2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R500 transmission

197 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
For information on driving with an auto-
matic transmission see “Automatic trans-
mission” (
page 53).
Your vehicle’s transmission adapts its gear
shifting process to your individual driving
style by continually adjusting the shift
points up or down. These shift point adjust-
ments are performed based on current
operating and driving conditions.
If the operating conditions change, the
automatic transmission reacts by
adjusting its shift program.
Gear selector lever
The gear selector lever is located on the
right of the steering column.Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmissionPPark position
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive positionShifting from P to N
Moving the gear selector lever up or down
shifts the automatic transmission out of
park positionP:

Depress the brake pedal and keep it
pressed.

Move gear selector lever up or down to
resistance point to select neutral
positionN.
iDuring the brief warm-up, transmission
upshifting is delayed. This allows the
catalytic converter to heat up more
quickly to operating temperature.
Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the automatic trans-
mission out of park positionP or neutral
positionN 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.

198 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionShifting from N to R or from N to D
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Move gear selector lever up past the
resistance point to select reverse
gearR.
or

Move gear selector down up past the
resistance point to select drive
positionD.

Release the parking brake (
page 56).

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator pedal
to drive off when it is safe to do so.Shifting from P to R

With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Move gear selector lever up past the
resistance point to select reverse
gearR.

Release the parking brake (
page 56).

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator pedal
to drive off when it is safe to do so.Shifting from P to D

With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Move gear selector lever down past the
resistance point to select drive
positionD.

Release the parking brake (
page 56).

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator pedal
to drive off when it is safe to do so.
iThe gear selector lever returns to its
original position.
iThe gear selector lever returns to its
original position.
iThe gear selector lever returns to its
original position.

199 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Shifting from D, R, or N to P
If you want to select park positionP with
the transmission being in drive positionD,
reverse gearR or neutral positionN:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Step firmly on parking brake pedal
(page 65).

Press button on gear selector lever in
direction of arrow (
page 197) to
select park positionP.

Release the brake pedal.Shifting from D or R to N
If you want to select neutral positionN
with the transmission being in drive
positionD or reverse gearR:

With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Step firmly on parking brake pedal
(page 65).

Move gear selector lever up to resis-
tance point when in drive position D or
down to resistance point when in re-
verse gear R to select neutral
positionN.

Release the brake pedal.
Shifting procedure
The automatic transmission selects indi-
vidual gears automatically, depending on:

drive positionD (
page 200) with
gear ranges (
page 202)


the selected program mode (C/S)
(page 204)


the position of the accelerator pedal
(page 203)


the vehicle speed
The current gear range/transmission
position and program mode (
C/S) appear
in the multifunction display.
1Current transmission position
!Shift the automatic transmission
directly from positionD toR, fromR
toD or directly toP only when the
vehicle is stopped. Otherwise the
automatic transmission could be
damaged.
When trying to free a vehicle stuck in
mud or snow, see “Rocking the vehicle”
(page 204).
iWhen the vehicle needs to be moved
with the engine switched off and the
transmission set to N (
page 200),
e.g. in an automatic car wash, do not
depress the parking brake pedal.

200 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionWith drive positionD selected, you can use
the steering wheel gearshift control
buttons (
page 206) to influence trans-
mission shifting by:


limiting the gear range


changing gears manually
Transmission positions
!Allow engine to warm up under low
load use. Do not place full load on the
engine until the operating temperature
has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park
positionP only when the vehicle is
stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period when driving off on
slippery road surfaces. This may cause
serious damage to the drivetrain which
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Effect
ì
Park position
Shift into park positionP only
when vehicle is stopped. The
park position is not intended to
serve as a brake when the vehi-
cle is parked. Rather, the driver
should always set the parking
brake in addition to shifting into
park positionP to secure the
vehicle.
If the vehicle’s electrical system
is malfunctioning, the automatic
transmission could remain
locked in park positionP. 
Have the vehicle checked as
soon as possible by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
!SmartKey:
If you turn off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch, the transmis-
sion will shift to park positionP auto-
matically. Keep in mind that turning off
the engine with the SmartKey alone will
not automatically shift the transmis-
sion to P. Only when the SmartKey is
removed from the starter switch, will
the transmission automatically shift
toP.
KEYLESS-GO*:
If you turn off the engine using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button and
open the driver’s door, the transmis-
sion will shift to park positionP
automatically. Keep in mind that
turning off the engine using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button alone
will not automatically shift the trans-
mission to P. Only when the driver’s
door is opened, will the transmission
automatically shift to P.

201 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Even though this is possible, make it a
practice to always shift into park
positionP before turning off the engine
and remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch, or when using
KEYLESS-GO*, before turning off the
engine with the start/stop button and
opening the driver’s door.!If you want the gear position to remain
inN (for example when the vehicle is
pulled through a car wash)


do not remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch
or, when using KEYLESS-GO*


do not turn off the engine using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button*
and open the driver’s door
Otherwise, the transmission will shift
toP and lock the wheels, preventing
the vehicle from being pulled through a
car wash.
Effect
í
Reverse gear
Shift into reverse gearR only
when the vehicle is stopped.
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 shift into neutral
positionN while driving.
If the ESP
® is deactivated or
malfunctioning:
Shift into neutral positionN only
if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
ê
Drive
The transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears
are available.
!Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any
other reason in neutral positionN can
result in transmission damage that is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle without shifting
into park positionP is dangerous. Also, park
positionP alone is not intended to or capa-
ble of preventing your vehicle from moving,
possibly hitting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park positionP (
page 65).
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.

202 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission
Gear ranges
With the automatic transmission in drive
positionD, you can select a gear range for
the automatic transmission to operate
within.
You can limit the gear range by pressing
the respective downshift button on the
steering wheel gearshift control, and
reverse the gear range limit by pressing
the respective upshift button on the
steering wheel gearshift control.
1Current gear range
The selected gear range appears in the
multifunction display (
page 199). If you
press on the accelerator when the engine
has reached its rpm limit, the transmission
will upshift beyond any gear range limit
selected.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Children could shift the
automatic transmission out of park
positionP, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
Effect
ï
The transmission shifts through
sixth gear only.
î
The transmission shifts through
fifth gear only.
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.

203 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 for a longer period of time
with the engine idling and/or on a hill:

Set the parking brake.

Shift into park positionP.
Maneuvering
When you maneuver in tight areas,
e.g. when pulling into a parking space:

Control the vehicle speed by gradually
releasing the brakes.

Accelerate gently.

Never abruptly step on the accelerator.
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.

204 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionRocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle by shifting betweenD
andR can help free a vehicle stuck in mud
or snow. The engine control system of this
vehicle electronically limits shifting
betweenD andR to very low speeds
(i.e. approx. 2 mph). To shift betweenD
andR, move the gear selector lever past
the resistance point up or down.
Hill start assist system
On uphill grades, the hill start assist
system maintains the pressure in the
brake system for approximately 1 second
after you have released the brake pedal.
Therefore, you can start off smoothly with-
out the vehicle moving immediately after
releasing the brake pedal.
The hill start assist system is inactive

when driving downhill


with the transmission in neutral
position N


with the parking brake setWorking on the vehicle
Automatic shift program
The program mode selector switch is
located on the upper part of the center
console.Program mode selector switchC Comfort For comfort driving
S Sport For standard driving
Warning!
G
The hill start assist system is not designed
to function as a parking brake and does not
prevent the vehicle from moving when
parked on an incline.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park position P.iIf the ESP
® has switched off due to a
malfunction, the hill start assist system
is also unavailable.
Warning!
G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and shift to park positionP.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away.