2005 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE Owners Manual

160 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission*When the gear selector lever is in
positionD, you can influence transmission
shifting by:

limiting the gear range


changing gears manually
One-touch gearshifting
Even with an automatic transmission you
can change the gears manually when the
gear selector lever is in position D.
Downshifting
Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the left in the D-direction.
The transmission will shift from the current
gear to the next lower gear. This action
simultaneously limits the gear range of the
transmission (
page 161). Upshifting

Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the right in the
D+direction.
The transmission will shift from the current
gear to the next higher gear as permitted
by the shift program. This action simul-
taneously extends the gear range of the
transmission.
Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector
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 vehicle could
accelerate quickly forward or reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle 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.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when
the gear selector lever is moved to
the D-direction, the transmission will
not shift to a lower gear if the engine’s
max. speed would be exceeded.

161
Controls in detail
Automatic transmission*
Canceling gear range limit
Press and hold the gear selector lever
in the
D+direction until
D reappears in
the multifunction display.
The transmission will shift from the current
gear range directly to gear range D.
Shifting into optimal gear range

Press and hold the gear selector lever
in the D-direction.
The transmission will automatically select
the gear range suited for optimal
acceleration and deceleration. This will
involve shifting down one or more gears.
Gear ranges
With the gear selector lever in position D,
you can limit the transmission’s gear range
by pressing the gear selector lever to the
left ( D-), and reverse the gear range limit
by pressing the gear selector lever to the
right ( D+).
The selected gear range appears in the
multifunction display. If you press on the
accelerator when the engine has reached
its rpm limit, the transmission will upshift
beyond any gear range limit selected.
Effect
é
The transmission shifts through
fourth gear only.
è
The transmission shifts through
third gear only.
With this selection you can use
the braking effect of the engine.
Effect
ç
The transmission shifts through
second gear only.
Allows the use of engine’s
braking power when driving:

on steep downgrades


in mountainous regions


under extreme operating
conditions
æ
The transmission operates in
first gear only.
For maximum use of engine’s
braking effect on very steep or
lengthy downgrades.

162 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission*Gear selector lever position
Effect
ì
Park position
Gear selector lever position
when the vehicle is parked. Place
gear selector lever in positionP
only when vehicle is stopped.
The park position is not intended
to serve as a brake when the
vehicle is parked. Rather, the
driver should always set the
parking brake in addition to
placing the gear selector lever in
position P to secure the vehicle.
EffectThe SmartKey can only be
removed from the starter switch
with the gear selector lever in
position P. With the SmartKey
removed, the gear selector lever
is locked in position P.
If the vehicle’s electrical system
is malfunctioning, the gear
selector lever could remain
locked in position P
(page 380).
í
Reverse gear
Place gear selector lever in
position R only when vehicle is
stopped.
Effect
ë
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive axle. When
the brakes are released, the
vehicle can be moved freely
(pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the trans-
mission, never engage N while
driving.
If the ESP is deactivated or
malfunctioning:
Move gear selector lever to N
only if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
ê
Drive
The transmission shifts
automatically. All five forward
gears are available.

163
Controls in detail
Automatic transmission*
!
Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any
other reason with gear selector lever
in N can result in transmission damage
that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear
selector lever not fully engaged in position P
is dangerous. Also, position P alone is not
intended to or capable of preventing your
vehicle from moving, possibly hitting people
or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to position P (
page 50).
When parked on an incline, turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay, or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children
could move the gear selector lever from
position P, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

164 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission*Automatic shift program
The program mode selector switch is
located on the lower part of the center
console.1 Program mode selector switch
C Comfort For comfort driving
S Sport For standard driving

Press program mode selector
switch 1 repeatedly until the letter of
the desired program mode appears in
the multifunction display (
page 159).
Select Cfor comfort driving:


The vehicle starts out in second
gear (both forward and reverse) for
gentler starts. This does not apply if
full throttle is applied or gear
range 1 is selected.


Traction and driving stability are
improved on icy roads.


Upshifts occur earlier even when
you give more gas. The engine then
operates at lower rpms and the
wheels are less likely to spin.
!Never change the program mode when
the gear selector lever is out of
position P. This could result in a
change of driving characteristics for
which you may not be prepared.iThe last selected program
mode ( Sor C) is switched on when
the engine is restarted in the
automatic program mode.

165
Controls in detail
Automatic transmission*
Driving tips
Accelerator position
Your driving style influences the
transmission’s shifting behavior:
Less throttle Earlier upshifting
More throttle Later upshifting
Kickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
Press the accelerator past the point of
resistance.
The transmission shifts into a lower
gear.

Ease on the accelerator when you have
reached the desired speed.
The transmission shifts up again.
Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights:

Leave the transmission in gear.

Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop longer with the engine
idling or on an uphill gradient:

Move the gear selector lever to
position P.

Set the parking brake. Maneuvering
When you maneuver in tight areas,
e.g. when pulling into parking space:

Control the vehicle speed by gradually
releasing the brakes.

Accelerate gently.

Never abruptly step on the accelerator.
Working on the vehicleWarning!
G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and move gear selector lever
to position P. Otherwise the vehicle could
roll away.

166 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission*Emergency operation (Limp Home Mode)
If vehicle acceleration worsens or the
transmission no longer shifts, the trans-
mission is most likely operating in limp
home (emergency operation) mode. In this
mode only second gear and reverse gear
can be activated.

Stop the vehicle.

Move gear selector lever toP.

Turn off the engine.

Wait at least ten seconds before
restarting.

Restart the engine.

Move gear selector lever to position D
(for second gear) or R.

Have the transmission checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.

167
Controls in detail
Good visibility
 Good visibility
For information on the windshield wipers,
see “Windshield wipers” (
page 53).
Headlamp cleaning system*
The switch is located on the left side of the
dashboard.
1 Headlamp washer switch

Switch on the ignition (
page 33).

Press switch 1.
The headlamps are cleaned with a
high-pressure water jet.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 299).
Rear view mirrors
For more information on setting the rear
view mirrors, see “Mirrors” (
page 42).
Interior rear view mirror,
antiglare position
1 Lever

Tilt the mirror to the antiglare night po-
sition by moving lever 1 towards the
windshield.
The interior rear view mirror is dimmed.