Clear vision
Clear vision
Lights
Switching the headlights on and off ·'t!-·
Fi g. 85 Ins tru ment
pan el: lig ht sw itc h
Fi g.
86 Turn sig nal
lev er: high beam
ON /OFF
All switch pos itions refer to the indentation on the switc h
aligned with the spec if ied symbol. The light switch m ust not
be overt urned past the stops in either direction .
Switching on the side marker lights
- Turn t he light switch light to=> fig. 85
;oo:: .
Switching on the headlights and high beam
- T urn the light switch to ~D.
- Push the turn signa l lever forward towa rds the ins tru -
ment panel => fig. 86, to turn on the high beam, pu ll the
lever back to turn it off=>
page 83.
Swit ching off th e lights
- T urn the light switch to
0 .
The headlights only work when the ignition is switched on . While
starting the engine or when sw itching off the ignition , the head
lights wi ll go of f and only the side marker lights wil l remain lit .
& WARNING
Crashe s can happen when you cannot se e t he ro ad ah ead and
whe n you c annot b e seen by othe r motori sts.
• Alway s turn on the headlights so that you can see ahead and
s o that other s can see y our car fr om the b ack.
[ i ] Tip s
• If you remove the ignition from the ign ition lock whi le the head
lights are still on, a bu zzer will sound as long as the driver 's door is
open to remind you to switch off the lights .
• Always observe the specific local regulations for your area when
to use your lights .•
Applies 10 vehic les: with light senso r package
Sensor activated head -and tail light control
In the "AUTO" position, light sensors monitor outside light
conditions and s witch the head- and t ail lights on and off
as required.
Activating
F ig . 87 Instru men t
p an el: li ght sw itch at
A UTO pos ition
- Tur n the light switch ~ fig. 87 to positi on AUTO.
Deactivating
- Turn the light switch to posit ion 0.
In the switch position AUTO the automati c head -a nd ta il light
contr ol
is activated . The corresponding symbol on the light switch
is lit.
Light sensors located in the ins ide mirror housing and stem
constantly check the light conditions surrounding the vehicle . If
ambient brightness falls below a factory set value (e .g. when driving
into a tunnel), the head -and tai llights including the license plate
illumination are automatically turned on. When ambient brightness
increases again, the external lights are turned off again
=> & -
Contro ls and eq uip
ment
Cle ar v ision
& WARNING
• Autom ati c head - and tailli ght control is only int ended to a ss is t
the driver . Th is feature does not reli ev e th e driver of h is res pon si
bilit y to che ck the headl ights and to turn them on m anuall y
according to the current light and vi sibilit y condition s. For
e xa mple , fo g and r ain cannot be dete cted by the light s en sor s.
Consequently , alw ay s swit ch th e headlights
fD on under the se
we ather condition s and when driving in th e da rk .
• Crashe s can happen when you cannot s ee the road ahead and
w hen you cannot be seen by oth er m otori sts .
• Alway s turn on the headlight s so that you can see ahead and
s o that others ca n s ee your car fr om th e back.
[ i ] Tip s
• In the AUTO mode , the low beams are turned off when the igni
tion is turned off. The remaining lights are turned off when the key is taken out of the ignition lock.
• Do not at tach stickers to the windshield in front of the sensors as
this can disable the automatic head- and taillight contro l and the
automatic glare -dimming of the rearview mirror(s).
• Always observe the specific local regulations for your area when
to use your lights .
• In the event of a light sensor malfunction, the driver information
display wi ll show the sy mbol -.
If a light sensor malfu nction is indi
cated, you must use the light switch to turn the low beams on and
off. a
~ehicle care irechnical data
Clear vision
Ap plies to vehi cles: with d ayt ime running ligh ts
Daytime running lights (DRL) (USA models)
Use the activation switch to turn the daytime running
lights on or off.
Activating functions
Fi g. 88 Sw itch for
d ayt ime runn ing light s
-Tap the knob ==> fig. 88 to dise ngage it from the sett ings
position.
- Rot ate the k nob to positi on
1.
T hen p ress the knob i n again to prevent unintentional
adjustment .
Deactivating functions
-Tap the knob==> fig. 88 to disengage it from the sett ings
posit ion.
