2019 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS automatic transmission

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

Applying or releasing manually
XTo apply:push handleC.When the electric parking brake is applied,the redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp lights up in the instru-ment cluster.
The electric parking brake can also beapplied when the SmartKey is removed.
XTo release:pull handleC.The redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-ter goes out.
The electric parking brake can only bereleased:
Rwhen the SmartKey is in positionGin theignition lock (Ypage 126) or
Rif the ignition was switched on using theStart/Stop button
Applying automatically
The electric parking brake is automaticallyapplied when the transmission is in position]and:
Rthe engine is switched off or
Rthe driver is not wearing a seat belt and thedriver's door is opened
To prevent the electric parking brake frombeing automatically applied, pull handleC.
The electric parking brake is also applied auto-matically if:
RActive Distance Assist DISTRONIC bringsthe vehicle to a standstill or
Rthe HOLD function is keeping the vehiclestationary
In addition, at least one of the following condi-tions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine is switched off
Rthe driver is not wearing a seat belt and thedriver's door is opened
Rthere is a system malfunction
Rthe power supply is insufficient
Rthe vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp in the instrument clusterlights up.
The electric parking brake is not automaticallyapplied if the engine is switched off by theECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically
The electric parking brake is released auto-matically when all of the following conditionsare fulfilled:
Rthe engine is running
RThe seat belt tongue is engaged in the beltbuckle
Rthe transmission is in position[or^andyou depress the accelerator pedal or shiftfrom position]to[or^
Rif the transmission is in position^, thetrunk lid must be closed
If the seat belt tongue is not engaged in theseat belt buckle, the following conditions mustbe fulfilled:
Rthe driver's door is closed
Ryou move the transmission out of position]or you have previously driven at a speedabove 2 mph (3 km/h)
Rif the transmission is in position^, thetrunk lid must be closed
When the electric parking brake is released,the$indicator lamp goes out in the instru-ment cluster.
Emergency braking
The vehicle can also be braked during anemergency by using the electric parking brake.
XWhile driving, push handleCof the electricparking brake.The vehicle is braked for as long as the han-dle of the electric parking brake is pressed.The longer the electric parking brake handleis depressed, the greater the braking force.
148Parking
Driving and pa rking

New and replaced brake pads and discs onlyreach their optimum braking effect after sev-eral hundred kilometers of driving. Compen-sate for this by applying greater force to thebrake pedal. Keep this in mind, and adapt yourdriving and braking accordingly during thisbreak-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in correspond-ingly high brake wear. Observe the brake sys-tem warning lamp in the instrument clusterand note any brake status messages in themultifunction display. Especially for high per-formance driving, it is important to maintainand have the brake system checked regularly.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth onthe road surface, there is a danger of hydro-planing occurring.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or inconditions in which hydroplaning may occur,you must drive in the following manner:
Rlower your speed
Ravoid ruts
Ravoid sudden steering movements
Rbrake carefully
Driving on flooded roads
!Do not drive through flooded areas. Checkthe depth of any water before drivingthrough it. Drive slowly through standingwater. Otherwise, water could enter thevehicle interior or engine compartment. Itcan then damage the engine's or automatictransmission's electronic components. Itcan also be sucked in by the engine's airintake connection and cause engine dam-age.
Winter driving
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface
in an attempt to increase the engine's brak-
ing effect, the drive wheels could lose their
grip. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
GDANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter
the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehi-
cle becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk
of fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heat-
ing running, make sure the exhaust pipe and
area around the vehicle are clear of snow.
To ensure an adequate supply of fresh air,
open a window on the side of the vehicle
that is not facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualifiedspecialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery roadsurfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steeringand braking maneuvers. Do not use cruisecontrol.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot bestopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position\\.
The outside temperature indicator is notdesigned to serve as an ice-warning deviceand is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.Changes in the outside temperature are dis-played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezingpoint do not guarantee that the road surface isfree of ice. The road may still be icy, especiallyin wooded areas or on bridges. The vehiclecould skid if you fail to adapt your drivingstyle. Always adapt your driving style and driveat a speed to suit the prevailing weather condi-tions.
You should pay special attention to road con-ditions when temperatures are around freezingpoint.
For more information on driving with snowchains, see (Ypage 295).
For more information on driving with summertires, see (Ypage 295).
Driving tips153
Driving and parking
Z

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.
Driving systems165
Driving and parking
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
Driving an d parking

exiting a parking space. Make sure that thereare no persons, animals or objects in themaneuvering area when you are maneuveringor parking.
!When parking, pay particular attention toobjects above or below the sensors, such asflower pots or trailer drawbars.PARKTRONIC does not detect such objectswhen they are in the immediate vicinity ofthe vehicle. You could damage the vehicleor the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and otherobjects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic carwash, the compressed-air brakes on a truckor a pneumatic drill could causePARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly onuneven terrain.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is activated auto-matically when you:
Rswitch on the ignition
Rshift the transmission to position[,^or\\
Rrelease the electric parking brake
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is deactivated atspeeds above 11 mph (18 km/h). It is reacti-vated at lower speeds.
Range of the sensors
General notes
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC does not take intoaccount obstacles located:
Rbelow the detection range, such as persons,animals or objects
Rabove the detection range, e.g. overhangingloads, tail sections or loading ramps oftrucks
CSensors in the front bumper, left-hand side(example)
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice orslush. They can otherwise not function cor-rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking carenot to scratch or damage them (Ypage 275).
Range
Front sensors
CenterApprox. 40 in (approx.100 cm)
CornersApprox. 24 in (approx.60 cm)
Driving systems173
Driving and parking
Z

XDepending on the message or as required,shift the transmission to position[or^when the vehicle is stationary.Active Parking Assist immediately steers inthe other direction. TheParking AssistParking AssistActive Accelerate and BrakeActive Accelerate and BrakeObserve SurroundingsObserve Surroundingsmessage appearsin the multifunction display.
iYou will achieve the best results by waitingfor the steering procedure to completebefore pulling away.
If you back up after activation, the steeringwheel is moved to the straight-ahead posi-tion.
XDrive forwards and reverse as prompted bythe Parking Assist PARKTRONIC warningdisplays, several times if necessary.
Once you have exited the parking space com-pletely, the steering wheel is moved to thestraight-ahead position. You hear a tone andtheActive Parking Assist FinishedActive Parking Assist Finishedmes-sage appears on the multifunction display. Youwill then have to steer and merge into trafficon your own. Parking Assist PARKTRONIC isstill available. You can take over the steeringbefore the vehicle has exited the parkingspace completely. This is useful, for examplewhen you recognize that it is already possibleto pull out of the parking space.
Canceling Active Parking Assist
You can cancel Active Parking Assist at anytime.
XStop the movement of the multifunctionsteering wheel or steer yourself.Active Parking Assist will be canceled atonce. TheActive Parking Assist Can‐Active Parking Assist Can‐celedceledmessage appears in the multifunctiondisplay.
or
XPress the "Parking Assist PARKTRONIC" but-ton on the center console (Ypage 174).Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is switched offand Active Parking Assist is immediatelycanceled. TheActive Parking AssistActive Parking AssistCanceledCanceledmessage appears in the multi-function display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled automaticallyif:
Rparking using Active Parking Assist is nolonger possible
Ryou are driving faster than 6 mph (10 km/h)
Ra wheel spins, ESP®intervenes or fails. The