2007 MERCEDES-BENZ R63AMG warning

204 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle by shifting between
drive positionD and reverse gearR can
help free a vehicle stuck in mud or snow.
The engine control system of this vehicle
electronically limits shifting between drive
positionD and reverse gearR to very low
speeds, i.e. approx. 5 mph (9 km/h). To
shift between drive positionD and reverse
gearR, move the gear selector lever past
the resistance point up or down.
Working on the vehicleHill start assist system
On uphill grades with a gradient angle of
more than 5°, the hill start assist system
maintains the pressure in the brake sys-
tem for approximately 1 second after you
have released the brake pedal. Therefore,
you can start off smoothly without the
vehicle moving immediately after releasing
the brake pedal.The hill start assist system is inactive

when starting off on a level road or
downhill grades

with the transmission in neutral
positionN

with the parking brake set

if the ESP® has switched off due to a
malfunction
Warning!G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and shift to park positionP.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away.
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 positionP.

208 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Limiting gear range
Briefly press left shift button1.
The transmission will shift to the next
lower gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the transmis-
sion (
page 205).Extending gear range
Briefly press right shift button2.
The transmission will shift to the next
higher gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the transmis-
sion.Canceling gear range limitPress and hold right shift button2
until the cipher for the current gear
range disappears from the multifunc-
tion display (
page 205).
The transmission will shift from the
current gear range directly to gear
rangeD.
Shifting into optimal gear range
Press and hold left shift button1.
The transmission will automatically
select the gear range suited for optimal
acceleration and deceleration. This will
involve shifting down one or more
gears.
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 down-
shifting, the transmission will not shift to a lower
gear if the engine’s max. speed would be
exceeded.
iIf you press on the accelerator when the en-
gine has reached its rpm limit, the transmission
will upshift beyond any gear range limit selected.

210 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Upshifting
Briefly press right shift button2
(
page 207).
The transmission shifts to the next
higher gear.If you have selected the AMG menu in the
control system (
page 168) and you are
driving in the manual program modeM,
upshift indicator2 in the multifunction
display advises you to upshift before the
engine reaches the overspeed range. Thus
you can drive at the maximum engine
speed for each gear without overrevving
the engine.
1Gear indicator
2Upshift indicator
Shift to the next higher gear.
The fuel supply will otherwise be inter-
rupted to prevent the engine from over-
revving.Downshifting
Briefly press left shift button1
(
page 207).
The transmission shifts to the next
lower gear.
!In the manual program modeM, the trans-
mission will not upshift, even if the engine has
reached its overrevving range. Shift up to the
next gear before the engine has reached its over-
revving range. Make absolutely certain that the
engine speed does not reach the red marking on
the tachometer (
page 157). Otherwise the
engine could be damaged which is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
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.
iWhen you brake or stop, the transmission
shifts down to a gear from which you can easily
accelerate or drive off.

213 Controls in detail
Good visibility
Auto-dimming rear view mirrors*
The reflection brightness of the exterior
rear view mirror on the driver’s side and
the interior rear view mirror will respond
automatically to glare when

the ignition is switched on
and

incoming light from headlamps falls on
the sensor in the interior rear view
mirror
The rear view mirror will not react if

the automatic transmission is set to
positionR

the interior lighting is turned on
Warning!G
The auto-dimming function does not react if
incoming light is not aimed directly at sen-
sors in the interior rear view mirror.
The interior rear view mirror and the exterior
rear view mirror on the driver’s side do not
react, for example, when transporting cargo
which covers the rear window.
Light hitting the mirror(s) at certain angles
(incident light) could blind you. As a result,
you may not be able to observe the traffic
conditions and could cause an accident.
Warning!G
In case of an accident liquid electrolyte may
escape from the mirror housing if the mirror
glass breaks.
Electrolyte has an irritating effect. Do not
allow the liquid to come into contact with
eyes, skin, clothing, or respiratory system.
In case it does, immediately flush affected
area with water, and seek medical help if
necessary.
!Electrolyte drops coming into contact with
the vehicle paint finish can be completely
removed only while in the liquid state and by
applying plenty of water.
Warning!G
Exercise care when using the passen-
ger-side exterior rear view mirror. The mirror
surface is convex (outwardly curved surface
for a wider field of view). Objects in mirror
are closer than they appear. Check your
interior rear view mirror or glance over your
shoulder before changing lanes.

