automatic transmission MERCEDES-BENZ GLA SUV 2017 Owner's Manual

G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
General notes Vehicles with a petrol engine:
the engine runs
at a higher engine speed during the cold start
procedure so that the catalytic converter can
reach operating temperature more quickly. The
sound of the engine may change as a result.
Manual transmission You can only start the engine when the clutch
pedal is fully depressed.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Engage neutral i.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position j
(Y page 155).
The transmission position indicator in the
multifunction display shows P(Y page 155).
i You can start the engine in transmission
position jand i. Starting procedure using the key To start the engine using the key instead of the
Start/Stop button, pull the Start/Stop button
out of the ignition lock.
X To start a diesel engine: turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock (Y page 144).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
X Turn the key to position 3in the ignition lock
(Y page 144) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
Starting procedure using the Start/
Stop button The Start/Stop button can be used to start the
vehicle manually without inserting the key in the
ignition lock. The key must be in the vehicle and the Start/Stop button must be inserted in the
ignition lock. This mode for starting the engine
manually operates independently of the ECO
start/stop automatic engine start function.
You can start the engine if a valid key is in the
vehicle. Switch off the engine and always take
the key with you when leaving the vehicle, even
if you leave it for only a short time. Observe the important safety notes.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Press the Start/Stop button once
(Y page 144).
Vehicles with a petrol engine: the engine
starts.
Vehicles with a diesel engine: preglow is
activated and the engine starts. Pulling away
General notes G
WARNING
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
If the engine speed is above the engine idling speed and you then engage transmission 146
DrivingDriving and parking

position
Dor R, the vehicle may accelerate
suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always keep the brake pedal firmly depressed
and do not depress the accelerator pedal at
the same time.
! Vehicles with manual transmission:
change gear in good time and avoid spinning
the wheels. You could otherwise damage the
vehicle.
Depress the accelerator carefully when pulling
away.
The vehicle automatically 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 (Y page 229).
Vehicles with automatic transmission: it is
possible to shift the transmission from position j to the desired position only if you depress
the brake pedal. Only then can the parking lock be deactivated.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): if you do not depress the brake pedal, the
DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but the
parking lock remains engaged.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: if you do not depress
the brake pedal, the selector lever can still be
moved but the parking lock remains engaged.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: at
transmission fluid temperatures below Ò20 †
you can only shift out of position jinto another
transmission position when the engine is run-
ning.
i Vehicles with automatic transmission:
upshifts take place at higher engine speeds
after a cold start. This helps the catalytic con- verter to reach its operating temperature
more quickly.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: infor-
mation on automatically releasing the electric
parking brake (Y page 168). Pulling away with a trailer
To ensure that you do not roll backwards when
pulling away on an uphill slope, apply the electric
parking brake.
X Press and hold handle :.
The electric parking brake continues to brake
and prevents the vehicle from rolling back-
wards.
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster remains lit.
X Depress the accelerator pedal.
X As soon as the vehicle/trailer combination is
held by the driving force of the engine, release
handle :.
the electric parking brake is released
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Further information on the electric parking
brake (Y page 167).
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away for-
wards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It holds the vehicle for a short time after you have
removed your foot from the brake pedal. This
gives you enough time to move your foot from
the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and
depress it before the vehicle begins to roll. G
WARNING
After a while, hill start assist no longer holds
the vehicle and it may roll away. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist. Driving
147Driving and parking Z

Hill start assist is not active if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient
R the transmission is in position ion vehicles
with automatic transmission
R the electric parking brake is applied
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning
Further information on holding the vehicle sta-
tionary on uphill gradients (Y page 158).ECO start/stop function
Introduction The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is stopped
under certain conditions.
When the vehicle pulls away again, the engine
starts automatically. The ECO start/stop func-
tion thereby helps you to reduce the fuel con-
sumption and emissions of your vehicle.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving. There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes :
ECO start/stop display
The ECO start/stop function is switched on
whenever you start the engine using the key or
the Start/Stop button.
If the è ECO symbol is shown on the multi-
function display, the ECO start/stop function switches the engine off automatically if the vehi-
cle stops moving.
If the ECO start/stop function has been man-
ually switched off (Y page 149)or a malfunction
has caused the system to be switched off, the
è orç ECO symbol is not displayed.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the ECO start/stop
function is available only in drive program C.
Automatic engine switch-off General notes
The ECO start/stop function is operational and
the è ECO symbol is displayed on the mul-
tifunction display if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green
R the off-road program is deactivated (vehicles
with automatic transmission)
R the outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system
R the engine is at normal operating temperature
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached
R the battery is sufficiently charged
R the system does not detect moisture on the
windscreen when the air-conditioning system
is switched on
R the bonnet is closed
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened
If all conditions for automatic engine switch-off
are not fulfilled, the çECO symbol is shown.
All the vehicle's systems remain active when the engine is switched off automatically.
The engine can be switched off automatically a
maximum of four times (initial stop, then three
subsequent stops) in succession. The çECO
symbol is shown on the multifunction display
after the engine has been started automatically
for the fourth time. When the èECO symbol
is shown on the multifunction display, automatic engine switch-off is possible again. 148
DrivingDriving and parking

Vehicles with manual transmission
The ECO start/stop function switches off the
engine automatically at low speeds.
X Brake the vehicle.
X Shift to neutral i(Ypage 153) (follow gear-
shift instruction :to shift to neutral i, as
necessary).
X Release the clutch pedal.
The engine is switched off automatically.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill with the
transmission in hori, the ECO start/stop
function switches off the engine automatically.
The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automatically. It is then not necessary to continue applying the
brakes during the automatic stop phase. When
you depress the accelerator pedal, the engine
starts automatically and the braking effect of
the HOLD function is deactivated.
Automatic engine start General notes
The engine is started automatically if:
R you switch off the ECO start/stop function by
pressing the ECO button
R you engage reverse gear k
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the driv-
er's door
R the vehicle starts to roll
R the brake system requires this
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
screen when the air-conditioning system is
switched on
R the battery's charge status is too low Vehicles with manual transmission
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
The engine is started automatically if you:
R depress the clutch pedal fully
R depress the accelerator pedal
Vehicles with automatic transmission The engine is started automatically if you:
R release the brake pedal in transmission posi-
tion hori when the HOLD function is not
active
R depress the accelerator pedal
R activate the off-road program
R move the transmission out of position j
Shifting the transmission to position jdoes
not start the engine.
If you shift the transmission from ktoh, the
ECO start/stop function is available as soon as
the è ECO symbol appears on the multifunc-
tion display.
Switching the ECO start/stop function
off/on X
To deactivate: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;and the èorç ECO
symbol on the multifunction display go out.
X To activate: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
If all conditions for the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 148)are fulfilled, the è
ECO symbol is shown in the multifunction dis- play.
If all conditions for the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 148) are not fulfilled, the
ç ECO symbol is shown in the multifunc- Driving
149Driving and parking Z

Gearshift recommendation
The gearshift recommendation assists you in
adopting a fuel-efficient driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown on the multifunction
display.
X Shift gear according to gearshift recommen-
dation :when shown in the multifunction
display of the instrument cluster. Drive programs
Drive program C (Comfort) Drive program
Cis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits comfortable, economical
driving characteristics.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
Drive program S (Sport) Drive program
Sis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R sporty engine settings.
Drive program I (Individual) In drive program
I, the following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the suspension (vehicles with adjustable
damping)
R the steering
R the availability of the ECO start/stop function
R the climate control
Information on configuring drive program Iwith
the multimedia system can be found in the Dig-
ital Owner's Manual. Offroad drive program The
Offroad drive program is characterised by
the following:
R the vehicle exhibits optimised driving charac-
teristics for easily negotiable off-road terrain.
Drive program E (Economy) Drive program
Eis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits particularly economical
driving characteristics.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
R the performance of the air-conditioning and
heating systems is reduced. 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. 154
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): the DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of
the steering column.
For information on the selector lever in
Mercedes-AMG vehicles (Y page 156).
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to its
original position. The current transmission posi-
tion j,k,iorh is shown in the transmis-
sion position display in the multifunction display (Y page 155).
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear on the multifunction display. :
Transmission position
; Gear
= Drive program display
The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission positions
you can shift using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
If the transmission position display on the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should pull away carefully to check whether the desired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position
hand
drive program Eor S.
Engaging park position P !
If the engine speed is too high or the vehicle
is coasting, do not shift the automatic trans-
mission directly from htok, from ktoh
or directly to j. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission may be damaged.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever switch in the
direction of arrow j.
Transmission position display jis shown in
the multifunction display.
When you have engaged park position j, make
sure that the transmission position display
shows jin the multifunction display.
You can only engage park position jwhen the
vehicle is stationary.
Depressing the brake and pushing the DIRECT
SELECT lever up or down disengages the park-
ing lock. The transmission is in neutral i.
At transmission fluid temperatures below
Ò20 †, you can only shift out of park position j
into another transmission position when the
engine is running.
In order to shift from park position jdirectly
into korh:
R depress the brake pedal and
R push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
past the first point of resistance
Engaging park position P automatically Park position
jis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the key and
remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the key or
using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door or front-passenger door
R you open the driver's door when the vehicle is
stationary or when driving at a very low speed and the transmission is in position hork
Under certain conditions, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to transmission position jauto-
matically if the HOLD function or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is activated. Observe the informa-
tion on the HOLD function (Y page 187) and
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC (Y page 183). Automatic transmission
155Driving and parking Z

