2019 MERCEDES-BENZ METRIS automatic transmission

Selecting transmission positions
!If the engine speed is too high or the vehicle
is moving, do not shift the automatic trans-
mission directly from Dto R, from Rto Dor
directly to P. The automatic transmission
could otherwise be damaged.
!Only shift the automatic transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary.
XIf park position Pis selected, depress the
brake pedal to change the transmission posi-
tion.
XDrive position D: push the DIRECT SELECT
lever down beyond the 1st point of resist-
ance.
XReverse gear R: push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up beyond the 1st point of resistance.
iThe ECO start/stop function is not available
when reverse gear is engaged. Further infor-
mation can be found under "ECO start/stop
function" (
Ypage 125).
XNeutral N: push the DIRECT SELECT lever up
or down as far as the 1st point of resistance.
iWhen you switch off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
XPark position P: press the button of the
DIRECT SELECT lever in the direction of arrow
P.
Park position Pis engaged automatically if you:
Rremove the key
Ropen the driver's door while the vehicle is sta-
tionary or traveling at very low speeds and the
transmission is in position Dor R
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral Nafter you switch off the
engine, you must leave the key in the ignition
lock. This is necessary, for example, when wash-
ing the vehicle in a car wash with a conveyor.
Transmission positions
BPark position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped. Do not shift the
transmission into position Punless
the vehicle is stationary.
The automatic transmission shifts to P automatically if you:
Rremove the key
Ropen the driver's door while the
vehicle is stationary or traveling at
very low speeds and the transmis-
sion is in position Dor R.
The parking lock should not be used
as a brake when parking. Always
apply the parking brake as well once
you have parked the vehicle.
CReverse gear
Only shift the transmission to Rwhen
the vehicle is stationary.
ANeutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels. Releasing
the brakes will allow you to move the
vehicle freely, e.g. by pushing or tow-
ing.
If ESP
®is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission to position Nif the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
When you switch off the engine, the
automatic transmission automati-
cally shifts into neutral N.
!If the engine is switched off, roll-
ing in neutral Ncan damage the
power transmission and result in
transmission damage.
7Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear itself. All forward gears are avail-
able.
You can influence gearshifts with
your choice of drive program. You
can also restrict the shift range.
Automatic transmission129
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Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
:Drive program
;Current transmission position orcurrent gear in drive program M
=Shift range, if restricted
The transmission positions and current drive
program :are shown at the bottom of the
instrument cluster display. The current trans-
mission position is highlighted.
In drive program M, the transmission position
indicator shows the current gear in position D
(
Ypage 132).
If you restrict the shift range, the transmission
position indicator shows the current transmis-
sion position plus restricted shift range =, e.g.
D2 (
Ypage 130).
The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission positions
you can change using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
Changing gear
The 7-speed automatic transmission adapts to
your individual driving style by continuously
adjusting its shift points. These shift point
adjustments take into account the current oper-
ating and driving conditions. If the operating or
driving conditions change, the automatic trans-
mission reacts by adjusting the gearshift pro-
gram.
The 7-speed automatic transmission shifts to
the individual gears automatically when it is in
transmission position h. This depends on:
Rthe drive program selected (Ypage 131)
Rany restriction in the shift range
(Ypage 130)
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
Rthe road speed
You can also change gear manually if you select
drive program M(
Ypage 132).
Shift ranges
:To shift down and restrict the shift range
;To shift up and derestrict the shift range
In transmission position Dand drive programs E
and C, you can use the steering wheel paddle
shifters to change gear yourself and restrict or
derestrict the shift range of the automatic trans-
mission.
XTo shift down and restrict the shift range:
briefly pull left steering wheel paddle
shifter :.
The automatic transmission shifts to the next
gear down, depending on the gear currently
engaged. The shift range is also restricted.
The transmission position indicator also
shows the set shift range, e.g. D2. The auto-
matic transmission shifts only as far as the
relevant gear.
or
XPull and hold left steering wheel paddle
shifter :.
The automatic transmission will shift to a
range which allows easy acceleration and
deceleration. To do this, the automatic trans-
mission shifts down one or more gears and
restricts the shift range.
The transmission position indicator also
shows the set shift range, e.g. D2. The auto-
matic transmission shifts only as far as the
relevant gear.
The automatic transmission does not shift
down if you pull the left steering whee l p
addle
shifter whilst traveling at too high a speed. If
the maximum engine speed for the restricted
shift range is reached and you continue to
depress the accelerator pedal, the automatic transmission will shift up automatically. This
protects the engine from overrevving.
130Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

XTo shift up and extend the shift range:
briefly pull right steering wheel paddle
shifter;.
The automatic transmission shifts to the next gear up, depending on the gear currently
engaged. This derestricts the shift range at
the same time.
If the display shows only transmission posi-
tion D, the shift range restriction is canceled.
XTo derestrict the shift range: pull and hold
right steering wheel paddle shifter ;.
The automatic transmission shifts up one or
more gears depending on the gear currently
engaged. At the same time, the shift range
restriction is canceled and the display shows
transmission position D.
Shift ranges and driving situations
=Use the engine's braking effect.
5Use the braking effect of the engine
on steep downhill gradients and for
driving:
Ron steep mountain roads
Rin mountainous terrain
Rin arduous conditions
4Use the braking effect of the engine
on extremely steep downhill gradi-
ents and long downhill stretches.
Drive programs
General notes
You can use the program selector button to
choose between different drive programs for the
automatic transmission. Engine management
and the gearshifting characteristics of the auto-
matic transmission change depending on which
drive program is selected. Thus, a more comfort-
oriented or a more economical driving style is
supported, depending on the wish of the driver.
Selecting drive program Mdeactivates auto-
matic gearshifting, requiring that you change
gear manually.
After the engine is started, the automatic trans-
mission automatically switches to drive pro-
gram C(Comfort) for a comfortable and eco-
nomical driving style.
Program selector button
XPress the Éprogram selector button
repeatedly until the desired drive program is
selected.
The display shows the letter of the selected
drive program at the top of the transmission
position indicator (
Ypage 130).
M ManualManual gearshifting
CComfortComfortable, economical
driving style
EEcoParticularly economical
driving style
Drive program (M)
The Manual drive program is characterized by
the following:
RThe automatic transmission must be shifted
manually at all times. the automatic trans-
mission does not shift up automatically even
when the maximum engine speed is reached
(
Ypage 132).
RThe ECO start/stop function must be activa-
ted manually.
Drive program C
Drive program Comforthas the following char-
acteristics:
RThe vehicle delivers comfortable, economical handling characteristics.
ROptimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
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RIncreased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for exam-
ple.
RThe automatic transmission shifts up sooner.
The vehicle thus maintains lower engine
speeds.
Drive program E
Drive programEcohas the following character-
istics:
RThe vehicle exhibits particularly economical
handling characteristics.
RThe maximum available engine torque is
reduced.
ROptimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting down signifi-
cantly later and up significantly sooner, even
at full-load operation.
No shift point adjustment for adapting to indi-
vidual, dynamic driving styles.
In kickdown, the automatic transmission
automatically shifts to drive program C.
RIncreased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for exam-
ple.
Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rlots of throttle: later upshifts
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to the next
gear down, depending on the engine speed.
XEase off on the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts up again.
Rocking the vehicle free
At speeds up to 5 mph (9 km/h) you can switch
back and forth between drive position Dand
reverse gear Rwithout applying the brakes. This
helps when rocking the vehicle out of snow or
slush.
XPush the DIRECT SELECT lever alternately up
and down beyond the first point of resistance.
Towing a trailer
XDepending on the downhill gradient, limit the
shift range (Ypage 130) or shift manually into
a lower gear (Ypage 132) in which the engine
will operate in the middle of the engine speed
range. This also applies if cruise control is
activated.
Manual gearshifting
General notes
If you select drive program M, automatic gear-
shifting is deactivated and manual gearshifting
is automatically activated. You must then per-
manently change gear yourself for as long as the
drive program is selected.
Permanent manual gearshifting is deactivated
automatically when you switch from drive pro-
gram Mto another drive program. The auto-
matic transmission then shifts gears automati-
cally. The display shows the selected drive pro-
gram and transmission position Dagain.
Shifting gears
:To shift down
;To shift up
132Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

The drive program display showsMand the
transmission position indicator shows the selec-
ted gear.
XTo shift up: briefly pull right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter ;.
If the engine speed is sufficient, the automatic
transmission shifts up to the next gear.
If the maximum engine speed is reached in
the currently engaged gear and you continue
to accelerate, the automatic transmission will
not shift up automatically. Always make sure
that the engine speed does not reach the red
area of the tachometer. Observe the gearshift
recommendation in the display (
Ypage 133).
When the engine reaches its maximum speed, the fuel supply is cut to prevent the engine
from overrevving.
XTo shift down: pull briefly on left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter :.
Provided that the engine will not exceed its
maximum speed when shifting down, the
automatic transmission shifts down to the
next gear.
or
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter until the automatic transmission
selects the optimum gear for the current
speed.
iWhen coasting, the automatic transmission
shifts down automatically.
Gearshift recommendation
:Gearshift direction
;Recommended gear
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style.
XWhen the display shows the gearshift recom-
mendation, shift to recommended gear ;.
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GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
Rstart 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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
!Always secure the vehicle correctly against
rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or its driv-
etrain could be damaged.
!When the vehicle is parked, always remove
the key to prevent the battery from becoming
discharged.
Always park your vehicle safely and secure it
against rolling away. When parking, observe the
legal requirements of the country in which you
are currently driving.
To ensure that the vehicle is properly secured
against rolling away unintentionally:
Rthe parking brake must be firmly applied
Rthe transmission must be in position Pand the
key must be removed from the ignition lock
Ron steep uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the curb
Parking brake
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
Rstart 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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
GWARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi-
cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again.
The brake lamps are not illuminated when you
brake the vehicle using the parking brake.
As a rule, you may only apply the parking brake
when the vehicle is stationary.
XTo apply the parking brake: depress park-
ing brake pedal ;firmly.
The red F(only USA) or J(only Can-
ada) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up if the engine is running.
XTo release the parking brake: depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
XPull release handle :.
The parking brake is released abruptly. The
red F (only USA) or J(only Canada)
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster goes
out.
Exceptionally, if the service brake fails, the park-
ing brake can be used to brake the vehicle in an
emergency.
XEmergency braking: pull release handle:
and gradually depress parking brake
pedal ;.
136Parking
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Switching off the engine
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
!If the coolant temperature is very high, e.g.
after driving on hilly roads, leave the engine
running at idle speed for about two minutes
before turning it off.
This allows the coolant temperature to return
to normal.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XApply the parking brake.
XTurn the key to position0in the ignition lock
and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
If you then open one of the front doors or
remove the key from the ignition, the auto-
matic transmission automatically shifts to P.
If you shift the automatic transmission to N
before switching off the engine, the automatic
transmission remains in Neven if a front door
is opened.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away (Ypage 135).
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
XDisconnect the battery (Ypage 261).
or
XConnect the battery to a trickle charger.
Be sure to observe the notes on charging the batteries (
Ypage 264).
You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than 6
weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a
result of lack of use.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop and seek
advice.
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 while driving, you will be distracted from traffic conditions. You could also lose control
of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements of the country in
which you are driving. Some jurisdictions pro-
hibit the driver from using a mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
Driving tips137
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110 yds (100 m) at a maximum speed of 12 mph(20 km/h).
The brake lamps are not illuminated when you
brake the vehicle using the parking brake.
Driving in wet conditions
Hydroplaning
GWARNING
There is a danger of hydroplaning occurring,
even if you are driving slowly and your tires
have sufficient tread depth, depending on the
depth of water on the road. There is a risk of
an accident.
For this reason, avoid tire ruts and brake care-
fully.
Therefore, in heavy rain or other conditions in
which hydroplaning can occur, drive as follows:
Rreduce your speed
Ravoid tire ruts
Rapply the brakes with care
Driving on flooded roads
!Do not drive through flooded areas. Check
the depth of any water before driving through
it. Drive slowly through standing water. Oth-
erwise, water may enter the vehicle interior or
the engine compartment. This can damage
the electronic components in the engine or
the automatic transmission. Water can also
be drawn in by the engine's air suction nozzles
and this can cause engine damage.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on which
water has collected, please bear in mind that:
Rthe water level of standing water should not
be above the lower edge of the front bumper
Rdo not drive faster than walking speed
Driving in winter
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
!An accumulation of snow and ice, particu-
larly when frozen, caught in the area around
the air intake slots, moving parts, the axles
and the wheel arches may:
Rrestrict air intake
Rdamage vehicle parts
Rcause malfunctions by restricting the mobi-
lity intended by the design (e.g. reduced
possible steering input).
Regularly check the vehicle and remove snow
or ice when traveling in wintry conditions.
If there is any damage, inform a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
!Vehicles with automatic transmission may
roll only briefly in the neutral position N. Pro-
longed rolling of the wheels, e.g. when being
towed, will result in transmission damage.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery roads.
Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and braking
maneuvers. Do not use cruise control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position N.
XTry to maintain control of the vehicle using
corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges. If you do not adjust
your driving style, the vehicle may start to skid.
Al

ways adapt your driving style and drive at a
speed to suit the prevailing weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
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