2014 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class SEDAN automatic transmission

R
the brake syste mrequires this.
R the temperature in the vehicle interior
deviates from the set range.
R the system detects moisture on the
windshield when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the condition of charge of the battery is too
low.
R the driver's seat belt is removed or the
driver's door is opened.
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
position Dor 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 Rto D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the 000Csymbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function ECO button
X
To switch off: press button0002.
Indicator lamp 0003on button 0002and the
000C symbol in the multifunction display go
out. X
To switch on: press button0002.
Indicator lamp 0003lights up.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 151) are fulfilled, the
000C symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 151) are fulfilled, the
000C symbol is shown in yellow in the
multifunction display. If this is the case, the
ECO start/stop function is not available.
i If indicator lamp 0003is off, the ECO start/
stop function has been deactivated
manually or as the result of a malfunction.
The engine will then not be switched off
automatically when the vehicle stops. 152
DrivingDriving and parking

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
The engine is not
running smoothly and
is misfiring. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X
Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic
converter and damage it. The coolant
temperature gauge
shows a value above
248 ‡ (120 †). The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 290). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add coolant if necessary. 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. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to
neutral position Nwhen you switch off the
engine. The vehicle may roll away.T here is a
risk of an accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked
vehicle from rolling away by applying the
parking brake. Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions Example: selector lever
0011
Park position with selector lever lock
000E Reverse gear
000F Neutral
0010 Drive 154
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Transmission position and drive
program display 0002
Transmission positio ndisplay
0003 Drive program display
The current position of the selector lever is
shown by the indicators nex tto the selector
lever.
The indicators light up when the SmartKey is
inserted into the ignition lock. The indicators
go out when the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock. Transmission positions
0002
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Ypage 164) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake
when parking. Always apply the
parking brake in addition to the
parking lock in order to secure the
vehicle.
The SmartKey can only be removed
if the transmission is in position P.
If the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock, the selector lever
is locked.
If the vehicle electronics are
malfunctioning, the selector lever
may be locked in position P. To
release a locked selector lever, see
"Manual override of parking lock"
(Y page 161). 0003
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. Automatic transmission
155Driving and parking Z

0001
Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. The transmission
could otherwise be damaged.
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
position Nif the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
! Rolling in neutral Ncan damage
the drive train. 0008
Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the
individual gears automatically when it is in
transmission position D.This automatic
gearshifting behavior is determined by:
R a shift range restriction, if selected
R the selected drive program (Y page 156)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed Driving tips
AMG vehicles When shifting down, the double-clutch
function is active regardless of the currently
selected drive program. The double-clutch
function reduces load change reactions and
is conducive to a sporty driving style. The
sound generated by the double-clutch
function depends on the drive program
selected. Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic 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. Program selector button
General notes The program selector button allows you to
choose between different driving
characteristics.
Example: program selector button
E
Economy Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
M
Manual Manual gear shifting
i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 157).
Only change from automatic drive program
E or Sto manual drive program Mwhen the
vehicle is stationary.
X Press program selector button 0002
repeatedly until the letter for the desired
drive program appears in the multifunction
display. 156
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

i
When the engine is started, the automatic
transmission always switches to automatic
drive program E(drive program Cin AMG
vehicles).
AMG vehicles Drive program selecto
rwith manual drive program C
Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
S+
SportPlus Extremely sporty driving
style
M
Manual Manual gear shifting
RS
RACE
START Optimal vehicle
acceleration from a
standstill
i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 157).
Only change from automatic drive program C,
S or S+ to manual drive program Mwhen the
vehicle is stationary.
X Turn drive program selector 0002until the
desired drive program appears in the
multifunction display in the speedometer.
The drive program indicator on drive
program selector 0002lights up in red.
i The automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive program Ceach time the
engine is started. i
RScannot be selected during normal
driving. For further information on RACE
START, see (Y page 183). Steering wheel paddle shifters
0002
Left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
0003 Right-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
In the automatic drive program, you can
restrict or derestrict the shift range by using
the steering wheel paddle shifters
(Y page 158).
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear using the steering wheel paddle shifters
or the selector lever (Y page 159).
i You can only change gear with the
steering wheel paddle shifters when the
transmission is in position D. Automatic drive program
Drive program E(drive program Con MAG
vehicles) is characterized by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine and automatic
transmission 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
accelerator pedal is depressed fully Automatic transmission
157Driving and parking Z

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
drive natl ower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin
Drive program S(drive programs Sand S+on
MAG vehicles) is characterized by the
following:
R sporty engine and automatic transmission
settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic
transmission shift points Shift ranges
Introduction When the automatic transmission is in
position
D, it is possible to restrict or
derestric tthe shift range (Y page 158).
The shift range selected is shown in the
multifunction display. The automatic
transmission shifts only as far as the selected
gear.
Shift range: 0007
You can use the engine's braking
effect
0009
You can use the braking effect of
the engine on downhill gradients
and for driving:
R
on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 000D
To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches Restricting the shift range
X
Press the selector lever to the left towards
D–.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts down
one gear and restricts the shift range to the
relevant gear.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the
automatic transmission protects against
engine damage by not shifting down.
i If the maximum engine speed for the shift
range is reached and you continue to
accelerate, the automatic transmission
shifts up, even if the shift range is
restricted. This prevents the engine from
overrevving.
Extending the shift range X
Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
X Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The shift range is derestricted.
Clearing the shift range restriction X
Press and hold the selector lever towards
D+ until Dis shown once more in the
multifunction display.
or
X Pull and hold the right-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter until Dis shown again in the
multifunction display.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.158
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Selecting the ideal shift range
X
Press the selector lever to the left towards
D– and hold it in position.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter and hold it in position.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
gear which allows optimum acceleration
and deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission shifts down one or more
gears. Manual drive program
Switching on the manual drive program The manual drive program is only available for
vehicles with the dynamic handling package
and for AMG vehicles.
Manual drive program Mdiffers from drive
program S(or, in the case of AMG vehicles,
drive programs Sand S+) with regard to:
R spontaneity
R responsiveness
R smoothness of the gear changes
X Press the program selector button
(Y page 156) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
X AMG vehicles: turn the drive program
selector (Y page 157) until Mappears in the
multifunction display.
The indicator Mon the drive program
selector lights up in red.
Upshifting i
Vehicles with the dynamic handling
package: if the maximum engine speed for
the shift range is reached and you continue
to accelerate, the automatic transmission
shifts up. If manual drive program Mhas
been selected, the automatic transmission
does not switch up. X
Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
X Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 157).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
AMG vehicles
! In manual drive program M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up
automatically even when the engine
limiting speed for the current gear is
reached. When the engine limiting speed is
reached, the fuel supply is cut to prevent
the engine from overrevving. Always make
sure that the engine speed does not reach
the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator appears in the
multifunction display. 0002
Gear indicator
0003 Upshift indicator
Shift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The
recommended gear is shown in the
multifunction display. Automatic transmission
159Driving and parking Z

X
If corresponding gearshift
recommendation 0002appears in the
multifunction display on the instrument
cluster, pull on the right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (Y page 157).
The automatic transmission shifts to
recommended gear 0003.
Downshifting X
Briefly press the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 157).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you brake the vehicle or stop without
shifting down, the automatic transmission
will shift down to a gear that will allow the
vehicle to accelerate or pull away again.
i Vehicles with the dynamic handling
package: to avoid overrevving the engine
when downshifting, the automatic
transmission does not shift to a lowerg ear
if this would result in the maximum engine
speed being exceeded.
i For maximum acceleration, push the
selector lever to the left or pull the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter until the
transmission selects the optimum gear for
the curren tspeed.
Kickdown i
AMG vehicles: it is not possible to use
kickdown in manual drive program M.
You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed. i
During kickdown, you cannot change gear
using the steering wheel paddle shifters or
the selector lever.
Switching off the manual drive program X
Vehicles with the dynamic handling
package: press the program selector
button (Y page 156). Mis no longer shown
in the multifunction display.
X AMG vehicles: turn the drive program
selector (Y page 157) until C,Sor S+
appears in the multifunction display. 160
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking