
Heating and air conditioning system
112
The set blower speed is displayed above the control dial when the respective
number of warning lights come on.
WARNING
•“Stale air” may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, reduce
attention levels and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an
accident increases.
•Do not switch the Climatronic system off for longer than necessary.
•Switch the Climatronic system on as soon as the windows mist up.
Air outlet vents
Fig. 126 Air vents at the front Fig. 127 Air vents at the rear
Open air outlet vents
– Turn the vertical thumbwheel (not when in the end position).
Close air outlet vents
– Turn the vertical thumbwheel into the end position.
Redirecting air flow
– Swivel upward or downward the grille of the vents in order to change
the direction of the air flow using the vertically arranged thumbwheel.
– Turn the horizontal thumbwheel on the vent to the right or left in order to change the air flow to the appropriate side.
You can control the air distribution to the air outlet vents via the buttons of the
operating part of the Climatronic ⇒page 109. Air outlet vents 3, 4 ⇒ fig. 126 and 6
⇒ fig. 127 can also be opened or closed individually.
The air outlet vents 6 are only fitted on vehicles with higher centre console.
A10
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Starting-off and Driving
116
Starting-off and Driving
Setting steering wheel position
You can set the height and the forward/back position of the steering
wheel to the desired position.
– Adjust the driver seat ⇒page 67.
– Pull the lever below the steering column ⇒fig. 130 down ⇒. – Set the steering wheel to the desired position (concerning height and
forward/back position).
– Then push the lever up against the steering column until it locks into
place.
WARNING
•You must not adjust the steering wh eel when the vehicle is moving!
•The driver must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the steering
wheel ⇒fig. 131 . Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the
airbag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
•For s afe ty re a so ns t he le ve r m ust al wa y s b e fi rm ly pus he d up to a voi d the
steering wheel alteri ng its position unintentionally when driving - risk of
accident!
•If you adjust the steering wheel furthe r towards the head, you will reduce
the protection offered by the driver airb ag in the event of an accident. Check
that the steering wheel is aligned to the chest.
•When driving, hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the
outer edge in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position. Never hold the steering
wheel firmly in the 12 o'clock position or in another way (e.g. in the middle
of the steering wheel or at the inner steering wheel edge). In such cases,
injuries to the arms, the hands and the head can occur when the driver
airbag is deployed.
Fig. 130 Adjustable
steering wheel: Lever
below steering column
Fig. 131 Safe distance to
steering wheel
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Starting-off and Driving117
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Ignition lock
Petrol engines
- ignition switched off, engine off, the steering can be locked.
- ignition switched on
- start engine
Diesel engines - interruption of fuel supply, ignition switched off, engine off, the steering can
be locked.
- heating glow plugs on, ignition switched on
•You should not switch on any major elec trical components during the heating
period otherwise the vehicle batter y will be drained unnecessarily.
- start engine
Applies to all models:
Position
To lock the steering , with the ignition key withdrawn, turn the steering wheel until
the steering locking pin is heard to engage. You should always lock the steering as
a general rule if you leave your vehicle. This acts as a deterrent against possible theft
of your vehicle ⇒.
Position Move the steering wheel back and forward
a little if the ignition key cannot, or
cannot easily be turned into this position, in order to release the steering lock.
Position
The engine is started in this position. At the same time switched on low beam or
main beam or other electrical compon ents with major power consumption are
briefly switched off. The ignition key moves back into position when one
releases the key.
The ignition key must be turned back into position each time before starting the
engine again. The starter repeat lock in th e ignition lock prevents the starter being
engaged when the engine is ru nning and thus getting damaged.
Ignition key withdrawal lock (automatic gearbox)
You can only withdraw the ignition key after switching off the ignition if the selector
lever is in position P.
WARNING
•When driving, the ignition key must always be in the position (igni-
tion switched on) without the engine running. This position is indicated by
the warning lights coming on. If this is not the case, it could result in unex-
pected locking of the steering wheel - risk of accident!
•Only remove the ignition key from the ignition lock when the vehicle has
come to a standstill (put on the handbrake or select the selector lever posi-
tion P). The steering lock can enga ge immediately - risk of accident!
•Always withdraw the ignition key if you are going to leave the vehicle,
even for a short time. This is particularly important if children are left in the
vehicle. The children might otherwise star t the engine or switch on electrical
equipment (e.g. power windows) - risk of accident or injury!
Fig. 132 Ignition lock
positions
A1
A2
A3
A1
A2
A3
A1
A2
A3
A2
A1
A2
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Automatic gearbox127
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•When the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary, it is necessary
to hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever
(except P and N) since the power transmission is never completely inter-
rupted, also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle "creeps".
Selector lever positions
The selector lever position you have engaged is shown in the information display
of the instrument cluster with the co rresponding gear symbol highlighted ⇒
fig. 140 . In the positions D and S the gear you have already engaged will be addi-
tionally displayed on the display.
P - Parklock
The driven wheels are locked me chanically in this position.