- Rota te th e kn ob to p osition
0 .
- T hen p ress the knob in aga in to p reve nt uninte ntiona l
adjustment .
The daytime running lights can be turned on or off using this func
tion. If the function is active, the daytime running lights are turned
on automatically when the ignition is sw itched on . The daytime running lights are activated
only when the light switch
=>
page 76, fig. 85 is at the O posi tion .
& WARNING
Never u se daytime running lights to see where you are going. They
are not bright enough and will not let you see f ar enough ahead for
s afety , e spe cially at dusk or when it i s dark. Be aware of change s
i n out side light condition s when you are driving and re spond by
s witching on your low beams
@-0.
0 Note
Alway s be aware of change s in outside light conditions while you
are dr iving . Re spond in tim e to fading da ylight b y turning the light
s witch to po sition
@-0 {or "AUTO" if you r car is equipped with this
feature)
to turn on your headlight s.•
Daytime running lights (Canada models only)
When yo u tur n on the igni tion t he da ytime running ligh ts
w ill c ome on au toma tic ally.
When the ignition is switched on , the front fog lights, side marker
lights and taillights come on au toma tica lly . The daytime runn ing
lights are activated
only when the light switch=> page 76, fig. 85 is
e ithe r at the
O or the ~o o:: pos ition.
& WARNING
Never u se dayt ime running lights to see where you ar e going. They
ar e not bright enough and will not let y ou see far eno ugh ahead for
s afet y, espe cially at dusk or when it is dark. Be aware of changes
i n out side light conditions whe n you are dri ving a nd respond by
s witching on your low beam s
@-0. ~
Clear vision
inst rument panel ill umination will automaticall y become dimmer
a s the daylight fades away and eventually will go out completely
when out side l ight i s very low . Thi s is to remind you , the dri ver , to
s witch on the headlights befor e it g ets too dark.
• Canada model s: instrument panel illumination will stay bright
re gardles s of the intensity of ambient light . Alway s be aware of
c hange s in outside light cond itions while you are d riv ing . Resp ond
in time to f ading dayl ight by turning the ligh t switch to po sit ion
io
(or "AUTO" if your car is equipped with this feature) to turn on your
he adl ights . •
Ap plie s to vehic le s: wi th x eno n hea dlig ht s
Xenon headlights
After s tarting the engine, the xenon headligh ts are automatically
adjusted to the load and angle of the vehicle (for example, during
acce leration and brak ing) . This prevents oncoming tra ffic from
experienc ing unnecessa ry glare from your head lights .
If the system is not operating properly, a warning sy mbol in the
Auto -Check Contro l is displayed:::::,
page 34. •
Emergency flasher &.
The emergency flasher makes other mot orists aw are that
y o u or your vehicle are in an emergency situation.
1Jia---------------...,i ij ::c .,
"'
-
Fig. 9 3 Ce nter
cons ole: e mergen cy
fla sher swit ch
Press the sw itch ~~fig . 93, to sw itch the emergency
fl ash er o n or o ff.
When the emergency flasher is on, al l four turn signa l blink at the
same time . The turn signal indicator lights¢¢ in the instrument
cluster, as we ll as the light in the emergency flasher sw itch
t!:;,,. b link
likewise .
The emergency flasher will automatica lly switch on if you are in an
accident where the airbag has deployed .
[ i ] Tips
You should switch on the emergency flasher when :
• you are the last vehicle stand ing in a t raffic jam so that any other
veh ic les coming can see you , or when
• your vehic le has broken down or you are in an emergency situa
tion, or when
• your veh ic le is being towed by a tow truck or if you are towing
another vehicle behind you .•
Clear vision
& WARNING
• Wiper blade s are cru cial fo r safe driving ! O nly when they are in
good cond it ion are they able to clear the window s properly to
p ro vi de un comp romi sed vis ibility . Worn or damaged wiper blade s
are a safety hazard
=> page 8 7, "In stalling new w ipe r blades "!
• The rain sen sor is onl y de signed to a ssis t and support the
driver. It remain s ent irely the driver' s re spon sibility to monitor
o ut side weather condit ion s a nd to manually acti vate the wipers a s
soon a s rain or drizzle reduces vi sibility through the wind shield .
