
Kickdown
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. Program selector button
X
All vehicles (except AMG vehicles):
press program selector button :to
change the drive program.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. X
AMG vehicles: press program selector
button :repeatedly until the letter of the
desired drive program appears in the mul-
tifunction display. The program selector button influences:
R the drive program (Y page 172)
R the engine management
On AMG vehicles, drive program Eis called
drive program C.
The automatic transmission switches to auto-
matic drive program E(drive program Cin
AMG vehicles) each time the engine is star-
ted.
All vehicles (except AMG vehicles) E
Economy Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
You can also activate manual drive program
M
using the steering wheel gearshift paddles
(Y page 172). In manual drive program M,
you can briefly change gear yourself by using
the steering wheel gearshift paddles.
AMG vehicles C
Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
M
Manual Manual gearshifting
Permanent drive program
Mis only available
for AMG vehicles.
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Y page 173).
You can also activate manual drive program
M using the steering wheel gearshift paddles
(Y page 172). In manual drive program M,
you can briefly change gear yourself by using
the steering wheel gearshift paddles.
For further information on the automatic drive program, see (Y page 172). Automatic trans
mission
171Driving an d parking Z 

Steering wheel gearshift paddles
You can activate manual drive program
Min
the E(C in AMG vehicles) and Sautomatic
drive programs using steering wheel gearshift paddles :and ;(Ypage 172). In manual
drive program M, you can briefly change gear
yourself by using the steering wheel gearshift
paddles.
AMG vehicles: you can also activate manual
drive program Mwith the program selector
button (Y page 173). In manual drive pro-
gram M, you can permanently change gear
yourself by using the steering wheel gearshift
paddles. Automatic drive program
Automatic drive program E Drive program
E(drive program Con 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.
Automatic drive program S Drive program
Sis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine settings
R the vehicle pulls away in first gear
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 M General notes
In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
gearshift paddles. The transmission must be
in position
D.
You can activate manual drive program Min
the E(C in AMG vehicles) and Sautomatic
drive programs.
AMG vehicles: as well as temporary drive
program M, you can also activate permanent
drive program M. Further information about
permanent drive program M(Y page 173).
Activating X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 172).
Manual drive program Mis temporarily acti-
vated.
All vehicles except AMG vehicles:M and
the selected gear appear in the multifunc-
tion display.
Shifting gears
If you pull on the left or right steering wheel
gearshift paddle, the automatic transmission
switches to manual drive program Mfor a
limited amount of time. Depending on which
gearshift paddle is pulled, the automatic 172
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking 

transmission immediately shifts into the next
gear up or down, if permitted.
X To shift up: pull the right-hand steering
wheel gearshift paddle (Y page 172).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the next gear.
If the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts up in
order to prevent engine damage.
AMG vehicles: the automatic transmission
will not shift up to the next gear when the
engine speed is very low.
X To shift down: pull on the left-hand steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddle (Y page 172).
The automatic transmission shifts down to the next gear.
If the engine exceeds the maximum engine
speed when shifting down, the automatic
transmission protects against engine dam- age by not shifting down.
Automatic downshifting occurs when
coasting.
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 to recommended gear ;according
to gearshift recommendation :when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster. Deactivating
If you have activated manual drive program
M
, it will remain active for a certain amount of
time. Under certain conditions the minimum
amount of time is extended, e.g. in the case of lateral acceleration, during an overrun phase
or when driving on steep terrain.
When manual drive program Mis deactivated,
the automatic transmission shifts into the
automatic drive program that was last selec-
ted.
You can also deactivate manual drive pro-
gram Myourself:
X Pull on the right-hand steering wheel gear-
shift paddle and hold it in place
(Y page 172).
or
X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to shift the
transmission position.
or X Use the program selector button to change
the drive program (Y page 171).
Manual drive program Mis deactivated.
The automatic transmission switches to
the previously activated drive program E
(drive program Con AMG vehicles) or S. Manual drive program (AMG vehicles)
General notes In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel gearshift paddles. The transmission
must be in position D.
Manual drive program Mdiffers from drive
program Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and the smoothness of the
gear changes.
In addition to permanent drive program M,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M(Y page 172). Automatic transmission
173Driving and parking Z 

