2019 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS steering

Drive programESP®modeCharacteristics
CComfort
EEconomy
ESP®onThis drive program offers the best compromisebetween traction and stability.
Select drive programEorCin difficult roadconditions such as snow and ice or on wetroads.
SSportESP®onThis drive program offers the best compromisebetween traction and stability.
S+Sport PlusESP®SportThe vehicle's own oversteering and understeer-ing characteristics are emphasized. This ena-bles a more active driving style.
This drive program requires increased driverinteraction.
Select this drive program only when road con-ditions are good, e.g. the roads are dry and theroute is clear.
Always adapt your driving style and drive program to the prevailing road and weather conditions.
Additional information for drive programs (Ypage 138).
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches theengine off automatically when the vehiclestops moving. The engine starts automaticallywhen the driver wants to pull away again.
ESP®remains in its previously selected status,
e.g. if ESP®was deactivated before the enginewas 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
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
described in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP®in the fol-lowing situations:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
Spinning the wheels results in a cutting actionwhich provides better grip.
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP®willotherwise not be able to stabilize the vehicleif the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel startsto spin.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated. Youcould otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Driving safety systems67
Safety
Z

Up to a speed of approximately 44 mph(70 km/h), Active Brake Assist with cross-traf-fic function may react to:
Rstationary objects in the path of your vehi-cle, e.g. stopped or parked vehicles
Rpedestrians in the path of your vehicle
iIf there is an increased risk of a collision,preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE®) are triggered (Ypage 55).
If the risk of collision with the vehicle in frontremains and you do not brake, take evasiveaction or accelerate significantly, the vehiclemay perform automatic emergency braking, upto the point of full brake application. Auto-matic emergency braking is not performeduntil immediately prior to an imminent acci-dent.
You can prevent the intervention of ActiveBrake Assist with cross-traffic function at anytime by:
Rdepressing the accelerator pedal further
Ractivating kickdown
Rreleasing the brake pedal
The braking application of Active Brake Assistwith cross-traffic function is ended automati-cally if:
Ryou maneuver to avoid the obstacle
Rthere is no longer a risk of collision
Ran obstacle is no longer detected in front ofyour vehicle
STEER CONTROL
General information
STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting anoticeable steering force to the steering wheelin the direction required for vehicle stabiliza-tion.
This steering assistance is provided in particu-lar if:
Rboth right wheels or both left wheels are ona wet or slippery road surface when youbrake
Rthe vehicle starts to skid
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 60).
No steering support is provided from STEERCONTROL, if:
RESP®is deactivated
RESP®is malfunctioning
Rthe steering is faulty
If ESP®is malfunctioning, you will be assistedfurther by the electrical power steering.
Protection against theft
Immobilizer
XTo activate with the SmartKey:removethe SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XTo activate with KEYLESS-GO:switch theignition off and open the driver's door.
XTo deactivate:switch on the ignition.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle frombeing started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take theSmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Theengine can be started by anyone with a validSmartKey that is left inside the vehicle.
iThe immobilizer is always deactivatedwhen you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be star-ted (yet the vehicle's battery is charged),the system is not operational. Contact anauthorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA) or1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
72Protection against theft
Safety

Correct driver's seat position
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you
do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel and mirror and fasten your
seat belt before starting the engine.
XObserve the safety guidelines on seatadjustment (Ypage 97).
XMake sure that seat

