automatic transmission MERCEDES-BENZ GL 2014 User Guide

GWARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage
of the pedals, e.g.:
Rshoes with thick soles
Rshoes with high heels
Rslippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals.
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 the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
Roverheat and cause a fire
Rlose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
!Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to
the desired drive position when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
!AMG vehicles:at low engine oil
temperatures below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the
maximum engine speed is restricted in
order to protect the engine. To protect the
engine and maintain smooth engine
operation, avoid driving at full throttle when
the engine is cold.
SmartKey positions
SmartKey
ZTo remove the SmartKey
GPower supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
HIgnition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
ITo start the engine
iThe SmartKey can be turned in the
ignition lock even if it is not the correct
SmartKey for the vehicle. The ignition is not
switched on. The engine cannot be started.
KEYLESS-GO
General notes
RDo not keep the KEYLESS-GO key:
-with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another SmartKey
-with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
foil
-inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can impair the functionality of the
KEYLESS-GO key.
Do not keep the KEYLESS-GO key in the
temperature-controlled cup holder
(Ypage 349). Otherwise, the KEYLESS-GO
key will not be recognized.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO are equipped with
a SmartKey featuring an integrated KEYLESS-
Driving167
Driving and parking
Z

Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XTo start a gasoline engine:press the
Start/Stop button (Ypage 167) once.
The engine starts.
XTo start a diesel engine:press the Start/
Stop button (Ypage 167) once.
Preglow is activated and the engine starts.
iThe Start/Stop button can be used to
start the vehicle without inserting the
SmartKey into the ignition lock. The Start/
Stop button must be inserted in the ignition
lock and the SmartKey must be in the
vehicle.
Pulling away
Automatic transmission
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission positionDor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission positionDorR,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XShift the transmission to positionDorR
(Ypage 173).
XRelease the brake pedal.
XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake (Ypage 189) is
automatically released.
The redI(USA only) or$(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
iIt is only possible to shift the transmission
from positionPto the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then is
the parking lock released. If you do not
depress the brake pedal, you can move the
DIRECT SELECT lever but the parking lock
remains engaged.
iThe vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature (Ypage 284).
iUpshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Pulling away with a trailer
To ensure that you do not roll backwards
when pulling away on an uphill slope, engage
the electric parking brake.
XPress and hold handleC.
The electric parking brake continues to
brake and prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards.
The redI(USA only) or$(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster remains on.
XDepress the accelerator pedal.
XAs soon as the vehicle/trailer combination
is held by the driving force of the engine,
release leverC.
The electric parking brake is released.
170Driving
Driving and parking

Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission positionDor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission positionDorR,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
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.
DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions
]Park position with parking lock
^Reverse gear
\\Neutral
[Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
iThe DIRECT SELECT lever always returns
to its original position. The current
transmission positionP,R,NorDappears
in the transmission position display
(Ypage 173) in the multifunction display.
Transmission position and drive
program 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
transmission positionDand, in AMG
vehicles, drive programCorS.
Transmission position and drive program display
CTransmission position display
DDrive program display
The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
iThe arrows in the transmission position
display show how and into which
transmission positions you can change
using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
Engaging park position P
!If the engine speed is too high or the
vehicle is moving, do not shift the
automatic transmission directly fromDto
R, fromRtoDor directly toP. The
automatic transmission could otherwise be
damaged.
Automatic transmission173
Driving an d parking
Z

