Safe Driving - Mercedes-Benz 280 E 1979 Owner's Manual

Starting and Shifting Gears
Maneuvering
To maneuver in restricted area,
e. g. when pulling into a parking
space, control the car speed by
gradually releasing the service
brake. Accelerate gently and do not
pump the accelerator. To rock a
car out of soft ground (mud or
snow), alternately shift one forward
gear range and the reverse gear at
partial throttle.
Trailer operation
Do not allow the engine speed to
drop too low at uphill gradients to
prevent the engine from laboring at
low RPMs. Depending on the
degree of the incline, shift selector
lever to positions " S" or " L" early
enough to maintain engine RPMs
within best torque range.
Stopping
For brief halts, e. g. at traffic lights,
leave the selector lever in a driving
position and control vehicle with
the service brake.
For longer stops with the engine
idling, shift selector lever to
position " N" .
When stopping the car on a slope,
do not hold it by means of the
accelerator but use the brake. This
avoids unnecessary heat-up of the
transmission.

Safe Driving

Always drive according to the
rule " Safety first" . The comfort­
able ride of the vehicle may easily
tempt you to underestimate the
speed you are actually driving at.
For this reason you should get used
to keeping an eye on the speedo­
meter needle because high speeds
demand long stopping distances.
Do not attempt to move or roll the
vehicle with the engine not in
operation, as engine-driven acces­
sories such as the power steering
system or power brakes are not
" powered" , therefore, requiring
substantially more effort for their
operation even though they always
remain mechanically operative.
Do not allow your tires to wear
down too far. With less than appr.
Vs in. (3 mm) of tread, the antiskid
properties on a wet road fall off
sharply.
Depending upon the weather and/or
road pavement, the grip of the tires
varies widely.
The retention of the specified tire
pressure is essential. This applies
particularly if the tires are subjected
to high loads (e.g. high speeds,