Cockpit81
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
Worn brake pads
If the
symbol lights up, have the front brake pads (and, for safety's sake,
the rear pads as well) inspected by a specialist garage.
Speed warning 1
If the
symbol lights up, this means you are exceeding the speed that has
been pre-set with the speed warning function. You should reduce your speed
accordingly ⇒page 82.
Headlight range control faulty
This symbol
indicates a malfunction in the dynamic headlight range
control. Take the vehicle to a specialist garage to have the dynamic headlight
range control function repaired.
Self-directing headlights* faulty
Self-directing headlights faulty
This symbol
indicates that the self-directing headlight system is faulty.
Take the vehicle to a specialist garage to have the headlights or the self-
directing headlight control unit repaired.
Washer fluid level low
If the
symbol lights up, top up the fluid for the windscreen washer and
headlight washer system* ⇒page 228.
Speed warning 2
If the
symbol lights up, this means you are exceeding the speed that has
been pre-set. You should reduce your speed accordingly ⇒page 82.
Battery voltage too high or too low
If the
symbol lights up, take the vehicle to a specialist garage and have
the following items checked:
•Ribbed belt•Battery condition
I t is a l s o a d v isa b le t o ch e ck w h e t h e r t h e a l te r na t o r wa r n i n g la m p ha s co m e o n
⇒ page 69.Bulb monitor
The bulb monitor checks whether the lights on the vehicle are
working.If a defective bulb is detected, or if one of the lights has failed for any reason,
the bulb monitor symbol
will appear in the display together with an addi-
tional message (which goes out after 5 seconds). For instance, if the rear left
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Intelligent technology
186Traction control system (TCS)
The traction control system prevents the drive wheels from
spinning when the car is accelerating.General notes
The traction control system (TCS) is one of the functions incorporated in the
electronic stabilisation programme (ESP).
The traction control system (TCS) helps the car to start moving, accelerate or
climb a gradient in slippery conditions where this may otherwise be difficult
or even impossible.
How it works
The TCS acts automatically, i.e. without the driver's intervention. With the aid
of the ABS sensors ⇒page 184, the TCS monitors the speed of the driven
wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine power is reduced automatically
to match the amount of grip available. The system is active across the entire
speed range.
The TCS works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction occurs in the ABS,
the TCS will also be inoperative.
Note
To ensure that the TCS works properly, all four wheels must be fitted with
identical tyres. The difference in size of the wheels may lead to an undesired
reduction in engine power. Also see ⇒page 241.
BrakesGeneral notesNew brake pads
New brake pads do not provide optimal performance during the first 200 km
they must be “run in”. However, the reduced braking capacity may be
compensated by pressing on the brake pedal a little harder. Avoid over-
loading the brakes during run-in.
Wear
T h e r a t e o f we a r o n t h e brake pads depends a great deal on how you drive and
the conditions in which the vehicle is operated. Negative factors are, for
instance, city traffic, frequent short trips or hard driving with abrupt starts
and stops.
Wet roads; road salt
In certain conditions, such as in heavy rain, or after washing the car or driving
through water, the full braking effect can be delayed by moisture (or in winter
by ice) on the discs and brake pads. The brakes should be “dried” by pressing
the pedal to restore full braking effect.
When the velocity is over 80 km/h windscreen wipers are on, the brake
system moves the pads towards the brake discs for a few seconds. This
occurs - without warning to the driver - at regular intervals and requires a
more rapid response from the brakes when driving on wet roads.
The effectiveness of the brakes can also be temporarily reduced if the car is
driven for some distance without using the brakes when there is a lot of salt
on the road in winter. In this case, the layer of salt on the brake discs and pads
has to wear off before braking.
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Intelligent technology187
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up on the brake pads and corrosion
to form on the discs if the car is used infrequently, or if you only drive low
mileages without using the brakes very much.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if rust has formed on the disks, it is
advisable to clean off the pads and disks by braking firmly a few times from a
moderately high speed
⇒.