The Parklock must only be engage d when the vehicle is stationary ⇒.
If you wish to move the select or lever into or out of this position, you must press the
Shiftlock button in the handle of the select or lever and at the same time depress the
brake pedal.
If the battery is used, the selector le ver cannot be moved out of the position P
⇒ page 130.
R - Reverse
Reverse gear must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary and the engine
idling ⇒ .
The brake pedal must be depressed and at the same time the Shiftlock must be
pressed, if you wish to obtain the selector lever positions R, P or N.
When the ignition is switched on and the selector lever is in position R, the reverse
lights will come on.
N - Neutral
The transmission is in Neutral in this position.
The brake pedal must be depressed (if the le ver is in its position for longer than 2
seconds) in order to move the selector lever out of the position N into the position
D , with the ignition switched on, on a vehicle travelling at less than 5 km/hour or on
a stationary vehicle.
The brake pedal must be depressed (if the le ver is in its position for longer than 2
seconds) in order to move the selector lever out of the position N into the position
R , with the ignition switched on, on a vehicl e travelling at less than 5 km/hour or on
a stationary vehicle.
D - Drive, position for driving forward
When the selector lever is in this position, the forward gears are shifted up and
down automatically in line with engine load, vehicle speed and the dynamic shift
programme.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 139 Selector lever
Fig. 140 Information
display: Selector lever
positions
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Automatic gearbox129
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
current selector lever position (
D, S or Tiptronic ). The gearbox shifts down to one
or several gears in line with the driving state and the vehicle accelerates. The
gearbox does not shift up into the highes t gear until the engine has reached its
maximum revolutions for this gear range.
WARNING
Please note that using the kickdown fu nction can result in the driven wheels
spinning on a smooth or slippery road surface - risk of skidding!
Dynamic shift programme
The automatic gearbox of your vehicle is controlled electronically. Shifting up and
down through the gears is performed auto matically on the basis of pre-defined
driving programmes.
Adopting a moderate style of driving will cause the gearbox to select the most
economical driving programme. Shifting up into a higher gear as soon as possible
and shifting down as late as possible will have a favourable effect on your fuel
consumption.
Adopting a sporty style of driving with rapid movements of the accelerator pedal
combined with sharp acceleration and freq uent changes in speed, exploiting the
top speed of the car or depressing the a ccelerator pedal (kickdown function), will
cause the gearbox to switch over to this style of driving and shift down earlier with
frequent changes in gears in comparison to the moderate style of driving.
Selecting the most appropriate driving programme for the particular style of driving
is a continuous process. Irrespective of this it is, however, possible to switch or shift
down into a dynamic shift programme by depressing the accelerator rapidly. The
gearbox shifts down into a lower gear matc hing the speed of the car and this allows
you to accelerate rapidly (e.g. when ov ertaking) without having to depress the
accelerator pedal fully into the kickdown range. The original programme will be
reactivated to match your particular style of driving once the gearbox has shifted up
again.
When driving in hilly regions, the gears are selected to match uphill and downhill
sections. This avoids the gearbox frequently shifting up and down when negotiating an uphill stretch. When driving downhill, it is possible to shift down into the
Tiptronic position, in order to
exploit the engine brake torque.
Tiptronic
The Tiptronic allows the driver to also shift gears manually.
Switching over to manual shifting
– Push the selector lever to the right out of position D. As soon as the
gearbox has switched over, 6 5 4 3 2 1 appears in the display, with the
gear engaged being highlighted.
Fig. 141 Selector lever:
Manual shifting of gears
Fig. 142 Information
display: Manual shifting
of gears
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Automatic gearbox DSG
132
Automatic gearbox DSG
Automatic gearbox DSG*
Introduction
Your car is equipped with an automatic gearbox DSG. The abbr eviation DSG means
Direct shift gearbox (Direct shift gearbox).
Two independent clutches are needed for the power transmission between the
engine and the gearbox. These replace th e torque converter of the conventional
automatic gearbox. Their shifting is matche d in such a way that there are no jerks
when shifting the gear and the power transm ission of the engine to the front wheels
is not interrupted.
Information for driving with the automatic gearbox DSG
Shifting up and down through the gears is performed automatically.
You can also, however, switch the gearbox over into the Tiptronic mode.
This mode makes it possible for you to also shift gears manually
⇒ page 136.
Starting-off and Driving
– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed.
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in handle of the selector lever),
move the selector lever into the desired position, e.g. D ⇒ page 133,
and then release the Shiftlock button.
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator ⇒. Stopping for a short time
– The selector lever position
N does not have to be selected when stop-
ping just for a short time, such as at a cross roads. It is sufficient to hold
the vehicle stationary using the foot brake. The engine can, however,
be allowed just to idle.
Parking
– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector
lever to P and then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be started when the selector lever is in position P or N
⇒ page 118. At temperatures below -10 °C the engine can only be started in the
selector lever position P.
It is sufficient to engage selector lever position P when parking on a flat surface.
