MERCEDES-BENZ GLA SUV 2018 Owner's Manual

Deactivating or activating theECO
start/stop function
XTo deactivate :press EC Obutto n:.
Indicator lamp ;goe sout .
XTo activate :press EC Obutto n:.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
If indicator lamp ;is off, th eEC Ostart/sto p
function has bee ndeactivated manually or as
th eresult of amalfunction .The engin ewill then
no tbe switched of fautomatically when th evehi-
cl e stops .
AMG Performance exhaust syste m
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles )
You can choosebetween differen tAM GPer -
formanc eexhaus tsystem volume susin gth e
position of th eexhaus tflap .
Each time you start th eengin ewit hth eSmart -
Key or th eStart/Sto pbutton, th equietest set -
ting is activated.
Settin gth evolume :
XPress butto n:.
If you selec tth eloudest setting ,indicator
lamp ;lights up.
Problem swit hth eengin e
ProblemPossible causes/consequences an dMSolutions
The engin edoe sno t
start .The HOLD function or Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC is activated.
XDeactivat eth eHOLD function (Ypage 163) or Distanc ePilo t
DISTRONIC (Ypage 160).
XTryto start th eengin eagain .
The engin edoe sno t
start .The starter moto r
can be heard.RThere is amalfunction in th eengin eelectronics.
RThere is amalfunction in th efue lsupply.
Before attemptin gto start th eengin eagain :
XTurnth eSmartKey bac kto position gin th eignition lock.
or
XPress th eStart/Sto pbutto nrepeatedly until all indicator lamp sin
th einstrumen tcluster go out .
XTryto start th eengin eagain .Avoid excessivel ylon gand frequent
attempt sto start th eengin eas these will drain th ebattery.
If th eengin edoe sno tstart after severa lattempts:
XConsult aqualified specialis tworkshop .
Driving129
Driving and parking
Z

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor.The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak or
discharged.
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 291).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
XAllow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two minutes.
XTry to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine is not running
smoothly and is misfir-
ing.There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic converter
and damage it.
XHave the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
The coolant temperature
gauge shows a value
above 248 ‡ (120 †).
The coolant warning
lamp may also be on and
a warning tone may
sound.The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine is no
longer being cooled sufficiently.
XStop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
XCheck the coolant level (Ypage 272). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and add coolant if necessary.
DYNAMIC SELECT button (all vehicles
except Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT button to change the
drive program. Depending on the drive program
selected the following vehicle characteristics
will change:
Rthe drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
Rthe sound of the exhaust system (vehicles
with sports exhaust system)
Rthe steering
Rthe availability of the ECO start/stop function
Rthe climate control
Each time you start the engine with the Smart-
Key or the Start/Stop button, drive program Cis
activated. For further information about starting
the engine, see (
Ypage 136).
XPress DYNAMIC SELECT button :as many
times as necessary 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.
130DYNAMIC SELECT button (all vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Driving and parking

In addition, the current drive program settings
are displayed briefly in the multimedia systemdisplay.
iIn a few countries, the ECO start/stop func-
tion is deactivated at the factory due to the
available fuel grade. In this case, the ECO
start/stop function is not available in any
drive program, regardless of the display in the
multimedia system display.
Available drive programs:
C ComfortComfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics
SSportSporty driving characteris-
tics
IIndividualIndividual settings
Off-roadOptimal driving characteris-
tics for easily negotiable off-
road terrain
E EconomyParticularly economical
driving characteristics
Additional information for drive programs
(Ypage 136).
You can also change gear yourself using the
steering wheel paddle shifters. For further infor- mation on the manual drive program
(
Ypage 138).
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to change
the drive program. Depending on the drive pro-
gram selected the following vehicle character-
istics will change:
Rthe drive
Rthe transmission management
RESP®
Rthe suspension (vehicles with AMG adaptive
sport suspension system)
Rthe sound of the exhaust system
Rthe availability of the ECO start/stop function
Rthe availability of gliding mode
Each time you start the engine with the Smart-
Key or the Start/Stop button, drive program Cis
activated. For further information about starting
the engine, see (
Ypage 138).
XTurn DYNAMIC SELECT controller :as many
times as necessary 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.
The drive program indicator on DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :lights up in red.
Available drive programs:
I IndividualIndividual settings
C ComfortComfort-oriented, opti-
mum-economy engine and
transmission settings
SSportSporty engine and trans-
mission settings
S+ Sport PlusParticularly sporty trans-
mission settings
RaceMaximum sportiness and
engine and transmission
settings suitable for the
racetrack
Additional information for drive programs
(Ypage 136).
You can also change gear yourself using the
steering wheel paddle shifters. For further infor- mation on the manual drive program
(
Ypage 138).
DYNAMIC SELECT controller (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)131
Driving and parking
Z

Automa tic trans mission
Import ant safety notes
GWARNIN G
If th eengin espee dis abov eth eidlin gspee d
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
th evehicl ecould pull away suddenly. There is
a ris kof an accident.
When engagin gtransmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress th ebrak epedal and do
no tsimultaneously accelerate .
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off th eengine.
The vehicl emay rol laway. There is aris kof an
accident.
Afte rswitching off th eengine, always switch
to parking position P.Preven tth eparked vehi-
cle from rollin gaway by applyin gth eparking
brake.
DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview oftrans mission positions
jPark position wit hparking loc k
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
All vehicles (excep tMercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): theDIRECT SELECT lever is on th eright of
th esteering column .
Fo rinformation on th eselector lever in
Mercedes-AM Gvehicles (
Ypage 134). The DIRECT SELECT lever always return
sto it s
original position .The curren ttransmission posi-
tion j,k, iorh is shown in th etransmis -
sion position display in th emultifunction display
(
Ypage 132).
Trans mission position and drive pr o-
gram display
The curren ttransmission position and drive pro -
gram appear in th emultifunction display.
:Transmission position
;Gear
=Drive program display
The arrows in th etransmission position display
sho whow and int owhic htransmission position s
you can shif tusin gth eDIRECT SELECT lever.
If th etransmission position display in th emul-
tifunction display is no tworking ,you should pull
away carefully to chec kwhether th edesired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position hand
drive program Eor S.
Engaging pa rkposition P
!If th eengin espee dis to ohigh or th evehicl e
is coasting ,do no tshif tth eautomatic trans -
mission directl yfrom htok, from ktoh
or directl yto j. Otherwise ,th eautomatic
transmission may be damaged.
XPush th eDIRECT SELECT lever switch in th e
direction of arrow j.
Transmission position display jis shown in
th emultifunction display.
When you hav eengage dpark position j,mak e
sur ethat th etransmission position display
shows jin th emultifunction display.
You can only engage park position jwhen th e
vehicl eis stationary.
Depressing th ebrak eand pushing th eDIRECT
SELECT lever up or down disengages th epark -
ing lock. The transmission is in neutral i.
132Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

At transmission fluid temperatures belowÒ4 ‡
( 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:
Rdepress the brake pedal and
Rpush the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
past the first point of resistance
Engaging park position P automatically
Park position jis automatically engaged if:
Ryou switch off the engine using the SmartKey
and remove the SmartKey
Ryou switch off the engine using the SmartKey
or using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door or front-passenger door
Ryou 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
In certain situations, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts automatically to transmission posi-
tion jif the HOLD function or Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is activated. Observe the informa-
tion on the HOLD function (
Ypage 163) and on
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC (Ypage 159).
Engaging reverse gear R
!Only move the automatic transmission to
k when the vehicle is stationary.
XDepress the brake and keep it pressed.
XPush the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
The ECO start/stop function is not available
when reverse gear is engaged. Further informa-
tion on the ECO start/stop function
(
Ypage 128).
Shifting to neutral N
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake
Rshift the automatic transmission out of park
position P
Rstart the engine
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave children or animals unattended in
the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. This
also applies to mobile phones if the "Digital
Car Key in smartphone" function is activated
via the Mercedes me connect web app.
XIf the transmission is in position hork:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to
the first point of resistance.
XIf 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 SmartKey: if you then open the driv-
er's door or the front-passenger door or remove
the SmartKey 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-
ma

tically.
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:
XVehicles with the Start-Stop button:
remove the Start-Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XAll vehicles: switch the ignition on.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XEngage neutral i.
XRelease the brake pedal.
Automatic transmission133
Driving and parking
Z

