2018 MERCEDES-BENZ SLC ROADSTER Owner's Manual

Child restraint system
The use of seat beltsand child restraint systems
is required by law in:
Rall 50 states
Rth eU .S.t erri tories
RtheD istrict of Columbia
Rall Canadian provinces
You can obtain further informatio nabout the
correc tchild restraint system from any author-
ize dM ercedes-Ben zCenter.
GWARNING
If th echild restraint system is installed incor-
rectly on asuitable seat,itc annotprotect as
intended. The child canno tthe nber estrained
in th eevent of an accident, heavyb raking or
suddenc hanges of direction.T hereisan
increased ris kofinjury, possibly eve nfatal.
Makes ure that you observ ethe child restraint
system manufacturer'si nstallationinstruc-
tions and th enotes on use. Pleasee nsure,
that th ebase of th echild restraint system is
always restin gcompletely on th eseat cush-
ion.N ever placeo bjects, e.g.cushions, under
or behindt hechild restraint system. Only use
child restraint systems witht heoriginal cover
designe dfor them. Only replace damaged
covers withg enuine covers.
GWARNING
If th echild restraint system is installed incor-
rectly or is no tsecured, it can com eloosei n
th ee vent of an accident, heavyb raking or a
suddenc hang eind irection.T he child
restraint system coul dbethrown about,s trik-
ing vehicle occupants .Thereisani ncreased
ris kofi njury, possibly eve nfatal.
Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, eve niftheya re no tbeingu sed. Make
sure that you observ ethe child restraint sys-
te mm anufacturer'si nstallationinstructions.
Further informatio nonstowingo bjects, luggage
and loads securely can be foun dunde r“Stowi ng
options/stowage compartments”
(
Ypage 219).
GWARNING
Child restraint systems or their securin gsys-
tems whichh ave been damaged or subjected
to aload in an accidentc an no longer protect
as intended. The child canno tthe nb e
restraine dintheevent of an accident, heavy
braking or suddenc hanges of direction.T here
is an increased ris kofinjury, possibly even
fatal.
Replacec hild restraint systems whichh ave
been damaged or subjected to aload in an
accidentass oon as possible. Hav ethe secur-
ing systems on th echild restraint system
checked at aqualified specialist workshop,
before you install achild restraint system
again.
The securin gsystem of child restraint systems is
th es eat belt system.
iIf you install achild restraint system on the
front-passenger seat,bes ure to observethe
instructionsa nd safety note sonthe"Occu-
pantC lassificatio nSyste m(OCS)"
(
Ypage 45). Therey ou will also findinforma-
tio nond eactivatin gthe front-passenger front
air bag.
All child restraint systems must mee tthe fol-
lowings tandards:
RU.S. Federal Motor Vehicle SafetyS tandards
21 3a nd 225
RCanadian Motor Vehicle SafetyS tandards
21 3a nd 210.2
Confirmation that th echild restraint system cor-
responds to th estandards can be foun donan
instruction label on th echild restraint system.
This confir mation c
an also be foun
dintheinstal-
lation instructionst hata re included witht he
child restraint system.
Observ ethe warning labels in th evehicle inte-
rior and on th echild restraint system.
Child restraint system on th efront-
passengers eat
General notes
If you install achild restraint system on the
front-passenger seat,a lways observethe
Children in th evehicle55
Safety
Z

instructions and safetynotes on the "Occupant
Classification System (OCS)" (Ypage 45).
You can thus avoid the riskst hat could arise as
ar esult of:
Ran incorrectly categorized personint he front-
passenger seat
Rthe unintentional deactivatio nofthe front-
passenger front air bag
Rthe unsuitable positionin gofthe child
restraint system, e.g. too clos etothe dash-
board
Rearward-facing child restraint system
If it is absolutely necessary to install arearward-
facin gchild restraint system on the front-
passenger seat, always make sure that the
front-passenge rfront air bag is deactivated.
Only if the PASSENGER AI RBAG OFF indicator
lamp is permanently lit (
Ypage 39) is the front-
passenger front air bag deactivated.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer'si nstallation and operating instruc-
tions.
Forward-facing child restraint system
If you secur eachild in aforward-facin gchild
restraint system on the front-passenge rseat,
always move the front-passenge rseat as far
back as possible.T he entire base of the child
restraint system must always rest on the seat
cushio nofthe front-passenge rseat. The back-
rest of the child restraint system must lie as flat
as possible against the backrest of the front-
passenger seat. The child restraint system must
not touc hthe roof or be subjected to aload by
the head restraint .Adjust the angle of the seat
backrest and the head restraint position accord- ingly. Always make sure that the shoulder belt
strap is correctly routed fromt he front-
passenger seat belt guide to the shoulder belt
guide on the child restraint system. The shoul-
der belt strap must be routed forward and down
fromt he front-passenge rseat belt guide.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer'si nstallation and operating instruc-
tions.
Pets in th evehicle
GWARNING
If you leave animals unattended or unsecured
in the vehicle, the ycould press buttons or
switches, for example.
As aresult,t heyc ould:
Ractivatev ehicle equipmenta nd become
trapped, for example
Ractivateord eactivatesystems, thereby
endangeringo ther road users
Unsecure danimals could also be flung around
the vehicle in the eventofana ccident or sud-
den steeringorb raking, thereby injuring vehi-
cle occupants. There is arisk of an accident
and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secur eanimals properly during
the journey, e.g. use asuitable animal trans-
port box.
Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will findi nformation about
the followingd rivingsafetysystems:
RABS(Anti-lock Braking System)
(Ypage 57)
RBA S(Brake Assist System) (Ypage 57)
RActiveBrakeA ssist (Ypage 58)
RAdaptive brakel ights(Ypage 60)
RESP®(ElectronicStabilityProgram)
(Ypage 60)
REB D( Electronic Bra ke force Distribution)
(Ypage 63)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 63)
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your drivings tyle or if you are
inattentive, the drivings afetysystems can nei-
the rreducet he risk of an accident nor override
the laws of physics .Drivings afetys ystems are
merely aids designed to assist driving.
56Driving safety systems
Safety

You are responsible for maintainingthe distance
to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for
braking in good time, and for stayin ginlane.
Always adapt your drivings tyle to suit the pre-
vailing road and weather condition sand main-
tain asafe distance from the vehicle in front.
Drive carefully.
The drivings afetysystems described only work
as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quate contac tbetwee nthe tires and the road
surface. Pay particular attention to the informa-
tion regarding tires, recommended minimum
tir et read depth setc.int he "Wheels and tires"
section (
Ypage 260).
In wintry drivingc onditions, always use winter
tires (M+S tires) and if necessary, sno wchains.
Only in this way will the drivings afetysystems
described in this section work as effectively as
possible.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Genera linformation
AB Sregulates brakep ressure in suchaway that
the wheels do not lock when you brake. This
allows you to continue steeringt he vehicle when
braking.
The ! ABSw arnin glamp in the instrument
cluster lightsupw hen the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engin eisrunning.
AB Sw orksf romaspeed of about 5mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surfacec onditions.
AB Sw orksons lippery surfaces, even when you
only brakeg ently.
Important safetyn otes
iObserve the "Importan tsafetyn otes" sec-
tion (Ypage 56).
GWARNING
If AB Sism alfunctioning, the wheels could
lock when braking. The steerabilitya nd brak-
ing characteristics would be severely affec-
ted. There is an increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have AB Schecked imme-
diately at aqualified specialis tworkshop.
When AB Sismalfunctioning, other systems,
including drivings afetysystems, will also becom
einoperative .Observe the information
on the AB Swarnin glamp (
Ypage 204) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrumentc luster (
Ypage 179).
Brakes
XIf ABS intervenes: continue to depresst he
brakep edal vigorously until the braking sit-
uation is over.
XTo make afull brake application: depress
the brakep edal with full force.
If AB Sintervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsing in the brakep edal.
The pulsatin gbrakep edal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions, and function sasa
reminder to tak eextra care while driving.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
Genera linformation
BA So perates in emergenc ybraking situations.
If you depresst he brakepedal quickly, BAS
automatically boostst he braking force, thus
shortening the stopping distance.
Important safetyn otes
iObserve the "Importan tsafetyn otes" sec-
tion (Ypage 56).
GWARNING
If BA Sism alfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergenc ybraking situation is
increased. There is arisk of an accident.
In an emergenc ybraking situation, depress
the brakep edal with full force. AB Sprevents
the wheels from locking.
Braking
XKeep the brakep edal firmly depressed until
the emergenc ybraking situation is over.
AB Sp revent sthe wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual onc eyou
release the brakep edal. BASisdeactivated.
Driving safetys ystems57
Safety
Z

Active BrakeAssist
Gene ralinform ation
iObserv ethe "Importan tsafet ynotes "sec-
tion (Ypage 56).
