[ i J Tip s
• Do not attach any stickers to the windshield in front of the two
light sensors, as this would interfere with both the automatic oper
ation of the head ligh ts and the automatic dimming of the inside
mirror(s).
• If the veh icle is remotely un locked and locked
three times in
succession,
leaving home will not turn on the lights a fourth time to
safeguard the battery and lights.
• If you wish to use the coming home/leaving home function regu
larly, you can leave it activated at all times wi thout risking perma
nent strain on the electrical system. As the system is contro lled by
light sensors, i t wi ll only b e energi zed in darkness.
• Frequent use of the coming home/leaving home function for
approac hin g and departing a vehicle parked in the dark wi ll strain
the batte ry. This applies particularly if only short distances are
driven between stops . Occasiona lly drive longer distances to make
sure the battery is recharged sufficient ly.
• If the fo g lights have been switched on by the coming
home/leaving home function, they will always be switched off when
you switch on the ig nition. •
Contro ls and eq uip
ment
Cle ar v ision
Instrument panel illumination
The ill umina tion of the ins trume nts, dis pla ys and the
cente r consol e can be adjusted.
9:3 6
02.11.2008
Fig . 9 2 Instru men t
pane l illum in a ti on
Press the"+" button to increase the brigh tness .
Press the" -" b utton to reduce the br ig htness.
Igniti on ON , light swit ch at @ .
With the ignition switched ON, the glow of instrument needles can
be adjusted to appear brighter or dimmer.
Ignition ON , light switch at :oo: or gD.
With the lights switched on, the brightness of instrument cluster
(i .e. needles, gauges and displays) and center c onsole il luminat io n
can be adjusted .
0 Note
The instrument c luster and center console i llumination ( gauges and
needles) comes on when you swi tch on the ignition and the
vehicle
headlights are off .
Be aware of the following difference between
models built to US or Canadian specifications:
• USA model s: illumination of the in strument cluster (gauge s and
needles ), dash and center conso le around the gearshift lever is
controlled
by a light sen sor located in the instrument panel. The .,
~ehicle care Technical data
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 .•
- Adjust the seat in fore and aft direction so that you can
easily push the pedals to the floor while keeping your
knee slightly bent==>
& in "Why is your seat adjustment
so important?".
- Adjust the seatback so that when you sit with your back against the seatback, you can still grasp the top of the
steering wheel.
- Position the head restraints according to the occupant's
height. For maximum protection, the upper edge of the
head restraints should be at least at eye level, or higher
==>
page 757,fig.156.
& WARNING
Never place any objects in the driver's footwell. An object could
get into the pedal area and interfere with pedal function. In case
of sudden braking or an accident, you would not be able to brake
or accelerate! •
Front passenger seat
Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost
position.
To avoid contact with the airbag while it is deploying, do not
sit any closer to the instrument panel than necessary and
always wear the three-point safety belt provided adjusted
correctly. We recommend that you adjust the passenger's
seat in the following manner:
- Move the front passenger seat into the rearmost position
of the fore and aft adjustment range ==>
& in "W hy is
your seat adjustment so important?" on
page 92.
Controls and eq uip
ment
Seats and storage
- Bring the backrest up to an (almost) upright position . Do
not ride with the seat reclined.
- The ideal position for the head restra int is with the upper
edge of the restraint level with the top of your head
==>
page 95 and ==> page 98. You should not lower the top
of the rest ra int below the level of your eyes.
- Place your feet on the floor in front of the passenger's
seat. •
Manual seats
Applies to veh ic les: with manua lly adjustab le seats
Adjustment controls
Various controls on the manual seats provide a wide
range for individual adjustments.
0 Moving the seat forward or backward
0 Extending the seat cushion
© Adjusting the seat cushion angle
© Adjusting the seat height
© Adjusting the lumbar support*~ page 98
Fig. 104 Adjustment
controls: locations on
driver seat
© Adjusting the seatback angle .,
~ehicle care irechnical data
________________________________________________ S_e_ a_ ts_ a_ n_d _ s_t _o _r_ a ....; g::. e _ ___,_
The outlet may be used for 12-volt appliances with maximum
consumption of up to 100 watts, such as a flash light, small vacuum
cleaner, etc.
Before you purchase any accessories, a lways read and follow the
information in~
page 318, "Additional accessories and parts
replacement".
& WARNING
The outlet plus any appliances plugged into it remain functional
even if the ignition is switched off or the ignition key is removed.
Never leave children inside the vehicle without supervision.
0 Note
To avoid damaging the socket, only use plugs that fit properly.
