Accelerator Pedal Position - Mercedes-Benz 2015 M-Class Operator's Manual

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 brake pedal will allow
you to move the vehicle freely, e.g.
to push it or tow it.
®
If ESP is deactivated or faulty:
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 SmartKey or the Start/Stop
button, the automatic transmission
shifts to neutral N automatically.
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train.
Drive
7
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 shift-
ing behavior is determined by:
the selected drive program (
R
the position of the accelerator pedal
R
( page 171)
Y
the road speed
R

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.
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 vehi-
cle'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 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 gradi-
X
ent, use left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (
even if cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS
are activated.
page 172)
Y
Automatic transmission
page 172) to select a lower gear,
Y
171
Z