A
Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could 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 N if the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
!
Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train.
7
Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. This automatic gear shifting
behavior is determined by:
R
the selected drive program
R
the position of the accelerator pedal
R
the road speed
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R
little throttle: early upshifts
R
more throttle: late upshifts
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.
Rocking the vehicle free
Rocking the vehicle free by shifting back and
forth between transmission positions D and R
can help to free a vehicle that has become stuck
in mud or snow. The vehicle's engine manage-
ment restricts switching between transmission
positions D and R to speeds up to a maximum of
5 mph (9 km/h). To shift back and forth between
transmission positions D and R, move the
DIRECT SELECT lever up and down past the
point of resistance.
Program selector button
X
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): press program selector button
:
to
change the drive program.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display.
Automatic transmission
155
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