Auto-Park / Auto-Neutral

Auto-Park / Auto-Neutral

As safety features, the automatic transmission has ‘Auto-Park’ and ‘Auto-Neutral’ strategies. When certain driving situations are encountered, the automatic transmission shifts to the ‘P’ or ‘N’ positions.

Driving situations:

• If the engine stops while ‘D’ or ‘R’ is selected, but the ignition is on and the vehicle is moving, ‘N’ will be selected.
• If the engine is stopped and the ignition turned off while in ‘D’ or ‘R’, but the vehicle continues to roll, ‘P’ will be selected if the vehicle's speed is below approx. 10 km/h.
• If the engine is stopped and the ignition turned off in position ‘D’ or ‘R’, but the vehicle continues to roll, ‘N’ is selected above approx. 10 km/h.

This assumes that the vehicle's speed does not rise too high. These functions are performed automatically to ensure that no power can pass through the automatic transmission when the engine is restarted.

Parking Lock

The parking lock is a device that prevents the vehicle from rolling away out of control. It is engaged when ‘P’ is selected.

The parking lock acts by inserting a pawl into the teeth of the parking lock gearwheel on the transmission output shaft; this prevents the rear road wheels from turning by way of the propeller shaft and final drive.

The parking lock is engaged by a mechanical spring system in the transmission and secured electrically. All drive positions are also selected electrically. The detent disc in the transmission is omitted, and replaced by a parking disc and lock cylinder with solenoid valve (MV3).

Apply the handbrake before operating the park override. There is the danger that the vehicle will roll, depending on the incline of the road.

After stopping the vehicle apply the handbrake and push back the park override lever.

After towing or moving the vehicle apply the handbrake. Lift the manual park override lever slightly, press the ratchet release (C) and lower the manual park override lever back to the stop. The parking lock is now engaged. Install the cover and the rear seat base.

The message in the instrument pack must disappear and the position display must change from ‘N’ to ‘P’. Otherwise there is the danger that the vehicle will roll away.

Overriding the Park Lock

Apply the handbrake. Remove the LH rear seat base (A) and unscrew the two screws that secure the park override lever cover. Remove the cover.

Pull the manual park override lever (B) fully up on the ratchet, fully releasing the parking lock.