Mercedes-Benz 300 TE 124 T 1988 Owner's Manual page 67

S e le c to r lever p o s itio n s
The a u to m a tic g e ar sh iftin g p ro c e s s
can be adapted to s p e c ific o p e ra tin g
c o n d itio n s using th e s e le c to r lever.
" P " P arking lock.
The pa rkin g lo c k is an a d ditiona l
safe gua rd to th e p a rkin g brake
w hen p a rkin g th e vehicle.
Engage only w ith th e car
sto p p e d .
" R " R everse gear.
S h ift to reve rse g e ar o n ly w ith
the car sto p p e d .
" N " Neutral.
No p o w e r is tra n s m itte d fro m the
engine to the rear axle. W hen the
bra kes are released, th e veh icle
can be m ove d fre e ly (p u sh e d ,
to w e d o r to w -s ta rte d ). Do n o t
e n ga ge " N " w h ile d rivin g e x c e p t
w h en th e v e h icle is in d a n g e r of
s k id d in g (e.g. on icy roa ds, see
page 18).
" D " Drive.
A u to m a tic u p s h iftin g to to p gear.
P o sitio n " D " a ffo rd s o p tim u m
d rivin g c h a ra c te ris tic s u n d e r all
norm al o p e ra tin g c o n d itio n s .
" 3 " U p sh ift to 3 rd g e ar only. S uita ble
fo r m ed iu m range up o r d o w n ­
grades.
" 2 " U p s h ift to 2nd g e a r only. For
d rivin g in m o u n ta in o u s re g io n s.
S ince th e tra n s m is s io n w ill n o t
s h ift up fu rth e r, th is g e ar s e le c ­
tio n w ill m ake use o f th e e n g in e 's
b ra kin g po w e r.
Im p o rtan t!
Do n o t e xc e e d th e e n g in e sp e e d lim ­
its fo r in dividu al g e ar se le c tio n s ,
w h ic h are in d ica te d by m a rks on the
sp e e d o m e te r.
Do n o t a tte m p t d o w n s h iftin g to a
lo w e r g e ar (b ra k in g e ffe c t) u n le ss the
s p e e d o m e te r needle is b e lo w the
spe ed lim it m ark o f th a t p a rtic u la r
gear range. O v e r-re w in g c o u ld re su lt
in dam age to th e engine.
O n s lip p e ry road su rfa ce s, it is not
re co m m e n d e d to d o w n s h ift in o rd e r
to o b ta in b ra k in g a ctio n . This co u ld
re su lt in rear w h ee l slip and re d u c e d
veh icle c o n tro l.
To p re v e n t th e e n gine fro m la bo ring
at lo w RPM s, do n o t a llow th e engine
s p e e d to d ro p to o lo w on uphill g ra ­
d ie n ts. D e p e n d in g on th e d e g re e of
th e incline, s h ift s e le c to r le ver to p o s i­
tio n " 3 " o r " 2 " early e n ou gh to m ain­
tain e n g in e RPM w ith in th e be st
to rq u e range.
S to p p in g
F or b rie f s to p s , e.g. at tra ffic lights,
leave th e tra n s m is s io n en ga ge d and
c o n tro l v e h icle w ith the service brake.
F or lo n g e r s to p s w ith the engine
idling, s h ift in to " N " o r " P" . W hen
s to p p in g th e car on a slope, do n o t
hold it w ith th e a cc e le ra to r, use the
bra ke. T his avo id s un n e ce ssa ry tra n s ­
m iss io n heat b u ild up.
M an eu verin g
To m an eu ver in tig h t areas, e.g. w hen
p u llin g in to a p a rkin g space, c o n tro l
th e ca r sp e e d by gra du ally releasing
th e bra kes. A c c e le ra te g e n tly and do
n o t p u m p th e a cce le ra to r.
To ro c k a ca r o u t of s o ft g ro u n d (m ud
o r s n o w ), a lte rn a te ly s h ift fro m fo rw a rd
to reve rse, w h ile ap plying partial
th ro ttle .
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