2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK-CLASS SUV automatic transmission

The engine starts automatically when the
driver wants to pull away again. The ECO
start/stop function thereby helps you to
reduce the fuel consumption and emissions
of your vehicle.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically andyou exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving. There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes
If the engine has been switched off automat-
ically by the ECO start/stop function, the ¤ symbol is shown in the multifunction
display.
Every time you switch on the engine using the SmartKey or the Start/Stop button, the ECO
start/stop function is activated.
Automatic engine switch-off
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in D or N,
the ECO start/stop function switches off the engine automatically.
The ECO start/stop function is operational
when:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green.
R the outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system.
R the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature.
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached.
R the battery is sufficiently charged.
R the system detects that the windshield is
not fogged up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on. R
the hood is closed.
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened.
iAll of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is stopped automatically.
iThe HOLD function can also be activated
if the engine has been switched off auto-
matically. It is then not necessary to con-
tinue applying the brakes during the auto-
matic stop phase. When you depress the
accelerator pedal, the engine starts auto-
matically and the braking effect of the
HOLD function is deactivated.
iThe engine can be switched off automat-
ically a maximum of four times (first stop
and three subsequent stops) in succession.
Automatic engine start
The engine starts automatically if:
R you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button.
R in transmission position D or N the brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is not active.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
R you engage reverse gear R.
R you move the transmission out of position
P.
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the
driver's door.
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires this.
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range.
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
shield when the air-conditioning system is
switched on.
R the battery's condition of charge is too low.
iShifting the transmission to position P
does not start the engine.
Driving153
Driving and parking
Z

ProblemPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions
The engine is not run-
ning 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 con-
verter and damage it.
The coolant tempera-
ture 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 cool ant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level ( Y page 303). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add coolant if necessary.
Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position D or R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position D or R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position N when 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.
DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
jPark position with parking lock
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
iThe DIRECT SELECT lever always returns
to its original position. The current trans-
mission position P, R , N or D appears in the
transmission position display in the multi-
function display ( Y page 157).
156Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Transmission position and drive pro-
gram 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 trans-
mission position D and drive program E or
S .
:Transmission position display
;Drive program display
The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
iThe arrows in the transmission position
display show how and into which transmis-
sion positions you can change using the
DIRECT SELECT lever.
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 D to R, from R to
D or directly to P. The automatic transmis-
sion could otherwise be damaged.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direc-
tion of arrow P.
Engaging park position P automatically
Park position P is 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 key or
the Start/Stop button and open the driv-
er's 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 D or R
Engaging reverse gear R
! Only shift the automatic transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary.
X If the transmission is in position D or 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.
Shifting to neutral N
GWARNING
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.
Automatic transmission157
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XIf the transmission is in position D or 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 R or D, the automatic
transmission shifts to N automatically.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the
driver's door or the front-passenger door or
remove the key from the ignition, the auto-
matic transmission shifts to P.
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 electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
Using KEYLESS-GO:
X Pull the Start/Stop button out of the igni-
tion.
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 electric 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 R or 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.
Transmission positions
BPark position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P (Y page 168) 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 mal-
functioning, the transmission may
be locked in position P. Have the
vehicle electronics checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Park position P is automatically
engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using
the SmartKey and remove the
SmartKey
R you switch off the engine using
the key or the Start/Stop button
and open the driver's 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 D or R
CReverse gear
Only shift the transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary.
158Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

ANeutral
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 to position N
if the vehicle is in danger of skid-
ding, e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the transmission in position R or D, the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train.
7Drive
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 gearshift-
ing behavior is determined by:
R the selected drive program ( Y page 159)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 159)
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
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.
Towing a trailer
XWhen traveling downhill, switch to a lower
gear if the automatic transmission con-
stantly switches between two gears.
X Engaging a lower gear and reducing the
speed reduces the risk of the engine over-
heating.
Program selector button
General notes
The program selector button allows you to
choose between different driving character-
istics.
Program selector button
E EconomyComfortable, economical
driving
S SportSporty driving style
X
Press program selector button : repeat-
edly until the letter for the desired drive
Automatic transmission159
Driving and parking
Z

program appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
Steering wheel paddle shifters
:Left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
;Right-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel pad- dle shifters ( Y page 160).
iYou can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel paddle shifters when the trans-
mission is in position D.
Automatic drive program
Drive program E is characterized by the fol-
lowing:
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. Drive program
S is characterized by the fol-
lowing:
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 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 M in
the E and S automatic drive programs.
Activating X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel paddle
shifter ( Y page 160).
Manual drive program M is temporarily acti-
vated. The selected gear and M appear 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 M for 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 160).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
iIf the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic
160Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

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 160).
The automatic transmission shifts down to the next gear.
iIf the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto- matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down.
iAutomatic down shifting occurs when
coasting.
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 of lateral acceleration, during an overrun phase
or when driving on steep terrain.
If manual drive program M has been deacti-
vated, the automatic transmission shifts into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. E or S. You can also deactivate manual drive pro-
gram
M yourself:
X Pull on the right-hand steering wheel pad-
dle shifter and hold it in place ( Y page 160).
or X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch the
transmission position.
or
X Use the program selector button to change
the drive program ( Y page 159).
Manual drive program M is deactivated.
The automatic transmission switches into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. E or S.
Automatic transmission161
Driving and parking
Z

Parking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact withhot 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.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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. To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied.
R the transmission must be in position P and
the SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock.
R the front wheels must be turned towards
the curb on steep uphill or downhill gradi-
ents.
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position N when 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
X Apply the parking brake firmly.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Using the SmartKey
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
iThe SmartKey can only be removed if the
transmission is in position P.
Using KEYLESS-GO X Press the Start/Stop button ( Y page 149).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
iWhen 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".
168Parking
Driving and parking