Accelerator Pedal Position - Mercedes-Benz R-Class Owner's Manual

Automatic transmission
152
Transmission positions
Park position
B
This prevents the vehicle from roll-
ing away when stopped. Do not
shift the transmission into position
P ( Y
page 158) unless the vehicle
is stationary.
The automatic transmission shifts
to P automatically if you:
remove the key
R
switch off the engine when in R
R
or D and open one of the front
doors
Reverse gear
C
Only shift the transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary.
Neutral
A
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
only shift the transmission to posi-
tion N if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch off the engine using
the key or the Start/Stop button,
the automatic transmission shifts
to neutral N automatically.
! Rolling in neutral N can lead to
damage to the transmission.
Drive
7
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
®
is deactivated or faulty:
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. Gearshifting is deter-
mined by:
a shift range restriction, if selected
R
the selected drive program
R
E/S ( Y page 153)
the position of the accelerator pedal
R
the road speed
R
Driving tips

Accelerator pedal position

Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
little throttle: early upshifts
R
more throttle: late upshifts
R
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The 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.
Towing a trailer
X
Drive in the middle of the engine speed
range on uphill gradients.
X
Shift down to shift range 3 or
2 ( Y page 154) depending on the uphill or
downhill gradient, even if cruise control,
DISTRONIC PLUS or SPEEDTRONIC is acti-
vated.