Mercedes-Benz SL 550 BlueEFFICIENCY, Operator'S Manual

Page: 62 / 572

If ESP
®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to
keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP
®
assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP
®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
If ESP
®
intervenes, the
÷
ESP
®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP
®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP
®
under any
circumstances.
X
only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
X
adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP
®
function
properly.
ETS (Electronic Traction System)
Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individually if they spin. This enables you to
pull away and accelerate on slippery surfaces,
for example if the road surface is slippery on
one side.
Traction control remains active if you
deactivate ESP
®
.
Deactivating/activating ESP
®
(except
AMG vehicles)
G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP
®
, ESP
®
no longer
stabilizes the vehicle. There is an increased
risk of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP
®
in the situations
described in the following.
! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP
®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
X
To deactivate: press button
:
.
The
å
ESP
®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X
To activate: press button
:
.
The
å
ESP
®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving. The engine starts
automatically when the driver wants to pull
away again. ESP
®
remains in its previously
selected status. Example: if ESP
®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched
off, ESP
®
remains deactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
If ESP
®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the
÷
ESP
®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP
®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the
following situations:
R
when using snow chains
R
in deep snow
R
on sand or gravel
If you deactivate ESP
®
:
R
ESP
®
no longer improves driving stability.
R
traction control is still activated.
60
Driving safety systems
Safety