Faults in the brake system
If the brake pedal travel should ever increase suddenly, this may mean that
one of the two brake circuits has failed. Drive immediately to the nearest qual-
ified workshop and have the fault rectified. On the way to the dealer, be
prepared to use more pressure on the brake pedal, and allow for longer stop-
ping distances.
Low brake fluid level
Malfunctions can occur in the brake system if the brake fluid level is too low.
The brake fluid level is monitored electronically.
WARNING
When applying the brakes to clean off deposits on the pads and discs,
select a clear, dry road. Be sure not to inconvenience or endanger other
road users. Risk of accident.
Caution
•Never let the brakes “drag” by leaving your foot on the pedal when you do
not really intend to brake. This overheats the brakes, resulting in longer stop-
ping distances and greater wear.•Before driving down a long, steep gradient, it is advisable to reduce speed
and change to a lower gear (or move the selector lever to a lower gear position
if your car has automatic transmission). This makes use of engine braking and prolongs the service life of the brakes. If you still have to use the brakes,
it is better to brake firmly at intervals than to apply the brakes continuously.
Note
If you wish to equip the car with accessories such as a front spoiler or wheel
covers, it is important that the flow of air to the front wheels is not obstructed,
otherwise the brakes can overheat.Brake servo
The brake servo assists the driver when brakingThe brake servo amplifies the pressure you apply to the brake pedal. The
brake servo works only when the engine is running.
WARNING
Ensure the vehicle does not move while in neutral, when the motor is
stopped. Failure to do so could result in an accident.
Note
If the brake servo is not working, e.g. because the vehicle has to be towed or
because it is broken, you will have to press the brake pedal considerably
harder to make up for the lack of servo assistance.
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Driving and the environment189
Safety First
Controls and equipment
Practical tips
Technical Data
Driving and the environmentRunning-inRunning in a new engine
The engine needs to be run-in over the first 1,500 km.Up to 1,000 kilometres
– Do not drive at speeds of more than 2/3 the maximum speed.
– Do not accelerate hard.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1000 to 1500 km
– Speeds can be gradually increased to the maximum road speed
or maximum permissible engine speed (rpm).During its first few hours of running, the internal friction in the engine is
greater than later on, when all the moving parts have bedded in.
For the sake of the environment
If the engine is run in gently, its life will be increased and its oil consumption,
reduced.
Braking effect and braking distance
The braking effect and braking distance are influenced by
driving situations and road conditions.The efficiency of the brakes depends directly on the brake pad wear. The rate
of wear of the brake pads depends to a great extent on the conditions under
which the vehicle is operated and the way the vehicle is driven. If you often
drive in town traffic, drive short distances or have a sporty driving style, we
recommend that you have the thickness of your brake pads checked by an
Authorised Service Centre more frequently than recommended in the Ser vice
Schedule.
If you drive with wet brakes, for example, after crossing areas of water, in
heavy rainfall or even after washing the car, the effect of the brakes is less-
ened as the brake discs are wet or even frozen (in winter): The brakes should
be “dried” by pressing the pedal to restore full braking effect.
WARNING
Longer braking distances and faults in the brake system increase the risk
of accidents.•New brake pads must be run in and do not have the correct friction
during the first 200 km. However, the reduced braking capacity may be
compensated by pressing on the brake pedal a little harder. This also
applies when new brake pads are fitted.•If brakes are wet or frozen, or if you are driving on roads which have
been gritted with salt, braking power may set in later than normal.•On steep slopes, if brakes are excessively used, they will overheat.
Before driving down a long steep slope, it is advisable to reduce speed and
change down into a lower gear (or move the selector lever to a lower gear if
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Your vehicle maintenance and cleaning
206Vehicle exterior maintenanceAutomatic car wash tunnel
The car can normally be washed without problem in an auto-
matic car wash.The vehicle paintwork is so durable that the car can normally be washed
without problems in an automatic car washing tunnel. However, the paint-
work wear depends to a large extent, on the kind of the car washing tunnel,
the brushes used, its water filtering and the type of cleaning and preservative
products.
Before going through a car wash, be sure to take the usual precautions such
as closing the windows and sunroof. There is nothing to note apart from that.
If the vehicle has special accessories such as spoilers or a roof carrier or two-
way radio aerial, etc., it is advisable to consult the car washing tunnel oper-
ator.
After washing, the brakes could hesitate to respond as the brake discs and
pads could be wet, or even frozen in winter. “Dry” the brakes by braking
several times.
WARNING
Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of
accident.Washing by handVehicle washing
– First soften the dirt with plenty of water and rinse it off. – Clean your vehicle from top to bottom with a soft sponge, a glove
or a brush. Use very light pressure.
– Rinse the sponge or glove often with clean water.
– Special car shampoo should only be used for very stubborn dirt.
– Clean the wheels, sill panels etc. until last with a different sponge or glove.
– Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with water.
– Dry your vehicle surface gently with a chamois leather.
–When temperature is cold , dry the rubber seals and its surfaces
to prevent them from freezing. Apply silicone spray to the rubber
seals.
After washing
– Directly after washing, avoid sudden and sharp braking. “Dry” ⇒page 189, “Braking effect and braking distance”the brakes by
braking several times.
WARNING
•Wash your car with the ignition switched off.•Protect your hands and arms from cuts on sharp metal edges when
cleaning the underbody, the inside of the wheel housings etc. Risk of
injury.•Water, ice and salt on the brakes can reduce braking efficiency. Risk of
accident.
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Index299
Index
AAccessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Adaptive headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Air conditioner 2C-Climatronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Defrosting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Solar-powered blower/solar roof . . . . . . . . 163
Air duct Fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259, 266
Removing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258, 265
Air purity sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Airbag Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Airbag covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Alternator Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Ambient temperature display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Anti-freeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Anti-lock brake system How it works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Anti-puncture tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Anti-theft alarm system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Interior monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Aquaplaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Armrest Storage compartment in front armrest . . . . 141
Armrests Adjusting the front armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Ashtray Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Athermic windscreen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Auto-check system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Automatic car wash tunnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Automatic gearbox Dynamic gear control program . . . . . . . . . . 180
Kick-down feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
multitronic® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Paddle levers (tiptronic mode) . . . . . . . . . . 182
Safety interlock for ignition key . . . . . . . . . 165
Selector lever lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Selector lever positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Steering wheel with paddle levers . . . . . . . 182
tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175, 181
Automatic headlight control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
BBackground lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Battery voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Disconnection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Long periods of non-use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Replacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231, 232
Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Winter operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231, 232
Belt tension device Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Belt tension devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Bicycle rack Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Biodiesel fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Bonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Releasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Brake light Failure control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Brake system Brake servo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
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Index
300Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Brake assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Worn brake pads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Braking distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Bulb change general notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257CCar keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Manual locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Sunroof: opening and closing . . . . . . . . . . 112
Central locking system Anti-theft security system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Locking and unlocking the vehicle from inside100
Opening and closing the windows . . . . . . 110
Security central locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Switch on the driver's door . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Tailgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Cetane number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Changing the main headlight bulb Main headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Changing the main headlight bulbs Dipped beam headlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262 Changing the rear lights
luggage compartment lights . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Changing windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . . . . 229
Chassis number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
Child safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Child safety seat ISOFIX system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Categorisation in groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Group 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Group 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Group 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Groups 0 and 0+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Child seats on the front passenger seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Childproof lock Rear doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Cigarette lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Cleaning alloy wheel rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Cleaning chrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Cleaning engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Cleaning steel wheel rims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Cleaning windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Climate control Air distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Air outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Air purity sensor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Air recirculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Air recirculation (automatic) . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Automatic mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Blower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
ECON Mode (economy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Economical use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Key settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Temperature selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Clock, setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Cloth seat covers cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Coat hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 In the door trim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
In the front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Cool box in glove compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Cooling system Coolant temperature gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Cruise control system Adjust stored speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Disabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Disabling temporarily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Setting speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Curtain airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
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