2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA-Class transmission

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.
Drive program Sis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine 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
Introduction In manual drive program
M, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel pad-
dle shifters. For this, the transmission must
be in position D. The gear currently selected
and engaged is shown in the multifunction
display.
Manual drive program Mdiffers from drive
programs E(drive program Con AMG vehi-
cles) and Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes. Gear Driving situations
0040
You can use the engine's braking
effect 0038
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 0037
To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches Switching on the manual drive program
Activating permanently
X Press the program selector button
(Y page 152) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
Manual drive program Mremains active
until drive program E(drive program Con
AMG vehicles) or Sis selected.
Activating temporarily X Pull the right or left steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 153).
M is shown in the multifunction display.
Manual drive program Mis temporarily
active. Depending on which paddle shifter
is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear down
or up.
i When manual drive program
Mis activa-
ted via the steering wheel paddle shifters,
the temporarily active manual drive pro-
gram Mwill be deactivated automatically
after a limited time, if the driving situation
permits. The automatic transmission
switches to the previously activated drive
program E(drive program Con AMG vehi-
cles) or S. When driving on downhill gradi-
ents, the temporarily active manual drive
program Mwill only be deactivated if the
accelerator pedal is depressed while the
vehicle is rolling downhill. 154
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

Upshifting
X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 153).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
i All vehicles (except AMG vehicles): in
order to prevent engine damage the auto-
matic transmission automatically shifts up:
R if the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and
R you continue to accelerate.
AMG vehicles:
! In manual drive program
M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up automati-
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.
Shift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunctiondisplay. X
Shift to recommended gear 0044according
to gearshift recommendation 0043when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster. AMG vehicles !
In manual drive program
M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up automati-
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. 0043
Gear indicator
0044 Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area, an upshift indicator will be shown in the mul-
tifunction display.
X If the color in the speedometer multifunc-
tion display changes to red and the UP UPdis-
play message is shown, shift up a gear.
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 153).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you slow down or stop without shifting
down, the automatic transmission auto-
matically shifts down.
i For maximum acceleration, pull the left-
hand steering wheel paddle shifter until the
transmission selects the optimum gear for
the current speed.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto- matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down. Automatic transmission
155Driving and parking Z

Kickdown
AMG vehicles:
it is only possible to use kick-
down in temporary 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.
X Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
i During kickdown, you cannot shift gears
using the steering wheel paddle shifters.
i If you apply full throttle, the automatic
transmission shifts up to the next gear
when the maximum engine speed is
reached. This prevents the engine from
overrevving.
Switching off the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 152) repeatedly until E(drive pro-
gram Cin AMG vehicles) or Sappears in the
multifunction display.
Deactivating the temporary manual drive program
X Pull and hold the right steering wheel pad-
dle shifter until the automatic transmission
shifts into the last active automatic drive
program E(drive program Con AMG vehi-
cles) or S.
i When manual drive program
Mis deacti-
vated, the automatic transmission in auto-
matic drive program E(drive program Con
AMG vehicles) or Smay shift from the cur-
rent gear into a higher or lower gear. This is dependent on the position of the accelera-
tor pedal, speed and load. 156
Automatic trans
missionDriving and parking

Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer shifts into all of
the gears.
Reverse gear can no
longer be engaged. The transmission is in emergency mode.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Refueling
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, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refueling. G
WARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
You must make sure that fuel does not come into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
and that it is not swallowed. Do not inhale fuel
vapors. Keep fuel away from children.
If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
R Wash away fuel from skin immediately
using soap and water.
R If fuel comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with clean water. Seek medical assistance with-
out delay.
R If fuel is swallowed, seek medical assis-
tance without delay. Do not induce vomit-
ing.
R Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with fuel. G
WARNING
Electrostatic buildup can create sparks and
ignite fuel vapors. 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. Any existing electrostatic buildup is
thereby discharged.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Do not switch on the igni- tion if you accidentally refuel with the
wrong fuel. Otherwise, the fuel will enter
the fuel system. Even small amounts of the
wrong fuel could result in damage to the
fuel system and the engine. Notify a quali-
fied specialist workshop and have the fuel
tank and fuel lines drained completely. Refueling
157Driving and parking Z

Problems with fuel and the fuel tank
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle. The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
G WARNING
Risk of explosion or fire. X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition lock immediately
and remove it (Y page 143).
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 SmartKey battery is discharged.
X Unlock the vehicle (Y page 76).
or X Unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Y page 77).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-
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 leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking 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.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle
or its drivetrain could be damaged. Parking
159Driving and parking Z

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 transmission position display must
show P.
R the SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock.
R on uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the curb. 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 automatic transmission All vehicles (except AMG vehicles)
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.AMG vehicles:
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Press button 0043. X
Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
i If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
If you then open one of the front doors or
remove the SmartKey from the ignition, the automatic transmission shifts to P.
If you shift the automatic transmission to N
before switching off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission remains in Neven if a
door is opened.
i The automatic transmission shifts to P
automatically if you:
R switch off the engine using the SmartKey
and remove the SmartKey from the igni-
tion lock or
R switch off the engine using the SmartKey
and open a front door.
If you attempt to turn off the engine when the selector lever is not in position P:
R a message appears in the multifunction dis-
play
R a warning signal sounds Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking 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. 160
ParkingDriving and parking

When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or there is a malfunction
in the system, it may not be possible to apply the released parking brake.
X If this is the case, only park the vehicle on
level ground and secure it to prevent it roll- ing away.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or there is a malfunction in the system. Contact
a qualified specialist workshop.
i The electric parking brake performs a
function test at regular intervals while the
engine is switched off. The sounds that can be heard while this is occurring are normal. Applying/releasing manually
Applying
X Push handle 0043.
When the electric parking brake is applied, the red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster.
i The electric parking brake can also be
applied when the SmartKey is removed. Releasing
X Pull handle 0043.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter goes out.
i You can only release the electric parking
brake when the SmartKey is in position 1or
2 in the ignition lock (Y page 143).
Applying automatically The electric parking brake is applied auto-
matically:
R if DISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
R if the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle
stationary or
R if Active Parking Assist is holding the vehi-
cle at a standstill
In addition, at least one of the following con-
ditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off.
R the driver's door is open and the seat belt is
not fastened.
R there is a system malfunction.
R the power supply is insufficient.
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up.
i The electric parking brake is not automat-
ically engaged if the engine is switched off
by the ECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically Your vehicle's electric parking brake is auto-
matically released if all of the following con-
ditions are met:
R the engine is running.
R the transmission is in position Dor R.
R the seat belt has been fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal. Parking
161Driving and parking Z

If the transmission is in position
R, the tailgate
must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you have shifted out of transmission posi-
tion Por you have previously driven faster
than 2 mph (3 km/h).
i Ensure that you do not depress the accel-
erator pedal unintentionally. Otherwise the
parking brake will be released and the vehi-
cle will start to move.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
X While driving, push handle 0043of the electric
parking brake (Y page 160).
i The vehicle is braked for as long as han-
dle 0043of the electric parking brake is
pressed. The longer electric parking brake
handle 0043is depressed, the greater the
braking force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds
R the Release park. brake Release park. brake message
appears
R the red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus- ter flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand- still, the electric parking brake is engaged. Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging. If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes 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 operate mobile communication equip-
ment while driving, you will be distracted from traffic conditions. You could also lose controlof the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicleis stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the coun- try in which you are driving. Some jurisdic-
tions prohibit the driver from using a mobile
phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per
second. 162
Driving tipsDriving and parking