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A
Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to i
while driving. The automatic trans-
mission could otherwise be dam-
aged.
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
®
is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission to position i if the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position k or h,
the automatic transmission will shift
to i automatically.
!
Coasting in neutral i may
cause damage to the drive train.
7
Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts through the
individual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position h. This automatic gear shift-
ing behavior is determined by:
R
the selected drive program
R
the position of the accelerator pedal
R
the road speed
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R
little throttle: early upshifts
R
more throttle: late upshifts
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed.
X
Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Rocking the vehicle free
Shifting back and forth between transmission
positions h and k can help to free up the
vehicle if it gets stuck in mud 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 repeatedly
between transmission positions h and k,
move the DIRECT SELECT lever up and down
beyond the pressure point.
Towing a trailer
X
Drive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients.
X
Depending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 147) to select a lower gear,
even if cruise control or Active Distance
Assist DISTRONIC is activated.
Drive programs
Slippery drive program
The Slippery drive program has the following
characteristics:
R
reduced engine and transmission settings for
optimum propulsion on slippery or snow-cov-
ered roads.
R
optimized ESP
®
stability control on slippery or
snow-covered roads.
R
the vehicle has improved driving stability on
slippery or snow-covered roads, for example.
146
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking
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