
X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X To start a gasoline engine: press the
Start/Stop button once (Y page 159).
The engine starts.
X To start a diesel engine: press the Start/
Stop button once ( Ypage 159).
Preglow is activated and the engine starts.
i If the engine is warm, the preglow time is
shortened. Pulling away
Automatic transmission 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.
! If a warning tone sounds and the
Release Park. Brake Release Park. Brake message appears
in the multifunction display, the parking
brake is still applied. Release the parking
brake.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
X Release the parking brake (Y page 183).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then is
the parking lock released. If you do not
depress the brake pedal, you can move the
DIRECT SELECT lever but the parking lock
remains engaged. i
The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature (Y page 251).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient.
It holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move your foot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and to depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll.
G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no
longer brake your vehicle and it could roll
away. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal.
The vehicle is then held for about a second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist is not active if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or on
a downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.
R the parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. 162
DrivingDriving an
d parking
ProCarManuals.com

consecutively (initial stop then repeated
three times). 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
possible.
i AMG vehicles: times which the engine
can be automatically switched off.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in Dor
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
automatically. It is then not necessary to
continue applying the brakes during the
automatic stop phase. When you depress
the accelerator pedal, the engine starts
automatically and the braking effect of the
HOLD function is deactivated.
Automatic engine start General notes
The engine starts automatically if:
R
you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button.
R you engage reverse gear R.
R you switch to drive program S,S+ orM
(AMG vehicles).
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires 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 ¤symbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function ECO button
X
To switch off (except AMG vehicles):
press button :.
Indicator lamp ;and the ¤symbol in
the multifunction display go out.
X To switch on (except AMG vehicles):
press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. If all conditions
for automatic engine switch-off
(Y page 163) are fulfilled, the ¤symbol
is shown in green in the multifunction
display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off ( Ypage 163) are fulfilled, the
¤ symbol is shown in yellow in the
multifunction display. If this is the case, the
ECO start/stop function is not available. 164
DrivingDriving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

X
To switch off (AMG vehicles): press
button :in drive program C.
or
X Switch to drive program S,S+ orM
(Y page 171).
Indicator lamp ;and the ¤symbol in
the multifunction display go out.
The Stop/Start active
Stop/Start active orStop/Start Stop/Start
inactive
inactive message in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display goes out.
X To switch on (AMG vehicles): press
button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. If drive
program S,S+ orMis active, the automatic
transmission switches to drive program C.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off ( Ypage 163) are fulfilled, the
¤ symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display. In addition, the
Stop/Start active
Stop/Start active message is shown in
the AMG menu in the multifunction display.
If conditions for automatic engine switch-
off (Y page 163) have not been fulfilled, the
¤ symbol will be shown in yellow. If this
is the case, the ECO start/stop function is
not available. In addition, the Stop/Start
Stop/Start
inactive inactive display message is shown in the
AMG menu in the multifunction display.
i If indicator lamp ;is 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. Driving
165Driving an d parking Z
ProCarManuals.com

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. There 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.
HYBRID vehicles: ensure that you read the
"HYBRID" supplement included in the vehicle
literature. Otherwise, you may not recognize
dangers. Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions 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
program display !
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. For this purpose, we recommend
selecting transmission position Dand
automatic drive program E(drive program
C in AMG vehicles) or S. :
Transmission position display
; Drive program display
The current position of the selector lever is
shown by the indicators next to 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. Automatic trans
mission
167Driving an d parking Z
ProCarManuals.com

DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
i The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns
to its original position. The current
transmission position P,R, Nor Dappears
in the transmission position display
(Y page 168) in the multifunction display.
Transmission position and drive
program display !
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
transmission position Dand drive program
E or S. :
Transmission position display
; Drive program display The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
i The arrows in the transmission position
display show how and into which
transmission positions you can change
using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
Engaging park position P !
If the engine speed is too high or the
vehicle is moving, do not shift the
automatic transmission directly from Dto
R, from Rto Dor directly to P. The
automatic transmission could otherwise be
damaged. j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the
direction 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
position Dor R
R if you open the door while traveling at
very low speeds in transmission position
D or R 168
Automatic transmissionDriving and pa
rking
ProCarManuals.com

HOLD function or DISTRONIC PLUS:
if the
vehicle is braked using the HOLD function or
DISTRONIC PLUS, the automatic
transmission shifts automatically to
transmission position P. In addition, at least
one of the following conditions must be
fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off.
R the driver's door is open and the seat belt
is not in the buckle.
Engaging park position P in AMG
vehicles X
When the vehicle is stationary, press P
button :.
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R when the vehicle is stationary.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment. Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R
release the parking brake.
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R Start the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
to the first point of resistance.
If the engine has been switched off, the
automatic transmission automatically shifts
to N.
If the automatic transmission is to remain in
neutral N, e.g. for washing the vehicle in car
washes with a towing device, please observe
the following instructions:
Using the SmartKey:
R Make sure that the ignition is switched on.
R When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
R Shift to neutral N.
R Release the brake pedal.
R If the parking brake is engaged, release it.
R Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Using KEYLESS-GO:
R Make sure that the ignition is switched on.
R When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
R Engage park position P.
R Release the brake pedal.
R Remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
R Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
R Switch on the ignition. Automatic transmission
169Driving and parking Z
ProCarManuals.com

R
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
R Shift to neutral N.
R Release the brake pedal.
R If the parking brake is engaged, release it.
R Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance. Transmission positions
B
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Ypage 182) 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.
If the vehicle electronics are
malfunctioning, the transmission
may be locked in position P. Have
the vehicle electronics checked
immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop. 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
automatic transmission could 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. 7
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 the selected drive program (Y page 171)
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.170
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking
ProCarManuals.com

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.
Rocking the vehicle free Rocking the vehicle free by shifting back and
forth between transmission positions
Dand
R can help to free a vehicle that has become
stuck in mud or snow. The vehicle's engine
management restricts switching between
transmission positions Dand Rto speeds up
to a maximum of 5 mph (9 km/h). To shift
back and forth between transmission
positions Dand R, move the selector lever up
and down beyond the pressure point. Program selector button
General notes All vehicles (except AMG vehicles)
X
Press program selector button :
repeatedly until the letter for the desired
gearshift program appears in the
multifunction display.
The program selector button allows you to
choose between different driving
characteristics. E
Economy Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 172).
i The automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive program Eeach time the
engine is started.
AMG vehicles Drive program selector with manual drive program
X
Turn drive program selector :until the
desired drive program appears in the
multifunction display in the speedometer.
The drive program indicator on drive
program selector :lights up in red.
i Further information about permanent
drive program M(Ypage 173).
As well as this permanent drive program
M, you can also activate temporary drive
program M(Ypage 172). C
Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
S+
SportPlus Extremely sporty driving
styleAutomatic trans
mission
171Driving an d parking Z
ProCarManuals.com