2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA brake

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

Problems with fuel and the fuel tank
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
Fuel is leaking from thevehicle.The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
GWARNING
Risk of explosion or fire.
XApply the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the engine.
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
or, in vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-function or KEYLESS‑GO
XOpen the driver's door.The vehicle electronics are now in positionZ. This is the sameas the SmartKey being removed from the ignition.
XDo not restart the engine under any circumstances.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The fuel filler flap can-not be opened.The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
XUnlock the vehicle (Ypage 69).
The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
XUnlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Ypage 76).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-med.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
Parking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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-
rials come into contact with parts of the
vehicle which are hot. Take particular care
not to park on dry grassland or harvested
grain fields.
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could:
Roperate the vehicle's equipment
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake
Rshift the automatic transmission out of
park position]
Rstart the engine
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave children or animals unattended
in the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. This
also applies for the Digital Vehicle Key if the
"Digital Vehicle Key" function is activated via
Mercedes me connect.
!Always secure the vehicle correctly againstrolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or itsdrivetrain could be damaged.
Parking145
Driving and parking
Z

To ensure that the vehicle is secured againstrolling away unintentionally:
Rthe electric parking brake must be applied.
Rthe transmission must be in position]andthe transmission position display must show]in the multifunction display.
Rthe SmartKey must be removed from theignition lock.
Ron uphill or downhill gradients, the frontwheels must be turned towards the curb.
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes
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.
Automatic transmission
XApply the electric parking brake.
XAll vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-cles):shift the transmission to position].
XMercedes-AMG vehicles:press buttonC.
XWith the SmartKey :turn the SmartKey topositionZin the ignition lock and removeit.The immobilizer is activated.
XWith the Start/Stop button:press theStart/Stop button (Ypage 125).The engine stops and all the indicator lampsin the instrument cluster go out.
If the driver's door is closed, this is thesame as key positionG. If the driver's dooris open, this is the same as key positionZ,i.e. the SmartKey having been removed.
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 orremove the SmartKey from the ignition, theautomatic transmission shifts to]automati-cally.
With the Start/Stop button:if you then openthe driver's door or the front-passenger door,the automatic transmission shifts to]auto-matically.
If you want the automatic transmission toremain in neutral\\, e.g. when having thevehicle cleaned in an automatic car wash witha towing system:
XVehicles with the Start-Stop button:remove the Start-Stop button from the igni-tion lock.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XAll vehicles:switch the ignition on.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep itdepressed.
XEngage neutral\\.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the Smart-Key in the ignition lock.
Electric parking brake
General notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could:
Roperate the vehicle's equipment
146Parking
Driving and parking

Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake
Rshift the automatic transmission out of
park position]
Rstart the engine
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave children or animals unattended
in the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. This
also applies for the Digital Vehicle Key if the
"Digital Vehicle Key" function is activated via
Mercedes me connect.
The function of the electric parking brake isdependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-board voltage is low or there is a malfunctionin the system, it may not be possible to applythe released parking brake.
XIf this is the case, only park the vehicle onlevel ground and secure it to prevent it roll-ing away.
XShift the automatic transmission to position].
It may not be possible to release an appliedparking brake if the on-board voltage is low orthere is a malfunction in the system. Contact aqualified specialist workshop.
The electric parking brake performs a functiontest at regular intervals while the engine isswitched off. The sounds that can be heardwhile this is occurring are normal.
Applying or releasing manually
XTo apply:push handleC.When the electric parking brake is applied,the redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp lights up in the instru-ment cluster.
The electric parking brake can also beapplied when the SmartKey is removed.
XTo release:pull handleC.The redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-ter goes out.
The electric parking brake can only bereleased:
Rif the SmartKey is in positionGorHinthe ignition lock (Ypage 125) or
Rif the ignition was switched on using theStart/Stop button
Applying automatically
The electric parking brake is automaticallyapplied when the transmission is in position]and:
Rthe engine is switched off or
Rthe driver is not wearing a seat belt and thedriver's door is opened
To prevent the electric parking brake frombeing automatically applied, pull handleC.
The electric parking brake is also applied auto-matically if:
RActive Distance Assist DISTRONIC bringsthe vehicle to a standstill or
RThe HOLD function is keeping the vehiclestationary
RActive Parking Assist is keeping the vehiclestationary
In addition, at least one of the following condi-tions must be fulfilled:
RThe engine is switched off
RThe driver is not wearing a seat belt and thedriver's door is opened
RThere is a system malfunction
RThe power supply is insufficient
RThe vehicle is stationary for a long period oftime
The redI(USA only) or$(Canadaonly) indicator lamp in the instrument clustergoes out.
Parking147
Driving an d parking
Z

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

The ECO display consists of three sections,with an inner and outer area. The sections cor-respond to the following three categories:
CAcceleration(evaluation of theacceleration processes):
Rthe outer area fills up and theinner area lights up green: moder-ate acceleration, especially athigher speeds
Rthe outer area empties and theinner area is gray: sporty acceler-ation
DCoasting(evaluation of all deceler-ation processes):
Rthe outer area fills up and theinner area lights up green: antici-patory driving, keeping your dis-tance and early release of theaccelerator. The vehicle cancoast without use of the brakes.
Rthe outer area empties and theinner area is gray: frequent heavybraking

take advantage of engine braking. For thisyou must first activate manual gearshifting.This helps you to avoid overheating thebrakes and wearing them out excessively.
When you take advantage of engine braking,it is possible that a drive wheel will notrotate for some time, e.g. on a slippery roadsurface. This could cause damage to thedrive train. This type of damage is not cov-ered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal ondownhill gradients while the manual drive pro-gramMis temporarily activated: the automatictransmission may switch to the last activeautomatic drive programEorS. The automatictransmission may shift to a higher gear. Thiscan reduce the engine's braking effect.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving, the braking system can over-
heat. This increases the stopping distance
and can even cause the braking system to
fail. There is a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest.
Never depress the brake pedal and the
accelerator pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantlyresults in excessive and premature wear tothe brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavyload, do not stop the vehicle immediately.Drive on for a short while. This allows the air-flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rainwithout braking, there may be a delayed reac-tion from the brakes when braking for the firsttime. This may also occur after the vehicle hasbeen washed or driven through deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal morefirmly. Maintain a greater distance from thevehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-cle washed, brake firmly while paying attentionto the traffic conditions. This will warm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quicklyand protecting them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt resi-due may form on the brake discs and brakepads. This can result in a significantly longerbraking distance.
RIn order to prevent any salt build-up, applythe brakes occasionally while paying atten-tion to the traffic conditions.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and thebeginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicleahead.
Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up inthe instrument cluster and
Ryou hear a warning tone while the engineis running
Observe additional warning messages in themultifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due tobrake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immedi-ately. Consult a qualified specialist work-shop to arrange this.
!A function or performance test should onlybe carried out on a 2-axle dynamometer. Ifyou wish to operate the vehicle on such adynamometer, please consult a qualifiedspecialist workshop in advance. You couldotherwise damage the drive train or thebrake system.
!As the ESP®system operates automati-cally, the engine and the ignition must beswitched off (the SmartKey must be in posi-tion