automatic transmission MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS SALOON 2014 Owner's Guide

Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
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.
Bear in mind that power transmission
between the engine and the transmission is
interrupted when the engine is switched off.
For this reason, shift the automatic transmis-
sion to Pwhen the engine is switched off and
the vehicle is stationary. Apply the electric
parking brake to prevent the vehicle from roll- ing away.
Hybrid Vehicles: observe the safety instruc-
tions for hybrid vehicles (Y page 269). DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h 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 position P,R, Nor Dappears in the transmis-
sion position display in the multifunction dis- play (Y page 195).
Engaging park position P !
If the engine speed is too high, do not shift
the automatic transmission directly from D
to R, from Rto Dor directly to P. Otherwise,
the automatic transmission could be dam-
aged. j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear Automatic trans
mission
193Driving an d parking Z

i
Neutral
h Drive
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direc-
tion of arrow P.
Engaging park position P automatically Park position
Pis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the key and
remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open the driver's door
R you open the driver's door when the vehicle
is stationary or driving at very low speed
and the transmission is in position Dor R
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary.
X If the transmission is in position Dor N:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and 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. For further
information on the ECO start/stop function,
see (Y page 186).
Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they can:
R open doors and endanger other persons or
road users
R climb out and be injured by the traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and, for exam-
ple, trap themselves. Children could also set the vehicle in motion,
for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key out of reach of children.
X If the transmission is in position Dor R:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT
SELECT lever up or down to the first point of resistance.
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
With the key: if you then open one of the
front doors or remove the key from the igni-
tion, the automatic transmission shifts to P.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then
open one of the front doors, the automatic
transmission shifts to P.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the
vehicle cleaned in an automatic car wash with
a towing system:
With the key:
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock. 194
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

With the Start/Stop button:
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position Ror 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. Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
! If the transmission position display in the
multifunction display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to check whether the desired transmission position is
engaged. Ideally, you should select trans-
mission position Dand drive program Eor
S. :
Status symbol drive program
; Transmission position
= Gear The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
The arrows in the transmission position dis-
play show how and into which transmission
positions you can change using the DIRECT
SELECT lever. Transmission positions
B Park position
This prevents the vehicle from roll-
ing away when stopped.
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Y page 193) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake when parking. In order to secure
the vehicle, always engage the
electric parking brake in addition to
the parking lock.
The automatic transmission shifts
to Pautomatically if you:
R remove the key
R switch off the engine when in R
or Dand open one of the front
doors
In the event of a malfunction of the vehicle's electronics, the transmis-sion may be locked in position P.
Have the vehicle electronics
checked immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop. C Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. Automatic transmission
195Driving and parking Z

A 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 skid-
ding, e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch off the engine using
the key or the Start/Stop button,
the automatic transmission shifts
to neutral Nautomatically.
! Rolling in neutral
Ncan lead to
damage to the transmission. 7 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. Gearshifting is deter-
mined by:
R the selected drive program (Y page 197)
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 func-
tion is active regardless of the currently selec-
ted drive program. The double-clutch functionreduces load change reactions and is condu-cive to a sporty driving style. The sound gen-
erated 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 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.
Rocking the vehicle free Rocking the vehicle free by shifting the trans-
mission repeatedly between transmission
positions Dand Rmay help to free the vehicle
if it has become stuck in mud or snow.
The vehicle's engine management restricts
repeated shifting between gears Dand Rup
to a maximum speed of 9 km/h.
To shift back and forth between transmission
positions Dand R, move the DIRECT SELECT
lever up and down past the point of resist-
ance.
Towing a trailer Towing a trailer is not possible with all mod-
els. For further information, see
(Y
page 284).
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 198 )in which the engine will run in
the middle of the engine speed range. 196
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

This also applies if cruise control,
DISTRONIC PLUS or SPEEDTRONIC are
activated.
AGILITY SELECT switch
Use the AGILITY SELECT switch to change the drive program. Depending on the drive pro-
gram selected, the following vehicle charac-
teristics will change:
R the drive (engine and transmission man-
agement)
R the suspension
R the steering
R the availability of the ECO start/stop func-
tion (Y page 186)
R the climate control settings
- THERMATIC (Y page 153)
- THERMOTRONIC (Y page 156)
R the rear window heating operation period
(Y page 164)
R the performance of the seat heating
(Y page 123)
If the ignition is switched off for less than four hours, the previously selected drive program
is activated when the engine is next started. If
the ignition is switched off for more than four hours, drive program Cis activated when the
engine is next started. X
Push AGILITY SELECT switch :up or down
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.
In addition, the current drive program set-
tings are displayed in the Audio 20/
COMAND Online display.
Available drive programs: I
Individual Individual settings
S+
Sport Plus Extremely sporty driving
characteristics
S
Sport Sporty driving character-
istics
C
Comfort Comfortable and econom-
ical driving characteristics E
Eco Particularly economical
driving characteristics
Additional information for drive programs
(Y page 197).
Using the steering wheel gearshift paddles,
you can temporarily change gear yourself.
Further information on the manual drive pro-
gram (Y page 198). Drive programs
Drive program I (Individual) In drive program
Ithe following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine and transmission man-
agement)
R the suspension
R the steering
To permanently select the gears in the drive
program Iusing the steering wheel paddles,
select the permanent manual gearshift pro-
gram.
Information about the selection of drive pro-
gram Iwith COMAND Online or Audio 20 can
be found in the Digital Owner's Manual. Automatic transmission
197Driving and parking Z

Drive program S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive program
S+is characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle exhibits extremely sporty driv-
ing characteristics
R the vehicle pulls away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption pos-sibly being higher
R the suspension exhibits particularly stiff
springing and damping settings (vehicles
with AIRMATIC)
R the ECO start/stop function is not available
Drive program S (Sport) Drive program
Sis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle exhibits sporty driving charac-
teristics
R the vehicle pulls away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption pos-sibly being higher
R the suspension exhibits stiff springing and
damping settings (vehicles with AIRMATIC)
Drive program C (Comfort) Drive program
Cis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle delivers comfortable, economi-
cal driving characteristics.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel- erator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
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 E (Eco) Drive program
Eis characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R the vehicle exhibits comfortable, economi-
cal driving characteristics.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
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 discon-
nected from the drive train. The vehicle
uses kinetic energy and consumes less fuel
(overrun mode).
R the performance of the air-conditioning and
heating systems are reduced. Manual gearshifting
General notes :
Left steering wheel gearshift paddle:
shifts down
; Right steering wheel gearshift paddle:
shifts up 198
Automatic transmissionDriving and pa
rking

Using the steering wheel gearshift paddles,
you can temporarily change gear yourself.
The transmission must be in position D.
Activating X
Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 198).
Manual gearshifting is activated tempora-
rily. The selected gear appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
Further information on activating manual
gearshifting in hybrid vehicles (Y page 278).
Shifting gears Pulling on the left or right gear shift paddle
allows you to shift gears yourself for a limited
time. Depending on which gearshift paddle is pulled, the automatic transmission immedi-
ately shifts into the next gear up or down, if
permitted.
X To shift up: pull the right-hand steering
wheel gearshift paddle (Y page 198).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
If the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts up in
order to prevent engine damage.
X To shift down: pull on the left-hand steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddle (Y page 198).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
If the engine exceeds the maximum engine speed when shifting down, the automatic
transmission protects against engine dam- age by not shifting down.
Automatic downshifting occurs when
coasting. Gearshift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
X Shift to recommended gear ;according
to gearshift recommendation :when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster.
Deactivating If you have activated manual gearshifting, it
will remain active for a certain amount of
time. Under certain conditions the minimum
amount of time is extended, e.g. in the case of
lateral acceleration, during an overrun phase
or when driving on steep terrain.
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, the
gears will be selected automatically.
You can also deactivate manual gearshifting:
X Pull on the right-hand steering wheel gear-
shift paddle and hold it in place
(Y page 198).
or
X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to shift the
transmission position.
or X Use the AGILITY SELECT switch to change
the drive program (Y page 197).
Manual gearshifting is deactivated. Automatic transmission
199Driving and parking Z

Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Problems with hybrid operation (Y
page 282).Transfer case
This section only applies to vehicles with all-
wheel drive (4MATIC). The front and rear
axles are constantly driven.
! Performance tests may only be carried
out on a two-axle roller dynamometer. Oth-
erwise, the braking system or the transfer
case could be damaged. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop for more information
on performance tests.
! Since ESP ®
engages automatically, the
ignition must be switched off (the key or
Start/Stop button must be in position 0or
1) if:
R the electric parking brake is being tested
using a brake dynamometer.
R the vehicle is being towed with only one
axle raised (not permitted for vehicles
with 4MATIC).
The brake system could otherwise be dam-
aged. !
Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refuelling. G
WARNING
Fuels are poisonous and hazardous to health. There is a danger of injury.
Do not swallow fuel or let it come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale fuel 200
RefuellingDriving and parking

boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a riskof an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start 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 key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle
or its drivetrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage first gear or reverse gear
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in position Pand
the key must be removed from the ignition lock
R the front wheels must be turned towards
the kerb on steep uphill or downhill gradi-
ents
R the empty vehicle must be secured at the
front axle with a wheel chock or similar
object, for example, on uphill or downhill
gradients
R a laden vehicle must also be secured at the
rear axle with a wheel chock or similar
object, for example, on uphill or downhill
gradients Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
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.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X With the key: turn the key to position 0in
the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X With the Start/Stop button: press the
Start/Stop button (Y page 181).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0: "key removed".
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
With the key: if you then open one of the
front doors or remove the key from the igni-
tion, the automatic transmission shifts to P.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then
open one of the front doors, the automatic
transmission shifts to P.208
ParkingDriving and parking

If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the
vehicle cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing system:
With the key:
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock.
With the Start/Stop button: X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock.
The engine can be switched off while the vehi-
cle is in motion by pressing and holding the
Start/Stop button for about three seconds.
This function operates independently of the
ECO start/stop automatic engine switch-off
function. Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start 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 key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or if there is a malfunc-
tion in the system, it may not be possible to
apply the released parking brake.
X If this is the case, only park the vehicle on
level ground and secure it to prevent it from
rolling away.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first gear.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or if there is a malfunction in the system. Con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
The electric parking brake carries out a func-
tion check at regular intervals when the
engine is switched off. Noises that occur are
normal. Parking
209Driving and parking Z