2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A CLASS automatic transmission

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and
you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically.
The vehicle may begin moving.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes :
ECO start/stop display
If the ¤ symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display, the ECO start/stop
function switches the engine off automati-
cally if the vehicle stops moving.
The

stop/start function is automatically acti-
vated each time you start the engine with the
ignition key.
If the ECO start/stop function has been man-
ually deactivated ( Y page 147) or a malfunc-
tion has caused the system to be deactivated,
the ¤ symbol is not displayed.
AMG vehicles: the ECO start/stop function
is only available in drive program C.
Automatic engine switch-off General notes
The ECO start/stop function is operational
and the
¤ symbol is displayed in green in
the multifunction display, if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green
R the

outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system R
the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature
R the

set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached
R the battery is sufficiently charged
R the system detects that the windscreen is
not misted up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on
R the bonnet is closed
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off are fulfilled, the ¤ symbol is
shown in yellow.
i All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is switched off automati-
cally.
i The engine can be switched off automat-
ically a maximum of four times (initial stop,
then three subsequent stops) in succes-
sion. The ¤ symbol is shown in yellow
in the multifunction display after the engine
has been started automatically for the
fourth time. When the ¤ symbol is
shown in green in the multifunction display,
automatic engine switch-off is again possi-
ble.
Vehicles with manual transmission
The ECO start/stop function switches off the
engine automatically at low speeds. X
Brake the vehicle.
X Engage neutral N(Y page 151) (follow
gearshift instruction : to engage neutral
N, if necessary).
X Release the clutch pedal.
The engine is switched off automatically.146
Driving
Driving and parking

Vehicles with automatic transmission
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in
D or
N, the ECO start/stop function switches off
the engine automatically.
i The
HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automati-
cally. It is then not necessary to continue
applying the brakes during the automatic
stop phase. When you depress the accel-
erator pedal, the engine starts automati-
cally and the braking effect of the HOLD
function is deactivated.
Automatic engine start General notes
The engine is started automatically if:
R
you

switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button
R you engage reverse gear R
R the vehicle starts to roll
R the brake system requires this
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
screen when the air-conditioning system is
switched on
R the battery's charge status is too low
R the driver's seat belt is released or the driv-
er's door is opened
Vehicles with manual transmission
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal
is depressed.
The engine is started automatically if you:
R depress the clutch pedal fully
R depress the accelerator pedal Vehicles with automatic transmission
The engine is started automatically if you:
R
release the brake pedal when HOLD is not
activated and the transmission is in posi-
tion D or N
R depress the accelerator pedal
R move the transmission out of position P
i Shifting the transmission to position P
does not start the engine.
i If you shift the transmission from R to D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the ¤ symbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function ECO button
X
To switch off: press button :.
Indicator lamp ; and the ¤ symbol in
the multifunction display go out.
X To switch on: press button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off ( Y page 146) are met, the ¤
symbol is shown in green in the multifunc-
tion display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off ( Y page 146) are met, the ¤
symbol

is shown in yellow in the multifunc-
tion display. If this is the case, the ECO
start/stop function is not available. Driving
147
Driving and parking Z

Shifting to neutral (N)
X
Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Move the gear lever to position N:. Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear R when the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
X Pull the gear lever up, push it to the left and
then pull it back.
i The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
For further information on the ECO start/
stop function, see ( Y page 146).Gearshift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display. X
Shift gear according to gearshift recom-
mendation : when shown in the multi-
function display of the instrument cluster. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position D or
R,

the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position D or R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral
position N when 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 position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
i Bear in mind that the power transmission
between the engine and the transmission
is interrupted when the engine is switched
off.
To prevent the vehicle from rolling away:
R when the engine is switched off and the
vehicle is stationary, shift the automatic
transmission to park position P and
R apply the electric parking brake DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions All vehicles (except AMG vehicles):
the
DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
Information about the selector lever on AMG
vehicles ( Y page 153). Automatic transmission
151Driving and parking Z

j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
i The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns
to its original position. The current trans-
mission
position P, R, N or D appears in the
transmission position display
(Y page 152) in the multifunction display.
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
:
Transmission position display
; Drive program display
i The arrows in the transmission position
display

show how and into which transmis-
sion positions you can change using the
DIRECT SELECT lever.
! If the transmission position display in the
multifunction display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to check whether
the desired transmission position is
engaged. Ideally, you should select trans-
mission position D and drive program E or
S. Engaging park position P X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direc-
tion of arrow P.
Transmission

position display P is shown in
the multifunction display.
i When you engage park position P, make
sure

