2000 Mercedes SL-Class Owner's Manual - Page 175

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 and only at speeds below 40 mph (60 km/h). Important! With selector lever in position "D", "4" or "3", upshifting from 1st to 2nd to 3rd gear is delayed depending on vehicle speed and engine temperature. This allows the catalytic converter to heat up more quickly to operating temperatures. 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 avoid overrevving the engine when the selector lever is moved to a lower driving range, the transmission will not shift to a lower gear, if the engine's speed limit would be exceeded. In this case there will be no downshift, even when the vehicle speed reaches the engine's speed limit of that gear, e.g. by applying the service brakes. Continue driving in the usual manner. The transmission will then shift down automatically. 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. Warning! 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. Automatic transmission Instruments and controls Operation Driving 171 Instrument cluster display Practical hints Car care Technical data Index