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 154). 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 154). 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 156
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking
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 155)
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 149).
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 154)
R you switch to drive program S+orS
(Y page 152)
R you activate manual gearshifting
(Y page 158)
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 219).
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 158) 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
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. Automatic transmission
157Driving and parking Z
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
AIR BODY CONTROL)
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 particularly firm
springing and damping settings (vehicles with
AIR BODY CONTROL)
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 vehicles) 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 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 to 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. 158
Automatic transmissionDriving and pa
rking
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) !
The automatic transmission does not shift
up automatically even when the engine limit-
ing 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 button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
X To deactivate: press button:.
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 is reached. Be
sure to observe the upshift indicator on the
multifunction display. Always make sure that Automatic transmission
159Driving and parking Z
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 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) !
The automatic transmission does not shift
up automatically even when the engine limit-
ing 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. 160
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d 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
161Driving and parking
Z
shop. AdBlue
®
refill canisters are often sold with
a filler hose. A filler hose that does not exactly fit
the vehicle's AdBlue ®
tank offers no overfill pro-
tection. AdBlue ®
may leak out as a result of
overfilling. Mercedes-Benz offers a special dis-
posable hose with overfill protection. You can
obtain this from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre. AdBlue ®
is available in a variety of con-
tainers and receptacles. Use the disposable
hose only with the Mercedes-Benz AdBlue ®
refill
canisters.
AdBlue ®
refill bottle !
Only screw on the AdBlue ®
refill bottle so
that it is hand-tight. Otherwise, the thread of
the AdBlue ®
refill bottle could be damaged
and AdBlue ®
could leak out. X
Unscrew the protective cap from AdBlue ®
refill bottle :.
X Place AdBlue ®
refill bottle :on the filler
neck as shown and screw it on clockwise until hand-tight.
X Press AdBlue ®
refill bottle :towards the
filler neck.
The AdBlue ®
tank is filled. This could take up
to one minute.
When AdBlue ®
refill bottle :is no longer
pressed, filling stops and the bottle may be
removed again after being only partially emp- tied.
X Release AdBlue ®
refill bottle :.
X Turn AdBlue ®
refill bottle :anti-clockwise
and remove it.
X Screw the protective cap onto AdBlue ®
refill
bottle :again.
AdBlue ®
refill bottles are available at many fill-
ing stations or at a qualified specialist work-
shop. Refill bottles without a threaded seal offer no overfill protection. AdBlue
®
may leak out as a
result of overfilling. Mercedes-Benz offers spe-
cial refill bottles with a threaded cap. These are
available at any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rial can come into contact with hot vehicle
components. In particular, do not park on dry grassland or harvested grain fields. G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
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 key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly against
rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or its driv-
etrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied
R the transmission must be in position Pand the
key must be removed from the ignition lock
R the front wheels must be turned towards the
kerb on steep uphill or downhill gradients
R the empty vehicle must be secured at the
front axle with a wheel chock or similar Parking
167Driving and parking Z
object, for example, on uphill or downhill gra-
dients
R on uphill or downhill gradients the laden vehi-
cle must also be secured at the rear axle, for
example with a wheel chock or similar object Switching off the engine
Important safety notes 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.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X With the key: turn the key to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X With the Start/Stop button: press the
Start/Stop button (Y page 144).
The engine stops and all the indicator lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
When the driver's door is closed, this corre-
sponds to key position 1. When the driver's
door is open, this corresponds to key position
0: "key removed".
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 Shift to 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.
The engine can be switched off while the vehicle
is in motion by pressing and holding the Start/
Stop button for about three seconds. This func- tion operates independently of the ECO start/
stop automatic engine switch-off function. Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
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 key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or the system is malfunc-
tioning, it may not be possible to apply the
released parking brake. 168
ParkingDriving and parking