that the transmission position display
shows P in the multifunction display.
i You can only engage park position P when
the vehicle is stationary.
i The automatic transmission shifts into
park position P automatically:
R if you open the driver's door while the
vehicle is stationary in transmission posi-
tion D or R
R if you open the door while travelling at
very low speeds in transmission position
D or R
In addition, a warning tone sounds and a
display message is shown.
i Depressing the brake and pushing the
DIRECT SELECT lever up or down disen-
gages the parking lock. The transmission is
in N neutral.
At transmission fluid temperatures below
Ò20 †, you can only shift out of park posi-
tion P into another transmission position
when the engine is running.
In order to shift from park position P
directly into R or D:
R depress the brake pedal and
R push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or
down past the first point of resistance
! If the engine speed is too high, do not shift
the automatic transmission directly from
D to R, from R to D or directly to P. Other-
wise, the automatic transmission could be
damaged. 152
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Engaging reverse gear R
!
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R when the vehicle is stationary.
i The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
For further information on the ECO start/
stop function, see ( Y page 146).
X Depress the brake pedal while the vehicle
is stationary.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
Shifting to neutral (N) X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
to the first point of resistance.
Engaging drive position D X
Depress the brake pedal while the vehicle
is stationary.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance. Selector lever
Selector lever in AMG vehicles with P button
j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
Example
:
Transmission position display
; Drive program display
The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
Engaging park position P X
When the vehicle is stationary, press P but-
ton :. Transmission positions
B
Park position
This

prevents the vehicle from roll-
ing away when stopped. Do not
shift the transmission into position
P unless the vehicle is stationary. C
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. Automatic transmission
153
Driving and parking Z

A
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing
the brakes will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to posi-
tion N if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
When you switch off the engine, the
automatic transmission automati-
cally shifts into neutral N.7
Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Changing gear
The
automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. Gearshifting is deter-
mined by:
R the selected drive program ( Y page 155)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R
little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Holding

the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients G
WARNING
If the clutch overheats, the electronic man-
agement
system is automatically deactivated. This interrupts the power transmission. The
vehicle may, for example, roll backwards on
gradients. There is a risk of an accident.
Never hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator.
The

clutch may overheat if you hold the vehi-
cle stationary on uphill gradients by depress-
ing the accelerator pedal. If the clutch over-
heats, a warning tone sounds.
All vehicles (except AMG vehicles): the
Stop vehicle Shift to P Leave engine
running display message appears in the mul-
tifunction display. You will only be able to
continue your journey once the clutch has
cooled down and the display message in the
multifunction display has disappeared.
AMG vehicles: the Trans. oil overhea‐
ted Drive on with care display message
appears in the multifunction display.
Do not hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator
pedal. Instead, only ever hold the vehicle sta-
tionary on uphill gradients by:
R depressing the brake pedal
R activating the HOLD function
R engaging the electric parking brake
Kickdown AMG vehicles:
it
is only possible to use kick-
down in temporary manual drive program M.
For further information on the manual drive
program M, see ( Y page 156).
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The

automatic transmission shifts back up.154
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Towing a trailer
Trailer towing is not permissible on the fol-
lowing models:
R
A 45 AMG 4MATIC
R Vehicles with the AMG Sports package
X Drive in the middle of the engine speed
range on uphill gradients.
X Depending on the uphill or downhill gradi-
ent,
select a lower gear (Y page 166), even
if cruise control, DISTRONIC PLUS, or
SPEEDTRONIC are activated. Program selector button
General notes The program selector button allows you to
choose between drive programs with differ-
ent driving characteristics.
Example: program selector button
E Economy Comfortable, economical
driving
S Sport Sporty driving style
M Manual Manual gearshifting
X
Press program selector button : repeat-
edly

until the letter for the desired gearshift
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i The automatic transmission switches to
automatic drive program E each time the
engine is started. i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see

(Y page 156).
AMG vehicles C Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S Sport Sporty driving style
M Manual Manual gearshifting
X
Press program selector button : repeat-
edly

until the letter for the desired gearshift
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i The automatic transmission switches to
automatic drive program C each time the
engine is started.
i For further information on the automatic
drive program, see

(Y page 156). Automatic transmission
155
Driving and parking Z

Steering wheel gearshift paddles
:
Left steering wheel gearshift paddle
(shifts down)
; Right steering wheel gearshift paddle
(shifts up)
In drive program M, you can change gear
yourself using the steering wheel gearshift
paddles.
If
you pull the left or right steering wheel gear-
shift paddle when in automatic drive program
E (drive program C on AMG vehicles) or S, the
automatic transmission shifts into drive pro-
gram M for a limited time. Depending on
which gearshift paddle is pulled, the auto-
matic transmission immediately shifts into
the next gear down or up.
AMG vehicles: you can activate drive pro-
gram M RACE START (Y page 181) using the
steering wheel gearshift paddles.
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddles when the trans-
mission is in position D.
i For further information on the manual
drive program, see ( Y page 156).Automatic drive program
Drive program E (drive program C on AMG
vehicles) is characterised by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. R
the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward

and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin.
Drive program S is characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine settings.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later.
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption pos-
sibly being higher. Manual drive program
Introduction In manual drive program
M, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
gearshift paddles. For this, the transmission
must be in position D. The gear currently
selected and engaged is shown in the multi-
function display.
Manual drive program M differs from drive
programs E (drive program C on AMG vehi-
cles) and S with regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes. Gear Driving situations
=
To use the engine's braking effect156
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking