automatic transmission MERCEDES-BENZ CLA 2014 Owner's Manual

AMG vehicles
CControlled
Efficiency
Comfortable, economical
driving
SSportSporty driving style
MManualManual gear shifting
Only change from automatic drive program
CorSto manual drive programMwhen the
vehicle is stationary.
XPress program selector button
repeatedly until the letterfor the desired
gearshift program appears in the
multifunction display.
iThe automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive programCeach time the
engine is started.
iFor further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Ypage 147).
Steering wheel paddle shifters
Left steering wheel paddle shifter (shifts
down)
Right steering wheel paddle shifter (shifts
up)
In drive programM, you can change gear
yourself using the steering wheel paddle
shifters.
If you pull the left or right steering wheel
paddle shifter when in automatic drive
programE(drive programCon AMG vehicles)
orS, the automatic transmission shifts into
drive programMfor a limited time.
Depending on which paddle shifter is pulled,
the automatic transmission immediately
shifts into the next gear down or up.
AMG vehicles:you can activate drive
programMRACE START (Ypage 173) using
the steering wheel paddle shifters.
iYou can only change gear with the
steering wheel paddle shifters when the
transmission is in positionD.
iFor further information on the manual
drive program, see (Ypage 148).
Automatic drive program
Drive programE(drive programCon MAG
vehicles) is characterized by the following:
Rcomfort-oriented engine settings
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner
Automatic transmission147
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Rthe vehicle pulling away moregently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully
Rincreased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up
sooner.This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin
Drive programSis characterized by the
following:
Rsporty engine settings
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up
later
Rthe fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic
transmission shift points
Manual drive program
Introduction
In manual drive programM, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
paddle shifters. For this, the transmission
must be in positionD. The gear currently
selected and engaged is shown in the
multifunction display.
Manual drive programMdiffers from drive
programsE(drive programCon AMG
vehicles) andSwith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
GearDriving situations
You can use the engine's braking
effect
\nYou can use the braking effect of
the engine on downhill gradients
and for driving:
Ron steep mountain roads
Rin mountainous terrain
Rin arduous conditions
To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches
Switching on the manual drive program
Activating permanently
XPress the program selector button
(Ypage 146) repeatedly untilMappears in
the multifunction display.
Manual drive programMremains active
until drive programE(drive programCon
AMG vehicles) orSis selected.
Activating temporarily
XPull the right or left steering wheel paddle
shifter (Ypage 147).
Mis shown in the multifunction display.
Manual drive programMis temporarily
active. Depending on which paddle shifter
is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear down
or up.
iWhen manual drive programMis
activated via the steering wheel paddle
shifters, the temporarily active manual
drive programMwill be deactivated
automatically after a limited time, if the
driving situation permits. The automatic
transmission switches to the previously
activated drive programE(drive program
Con AMG vehicles) orS.When driving on
downhill gradients, the temporarily active
manual drive programMwill only be
deactivated if the accelerator pedal is
depressed while the vehicle is rolling
downhill.
148Automatic transmission
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Upshifting
XPull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Ypage 147).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
iAll vehicles (except AMG vehicles):in
order to preventengine damage the
automatic transmission automatically
shifts up:
Rif the maximumengine speed on the
currently engaged gear is reached and
Ryou continue to accelerate.
AMGvehicles:
!In manual drive programM, the automatic
transmission does not shiftup
automatically evenwhen the engine
limiting speed for the current gear is
reached. When the engine limiting speed is
reached, the fuel supply is cut to prevent
the engine from overrevving. Always make
sure that the engine speed does not reach
the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.
AMG vehicles
!In manual drive programM, the automatic
transmission does not shift up
automatically even when the engine
limiting speed for the current gear is
reached. When the engine limiting speed is
reached, the fuel supply is cut to prevent
the engine from overrevving. Always make
sure that the engine speed does not reach
the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.
Gear indicator
Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the
multifunction display.
XIf the color in the speedometer
multifunction display changes to red and
theUPdisplay message is shown, shift up
a gear.
Downshifting
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Ypage 147).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
iIf you slow down or stop without shifting
down, the automatic transmission
automatically shifts down.
iFor maximum acceleration, pull the left-
hand steering wheel paddle shifter until the
transmission selects the optimum gear for
the current speed.
iIf the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the
automatic transmission protects against
engine damage by not shifting down.
Kickdown
AMG vehicles:kickdown is only possible in
temporary manual drive programM.
You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive programM.
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.
XShift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
iDuring kickdown, you cannot change gear
using the steering wheel paddle shifters.
iIf you apply full throttle, the automatic
transmission shifts up to the next gear
when the maximum engine speed is
Automatic transmission149
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reached. This prevents the engine from
overrevving.
Switching off the manual drive program
XPress the programselectorbutton
(Ypage 146) repeatedly untilEorS
appears in the multifunction display.
Deactivatingthe temporary manual drive
program
XPull and hold the right steering wheel
paddle shifter until the automatic
transmission shifts into the last active
automatic drive programE(drive program
Con AMG vehicles) orS.
iWhen manual drive programMis
deactivated, the automatic transmission in
automatic drive programE(drive program
Con AMG vehicles) orSmay shift from the
current gearinto a higherorlower gear.
This is dependent on the position of the
accelerator pedal, speed and load.
150Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Problems with fuel and the fuel tank
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and
Solutions
Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle.
The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
GWARNING
Risk of explosion or fire.
XTurn the SmartKey to position0in the ignition lock immediately
and remove it (Ypage 137).
XDo not restart the engine under any circumstances.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The fuel filler flap
cannot be opened.
The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The SmartKey battery is discharged.
XUnlock the vehicle (Ypage 72).
or
XUnlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Ypage 73).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is
jammed.
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
materials 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 you leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, they could set it in motion by, for
example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking positionP.
Rstart the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle
equipment 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 drivetraincould be damaged.
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To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
Rthe electric parking brake must be applied.
Rthe transmission must be in positionPand
the transmission position display must
showP.
Rthe SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock.
Ron uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the curb.
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to
neutral 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.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
All vehicles (except AMG vehicles)
XApply the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to positionP.
Selector lever in AMG vehicles
AMG vehicles:
XApply the electric parking brake.
XPressPbutton.
XTurn the SmartKey to position0in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
iIf you switch the engine off with the
transmission in positionRorD, the
automatic transmission shifts toN
automatically.
If you then open one of the front doors or
remove the SmartKey from the ignition, the
automatic transmission shifts toP.
If you shift the automatic transmission to
Nbefore switching off the engine, the
automatic transmission remains inNeven
if a door is opened.
iThe automatic transmission shifts toP
automatically if you:
Rswitch off the engine using the SmartKey
and remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock or
Rswitch off the engine using the SmartKey
and open a front door.
If you attempt to turn off the engine when the
selector lever is not in positionP:
Ra message appears in the multifunction
display
Ra warning signal sounds
Electric parking brake
General notes
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, they could set it in motion by, for
example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking positionP.
Rstart the engine.
154Parking
Driving and parking

In addition, they may operate vehicle
equipment 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.
iThe electric parking brake performs a
function test at regular intervals while the
engine is switched off. The sounds that can
be heard while this is occurring are normal.
Applying/releasing manually
Applying
XPush handle.
When the electric parking brake is applied,
the(USA only) or (Canada only)
red indicator lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
iThe electric parking brake can also be
applied when the SmartKey is removed.
Releasing
XPull handle.
The red(USA only) or (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
iYou can only release the electric parking
brake when the SmartKey is in position1
or2in the ignition lock.
Applying automatically
The electric parking brake is applied
automatically:
Rif DISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
Rif the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle
stationary or
Rif Active Parking Assist is holding the
vehicle at a standstill
In addition, at least one of the following
conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine is switched off.
Rthe driver's door is open and the seat belt
is not fastened.
Rthere is a system malfunction.
Rthe power supply is insufficient.
Rthe vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red(USA only) or (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrumentcluster
lights up.
iThe electric parking brake is not
automatically engaged if the engine is
switched off by the ECO start/stop
function.
Releasing automatically
Your vehicle's electric parking brake is
automatically released if all of the following
conditions are met:
Rthe engine is running.
Rthe transmission is in positionDorR.
Rthe seat belt has been fastened.
Ryou depress the accelerator pedal.
If the transmission is in positionR, the tailgate
must be closed.
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If yourseat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parkingbrake:
Rthe driver's door is closed.
Ryou have shifted out of transmission
positionPor you have previously driven
faster than 2 mph (3 km/h).
Emergency braking
The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
XWhile driving, push handleof the electric
parking brake (Ypage 154).
iThe vehicle is braked for as long as
handleof the electric parking brake is
pressed. The longer electric parking brake
handleis depressed, the greater the
braking force.
During braking:
Ra warning tone sounds
RtheRelease Park. Brakemessage
appears
Rthe red(USA only) or (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a
standstill, the electric parking brake is
engaged.
Parking the vehicle foralong period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as
a result of lack of use.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
iYou can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist
workshop.
Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you switch off the ignitionwhile 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
equipment 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 for the
country in which you are driving. Some
jurisdictions prohibit the driver from using a
mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per
second.
156Driving tips
Driving and parking

Apart from driving style, consumption is
dependent on many factors such as, e.g.:
Rload
Rtire pressure
Rcold start
Rchoice of route
Relectrical consumers switched on
These factors are not taken into
considerationby the ECO display.
The evaluation of your driving style is carried
out using the following three categories:
RAcceleration(evaluation of all
acceleration processes):
-The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
-The bar empties: sporty acceleration
RConstant(assessmentofdriving behavior
at all times):
-The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
-The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
RCoasting(assessment of all deceleration
processes):
-The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping yourdistance and early release
of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes.
-The bar empties: frequent braking
iAn economical driving style specially
requires driving at moderate engine
speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
AccelerationandConstant:
Robserve the gearshift recommendations.
Rdrive in drive programE.
iOn long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the highway, only the bar forConstant
will change.
iThe ECO display summaries the driving
characteristics fromthe start of the journey
to its completion. For this reason, the bars
change dynamically at the beginning of the
journey. On longer journeys, there are
fewer changes. For more dynamic changes,
carry out a manual reset.
Further information on the ECO display
(Ypage 198).
Braking
Important safety notes
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
braking on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
!On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting to
a lower gear in good time. This allows you
to take advantage of the engine's braking
effect.For this, you need to have selected
manual drive programM.This helps you to
avoid overheating the brakes and wearing
them out excessively.
When you take advantage of the engine's
braking effect, a drive wheel may not turn
for some time, e.g. on a slippery road
surface. This could cause damage to the
drive train. This type of damage is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benzwarranty.
iBriefly depressing the acceleratorpedal
on downhill gradients while the manual
drive programMis temporarily activated:
the automatic transmission may switch to
the last active automatic drive programE
orS.The automatic transmission may shift
to a higher gear. This can reduce the
engine's braking effect.
158Driving tips
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XHold test gaugevertically on brake
discand slide measuring pinonto
brake disc.
XCheck which colorfield!the arrow on
measuring pinis pointing to.
Green:the brake pad/lining thickness is
sufficient.
Red:the brake pad/lining thickness is not
sufficient. Have the brake pads/lining
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
iTo avoid an inaccurate measurement:
Rmake sure you position the wheels
suitably
Rdo not put the measuring pin on a recess
in the brake disc
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
Ryou drive at low speeds.
Rthe tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or
in conditions in which hydroplaning may
occur, you must drive in the following
manner:
Rlower your speed.
Ravoid ruts.
Rbrake carefully.
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. Otherwise, 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.
Winter driving
General notes
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
braking 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 vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
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 winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Ypage 314).
Driving with summer tires
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Ypage 314).
Slippery road surfaces
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
braking on a slippery road surface.
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