2019 MERCEDES-BENZ SL CLASS brake

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.
130Driving
Driving an d parking

Engaging park position P
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles)
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress thebrake pedal.
XPress buttonC.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress thebrake pedal.
XPress buttonC.
Engaging park position P automati-
cally
Park position]is automatically engaged if:
Ryou switch off the engine using the Smart-Key and remove the SmartKey
Ryou switch off the engine using the Smart-Key or using the Start/Stop button andopen the driver's door or front-passengerdoor
Ryou open the driver's door when the vehicleis stationary or when driving at a very lowspeed and the transmission is in position[or^
Under certain conditions, the automatic trans-mission shifts automatically to transmissionposition]if the HOLD function or Active Dis-tance Assist DISTRONIC is activated. Observethe information on the HOLD function(Ypage 165) and on Active Distance AssistDISTRONIC (Ypage 159).
Engaging reverse gear R
!Only move the automatic transmission to^when the vehicle is stationary.
XDepress the brake and keep it pressed.
XPush the selector lever forwards past thefirst point of resistance.
The ECO start/stop function is not availablewhen reverse gear is engaged. Further infor-mation on the ECO start/stop function(Ypage 129).
Shifting to neutral N
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could:
Roperate the vehicle's equipment
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake
Rshift the automatic transmission out of
park position]
Rstart the engine
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave children or animals unattended
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.
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress thebrake pedal.
XPush the selector lever forwards or back tothe first point of resistance.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-sion in position^or[, the automatic trans-mission shifts to\\automatically.
136Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

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

DNeutral
Do not shift the transmission toDwhile driving. The automatictransmission could otherwise bedamaged.
No power is transmitted from theengine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brake pedal will allowyou to move the vehicle freely, e.g.to push it or tow it.
If ESP®is deactivated or faulty: shiftthe transmission to positionDifthe vehicle is in danger of skidding,e.g. on icy roads.
!Coasting in neutral\\maycause damage to the drive train.
:Drive
The automatic transmissionchanges gear automatically. Allforward gears are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts through theindividual gears automatically when it is intransmission position[. This automatic gearshifting behavior is determined by:
Rthe selected drive program
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
Rthe road speed
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rmore throttle: late upshifts
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond thepressure point.The automatic transmission shifts to a lowergear depending on the engine speed.
XEase off the accelerator pedal once thedesired speed is reached.The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Drive programs
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG
vehicles)
Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive programCis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently inforward and reverse gears, unless the accel-erator pedal is depressed fully.
Rlow 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.
RESP®provides the optimum compromisebetween traction and stability. Further infor-
mation about ESP®(Ypage 66).
iSelect this drive program for difficult roadconditions, e. g. snow and ice or wet roadsurfaces.
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive programSis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits sporty driving character-istics.
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 firm damping set-tings.
138Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

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

During braking:
Ra warning tone sounds
RtheRelease Parking BrakeRelease Parking Brakemessageappears
Rthe redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-ter flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-still, the electric parking brake is applied.
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer thanfour weeks, the battery may be damaged byexhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer thansix weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as aresult of lack of use.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop andseek advice.
iYou can obtain information about tricklechargers from a qualified specialist work-shop.
Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could
affect, for example, the power steering and
the brake boosting effect. You will require
considerably more effort to steer and brake.
There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment when driving, you may be distracted
from the traffic situation. You could also
lose control of the vehicle. There is a risk of
an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the countryin which you are driving. Some jurisdictionsprohibit the driver from using a mobile phonewhile driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always usehands-free mode. Only operate the telephonewhen the traffic situation permits. If you areunsure, pull over to a safe location and stopbefore operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers adistance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) persecond.
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Observe the following tips to save fuel:
RThe tires should always be inflated to therecommended tire pressure.
RRemove unnecessary loads.
RWarm up the engine at low engine speeds.
RAvoid frequent acceleration or braking.
RObserve the service intervals in the Mainte-nance Booklet or in the service interval dis-play. Have all the maintenance work carriedin accordance with Daimler AG regulations.
Fuel consumption also increases when drivingin cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in hillyterrain.
Drinking and driving
GWARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs
and driving are very dangerous combina-
tions. Even a small amount of alcohol or
drugs can affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal
accident is greatly increased when you drink
or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Drivingtips149
Driving an d parking
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economical driving. A higher level indicates amore economical driving style. If the threeouter areas are completely filled at the sametime, the driver has adopted the most eco-nomical driving style for the selected settingsand prevailing conditions. The ECO displayborder lights up.
The ECO display does not indicate the actualfuel consumption. The additionally achievedrange displayed underBonus fr. startBonus fr. startdoesnot indicate a fixed consumption reduction.
In addition to driving style, the actual con-sumption is affected by other factors, such as:
Rload
Rtire pressure
Rcold start
Rchoice of route
Ractive electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-play.
An economical driving style specially requiresdriving at moderate engine speeds.
Achieving a higher value in the categories"Acceleration" and "Constant":
Robserve the gearshift recommendations.
Rdrive the vehicle in drive programCorE.
In urban traffic and stop-start traffic, drive pro-gramCis recommended.
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. onthe highway, only the outer area for "constant"will change.
The ECO display summarizes the driving stylefrom the start of the journey to its completion.Therefore, there are more marked changes inthe outer areas at the start of a journey. Onlonger journeys, there are fewer changes. Formore marked changes, perform a manual rest(Ypage 194).
Further information on the ECO display(Ypage 193).
Braking
Important safety notes
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.
Downhill gradients
!On long, steep gradients, you must reducethe load on the brakes. To use engine brak-ing, shift to a lower gear in good time. Thishelps you to avoid overheating the brakesand wearing them out excessively.
When making use of the engine brakingeffect, it is possible that a drive wheel maynot turn for some time, e.g. in the case ofsuddenly changing or slippery road surfaceconditions. This could cause damage to thedrive train. This type of damage is not cov-ered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Change into a lower gear in good time on longand steep downhill gradients. This is especiallyimportant if the vehicle is laden.
This also applies if you have activated cruisecontrol or Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving, the braking system can over-
heat. This increases the stopping distance
and can even cause the braking system to
fail. There is a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest.
Never depress the brake pedal and the
accelerator pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantlyresults in excessive and premature wear tothe brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavyload, do not stop the vehicle immediately, butdrive on for a short while. This allows the air-flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rainwithout braking, there may be a delayed reac-tion from the brakes when braking for the first
Driving tips151
Driving and parking
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