]Park position with parking lock
^Reverse gear
\\Neutral
[Drive
XPush the DIRECT SELECT lever in the
direction of arrowP.
iThe automatic transmission shifts into
park positionPautomatically:
Rif you open the driver's door while the
vehicle is stationary in transmission
positionDorR
Rif you open the door while traveling at
very low speeds in transmission position
DorR
Engaging park position P automatically
Park positionPis automatically engaged if:
Ryou switch off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the SmartKey.
Ryou switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open one of the front
doors.
Rthe HOLD (Ypage 216) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Ypage 203) function brake your
vehicle until it is stationary and at least one
of the following conditions is fulfilled:
-there is a system malfunction.
-the vehicle is on a steep uphill or downhill
gradient. The electric parking brake is
then also applied.
Engaging reverse gear R
!Only shift the automatic transmission to
Rwhen the vehicle is stationary.
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
XPush the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
Shifting to neutral N
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park positionP
RStart the engine.
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 or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
XPush the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
to the first point of resistance.
If the engine has been switched off, the
automatic transmission automatically shifts
toN.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutralN, e.g. when having the
vehicle cleaned in an automatic car wash with
a towing system, observe the following notes:
174Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Using the SmartKey:
RMake sure that the ignition is switched on.
RWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
RShift to neutralN.
RRelease the brake pedal.
RIf the electric parking brake is engaged,
release it.
RSwitch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Using KEYLESS-GO:
RMake sure that the ignition is switched on.
RWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
REngage park positionP.
RRelease the brake pedal.
RRemove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
RInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
RSwitch on the ignition.
RDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
RShift to neutralN.
RRelease the brake pedal.
RIf the electric parking brake is engaged,
release it.
RSwitch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
XPush the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance.
Transmission positions
EPark position
Do not shift the transmission into
positionP(Ypage 188) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake
when parking. Always apply the
electronic parking brake in
addition to the parking lock in order
to secure the vehicle.
If the vehicle electronics are
malfunctioning, the transmission
may be locked in positionP. Have
the vehicle electronics checked
immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop.
The automatic transmission shifts
toPautomatically if you:
Rremove the SmartKey
Rswitch off the engine when inR
orDand open one of the front
doors
FReverse gear
Only shift the transmission toR
when the vehicle is stationary.
Automatic transmission175
Driving and parking
Z

DNeutral
Do not shift the transmission toN
while driving. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be
damaged.
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:
only shift the transmission to
positionNif the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch off the engine using
the SmartKey or the Start/Stop
button, the automatic transmission
shifts to neutralNautomatically.
!Rolling in neutralNcan damage
the drive train.
:Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the
individual gears automatically when it is in
transmission positionD. This automatic
gearshifting behavior is determined by:
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
Rthe road speed
Driving tips
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.
XEase off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Rocking the vehicle free
Shifting the transmission repeatedly between
gearsDandRmay help to free the vehicle if
it has become stuck in slush or snow. The
vehicle's engine management system limits
the speed to a maximum of 5 mph (9 km/h)
when shifting back and forth. To shift back
and forth between transmission positionsD
andR, move the DIRECT SELECT selector
lever up and down past the point of
resistance.
Towing a trailer
XDrive in the middle of the engine speed
range on uphill gradients.
XDepending on the uphill or downhill
gradient, use left-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter (Ypage 177) to select a
lower gear, even if cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS are activated.
176Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Program selector button
General notes
Vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package
XBriefly press program selector buttonC.
The letterMappears in the multifunction
display. The manual drive programMis
activated.
AMG vehiclesXPress program selector buttonC
repeatedly until the letter for the desired
gearshift program appears in the
multifunction display.
The program selector button allows you to
choose between different driving
characteristics.
iThe permanent drive programMis
available on the following vehicles:
RVehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package
RAMG vehicles
Further information about permanent drive
programM(Ypage 179).
As well as this permanent drive program
M, you can also activate temporary drive
programM(Ypage 178).
iAMG vehicles:the automatic
transmission switches to automatic drive
programCeach time the engine is started.
iDrive programMis not saved after the
engine has been switched off. If required,
you must select the drive program again
after starting the engine.
Drive program on vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package
MManualPermanent manual
gearshifting
Drive programs on AMG vehicles
CControlled
Efficiency
Comfortable, economical
driving
SSportSporty driving style
MManualPermanent manual
gearshifting
iFor further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Ypage 178).
Steering wheel paddle shifters
In the manual drive program, you can change
gears manually using steering wheel paddle
shiftersCandD.
Automatic transmission177
Driving and parking
Z

Further information about permanent drive
programM(Ypage 179).
Further information about temporary drive
programM(Ypage 178).
iYou can only change gear with the
steering wheel paddle shifters when the
transmission is in positionD.
Automatic drive program (AMG
vehicles)
Automatic drive programs C and S
Drive programCis characterized by the
following:
Rcomfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner
Rthe vehicle pulling away more gently 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 and transmission 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 M
General notes
In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
paddle shifters. The transmission must be in
positionD.
All vehicles (except AMG vehicles and
vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package):you can activate
manual drive programMusing the steering
wheel paddle shifters.
AMG vehicles:you can activate manual drive
programMin automatic drive programsCand
S.
Vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package:if manual drive
programMis deactivated using the program
selector button, you can activate manual
drive programMusing the steering wheel
paddle shifters.
iAs well as temporary drive programM,
you can also activate permanent drive
programM(Ypage 177).
Further information about permanent drive
programM(Ypage 179).
Activating
XShift the transmission to positionD.
XPull the left or right steering wheel paddle
shifter (Ypage 177).
Manual drive programMis temporarily
activated. The selected gear andMappear
in the multifunction display.
Shifting gears
If you pull on the left or right steering wheel
paddle shifter, the automatic transmission
switches to manual drive programMfor a
limited amount of time. Depending on which
paddle shifter is pulled, the automatic
transmission immediately shifts into the next
gear down or up, if permitted.
XTo shift up:pull the right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (Ypage 177).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
iIf the maximum engine speed on the
currently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic
178Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

transmission automatically shifts up in
order to prevent engine damage.
XTo shift down:pull on the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter
(Ypage 177).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
iIf the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the
automatic transmission protects against
engine damage by not shifting down.
iAutomatic down shifting occurs when
coasting.
Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The
recommended gear is shown in the
multifunction display.
XShift to recommended gearDaccording
to gearshift recommendationCwhen
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster.
Deactivating
If you have activated manual drive program
M, 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 drive programMhas been
deactivated, the automatic transmission
shifts into the automatic drive program that
was last selected.
You can also deactivate manual drive
programMyourself:
XPull on the right-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter and hold it in place
(Ypage 177).
or
XUse the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch the
transmission position.
or
XAMG vehicles:use the program selector
button to change the drive program
(Ypage 177).
Manual drive programMis deactivated.
The automatic transmission switches into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e.EorS.
or
XVehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package:use the selector
wheel to switch to the on-road program
(Ypage 253) or the off-road program
(Ypage 258).
Manual drive program
General information
In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must
be in positionD.
iAs well as this permanent drive program
M, you can also activate temporary drive
programM(Ypage 178).
Switching on the manual drive program
In manual drive programM, you can change
gear using the steering wheel paddle shifters
if the transmission is in positionD. You can
see the currently selected drive program and
which gear is engaged in the multifunction
display.
Automatic transmission179
Driving and pa rking
Z

XAMG vehicles:press the program selector
button (Ypage 177) untilMappears in the
multifunction display.
XVehicles with the ON&OFFROAD
package:press the program selector
button (Ypage 177).
The letterMappears in the multifunction
display.
Shifting up (all vehicles except AMG
vehicles)
XIf corresponding gearshift
recommendationCappears in the
multifunction display on the instrument
cluster, pull on the right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (Ypage 177).
The automatic transmission shifts to
recommended gearD.
Shifting up (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.
CGear indicator
DUpshift 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
theUPUPdisplay message is shown, shift up
a gear.
Downshifting
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Ypage 177).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
Maximum acceleration
XPull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter until the transmission selects the
optimum gear according to the speed.
iIf you slow down or stop without shifting
down, the automatic transmission
automatically shifts down.
Kickdown
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.
iAll vehicles (except AMG vehicles):if
you apply full throttle, the automatic
transmission shifts up to the next gear
when the maximum engine speed is
180Automatic transmission
Driving and pa rking