transmission MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 2010 W164 Owner's Guide

something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally and when your right
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
! The vehicle must be stopped when you
shift the automatic transmission
R directly between drive position D and
reverse gear R
R directly between reverse gear R and
drive position D
R directly into park position P
Otherwise the automatic transmission
could be damaged.
When trying to free a vehicle stuck in mud or
snow, see “Rocking the vehicle”
( Y page 113).
i Shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P is only possible with the
brake pedal depressed.
Without the brake pedal depressed, the
gear selector lever can be moved up or
down, but the parking pawl remains
engaged, not allowing shifting to occur.
i Depending on vehicle production date:
The automatic transmission will shift into
park position P automatically when
R you open the driver’s door while driving
at low speed, and
R the automatic transmission is in drive
position D or reverse gear R
After the vehicle has engaged park position
P automatically, you can engage drive
position D or reverse gear R again to
override this locking feature purposely.
i The gear selector lever always returns to
its original position.
The current transmission position P, R , N ,
or D appears in the multifunction display
( Y page 112).Shifting into park position PXWith the vehicle at a standstill, press
button : on the gear selector lever.
SmartKey: When you turn off the engine using
the SmartKey, and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch or open a front door,
the automatic transmission will shift into park
position P automatically.
KEYLESS-GO: When you turn off the engine
using the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button and
open a front door, the automatic transmission
will shift into park position P automatically.
GWarning!
Keep in mind that turning off the engine alone
only will shift the automatic transmission into
neutral position N automatically.
Always shift the automatic transmission into
park position P before turning off the engine.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
i Moving the gear selector lever up or down
shifts the automatic transmission out of
park position P.
Shifting into neutral position N
XWith the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal.XMove the gear selector lever up or down to
the resistance point to select neutral
position N.
When you turn off the engine, the automatic
transmission will shift into neutral position
N automatically.
SmartKey: Removing the SmartKey from the
starter switch or opening a front door after
turning off the engine will shift the automatic
transmission into park position P
automatically.
KEYLESS-GO: Opening a front door after
turning off the engine will shift the automatic
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transmission into park position P
automatically.
Remaining in neutral position N
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral position N, e.g. when taking
the vehicle through an automatic conveyor-
type car wash, observe the following
instructions.GWarning!
When leaving the SmartKey in the starter
switch, do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle. It is possible for children to switch
on the ignition which could result in
unsupervised use of vehicle equipment.
Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment could
result in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
With SmartKey:
XMake sure the ignition is switched on.XWith the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal and keep it pressed.XShift the automatic transmission into
neutral position N.XRelease the brake pedal.XIf engaged, release the parking brake.XSwitch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
With KEYLESS-GO:
XMake sure the ignition is switched on.XWith the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal and keep it pressed.XShift the automatic transmission into park
position P.XRelease the brake pedal.XRemove the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button from the starter switch.XInsert the SmartKey into the starter switch.XSwitch on the ignition.XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
pressed.XShift the automatic transmission into
neutral position N.XRelease the brake pedal.XIf engaged, release the parking brake.XSwitch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Shifting into reverse gear R
XWith the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal.XMove the gear selector lever up past the
resistance point.
Shifting into drive position D
XWith the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal.XMove the gear selector lever down past the
resistance point.
Shifting procedure
The automatic transmission selects individual
gears automatically, depending on
R the selected gear range ( Y page 113)
R the selected program mode:
C /S (ML 63 AMG only) ( Y page 114)
or
M (ML 63 AMG only) ( Y page 115)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the vehicle speed
With drive position D selected, you can
influence transmission shifting by
R limiting the gear range
R extending the gear range
R changing the gears manually (ML 63 AMG
only)
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Transmission positions
The current transmission position appears in
the multifunction display.
:Transmission position indicator
If the current transmission position does not
appear in the multifunction display due to a
malfunction, for example, make sure that the
automatic transmission is in the desired
position.