The seats can still be adjusted when there isno SmartKey in the ignition lock.
GWARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on
the seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
When adjusting a seat, make sure that no
one has any body parts in the sweep of the
seat.
GWARNING
If the driver's seat is not engaged, it could
move forwards as far as the next catch dur-
ing movement such as braking or abrupt
changes of direction. As a result, you would
be pushed against your seat belt by the
unsecured driver's seat.
This could cause you to lose control of the
vehicle. The seat belt cannot protect as
intended and could result in additional
injury.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Before every journey, make sure that the
driver's seat is fully engaged.
Observe the safety notes on "Air bags"(Ypage 45) and "Children in the vehicle"(Ypage 57).
GWARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you
or other vehicle occupants could be trapped
and thereby injured. Children in particular
could accidentally press the electrical seat
adjustment buttons and become trapped.
There is a risk of injury.
While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under
the lever assembly of the seat adjustment
system.
GWARNING
If the head restraints are not installed or not
adjusted correctly, they cannot provide pro-
tection as intended. There is an increased
risk of injury in the head and neck area, e.g.
in the event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level.
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you
do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel and mirror and fasten your
seat belt before starting the engine.
!To prevent damage to the seats and theseat heating, observe the following notes:
RDo not spill liquids onto the seats. Dry theseats as soon as possible if liquid doesget spilled on the seats.
RIf the seat covers are damp or wet, do notswitch on the seat heating. Also, do notuse the seat heating to dry the seats.
RClean the seat covers as recommended;see the "Interior care" section.
RDo not transport heavy loads on theseats. Do not place pointed objects onthe seat cushions such as knives, nails ortools. Where possible, use the seats onlyfor carrying passengers.
RWhen operating the seat heating, do notcover the seats with insulating materials,e.g. blankets, coats, bags, protective cov-ers, child seats or booster seats.
RWhen the seat heating is switched on, theseat surface can be damaged as a resultof objects being placed on the seats, forexample, seat cushions, child seats andprotective covers not approved byMercedes-Benz.
!Make sure that there are no objects in thefootwell under or behind the seats whenmoving the seats back. There is a risk thatthe seats and/or the objects could be dam-aged.
iThe head restraints cannot be removed.
98Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

seat belt guide. This makes it easier to movethe seats forward.
Before you drive off, the seat belt must beinserted into the seat belt guide.
Observe the safety guidelines for seat belts(Ypage 42).
XTo remove:open up magnetic headDandfold the tab up in the direction of the arrow.
XTake the seat belt out of seat belt guideC.
XTo insert:fold the tab up in the direction ofthe arrow.
XInsert the seat belt back into the seat beltguide and fold the tab back down.
Adjusting the head restraints
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you
do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel and mirror and fasten your
seat belt before starting the engine.
XTo adjust the head restraint height:slidethe switch for the head restraint adjust-mentCup or down in the direction of thearrow.
Moving the seats forward/back
GWARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on
the seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
When adjusting a seat, make sure that no
one has any body parts in the sweep of the
seat.
!Make sure that there are no containers inthe cup holder and no objects in the foot-well or behind the seats when adjusting theseats. Otherwise, you could damage theseats and the objects.
You can move the seat forwards in order togain better access to the rear compartment,e.g. to reach the stowage compartment in therear passenger compartment .
XRemove the seat belt from the seat beltguide (Ypage 99).
XTo move the seat forwards:pressdonswitchC.The seat moves automatically to the fore-most position.
XTo move the seat backwards:presscon switchC.The seat moves back to the previous posi-tion.
XTo stop seat movement:pressdorcin the opposite direction.
Adjusting the multicontour seat
You can adjust the multicontour seat usingCOMAND (see Digital Operator's Manual).
Adjusting the active multicontour
seat
The active multicontour seat can be adjustedusing COMAND (see the Digital Operator'sManual).
Adjusting the 4-way lumbar support
You can adjust the 4-way lumbar supportusing COMAND (see the Digital Operator'sManual).
100Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

Switching the seat heating on/off
Switching on/off
GWARNING
Repeatedly switching on the seat heating
can cause the seat cushion and backrest
pads to become very hot. The health of per-
sons with limited temperature sensitivity or
a limited ability to react to high tempera-
tures may be affected or they may even suf-
fer burn-like injuries. There is a risk of injury.
Therefore, do not switch the seat heating on
repeatedly.
!When the seat heating is switched on, theseat surface can be damaged as a result ofobjects being placed on the seats, for exam-ple, seat cushions, child seats and protec-tive covers not approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Ensure that there are no objects on the seatsurface when the seat heating is switchedon.
Driver's and front-passenger seat
The three red indicator lamps in the buttonindicate the heating level you have selected.
The system automatically switches down fromlevel3to level2after approximately eightminutes.
The system automatically switches down fromlevel2to level1after approximately tenminutes.
The system automatically switches off approx-imately 20 minutes after it is set to level1.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in positionGorHin the ignition lock.
XTo switch on:press buttonCrepeatedlyuntil the desired heating level is set.
XTo switch off:press buttonCrepeatedlyuntil all the indicator lamps go out.
iIf the battery voltage is too low, the seatheating may switch off.
Problems with the seat heating
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
The seat heating hasswitched off prema-turely or cannot beswitched on. The vehi-cle's electrical systemvoltage is too lowbecause too many elec-trical consumers areswitched on.
Switch off electrical consumers that you do not need, such as therear window defroster or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, switch on the seat heatingagain.
Seats101
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z

Switching the seat ventilation on/off
Switching on/off
The three blue indicator lamps in the buttonsindicate the blower setting you have selected.
XEnsure that the SmartKey is in positionHin the ignition lock.
XTo switch on:press buttonCrepeatedlyuntil the desired blower setting is set.
XTo switch off:press buttonCrepeatedlyuntil all the indicator lamps go out.
iIf the battery voltage is too low, the seatventilation may switch off.
iIf you open the roof using the SmartKey(Ypage 92), the driver's seat ventilation isautomatically switched on and the side win-dows open.
Problems with the seat ventilation
The seat ventilation has switched off prema-turely or cannot be switched on. The vehicle'selectrical system voltage is too low becausetoo many electrical consumers are switchedon.
XSwitch off electrical consumers that you donot need, such as the rear window defrosteror interior lighting.
XOnce the battery is sufficiently charged,switch on the seat heating again.
AIRSCARF
Setting head level heating (AIRSCARF)
GWARNING
When AIRSCARF is switched on, very hot air
can flow from the vents in the head
restraints. This could result in burns in the
immediate vicinity of the air vents. There is a
risk of injury.
Reduce the heater output before it becomes
too hot.
The AIRSCARF function warms the head andneck area of vehicle occupants with warm air.The warm air flows out of the holes in the headrestraints.
The three red indicator lamps in the buttonindicate the heating level you have selected.
XEnsure that the SmartKey is in positionHin the ignition lock.
XTo switch on:press buttonC.Three red indicator lamps in the button lightup. The blower starts up after a preheatingphase of seven seconds.
XPress buttonCrepeatedly until the desiredheating level is set.
XTo switch off:press buttonCrepeatedlyuntil all the indicator lamps go out.
iThe blower continues running for sevenseconds to cool down the heating elements.
iIf the battery voltage is too low, AIRSCARFmay switch off.
102Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

Steering wheel
Important safety notes
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you
do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel and mirror and fasten your
seat belt before starting the engine.
GWARNING
Children could injure themselves if they
adjust the steering wheel. There is a risk of
injury.
Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. This
also applies for the Digital Vehicle Key if the
"Digital Vehicle Key" function is activated via
Mercedes me connect.
The electrically adjustable steering wheel canstill be adjusted when there is no SmartKey inthe ignition lock.
Adjusting the steering wheel electri-
cally
CAdjusts the steering wheel height
DAdjusts the steering wheel position (fore-and-aft adjustment)
iFurther related subjects:
REASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature (Ypage 103)
RStoring settings (Ypage 107)
EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you drive off while the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT
feature is making adjustments, you could
lose control of the vehicle. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always wait until the adjustment process is
complete before driving off.
GWARNING
When the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature adjusts
the steering wheel, you and other vehicle
occupants – particularly children – could
become trapped. There is a risk of injury.
While the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature is mak-
ing adjustments, make sure that no one has
any body parts in the sweep of the steering
wheel.
Steering wheel103
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z