2016 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA-Class Owner's Manual

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.
XIf the transmission is in positionDor R:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
to the first point of resistance.
XIf 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 Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the
driver's door or the front-passenger door or
remove the SmartKey from the ignition, the
automatic transmission shifts to Pautomati-
cally.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then
open the driver's door or the front-passenger
door, the automatic transmission shifts to P
automatically.
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:
XSwitch on the ignition.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XShift to neutral N.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
With the Start/Stop button:
XRemove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XSwitch on the ignition.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XShift to neutral N.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D
XIf the transmission is in position Ror N:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance.
XIf the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT
SELECT lever down past the first point of
resistance.
Selector lever (Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles)
Overview of transmission positions
jPark position with parking lock
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
Automatic transmission159
Driving and parking
Z

:Transmission position display
;Drive program display
If the transmission position display in 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 posi-
tion Dand drive program Cor S.
Engaging park position P
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, press but-
ton :.
Transmission positions
BPark position
This prevents the vehicle from roll-
ing away when stopped.
Only shift the transmission into
position Pwhen the vehicle is sta-
tionary (
Ypage 157). 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.
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 Pis automatically
engaged if:
Ryou switch off the engine using
the SmartKey and remove the
SmartKey
Ryou switch off the engine using
the SmartKey or using the Start/ Stop button and open the driv-
er's door or front-passenger
door
Rthe driver's door is opened when
the vehicle is stationary or driv-
ing at very low speed and the
transmission is in position Dor R
CReverse gear
Only shift the transmission into
position Rwhen the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
160Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

ANeutral
Do not shift the transmission toN
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 Ror D, the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
!Rolling in neutral Ncan 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 gear shift-
ing behavior is determined by:
Rthe selected drive program
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
Rthe road speed
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto- matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rmore throttle: late upshifts
Holding the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients
GWARNING
If the clutch overheats, the electronic man-
agement system is automatically deactivated. This interrupts the power transmission. The
vehicle may, for example, roll backwards on
gradients. There is a risk of an accident.
Never hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator.
The clutch may overheat if you hold the vehi-
cle stationary on uphill gradients by depress-ing the accelerator pedal. If the clutch over-
heats, a warning tone sounds.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): theStop Vehicle Shift to P
Leave Engine Runningdisplay message
appears in the multifunction display. You will
only be able to continue your journey once the
clutch has cooled down and the display mes-
sage in the multifunction display has disap-
peared.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: theTrans. Oil
Overheated Drive on with Caredisplay
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
Do not hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator
pedal. Instead, only ever hold the vehicle sta-
tionary on uphill gradients by:
Rdepressing the brake pedal
Ractivating the HOLD function
Rengaging the electric parking brake
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.
XEase off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Automatic transmission161
Driving an d parking
Z

Mercedes-AMG vehicles:it is only possible
to use kickdown in the automatic drive pro-
gram and the temporary manual drive pro-
gram M. When manual drive program Mis
permanently activated, kickdown is not pos-
sible.
For further information on kickdown in man-
ual drive program M(
Ypage 166).
Rocking the vehicle free
Shifting the transmission repeatedly between
gears Dand Rmay help to free the vehicle if it
has become stuck in slush or snow. The vehi-
cle's engine management system limits the
speed to a maximum of 5 mph (9 km/h) when
shifting back and forth. To shift back and forth
between transmission positions Dand R,
move the DIRECT SELECT lever up and down
past the point of resistance.
Drive programs
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG
vehicles)
Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive program Cis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
Rthe vehicle delivers comfortable, economi-
cal handling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle having improved driving stabil-
ity, for example on slippery road surfaces.
Roptimal 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. Drive program S (Sport)
Drive program
Sis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
Rsporty engine settings.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up
later. the fuel consumption possibly being
higher as a result of the later automatic
transmission shift points.
Drive program I (Individual)
In drive program Ithe following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
Rthe drive (engine and transmission man-
agement)
Rthe suspension (vehicles with damping sys-
tem or AMG RIDE CONTROL)
Rthe steering
Rthe availability of the ECO start/stop func-
tion
Rthe climate control:
Information about the configuration of drive
program Iwith COMAND or Audio 20 can be
found in the Digital Operator's Manual.
iTo permanently select the gears in drive
program Iusing the steering wheel paddle
shifters, select the M(manual) setting for
the drive.
Drive program E (Economy)
Drive program Eis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
Rcomfort-oriented engine settings.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner.
Rthe vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle having improved driving stabil-
ity, for example on slippery road surfaces.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
162Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin.
Rgliding mode is activated automatically
when engine-internal conditions are fulfil-
led and the accelerator is not depressed. At
the same time the transmission’s clutch
opens and the vehicle rolls freely using its
kinetic energy. As a result great distances
can be completed without the engine brake
and fuel consumption reduced.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
Drive program I (Individual)
In drive programIthe following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
Rthe drive (engine management)
Rthe transmission management
Rthe suspension (vehicles with AMG RIDE
CONTROL)
RESP®
Information about the configuration of drive
program Iwith COMAND or Audio 20 can be
found in the Digital Operator's Manual.
Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive program Cis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
Rthe vehicle delivers comfortable, economi-
cal handling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle having improved driving stabil-
ity, for example on slippery road surfaces.
Roptimal 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.
Rgliding mode is available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is available. Drive program S (Sport)
Drive program
Sis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits sporty driving charac-
teristics.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up
later. the fuel consumption possibly being
higher as a result of the later automatic
transmission shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits stiff springing and
damping settings (vehicles with AIR RIDE
CONTROL).
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not availa-
ble.
Drive program S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive program S+is characterized by the fol-
lowing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driv-
ing characteristics.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up
later.
Rthe fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly stiff
springing and damping settings (vehicles
with AMG adaptive sport suspension sys-
tem).
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not availa-
ble.
Drive program RACE (vehicles with AMG
RIDE CONTROL)
The RACE drive program is characteriz

