Mercedes Gear Shifter (Steering mounted)

[Vratenza]

The Mercedes Benz steering mounted gear shifter gets lots of flak and misunderstanding for not being traditional.

 

Let me clear up some misgivings with this post and hopefully help fellow mercedes owners understand and operate their ride with more confidence.

 

The top concern about the gear shifter is accidental activation of gears (due to mistaking it for the signal/wiper stalk).

 

From my understanding of the shifter, it is an electronic shifter with no mechanical link to the transmission. That fact allows the Mercedes engineers to program in failsafe guards to ensure safety and protect the transmission.

 

At low speed from 0 up to 10kph, the gear shifter is programmed to allow you to go from N to R. It is presumably to facilitate parking situation. See the attached photo I took of my own cluster LCD. Note the arrows. These arrow heads denote that it is possible to shift into these gears indicated. Note the speed.

 

 

When the speed goes above 10kph, the arrow head at the R position disappear. Meaning you can at most engage N but not R in the event of a mistake.

 

 

So, yes, you can accidentally engage neutral while you are driving but you will not be able to force the R mode without coming down to a <10kph speed. That will be a deliberate action imho.

 

So, no, your 7G-9Gtronic will not self destruct without your deliberate help.

[Steptronic]

Good info. I am old school. I want only one stick at a side. I have problem with present cars also. one stick for signal and one for Cruise Control. Sometimes mistakes do happen with me.

[Heartlander]

The Mercedes Benz steering mounted gear shifter gets lots of flak and misunderstanding for not being traditional.

 

Let me clear up some misgivings with this post and hopefully help fellow mercedes owners understand and operate their ride with more confidence.

 

The top concern about the gear shifter is accidental activation of gears (due to mistaking it for the signal/wiper stalk).

 

From my understanding of the shifter, it is an electronic shifter with no mechanical link to the transmission. That fact allows the Mercedes engineers to program in failsafe guards to ensure safety and protect the transmission.

 

At low speed from 0 up to 10kph, the gear shifter is programmed to allow you to go from N to R. It is presumably to facilitate parking situation. See the attached photo I took of my own cluster LCD. Note the arrows. These arrow heads denote that it is possible to shift into these gears indicated. Note the speed.

 

20180920_083445-picsay.jpg

 

When the speed goes above 10kph, the arrow head at the R position disappear. Meaning you can at most engage N but not R in the event of a mistake.

 

20180920_083350-picsay.jpg

 

So, yes, you can accidentally engage neutral while you are driving but you will not be able to force the R mode without coming down to a <10kph speed. That will be a deliberate action imho.

 

So, no, your 7G-9Gtronic will not self destruct without your deliberate help.

Thanks for making the effort to do the illustration. 

 

I am sure many will benefit from it, especially those who buy used Mercz and using it for the first time.

[inlinesix]

Good info. I am old school. I want only one stick at a side. I have problem with present cars also. one stick for signal and one for Cruise Control. Sometimes mistakes do happen with me.

I only like cruise control with buttons on steering wheel

[Watwheels]

Nowadays gear shift is just a big electronic switch with no mechanical link.

 

Aiya, old habits are hard to go away.

 

Even the gas/accelerator pedal is also a switch sending signals to the throttle. There's no mechanical link anymore in today's car. You go to under the bonnet and try to find what's called a throttle cable. FYI it's not there anymore. It's now extinct.

 

Car makers also tried the same with the steering. It's like your xbox360 or PS4. No steering column connected to the steering rack. It's just a electrical wire much like playing game but ppl comprain no feedback, no feel. So no one adopted it.

 

Exhaust note also. Some fake one coming from speakers. The electric car makers wanted to put fake exhaust note not just inside of the car but also outside of the car cos car too quiet ppl dunno you are coming. LoL...

 

Driving is about the engagement(shifting), kick in the back when you shift, the noise, the smell (exhaust), the feel of the engine vibration. The driver involvement is there. If you try to take it all alway what's left is just the machine doing the work. It doesn't feel like driving anymore.

 

IMO car makers should go back to the drawing board and try to make driving fun again.

Edited September 20, 2018 by Watwheels

[inlinesix]

Nowadays gear shift is just a big electronic switch with no mechanical link.

 

Aiya, old habits are hard to go away.

 

Even the gas/accelerator pedal is also a switch sending signals to the throttle. There's no mechanical link anymore in today's car. You go to under the bonnet and try to find what's called a throttle cable. FYI it's not there anymore. It's now extinct.

 

Car makers also tried the same with the steering. It's like your xbox360 or PS4. No steering column connected to the steering rack. It's just a electrical wire much like playing game but ppl comprain no feedback, no feel. So no one adopted it.

Drive by wire not there yet.

[Heman75]

The Mercedes Benz steering mounted gear shifter gets lots of flak and misunderstanding for not being traditional.

 

Let me clear up some misgivings with this post and hopefully help fellow mercedes owners understand and operate their ride with more confidence.

 

The top concern about the gear shifter is accidental activation of gears (due to mistaking it for the signal/wiper stalk).

 

From my understanding of the shifter, it is an electronic shifter with no mechanical link to the transmission. That fact allows the Mercedes engineers to program in failsafe guards to ensure safety and protect the transmission.

 

At low speed from 0 up to 10kph, the gear shifter is programmed to allow you to go from N to R. It is presumably to facilitate parking situation. See the attached photo I took of my own cluster LCD. Note the arrows. These arrow heads denote that it is possible to shift into these gears indicated. Note the speed.

 

20180920_083445-picsay.jpg

 

When the speed goes above 10kph, the arrow head at the R position disappear. Meaning you can at most engage N but not R in the event of a mistake.

 

20180920_083350-picsay.jpg

 

So, yes, you can accidentally engage neutral while you are driving but you will not be able to force the R mode without coming down to a <10kph speed. That will be a deliberate action imho.

 

So, no, your 7G-9Gtronic will not self destruct without your deliberate help.

initially i am quite skeptical about gear stick at the steering column. but once you driven it. it is actually quite nice to have such placement. you hands dont even have to move to change the gear. just flip it. i actually love it. 

[Blueray]

Good info. I am old school. I want only one stick at a side. I have problem with present cars also. one stick for signal and one for Cruise Control. Sometimes mistakes do happen with me.

 

same here, accidentally activated my cruise control once and car was stuck at 30km/h.

 

after that I learnt that the shorter stick was the cruise control. 

[Vratenza]

Yeah, it's a matter of getting use to the placement...after a while, the position is actually quite nice...just some finger flicking up or down to engage the DNR. 

The manual gear selection just use the paddle shifts.

 

Problem comes when we have to switch rides to other car with different system once in a while.

 

initially i am quite skeptical about gear stick at the steering column. but once you driven it. it is actually quite nice to have such placement. you hands dont even have to move to change the gear. just flip it. i actually love it. 

 

[Mkl22]

Nowadays gear shift is just a big electronic switch with no mechanical link.

 

Aiya, old habits are hard to go away.

 

Even the gas/accelerator pedal is also a switch sending signals to the throttle. There's no mechanical link anymore in today's car. You go to under the bonnet and try to find what's called a throttle cable. FYI it's not there anymore. It's now extinct.

 

Car makers also tried the same with the steering. It's like your xbox360 or PS4. No steering column connected to the steering rack. It's just a electrical wire much like playing game but ppl comprain no feedback, no feel. So no one adopted it.

 

Exhaust note also. Some fake one coming from speakers. The electric car makers wanted to put fake exhaust note not just inside of the car but also outside of the car cos car too quiet ppl dunno you are coming. LoL...

 

Driving is about the engagement(shifting), kick in the back when you shift, the noise, the smell (exhaust), the feel of the engine vibration. The driver involvement is there. If you try to take it all alway what's left is just the machine doing the work. It doesn't feel like driving anymore.

 

IMO car makers should go back to the drawing board and try to make driving fun again.

 

brake by wire on w211 too. also steer by wire on Infiniti Q50.

 

[Optramagnum]

same here, accidentally activated my cruise control once and car was stuck at 30km/h.

 

after that I learnt that the shorter stick was the cruise control.

That's the stick which my Dad likes to hang his kopi O.. Hahaha

[MrolexB]

Had this confusion a few occasions:

 

Once on GLC, I  engaged N but actually wanting to signal left ... then step accelerator but no response. Panic ah ... struggled to find way how to engage back to D 

 

On Sylphy, I ever signed left when i actually wanna engage reverse gear, step accelerator car moved forward. Behind cars all waiting for me to chut stunts ... shame shame ...

 

Somehow I still miss that stick where i usually will put my left hand on while driving, though it's an auto car 

Edited September 21, 2018 by MrolexB

[Heman75]

Had this confusion a few occasions:

 

Once on GLC, I  engaged N but actually wanting to signal left ... then step accelerator but no response. Panic ah ... struggled to find way how to engage back to D 

 

On Sylphy, I ever signed left when i actually wanna engage reverse gear, step accelerator car moved forward. Behind cars all waiting for me to chut stunts ... shame shame ...

 

Somehow I still miss that stick where i usually will put my left hand on while driving, though it's an auto car 

dont you know merc purposely free up your left hand so that you can use your left hand to touch the lady sitting beside. hee hee.. or u prefer the stick of the male side ?

[Vratenza]

I deactivated the touchpad and use it as a palm/wrist support....quite comfy...you should try it

 

Had this confusion a few occasions:

 

Once on GLC, I  engaged N but actually wanting to signal left ... then step accelerator but no response. Panic ah ... struggled to find way how to engage back to D 

 

On Sylphy, I ever signed left when i actually wanna engage reverse gear, step accelerator car moved forward. Behind cars all waiting for me to chut stunts ... shame shame ...

 

Somehow I still miss that stick where i usually will put my left hand on while driving, though it's an auto car 

 

[Admiralty]

initially I thought I could get use to the gear stick at the steering column. after 1.5 yr flipping that stick, i don't hate it but i really missed the usual stick between seats...

next car must get back the stick i missed...

 

 

initially i am quite skeptical about gear stick at the steering column. but once you driven it. it is actually quite nice to have such placement. you hands dont even have to move to change the gear. just flip it. i actually love it. 

 

[MrolexB]

I deactivated the touchpad and use it as a palm/wrist support....quite comfy...you should try it

 

Mine's a PI unit, doesn't come with touchpad. I put a water bottle at the drink holder and hold 

dont you know merc purposely free up your left hand so that you can use your left hand to touch the lady sitting beside. hee hee.. or u prefer the stick of the male side ?