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.
If the conditions for automatic engine switch- off are not all fulfilled, the 00D6symbol is lit
yellow.
i All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is stopped automatically.
i The engine can be switched off automat-
ically a maximum of four times (first stop
and three subsequent stops) in succession.
The 00D6 ECO symbol is shown in yellow in
the multifunction display after the engine
has been started automatically for the
fourth time. When the 00D6ECO symbol is
shown in green in the multifunction display,
automatic engine switch-off is again possi- ble.
i The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automati-
cally. It is then not necessary to continue
applying the brakes during the automatic
stop phase. When you depress the accel-
erator pedal, the engine starts automati-
cally and the braking effect of the HOLD
function is deactivated.
Vehicles with manual transmission (SLK
250) The ECO start/stop function switches off the
engine automatically at low speeds.
X Brake the vehicle.
X Engage neutral N(follow gearshift instruc-
tion 0043to engage neutral N, if necessary).
X Release the clutch pedal.
The engine is switched off automatically.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
(SLK 250)
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in Dor N,
the ECO start/stop function switches off the engine automatically.
SLK 350
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in Dor 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.
i All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is stopped automatically.
i The engine can be switched off automat-
ically a maximum of four times (first stop
and three subsequent stops) in succession.
i The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automati-
cally. It is then not necessary to continue
applying the brakes during the automatic Driving
145Driving an d parking Z
stop phase. When you depress the accel-
erator pedal, the engine starts automati-
cally and the braking effect of the HOLD
function is deactivated.
SLK 55 AMG
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in Dor N,
the ECO start/stop function switches off the engine automatically.
The ECO start/stop function is operational
and the 00D6ECO symbol is displayed in
green in the multifunction display, if:
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.
If the conditions for automatic engine switch-
off are not all fulfilled, the 00D6ECO symbol is
lit yellow.
i All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is stopped automatically.
i The engine can be automatically switched
off an unlimited number of times.
i The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automati-
cally. It is then not necessary to continue
applying the brakes during the automatic
stop phase. When you depress the accel-
erator pedal, the engine starts automati-
cally and the braking effect of the HOLD
function is deactivated. Automatic engine start Operation (SLK 250)
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 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.
Vehicles with manual transmission (SLK
250)
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
The engine is started automatically if you: R fully depress the clutch pedal.
R depress the accelerator pedal.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
(SLK 250)
The engine is started automatically if you: R release the brake pedal in transmission
position Dor Nwhen the HOLD function is
not active.
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 00D6ECO symbol reap-
pears in green in the multifunction display. 146
DrivingDriving and parking
SLK 350
The engine starts automatically if:
R you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button.
R in transmission position Dor Nthe 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.
i Shifting the transmission to position
P
does not start the engine.
SLK 55 AMG
The engine starts automatically if:
R you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button.
R in transmission position Dor Nthe 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 switch to drive program Sor M.
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.
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 00D6ECO symbol reap-
pears in green in the multifunction display.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function SLK 250
X
To deactivate: press ECO button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044and the 00D6ECO sym-
bol in the multifunction display go out.
X To activate: press ECO button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 144) are fulfilled, the
00D6 ECO symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 144) are fulfilled, the
00D6 ECO symbol is shown in yellow in the
multifunction display.
If this is the case, the ECO start/stop func-
tion is not available.
Conditions for the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 144). Driving
147Driving and parking Z
i
The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
Further information on the ECO start/stop function (Y page 144). Shift recommendation
X
Shift gear according to gearshift recom-
mendation 0043when shown in the multi-
function display of the instrument cluster.
The gearshift recommendations assist you in adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunctiondisplay. 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 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. Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions Selector lever
005D
Park position with selector lever lock
005E Reverse gear
005C Neutral
005B Drive
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display 0043
Transmission position display
0044 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 transmission
151Driving and parking Z
Transmission positions
0045 Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Y page 151) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake when parking. Always apply the
electronic parking brake in addi-
tion to the parking lock in order to
secure the vehicle.
The SmartKey can only be removedif the transmission is in position P.
If the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock, the selector lever
is locked.
If the vehicle electronics are mal-
functioning, the selector lever may be locked in position P. To release
a locked selector lever, see "Man-
ual override of parking lock"
(Y page 158). 0046 Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary. 0044 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 brake pedal 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 posi-
tion Nif the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
! Rolling in neutral
Ncan damage
the drive train. 003A 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 153)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 152)
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 152
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking
Double-clutch function
When shifting down, the double-clutch func-
tion is active regardless of the currently selec-
ted drive program. The double-clutch function reduces 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. Program selector button
General notes Example: program selector button
X Press program selector button 0043repeat-
edly until the letter for the desired gearshift 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 155). As well as this permanent drive program
M,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M(Y page 154).
In AMG vehicles, drive program Eis called
drive program C. E
Economy
C Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
M
Manual Manual gear shifting
Only change from automatic drive program
E
or Sto manual drive program Mwhen the
vehicle is stationary.
i When the engine is started, the automatic
transmission always switches to automatic drive program E(drive program Cin AMG
vehicles).
i AMG vehicles:
when in drive program C
and with a small load demand, the engine
will automatically only operate with four
cylinders. This is the case in city traffic or
on a country road, for example. This
reduces fuel consumption. Cylinder shut-
off is inactive in drive programs Sand M, so
that the engine will operate with all eight
cylinders.
i For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 154). Automatic transmission
153Driving and parking Z
Steering wheel paddle shifters
0043
Left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
0044 Right-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear using the steering wheel paddle shifters or the selector lever (Y page 154).
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Y page 155).
Further information about temporary drive
program M(Y page 154).
i The full range of functions for the steering
wheel paddle shifters is available only once
operating temperature has been reached.
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel paddle shifters when the trans-
mission is in position D.Automatic drive program
Automatic drive programs E and S Drive program
E(drive program Con MAG
vehicles) is characterized by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine and 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 Sis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine and 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 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 153).
Further information about permanent drive program M(Y page 155).
Activating
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 154).
Manual drive program Mis temporarily acti-
vated. The selected gear and Mappear in
the multifunction display. 154
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking
Upshifting
X Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or X Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 154).
In cases where it is permissible, the auto-
matic 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.
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 0044according
to gearshift recommendation 0043when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster.
Downshifting X Briefly press the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 154).
In cases where it is permissible, the auto-
matic transmission shifts down to the next
gear.
i For maximum acceleration, push the
selector lever to the left or pull and hold the
left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter until the transmission shifts to the optimal 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.
i Automatic down shifting occurs when
coasting.
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 154).
or
X Use the lever to switch the transmission
position.
or
X Use the program selector button to change
the drive program (Y page 153).
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
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. Automatic transmission
155Driving and parking Z