ed by
the following:
Rthe vehicle exhibits driving characteristics
suitable for the racetrack.
Rall vehicle systems are set for maximum
sportiness.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up
later.
Automatic transmission163
Driving and parking
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Rthe fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly stiff
springing and damping settings (vehicles
with AMG adaptive sport suspension sys-
tem).
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not availa-
ble.
Manual gear shifting
General notes
You can change gear yourself using the steer-
ing wheel paddle shifters. The transmission
must be in position D.
Depending on which paddle shifter is pulled,
the automatic transmission immediately
shifts into the next gear down or up, if per-
mitted.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: to use manual
shifting, you have two options:
Rtemporary setting
Rpermanent setting
If you activate manual gearshifting, the mul-
tifunction display will show the current gear
instead of transmission position D.
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, the
gears will be selected automatically.
Temporary setting
XTo activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever
to position D.
XPull steering wheel paddle shifter :or;.
Temporary setting will be 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 ter-
rain.
XTo deactivate: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter ;and hold it in place.
or
XUse the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch the
transmission position.
or
XAll vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): use the DYNAMIC SELECT button to
change the drive program.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: use the DYNAMIC
SELECT controller to change the drive pro-
gram.
Permanent setting (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles)
XTo activate: shift the selector lever to posi-
tion P.
XPress button :.
XTo deactivate: press button:.
or
XIf position D (automatic transmission) is
selected for the transmission in drive pro-
gram I: shift to drive program Iwith the
DYNAMIC SELECT controller.
164Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Shifting gears
!Mercedes-AMG vehicles: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.
XTo shift up: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter ;.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the next gear.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG
vehicles): if the maximum engine speed on
the currently engaged gear is reached and
you continue to accelerate, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts up in
order to prevent engine damage.
XTo shift down: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter :.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
Automatic down shifting occurs when
coasting.
If the engine exceeds the maximum engine
speed when shifting down, the automatic
transmission protects against engine dam-
age by not shifting down.
Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
XShift to recommended gear ;according
to gearshift recommendation :when
shown in the multifunction display.
Upshifting (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
!The automatic transmission does not shift
up automatically even when the engine lim-
iting 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.
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the mul-
tifunction display.
XShift to recommended gear :when mes-
sage ;is shown in the multifunction dis-
play.
Automatic transmission165
Driving and parking
Z

Kickdown
XFormaximum acceleration ,depress th e
accelerato rpedal beyon dth epressur e
point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on th eengin espeed.
XShift bac kup once th edesired spee dis
reached.
During kickdown ,you canno tshif tgear s
usin gth esteering whee lpaddle shifters .
If you apply full throttle, th eautomatic trans -
mission shifts up to th ene xt gear when th e
maximum engin espee dis reached. This pre -
vents th eengin efrom overrevving .
Mercedes-AM G vehicles:it is only possibl e
to use kickdown in temporar ymanual drive
program M.When manual drive program Mis
permanentl yactivated, kickdown is no tpos -
sible.
166Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking