2015 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS-Class Owner's Manual

:
Transmission position display
; Drive program display
Engaging park position P !
If the engine speed is too high or the vehi-
cle is moving, do not shift the automatic
transmission directly from Dto R, from Rto
D or directly to P. The automatic transmis-
sion 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 direc-
tion of arrow P.
Transmission position display Pis shown in
the multifunction display.
Depressing the brake and pushing the
DIRECT SELECT lever up or down disengages the parking lock. The transmission is in N
neutral.
In order to shift from park position Pdirectly
into Ror D:
R depress the brake pedal and
R push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
past the first point of resistance Engaging park position P automatically Park position
Pis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the Smart-
Key and remove the SmartKey
R you switch off the engine using the Smart-
Key or using the Start/Stop button and
open the driver's door or front-passenger
door
R the driver's door is opened when the vehi-
cle is stationary or driving at very low speed
and the transmission is in position Dor R
Under certain conditions, the automatic
transmission shifts automatically to transmis-
sion position Pif the HOLD function or
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Observe the
information on the HOLD function
(Y page 192) and on DISTRONIC PLUS
(Y page 185).
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary.
X If the transmission is in position Dor N:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT
SELECT lever up past the first point of
resistance.
The ECO start/stop function is not available
when reverse gear is engaged. Further infor-
mation on the ECO start/stop function
(Y page 153).
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. Automatic transmission
159Driving and parking
Z

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 If the transmission is in position Dor R:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT
SELECT lever up or down to the first point of
resistance.
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the
driver's door or the front-passenger door or
remove the SmartKey from the ignition, the
automatic transmission shifts to Pautomati-
cally.
With KEYLESS-GO: if you then open the driv-
er's or front-passenger door, the automatic
transmission shifts to P.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the
vehicle cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing system:
Using the SmartKey:
X Switch on the ignition.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal. X
Release the parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
Using KEYLESS-GO: X Remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position Ror N:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT
SELECT lever down past the first point of
resistance. 160
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

Transmission positions
B Park position
Only shift the transmission into
position
Pwhen the vehicle is sta-
tionary (Y page 172). 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 mal-
functioning, the transmission may
be locked in position P. Have the
vehicle electronics checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Park position Pis automatically
engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using
the SmartKey and remove the
SmartKey
R you switch off the engine using
the SmartKey or using the Start/
Stop button and open the driv-
er's door or front-passenger
door
R the driver's door is opened when
the vehicle is stationary or driv-
ing at very low speed and the
transmission is in position Dor R C Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission into
position
Rwhen the vehicle is sta-
tionary. A Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
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:
shift the transmission only to posi-
tion Nif the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the transmission in position Ror D, the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
! Rolling in neutral
Ncan damage
the drive train. 7 Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. This automatic gear shift-
ing behavior is determined by:
R the selected drive program (Y page 162)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 161)
R the road speed
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
161Driving and parking Z

AMG vehicles
When shifting down, the double-clutch func-
tion is active regardless of the currently selec- ted drive program. The double-clutch functionreduces load change reactions and is condu-cive to a sporty driving style. The sound gen-
erated 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.
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 posi-
tions Dand R, move the DIRECT SELECT lever
up and down past the point of resistance. Program selector button
General notes All vehicles (except AMG vehicles and vehicles with
the Sports package AMG)
X Press program selector button :repeat-
edly until the letter for the desired drive
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play. Vehicles with the AMG Sports package
X Press program selector button :repeat-
edly until the letter for the desired drive
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The program selector button allows you to
choose between different driving character-
istics.
i Further information about permanent
drive program M(Y page 165).
As well as this permanent drive program M,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M(Y page 164). 162
Automatic trans
missionDriving and parking

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 164).
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 mul-
tifunction display in the speedometer.
The drive program indicator on drive pro-
gram selector :lights up in red.
i Further information about permanent
drive program M(Y page 165).
As well as this permanent drive program M,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M(Y page 164). 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 accelera-
tion from a standstill
i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 164).
i The automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive program Ceach time the
engine is started.
i RS
cannot be selected during normal driv-
ing. For further information on RACE
START, see (Y page 192). Steering wheel paddle shifters
In the manual drive program, you can change
gears manually using steering wheel paddle
shifters :and ;.
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Y page 165).
Further information about temporary drive
program M(Y page 164).
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel paddle shifters when the trans-
mission is in position D. Automatic transmission
163Driving and parking Z

Automatic drive program
Automatic drive program E 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.
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
S(or, in the case of AMG vehi-
cles, drive programs Sand S+) is character-
ized by the following:
R sporty engine and automatic transmission
settings.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later.
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmis- sion shift points.
Manual drive program M General notes
In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel pad- dle shifters. The transmission must be in posi-tion D.
You can activate manual drive program Min
the Eand Sautomatic drive programs. i
As well as temporary drive program
M,
you can also activate permanent drive pro- gram M(Y page 162).
Further information about permanent drive program M(Y page 165).
Activating
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 163).
Manual drive program Mis temporarily acti-
vated. The selected gear and Mappear in
the multifunction display.
Shifting gears
If you pull on the left or right steering wheel
paddle shifter, the automatic transmission
switches to manual drive program Mfor a
limited amount of time. Depending on which
paddle shifter is pulled, the automatic trans-
mission immediately shifts into the next gear down or up, if permitted.
X To shift up: pull the right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (Y page 163).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
i 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.
X To shift down: pull on the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter (Y page 163).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto- matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down.
i Automatic down shifting occurs when
coasting. 164
Automatic trans
missionDriving and parking

Shift 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 oflateral acceleration, during an overrun phase
or when driving on steep terrain.
If manual drive program Mhas been deacti-
vated, the automatic transmission shifts into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. Eor S.
You can also deactivate manual drive pro-
gram Myourself:
X Pull on the right-hand steering wheel pad-
dle shifter and hold it in place (Y page 163).
or X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch the
transmission position (Y page 158).
or
X Use the program selector button to change
the drive program (Y page 162).
Manual drive program Mis deactivated.
The automatic transmission switches into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. Eor S. Manual drive program (AMG vehicles
and vehicles with Sports package
AMG)
General information In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must
be in position D.
i As well as this permanent drive program
M, you can also activate temporary drive
program M(Y page 164).
Switching on the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 162) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
X AMG vehicles: turn the drive program
selector (Y page 163) until Mappears in the
multifunction display.
The indicator Mon the drive program selec-
tor lights up in red.
Manual drive program Mis different from
drive programs Sand S+with regard to spon-
taneity, responsiveness and smoothness of
gear changes.
Manual drive program Mcan be selected
using the drive program selector. In manual
drive program M, you can change gear using
the steering wheel paddle shifters if the trans-
mission is in position D. The gear currently
selected and engaged is shown in the multi-
function display.
Upshifting X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
AMG vehicles !
In manual drive program
M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up automati- Automatic transmission
165Driving and parking Z

cally 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. :
Gear indicator
; Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area, an upshift indicator will be shown in the mul-
tifunction display.
X When the UP
UP message appears in the mul-
tifunction display, pull on the right-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
Shift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
X If corresponding gearshift recommenda-
tion :appears in the multifunction display
on the instrument cluster, pull on the right- hand steering wheel paddle shifter
(Y page 163).
The automatic transmission shifts to rec-
ommended gear ;. Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
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 For maximum acceleration, pull the left-
hand steering wheel paddle shifter until the
transmission selects the optimum gear for
the current speed.
Kickdown 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.
X Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
i AMG vehicles:
it is not possible to use
kickdown in manual drive program M.
Switching off the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 162).
X AMG vehicles: turn the drive program
selector (Y page 163).166
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking