
Children could also set the vehicle in motion,
for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key 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 resist-
ance.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position Ror D, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to Nautomatically.
With the key: if you then open the driver's door
or the front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmission
shifts to Pautomatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts to Pautomat-
ically.
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:
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or KEYLESS-
GO start function:
remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X All vehicles: switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Engage neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the 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. Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear on the multifunction display. :
Status icon, drive program
; Transmission position
= Gear
The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission positions
you can shift using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
If the transmission position display on the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should pull away carefully to check whether the desired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position Dand drive
program E(drive program Cin Mercedes-AMG
vehicles) or S.146
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Transmission positions
B Park position
This secures the vehicle against roll-
ing away when stopped.
Only shift the transmission to posi-
tion
Pwhen the vehicle is stationary
(Y page 145). The parking lock
should not be used as a brake when
parking. In order to secure the vehi-
cle, always apply the electric parking brake in addition to the parking lock.
Park position Pis automatically
engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the
key and remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the
key or using the Start/Stop button
and open the driver's door or front- passenger door
R you open the driver's door when
the vehicle is stationary or when
driving at a very low speed and the
transmission is in position Dor R
In the event of a malfunction of the
vehicle's electronics, the transmis-
sion may lock in position P. Have the
vehicle electronics checked immedi-
ately at a qualified specialist work-
shop. C Reverse gear
You can shift the transmission to
position
Ronly when the vehicle is
stationary (Y page 145). 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 brake pedal 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 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 lead to
damage to the transmission. 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. Gearshifting is determined
by:
R the selected drive program
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your driving style influences how the automatic
transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Double-clutch function When shifting down, the double-clutch function
is active regardless of the drive program. The
double-clutch function reduces load change Automatic transmission
147Driving and parking Z

reactions and is conducive to a sporty driving
style. The sound generated by the double-clutch
function depends on the drive program.
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.
Gliding mode Gliding mode is characterised by the following:
R the combustion engine is disconnected from
the drive train
R the engine speed is equal to the engine idling
speed
R the multifunction display hides the gear indi-
cator and shows transmission position Din
green (Y page 146)
R Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the multifunction
display shows :as the status icon for the
drive program
In drive program Eand drive program C
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles) you can activate and
deactivate gliding mode using the ECO button
(Y page 139).
Gliding mode can be activated under the follow-
ing conditions:
R the speed is within a suitable range
R the type of road is suitable, e.g. no steep uphill
or downhill gradients
R you are no longer depressing the accelerator
pedal
Gliding mode is deactivated under the following
conditions:
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you depress the brake pedal R
you change the transmission position
(Y page 145)
R you switch to drive program RACE
(Mercedes-AMG C 63 S), S+orS
(Y page 141)
R you activate manual gearshifting
(Y page 150)
R you leave the suitable speed range
i If you have selected the "Comfort" setting
for the drive (engine management) in drive
program I, you can also activate gliding mode.
You can find information about this in the Dig- ital Owner's Manual.
Towing a trailer Towing a trailer is not possible with all models.
Further information (Y
page 214).
X Drive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients.
X Manual gearshifting: depending on the
uphill or downhill gradient, shift to a gear
(Y page 150) in which the engine will run in
the middle of the engine speed range.
This also applies if cruise control, DISTRONIC PLUS or SPEEDTRONIC are activated. Drive programs
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG
C 63 /C63S) Drive program I (Individual)
In drive program I, the following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the suspension
R the steering
R the availability of the ECO start/stop function
R the climate control
Information on configuring drive program Iwith
the multimedia system can be found under
"DYNAMIC SELECT" in the vehicle's Digital Own- er's Manual.
i To permanently shift the gears manually in
drive program Iusing the steering wheel gear-
shift paddles, select the M(Manual) setting
for the drive. 148
Automatic transmissionDriving and pa
rking

Drive program S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive program S+is characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driving
characteristics.
R the vehicle pulls away in first gear.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
fuel consumption may be higher as a result of
the later automatic transmission shift points.
R the suspension exhibits particularly firm
springing and damping settings (vehicles with
AIRMATIC).
R gliding mode is not available.
R the ECO start/stop function is not available.
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive program Sis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits sporty driving character-
istics.
R the vehicle pulls away in first gear.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
fuel consumption may be higher as a result of
the later automatic transmission shift points.
R the suspension exhibits firm springing and
damping settings (vehicles with AIRMATIC).
R gliding mode is not available.
R the ECO start/stop function is not available.
Drive program C (Comfort) Drive program Cis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits comfortable, economical
driving characteristics.
R the vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
The vehicle is driven in the low engine speed
range and the wheels are less likely to spin.
R gliding mode is not available (except
Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC). Drive program E (Economy)
Drive program Eis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits particularly economical
driving characteristics.
R the vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
The vehicle is driven in the low engine speed
range and the wheels are less likely to spin.
R during deceleration, the engine is disconnec-
ted from the drive train. The vehicle uses
kinetic energy and consumes less fuel (over-
run mode).
R the cooling and heating output of the climate
control system has been reduced.
Mercedes-AMG C 63 /C63 S Drive program RACE (S‑MODEL)
Drive program RACEis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle exhibits driving characteristics
suitable for the racetrack.
R all vehicle systems are set for maximum
sportiness.
R the gearshift recommendation gives you
information for slowly warming up the drive
assemblies and for adopting a fuel-efficient
driving style (Y page 150). You can follow the
gearshift recommendations at all times and
shift gear accordingly using the steering
wheel gearshift paddles. On the basis of the
gearshift recommendation, using the steering wheel gearshift paddles, you can optimise the
drive train and engine operating mode at any time.
R if you have selected a gear manually, this will
be maintained until the vehicle speed signifi-
cantly increases or decreases.
R the vehicle pulls away in first gear.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
fuel consumption may be higher as a result of
the later automatic transmission shift points.
R the suspension exhibits particularly firm
springing and damping settings (vehicles with
AIRMATIC). Automatic transmission
149Driving and parking Z

R
gliding mode is not available.
R the ECO start/stop function is not available.
Drive program S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive program S+is characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driving
characteristics.
R the vehicle pulls away in first gear.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
fuel consumption may be higher as a result of
the later automatic transmission shift points.
R the suspension exhibits particularly firm
springing and damping settings (vehicles with
AIRMATIC).
R gliding mode is not available.
R the ECO start/stop function is not available.
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive program Sis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits sporty driving character-
istics.
R the vehicle pulls away in first gear.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
fuel consumption may be higher as a result of
the later automatic transmission shift points.
R the suspension exhibits firm springing and
damping settings (vehicles with AIRMATIC).
R gliding mode is not available.
R the ECO start/stop function is not available.
Drive program C (Comfort) Drive program Cis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits comfortable, economical
driving characteristics.
R the vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
The vehicle is driven in the low engine speed
range and the wheels are less likely to spin.
R gliding mode is available.
R the ECO start/stop function is available. Drive program I (Individual)
In drive program I, the following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine management)
R the transmission management
R ESP ®
(Y page 72)
R the suspension
R activation of the exhaust flap
Information on configuring drive program Iwith
the multimedia system can be found under
"DYNAMIC SELECT" in the vehicle's Digital Own- er's Manual.
i To permanently shift the gears manually in
drive program Iusing the steering wheel gear-
shift paddles, select the M(Manual) setting
for the transmission. Manual gearshifting
General notes You can shift gears yourself using the steering
wheel gearshift paddles. The transmission must
be in position Dto do this.
Depending on which steering wheel gearshift
paddle is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear up or
down, if permitted.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: to use manual gear-
shifting, you have two options:
R temporary setting
R permanent setting
If you activate manual gearshifting, the multi-
function display will show the current gear
instead of transmission position D.
If you deactivate manual gearshifting, the gears will be shifted automatically again. 150
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Temporary setting
X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D.
X Pull steering wheel gearshift paddle :or;.
The temporary setting will remain active for a
certain amount of time. Under certain condi-
tions, 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.
X To deactivate: pull steering wheel gearshift
paddle ;and hold it in place.
or X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to shift the
transmission position.
or X Use the DYNAMIC SELECT switch to change
the drive program.
Permanent setting (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles) !
In manual mode, the automatic transmis-
sion does not shift up automatically 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 rev counter. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage. X
To activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D.
X Press the :button.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
X To deactivate: press button:.
or
X If position D (automatic transmission) is
selected for the transmission in drive pro-
gram I: shift to drive program Iwith the
DYNAMIC SELECT switch.
Indicator lamp ;goes out.
Shifting gears X
To shift up: pull steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle ;.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
If the maximum engine speed in the currently engaged gear is reached and you continue to
accelerate, the automatic transmission auto-
matically shifts up in order to prevent engine
damage.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: if the permanent
setting is activated, the automatic transmis-
sion does not shift up automatically even
when the engine limiting speed for the current
gear is reached. Always observe the upshift Automatic transmission
151Driving and parking Z

indicator on the multifunction display. Always
make sure that the engine speed does not
reach the red area of the rev counter.
X To shift down: pull steering wheel gearshift
paddle :.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
Automatic downshifting occurs when coast-
ing.
If the engine exceeds the maximum engine
speed when shifting down, the automatic
transmission protects against engine damage by not shifting down.
Gearshift recommendation The gearshift recommendation assists you in
adopting a fuel-efficient driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown on the multifunction
display.
X When the gearshift recommendation :is
shown on the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster, shift to recommended
gear ;.
Protection against reaching the over-
revving range (Mercedes-AMG vehicles) !
In manual mode, the automatic transmis-
sion does not shift up automatically 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 rev counter. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage. Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown on the multi-
function display.
X When message :appears on the multifunc-
tion display, pull the right-hand steering
wheel gearshift paddle.
Kickdown X
For maximum acceleration, 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.
During kickdown, you cannot shift gears using
the steering wheel gearshift paddles.
If you apply full throttle, the automatic trans-
mission shifts up to the next gear when the
maximum engine speed is reached. This pre-
vents the engine from overrevving.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: kickdown is possible
only in the temporary setting. 152
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. The acceleration charac-
teristics are deteriorat-
ing.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is possible to shift only into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. Transfer case
This section only applies to vehicles with all-
wheel drive (4MATIC). The front and rear axles
are constantly driven.
! Performance tests may only be carried out
on a two-axle roller dynamometer. Otherwise,
the braking system or the transfer case could be damaged. Contact a qualified specialist
workshop for more information on perform-
ance tests.
! Since ESP ®
engages automatically, the igni-
tion must be switched off (the key or Start/
Stop button must be in position 0or 1) if:
R the electric parking brake is being tested
using a brake dynamometer.
R the vehicle is being towed with only one
axle raised (not permitted for vehicles with
4MATIC).
The brake system could otherwise be dam-
aged.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged. Refuelling
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, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refuelling. G
WARNING
Fuels are poisonous and hazardous to health. There is a danger of injury.
Do not swallow fuel or let it come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale fuel
vapours. Keep fuels out of the reach of chil-
dren. Refuelling
153Driving and parking
Z