215 Controls in detail
Good visibility
Folding in
Briefly press button1.
Both exterior rear view mirrors fold in.
Folding out
Briefly press button1 again.
Both exterior rear view mirrors fold out.
Sun visors
The sun visors protect you from sun glare
while driving.
1Sun visor
2Additional sun visor*
3Mirror lamp
4Vanity mirror cover
5Vanity mirror
6Holder for gas cards
7Mounting
Glare through the windshield
Swing sun visor1 down.
Make sure sun visor 1 is properly en-
gaged in mounting 7.
When you do not experience glare any-
more, swing sun visor 1 up.
iIf you are driving at more than approximately
30 mph (47 km/h), you will not be able to fold
the exterior mirrors in.
!If an exterior rear view mirror housing is
forcibly pushed forward (hit from the rear) or
forcibly pushed rearward (hit from the front)
press button1 to fold mirrors in, then press
button1 again to fold mirrors out. Do not force
mirrors by hand as this may damage the adjust-
ment mechanism.
The mirror housing is then properly positioned
and you can adjust the mirror in the usual man-
ner.
Warning!G
Do not use the vanity mirror while driving.
Keep the mirrors in the sun visors closed
while vehicle is in motion. Reflected glare
can endanger you and others.

217 Controls in detail
Good visibility
Rear window defroster
The rear window defroster uses a large
amount of power. To keep battery drain to
a minimum, switch off the defroster as
soon as the rear window is clear. The de-
froster is automatically deactivated after
approximately 6 to 17 minutes of
operation depending on the outside tem-
perature.
Switch on the ignition (page 39).Activating
Press button1 on the climate con-
trol panel (
page 220) or the automat-
ic climate control* panel (
page 234).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
Deactivating
Press button1 once more.
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
!With the sunshade raised and the respective
door window open, the sunshade could disen-
gage and snap back when driving at high vehicle
speeds, e.g. on highways, and damage the
retractor. You should therefore always either
close the door window or lower the sunshade
when driving at high speed.
Warning!G
Any accumulation of snow and ice should be
removed from the rear window before driv-
ing. Visibility could otherwise be impaired,
endangering you and others.!If the rear window defroster switches off too
soon and the indicator lamp starts flashing, too
many electrical consumers are operating simul-
taneously and there is insufficient voltage in the
battery. The system responds automatically by
switching the rear window defroster off.
As soon as the battery has sufficient voltage, the
rear window defroster switches back on auto-
matically.

221 Controls in detail
Climate control
The climate control is operational whenev-
er the engine is running. You can operate
the climate control system in either the
automatic or manual mode. The system
cools or heats the interior depending on
the selected interior temperature and the
current outside temperature.Nearly all dust particles, pollutants and
odors are filtered out before outside air en-
ters the passenger compartment through
the air distribution system.
The air conditioning will not engage (no
cooling) if the A/C mode is deactivated
(
page 228).
Warning!G
When operating the climate control, the air
that enters the passenger compartment
through the air vents can be very hot or very
cold (depending on the set temperature).
This may cause burns or frostbite to unpro-
tected skin in the immediate area of the air
vents.
Always keep sufficient distance between un-
protected parts of the body and the air
vents. If necessary, use the air distribution
controls (
page 220) to direct the air to air
vents in the vehicle interior that are not in
the immediate area of unprotected skin.
Warning!G
Follow the recommended settings for heat-
ing and cooling given on the following pag-
es. Otherwise the windows could fog up,
impairing visibility and endangering you and
others.
iSevere conditions (e.g. strong air pollution)
may require replacement of the filter before its
scheduled interval. A clogged filter will reduce
the air volume to the interior.
If the vehicle interior is hot, ventilate the interior
before driving off, see “Summer opening fea-
ture” (
page 254). The climate control will then
adjust the interior temperature to the set value
much faster.
Keep the air intake grille in front of the wind-
shield free of snow and debris.

222 Controls in detail
Climate control
Deactivating the climate control
system
Deactivating
Press button´ (page 220).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.Reactivating
Press buttonU (page 220).
Operating the climate control system
in automatic modeActivating
Press buttonU (page 220) while
the engine is running.
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on. The air volume and air distri-
bution are adjusted automatically.
Use temperature controls1 and7
(
page 220) to separately adjust the
air temperature on each side of the
passenger compartment.
The interior air temperature is adjusted
automatically.
Warning!G
When the climate control system is
switched off, the outside air supply and cir-
culation are also switched off. Only choose
this setting for a short time. Otherwise the
windows could fog up, impairing visibility
and endangering you and others.
iYou can also press button´
(
page 220) on the climate control panel.
If you press button0 (
page 220) to reacti-
vate the climate control system, the defrosting
mode is activated.
iWhen operating the climate control system
in automatic mode, you will only rarely need to
adjust the temperature, air volume and air distri-
bution.
In automatic mode, cooling with dehumidify is
switched on. This function can be switched off if
necessary (
page 228).
iThe settings for the passenger side are also
used for the rear passenger compartment.