• The wind shield mu st not be treat ed w ith water -repellent mate
rials. They can increase glare under poor visibility conditions such
a s w etne ss, darknes s, or when the sun i s lo w on t he horizon . In
addition , they can cause the windshield wipers to chatter .
0 Note
In freezing or near freezing conditions :
• Always check that the wiper blades are not frozen to the g lass
before you turn the wipers on. Loosen a wiper b lade which is frozen
in place before operating the wipers to prevent damage to the wiper
b lade or the wipe r motor.
• Do not use the wipers to clear a frosted window . Using the
wipe rs as a convenient ice scraper wil l destroy the wiper blades .
• Before you take your vehicle to an automatic car wash , make sure
you have the wi ndshield w iper system switched off (lever in position
0), otherwise the windshield wiper system could get damaged in the
car wash if it should suddenly come on .
[ i ] Tips
• The rain sensor is part of the interva l wiping system . Turning off
the ignition will also deactivate the rain sensor. To reactivate the sensor, switch off the interva l wiping function, then switch it back
on aga in. • I
f you switch off the ignition with the windshield wiper lever sti ll
in the interva l wipe position and then come back a while late r and
drive off, the rain sensor will reactivate itself after the vehicle speed
has exceeded 4 mph (6 km/h) .
• Worn or dirty windshield wiper b lades cause smearing which
can affect the operation of the rain sensor . Check the condition of
your windshield wiper b lades regularly .
• Make sure the washer fluid reservoir in the engine co mpartment
is topped off before going on a long trip. Look up=>
page 266 for
checking and f illing the washer container .•
Headlight washer system
The headlight washer system cleans the headlights.
Operate the w indshie ld wiper/washer system, leve r posi
tion
© =>page 85, fig. 97, w ith the head lig hts switched
on
by h old ing the lever for longer than o ne second .
The washer jets extend forward out of the front bumper driven by
water pressure to s pray the front headlights with water .
You should inspec t the head lights regu larly (for examp le when refu
e ling) and c lean off any so lid dirt or insects from the lenses .
To ensure the sys tem works proper ly in winter, keep the washer jets
free of snow and
remove any ice using a de -icing spray .•
& WARNING
The glass of the inside rearview mirror is layered and contains an
electrolyte to achieve its properties. Be aware of liquid electrolyte
leaking from a broken mirror glass. This liquid can cause irritation
to skin, eyes, and respiratory system. If you get electrolyte in your
eyes or on your skin, immediately rinse with plenty of water. If irri
tation persists, seek medical attention.
0 Note
Liquid electrolyte leaked from a broken mirror glass will damage any
plastic surfaces it comes in contact with. Clean up spilled electrolyte
immediately with clear water and a sponge.
[ i] Tips
• If you switch off the automatic dimming function on the inside
mirror, automatic dimming of the outside mirrors will likewise be
disabled.
• Check to make sure there are no objects preventing light from
reaching the inside mirror.
• Do not attach any stickers to the windshield in front of the light
sensor, as this would interfere with the automatic operation of the
headlights and the automatic dimming of the inside mirror.•
Controls and eq uip
ment
Clear vision
Outside mirrors
The outside mirrors are electrically adjusted.
Adjusting the outside mirrors
Fig. 101 Forward
section of driver's
armrest: power mirror
controls
Turn the adjusting knob to position (D => fig. 101 to
adjust the outside mirror on the driver's side.
Turn the knob to position
@ to adjust the outside mirror
on the passenger side.
Press the knob in the appropriate direction to move the
mirror surface so that you have a good view to the rear.
Folding both outside mirrors in flush*
- Turn the knob to position @.
The mirror surfaces are heated whenever you switch on the rear
window defogger regardless of the outside temperature.
You are well -advised to fold the outside mirrors in when maneu
vering in tight spaces or when leaving the car parked close to other
vehicles.
Automatic tilt-down of passenger side outside mirror*
With the knob turned to position@:::::, fig. 101, the mirror on the
front passenger door will tilt downward slightly when you move the .,_
~ehicle care Technical data
___________________________________________________ O_ n_ t_h _e_ r_o _a_ d _ ___,11111
Ignition lock and ignition switch
Ignition lock
T he i gnition k ey sta rts or st ops t he e ngin e.
0
Ignition off 0
Fig. 13 6 Ignition lock
positi ons
In position~ fig. 136 0 both the ignition and engine are off, and
t he stee rin g is locke d.
To
lo ck the steering after you have removed the ignit ion key, turn
t he stee rin g wheel in either direc tion un til you hear it loc k into
p lace . You should always lock the steering whenever you leave your
vehicle . This ma kes a vehic le theft even more difficult ~ & .
Ignition on 0
If it is difficult to turn the key afte r yo u have inserted it into the igni
tion lock, turn the steering wheel back and forth. This will take the
load off the steering lock mechanism and you will be able to turn the
key free ly an d start the engine.
Starting the engine @
In th is position the engine starts . While the engine is starting, the
power supply to the headlights and other electrical consumers is
temporarily interrupted to conserve battery power. After the engine has started, release the key and it wi ll return to position
(v.
Contro ls and eq uip
ment
Before the starter can be operated again the key must be turned
b ack to position
(D . Th e non -repeat lock p re vents y ou fr om
damag ing the starter when the engine is running .
& WARNING
• Never remove the key from the ignit ion lock while the vehicle is
moving. The steering wheel will lock causing loss of control .
• If you have to leave your vehi cle- even for just a minute- always
remove the ignition key and take it with you. This is especially
important if you are going to leave children behind in the vehicle.
The children could start the engine or use other vehicle controls. Unsupervised use of vehicle controls (for e xample , power
windows) can cause serious personal injuries.
[ i ] Tips
If the vehicle battery has been disco nnec ted and then recon nected,
then you must leave the key in position
0 for about 5 seconds
be fore you can start the eng ine .•
Ignition key safety lock
T he i gnit ion key ca n only be remove d when the se lector
lever is in the "P " (Pa rk) pos itio n.
A fte r swi tc h ing o ff th e ig nition, the ig nition key can only be
removed from the ignition lock when the selector lever is in the "P"
(Park) posi tio n. Af ter y ou h ave remo ved the key, the selec to r lever is
locked and cannot be moved. •
~ehicle care irechnical data
• .___T_ r_a _n_ s_ m_ is_ s_io _ n ______________________________________________________ _
R -Reverse
The transmission will automatically select the lowest gear ratio
when you shift into reverse.
Select
R only when the vehicle is at a full stop and the engine is
running at idle speed~
& in "Driving the automat ic transmission"
on
page 126 .
Before you move the selector lever to R, press both the button in the
handle of the selector lever
and the brake pedal at the same time.
When the ignition is on, the backup lights illuminate when the selector lever is moved into
R.
N -Neutral
The transmission is in neutral in this position. Shift to this position
for standing with the brakes applied~
page 128.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the footbrake before and while moving the
lever out of
N.
D -Normal position for driving forward
Position Dis for normal city and highway driving. It ranges from zero
to top speed and all six gears shift automatica lly, depending on
engine load, driving speed and automatically selected shift
programs. The gear engaged is shown in the right of the display
~ page 127, fig. 140.
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the foot brake before and whi le moving the
lever to
D out of N .
In certain circumstances it may be advantageous to temporarily
switch to the manual shift program to manua lly se lect gear ratios to
match specific driving conditions~
page 130.
S -Sport position
Select this position for sportier performance. In this position, the
t ransmission will not upshift as soon, allowing the vehic le to use the increased power available at higher engine speeds
to achieve live
lier accelera tion .
When the vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h),
you must always apply the foot brake before and while moving the lever to
S out of N.
& WARNING
Read and follow all WARNINGS ~ & in "Driving the automatic
transmission" on
page 126.
(D Note
Coasting downhil l with the transmission in N and the engine not
running w ill result in damage to the automatic transmission and
possibly the catalytic converter. •
Applies t o veh icles: with 6-speed automat ic transmission
Automatic Shift Lock (ASL)
The Automatic Shift Lock safeguards you against acciden
tally shifting into a forward or the reverse gear and
causing the vehicle to move unintentionally.
Fig. 141 Shift gate:
se lector leve r lock
position s and interlock
butt on highlighted
The selector lever lock is released as follows :