Activating the manual drive program
In manual drive program
M, you can change
gear yourself using the steering wheel gear-
shift paddles if the transmission is in position
D. The current drive program and the engaged
gear are shown in the multifunction display.
X Press the program selector button
(Y page 171) until Mappears in the multi-
function display.
Upshifting !
In manual gearshift program
M, the auto-
matic transmission does not shift up auto-
matically 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. You must make sure that the engine speed does not reach the red
area of the rev counter. Otherwise, there is
a risk of engine damage. :
Gear indicator
; Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area, an upshift indicator will be shown in the mul-
tifunction display.
X If the colour in the speedometer multifunc-
tion display changes to red and the UP
UP dis-
play message is shown, shift up a gear
using the right-hand steering wheel gear-
shift paddle.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the next gear if this is permissible. Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 172).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear if this is permissible.
Maximum acceleration X Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle until the transmission selects the
optimum gear for the current speed.
If you slow down or stop without shifting
down, the automatic transmission automati-
cally shifts down.
Deactivating the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 171) repeatedly until Cor S
appears in the multifunction display. 174
Automatic trans
missionDriving and parking 

Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. 7G-TRONIC:
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear.
The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. 9G-TRONIC:
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear.
The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only partly possible to engage the gears or the transmission is
in position N.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refuelling. G
WARNING
Fuels are poisonous and hazardous to health. There is a danger of injury.
Do not swallow fuel or let it come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale fuel
vapours. Keep fuels out of the reach of chil-
dren. Refuelling
175Driving and parking
Z 

If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
R Wash the fuel off any affected areas of skin
with water and soap immediately.
R If you get fuel in your eyes, rinse them thor-
oughly with clean water immediately. Seek
immediate medical attention.
R If fuel is swallowed, seek immediate medi-
cal attention. Do not induce vomiting.
R Change any clothing that has come into
contact with fuel immediately. G
WARNING
Electrostatic charge can cause sparks and
thereby ignite fuel vapours. There is a risk of
fire and explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. This discharges any electrostatic
charge that may have built up.
Do not get into the vehicle again during the
refuelling process. Otherwise, electrostatic
charge could build up again.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
petrol engine. Do not switch on the ignition if you accidentally refuel with the wrong
fuel. Otherwise, fuel can enter the fuel sys- tem. Even small amounts of the wrong fuel could result in damage to the fuel system
and the engine. Notify a qualified specialist
workshop and have the fuel tank and fuel
lines drained completely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when adding fuel from a fuel
can. The fuel lines and/or the diesel injec-
tion system could otherwise be blocked by particles from the fuel can. If you overfill the fuel tank, some fuel may
spray out when you remove the fuel pump
nozzle.
For further information on fuel and fuel quality (Y page 403). Refuelling
General notes Observe the important safety notes
(Y
page 175).
If you unlock/lock the vehicle from the out-
side, the fuel filler flap also unlocks/locks.
The position of the 8fuel filler cap is dis-
played in the instrument cluster. The arrow
next to the filling pump indicates the side of
the vehicle.
Opening the fuel filler flap :
To open the fuel filler flap
; To insert the fuel filler cap
= Tyre pressure table
? Fuel type to be refuelled
X Switch off the engine.
X Open the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the key having been
removed.
or, if the key is inserted in the ignition lock:
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Press the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow :.
The fuel filler flap swings up. 176
RefuellingDriving and parking 

Problems with the fuel and fuel tank
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle. G
WARNING
The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
There is a risk of fire or explosion.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the engine.
X Open the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status 0. This is the same as
the key having been removed.
or, if the key is inserted in the ignition lock:
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The key battery is discharged.
X Unlock the vehicle (Y page 85).
or
X Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element
(Y page 87). The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rial can come into contact with hot vehicle
components. In particular, do not park on dry grassland or harvested grain fields. G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position P
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury. 178
ParkingDriving and parking 

When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle
or its drivetrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied
R the transmission must be in position Pand
the key must be removed from the ignition lock
R the front wheels must be turned towards
the kerb on steep uphill or downhill gradi-
ents
R the empty vehicle must be secured at the
front axle with a wheel chock or similar, for example, on uphill or downhill gradients
R a laden vehicle must also be secured at the
rear axle with a wheel chock or similar, for
example, on uphill or downhill gradients 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.
Using the key X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated. If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position
Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
If you then open the driver's door or the
front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to P.
If you shift the automatic transmission to N
before switching off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission remains in Neven if the
driver's door or the front-passenger door is opened.
Using the Start/Stop button X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 159).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
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: "key removed".
If you use the Start/Stop button to switch
off the engine, the automatic transmission
shifts to Nautomatically. If you then open
one of the front doors, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to P.
If you drive through a car wash with a con- veyor, you can:
R switch on the ignition using the Start/
Stop button and shift the transmission to
N
R insert the key into the ignition lock,
switch on the ignition and shift the trans-
mission to N
The engine can be switched off while the vehi-
cle is in motion by pressing and holding the
Start/Stop button for about three seconds.
This function operates independently of the
ECO start/stop automatic engine switch-off
function. Parking
179Driving and parking Z