2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA steering

Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position:
orF, the vehicle could pull away sud-
denly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position:
orF, always firmly depress the brake
pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral positionNwhen 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 positionP. Prevent the parked
vehicle from rolling away by applying the
parking brake.
DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions
]Park position with parking lock
^Reverse gear
\\Neutral
[Drive
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-cles):the DIRECT SELECT lever is on the rightof the steering column.
For information on the selector lever inMercedes-AMG vehicles (Ypage 136).
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to itsoriginal position. The current transmissionposition],^,\\or[is shown in thetransmission position display in the multifunc-tion display (Ypage 134).
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
The current transmission position and driveprogram appear in the multifunction display.
CTransmission position display
DGear

Holding the vehicle stationary on
uphill gradients
GWARNING
If the clutch overheats, the electronic man-
agement system is automatically deactiva-
ted. This interrupts the power transmission.
The vehicle may, for example, roll back-
wards 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'Stop Vehicle Shift to 'P'
Leave Engine RunningLeave Engine Runningdisplay messageappears in the multifunction display. You willonly be able to continue your journey once theclutch has cooled down and the display mes-sage in the multifunction display has disap-peared.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles:theTrans. OilTrans. Oil
Overheated Drive on with CareOverheated Drive on with Caredisplaymessage appears in the multifunction display.
Do not hold the vehicle stationary on uphillgradients by depressing the accelerator pedal.Instead, only ever hold the vehicle stationaryon 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 thepressure point.The automatic transmission shifts to a lowergear depending on the engine speed.
XEase off the accelerator pedal once thedesired speed is reached.The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles:it is only possibleto use kickdown in the automatic drive pro-gram and the temporary manual drive programM. When manual drive programMis perma-nently activated, kickdown is not possible.
For further information on kickdown in manualdrive programM(Ypage 142).
Rocking the vehicle free
Shifting back and forth between transmissionpositions[and^can help to free up thevehicle if it gets stuck in mud or snow. Thevehicle's engine management system limitsthe speed to a maximum of 5 mph (9 km/h)when shifting back and forth. To shift repeat-edly between transmission positions[and^, move the DIRECT SELECT lever up anddown past the point of resistance.
Drive programs
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG
vehicles)
Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive programCis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rthe vehicle delivers comfortable, economicalhandling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently inforward and reverse gears, unless the accel-erator pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle has improved driving stability,for example on slippery road surfaces.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from theautomatic transmission shifting up sooner.The vehicle is driven in the low engine speedrange and the wheels are less likely to spin.
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive programSis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rsporty engine settings.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.The fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Drive program I (Individual)
In drive programIthe following properties ofthe drive program can be selected:
Rthe drive (engine and transmission manage-ment)
Rthe steering
138Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Rthe availability of the ECO start/stop func-tion
Rthe climate control
Information about configuring drive programIwith the multimedia system can be found inthe Digital Operator's Manual.
iTo permanently select the gears in driveprogramIusing the steering wheel paddleshifters, select theM(manual) setting forthe drive.
Offroad drive program
TheOff-roaddrive program is characterizedby the following:
Rthe vehicle exhibits optimal driving charac-teristics on easily negotiable off-road ter-rain.
Drive program E (Economy)
Drive programEis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rcomfort-oriented engine settings.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from theautomatic transmission shifting up sooner.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently inforward and reverse gears, unless the accel-erator pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle has improved driving stability,for example on slippery road surfaces.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting upsooner. This results in the vehicle beingdriven at lower engine speeds and thewheels being less likely to spin.
Rgliding mode is activated automaticallywhen engine-internal conditions are fulfilledand the accelerator is not depressed. At thesame time the transmission’s clutch opensand the vehicle rolls freely using its kineticenergy. As a result great distances can becompleted without the engine brake andfuel consumption reduced.
iThe availability of gliding mode depends onvarious factors, including the following:
Rthe engine and transmission temperature
Rthe downhill gradient
Rthe vehicle speed
Rperforming regular adaptation functions
When you depress the brake pedal, glidingmode is deactivated, depending on pedalpressure.
When you activate cruise control or ActiveDistance Assist DISTRONIC, gliding mode isnot available.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
Drive program I (Individual)
In drive programIthe following properties ofthe drive program can be selected:
Rthe drive (engine management)
Rthe transmission management
Rthe suspension (vehicles with AMG adaptivesport suspension system)
RESP®
Information about configuring drive programIwith the multimedia system can be found inthe Digital Operator's Manual.
Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive programCis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rthe vehicle delivers comfortable, economicalhandling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently inforward and reverse gears, unless the accel-erator pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle has improved driving stability,for example on slippery road surfaces.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from theautomatic transmission shifting up sooner.The vehicle is driven in the low engine speedrange and the wheels are less likely to spin.
Rgliding mode is available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is available.
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive programSis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits sporty driving character-istics.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.The fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits stiff springing anddamping settings (vehicles with AIR adaptivesport suspension system).
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
Automatic transmission139
Driving an d parking
Z

