2017 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA Owners Manual

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak or
discharged. X
Jump-start the vehicle ( Y
page 273).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it: X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high. X
Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two minutes. X
Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start: X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine is not running
smoothly and is misfir-
ing. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system. X
Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic converter
and damage it. X
Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
The coolant temperature
gauge shows a value
above 248 ‡ (120 †).
The coolant warning
lamp may also be on and
a warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine is no
longer being cooled sufficiently. X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down. X
Check the coolant level ( Y
page 257). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and add coolant if necessary.
DYNAMIC SELECT button (all vehicles
except Mercedes-AMG vehicles) Use the DYNAMIC SELECT button to change the
drive program. Depending on the drive program
selected the following vehicle characteristics
will change: R
the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment) R
the suspension (vehicles with damping sys-
tem or AMG adaptive sport suspension sys-
tem) R
the steering. R
the availability of the ECO start/stop function R
the climate control
Each time you start the engine with the Smart-
Key or the Start/Stop button, drive program C is
activated. For further information about starting
the engine, see ( Y
page 122). X
Press DYNAMIC SELECT button C as many
times as necessary until the desired drive
program is selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds the
display goes out and the status icon of the
selected drive program appears.DYNAMIC SELECT button (all vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles) 127
Driving and parking Z

In addition, the current drive program settings
are displayed briefly in the multimedia system
display.
i In a few countries, the ECO start/stop func-
tion is deactivated at the factory due to the
available fuel grade. In this case, the ECO
start/stop function is not available in any
drive program, regardless of the display in the
multimedia system display.
Available drive programs:
C Comfort Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics
S Sport Sporty driving characteris-
tics
I Individual Individual settings
E Economy Particularly economical
driving characteristics
Additional information for drive programs
( Y
page 133).
You can also change gear yourself using the
steering wheel paddle shifters. For further infor-
mation on the manual drive program
( Y
page 135).
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles) Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to change
the drive program. Depending on the drive pro-
gram selected the following vehicle character-
istics will change: R
the drive R
the transmission management R
ESP ®
R
the suspension (vehicles with AMG adaptive
sport suspension system) R
the availability of the ECO start/stop function R
the availability of gliding mode
Each time you start the engine with the Smart-
Key or the Start/Stop button, drive program C is
activated. For further information about starting
the engine, see ( Y
page 122). X
Turn DYNAMIC SELECT controller C as many
times as necessary until the desired drive
program is selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds the
display goes out and the status icon of the
selected drive program appears.
The drive program indicator on DYNAMIC
SELECT controller C lights up in red.
Available drive programs:
I Individual Individual settings
C Comfort Comfort-oriented, opti-
mum-economy engine and
transmission settings
S Sport Sporty engine and trans-
mission settings
S+ Sport Plus Particularly sporty trans-
mission settings
Race
Maximum sportiness and
engine and transmission
settings suitable for the
racetrack
Additional information for drive programs
( Y
page 133).
You can also change gear yourself using the
steering wheel paddle shifters. For further infor-
mation on the manual drive program
( Y
page 135).128
DYNAMIC SELECT controller (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Driving and parking

Aut oma tic trans mi ssion
Import ant safety notes
G WARNIN G
If th e engin e spee d is abov e th e idlin g spee d
and you engage transmission position D or R ,
th e vehicl e could pull away suddenly. There is
a ris k of an accident.
When engagin g transmission position D or R ,
always firmly depress th e brak e pedal and do
no t simultaneously accelerate .
G WARNIN G
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position N when you switch off th e engine.
The vehicl e may rol l away. There is a ris k of an
accident.
Afte r switching off th e engine, always switch
to parking position P . Preven t th e parked vehi-
cle from rollin g away by applyin g th e parking
brake.
DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of trans mi ssion positions
]
Park position wit h parking loc k
^
Reverse gear
\\
Neutral
[
Drive
All vehicles (excep t Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): th e DIRECT SELECT lever is on th e right of
th e steering column .
Fo r information on th e selector lever in
Mercedes-AM G vehicles ( Y
page 131). The DIRECT SELECT lever always return s to it s
original position . The curren t transmission posi-
tion P , R , N or D appear s in th e transmission
position display in th e multifunction display
( Y
page 129).
Trans mi ssion position and drive pr o-
gram display The curren t transmission position and drive pro -
gram appear in th e multifunction display.
C
Transmission position D
Gear

At transmission fluid temperatures below

Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position R or 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.
Selector lever (Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles)
Overview of transmission positions
]
Park position with parking lock^
Reverse gear\\
Neutral[
Drive
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear in the multifunction display.
C
Transmission position display
D
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 position D and drive
program C or S . Engaging park position P X
When the vehicle is stationary, press but-
ton C .
Engaging reverse gear R
! Only shift the automatic transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary. X
Depress the brake and keep it pressed. X
Push the selector lever forwards past the first
point of resistance.Automatic transmission 131
Driving and parking Z

