Automatic Transmission - Mercedes-Benz S 320 1999 Owner's Manual

Automatic Transmission

The automatic transmission selects
individual gears automatically,
dependent upon
• Selector lever position
• Program mode selector
• Accelerator position
• Vehicle speed
Important!
When parking the car or before
working on the vehicle with the
engine running, firmly depress the
parking brake pedal and shift the
selector lever into "P" .
Driving
The selector lever is automatically
locked while in position " P". To
move the selector lever out of
position "P", the service brake
pedal must be firmly depressed
before the shift lock will release.
Shift selector lever to the desired
position only when the engine is
idling normally and the service
brake is applied. Do not release
the brake until ready to drive. The
vehicle may otherwise start creep­
ing when the selector lever is in
drive or reverse position.
Warning!
It is dangerous to shift the se­
lector lever out of "P" or "N " if
the engine speed is higher
than idle speed. If your foot is
not firmly on the brake pedal,
the car could accelerate
quickly forward or in reverse.
You could lose control of the
car and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling
normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake
pedal.
Important!
After selecting any driving position
from "N" or "P", wait a moment to
allow the gear to fully engage
before accelerating, especially
when the engine is cold.
Accelerator position
Partial throttle = early upshifting =
normal acceleration
Full throttle = later upshifting =
rapid acceleration
Kickdown (depressing the accel­
erator beyond full throttle) =
downshifting to a lower gear =
maximum acceleration. Once the
desired speed is attained, ease up
on the accelerator - the transmis­
sion shifts up again.