0087
Start/Stop button USA
0085 Start/Stop button Canada
Removing the Start/Stop button You can remove the Start/Stop button from
the ignition lock and start the vehicle as nor-
mal using the SmartKey.
X Remove Start/Stop button 0043from ignition
lock 0044.
i You do not have to remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock when you
leave the vehicle. You should, however,
always take the SmartKey with you when
leaving the vehicle. As long as the Smart-
Key is in the vehicle:
R the vehicle can be started using the
Start/Stop button
R electrically powered equipment can be
operated. Starting the engine
Important safety notes 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.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position P or shift manual transmission into
neutral.
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. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
! Do not depress the accelerator when
starting the engine. Driving
141Driving and parking Z
i
AMG vehicles:
the exhaust flap of the
exhaust system will be checked after every cold start. A resulting noise can be heard
during this process.
i During a cold start, the engine runs at
higher speeds to enable the catalytic con-
verter to reach its operating temperature.
The sound of the engine may change during this time.
Manual transmission X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Fully depress the clutch pedal.
X Shift to neutral N.
i You can only start the engine when the
clutch pedal is fully depressed.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P.
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows P.
i You can also start the engine when the
transmission is in position N.
Starting procedure with the SmartKey X
Turn the SmartKey to position 3in the igni-
tion lock (Y page 139) and release it as
soon as the engine is running.
i To start the engine using the SmartKey
instead of KEYLESS-GO, pull the Start/
Stop button out of the ignition lock.
Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine i
The Start/Stop button can be used to
start the vehicle manually without inserting
the SmartKey into the ignition lock. The
Start/Stop button must be inserted in the
ignition lock and the SmartKey must be in
the vehicle. This mode for starting the
engine operates independently of the ECO
start/stop automatic engine start function. X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 140)
once.
The engine starts. Pulling away
Manual transmission !
Change gear in good time and avoid spin-
ning the wheels. You could otherwise dam-
age the vehicle.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Release the electric parking brake
(Y page 162).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Slowly release the clutch pedal and gently
depress the accelerator pedal.
i Follow the shift recommendations in the
multifunction display for an economical
driving style (Y page 151).
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic lock- ing feature (Y page 207).
Automatic transmission 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. 142
DrivingDriving and pa
rking
i
It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then is
the shift lock released.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake (Y page 162) is
automatically released.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter goes out.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic lock- ing feature (Y page 207).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It
holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal. This gives you enough time to move your footfrom the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and to depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll. G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could roll away.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist. X
Remove your foot from the brake pedal.
The vehicle is then held for about a second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist is not active if: R you are pulling away on a level road or on a
downhill gradient.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is in N.
R the electric parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. ECO start/stop function
Introduction The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is stop-
ped under certain conditions.
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 G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and you 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. Driving
143Driving and parking Z
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