Transmission positions E Park position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped.
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion P when the vehicle is stationary.
The parking lock should not be used
as a brake when parking. Always
apply the electronic parking brake in
addition to the parking lock in order
to secure the vehicle.
If the vehicle electronics are malfunc-
tioning, the transmission may be
locked in position P . Have the vehicle
electronics checked immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Park position P is automatically
engaged if: R
you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the Smart-
Key R
you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey or using the Start/Stop
button and open the driver's door
or front-passenger door R
the driver's door is opened when
the vehicle is stationary or driving
at very low speed and the trans-
mission is in position D or R
F Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion R when the vehicle is stationary. D 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 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 skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position R or D , the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train.
: 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 shifting
behavior is determined by: R
the selected drive program R
the position of the accelerator pedal 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 upshifts132
Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Holding the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients
G WARNING
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 vehicle
stationary on uphill gradients by depressing the
accelerator pedal. If the clutch overheats, a
warning tone sounds.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): the Stop Vehicle Shift to 'P'
Leave Engine Running display 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: the Trans. Oil
Overheated Drive on with Care display
message appears in the multifunction display.
Do not hold the vehicle stationary on uphill gra-
dients by depressing the accelerator pedal.
Instead, only ever hold the vehicle stationary on
uphill gradients by: R
depressing the brake pedal R
activating the HOLD function R
engaging the electric parking brake
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.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: it is only possible to
use kickdown in the automatic drive program
and the temporary manual drive program M .
When manual drive program M is permanently
activated, kickdown is not possible. For further information on kickdown in manual
drive program M ( Y
page 137).
Rocking the vehicle free Shifting the transmission repeatedly between
gears D and R may 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 D and 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 C is characterized by the follow-
ing: R
the vehicle delivers comfortable, economical
handling 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, for
example 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.
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive program S is characterized by the follow-
ing: R
sporty engine settings. R
the automatic transmission shifts up later.
The fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points.Automatic transmission 133
Driving and parking Z

Drive program I (Individual)In drive progra m I th e following properties of th e
drive progra m can be selected:R
th e drive (engin e and transmissio n manage-
ment) R
th e suspensio n (vehicles wit h dampin g sys-
te m or AM G adaptive sport suspensio n sys-
tem) R
th e steerin gR
th e availabilit y of th e ECO start/sto p functionR
th e climat e control
Information about configurin g drive progra m I
wit h th e multimedia system can be found in th e
Digital Operator' s Manual.
i To permanentl y select th e gear s in drive
progra m I usin g th e steerin g whee l paddl e
shifters , select th e M (manual) setting fo r th e
drive.
Drive program E (Economy)Drive progra m E is characterized by th e follow-
ing: R
comfort-oriented engin e settings.R
optimal fue l consumption resultin g from th e
automati c transmissio n shiftin g up sooner.R
th e vehicl e pulls away mor e gentl y in forwar d
and revers e gears, unless th e accelerato r
peda l is depressed fully.R
th e vehicl e has improved drivin g stability, fo r
exampl e on slipper y roa d surfaces.R
th e automati c transmissio n shiftin g up
sooner. This result s in th e vehicl e bein g driven
at lowe r en gin e s peeds and th e w
heels bein g
less likely to spin .R
glidin g mod e is activated automatically when
engine-internal condition s are fulfilled and
th e accelerato r is no t depressed. At th e sam e
time th e transmission’s clutc h opens and th e
vehicl e rolls freely usin g it s kineti c energy. As
a result great distances can be completed
without th e engin e brak e and fue l consump-
tion reduced.
i The availabilit y of glidin g mod e depend s on
various factors , includin g th e following :R
th e engin e and transmissio n temperatureR
th e downhill gradien tR
th e vehicl e speedR
performin g regular adaptation function s Whe n you depress th e brak e pedal, glidin g
mod e is deactivated, dependin g on peda l
pressure.
Whe n you activat e cruise control or Distanc e
Pilo t DISTRONIC, glidin g mod e is no t availa-
ble.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles Drive program I (Individual)In drive progra m I th e following properties of th e
drive progra m can be selected: R
th e drive (engin e management)R
th e transmissio n managemen tR
th e suspensio n (vehicles wit h AM G adaptive
sport suspensio n system)R
ES P ®
Information about configurin g drive progra m I
wit h th e multimedia system can be found in th e
Digital Operator' s Manual.
Drive program C (Comfort)Drive progra m C is characterized by th e follow-
ing: R
th e vehicl e deliver s comfortable, economical
handlin g characteristics .R
th e vehicl e pulls away mor e gentl y in forwar d
and revers e gears, unless th e accelerato r
peda l is depressed fully. R
th e vehicl e has improved drivin g stability, fo r
exampl e on slipper y roa d surfaces.R
optimal fue l consumption resultin g from th e
automati c transmissio n shiftin g up sooner.
The vehicl e is driven in th e low engin e speed
range and th e wheels are less likely to spin .R
glidin g mod e is available. R
th e ECO start/sto p function is available.
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive progra m S is characterized by th e follow-
ing: R
th e vehicl e exhibits sport y drivin g character-
istics . R
th e automati c transmissio n s hift s up later.
The fue l consumption possibl y bein g higher
as a result of th e later automati c transmissio n
shift points . R
th e suspensio n exhibits stiff springin g and
dampin g setting s (vehicles wit h AI R adaptive
sport suspensio n system) .134
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking