2019 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS ECU

It is only possible to shift the transmissionfrom position]to the desired position if youdepress the brake pedal. Only then is the shiftlock released.
iUpshifts take place at higher enginespeeds after a cold start. This helps the cat-alytic converter to reach its operating tem-perature more quickly.
Information on the automatic release of theelectric parking brake (Ypage 148).
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling awayforward or in reverse on an uphill gradient. Itholds the vehicle for a short time after youhave removed your foot from the brake pedal.This gives you enough time to move your footfrom the brake pedal to the accelerator pedaland to depress it before the vehicle begins toroll.
GWARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could roll away.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist is not active if:
Ryou are pulling away on a level road or on adownhill gradient
Rthe transmission is in position\\
Rthe electric parking brake is applied
RESP®is malfunctioning
ECO start/stop function
Introduction
The ECO start/stop function switches theengine off automatically if the vehicle is stop-ped under certain conditions.
The engine starts automatically when thedriver wants to pull away again. The ECOstart/stop function thereby helps you toreduce the fuel consumption and emissions ofyour vehicle.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically
and you exit the vehicle, the engine is
restarted automatically. The vehicle may
begin moving. There is a risk of accident and
injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn
off the ignition and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
General notes
CECO start/stop display
The ECO start/stop function is activatedwhenever you switch on the engine using theSmartKey or the Start/Stop button.
If the engine has been switched off automati-cally by the ECO start/stop function, the

Rthe system detects that the windshield isnot fogged up when the air-conditioning sys-tem is switched on
Rthe hood is closed
Rthe driver's door is closed and the driver'sseat belt is fastened
All of the vehicle's systems remain activewhen the engine is stopped automatically.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-cles):automatic engine switch-off can takeplace a maximum of four times in a row (initialstop, then three subsequent stops).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles:the number of con-secutive automatic engine switch-offs isunlimited.
The HOLD function can be activated if theengine has been switched off automatically. Itis then not necessary to continue applying thebrakes during the automatic stop phase. Whenyou depress the accelerator pedal, the enginestarts automatically and the braking effect ofthe HOLD function is deactivated.
Automatic engine start
The engine starts automatically if:
Ryou switch off the ECO start/stop functionby pressing the ECO button
Rin transmission position[or\\, the brakepedal is released and the HOLD function isnot active
Ryou depress the accelerator pedal
Ryou engage reverse gear^
Ryou move the transmission out of position]
Ryou switch to drive programS+
Ryou switch to drive programSorM(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Ryou unfasten your seat belt or open the driv-er's door
Rthe vehicle starts to roll
Rthe brake system requires this
Rthe temperature in the vehicle interior devi-ates from the set range
Rthe system detects moisture on the wind-shield when the air-conditioning system isswitched on
Rthe battery's condition of charge is too low
Shifting the transmission to position]doesnot start the engine.
Deactivating or activating the ECO
start/stop function
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles)
XTo deactivate:press ECO buttonC.Indicator lampDgoes out.
XTo activate:press ECO buttonC.Indicator lampDlights up.
If indicator lampDis off, the ECO start/stopfunction has been deactivated manually or asthe result of a malfunction. The engine willthen not be switched off automatically whenthe vehicle stops.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
XTo deactivate:in drive programC, pressECO buttonC.
or
XSwitch to drive programS,S+orM(Ypage 133).Indicator lampDgoes out.
XTo activate:press ECO buttonC.Indicator lampDlights up.
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With the SmartKey:if you then open the driv-er's door or the front-passenger door orremove the SmartKey from the ignition, theautomatic transmission shifts to]automati-cally.
With KEYLESS-GO:if you then open the driv-er's or front-passenger door, the automatictransmission shifts to]automatically.
If you want the automatic transmission toremain in neutral\\, e.g. when having thevehicle cleaned in an automatic car wash witha towing system:
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO:remove theStart/Stop button from the ignition lock.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XAll vehicles:switch the ignition on.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep itdepressed.
XShift to neutral\\.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the Smart-Key in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress thebrake pedal.
XPush the selector lever back past the firstpoint of resistance.
Transmission positions
EPark position
This prevents the vehicle from roll-ing away when stopped.
Only shift the transmission intopositionE(Ypage 134) whenthe vehicle is stationary. The park-ing lock should not be used as abrake when parking. Always applythe electronic parking brake in addi-tion to the parking lock in order tosecure the vehicle.
If the SmartKey is removed from theignition lock, the transmission islocked.
The automatic transmission shiftstoEautomatically:
Rwhen the SmartKey is removedfrom the ignition lock
Rwhen the engine is switched offwith the transmission in positionFor:and one of thedoors is opened
In the event of a malfunction of thevehicle's electronics, the transmis-sion may lock in positionE.Have the vehicle electronicschecked immediately at a qualifiedspecialist workshop.
FReverse gear
Only shift the transmission intopositionFwhen the vehicle isstationary.
Automatic transmission137
Driving and parking
Z

Rthe steering exhibits sporty steering charac-teristics.
RESP®provides the optimum compromisebetween traction and stability. Further infor-
mation about ESP®(Ypage 66).
Drive program S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive programS+is characterized by the fol-lowing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driv-ing characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away in first gear.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.The fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly firmdamping settings (vehicles with adaptivedamping system).
Rthe suspension exhibits firm damping set-tings (vehicles with Active Body Control).
Rthe steering exhibits sporty steering charac-teristics.
RESP®emphasizes the vehicle's own over-steering and understeering characteristics.This enables a more active driving style. Thisdrive program requires increased driver
interaction. Further information about ESP®
(Ypage 66).
iOnly select this drive program if the roadconditions are good, e.g. the road is dry andthe route ahead is clearly visible.
Drive program I (Individual)
In drive programIthe following properties ofthe drive program can be selected:
Rthe drive (engine and transmission manage-ment)
Rthe suspension
Rthe steering
Rthe control thresholds of ESP®
Information about configuring drive programIwith the multimedia system can be found inthe Digital Operator's Manual.
Vehicles with adaptive damping system:
drive program E (Economy)
Drive programEis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits comfortable, economicalhandling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently inforward and reverse gears, unless the accel-erator pedal is depressed fully.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from theautomatic transmission shifting up sooner.The vehicle is driven in the low engine speedrange and the wheels are less likely to spin.
Rthe suspension exhibits comfortable damp-ing settings.
Rthe steering exhibits comfortable steeringcharacteristics.
Rduring deceleration, the engine is discon-nected from the drive train. The vehicle useskinetic energy and consumes less fuel(coasting mode).
RESP®provides the optimum compromisebetween traction and stability. Further infor-
mation about ESP®(Ypage 66).
Vehicles with Active Body Control:
CURVE drive program
TheCURVEdrive program is characterized bythe following:
Rincreased driving comfort on bends.
Rthe vehicle tilts actively into the bend. Fur-ther information on the curve tilting function(Ypage 169).
Rthe vehicle exhibits comfortable, economicalhandling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently inforward and reverse gears, unless the accel-erator pedal is depressed fully.
Rcomfortable suspension setting.
Rthe steering exhibits comfortable steeringcharacteristics.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from theautomatic transmission shifting up sooner.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting upsooner. This results in the vehicle beingdriven at lower engine speeds and thewheels being less likely to spin.
Rduring deceleration, the engine is discon-nected from the drive train. The vehicle uses
Automatic transmission139
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Z

Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle.
!Always secure the vehicle correctly againstrolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or itsdrivetrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured againstrolling away unintentionally:
Rthe electric parking brake must be applied.
Rthe transmission must be in position].
Rthe SmartKey must be removed from theignition lock.
Rthe front wheels must be turned towards thecurb on steep uphill or downhill gradients.
Switching off the engine
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral positionNwhen you switch off the
engine. The vehicle may roll away. There is a
risk of an accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking positionP. Prevent the parked
vehicle from rolling away by applying the
parking brake.
XApply the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position](Ypage 136).
XWith the SmartKey :turn the SmartKey toposition

cient distance behind the vehicle in front. Thespecified minimum distance is set using thecontrol on the cruise control lever.
The electric parking brake secures the vehicleautomatically if Active Distance AssistDISTRONIC is activated and:
Rthe driver's door is open and the driver'sseat belt is unfastened
Rthe engine is switched off, unless it is auto-matically switched off by the ECO start/stop function
Ra system malfunction occurs
Rthe power supply is not sufficient
If a malfunction in the electric parking brakeoccurs, then the transmission may also beshifted into position]automatically.
Setting a speed
Keep in mind that it may take a brief momentuntil the vehicle has accelerated or braked tothe speed set.
XTo adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-ments (1 km/h increments):briefly pressthe cruise control lever upCto the pres-sure point for a higher speed, or downDfor a lower speed.Every time the cruise control lever ispressed up or down, the last speed stored isincreased or reduced.
XTo adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-ments (10 km/h increments):brieflypress the cruise control lever upCpast thepressure point for a higher speed, ordownDfor a lower speed.Every time the cruise control lever ispressed up or down, the last speed stored isincreased or reduced.
Setting a specified minimum distance
You can set the specified minimum distancefor Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC by vary-ing the time span between one and two sec-onds. This determines the distance that ActiveDistance Assist DISTRONIC is to maintain fromthe vehicle in front, depending on the roadspeed. You can see this distance in the multi-function display (Ypage 160).
The specified minimum distance can bechanged while Active Distance AssistDISTRONIC is switched on or off.
Make sure that you maintain a sufficiently safedistance from the vehicle in front. Adjust thedistance to the vehicle in front if necessary.
Cruise control lever
XTo increase:turn control

