automatic transmission MERCEDES-BENZ SL-Class 2014 R131 User Guide

Useful information
............................154
Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle 154
Driving ............................................... 154
Automatic transmission ...................163
Refueling ............................................ 172
Parking ............................................... 175
Driving tips ........................................ 178
Driving systems ................................ 184 153Driving and parking

G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage
of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals. G
WARNING
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. G
WARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
R overheat and cause a fire
R lose 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. Key positions
SmartKey 005A
To remove the SmartKey
0047 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
0048 Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
0049 To start the engine
i The 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
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO are equipped with
a SmartKey featuring an integrated KEYLESS-
GO start function and a detachable Start/
Stop button.
You can switch the engine on and off with the
Start/Stop button. The Start/Stop button
must be inserted in the ignition lock and the
SmartKey must be in the vehicle.
Pressing the Start/Stop button several times
in succession corresponds to the different
SmartKey positions in the ignition lock. This
is only the case if you are not depressing the
brake pedal. Driving
155Driving and parking Z

Removing the Start/Stop button
You can remove the Start/Stop button from
the ignition lock and start the vehicle as
normal using the SmartKey.
X Remove Start/Stop button 0043from ignition
lock 0044.
i You do not have to remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock when you
leave the vehicle. 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 shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R Start 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. There
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.
i The catalytic converter is preheated for
up to 30 seconds after a cold start. During
this time, the engine sound may be
different.
Starting procedure with the SmartKey X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
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.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 3in the
ignition lock (Y page 155) and release it as
soon as the engine is running.
Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine 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 Driving
157Driving and parking Z

lock and the SmartKey must be in the
vehicle.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
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.
X Press the Start/Stop button once
(Y page 155).
The engine starts. Pulling away
Automatic transmission 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.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then is
the shift lock released.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
X Release the electric parking brake
(Y page 176).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
! If a warning tone sounds and the
Release Park. Brake 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 239).
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 Remove your foot from the brake pedal.
The vehicle is then held for about a second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist is not active 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. 158
DrivingDriving and parking

i
All vehicles (apart from AMG
vehicles): automatic engine switch-off can
take place a maximum of four times
consecutively (initial stop then repeated
three times). The 00A7symbol is shown in
yellow in the multifunction display after the
engine has been started automatically for
the fourth time. When the 00A7symbol is
shown in green in the multifunction display,
automatic engine switch-off is again
possible.
i AMG vehicles: times which the engine
can be automatically switched off.
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 The engine starts automatically if:
R
you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button.
R in transmission position Dor Nthe brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is
not active.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
R you engage reverse gear R.
R you move the transmission out of position
P.
R you switch to drive program S, S+orM
(AMG vehicles).
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the
driver's door.
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 charge level of the battery is too low.
i Shifting the transmission to position P
does not start the engine.
i If you shift the transmission from Rto D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the 00A7symbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function ECO button
Deactivating (except for AMG vehicles)
X
Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044and the 00A7symbol in
the multifunction display go out.
Activating (except for AMG vehicles)
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up. If all conditions
for automatic engine switch-off
(Y page 159) are fulfilled, the 00A7symbol
is shown in green in the multifunction
display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 159) 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 0044is off, the ECO start/
stop function has been deactivated 160
DrivingDriving and pa
rking

manually or as the result of a malfunction.
The engine will then not be switched off
automatically when the vehicle stops. ECO button in AMG vehicles
Deactivating (AMG vehicles)
X
Press button 0043in drive program C.
or
X Switch to drive program S,S+ orM
(Y page 167).
Indicator lamp 0044and the 00A7symbol in
the multifunction display go out.
Activating (AMG vehicles)
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up.
If drive program S, S+orMis active, the
automatic transmission switches to drive
program C.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 159) are fulfilled, the
00A7 symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 159) 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 0044is 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. Driving
161Driving and parking Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions The coolant
temperature display is
showing more than
248 ‡ (120 †). The
coolant warning lamp
may also be lit 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.
X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 545). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X
At coolant temperatures below 248 ‡(120 †), drive to the next
qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-and-go traffic. 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
neutral 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
vehicle from rolling away by applying the
parking brake. Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions !
If the engine speed is too high or if the
vehicle is rolling, do not shift the
transmission directly from Dto R, from R
to Dor directly to P.
Do not open the driver's door while the
vehicle is in motion. At low speeds in
transmission position Dor R, park position
P is otherwise engaged automatically.
The transmission could be damaged. Selector lever
005D
Park position
005E Reverse gear Automatic transmission
163Driving and parking Z

005C
Neutral
005B Drive
When you select a transmission position, the
selector lever subsequently returns to its
original position.
The current transmission position P,R, Nor
D appears in the transmission position
display in the multifunction display.
Engaging park position P X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Press the Pbutton in the center console.
i Park position Pis disengaged if you:
R depress the brake pedal and
R push the selector lever forwards or back
to the first point of resistance.
The transmission shifts to neutral N.
Park position Pis engaged automatically and
the electric parking brake applied:
R if you remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock
R if you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open the driver's or front-
passenger door
R if you open the driver's door while traveling
at low speed in transmission position Dor
R
R when HOLD (Y page 195) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Y page 186) brakes your vehicle
until it is stationary and at least one of the
following conditions is fulfilled:
- the engine is switched off.
- the driver's door is open and the seat belt
is not fastened.
- there is a system malfunction.
- the power supply is insufficient.
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 selector lever forwards past the
first point of resistance.
i When reverse gear is engaged and the
ECO start/stop function is switched on, the
engine starts up automatically
(Y page 160).
Shifting to neutral N X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the selector lever forwards or back to
the first point of resistance.
i If the vehicle is braked to a standstill when
in neutral Nand the brake pedal continues
to be depressed, the ECO start/stop
function switches the engine off
automatically (Y page 159).
Remaining in neutral N 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 shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R Start 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. 164
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

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 engaged,
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 engaged,
release it.
R Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Shifting to transmission position D X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the selector lever back past the first
point of resistance.
i If the vehicle is braked to a standstill when
in transmission position D(Ypage 159 )and
the brake pedal continues to be depressed,
the ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically. Transmission position and drive
program display
Display in transmission positions P, R
and N 0043
Transmission position: currently selected
transmission position will be highlighted
0044 Drive program (E/S/M)
In addition to drive program 0044being shown
in the multifunction display, the currently
selected drive program is indicated in red on
the program selector button.
Display when in transmission position
D 0043
Transmission position
0044 Gear
0087 Drive program (E/S)
When you have selected drive program Eor
S, the transmission position is displayed in
position 0043. The selected gear is displayed in
position 0044. Automatic transmission
165Driving and parking Z

Display when in transmission position
D and drive program M 0043
Gear
0044 Drive program (M) Transmission positions
0045
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Ypage 163) 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 SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock, the transmission
is locked.
The automatic transmission shifts
into Pautomatically:
R when the SmartKey is removed
from the ignition lock
R when the engine is switched off
with the transmission in position
Ror Dand one of the doors is
opened
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, e.g. an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. 0046
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary. 0044
Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
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
position Nif the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
! Rolling in neutral Ncan 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 the selected drive program E, S or
M(Y page 167)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the
automatic transmission shifts gear:
R
little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts 166
Automatic transmissionDriving and pa
rking