2002 Mercedes G-Class Owner's Manual - Page 216

During the brief warm-up period this delayed upshift and increased engine noise might be perceived as a malfunction. However, neither the engine nor transmission are negatively affected by this mode of operation. The delayed upshift is effective with vehicle speeds below 31 mph (50 km/h) at partial throttle and engine temperatures below 95°F (35°C). To prevent the engine from laboring at low RPM when driving uphill gradients or with your vehicle heavily loaded, the automatic transmission will downshift when necessary to maintain engine RPM within the best torque range. For notes on driving the vehicle in transfer case position "LOW", see page 248. Gear ranges: Upshift through 4th gear only. Suitable for performance driving. Upshift through 3rd gear only. Suitable for moderately steep hills. Since the transmission does not shift higher than 3rd gear, this gear selection will allow use of the engine's braking power downhill. Upshift through 2nd gear only. For driving in mountainous regions or under extreme operating conditions. This gear selection will allow use of the engine's braking power when descending steep grades. Use this position, which makes maximum use of the engine's braking effect, while descending very steep or lengthy downgrades. Note: To avoid overrevving the engine on the rpm limit, the transmission will upshift automatically to the next higher gear range as long as the vehicle is accelerating. Automatic transmission Instruments and controls Operation Driving 213 Instrument cluster display Practical hints Car care Technical data Index