
Lights and visibility97
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
Note
•Do not put stickers on the windscreen in front of the sensor. This may 
cause sensor disruption or faults.Rear window wiper 
 
The windscreen wiper lever operates the windscreen wiper 
and the wash and wipe system for the rear window.
Switching on the interval wipe
– Press the lever forwards to position    ⇒fig. 61 . The wiper will 
wipe the window approximately every 6 seconds. Switching off the interval wipe function
– Pull the lever back from position   towards the steering wheel. 
The wiper will continue to function  for a short period if you switch 
off whilst the wipers are in motion.
Switching on the windscreen wiper and washer system
– Press the lever fully fo rwards to position   ⇒fig. 61 . The rear 
wiper and washer operate at the same time. The windscreen 
wash system will function as long  as you hold the lever in this 
position.
– Release the lever. The washer system stops and the wipers  continue until the end of the cycle.
– Move the lever towards the steering wheel to switch off.
WARNING
•A worn or dirty wiper blade will obstruct visibility and reduce safety.•Always note the corresponding warnings on  ⇒page 189.Caution
In icy conditions, always check that the wiper blade is not frozen to the glass 
before using the wiper for the first time. If you switch on the wiper when the 
wiper blade is frozen to the glass, this could damage both the wiper blade 
and the wiper motor.
Note
•The rear window wiper will only work when the ignition is switched on.•Depending on the version of the model, when you engage reverse gear 
and with the headlight wiper activated, the lamps are wiped.
Fig. 61  Windscreen wiper 
and windscreen wash 
lever: rear window wiper
A6
A6
A7
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Lights and visibility
98Headlight washer system
The headlight washers clean the headlight lenses.The headlight washers are activated automatically when the windscreen 
washer is used and the windscreen wiper lever is pulled towards the steering 
wheel for at least 1.5 seconds – provided the dipped beam headlights or 
main beams are switched on. Clean off stubborn dirt (insects, etc.) from the 
headlights at regular intervals, for instance when filling the fuel tank.
Note
•To ensure that the headlight washers work properly in winter, keep the 
nozzle holders in the bumper free of snow and remove any ice with a de-icer 
spray.•To remove water, the windscreen wipers will be activated from time to 
time, the headlight wipers will be activated every three cycles.Rear vision mirrorsAdjusting the head restraintsBefore beginning any journey, adjust the rear vision mirrors for correct 
visibility.
Rear vision mirror
It is dangerous to drive if yo u cannot see clearly through the 
rear window.Manual anti-dazzle function for rear vision mirror
In the basic mirror position, the lever at the bottom edge of the mirror should 
be at the front. Pull the lever to the back to select the anti-dazzle function.Automatic anti-dazzle rear vision mirror*
The automatic anti-dazzle function can be switched on and off 
as desired.Switching off anti-dazzle function
–Press button   ⇒ fig. 62. Indicator lamp   goes off.
Fig. 62  Automatic anti-
dazzle rear vision mirror.
AA
AB
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Seats and storage compartments101
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
Seats and storage compartmentsThe importance of correct seat adjustmentProper seat adjustment optimises the level of protection 
offered by seat belts and airbags.Your vehicle has five seats, two in the front and three in the rear. Each seat is 
equipped with a three-point seat belt.
The driver seat and the front passenger seat can be adjusted in many ways to 
suit the physical requirements of the vehicle occupants. The correct seat 
position is very important for:•a fast and easy operation of all controls on the instrument panel,•a relaxed posture which does not cause drowsiness,•a safe driving ⇒ page 7,•ensuring that the seat belts and airbag system provide maximum protec-
tion  ⇒page 17.WARNING
•If the driver and passengers assume improper sitting positions, they 
may sustain critical injuries.•More people than available seats must never be transported in your 
vehicle.•Every passenger in the vehicle must properly fasten and wear the seat 
belt belonging to his or her seat. Chil dren must be protected with an appro-
priate child restraint system  ⇒page 38, “Child safety”.•The front seats and all head restraints must always be adjusted to body 
size and the seat belt must always be properly adjusted to provide you and 
your passengers with optimum protection.
•Always keep your feet on the footwell when the vehicle is moving; never 
rest them on the dash panel, out of the window or on the seat. This is also 
applied to passengers. An incorrect sitting position exposes you to an 
increased risk of injury in case of a sudden braking or an accident. If the 
airbag is triggered, you could sustain severe injuries due to an incorrect 
sitting position.•It is important for the driver and front passenger to keep a distance of 
at least 25 cm from the steering wheel or dash panel. Failure to respect the 
minimum distance means that the airbag will not protect you. Risk of fatal 
injury. The distance between the driver and the steering wheel or between 
the front passenger and the dash panel should always be as great as 
possible.•Adjust the driver or front passenger seat only when the vehicle is 
stationary. Otherwise, your seat  could move unexpectedly while the 
vehicle is moving. This could increase the risk of an accident and therefore, 
injury. In addition, while adjusting your seat, you will assume an incorrect 
sitting position. Risk of fatal accidents.•Special guidelines apply to installing a child seat on the front 
passenger seat. When installing a child seat, please observe the warnings 
described in  ⇒page 38, “Child safety”.WARNING (continued)
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Seats and storage compartments
104•When fitting the head restraints again, insert the tubes as far as possible 
into the guides without pressing the button. Front seatsAdjustment of the front seats  Adjusting the seat forwards and backwards
– Pull up the grip and move the seat forwards or backwards.
– Then release the grip   and move the seat further until the  catch engages.
 Adjusting seat height
– Pull the lever up or push down (several times if necessary) from  its home position. This adjust s the seat height in stages.  Adjusting the backrest angle
– Take your weight off the backrest and turn the hand wheel.
WARNING
•Never adjust the driver or front passenger seat while the vehicle is in 
motion. While adjusting your seat, you will assume an incorrect sitting 
position. Risk of fatal accidents. Adjust the driver or front passenger seat 
only when the vehicle is stationary.•To reduce the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger in case of 
a sudden braking or an accident, never drive with the backrest tilted 
towards the rear. The maximum protection of the seat belt can be achieved 
only when the backrests are in an upright position and the driver and front 
passenger have properly adjusted their seat belts. The further the back-
rests are tilted to the rear, the greater the risk of injury due to improper 
positioning of the belt web!•Exercise caution when securing the seat height into forwards/back-
wards position. Injuries can be caused if the seat height is adjusted 
without due care and attention.•To move the seat lengthways, pull upwards and not sideways on the 
lever, as the force exerted on it in this position could damage it.
Fig. 67  Front left seat 
controls
A1
A1
A2
A3
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Driving
130DrivingAddressAdjusting the steering wheel position
The height and reach of the steering wheel can be freely 
adjusted to suit the driver.– Adjust the driver seat to the correct position.
– Push the lever under the steering column  ⇒fig. 99  down ⇒.
– Adjust the steering wheel until the correct position is set  ⇒fig. 99 .
– Then push the lever up again firmly  ⇒.
WARNING
•Incorrect use of the steering column adjustment function and an incor-
rect seating position can result in serious injury.•To avoid accidents, the steering column should be adjusted only when 
the vehicle is stationary.•Adjust the driver seat or steering wheel so that there is a distance of at 
least 25 cm between the steering wheel and your chest  ⇒fig. 99 . If you fail 
to observe the minimum distance, the airbag will not protect you. Risk of 
fatal injury.•If your physical constitution does not allow you to maintain the 
minimum distance of 25 cm, contact an Authorised Service Centre. The 
Authorised Service Centre will help you to decide if special specific modifi-
cations are necessary.•If you adjust the steering wheel so that it points towards your face, the 
driver airbag will not protect you properly in the event of an accident. Make 
sure that the steering wheel points towards your chest.•When driving, always hold the steering wheel with both hands on the 
outside of the ring at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions. Never hold the 
steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position, or in any other manner (e.g. in 
the centre of the steering wheel, or on the inside of the rim). In such cases, 
if the airbag is triggered, you may sustain injuries to the arms, hands and 
head.
Fig. 99  Steering column 
height adjustment
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Driving
132Ignition lockPosition of the ignition keyIgnition switched off, steering lock 
In this position  ⇒fig. 101  the ignition and the engine are OFF and the 
steering may get locked.
For the  Steering lock  to operate without the ignition key, turn the steering 
wheel until it locks with an audible sound. You should always lock the 
steering wheel when you leave your vehicle. This will help prevent vehicle 
theft  ⇒ .
Switching the ignition or the glow plug system on 
Turn the ignition key to this position and release it. If the key cannot be turned 
or it is difficult to turn from position   to position  , move the steering 
wheel from one side to the other until it is released. Starting 
The engine is started when the key is in this position. Electrical components 
with a high power consumption are switched off temporarily.
Every time the vehicle is started again, the ignition key must be turned to 
position . The 
repetitive start prevention lock  of the ignition prevents 
possible damage to the starter motor if the engine is already running.
WARNING
•The ignition key must NOT be removed from the lock until the vehicle 
comes to a standstill. Otherwise, the steering could be immediately 
blocked- Risk of accident!•Always remove the key from the ignition lock when leaving the vehicle, 
even for a short period. This is especially important if children or disabled 
people are left alone in the vehicle. They could accidentally start the 
engine or work electrical equipment such as the electric windows, conse-
quently resulting in an accident.•Unsupervised use of the keys could start the engine or any electrical 
system, such as the electric window. This could result in serious injury.Caution
The starter motor will only work when the engine is stopped (ignition key 
position ).Electronic immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents unauthorised persons from driving 
the vehicle.Inside the key there is a chip that deactivates the electronic immobiliser auto-
matically when the key is inserted into the ignition.
Fig. 101  Ignition key 
positions
A1
A2
A1
A2
A3A1A3
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Driving
140Changing gear in Tiptronic mode*
The Tiptronic system allows the driver to select gears manu-
ally
General information about driving in Tiptronic mode
Changing gear in Tiptronic mode
– Press the selector lever from position  D to the right into the 
Tiptronic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector forward + to change up into high gears.
– Lightly press the selector lever  backwards - to change down into 
low gears.
Changing gear with the steering wheel paddle levers*
– Press the right paddle lever   towards the steering wheel to  change up.  ⇒fig. 108 .
– Press the left paddle lever   towards the steering wheel to  change down.  ⇒fig. 108 .Using the paddle levers on the steering wheel, you can access manual driving 
mode regardless of the pre-selected driving mode.
General information about driving in Tiptronic mode
When accelerating, the automatic gearbox / DSG automatic gearbox goes 
into a higher gear a little before the engine reaches its maximum permitted 
revolutions.
If a lower gear is selected, the automatic gearbox / DSG automatic gearbox 
will only change down when the engine cannot go over its maximum 
permitted revolutions.
If the “Tiptronic” is selected whilst the vehicle is in motion and the automatic 
gearbox / DSG automatic gearbox is in 3rd gear in gear lever position  D, the 
“Tiptronic” will then also be in 3rd gear.
Fig. 107  Changing gear 
with TiptronicFig. 108  Steering wheel 
with paddle levers for 
automatic gearbox
A+A–
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Driving141
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Technical Data
Changing gears in the normal or sport programme using the steering wheel 
paddle levers
If the paddle levers ⇒
page 140, fig. 108 are used in the normal or sport 
programme, the system switches temporarily to “Tiptronic” mode. To exit 
“Tiptronic” mode again, press the right paddle lever   towards the steering 
wheel for approximately one second. You will also leave “Tiptronic” mode if 
the paddle levers are not moved for a certain time.
Note
•The gear paddle levers on the steering wheel can be operated with the 
gear lever in any position and with the vehicle in motion.Selector lever positions
The selector lever positions and gears are shown on the 
instrument panel screen.
Selector lever positions
The selected gear is displayed on the side of the selector lever and on the 
instrument panel screen. The currently selected gear for the automatic 
gearbox will also be shown on the display.
Tiptronic gear indicator
If the automatic gearbox is shifted manually, the selected gears are shown on 
the screen.
P - parking lock
When the selector lever is in this position, the drive wheels are locked 
mechanically.
Position P on the lever must only be selected if the vehicle is stationary.
To move selector lever from position  P, the locking button on the selector 
lever handle must be pressed and the brake pedal depressed at the same 
time while the ignition is switched on.
To put the selector lever in position  P, simply press the lock button down and, 
if necessary, depress the brake pedal down.
R - Reverse gear
The reverse gear is engaged in this position.
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the vehicle is stationary and the 
engine is idling.
To move the selector lever to position  R, press the lock button down and, at 
the same time, press the brake pedal down, with the ignition switched on.
With the selector lever in position R and the ignition switched on the 
following occurs:•Reverse lights light up.•The air conditioner automatically changes the air recirculation mode.•The wiper starts if the windscreen washer is on.•The parking distance warning system switches on.*
+Fig. 109  Automatic 
gearbox: Instrument 
panel display
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