XReleaseth eelectric parking brake.
XSwitc hoff th eignition and leav eth eSmartKey
in th eignition lock.
Engaging drive position D
XIf th etransmission is in position kori:
push th eDIRECT SELECT lever down past th e
first poin tof resistance.
XIf th etransmission is in position j:depress
th ebrak epedal and push th eDIRECT SELECT
lever down past th efirst poin tof resistance.
Selector lever (Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles)
Overview of transmission positions
jPark position wit hparking loc k
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
The currenttransmission position and driv epro -
gram appear in th emultifunction display.
:Transmissio nposition display
;Drive program display If th
etransmission position display in th emul-
tifunction display is no tworking, you should pull
away carefully to chec kwhether th edesired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position hand
driv eprogram Cor S.
Engaging park position P
XWhen th evehicl eis stationary, press but -
to n:.
Engaging reverse gear R
!Only mov eth eautomatic transmission to
k when th evehicl eis stationary.
XDepress th ebrak eand keep it pressed.
XPush th eselector lever forwards past th efirst
poin tof resistance.
134Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Transmission positions
BPark position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped.
Only shift the transmission to posi-
tionjwhen the vehicle is station-
ary. 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.
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:
Ryou switch off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the Smart-
Key
Ryou switch off the engine using the
SmartKey or using the Start/Stop
button and open the driver's door
or front-passenger door
Ryou 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
CReverse gear
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion kwhen the vehicle is station-
ary.
ANeutral
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.
7Drive
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 automatic gear shift-
ing behavior is determined by:
Rthe selected drive program
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
Rthe road speed
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rmore throttle: late upshifts
Automatic transmission135
Driving an d parking
Z

Holding the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients
GWARNING
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 Vehicle Shift to 'P'
Leave Engine Runningdisplay message
appears in the multifunction display. You will
only be able to continue your journey once the
clutch has cooled down and the display mes-
sage in the multifunction display has disap-
peared.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: theTrans. Oil
Overheated Drive on with Caredisplay
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:
Rdepressing the brake pedal
Ractivating the HOLD function
Rengaging the electric parking brake
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.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: it is only possible to
use kickdown in the automatic drive program
and the temporary manual drive program M.
When manual drive program Mis permanently
activated, kickdown is not possible. For further information on kickdown in manual
drive program
M(
Ypage 140).
Rocking the vehicle free
Shifting back and forth between transmission
positions hand kcan help to free up the
vehicle if it gets stuck in mud or snow. The vehi-
cle's engine management system limits the
speed to a maximum of 5 mph (9 km/h) when
shifting back and forth. To shift repeatedly
between transmission positions hand k,
move the DIRECT SELECT lever up and down
past the point of resistance.
Drive programs
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG
vehicles)
Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive program Cis characterized by the follow-
ing:
Rthe vehicle delivers comfortable, economical
handling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears, unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle has improved driving stability, for
example on slippery road surfaces.
Roptimal 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 characterized by the follow-
ing:
Rsporty engine settings.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.
The fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points.
Drive program I (Individual)
In drive program Ithe following properties of the
drive program can be selected:
Rthe drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
Rthe steering
136Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Rthe availability of the ECO start/stop function
Rthe climate control
Information about configuring drive program I
with the multimedia system can be found in the
Digital Operator's Manual.
iTo permanently select the gears in drive
program Iusing the steering wheel paddle
shifters, select the M(manual) setting for the
drive.
Offroad drive program
The Off-road drive program is characterized by
the following:
Rthe vehicle exhibits optimal driving charac-
teristics on easily negotiable off-road terrain.
Drive program E (Economy)
Drive program Eis characterized by the follow-
ing:
Rcomfort-oriented engine settings.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears, unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle has improved driving stability, for
example on slippery road surfaces.
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.
Rgliding mode is activated automatically when
engine-internal conditions are fulfi lled and
the accelerator is not depressed. At the same
time the transmission’s clutch opens and the
vehicle rolls freely using its kinetic energy. As
a result great distances can be completed
without the engine brake and fuel consump-
tion reduced.
iThe availability of gliding mode depends on
various factors, including the following:
Rthe engine and transmission temperature
Rthe downhill gradient
Rthe vehicle speed
Rperforming regular adaptation functions
When you depress the brake pedal, gliding
mode is deactivated, depending on pedal
pressure. When you activate cruise control or Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC, gliding mode is not availa-
ble.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
Drive program I (Individual)
In drive program Ithe following properties of the
drive program can be selected:
Rthe drive (engine management)
Rthe transmission management
Rthe suspension (vehicles with AMG adaptive
sport suspension system)
RESP®
Information about configuring drive program I
with the multimedia system can be found in the Digital Operator's Manual.
Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive program Cis characterized by the follow-
ing:
Rthe vehicle delivers comfortable, economical
handling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears, unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle has improved driving stability, for
example on slippery road surfaces.
Roptimal 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.
Rgliding mode is available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is available.
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive program Sis characterized by the follow-
ing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits sporty driving character-
istics.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.
The fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmission shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits stiff springing and
damping settings (vehicles with AIR adaptive
sport suspension system).
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
Automatic transmission137
Driving an d parking
Z

Drive program S+ (SportPlus)
Drive progra mS+ is characterized by th efol-
lowing:
Rth evehicl eexhibits particularl ysport ydrivin g
characteristics .
Rtheautomati ctransmissio nshift sup later.
Rth efue lconsumption possibl ybein ghigher as
a result of th elater automati ctransmissio n
shift points .
Rthesuspensio nexhibits particularl ystiff
springin gand dampin gsetting s(vehicles wit h
AM Gadaptive sport suspensio nsystem) .
Rglidingmod eis no tavailable.
Rth eECO start/sto pfunction is no tavailable.
Drive program RACE (vehicles wit hAMG
adaptive spor tsuspension system)
The RACE drive progra mis characterized by th e
following :
Rthevehicl eexhibits drivin gcharacteristics
suitable fo rth eracetrack.
Rall vehicl esystems are set fo rmaximum
sportiness .
Rtheautomati ctransmissio nshift sup later.
Rth efue lconsumption possibl ybein ghigher as
a result of th elater automati ctransmissio n
shift points .
Rthesuspensio nexhibits particularl yhar d
springin gand dampin gsettings.
Rglidin gmod eis no tavailable.
Rth eECO start/sto pfunction is no tavailable.
Manua lgearshifting
General notes
You can chang egear yourself usin gth esteerin g
whee lpaddl eshifters .The transmissio nmus tbe
in position hto do this.
Dependin gon whic hsteerin gwhee lpaddl e
shifter is pulled, th eautomati ctransmissio n
immediately shift sinto th enext gear down or
up, if permitted.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles :to use manual shift -
ing, you hav etw ooptions:
Rtemporar ysetting
Rpermanen tsetting If you activat
emanual gearshifting, th emulti-
function display will sho wthecurren tgear
instead of transmissio nposition h.
If manual gearshiftin gis deactivated, th egear s
will be selected automatically.
Temporar ysetting
XTo activate: shift theDIRECT SELECT lever to
position h.
XPull steerin gwhee lpaddl eshifter :or;.
Temporary setting will be active fo r acertain
amount of time. Under certain condition sth e
minimum amount of time is extended, e.g. in th e
cas eof latera lacceleration ,during an overrun
phas eor when drivin gon steep terrain .
XTo deactivate:pull steeringwhee lpaddl e
shifter ;and hol dit in place.
or
XUse th eDIRECT SELECT lever to switch th e
transmissio nposition .
or
XAl lvehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles) :
use th eDYNAMIC SELECT butto nto chang e
th edrive program.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: use th eDYNAMIC
SELECT controller to chang eth edrive pro -
gram.
138Automatic transmission
Driving and parking