2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLC automatic transmission

To ensure that you do not roll backwards when
pulling away on an uphill slope, engage the elec-
tric parking brake. X
Press and hold handle C .
The electric parking brake continues to brake
and prevent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards.
The red I (USA only) or $ (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
remains on. X
Depress the accelerator pedal. X
As soon as the vehicle/trailer combination is
held by the driving force of the engine, release
lever C .
The electric parking brake is released.
The red I (USA only) or $ (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
goes out.
For further information on the electric parking
brake, see ( Y
page 155).
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forward 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 foot from
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.
Hill start assist is not active if: R
you are pulling away on a level road or on a
downhill gradient R
the transmission is in position \\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 stopped
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.
General notes
C
ECO start/stop display
The ECO start/stop function is activated when-
ever you start the engine using the SmartKey or
the Start/Stop button.
If the engine has been switched off automati-
cally by the ECO start/stop function, the

The ECO start/stop function is operational
when: R
the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green R
the outside temperature and the atmospheric
air pressure is within the range that is suitable
for the system R
the engine is at normal operating temperature 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
All of the vehicle's systems remain active when
the engine is stopped automatically.
The HOLD function can also be activated if the
engine has been switched off automatically. It is
then not necessary to continue applying the
brakes during the automatic stop phase. When
you depress the accelerator pedal, the engine
starts automatically and the braking effect of
the HOLD function is deactivated.
Automatic engine switch-off can take place a
maximum of four times in a row (initial stop, then
three subsequent stops).
Automatic engine start The engine starts automatically if: R
you switch off the ECO start/stop function by
pressing the ECO button R
you switch to drive program S+R
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: you permanently
activate manual gearshifting ( Y
page 145)R
in transmission position [ or \\ , the brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is not
active R
you depress the accelerator pedal R
you engage reverse gear ^R
you move the transmission out of position ]R
you unfasten your seat belt or open the driv-
er'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 condition of charge of the battery is too
low
Shifting the transmission to position ] does
not start the engine.
Deactivating or activating the ECO
start/stop function Mercedes-AMG vehicles
X
To deactivate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D goes out.X
To activate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.
If indicator lamp D is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been switched off manually or as
the result of a malfunction. The engine will then
not be switched off automatically when the vehi-
cle stops.
The ECO start/stop function is deactivated, if: R
you switch to drive program S+
( Y
page 139) R
you permanently activate manual gearshifting
( Y
page 145)
If you have permanently activated manual gear-
shifting and then press ECO button C , the ECO
start/stop function is switched on. Driving 137
Driving and parking Z

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high. X
Try to start the engine again ( Y
page 133).
If the engine still does not start: X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Vehicles with a gasoline
engine:
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 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 309). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and add coolant if necessary.
DYNAMIC SELECT switch
Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4MATIC
General information Select the drive program using the DYNAMIC
SELECT switch.
Available drive programs:
S+ Sport Plus Particularly sporty driving
characteristics
S Sport Sporty driving characteris-
tics
C Comfort Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics
E Economy Particularly economical
driving characteristics
I Individual Individual settings
Depending on the drive program selected the
following vehicle characteristics will change: R
the engine management R
the transmission management R
the suspension R
the steering R
the availability of the ECO start/stop function R
climate control R
the driver assistance systems R
the availability of gliding mode
Further information for automatic drive program
characteristics ( Y
page 144).
Additionally, in drive program I you can config-
ure the respective vehicle characteristics using
the multimedia system. You can find informa-
tion about this in the Digital Operator's Manual.
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 133).DYNAMIC SELECT switch 139
Driving and parking Z

drive program, regardless of the display in the
multimedia system display.
Available drive programs:
I Individual Individual settings
S+ Sport Plus Particularly sporty driving
characteristics
S Sport Sporty driving characteris-
tics
C Comfort Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics
E Economy Particularly economical
driving characteristics
Additional information for drive programs
( Y
page 144).
You can also change gear yourself using the
steering wheel paddle shifters. For further infor-
mation on the manual drive program
( Y
page 145).
Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position D or R ,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is
a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position D or R ,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
G WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position N when 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. DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions
]
Park position with parking lock ^
Reverse gear \\
Neutral [
Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to its
original position. The current transmission posi-
tion ] , ^ , \\ or [ is shown in the transmis-
sion position display on the multifunction dis-
play ( Y
page 142).
Selecting park position
! If the engine speed is too high or the vehicle
is coasting, do not shift the automatic trans-
mission directly from [ to ^ , from ^ to [
or directly to ] . Otherwise, the automatic
transmission may be damaged. X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direction
of arrow ] .
Engaging park position automatically Park position ] is automatically engaged if: R
you switch off the engine using the SmartKey
and remove the SmartKey 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
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 [ or ^
Under certain conditions, the automatic trans-
mission shifts automatically to transmission
position ] if the HOLD function or DISTRONICAutomatic transmission 141
Driving and parking Z

