2007 Mercedes SL-Class Owner's Manual - Page 175
2007 Mercedes SL-Class Manual
Page 175 highlights
Controls in detail Automatic transmission ! Never change the program mode when the gear selector lever is out of position P. This could result in a change of driving characteristics for which you may not be prepared. i The last selected program mode (C or S) is switched on when the engine is restarted. Press program mode selector switch 1 repeatedly until the letter of the desired program mode appears in the right multifunction display. Select C for comfort driving: The vehicle starts out in second gear (both forward and reverse) for gentler starts. This does not apply if full throttle is applied or gear range 1 is selected. Traction and driving stability are improved on icy roads. Upshifts occur earlier even when you give more gas. The engine then operates at lower rpms and the wheels are less likely to spin. Gear selector lever one-touch gearshifting Even with an automatic transmission, you can change the gears manually and limit or extend the gear range for automatic shifting with the gear selector lever in position D and driving in the automatic program mode C or S. Downshifting 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. ! Allow engine to warm up under low load use. Do not place full load on the engine until the operating temperature has been reached. Shift into reverse gear R or parking position P only when the vehicle is stopped. Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended period when driving off on slippery road surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. Briefly press the gear selector lever to the left in the D- direction. The transmission will shift from the current gear to the next lower gear as permitted by the shift program. This action simultaneously limits the gear range of the transmission ( page 172). i To avoid overrevving the engine when the gear selector lever is moved to the D- direction, the transmission will not shift to a lower gear if the engine's max. speed would be exceeded. 174