2000 Mercedes SL-Class Owner's Manual - Page 172

Instruments and controls Operation Driving Instrument cluster display Practical hints Car care Technical data Index Automatic transmission Automatic transmission The automatic transmission selects individual gears automatically, dependent upon • Selector lever position • Program mode selector • Accelerator position • Vehicle speed The gear shifting process is continuously adapted, dependent on the driving style, the driving situation and the road characteristics. Important! When parking the car or before working on the vehicle with the engine running, firmly engage the parking brake and shift the selector lever into "P". Driving The selector lever is automatically locked while in position "P". To move the selector lever out of position "P", the service brake pedal must be firmly depressed before the shift lock will release. 168 Shift selector lever to the desired position only when the engine is idling normally and the service brake is applied. Do not release the brake until ready to drive. The vehicle may otherwise start creeping when the selector lever is in drive or reverse position. Warning! It is dangerous to shift the 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 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. Important! After selecting any driving position from "N" or "P", wait a moment to allow the gear to fully engage before accelerating, especially when the engine is cold.