2018 MERCEDES-BENZ SL ROADSTER traction control

EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution)Display message ............................ 203
Function/notes ................................ 69
ECO display
Function/notes ............................ .145
On-board computer ....................... 188
ECO start/stop function
Automatic engine start .................. 126
Automatic engine switch-off .......... 125
Deactivating/activating ................. 126
General information ....................... 125
Important safety notes .................. 125
Introduction ................................... 125
Electronic Stability Program
see ESP
®(Electronic Stability Program)
Emergency
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 56
Emergency release
Driver's door ....................................8 0
Trunk ............................................... 85
Vehicle ............................................. 80
Emergency Tensioning Devices
Activation ......................................... 53
Emissions control
Service and warranty information ....2 5
Engine
Check Engine warning lamp .......... .232
Display message ............................ 213
ECO start/stop function ................ 125
Engine number ............................... 312
Irregular running ............................ 127
Jump-starting ................................. 278
Starting problems .......................... 127
Starting the engine with the
SmartKey ....................................... 124
Starting with KEYLESS-GO ............. 124
Switching off .................................. 142
Tow-starting (vehicle) ..................... 282
Engine electronics
Notes ............................................. 310
Problem (malfunction) ................... 127
Engine oil
Adding ...........................................2 59
Additives ........................................ 315
C

hecking the oil level ..................... 259 Checking the oil level using the
dipstick .......................................... 259
Display message ............................ 214
Filling capacity ............................... 315
General notes ................................ 314
Notes about oil grades ................... 314
Notes on oil level/consumption .... 259
Temperature (on-board computer,
Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ...............1
97
Entering an address
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual ..................................................2 36
ESP
®(Electronic Stability Pro-
gram)
AMG menu (on-board computer) ... 198
Characteristics ................................. 66
Deactivating/activating (button
in Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ............. 67
Deactivating/activating (except
Mercedes‑ AMG vehicles) ................. 66
Display message ............................ 201
Function/notes ................................ 65
General notes .................................. 65
Important safety information ........... 65
Warning lamp ................................. 229
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) ...................................................... 65
Exhaust check ................................... 145
Exhaust pipe (cleaning instruc-
tions) ..................................................2 68
Exterior lighting
Setting options .............................. 106
see Lights
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting ....................................... 102
Dipping (automatic) ....................... 103
Folding in when locking (on-board
computer) ...................................... 197
Folding in/out (electrically) ........... 103
Out of position (troubleshooting) ... 103
Storing settings (memory func-
tion) ............................................... 105
Storing the parking position .......... 104
Eyeglasses compartment ................. 243
10Index

As a result, the Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-uation and be ready to brake.
Always adapt your speed to suit the prevailing
road and traffic conditions.
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 (Ypage 60).
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 traveling
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
(
Ypage 108).
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 60).
ESP
®monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.
power transmission between the tires 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 stabilize 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 stabilize
the vehicle during braking.
ETS (Electronic Traction System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 60).
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, for example 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
®.
iMercedes-AMG vehicles: your vehicle may
be equipped with 20-inch tires on the rear
axle. After changing to 19 inch wheels, ETS
may intervene noticeably earlier during the
first few kilometers. After approximately
10 km ETS will function as usual again. Infor-
mation on the dimensions and types of
wheels and tires for your vehicle can be found
in the "Wheel/tire combinations" section
(
Ypage 308).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If ESP
®is malfunctioning it will not provide
any vehicle stabilization. There is an increased
risk of skidding or of an accident.
Exercise caution when continuing to drive.
Have ESP
®checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the notes on ESP
®
(Ypage 282).
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
(
Ypage 229) and display messages which may
be shown in the instrument cluster
(
Ypage 201).
Driving safety systems65
Safety
Z

iOnly use wheels with the recommended tire
sizes. Only then will ESP®function properly.
Characteristics of ESP®
General information
If the ÷ ESP®warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP®is automatically
active.
If ESP
®intervenes, the ÷ESP®warning lamp
flashes in the instrument cluster. If ESP
®intervenes:
XDo not deactivate ESP®under any circum-
stances.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
XAdapt your driving style to suit the prevailing
road and weather conditions.
The influence of drive programs on ESP®
The drive programs allow ESP®to adapt to different weather conditions, road conditions and the
desired driving style. You can set the drive programs using the DYNAMIC SELECT button
(
Ypage 128) or on AMG vehicles using the DYNAMIC SELECT controller (Ypage 129).
Drive programESP®modeCharacteristics
C Comfort
E EconomyESP®onThis drive program offers the best compromise
between traction and stability.
Select drive program Eor Cin difficult road con-
ditions such as snow and ice or on wet roads.
S SportESP®onThis drive program offers the best compromise
between traction and stability.
S+ Sport PlusESP®SportThe vehicle's own oversteering and understeer-
ing characteristics are emphasized. This enables
a more active driving style.
This drive program requires increased driver
interaction.
Select this drive program only when road condi-
tions are good, e.g. the roads are dry and the
route is clear.
Always adapt your driving style and drive program to the prevailing road and weather conditions.
Additional information for drive programs (
Ypage 134).
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle stops
moving. The engine starts automatically when
the driver wants to pull away again. ESP
®
remains in its previously selected status, e.g. if
ESP®was deactivated before the engine was
automatically switched off.
Deactivating/activating ESP®(except
Mercedes ‑AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 60).
You can select between the following states of
ESP
®:
RESP®is activated
RESP®is deactivated
66Driving safety systems
Safety

GWARNING
If you deactivate ESP
®, ESP®no longer sta-
bilizes the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP
®in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP
®in the follow-
ing situations:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
Spinning the wheels results in a cutting action
which provides better grip.
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP®will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the vehicle if
the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated. You
could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP®
XTo deactivate: press button:.
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
XTo 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 stabilize the vehicle. If you deactivate ESP
®:
RESP®no longer improves driving stability
Rengine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin
Rtraction control is still activated
RActive Brake Assist is no longer available; nor
is it activated if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP
®
RPRE-SAFE®is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP®inter-
venes
RActive Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
is no longer available; nor is it activated if you
brake firmly with assistance from ESP
®
RESP®still provides support when you brake
firmly
Deactivating/activating ESP®
(Mercedes‑AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 60).
You can select between the following states of
ESP
®:
RESP®is activated
RSPORT handling mode is activated
RESP®is deactivated.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
If you deactivate ESP
®, ESP®no longer sta-
bilizes the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP
®in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
Driving safety systems67
Safety
Z

In the following situations, it may be better to
activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP
®:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
Ron 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.
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP®will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the vehicle if
the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated. You
could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP®
XTo activate SPORT handling mode: briefly
press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up. The
SPORT Handling Mode
message appears in
the multifunction display.
XTo deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster goes out.
XTo deactivate ESP®: press button :until
the å ESP®OFF warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF
message appears in the multi-
function display.
XTo activate ESP®: briefly press button :.
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ESP®
ONmessage 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 stabilizes the vehicle to a limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
RESP®only improves driving stability to a limi-
ted degree
Rtraction control is still activated
Rengine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin
RESP®still provides support 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 stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP®:
RESP®no longer improves driving stability
Rengine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin
Rtraction control is still activated
RActive Brake Assist is no longer available; nor
is it activated if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP
®
RPRE-SAFE®is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP®inter-
venes
RActive Brake Assist with cross-traffic function is no longer available; nor is it activated if you
brake firmly with assistance from ESP
®
RESP®still provides support when you brake
firmly
68Driving safety systems
Safety

Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
XDepress theaccelerato rpedal beyon dth e
pressur epoint.
The automatic transmission shift sto alower
gear depending on th eengin espeed.
XEas eoff th eaccelerato rpedal once th e
desire dspeed is reached.
The automatic transmission shift sbac kup.
Drive programs
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG
vehicles)
Dri veprogram C(Com fort)
Drive progra mCis characterized by th efollow-
ing :
Rthevehicl epulls away mor egentl yin forward
and revers egears, unless th eaccelerato r
pedal is depressed fully.
Rlow fuel consumption resulting from th eauto -
matic transmission shifting up sooner. The
vehicl eis driven in th elow engin espee drange
and th ewheels are less likely to spin .
Rthesuspension exhibits comfortable damping
settings.
Rth esteering exhibits acomfortable steering
curve.
RES P®provides th eoptimum compromise
between traction and stability. Fo rfurther
information about ES P
®,see (Ypage 66).
iSelec tthis drive progra mfor difficult roa d
conditions, e. g. snow and ice or wet road sur -
faces.
Dri veprogram S(Sport )
Drive progra mSis characterized by th efollow-
ing :
Rthevehicl eexhibits sport ydrivin gcharacter-
istics .
Rthevehicl epulls away in first gear .
Rtheautomatic transmission shift sup later, th e
fuel consumption possibl ybein ghigher as a
result of th elater automatic transmission
shift points .
Rthesuspension exhibits fir mdamping set -
tings.
Rth esteering exhibits asport ysteering curve.
RES P®provides th eoptimum compromise
between traction and stability. Fo rfurther
information about ES P
®,see (Ypage 66) .
Driveprogram S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive progra mS+ is characterized by th efol -
lowing:
Rth evehicl eexhibits particularly sport ydrivin g
characteristics .
Rthevehicl epulls away in first gear .
Rtheautomatic transmission shift sup later, th e
fuel consumption possibl ybein ghigher as a
result of th elater automatic transmission
shift points .
Rthesuspension exhibits particularly fir m
damping setting s(vehicles wit hadaptive
adjustable damping).
Rth esuspension exhibits fir mdamping set -
ting s(vehicles wit hActive Body Control).
Rth esteering exhibits asport ysteering curve.
RES P®emphasize sth evehicle's own over-
steering and understeering characteristics .
This enables amor eactive drivin gstyle. This
drive progra mrequire sincreased driver inter-
action .Fo rfurther information about ES P
®,
see (Ypage 66) .
iOnly select this drive progra mif th eroa d
condition sare good, e.g. th eroa dis dry and
th erout eahead is clearly visible.
Dri veprogram I(Individual)
In drive progra mIth efollowin gproperties of th e
drive progra mcan be select ed:
Rthedrive (engin eand transmission manage-
ment)
Rth esuspension
Rth esteering
Rth econtrol threshold sof ES P®
Information about configuring drive progra mI
wit hth emultimedia system can be found in th e
Digital Operator' sManual.
134Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Vehicles with adaptive adjustable damp-
ing: drive program E (Economy)
Drive programEis characterized by the follow-
ing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits comfortable, economical
handling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears, unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
The vehicle is driven in the low engine speed
range and the wheels are less likely to spin.
Rthe suspension exhibits comfortable damping
settings.
Rthe steering exhibits a comfortable steering
curve.
Rduring deceleration, the engine is disconnec- ted from the drive train. The vehicle uses
kinetic energy and consumes less fuel (coast-
ing mode).
RESP®provides the optimum compromise
between traction and stability. For further
information about ESP
®, see (Ypage 66).
Vehicles with Active Body Control: drive
program CURVE
CURVE drive program is characterized by the
following:
Rincreased driving comfort on bends.
Rthe vehicle tilts actively into the bend. Further
information on the cornering function
(
Ypage 164).
Rthe vehicle exhibits comfortable, economical
handling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears, unless the accelerator
ped
al is depressed fully.
Rcomfortable suspension setting.
Rthe steering exhibits a comfortable steering
curve.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven
at lower engine speeds and the wheels being
less likely to spin.
Rduring deceleration, the engine is disconnec-
ted from the drive train. The vehicle uses kinetic energy and consumes less fuel (coast-
ing mode).
RESP®provides the optimum compromise
between traction and stability. For further
information about ESP
®, see (Ypage 66).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
RACE drive program
The RACE drive program is characterized by the
following:
Rthe vehicle exhibits driving characteristics
suitable for the racetrack.
Rall vehicle systems are set for maximum
sportiness.
Rthe gearshift recommendation gives you
information for slowly warming up the drive
assemblies and for adopting a fuel-efficient
driving style (
Ypage 136). You can follow the
gearshift recommendations at all times and
shift gear accordingly using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. On the basis of the
gearshift recommendation, using the steering
wheel paddle shifters, you can optimize the
drive train and engine operating mode at any
time.
Rif you have selected a gear manually, this will
be maintained until the vehicle speed increa-
ses or decreases dramatically.
Rthe vehicle pulls away in first gear.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later, the
fuel consumption possibly being higher as a
result of the later automatic transmission
shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly firm
damping settings.
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
RESP®switches to SPORT handling mode. The
M SPORT handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up. The SPORT
HandlingModemessage appears in the mul-
tifunction display. Observe the important
safety notes for the SPORT handling mode
(
Ypage 67).
RESP®only improves driving stability to a limi-
ted degree. The engine's torque is only
restricted to a limited degree and the drive
wheels can spin. For further information
about ESP
®, see (Ypage 67).
Automatic transmission135
Driving and parking
Z

window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position i.
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.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 287).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (
Ypage 287).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (
Ypage 287).
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 store any
road speed above 20 mph (30 km/h).
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account the road, traffic and
weather conditions. 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 staying in lane.
Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
:Stores the current speed or a higher speed
;Storing the current speed or calling up the
last stored speed
=Stores the current speed or a lower speed
?Deactivating cruise control
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.
On vehicles with a segment ring in the speed-
ometer, the segments from the currently saved speed to the end of the segment ring light up.
Driving systems149
Driving and parking
Z