[ i] Tips
When the engine is off and accessories are still plugged in and are
on, the vehic le battery can still be drained. •
Storage
General
& WARNING
• Always remove objects from the instrument panel. Any items
not put away could slide around inside the vehicle while driving or
when accelerating or when applying the brakes or when driving
around a corner.
• When you are driving make sure that anything you may have
placed in the center console or other storage locations cannot fall
Contro ls and eq uip
ment
& WARNING (continued)
out into the footwells . In case of sudden braking you would not be
able to brake, depress the clutch or accelerate .
• Any pieces of clothing that you have hung up must not interfere
with the driver's view. The coat hooks are designed only for light
weight clothing . Never hang any clothing with hard , pointed or
heavy objects in the pockets on the coat hooks . During sudden
braking or in an accident -especially if the airbag is deployed -
these objects could injure any passengers inside the vehicle. •
Glove compartment
The glove compartment is illuminated and can be locked.
To open glove compartment
Fig. 125 Glove
compartment
P ull the handle~ fig. 125 in the direction of the arrow
and pull the lid down.
To close glove compartment
Push the glove compartment lid upward until the lock
engages.
In the glove compartment lid, you w ill find a place to store a pen and
a pad of paper . ..,_
~ehicle care irechnical data
Warm and cold -_______________ ____,
Each of the three buttons has its own specific function (the refer
ence numbers refer to the air outlets)
~ page 115, fig . 132 .
Air di recte d t o th e w indows [-0 ]
All the air is directed to outlets 0),@ and G). Contrary to when [@I
is pressed, the amount of air remains the same.
Ai r d irecte d to th e driv er /fr ont passe nge r[~ ]
All the air is directed to outlets @,© and © in the instrument
panel. Air also is directed through the center console in the rear .
Air directed to th e fo otwell s ( ,O. I
All the air is directed to outlets © and to the outlets under the front
seats. •
Air outlets
Fig. 132 Instr ume nt pane l: w here t he ai r outlets are l ocate d
Contro ls and eq uip
ment
Air outlets => fig . 132 @ , ® and 0 can be o perated as
follows :
Outlets @
Move the slide contro l located be hind the outlet to open
or close the outlet .
Adjusting air outlets ® a nd 0
Turn the vertical thumbwheel beside the ou tlet to
increase, red uce o r shut down the a irflow from that
o utlet.
Move the small tab in t he center of the o utlet louver side
ways and up or dow n to adjust the level and direct io n of
a irfl ow.
The flow of air to the outlets is controlled either automa tically or
manually depending on the opera tion mode selected . Heated,
unheated or cooled air can flow from all out le ts.
The heater outlets for the rear footwells are located under the front seats . When you select outlets
G) , air also flows to the rear foot
we lls.
[ i ] Tips
• When defrosting/defogging the windows, air flows from outlets
0) , © and ®· To defrost or defog the windows as quickly as
possible, air outlets © and © must be opened.
• When the air conditione r is working, cooled air will flow primarily
from outlets @, G) and
@. To assure adequate cooling, outlets@,
© and © should never be completely closed .•
~ehicle care irechnical data
__________________________________________________ D _r_iv _ in_ g=- S_ a_f _e _l..:.. Y _ ....... 911
& WARNING (continued)
• Always adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel so that
there are at least 4 inches 110 cm) between the knees and the
lower part of the instrument panel.
• Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering
wheel rim with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions
to help reduce the risk of personal injury if the driver's airbag inflates .
• Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with
your hands at other positions inside the steering wheel rim or on
the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the wrong way can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms and head if the
driver's airbag inflates
• Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the
ability of the supplemental driver's airbag to protect you in a colli
sion .
• Always sit in an upright position and never lean against or
place any part of your body too close to the area where the airbags
are located.
• Before driving, always adjust the front seats and head
restraints properly and make sure that all passengers are properly
restrained.
• Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving. Your seat
may move unexpectedly and you could lose control of the vehicle.
• Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The
farther the backrests are tilted back, the greater the risk of injury
due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper
seating position.
• Children must always ride in child seats
=> page 190. Special
precautions apply when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat
=> page 168. •
Controls and equip
ment Safety first
Vehicle operation
Proper seating position for the front
passenger
The proper front passenger seating position is important
for safe, relaxed driving.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the
event of an accident, we recommend that you adjust the
seat for the front passenger to the following pos ition:
- Move the front passenger seat back as far as possible.
There must be a minimum of 10 inches (25 cm) between
the breastbone and the instrument panel =>
&.
- Adjust the angle of the seatback so that it is in an upright
position and your back comes in full contact with it
whenever the vehicle is moving.
- Adjust the head restraint so that the upper edge is as
even with the top of your head as possible but not lower
than eye level and so that it is as close to the back of your
head as possible =>
page 151.
-Keep both feet flat on the floor in front of the front
passenger seat.
- Fasten and wear safety belts correctly=>
page 163.
For detailed information on how to adjust the front passenger's
seat, see => page 92.
LJ}. WARNING
Front seat passengers who are unbelted, out of position or too
close to the airbag can be seriously injured or killed by the airbag
as it unfolds. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury :
jll,,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourself service Technical data
___ D_ r _i_v _i_n ..;;:g ::;,._ S_ a_ f_ e---= ly'----------------------------------------------------
& WARNING (continued)
• Passengers must always sit in an upright position and never
lean against or place any part of their body too close to the area
where the airbags are located.
• Passengers who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the
airbag can be seriously injured by an airbag as it unfolds with
great force in the blink of an eye.
• Always make sure that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm)
between the front passenger's breastbone and the instrument
panel.
• Always make sure that there are at least 4 inches (10 cm)
between the front passenger's knees and the lower part of the
instrument panel.
• Each passenger must always sit on a seat of their own and
properly fasten and wear the safety belt belonging to that seat.
• Before driving, always adjust the front passenger seat and
head restraint properly.
• Always keep your feet on the floor in front of the seat. Never
rest them on the seat, instrument panel, out of the window, etc .
The airbag system and safety belt will not be able to protect you properly and can even increase the risk of injury in a crash.
• Never drive with the backrest reclined or tilted far back! The
farther the backrests are tilted back, the greater the risk of injury
due to incorrect positioning of the safety belt and improper
seating position.
• Children must always ride in child seats~
page 190. Special
precautions apply when installing a child seat on the front
passenger seat~
page 168. •
Proper seating positions for passengers in
rear seats
Rear seat passengers must sit upright with both feet on
the floor consistent with their physical size and be prop
erly restrained whenever the vehicle is in use.
To reduce the risk of injury caused by an incorrect seating
position in the event of a sudden braking maneuver or an
accident, your passengers on the rear bench seat must
always observe the follow ing :
- Make sure that the seatback of the front seats are securely latched in the upright position~
page 99.
Keep both feet flat in the footwell in front of the rear seat .
Fasten and wear safety belts properly ~
page 163.
-Make sure that children are always properly restrained in
a child restraint that is appropriate for their size and age
~ page 190.
& WARNING
Passengers who are improperly seated on the rear seat can be
seriously injured in a crash.
• Each passenger must always sit on a seat of their own and
properly fasten and wear the safety belt belonging to that seat.
• Safety belts only offer maximum protection when the seatback
is securely latched in the upright position and the safety belts are
properly positioned on the body . By not sitting upright, a rear seat
passenger increases the risk of personal injury from improperly
positioned safety belts! •
-Driving Safely
_---:;.._----=------------------
and strikes
an occupant who is not in the proper seating
position. A driver is responsible for the safety of all vehicle
occupants and especially for children. Therefore:
Never allow anyone to assume an incorrect seating posi
tion when the vehicle is being used~&, .
The following bullets list only some sample positions that will
increase the risk of serious injury and death. Our hope is that these
examples will make you more aware of seating positions that are
dangerous.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is moving: • never stand up in the vehicle
• never stand on the seats
• never kneel on the seats
• never ride with the seatback reclined
• never lie down on the rear seat
• never lean up against the instrument panel
• never sit on the edge of the seat
• never sit sideways
• never lean out the window
• never put your feet out the window
• never put your feet on the instrument panel
• never rest your feet on the seat cushion or back of the seat
• never ride in the footwell
• never ride in the cargo area
& WARNING
Improper seating positions increase the risk of serious personal
injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used.
& WARNING (continued)
• Always make sure that all vehicle occupants stay in a proper
seating position and are properly restrained whenever the vehicle
is being used . •
Driver and passenger side footwell
Important safety instructions
& WARNING
Always make sure that the knee airbag can inflate without inter
ference. Objects between yourself and the airbag can increase the risk of injury in an accident by interfering with the way the airbag
deploys or by being pushed into you as the airbag deploys.
• No persons (children) or animals should ride in the footwell in
front of the passenger seat.
If the airbag deploys, this can result in
serious or fatal injuries .
• No objects of any kind should be carried in the footwell area in
front of the driver's or passenger's seat. Bulky objects (shopping
bags, for example) can hamper or prevent proper deployment of
the airbag. Small objects can be thrown through the vehicle if the
airbag deploys and injure you or your passengers. •
Pedal area
Pedals
The pedals must always be free to move and must never
be interfered with by a floor mat or any other object.
Make sure that all pedals move freely without interference and that
nothing prevents them from returning to their original positions.
~