XShift the automatic transmission into drive
position D.
XSelect automatic program mode C
(ML 63 AMG only).
XDo not limit the gear range.XDrive off carefully.EffectBPark position
Shift the automatic transmission
into park position P only when the
vehicle is stopped. The park position
is not intended to serve as a brake
when the vehicle is parked. Rather,
the driver should always engage the
parking brake in addition to shifting
the automatic transmission into
park position P to secure the
vehicle.
If the vehicle’s electrical system is
malfunctioning, the automatic
transmission could remain locked in
park position P.
XHave the vehicle’s electrical
system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
CReverse gear
Shift the automatic transmission
into reverse gear R only when the
vehicle is stopped.
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EffectANeutral position
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive axle. When the
brakes are released, the vehicle can
be moved freely (pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the
transmission, never shift the
automatic transmission into neutral
position N while driving.
Exception: If the ESP ®
is switched
off or malfunctioning, shift the
automatic transmission into neutral
position N if the vehicle is in danger
of skidding.
! Coasting the vehicle, or driving
for any other reason with the
automatic transmission in neutral
position N can result in
transmission damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.7Drive position
The automatic transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears are
available.
Driving tips
Kickdown
Use the kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
XU.S. vehicles except AMG vehicles:
Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
Depending on the engine speed the
automatic transmission shifts into a lower
gear.XCanada vehicles and AMG vehicles:
Depress the accelerator pedal past the
point of resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
automatic transmission shifts into a lower
gear.Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle by shifting the automatic
transmission directly between drive position
D and reverse gear R can help free a vehicle
stuck in mud or snow. The engine control
system of this vehicle electronically limits
directly shifting the automatic transmission
between drive position D and reverse gear R
to very low speeds, i.e. approximately 5 mph
( 9 km/h). To shift the automatic transmission
directly between drive position D and reverse
gear R, move the gear selector lever up or
down past the resistance point.
Working on the vehicle
GWarning!
When working on the vehicle, engage the
parking brake and shift the automatic
transmission into park position P. Otherwise
the vehicle could roll away which could result
in an accident and/or serious personal injury.
Towing a trailer
XWhen you tow a trailer, shift into a lower
gear range manually if the automatic
transmission hunts between gears on
inclines.
A lower gear range and reduction of speed
reduces the potential to overload or to
overheat the engine.
For more information on trailer towing, see
“Trailer towing” ( Y page 254).
Gear ranges
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D, you can limit or extend the gear
range, see “One-touch gearshifting”
( Y page 115).
ML 63 AMG: You only can limit or extend the
gear range when driving in automatic
program mode C or S.
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The current gear range appears in the
multifunction display.:Gear range indicator Effect=With this selection you can use the
braking effect of the engine.
5Allows the use of the engine’s
braking effect when driving
Ron steep downgrades
Rin mountainous regions
Runder extreme operating
conditions
4For maximum use of the engine’s
braking effect on very steep or
lengthy downgrades.
Automatic shift program
The automatic shift program is available on
ML 63 AMG only.
Program mode selector switch
C ComfortFor standard driving
(Y page 114)
S SportFor sporty driving
(Y page 114)
M ManualFor manual gearshifting
(Y page 115)
The current program mode appears in the
multifunction display.
:Program mode indicator
You should only change the program mode
when the automatic transmission is in park
position P.
The last selected automatic program mode
(C or S) is active when the engine is restarted.
XPress the program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the letter of the desired
program mode appears in the multifunction
display.
Selecting program mode C means:
RThe vehicle starts out more gentle, both
forward and reverse, except when driving
off with full throttle.
RTraction and driving stability are improved
on icy roads.
RUpshifts occur earlier even when you give
more gas. The engine then operates at
lower revolutions and the wheels are less
likely to spin.
Selecting program mode S means that
upshifts occur later.
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One-touch gearshifting
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D, you can limit or extend the gear
range using the steering wheel gearshift
control.
ML 63 AMG: You only can limit or extend the
gear range when driving in automatic
program mode C or S. For information on
using the steering wheel gearshift control in
manual program mode M, see “Manual shift
program” (Y page 115).
Steering wheel gearshift control (exampleillustration)
iYou cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift control when the automatic
transmission is in park position P, neutral
position N, or reverse gear R.
Limiting gear range
GWarning!
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.
XBriefly pull left gearshift control :.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next lower gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the automatic
transmission.
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when
downshifting, the automatic transmission
will not shift into a lower gear if the engine’s
maximum speed would be exceeded.
Extending gear range
XBriefly pull right gearshift control ;.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next higher gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the automatic
transmission.
iIf you press on the accelerator pedal
when the engine has reached the
revolution limit of the current gear range,
the automatic transmission will upshift
beyond any gear range limit selected.
Canceling gear range limit
XPull and hold right gearshift control ; until
the gear range indicator disappears from
the multifunction display.
The automatic transmission will shift from
the current gear range directly into drive
position D.
Shifting into optimal gear range
XPull and hold left gearshift control :.
The automatic transmission will select the
gear range suited for optimal acceleration
and deceleration automatically. This will
involve shifting down one or more gears.
Manual shift program
The manual shift program is available on
ML 63 AMG only.
Manual program mode M differs with regard
to spontaneity, response time, and shifting
smoothness from automatic program mode
S.
In manual program mode M, system-
controlled automatic gearshifting is switched
off. You need to change the gears by manually
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upshifting or downshifting using the steering
wheel gearshift control.
Program mode selector switch
C ComfortFor standard drivingS SportFor sporty drivingM ManualFor manual gearshifting
The current program mode appears in the
multifunction display (Y page 114).
For information on automatic program mode
(C or S), see “Automatic shift program”
(Y page 114) and “One-touch gearshifting”
(Y page 115).
Activating manual shift program
XPress the program mode selector switch
repeatedly until M appears in the
multifunction display.
The automatic transmission switches to
manual program mode M. Automatic
shifting is switched off. The gear range is
not limited.
You can change the gears manually with drive
position D selected. You can upshift or
downshift through the gears in succession.
iManual program mode M will not be
stored. When the engine is turned off with
manual program mode M selected, the
automatic transmission will go to
automatic program mode (C or S) when the
engine is restarted.
Upshifting
! In manual program mode M, the
automatic transmission will not upshift,
even if the engine has reached its
overrevving range. Shift up into the next
gear before the engine has reached its
overrevving range. Make absolutely certain
that the engine speed does not reach the
red marking on the tachometer. Otherwise
the engine could be damaged which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
XBriefly pull right gearshift control ;
(Y page 115).
The automatic transmission shifts into the
next higher gear.
Upshift indicator
In manual program mode M, upshift
indicator ; in the multifunction display
advises you to upshift before the engine
reaches the overspeed range. Thus you can
drive at the maximum engine speed for each
gear without overrevving the engine.
XShift the automatic transmission from
current gear : into the next higher gear.
The fuel supply will otherwise be
interrupted to prevent the engine from
overrevving.
Downshifting
GWarning!
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.
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XBriefly pull left gearshift control :
( Y page 115).
The automatic transmission shifts into the
next lower gear.
i For maximum acceleration, pull and hold
the left gearshift control. Depending on the
engine speed the automatic transmission
selects the optimal gear for maximum
acceleration.
i When you brake or stop, the automatic
transmission shifts down into a gear from
which you can easily accelerate or take off.
Kickdown
Using the kickdown while driving in manual
program mode M is not possible.
Deactivating manual shift program
XPress the program mode selector switch
repeatedly until C or S appears in the
multifunction display.
or
XRestart the engine.
The automatic transmission will go to
automatic program mode ( C or S).
Manual program mode M is not stored.
Emergency operation (limp-home
mode)
If vehicle acceleration becomes less
responsive or sluggish or the automatic
transmission no longer shifts, the automatic
transmission is most likely operating in limp-
home (emergency operation) mode. In this
mode only second gear and reverse gear R
can be selected.
XStop the vehicle in a safe location.XShift the automatic transmission into park
position P.XTurn off the engine.XWait at least 10 seconds before restarting.XRestart the engine.XShift the automatic transmission into drive
position D (for second gear) or reverse gear
R .XHave the automatic transmission checked
at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Transfer case
This section applies to vehicles equipped with
all-wheel drive (4MATIC) only. Both the front
and rear axles are powered at all times when
the vehicle is being operated.
! Only conduct operational or performance
tests on a two-axle dynamometer. If such
tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake
system or the transfer case which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
! Because the ESP ®
operates
automatically, the engine and ignition must
be shut off (SmartKey in starter switch
position 0 or 1 or KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button in position 0 or 1) when the parking
brake is being tested on a brake test
dynamometer. Such testing should be no
longer than 10 seconds.
Active braking action through the ESP ®
may otherwise seriously damage the brake
system which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Instrument cluster
Introduction
For a full view illustration of the instrument
cluster, see “Instrument cluster”
( Y page 28).
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Multifunction display:Trip odometer;Main odometer =Transmission position/gear range
indicator
?Automatic transmission program mode
indicator13AOutside temperature or digital
speedometer
For more information on menus displayed in
the multifunction display, see “Menus and
submenus” (Y page 121).
Menus and submenus
iThe headings used in the menus table are
designed to facilitate navigation within the
system and are not necessarily identical to
those shown in the multifunction display.
The first function displayed in each menu
will automatically show you which part of
the system you are in.
Function:Standard display menu
(Y page 122)
;AMG14 menu (Y page 123)=Off-road Mode14 menu
(Y page 125)13AMG vehicles only.14AMG vehicles only.
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GWarning!
When the cruise control is braking, the brake
pedal is retracted (i.e. depressed
automatically). The pedals’ range of motion
must not be impeded by any obstacles:
RDo not place any objects in the footwell.
RMake sure that the floormats and carpets
are securely in place.
RDo not rest your foot underneath the brake
pedal, as it could otherwise be trapped.
You could otherwise cause an accident and
injure yourself and/or others.
:Setting current or higher speed ;Setting current or lower speed=Canceling the cruise control?Activating the cruise control or resuming
to last set speed
Activating cruise control
You can activate the cruise control at a
vehicle speed above 20 mph (30 km/h).
You cannot activate the cruise control
Rwhen you brake
Rwhen you have engaged the parking brake
Rwhen the automatic transmission is in park
position P, reverse gear R, or neutral
position N
Rthe ESP® is switched off or has switched off
due to a malfunction
The vehicle speed displayed in the
speedometer can briefly vary from the speed
setting for the cruise control system.
Setting current speed
XAccelerate or decelerate to the desired
speed.
XBriefly lift the cruise control lever in
direction of arrow : or press in direction
of arrow ;.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
iOn uphill grades, the cruise control may
not be able to maintain the set speed. Once
the grade eases, the set speed will be
resumed.
On downhill grades, the cruise control
maintains the set speed by braking with the
vehicle’s brake system. In addition, on
longer downhill grades the automatic
transmission will downshift automatically.
Canceling cruise control
XDepress the brake pedal.
or
XBriefly push the cruise control lever in
direction of arrow =.
The last set speed is stored for later use.
The last stored speed is deleted from memory
when the engine is turned off.
The cruise control switches off automatically
when you depress the brake pedal or you
engage the parking brake.
The cruise control switches off automatically
and an acoustic warning will sound when
Rthe vehicle speed falls below 20 mph
(30 km/h)
Rthe ESP® is in operation
Rthe ESP® is switched off with the ESP®
switch
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