2011 Mercedes SL-Class Owner's Manual - Page 137

Driving systems Distronic displays in the speedometer to the vehicle ahead and your vehicle's current speed indicate that the Distronic will not be capable of slowing the vehicle sufficiently to maintain the preset following distance, which creates a danger of a collision. Immediately brake the vehicle to increase your distance to the preceding vehicle. The warning sound is intended as a final caution in which you should intercede with your own braking inputs to avoid a potentially dangerous situation. Do not wait for the operation of the warning signal to intercede with your own braking. This will result in potentially dangerous emergency braking which will not always result in an impact being avoided. Tailgating increases the risk of an accident. 135 When the Distronic is activated, set speed ; and distance warning lamp : appear in the speedometer. The vehicle speed displayed on the speedometer can briefly vary from the speed setting on the Distronic system. When the Distronic detects a vehicle directly ahead, the Distronic indicator lamp Ò in the speedometer dial comes on white. If the Distronic calculates that there is a danger of collision, the distance warning lamp Ò in the speedometer comes on red and an intermittent warning sounds. X Immediately apply the brakes to avoid a collision. Under no circumstances should the driver await the intermittent warning sound before braking. The intermittent warning sound ceases and the red distance warning lamp Ò goes out when the necessary distance to the vehicle ahead is established again. G Warning! The Distronic brakes your vehicle with a maximum deceleration of 6.5 ft/s2 (2 m/s2). This corresponds to approximately 20% of the maximum deceleration of your vehicle. The Distronic brakes the vehicle in an effort to restore the preset distance or to maintain the set speed. Distronic menu in the control system The information shown in the multifunction display depends on whether the Distronic system and/or the distance warning function are activated or deactivated. i To activate or deactivate the Distronic system, see (Y page 136) or see (Y page 138). To activate or deactivate the Distance warning function, see (Y page 141). X G Warning! An intermittent warning sounds and the distance warning lamp (red) Ò in the speedometer dial is illuminated if the Distronic system calculates that the distance Press button V or U repeatedly until one of the following two displays appears in the multifunction display. Z Controls in detail