Hi,

On my '04 SL 500 it reads "D" constantly, which is what I would expect.

Is there any way that the "D" can be changed to the actual gear the car is using as it shifts gears (1, 2, 3, etc.)?

Is there a setting somewhere that I could change?

Thank you.

You can't display what gears the car is using when its in full auto mode, but you can select the highest gear you would like the car to stay in by moving the gear selector side to side. You can also upshift and downshift for engine braking by using this mode. The gear you are in is displayed in the readout.

When I first started using this system it was too irrelevant as the auto was dong a pretty good job as it is, but driving along like a granny for 2 miles and then flooring the car will confuse the box like nothing else. This is when I started using the tiptronic system more often especially when accelerating through the gears by changing early, and if I'm in "Schumacher mode", I push the lever to the far left, the car automatically shifts to lowest possible gear, floor it, and you're past. And then upshift to 4th/5th as normal.

Belive it or not, it actually provides a much more involving driving experience, you may not have FULL manual contol, but knowing that your hand makes a difference to what gear you're in than just your right foot, makes it an enjoybale drive (relatively).


I'm guessing you have the 5speeder? Then the tiptronic mode is welcomed as a means to have some control. The 7 speeder by what I haev heard and read is much more responsive, it'll skip gears and downshift two gears in 0.8 seconds! The tiptronic mode is pretty much redundant on this 7 speeder, but still its nice to know that you can...




I just realised you may have 7G tronic since your SL is 04. Well, If I were you, leave it in D, 5 is enough, but 7 gears, there's no way you could tell what gear you're in even if you tried! Seriously, 6/7 in the SL are pretty much overdrive, for relaxed cruising, so using 5 of the 7 will get you involved...kinda

Yes, I do have the 7G box and it's veeeery smooooth. I'm loving it. Sometimes it's so smooth you can't even tell it has changed gears, that's why it would have been fun to see when it changes.

This car is simply awesome!

Thanks you for your reply.

I have the 7 speed also and it is incredibly smooth. I don't worry with the tiptronic...but if I do want to see when the car is shifting
I just watch the tach periferally.