Mercedes-Benz 300 SD-Turbo Diesel 1985, Owner'S Manual

Page: 56 / 105

Starting and Shifting Gears
Safe Driving
Maneuvering
To maneuver in tig h t areas, e.g. when
pulling into a parking space, control
the car speed by gradually releasing
the service brake.
Accelerate gently and do not pump
the accelerator. To rock a car out of
s o ft ground (mud or snow), alter­
nately shift from forward to reverse,
while applying partial throttle.
Trailer operation
To prevent the engine from laboring
at low RPMs, do not allow the engine
speed to drop to o low on uphill gra­
dients. Depending on the degree of
the incline, shift selector lever to posi­
tions “ 3 " or “ 2 " early enough to main­
tain engine RPMs within best torque
range.
Stopping
For brief stops, e.g. at traffic lights,
leave the transm ission engaged and
co n tro l vehicle w ith the service brake.
For longer stops with the engine
idling, shift into “ N” or “ P” .
When stopping the car on a slope, do
not hold it with the accelerator, use
the brake. This avoids unnecessary
transm ission heat-up.
Power assistance:
When the engine is not running, both
th e service brake and the steering are
w ith o u t power assistance. Under these
circum stances, a much greater effort
is necessary to steer or stop the
vehicle.
Tires:
Do not allow your tires to wear down
to o far. With less than 3 mm/Vs in of
tread, the antiskid properties on a wet
road are sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or
road pavement, the traction varies
widely.
Specified tire pressures m ust be
maintained. This applies particularly if
the tires are subjected to high loads
(e.g. high speeds, heavy loads, high
am bient tem peratures).