Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Owner's Manual page 39

S e le cto r Lever P ositions
The a u to m a tic g ear sh iftin g process
can be adapted to s p e c ific o p e ra t­
ing c o n d itio n s by m eans of the
se le cto r lever.
" P" P arking lock. The pa rkin g lock
is an a d d ition a l safeguard
when p a rkin g the vehicle.
Engage o nly when th e car
is stationary.
" R" R everse gear. S h ift reverse
gear o nly w ith the v e h ic le
at halt.
" N " N eutral. No p o w e r is tra n s ­
m itted from th e e ng ine to the
rear axle. W hen th e brakes
are released, th e v e h ic le can
coast fre e ly (to be pushed
o r tow ed). Do not s h ift to neu­
tral w h ile d rivin g.
" D " Drive.
280 SE:
A ll gears are available. 1st gear
can be engaged o n ly by means
of kickdow n. P osition " D "
a ffords optim u m d riv in g cha­
ra c te ris tic s un der all norm al
ope rating co n d ition s.
450 SEL:
A ll gears are a vailable. The
v e h ic le s ta rts o u t in 1st gear.
P osition " D " a ffo rd s optim um
d riv in g c h a ra c te ris tic s un der
all norm al o p e ra tin g c o n d itio n s .
" S " Slope.
280 SE:
U p sh iftin g to 3rd g ea r only.
1st g e a r can be engaged o nly
by m eans o f kickd ow n.
S u ita b le fo r m od e rate ascents
and descents. As th e tra n s ­
m ission sh ifts up to 3rd g ear
only, th is p o s itio n p e rm its the
u tiliz a tio n o f the e n gine b ra kin g
effect. W ith the s e le c to r lever
in p o sitio n " S " and th e a c c e le ­
ra to r dep re sse d to fu ll th ro ttle ,
2nd g e a r covers a w id e r speed
ra nge than w ith th e s e le c to r
le ve r in p o s itio n " D " .
450 SEL:
U p sh iftin g to 2nd g ea r only.
T he ve h ic le starts o u t in 1st
gear. S u ita b le fo r m oderate
a sce n ts and descents. As the
tra n s m is s io n sh ifts up to 2nd
g ear only, th is p o s itio n p erm its
the u tiliz a tio n o f th e engine
Starting and Shifting Gears
b ra kin g e ffect. W ith the se le c to r
lever in p o s itio n " S " and the
a c c e le ra to r depressed to full
th ro ttle , 1st g ea r covers a w id e r
speed range than w ith the
s e le c to r lever in p o sitio n " D " .
U psh iftin g to 2nd g ear only.
The v e h ic le sta rts o u t in 1 st
gear. F or d rivin g on steep
m ounta in passes, fo r tra ile r
o p e ra tio n in m ou ntain ous re­
gions, fo r d riv in g u n d e r severe
o p e ra tin g c o n d itio n s and as
b ra k in g p o s itio n on extrem ely
steep d e c lin e s . If th e s e le c to r
leve r is b rie fly sh ifte d to
p o sitio n " S " and then returned
to p o sitio n " L " , 2nd ge a r is
s hifted so o n e r at h ig h e r speed.
450 SEL:
No upshift, tra n sm issio n w ill
rem ain in 1st gear. For d rivin g
on stee p m ou n tain passes,
fo r tra ile r o p e ra tio n in m ou n­
ta in o u s regions, fo r driving
u n d e r severe o p e ra tin g c o n d i­
tio n s and as a b ra kin g po sition
on e xtre m e ly steep declines.
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