HOLD function
General notes
The HOLD function can assist the driver in thefollowing situations:
RWhen pulling away, especially on steepslopes
RWhen maneuvering on steep slopes
RWhen waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without thedriver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLDfunction deactivated when you depress theaccelerator pedal to pull away.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the vehicle is only braked using the HOLD
function, the vehicle may roll away in the fol-
lowing situations when you leave the vehi-
cle:
Rif there is a malfunction in the system or
in the voltage supply
Rif the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant
There is a risk of an accident.
Always deactivate the HOLD function and
secure the vehicle against rolling away
before you leave it.
!When Active Distance Assist DISTRONICor the HOLD function is activated, the vehi-cle brakes automatically in certain situa-tions.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivateActive Distance Assist DISTRONIC and theHOLD function in the following or similar sit-uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function (Ypage 165).
Activation conditions
You can activate the HOLD function if all of thefollowing conditions are fulfilled:
Rthe vehicle is stationary.
Rthe engine is running or if it has been auto-matically switched off by the ECO start/stop function.
Rthe driver's door is closed or your seat beltis fastened.
Rthe electric parking brake is released.
Rthe transmission is in position[,^or\\.
RActive Distance Assist DISTRONIC is deacti-vated
Activating the HOLD function
XMake sure that the activation conditions aremet.
XDepress the brake pedal.
XQuickly depress the brake pedal furtheruntilCappears in the multifunction dis-play.The HOLD function is activated. You canrelease the brake pedal.
iIf depressing the brake pedal the first timedoes not activate the HOLD function, waitbriefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function
The HOLD function is deactivated automati-cally if:
Ryou depress the accelerator and the trans-mission is in position[or^.
Rthe transmission is in position].
Ryou depress the brake pedal again with acertain amount of pressure untilHOLDHOLDdisap-pears from the multifunction display.
Ryou secure the vehicle using the electricparking brake.
Ryou activate Active Distance AssistDISTRONIC.
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Z

iAfter a time, the electric parking brakesecures the vehicle and relieves the servicebrake.
When the HOLD function is activated, thetransmission is shifted automatically to posi-tion]if:
Rthe driver's seat belt is not fastened and thedriver's door is open.
Rthe engine is switched off, unless it is auto-matically switched off by the ECO start/stop function.
The electric parking brake secures the vehicleautomatically if the HOLD function is activatedwhen the vehicle is stationary and:
Ra system malfunction occurs
Rthe power supply is not sufficient
If a malfunction in the electric parking brakeoccurs, the transmission may also be shiftedinto position]automatically.
RACE START
Important safety notes
iRACE START must not be used on normalroads. RACE START must only be activatedand used on dedicated road circuits, outsideof public road use.
iRACE START is only available forMercedes‑AMG vehicles.
RACE START enables optimal accelerationfrom a standing start. For this, a suitably high-grip road surface is required and the vehicleand tires must be in good working order.
GWARNING
If you use RACE START, individual tires may
start to 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 per-
sons, animals or obstacles are within range
of the vehicle.
iObserve the safety notes on driving safetysystems (Ypage 60).
Be sure to read the safety notes and infor-
mation on ESP®(Ypage 65).
Activation conditions
You can activate RACE START if:
Rthe doors are closed.
Rthe engine is running and it has reached anoperating temperature of approximately160 ‡ (71 †). This is the case when the oiltemperature gage in the multifunction dis-play is shown in white.
Rthe engine is running and the engine andtransmission are at operating temperature.This is the case when the oil temperaturegage in the multifunction display is shown inwhite (Ypage 202).
RESP®is functioning correctly (Ypage 66)
Rthe drive programS,S+orRaceis selected(Ypage 133)
Rthe steering wheel is in the straight-aheadposition
Rthe vehicle is stationary and the brake pedalis depressed (left foot)
Rthe transmission is in position[
Activating RACE START
iWhen manual mode (Ypage 141) is active,the transmission automatically shifts up inthe RACE START drive program. This func-tion supports maximum acceleration withRACE START. After going through an accel-erating process once from a stationary posi-tion, this function is automatically deactiva-ted.
XDepress the brake pedal with your left footand keep it depressed.
XPull and hold both steering wheel paddleshifters.
XTheRACE START Confirm: Paddle UPRACE START Confirm: Paddle UPCancel: Paddle DOWNCancel: Paddle DOWNmessage appears inthe multifunction display.
XRelease both steering wheel paddle shifters.
iIf the activation conditions are no longerfulfilled, RACE START is canceled. TheRACE START CanceledRACE START Canceledmessage appears inthe multifunction display.
166Driving systems
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