When parking on a slope you should first apply the handbrake firmly and then
move the selector lever into position P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive
pressure acting on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move
the selector lever out of position P.
If the selector lever position N is selected by accident wh ile driving it is first neces-
sary to release pressure on the accelerato r pedal and wait for idling speed of the
engine to be reached before engaging a drive position in the selector lever.
WARNING
•Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the
selector lever if the car is stationary and the engine is running - risk of acci-
dent!
•Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of
an accident!
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Automatic gearbox DSG133
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
•If you are stopping at a hill (downhill section), never try to hold the car
stationary with the gear engaged by me ans of the “accelerator”, this means
by letting the clutch slip. This can lead to overheating of the clutch. If there is
a risk of overheating of the clutch due to overload, the clutch is opened auto-
matically and the vehicle rolls backward - risk of accident!
•If you must stop at a slope, depress and hold the brake pedal, so that you
can prevent the vehicle from rolling back.
Caution
•The double clutch on the automatic gear box DSG is equipped with an overload
protection. If you make use of the uphill f unction on a vehicle which is stationary or
driving slowly uphill, it will result in an increase of thermal stress of the clutches.
•An overheating of the clutches can be detected by the flashing of the selector
level indicator and the “jerk” of the clut ches, finally the clutches are opened. The
power transmission from the engine to the front wheels is interrupted and as a
result of this the vehicle ca n no longer be driven. If the clutch opens automatically,
depress the brake pedal, wait a few seconds and only then continue driving.
Selector lever positions
The selector lever position you have engaged is shown in the information display
of the instrument cluster with the co rresponding gear symbol highlighted
⇒ fig. 145 . In the positions D and S the gear you have already engaged will be addi-
tionally displayed on the display.
P - Parklock
The driven wheels are locked me chanically in this position.
The Parklock must only be engage d when the vehicle is stationary ⇒.
If you wish to move the select or lever into or out of this position, you must press the
Shiftlock button in the handle of the select or lever and at the same time depress the
brake pedal.
If the battery is used, the selector le ver cannot be moved out of the position P
⇒ page 137.
R - Reverse
Reverse gear must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary and the engine
idling ⇒ .
The brake pedal must be depressed and at the same time the Shiftlock must be
pressed, if you wish to obtain the selector lever positions R, P or N.
When the ignition is switched on and the selector lever is in position R, the reverse
lights will come on.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 144 Selector lever
Fig. 145 Information
display: Selector lever
positions
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Automatic gearbox DSG135
Using the systemSafetyDriving TipsGeneral MaintenanceBreakdown assistanceTechnical Data
Keylock - Ignition key withdrawal lock
You can only withdraw the ignition key after
switching off the ignition if the selector
lever is in position P. If the ignition key is withdrawn, the selector lever is blocked in
position P.
Kickdown function
The kickdown function provides you with maximum acceleration
power.
Depressing the accelerator pe dal allows the kickdown function to be activated in
the desired driving program. This function has precedence over the driving
programme and serves for maximum accelera tion of the vehicle when exploiting
the maximum power potential of the engine without taking into account the
current selector lever position ( D, S or Tiptronic ). The gearbox shifts down to one
or several gears in line with the driving state and the vehicle accelerates. The
gearbox does not shift up into the highes t gear until the engine has reached its
maximum revolutions for this gear range.
WARNING
Please note that using the kickdown fu nction can result in the driven wheels
spinning on a smooth or slippery road surface - risk of skidding!
Dynamic shift programme
The automatic gearbox of your vehicle is controlled electronically. Shifting up and
down through the gears is performed auto matically on the basis of pre-defined
driving programmes.
Adopting a moderate style of driving will cause the gearbox to select the most
economical driving programme. Shifting up into a higher gear as soon as possible
and shifting down as late as possible will have a favourable effect on your fuel
consumption.
Adopting a sporty style of driving with rapid movements of the accelerator pedal
combined with sharp acceleration and freq uent changes in speed, exploiting the top speed of the car or depressing the a
ccelerator pedal (kickdown function), will
cause the gearbox to switch over to this st yle of driving and shift down earlier with
frequent changes in gears in comparison to the moderate style of driving.
Selecting the most appropriate driving programme for the particular style of driving
is a continuous process. Irrespective of this it is, however, possible to switch or shift
down into a dynamic shift programme by depressing the accelerator rapidly. The
gearbox shifts down into a lower gear matc hing the speed of the car and this allows
you to accelerate rapidly (e.g. when ov ertaking) without having to depress the
accelerator pedal fully into the kickdown range. The original programme will be
reactivated to match your particular style of driving once the gearbox has shifted up
again.
When driving in hilly regions, the gears are selected to match uphill and downhill
sections. This avoids the gearbox frequently shifting up and down when negotiating
an uphill stretch. When driving downhill, it is possible to shift down into the
Tiptronic position, in order to exploit the engine brake torque.
NKO A5 20 MR08.book Page 135 Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2:54 PM