0044 Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
005C
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 005Cif the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position 005Eor005B,
the automatic transmission will shift
to 005C automatically.
! Coasting in neutral
005Cmay
cause damage to the drive train. 003A 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 005B. 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
005Band 005Ecan 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 005Band 005E,
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 transmissionDriving an
d parking
