2012 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK SUV parking brake

Neutral N with ECO start/stop func-
tion activated
The engine is switched off if:
R in neutral N, the vehicle speed is below a
certain threshold and
R the clutch pedal is not depressed.
For further information on the ECO start/stop
function, see (Y page 150). Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear Rwhen the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
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 ( Ypage 150).
X Move the gear lever firmly to the left
beyond the point of resistance and then
forwards. 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 :shown in the multifunction
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 Dor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate. DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
P
Park position with parking lock
R Reverse gear
N Neutral
D Drive
i The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns
to its original position. The current trans-
mission position P,R, Nor Dappears in the
transmission position display
(Y page 156) in the multifunction display. Automatic transmission
155Driving and parking Z

Transmission position and drive pro-
gram 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 Dand drive program Eor
S. Do not restrict the shift range.
The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
Engaging park position P X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direc-
tion of arrow P.
i The automatic transmission shifts into
park position Pautomatically:
R if you open the driver's door while the
vehicle is stationary in transmission posi-
tion Dor R
R if you open the door while travelling at
very low speeds in transmission position
D or R
i Depressing the brake and pushing the
DIRECT SELECT lever up or down disen- gages the parking lock. The transmission is
in
Nneutral.
In order to shift from park position P
directly into Ror 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 Rto Dor directly to P. Other-
wise, the automatic transmission could be
damaged.
Engaging park position P automatically Park position
Pis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the key and
remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open one of the front doors
R the HOLD (Y page 186) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Y page 178) function brake your
vehicle until it is stationary and at least one
of the following conditions is fulfilled:
- there is a system malfunction.
- the vehicle is on a steep uphill or downhill
gradient. The electric parking brake is
then also engaged.
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R when the vehicle is stationary.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
Neutral N with ECO start/stop function
activated The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if:
R
the vehicle is braked until stationary while
in neutral Nand
R you continue to apply the brakes. 156
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

For further information on the ECO start/stop
function ( Ypage 150).
Shifting to neutral (N) X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
to the first point of resistance.
Drive position D with ECO start/stop
function activated The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if:
R the vehicle is braked until stationary while
in transmission position Dand
R you continue to apply the brakes.
For further information on the ECO start/stop
function ( Ypage 150).
Engaging drive position D X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance. Transmission positions
B
Park position
This prevents the vehicle from roll-
ing away when stopped. Do not
shift the transmission into position
P(Y
page 164) unless the vehicle
is stationary.
The automatic transmission shifts
to Pautomatically if you:
R remove the key
R switch off the engine when in R
or Dand open one of the front
doors. C
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. A
Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
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 Nif the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
! Rolling in neutral Ncan lead to
damage to the transmission. 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 a shift range restriction, if selected
R the selected drive program
E/S, E/S/M orM(Y page 158)
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 Automatic transmission
157Driving and parking Z

Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If flammable materials such as leaves, grass
or twigs are exposed to prolonged contact to
parts of the exhaust system that heat up, they
could ignite. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-
cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. G
WARNING
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. G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
the parking position P
R starting the engine.
They could also operate the vehicle's equip-
ment. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unsupervised in the vehicle.
! A moving vehicle can lead to damage to
the vehicle or damage to the drive train.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied.
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage first gear or reverse gear. R
on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in position Pand
the key must be removed from the ignition
lock.
R on uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the kerb. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen 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.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Firmly depress the parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Firmly depress the parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Using the key
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
i The key can only be removed if the trans-
mission is in position P.164
ParkingDriving and parking

Using KEYLESS-GO
X
Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 147).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
i When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0, i.e. key removed.
i The engine can be switched off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for approximately
3 seconds. This function operates inde-
pendently of the ECO start/stop automatic
engine switch-off function. Parking brake
G
WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi-
cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again. G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
the parking position P
R starting the engine.
They could also operate the vehicle's equip-
ment. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unsupervised in the vehicle. X
To apply: depress parking brake ;firmly.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
X To release: depress the brake pedal and
keep it depressed.
X Pull release handle :.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than four weeks, the battery may be damaged
by exhaustive discharging.
X Disconnect the battery or connect it to a
trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, the vehicle may suffer dam-
age as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
General driving tips
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available Driving tips
165Driving and parking
Z

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. ECO display
The ECO display provides feedback on how
economical your driving characteristics are.
The ECO display assists you in achieving the
most economical driving style for the selec-
ted settings and existing conditions. Con-
sumption can be significantly influenced by
your driving style. Example: ECO display
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R acceleration
R smooth driving
R coasting
The percentage count is the mean value of the
three bar values. The three bars and the mean
value begin at the value of 50%. A higher per-
centage count indicates a more economical
driving style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual
fuel consumption. A fixed percentage count
in the ECO display does not indicate a fixed
consumption figure in l/100 km.
In addition to driving style, the consumption
is affected by many other factors, such as:
R load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style takes the
following three categories into consideration:
Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes) The bar fills up: The bar empties:
Moderate accelera-
tion, especially at
higher speeds Sporty acceleration
Smooth driving (assessment of driving
behaviour at all times)
The bar fills up: The bar empties:
Constant speed and
avoidance of unnec-
essary acceleration
and deceleration Fluctuations in
speed
Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes)
The bar fills up: The bar empties:
Anticipatory driving,
keeping your dis-
tance and early
release of the accel-
erator: the vehicle
can coast without
use of the brakes Frequent braking
i
An economical driving style involves driv-
ing with a moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
"acceleration" and "smooth driving":
R observe the gearshift recommendation.
R drive the vehicle in drive program E(vehi-
cles with automatic transmission).
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the motorway, only the bar for "smooth
driving" will change. 166
Driving tipsDriving and parking

i
The ECO display summarises the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey
to its completion. Therefore, there are
dynamic changes in the bars at the start of
a journey. During a prolonged driving time,
these changes are smaller. For dynamic
changes, perform a manual reset.
For further information on the ECO display,
see (Y page 231). Short journeys
! Vehicles with a diesel particle filter: if
the vehicle is mostly driven for short dis-
tances, it is possible that malfunctions may
occur during the automatic cleaning of the
diesel particle filter. This may lead to fuel
collecting in the engine oil and cause
engine failure. Therefore, if you frequently
drive short distances, you should take a 20
minute trip on a motorway or rural road at
least every 500km. Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, you
must select shift range
1,2or 3in good time.
Take particular note of this when driving a
laden vehicle and when towing a trailer.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control or SPEEDTRONIC. This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to prevent the
vehicle from gaining speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
Heavy and light loads
G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave
your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There
is a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.
Drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet road surfaces If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after the vehicle has
been washed.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more Driving tips
167Driving and parking Z

quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salt-treated roads, a layer of
salt may form on the brake discs and pads.
This can increase the braking distance con-
siderably.
R Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Ensure that you do not endan-
ger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal at the
end of the journey and when starting the
next journey.
R Maintain a much greater distance to the
vehicle in front.
New brake pads/linings New brake pads/brake pads and discs that
have been replaced only achieve optimum
braking effect after several hundred kilome-
tres of driving. Compensate for the reduced
braking effect by applying greater force to the
brake pedal.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
Parking brake G
WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi-
cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again.
If you brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the brake lamps will not light up.
If you drive on wet roads or dirt-covered sur-
faces, road salt and/or dirt could get into the
parking brake.
In order to prevent corrosion and a reduction
in the braking power of the parking brake,
observe the following:
R Gently depress the parking brake from time
to time before beginning the journey.
R Drive for approximately 100 m at a maxi-
mum speed of 20 km/h. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the maximum permissible still water depth
is 30 cm.
R you should drive no faster than walking
pace.
! Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans-
mission. 168
Driving tipsDriving and parking