Changing Gear; Driving Tips; Kickdown - Mercedes-Benz GL Operator's Manual

Automatic transmission
176
A
Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be
damaged.
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
position N if the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch off the engine using
the SmartKey or the Start/Stop
button, the automatic transmission
shifts to neutral N automatically.
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train.
7
Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.

Changing gear

The automatic transmission shifts to the
individual gears automatically when it is in
transmission position D. This automatic
gearshifting behavior is determined by:
the position of the accelerator pedal
R
the road speed
R
®
is deactivated or faulty:

Driving tips

Kickdown

Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
X
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.
Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
X
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Rocking the vehicle free
Shifting the transmission repeatedly between
gears D and R may help to free the vehicle if
it has become stuck in slush or snow. The
vehicle's engine management system limits
the speed to a maximum of 5 mph (9 km/h)
when shifting back and forth. To shift back
and forth between transmission positions D
and R, move the DIRECT SELECT selector
lever up and down past the point of
resistance.
Towing a trailer
Drive in the middle of the engine speed
X
range on uphill gradients.
Depending on the uphill or downhill
X
gradient, use left-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter ( page 177) to select a
Y
lower gear, even if cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS are activated.