Mercedes-Benz 2003 S 430 Operator's Manual page 45

Driving
Firmly depress the brake pedal.
Move selector lever to position D or R.
Release the brake pedal.
Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
Once the vehicle is in motion, the automat-
ic central locking system engages and the
locking knobs drop down.
i
You can open a locked door from the
inside. Open door only when conditions
are safe to do so.
!
If you hear a warning signal when driv-
ing off, you have forgotten to release
the parking brake.
Release the parking brake.
After a cold start the automatic transmis-
sion engages at a higher revolution. This al-
lows the catalytic converter to reach its
operating temperature earlier.
i
Wait for the gear selection process to
complete before setting the vehicle in
motion.
Warning!
It is dangerous to shift the selector lever out
of P or N if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the en-
gine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
!
Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and applying the brake re-
duces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear.
Warning!
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
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result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle's ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
Getting started
Driving
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45