Active Brake Assis tconsists ofad istanc ewarn-
ing function wit hanautonomous braking func-
tion and Adaptive Brake Assist.
Active Brake Assis tcan help you to minimiz ethe
ris kofac ollision wit hthe vehicl einfrontor
reduce th eeffects of suc hacollision .
If Active Brake Assis tdetects that there is arisk
of collision ,you will be warned visually and
acoustically. If you do no treac ttot hevisual and
audible collision warning ,autonomous braking
can be initiate dincritical situations. If you apply
th eb rak eyourself in acritical situation ,Adap-
tive Brake Assis toftheActive Brake Assis tsys-
te ms upport syou.
Import ant safety notes
In particular, th edetection of obstacles can be
impaire dif:
Rthere is dir tonthesensor soranythin gelse
covering th esensor s
Rthere is snow or heav yrain
Rthere is interferenc ebyother radar source s
Rthere are strongradar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages
Ran arrow vehicl eistraveling in front, e.g. a
motorbik e
Ravehicl eistraveling in fron tonadifferentlin e
Ryou are drivin ganewvehicl eorservicing on
th eA ctiv eBrake Assis tsystem has jus tbeen
carrie dout
Observ ethe important safet ynotes in the
"Breaking-in notes" section (
Ypage 115).
Followin gdamag etothefron tend of th evehicle,
hav ethe configuration and operation of th e
radar sensor checke dataqualified specialis t
workshop .This also applie stocollision satslow
speeds wher ethere is no visible damag etothe
fron toft hevehicle.
Activating/deactivating
Active Brake Assis tisautomatically active after
switching on th eignition .
You can activat eordeactivat eActiv eBrake
Assis tusin gthe on-board computer (
Ypage 171). When deactivated, th
edistanc e
warning function and th eautonomous braking
function are also deactivated.
If Active Brake Assis tisdeactivated, th eæ
symbol appear sintheassistanc egraphic dis-
play.
Distance warning function
Genera linformation
The distanc ewarning function can help you to
minimiz ethe riskofaf ront-end collision wit ha
vehicl eahead or reduce th eeffects of suc ha
collision .Ifthedistanc ewarning function
detects that there is ariskofac ollision ,you will
be warned visually and acoustically.
Important safety notes
iObserv ethe "Importan tsafet ynotes "sec-
tion for drivin gsafet ysystems (Ypage 56) .
GWARNIN G
The distanc ewarning function does no treact:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncomin gvehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen cornering
The distanc ewarning function may no tgive
warning sinall critical situations. There is a
ris kofana ccident.
Always pay careful attention to th etraffic sit -
uation and be read ytob rake.
Always adapt your spee dtosuit theprevailing
road and traffic conditions.
GWARNIN G
The distanc ewarning function canno talways
clearly identify objects and comple xtraffic
situations.
In suc hcases, th edistanc ewarning function
may:
Rgiv eanu nnecessary warning
Rnotg iveaw arning
There is ariskofana ccident.
Always pay careful attention to th etraffic sit -
uation and do no trelys olely on th edistanc e
warning function .
58Driving safety systems
Safety

Function
Starting at aspeedofa pproximately 4mph
(7 km/h), th edistanc ewarning function warns
you ifyou rapid ly approachav ehicle in front. An
intermittentw arning tonewillthen sound, and
the · distancewarning lamp willlight up in
th ei nstrumen tcluster.
XBrake immediately inorder to increas ethe
dist ancefromt heveh icle in front.
or
XTakee vasive action,p rovide ditiss afe todo
so.
Due to th enature of th esystem, particularly
co mpli cated but non-critical driving conditions
may also caus ethe system to displayaw arning.
Witht hehelp of th eradar sensor system, the
dist ancewarning function can detect obstacles
that are inthep athofy our veh iclefor an exten-
ded period of time.
Up to aspeedofa pproximately 44 mph
(70 km/ h),t he distance warnin gfunction can
also react to stationary obstacles, such as stop-
ped or parked vehicles.
Autonomous braking function
If the driver does not react to the distance warn-
ing signal in acritical situation, Active Brake
Assis tcan assist with the autonomous braking
function.
If the autonomous brakin gfunction requires a
particularly high brakin gforce, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE
®)
are activated simultaneously.
Vehicles without Distance Assist
DISTRONIC: the autonomous brakin gfunction
is available in the following speed ranges:
R4-65m ph (7-105 km/ h)for moving objects
R4-31m ph (7-50km/h)for stationary
objects
Vehicles with Distance Assist DISTRONIC:
the autonomous braking function is available in
the following speedr anges:
R4-124 mph (7 -200 km/h )for moving
objects
R4-31m ph (7-50km/h)for stationary
objects
Due to the nature of the system ,particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may als ocaus ethe Autonomou sBraking Func-
tion to intervene. If the autonomous braking function requires a
particularly high braking force, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE
®)
are activated simultaneousl y(Ypage53).
Adaptive Brake Assist
General information
iObservet he "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypag e56).
With the help of adaptive Brake Assist, the dis-
tance warning signalc an detect obstacles that
are in the path of you rvehiclef or an extended
period of time.
If adaptive Brake Assist detects arisk of colli-
sion with the vehicleinf ront, it calculatesthe
braking force necessary to avoi dacollision. If
you apply the brakes forcefully ,adaptive Brake
Assist wil lautomatically increas ethe braking
force to alevels uitabl efor the traffic conditions.
Adaptive Brake Assist provides braking assis-
tance in hazardouss ituations at speeds above
4m ph (7 km/h) .Itusesrada rsensor technology
to assess the traffic situation.
Up to aspeedofa pproximately 155 mph
(250 km/h) ,adaptive Brake Assist is capable of
reacting to moving objects that have already
been detected as such at least once over the
period of observation.
Up to aspeedofa pproximately 44 mph
(70 km/h), adaptive Brake Assist reacts to sta-
tionary obstacles.
If adaptive Brake Assist demands particularly
high braking force, preventative passenger pro-
tection measures (PRE-SAFE
®)a re activated
simultaneousl y(Ypage53).
XKeep the brake pedald epressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes wil lwork normally again if:
Ryou release the brake pedal.
Rthere is no longera ny dangerofacollision.
Rno obstacle is detected in front of you rvehi-
cle.
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Driving safety systems59
Safety
Z

Important safety notes
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist canno talways clearly
iden tifyo bject sand co mplextraffic situa-
tions.
In suchc ases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
Rinterveneu nnecessarily
Rnotintervene
Thereisar iskofana cciden t.
Always pay careful attentio ntothetraff icsit-
uation and beread ytob rake. Terminate the
interventio ninanon-criticaldriving situation.
GWAR NING
Adaptive Brake Assist does no treact:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncomin gvehicle s
Rto crossing traff ic
Rwhen cornering
As aresult, th eAdaptive Brake Assist may not
interveneina llcritical conditions. Thereisa
ris kofana cciden t.
Always pay careful attentio ntothetraff icsit-
uation and beread ytob rake.
Always adapt your speedtos uit theprevailin g
road and traff icconditions.
Due to th enature of th esystem, particularly
co mpli cated but non-critical driving conditions
may also caus eBrake Assist to intervene.
If adaptive Brake Assist isno tavailab ledue to a
malfunctio nintheradar sensor system, the
brak esystem remains availab le withfull brake
boostin geffect and BA S.
Adaptive brak elights
i
Observ ethe "Im portan tsafety notes" sec-
tio n(Ypage 56).
If you brakes harply from aspeedofm oret han
50 km /horifbraking isassiste dbyBASor
Brake Assist withC ross-Traffic Assist,t hebrake
lamps flas hrapid ly.Inthis way, traff ictraveling
behindy ouiswarned inan eve nmoren oticeable
manner. If
you brakes harply from aspeedofm oret han
70 km /htoas tandstill, th ehazard warning
lamps are activated automatically. Ifth eb rakes
are applieda gain,thebrak elamps light up con-
tinuously. The hazard warning lamps switch off
automatical ly ifyou travel faster than 10 km/h.
You can also switch off th ehazard warning
lamps usingt hehazard warning button
(
Ypage 97).
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
iObserv ethe "Importan tsafety notes" sec-
tio n(Ypage 56).
ESP
®monitors driving stabilitya nd traction,i.e.
power transmission between th etires and the
road surface.
If ESP
®detect stha tthe vehicle is deviating from
th ed irection desired by th edriver, oneorm ore
wheelsa re braked to stabilizet hevehicle .The
engineo utput is also modifie dtokeept he vehi-
cle on th edesired course within physical limits.
ESP
®assists th edriver when pullingaway on
wet or slippery roads. ESP®can also stabilize
th ev ehicle duringb raking.
ETS (Electronic Traction System)
iObservethe "Importan tsafety notes" sec-
tio n(Ypage 56).
ET St raction control is part of ESP
®.
ET Sb rakes th edrivew heelsi ndivid ually if they
spin .This enables you to pull away and acceler-
ate on slippery surfaces, for example if th eroad
surface is slippery on ones ide.Inaddition,m ore
driv etorque is transferred to th ewheel or
wheelsw itht raction.
ET Sr emains active when you deactivate ESP
®.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If ESP
®is malfunctionin gitwill notprovide
any vehicle stabilization .Thereisani ncreased
ris kofs kiddin gorofana ccident.
Exercise caution when continuing to drive.
Hav eESP
®checked at aqualified specialist
workshop.
60Driving safety systems
Safety

When towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the notes on ESP®
(Ypage 257).
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 amalfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(
Ypage 205) and display messages which may
be shown in the instrument cluster
(
Ypage 179).
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
beginnin gthe journey, ESP®is automatically
active.
If ESP
®intervenes, the ÷ESP®warning lamp
flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP
®intervenes:
XDo not deactivat eESP®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.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle stops
moving. The engine start sautomatically 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.
Activating/deactivating ESP®(except
Mercedes-AMG SLC 43)
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 56). You can select between the following states of
ESP
®:
RESP®is activated
RESP®is deactivated
GWARNING
If you deactivat eESP
®,ESP®no longer sta-
bilizes the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivat eESP
®in the situation sdescri-
bed in the following.
It may be best to deactivat eESP
®in the follow-
ing situations:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
Spinning the wheels results in acutting 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 start stoskid or awheel start sto
spin.
!Avoid spinnin gthe 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.
Driving safety systems61
Safety
Z

Characteristics when ESP®is deactivated
If ESP®is deactivatedand oneorm orew heels
start to spin,t he÷ ESP®warning lamp in the
instrumentc lusterflashes. In suchs ituations,
ESP
®will no tstabilizet hevehicle.
If you deactivate ESP®:
RESP®no longer improve sdriving stability
Rengine torque is no longer limited and the
driv ewheels are able to spin
Rtraction control is still activated
RActiv eBrake Assist is no longer available; nor
is it activated if you brak efirmly with assis-
tance from ESP
®
RPRE-SAFE®is no longer available, no risit
activated if you brak efirmly and ESP®inter-
venes
RESP®still provides support when you brake
firmly
Activating/deactivatin gESP®(except
Mercedes-AMG SLC 43)
Important safety notes
iObserv ethe "Important safety notes" sec-
tio n(Ypage 56).
You can selectb etween thefollowings tate so f
ESP
®:
RESP®is activated
RSPORT handlingm ode is activated
RESP®is deactivated.
GWARNING
When SPORT handlingm ode is activated,
there is agreate rrisk of skiddinga nd acci-
dents.
Only activat eSPORT handlingm ode in thesit-
uations describe dinthefollowing.
GWARNING
If you deactivate ESP
®,E SP®no longer sta-
bilizes th evehicle .Thereisani ncreased risk
of skiddinga nd an accident.
Only deactivate ESP
®in th esituations descri-
bed in th efollowing. In th
efollowings ituations,itmay be bette rto
activat eSPORT handlingm ode or deactivate
ESP
®:
Rwhen usings nowc hains
Rind eep snow
Ron sandorg ravel
Ron specially designated roads when th evehi-
cle's own oversteering and understeering
characteristics are desired
Spinning th ewheels results in acuttin gaction
whichp rovides bette rgrip.
Drivin ginSPORT handlingm ode or without
ESP
®requires an extremely qualified and expe-
rienced driver.
iActivate ESP®as soon as th esituations
describe dabovenol onger apply. ESP®will
otherwise no tbeable to stabilizet hevehicle if
th ev ehicle start stoskidoraw heel start sto
spin.
!Avoid spinnin gthe driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated. You
coul dotherwise damage th edrivetrain.
Deactivating/activatin gESP®
XTo activate SPORTh andling mode: briefly
pres sbutton :.
The M SPORT handlingm ode warning
lamp in th einstrumentc lusterlightsu p. The
SPORT Handling Mode
message appearsi n
th em ultifunction display.
XTo deactivat eSPORTh andling mode:
briefly pres sbutton :.
The M SPORT handlingm ode warning
lamp in th einstrumentc lustergoes out.
62Driving safety systems
Safety