Drive program S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive programS+is characterized by the fol-lowing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driv-ing characteristics.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.
Rthe fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly stiffspringing and damping settings (vehicleswith AMG adaptive sport suspension sys-tem).
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
Drive program RACE (vehicles with AMG
adaptive sport suspension system)
iThe RACE drive program may not be usedon normal roads. RACE must only be activa-ted and used on dedicated race circuits, noton public roads.
TheRACEdrive program is characterized bythe following:
Rthe vehicle exhibits driving characteristicssuitable for the racetrack.
Rall vehicle systems are set for maximumsportiness.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.
Rthe fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly stiffspringing and damping settings.
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
Manual gearshifting
General notes
You can change gear yourself using the steer-ing wheel paddle shifters. The transmissionmust be in position[to do this.
Depending on which steering wheel paddleshifter is pulled, the automatic transmissionimmediately shifts into the next gear down orup, if permitted.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles:to use manual shift-ing, you have two options:
Rtemporary setting
Rpermanent setting
If you activate manual gearshifting, the multi-function display will show the current gearinstead of transmission position[.
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, the gearswill be selected automatically.
Temporary setting
XTo activate:shift the DIRECT SELECT leverto position[.
XPull steering wheel paddle shifterCorD.
Temporary setting will be active for a certainamount of time. Under certain conditions theminimum amount of time is extended, e.g. inthe case of lateral acceleration, during anoverrun phase or when driving on steep ter-rain.
XTo deactivate:pull steering wheel paddleshifterDand hold it in place.
or
XUse the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch thetransmission position.
or
XAll vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-cles): use the DYNAMIC SELECT button tochange the drive program.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: use the DYNAMICSELECT controller to change the drive pro-gram.
140Automatic transmission
Driving and pa rking

Permanent setting (Mercedes-AMG
vehicles)
XTo activate:shift the selector lever to[.
XPress buttonC.
XTo deactivate:press buttonC.
or
XIf position D (automatic transmission) isselected for the transmission in drive pro-gramI: shift to drive programIwith theDYNAMIC SELECT controller.
Shifting gears
!Mercedes-AMG vehicles:the automatictransmission does not shift up automaticallyeven when the engine limiting speed for thecurrent gear is reached. When the enginelimiting speed is reached, the fuel supply iscut to prevent the engine from overrevving.Always make sure that the engine speeddoes not reach the red area of the tachome-ter. There is otherwise a risk of engine dam-age.
XTo shift up:pull steering wheel paddleshifterD.The automatic transmission shifts up to thenext gear.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-cles):if the maximum engine speed on thecurrently engaged gear is reached and youcontinue to accelerate, the automatic trans-mission automatically shifts up in order toprevent engine damage.
XTo shift down:pull steering wheel paddleshifterC.The automatic transmission shifts down tothe next gear.
Automatic down shifting occurs when coast-ing.
If the engine exceeds the maximum enginespeed when shifting down, the automatictransmission protects against engine dam-age by not shifting down.
Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you inadopting an economical driving style. The rec-ommended gear is shown in the multifunctiondisplay.
XShift to recommended gearDaccording togearshift recommendationCwhen shownin the multifunction display.
Upshifting (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
!In manual mode, the automatic transmis-sion does not shift up automatically evenwhen the engine limiting speed for the cur-rent gear is reached. When the engine limit-ing speed is reached, the fuel supply is cutto prevent the engine from overrevving.Always make sure that the engine speeddoes not reach the red area of the tachome-ter. There is otherwise a risk of engine dam-age.
Automatic transmission141
Driving and parking
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Before the engine speed reaches the red area,an upshift indicator will be shown in the multi-function display.
XShift to recommended gearCwhen mes-sageDis shown in the multifunction dis-play.
Kickdown
XFor maximum acceleration, depress theaccelerator pedal beyond the pressurepoint.The automatic transmission shifts to a lowergear depending on the engine speed.
XShift back up once the desired speed isreached.
During kickdown, you cannot shift gears usingthe steering wheel paddle shifters.
If you apply full throttle, the automatic trans-mission shifts up to the next gear when themaximum engine speed is reached. This pre-vents the engine from overrevving.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles:it is only possibleto use kickdown in temporary manual driveprogramM. When manual drive programMispermanently activated, kickdown is not possi-ble.
Problems with the transmission
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
The transmission hasproblems shifting gear.The transmission is losing oil.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshopimmediately.
The acceleration abilityis deteriorating.
The transmission nolonger shifts into all ofthe gears.
Reverse gear can nolonger be engaged.
The transmission is in emergency mode.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the transmission to position].
XSwitch off the engine.
XWait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
XShift the transmission to position[.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshopimmediately.
Refueling
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. Risk of fire and
explosion by improper handling of fuel.
You must avoid fire, open flames, smoking
and creating sparks. Switch off the ignition
before refueling and, if present, switch off
the auxiliary heating.
142Refueling
Driving and parking

