automatic transmission MERCEDES-BENZ GLK-CLASS SUV 2013 User Guide

started with the Start/Stop button if the
SmartKey is in the vehicle. Electrically
powered equipment can be operated.
0043
Start/Stop button
0044 Ignition lock
X Insert Start/Stop button 0043 into ignition
lock 0044.
i When you insert Start/Stop button 0043
into ignition lock 0044, the system needs
approximately 2 seconds recognition
time.
You can then use Start/Stop button 0043
.Start/Stop button
0087
USA only
0085 Canada only
X Position 0: if Start/Stop button
0043 has not
yet been pressed, this corresponds to the
key being removed from the ignition.
X Position

1: press Start/Stop button 0043.
You can now activate the windshield
wipers, for example. i
If you then open the

driver's door when in
this position, the power supply is
deactivated.
X Position 2: (ignition): press Start/Stop
button 0043 twice.
i The power supply is switched off again if:
R the driver's door is opened and
R you press Start/Stop button 0043 once
when in this position
As soon as

the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving,
see ( Y page 259). Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of
parking position P.
R starting 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. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to

poisoning. There142
Driving
Driving and parking

is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces
without 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.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
General notes i
Vehicles with a gasoline engine: the
catalytic converter is preheated for up to
30 seconds after a cold

start. The sound of
the engine may change during this time.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P.
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows P.
i You can also start the engine when the
transmission is in position N.
Starting procedure with the SmartKey i
To start the engine using the SmartKey
instead of KEYLESS-GO, pull the Start/
Stop button out of the ignition lock.
X To start a gasoline engine: turn the
SmartKey to position 3 in the ignition lock (Y page 141) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
X To start a diesel engine: turn the
SmartKey to position 2 in the ignition lock
(Y page 141).
The 0028 preglow indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X When the 0028 preglow indicator lamp
goes out, turn the SmartKey to position
3(Y page 141) and release

it as soon as the
engine is running.
i You can start the engine

without preglow
if the engine is warm.
Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine You can start the engine if a valid SmartKey
with the integrated KEYLESS-GO function is
in the vehicle. Always take

the SmartKey with
you when leaving the vehicle, even if you only
leave it for a short time. Pay attention to the
important safety notes.
i The 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.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Press the Start/Stop button once
(Y page 141).
The engine starts. Pulling away
Automatic transmission G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position D or
R, the vehicle could pull

away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident. Driving
143
Driving and parking
Z

When engaging transmission position
D or R,
always firmly depress the brake
pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position P to 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.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position D or R.
X Release the parking brake ( Y page 161).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
! If a warning tone sounds and the
Release Park. Brake message appears
in the multifunction display, the parking
brake is still applied. Release the parking
brake.
i The 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 (Y page 228).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards 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 to depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll. G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no
longer brake your vehicle and it could 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.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal.
The vehicle is then held

for about a second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist will not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or on
a downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.
R the parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. ECO start/stop function
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 If the
00A7 symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display, the ECO start/stop
function switches the engine off
automatically if the vehicle stops moving.
The engine starts automatically when the
driver wants to pull away again. The ECO
start/stop function thereby helps you to
reduce the fuel consumption and emissions
of your vehicle. 144
Driving
Driving and parking

Every time you switch on the engine using the
SmartKey or the Start/Stop button, the ECO
start/stop function is activated.
If the ECO start/stop function has been
manually deactivated (
Y page 146) or a
malfunction has caused the system to be
deactivated, the 00A7 symbol is not
displayed.
Automatic engine switch-off General notes
The ECO start/stop function is operational
and the
00A7 symbol is displayed in green in
the multifunction display, if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green.
R the outside temperature is within the
comfort range.
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 detects that the windshield is
not fogged up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the hood is closed.
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off are fulfilled, the 00A7 symbol is
shown in yellow.
i All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine has been stopped
automatically.
i The engine can be switched off
automatically a maximum of four times
(first stop and three subsequent stops) in
succession. The 00A7 symbol is shown in
yellow in the multifunction display after the
engine has been started automatically for
the fourth time. When the 00A7 symbol is
shown in green in the multifunction display, automatic engine switch-off is again
possible.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in D or
N, the ECO start/stop function switches off
the engine automatically.
i 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 starts automatically if:
R
you switch off the ECO

start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button.
R you engage reverse gear R.
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires this.
R the temperature in the vehicle interior
deviates from the set range.
R the system detects moisture on the
windshield when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the condition of charge of the battery is too
low.
R the driver's seat belt is removed or the
driver's door is opened.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
The engine is started automatically if you:
R release the brake pedal when HOLD is not
activated and the transmission is in
position D or N.
R depress the accelerator pedal.
R move the transmission out of position P.
i Shifting the transmission to position P
does not start the engine. Driving
145
Driving and parking Z

i
If you shift the transmission from R to D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the 00A7 symbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function ECO button
X
To switch off: press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044 on button 0043 and the
00A7 symbol in the
multifunction
display go
out.
X To switch on: press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044 lights up.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off ( Y page 145) are fulfilled, the
00A7 symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off ( Y page 145) are fulfilled, the
00A7 symbol is shown in yellow in the
multifunction display. If this is

the case, the
ECO start/stop function is not available.
i If indicator lamp 0044 is

off, the ECO start/
stop function has been deactivated
manually or as the result of a malfunction.
The engine will then not be switched off
automatically when the vehicle stops. 146
Driving
Driving and parking

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050 SolutionsThe engine is not
running smoothly and
is misfiring. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X
Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic
converter and damage it. The coolant
temperature gauge
shows a value above
248 ‡
(120 †). The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 302). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add coolant if necessary. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position D or
R, the vehicle could pull
away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position D or R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to
neutral position N when 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
vehicle from rolling away by applying the
parking brake. DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
005D
Park position with parking lock
005E Reverse gear
005C Neutral
005B Drive
i The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns
to its original position. The current
transmission position
P, R, N

or D appears
in the transmission position display
(Y page 149) in the multifunction display. 148
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Transmission position and drive
program display
0043
Transmission position display
0044 Drive program display
i The arrows in the transmission position
display show how and into which
transmission positions you can change
using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
! 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 position D and drive program
E or S. Do not restrict the shift range.
The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
Engaging park position P X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the
direction of arrow P.
i The automatic transmission shifts into
park position P automatically:
R if you open the driver's door while the
vehicle is stationary in transmission
position D or R
R if you open the door while traveling at
very low speeds in transmission

position
D or R
! If the engine speed is too high or the
vehicle is moving, do not shift the
automatic transmission directly from D to R, from R to D or directly to P. The
automatic
transmission could otherwise be
damaged.
Engaging park position P automatically Park position P is automatically engaged if:
R
you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the SmartKey
R you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open one

of the front doors
R the HOLD (Y page 179) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Y page 171) 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
R when the vehicle is stationary.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
Shifting to neutral N X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push 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
to N.
Remaining in neutral N
If the automatic transmission is to remain in
neutral N, e.g. for washing the vehicle in car
washes with a
towing device,

please observe
the following instructions: Automatic transmission
149
Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of
parking position P.
R starting 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.
Using the SmartKey:
R Make sure that the ignition is switched on.
R When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
R Shift to neutral N.
R Release the brake pedal.
R if the electric parking brake is applied,
release it.
R Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Using KEYLESS-GO:
R Make sure that the ignition is switched on.
R When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
R Engage park position P.
R Release the brake pedal.
R Remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
R Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
R Switch on the ignition.
R Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed. R
Shift to neutral N.
R Release the brake pedal.
R if the electric parking brake is applied,
release it.
R Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance. Transmission positions
0045
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Y page 160) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be
used

as a brake
when parking. Always apply the
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 position P. Have
the vehicle electronics checked
immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop.
The automatic transmission shifts
to P automatically if you:
R remove the SmartKey
R switch off the engine when in R
or D and open one of the front
doors 0046
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. 150
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

0044
Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. The transmission
could otherwise 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
position N if the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train. 003A
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 position D. This automatic
gearshifting behavior is determined by:
R a shift range restriction, if selected
R the selected drive program:
E/S (Y page 151)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed Driving tips
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.
Towing a trailer X
When traveling downhill, switch to a lower
gear if the automatic transmission
constantly switches between two gears.
X Engaging a lower gear and reducing the
speed reduces the risk of the engine
overheating. Program selector button
General notes The program selector button allows you to
choose between different driving
characteristics.
Program selector button
E Economy Comfortable, economical
driving
S Sport Sporty driving styleAutomatic transmission
151
Driving and parking Z

i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see ( Y page 152).
X Press program selector button 0043
repeatedly until the letter for the desired
gearshift program appears in the
multifunction display. Steering wheel paddle shifters
0043
Left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
0044 Right-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
In the automatic drive program, you can
restrict or derestrict the shift range by using
the steering wheel paddle shifters
(Y page 152).
i You can only change gear with the
steering wheel paddle shifters when the
transmission is in position D. Automatic drive program
Drive program E is characterized by the
following:
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully R
increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
R the 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 program
S is characterized by the
following:
R sporty engine and automatic transmission
settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic
transmission shift points Shift ranges
Introduction When the automatic transmission is in
position D, it is possible to restrict or
derestrict the shift range (Y page 152).
The shift range selected is shown in the
multifunction display. The automatic
transmission shifts

only as far as the selected
gear.
Shift range: 0040
You can use the engine's braking
effect
0038
You can use the braking effect of
the engine on downhill gradients
and for driving:
R
on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 0037
To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep
downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches 152
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking