FreeSpeaker

Another question/observation on my wife's 2014 E350 she just picked up - I have a 2012 E550C.

Took the E350 for a spin and of course fumbled with the mini shifter on the steering column column and then not knowing where to put my right hand while driving- so will take me few drives to get use to not having a shifter to grab onto in the console. My wife loves the extra space on the console now. Not me.

With the Direct Select lever -now when selecting D - the dash display immediately shows D1. Then when driving the dash display is continually reporting the gear number in use - up shifting and downshifting.

At first, I thought I had it in some form of manual mode but I don't see any other mode or method that shows just D in the display.

I have scoured the owners manual (including the Digital edition ) and no mention of this type of gear in use display.

I haven't encountered this in other MB's we have/had. Is this a new display program in E350 for 2014 models?

Thanks all.

YYZ-E55

Yes it is new. It will also automatically change back into automatic mode if you downshift and leave it in a gear for a period of time.

ghstudio

You really have to read the manual to use the "manual" mode effectively. On the upshift side....to get out of "manual" mode, just hold the right paddle towards you until the dash returns to D4, etc. It only takes a second...the key is holding it rather than just pulling and letting go which will upshift.

On the downshift side, one pull will lower the gear by 1...holding the paddle towards you will shift to the optimum gear for quick acceleration....just be ready to shift up with the right if you do the "hold the left" trick.

I believe you can also use the hold the downshift lever to find the best gear to do engine braking....because it will put you into a gear where the car is in higher revs. Just pulling the left once to do engine deceleration really doesn't work.

It's certainly not obvious.....

FreeSpeaker

Thank you for your responses - So just to clarify - your comments relate to changing back to auto or getting out of manual. I was just selecting D and normally that would be auto mode.

So new with 2014 E350 models when I start up and select D, it shows D1 and not D and then displays gear number as it's shifting up or down - it behaves like auto - but I see the gear changes in the dash display.

Seems odd to me that I see gear numbered changes in the dash display when in auto or manual?

ghstudio

Yes, that is normal

FreeSpeaker

Ok, thanks gh for your help - I appreciate it.

hammermf

In auto the gear number will be preceded with a "D", like D3. In manual, the "D" will be absent.

If in manual, you can also return it to auto my moving the shift lever to D, i.e., down.