The electric parking brake is not automaticallyapplied if the engine is switched off by theECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically
Your vehicle's electric parking brake is auto-matically released if all of the following condi-tions are met:
RThe engine is running
RThe transmission is in position[or^andyou depress the accelerator pedal or shiftfrom position]to[or^
RThe seat belt is fastened
If the transmission is in position^, the tail-gate must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the followingconditions must be fulfilled to automaticallyrelease the electric parking brake:
RThe driver's door is closed.
RYou are shifting from transmission position]or have previously driven at speedsgreater than 2 mph (3 km/h)
Ensure that you do not depress the accelera-tor pedal unintentionally. Otherwise, the park-ing brake will be released and the vehicle willstart to move.
Emergency braking
The vehicle can also be braked during anemergency by using the electric parking brake.
XWhile driving, push handleCof the electricparking brake (Ypage 147).The vehicle is braked as long as you keephandleCof the electric parking brakepressed. The longer the electric parkingbrake handleCis depressed, the greaterthe braking force.
During braking:
Ra warning tone sounds
RtheRelease Parking BrakeRelease Parking Brakemessageappears
Rthe redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-ter flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-still, the electric parking brake is applied.
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer thanfour weeks, the battery may be damaged byexhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer thansix weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as aresult of lack of use.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop andseek advice.
iYou can obtain information about tricklechargers from a qualified specialist work-shop.
Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could
affect, for example, the power steering and
the brake boosting effect. You will require
considerably more effort to steer and brake.
There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment when driving, you may be distracted
from the traffic situation. You could also
lose control of the vehicle. There is a risk of
an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the countryin which you are driving. Some jurisdictionsprohibit the driver from using a mobile phonewhile driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always usehands-free mode. Only operate the telephonewhen the traffic situation permits. If you areunsure, pull over to a safe location and stopbefore operating the telephone.
148Driving tips
Driving and parking

For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or inconditions in which hydroplaning may occur,you must drive in the following manner:
Rlower your speed
Ravoid ruts
Ravoid sudden steering movements
Rbrake carefully
Driving on flooded roads
!Bear in mind that vehicles traveling in frontor in the opposite direction create waves.This may cause the maximum permissiblewater depth to be exceeded.
Failure to observe these notes may result indamage to the engine, electrical systemsand transmission.
If you have to drive on stretches of road onwhich water has collected, please bear in mindthat:
Rin the case of standing water, the waterlevel may be no higher than the lower edgeof the vehicle body
Ryou should drive no faster than walking pace
Winter driving
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface
in an attempt to increase the engine's brak-
ing effect, the drive wheels could lose their
grip. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
GDANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter
the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehi-
cle becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk
of fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heat-
ing running, make sure the exhaust pipe and
area around the vehicle are clear of snow.
To ensure an adequate supply of fresh air,
open a window on the side of the vehicle
that is not facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualifiedspecialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery roadsurfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steeringand braking maneuvers. Do not use cruisecontrol or Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot bestopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position\\.
XTry to bring the vehicle under control usingcorrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is notdesigned to serve as an ice-warning deviceand is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.Changes in the outside temperature are dis-played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezingpoint do not guarantee that the road surface isfree of ice. The road may still be icy, especiallyin wooded areas or on bridges.
You should pay special attention to road con-ditions when temperatures are around freezingpoint.
For more information on driving with snowchains, see (Ypage 307).
For more information on driving with summertires, see (Ypage 306).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"section (Ypage 306).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
Driving tips153
Driving and parking
Z