PLUS is activated. Observe the information on
the HOLD function ( Y
page 172) and on
DISTRONIC PLUS ( Y
page 167).
Engaging reverse gear
! Only move the automatic transmission to
^ when the vehicle is stationary.X
Depress the brake pedal. X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
The ECO start/stop function is not available
when reverse gear is engaged. Further informa-
tion on the ECO start/stop function
( Y
page 136).
Shifting to neutral
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
shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position PR
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. X
If the transmission is in position [ or ^ :
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to
the first point of resistance. X
If the transmission is in position ] : 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 ^ or [ , the automatic trans-
mission shifts to \\ automatically. With the SmartKey: if you then open the driv-
er's door or the front-passenger door or remove
the SmartKey from the ignition, the automatic
transmission shifts to ] automatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts automatically
to ] .
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral \\ , e.g. when having the vehi-
cle 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 SmartKey into the ignition lock. X
All vehicles: switch the ignition on. X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed. X
Engage neutral \\ .X
Release the brake pedal. X
Release the electric parking brake. X
Switch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position X
If the transmission is in position ^ or \\ :
push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the
first point of resistance. X
If the transmission is in position ] : 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 in the multifunction display.
C
Status symbol drive program
D
Transmission position

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 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 [ and
drive program E or S .
Transmission positions E Park position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped.
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion ] ( Y
page 141) when the vehi-
cle is stationary. The parking lock
should not be used as a brake when
parking. Always apply the electronic
parking brake in addition to the park-
ing lock in order to secure the vehi-
cle.
Park position ] 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
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 [ or
^
In the event of a malfunction of the
vehicle's electronics, the transmis-
sion may lock in position ] . Have
the vehicle electronics checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
F Reverse gear
You can only shift the transmission
into position ^ when the vehicle is
stationary ( Y
page 142). D Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to \\
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 \\ if the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position ^ or [ ,
the automatic transmission shifts to
\\ automatically.
! Coasting in neutral \\ may
cause damage to the drive train.
: Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts through the
individual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position [ . This automatic gear shift-
ing 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 upshifts
Double-clutch function
When shifting down, the double-clutch function
is active regardless of the currently selected
drive program. The double-clutch functionAutomatic transmission 143
Driving and parking Z

reduces load change reactions and is conducive
to a sporty driving style. The sound generated by
the double-clutch function depends on the drive
program selected.
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 (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Gliding mode is characterized by the following: R
The combustion engine is disconnected from
the drive train. R
The engine speed corresponds to the idling
speed. R
The multifunction display shows the status
icon C for the drive program's status icon.
In drive programs E and C , you can deactivate
and activate gliding mode using the ECO button
( Y
page 137).
Gliding mode can be activated under the follow-
ing conditions: R
the speed is within a suitable range. R
the course of the road is suitable, e.g. there
are no steep up 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 use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch
the transmission position ( Y
page 141).R
you switch to drive program S+ or S
( Y
page 139). R
you activate manual gearshifting
( Y
page 145). 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 Operator's Manual.
Towing a trailer X
Drive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients. X
Manual shifting: depending on the uphill or
downhill gradient, shift into a gear
( Y
page 145), in which the engine will run the
middle of the engine speed range.
This also applies if cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS is 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 about configuring drive program I
with the multimedia system can be found under
"DYNAMIC SELECT" in the vehicle's Digital
Operator's Manual.
i To permanently select the gears in drive
program I using the steering wheel paddle
shifters, select the M (manual) setting for the
drive.
Drive program S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive program S+ is characterized 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.
the fuel consumption possibly being higher as144
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points. R
the suspension exhibits particularly stiff
springing and damping settings (vehicles with
AIR BODY CONTROL). R
gliding mode is not available (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles). R
the ECO start/stop function is not available.
Drive program S (Sport) Drive program S is characterized 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.
the fuel consumption possibly being higher as
a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points. R
the suspension exhibits particularly stiff
springing and damping settings (vehicles with
AIR BODY CONTROL). R
gliding mode is not available (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles). R
the ECO start/stop function is not available.
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. R
gliding mode is not available (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles). Drive program E (Economy) Drive program E is characterized by the follow-
ing: R
the vehicle exhibits 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. R
during deceleration, the engine is disconnec-
ted from the drive train. The vehicle uses
kinetic energy and consumes less fuel. R
the cooling and heating output of the climate
control system has been reduced.
Manual gear shifting
General notes You can change gear yourself using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must be
in position [ to do this.
Depending on which steering wheel paddle
shifter is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear down or
up, if permitted.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: to use manual shift-
ing, 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 [ .
If you deactivate manual gearshifting, the gears
will be shifted automatically again.Automatic transmission 145
Driving and parking Z