Engaging reverse gear R
!
Only move the automatic transmission to
k when the vehicle is stationary.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X 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 infor- mation on the ECO start/stop function, see
(Y page 148).
Engaging 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 hork:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position j: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up or down to the first point of resist-
ance.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position korh, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to iautomatically.
With the key: if you then open the driver's door
or the front-passenger door or remove the key from the ignition, the automatic transmission
shifts to jautomatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts to jauto-
matically.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral i, e.g. when having the vehi-
cle cleaned in an automatic car wash with a
towing system:
X Vehicles with the Start-Stop button:
remove the Start-Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X All vehicles: switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Engage neutral i.
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 kori:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position j: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first point of resistance. Selector lever (Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles)
Overview of transmission positions j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear 156
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

i
Neutral
h Drive
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear on the multifunction display. :
Transmission position display
; Drive program display
If the transmission position display on the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should pull away carefully to check whether the desired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position hand
drive program Cor S.
Engaging park position P X
When the vehicle is stationary, press but-
ton :.
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only move the automatic transmission to
k when the vehicle is stationary.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Push the selector lever forwards past the first
point of resistance. Transmission positions
B Park position
This safeguards the vehicle against
rolling away when stopped.
Only shift the transmission to posi-
tion
jwhen the vehicle is station-
ary. The parking lock should not be
used as a brake when parking. In
order to secure the vehicle, always
apply the electric parking brake in
addition to the parking lock.
In the event of a malfunction of the
vehicle's electronics, the transmis-
sion may lock in position j. Have
the vehicle electronics checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Park position jis automatically
engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the
key and remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the
key or using the Start/Stop button
and open the driver's door or front- passenger door
R you open the driver's door when
the vehicle is stationary or when
driving at a very low speed and the
transmission is in position hor
k C Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion kwhen the vehicle is station-
ary. Automatic transmission
157Driving and parking Z

A Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
i
while driving. The automatic trans-
mission could otherwise 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 iif the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position korh,
the automatic transmission shifts to
i automatically.
! Coasting in neutral
imay
cause damage to the drive train. 7 Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available. Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts through the
individual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position h. This is determined by:
R the selected drive program
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your driving style influences how the automatic
transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts Holding the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients G
WARNING
If the clutch overheats, the electronic man-
agement system is automatically deactivated. This interrupts the power transmission. The
vehicle may, for example, roll backwards 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 vehicle
stationary on uphill gradients by depressing the accelerator pedal. If the clutch overheats, a
warning tone sounds.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): theStop
Stop vehicle vehicle Shift
Shiftto
toP
PLeave
Leave
engine running
engine running display message appears in
the multifunction display. You will only be able to
continue your journey once the clutch has
cooled down and the display message in the
multifunction display has disappeared.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: theTrans. oil
Trans. oil
overheated Drive on with care overheated Drive on with care display
message appears in the multifunction display.
Do not hold the vehicle stationary on uphill gra- dients by depressing the accelerator pedal.
Instead, only ever hold the vehicle stationary on
uphill gradients by:
R depressing the brake pedal
R activating the HOLD function
R applying the electric parking brake
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic 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.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: it is only possible to
use kickdown in the automatic drive programs
and in temporary manual drive program M.
When manual drive program Mis selected per-
manently, kickdown is not possible. 158
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

For further information on kickdown in manual
drive program M(Y page 163).
Gliding mode (diesel engines only) Gliding mode is characterised by the following:
R the combustion engine is disconnected from
the drive train
R the engine is running at idling speed
R the gear indicated after the transmission
position hdisappears in the multifunction
display (Y page 157)
Gliding mode can be activated and transmission
position hshown in green under the following
conditions:
R you select the "ECO" setting for the drive sys-
tem within the Individualdrive program. You
can find information about this in the Digital
Owner's Manual
R the speed is within a suitable range
R the type of road is suitable, e.g. no steep uphill
or downhill gradients
R the distance to the vehicle in front is sufficient
R you are no longer depressing the accelerator
pedal
Gliding mode is deactivated under the following
conditions:
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you depress the brake pedal
R you use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch
the transmission position (Y page 155)
R you use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program (Y page 152)
R you activate manual gearshifting
(Y page 161)
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too short
R you leave the suitable speed range
Towing a trailer Not all models can tow a trailer. For further
information, see (Y page 213).
X Drive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients.
X Depending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
select a lower gear (Y page 171), even if
cruise control, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or
the speed limiter are activated. Drive programs
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG
vehicles) Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive program Cis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits comfortable, economical
driving characteristics.
R the vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
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 S (Sport) Drive program Sis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R sporty engine settings.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
Fuel consumption may be higher as a result of
the later automatic transmission shift points.
Drive program I (Individual)
In drive program I, the following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the suspension (vehicles with adjustable
damping)
R the steering
R the availability of the ECO start/stop function
R the climate control
Information on configuring drive program Iwith
the multimedia system can be found in the Dig-
ital Owner's Manual.
i To permanently shift the gears manually in
drive program Iusing the steering wheel gear-
shift paddles, select the M(Manual) setting
for the drive. Automatic transmission
159Driving and parking Z