out. The variable limiter is deacti-
vated.
Cruise control or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is
selected.
It is not possible to deactivate the variable lim-
iter by braking.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
Permanent limiter If you wish to restrict the maximum speed of the
vehicle for an extended period (e.g. when driving
with winter tyres), the desired maximum speed
can be set with the permanent limiter.
You can use the on-board computer to limit the speed to a value between 160 km/h and
240 km/h(Y page 211).
Shortly before the stored speed is reached, it
appears in the multifunction display. When you
confirm the message with aor%, display
messages no longer appear when switching off
the engine. The speed will only be displayed
again once the engine has been restarted.
The permanent limiter remains active even if the variable limiter is deactivated. The driven speed
will remain below the stored speed even in the
event of kickdown. HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep slopes
R when manoeuvring on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver
having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is cancelled and the HOLD
function is deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator pedal being depressed, e.g. by
a vehicle occupant
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
! 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
Deactivating the HOLD function (Y page 173).172
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Activation conditions
You can activate the HOLD function if all of the
following conditions are fulfilled:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt is
fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission is in position D,Ror N
R Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is deactivated
Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions are
met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until :appears in the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first time
does not activate the HOLD function, wait
briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automatically
if:
R you depress the accelerator and the trans-
mission is in position Dor R.
R the transmission is in position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a cer-
tain amount of pressure until HOLD HOLDdisappears
from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric park-
ing brake.
R you activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC.
i After a short period, the vehicle is secured
by the electric parking brake, thus relieving
the service brake. When the HOLD function is activated, the trans-
mission is shifted automatically to position Pif:
R the driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated,
the vehicle is stationary and:
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 P automatically. RACE START
Important safety notes i
RACE START must not be used on normal
roads. RACE START must only be activated
and used on dedicated road circuits, outside
of public road use.
i RACE START is only available in
Mercedes‑ AMG vehicles.
RACE START enables optimum acceleration
from a standing start. For this, a suitably high-
grip road surface is required, along with the
tyres and vehicle being in good condition. G
WARNING
If you use RACE START, individual tyres may
get into a spin and the vehicle could skid.
Depending on the selected ESP ®
mode, there
is an increased risk of skidding and having an accident. Make sure that no persons, animals
or obstacles are within range of the vehicle.
i Observe the safety notes on driving safety
systems (Y page 62).
Be sure to read the safety notes and informa-
tion on ESP ®
(Y page 67). Driving systems
173Driving and parking Z