2006 MERCEDES-BENZ S350 Gear selection

49 Getting started
Driving
Driving
Depress the brake pedal.

Move gear selector lever to positionD
orR.

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.Once the vehicle is in motion, the automat-
ic central locking system engages and the
locking knobs drop down.
After a cold start, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts at a higher engine revolution.
This allows the catalytic converter to reach
its operating temperature earlier.
Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector le-
ver out ofP orN if the engine speed is high-
er than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly
on the brake pedal, the vehicle could accel-
erate quickly forward or in 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 vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.!In order to avoid damaging the trans-
mission,

wait for the gear selection process
to complete before setting the vehi-
cle in motion.


place the gear selector lever in
positionP orR only when the vehi-
cle is stopped.
!If you hear a warning signal and the
message: RELEASE
PARKING BRAKEappears in the multifunction display
when driving off, you have forgotten to
release the parking brake.
Release the parking brake.!Do not run cold engine at high engine
speeds. Running a cold engine at high
engine speeds may shorten the service
life of the engine.

167 Controls in detail
Control system
To activate night security illumination:
Select delayed switch-off period (see
below).

Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionU before turning off the en-
gine.
To select delayed switch-off period:

Move the selection marker with
theæ orç button to the
LIGHT-
ING
submenu.

Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see this message in the multi-
function display:
HEADLAMPS DELAYED
SWITCH-OFF
.The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Pressæ orç to select the de-
sired lamp-on period.
You can select:

0 SEC.
, the delayed switch-off fea-
ture is deactivated


15 SEC.
, 30 SEC.
, 45 SEC.
, or
60 SEC.
, the delayed switch-off fea-
ture is activated
You can temporarily deactivate the de-
layed switch-off feature:

Before leaving the vehicle, turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position0.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position2 and back to0.
The delayed switch-off feature is deac-
tivated. It will reactivate as soon as you
reinsert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:

Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button (
page 35) on the gear selec-
tor lever.
Interior lighting delayed switch-off
Use this function to set whether and for
how long you would like the interior light-
ing to remain lit during darkness after the
SmartKey is removed from the starter
switch.

Move the selection marker with
theæ orç button to the
LIGHT-
ING
submenu.
iYou can reactivate this function within
ten minutes by opening a door.
If after turning off the engine you do not
open a door or do not close an opened
door, the lamps will automatically
switch off after 60 seconds.


170 Controls in detailControl systemActivating easy-entry/exit feature
Use this function to activate and deacti-
vate the easy-entry/exit feature
(page 114).

Move the selection marker with
theæ orç button to
the
CONVENIENCE
submenu.

Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see this message in the multi-
function display:
EASY-ENTRY FEATURE
ACTIVATE
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Pressæ orç to change the
easy-entry/exit setting.
The following settings are available for the
easy-entry/exit feature:
Setting parking position for exterior rear
view mirror
Use the
MIRROR SETTING WHEN PARKING

function to select whether the passen-
ger-side exterior rear view mirror should be
turned downward during parking maneu-
vers when reverse gearR is engaged. For
additional information, see “Activating ex-
terior rear view mirror parking position”
(
page 187).
Warning!
G
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel and driver’s seat when the easy-en-
try/exit feature is activated.
To cancel seat/steering wheel movement,
do one of the following:

Press seat adjustment switch
(page 38).


Move steering column stalk
(page 40).


Press the one of the memory position
buttons or the memory button M
(page 129).
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver’s door and
unintentionally activate the easy-entry/exit
feature, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
OFF
The easy-entry/exit fea-
ture is deactivated.
STEER. COL
Only the steering column
is moved.
ST.COL+SEAT
Both the steering column
and the driver’s seat are
moved.

178 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionGear ranges
With the gear selector lever in positionD
and driving in the automatic shift
programC orS (
page 179), you can
select a gear range for the automatic
transmission to operate within:
Gear selector lever (page 180):
You can limit the 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+).
Steering wheel gearshift control
(S 55 AMG and S 65 AMG only)
(
page 181):
You can limit the gear range by pressing
the downshift button on the steering wheel
gearshift control, and reverse the gear
range limit by pressing the upshift button
on the steering wheel gearshift control.The selected gear range appears in the
tachometer display (
page 174). 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
ï
The transmission shifts through
sixth gear only (applies to
vehicles with 7-speed automatic
transmission only).
î
The transmission shifts through
fifth gear only (applies to
vehicles with 7-speed automatic
transmission only).
é
The transmission shifts through
fourth gear only.
Effect
è
The transmission shifts through
third gear only.
With this selection you can use
the braking effect of the engine.
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.