Airbag system
149
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
It is essential to always switch off
⇒page 154, “Deactivating an airbag” the
front passenger airbag when attaching a child safety seat on the front passenger seat where the child is seated
with its back facing in direction of
travel (in some countries also
when the child is facing the direction of travel). If
this is not done, there is a risk of the ch
ild suffering severe or even fatal injuries
if the front passenger airbag is deploy
ed. In certain countries national legal
provisions also require that the side or
head passenger airbags be deactivated.
When transporting a child on the front passenger seat, please comply with the appropriate national regu
lations regarding the use of child safety seats.
•
There must not by any further persons, animals or objects positioned
between the front seated occupants and
the deployment area of the airbag.
•
The steering wheel and the surface of th
e airbag module in the dash panel
on the passenger side must not be stuck
onto, covered or modified in any other
way. These parts should only be cleaned with a dry cloth or a cloth moistened with water. No objects such as cup holders, mobile phone mounts, etc. may be attached to the covers of the airbag modules or be located within the imme- diate area.•
No modifications of any kind may be
made to parts of the airbag system.
Any work on the airbag system includ
ing installing and removing system
components because of other repair wo
rk (e.g. removing the steering wheel)
must only be carried out by a specialist garage.•
Never carry out changes on the front bumper or on the body.
•
Never place any objects on
the surface of the front
passenger airbag module
in the dash panel.
Driver's knee airbag*Description of the driver's knee airbags The knee airbag reduces the risk of injury to the legs.The driver's knee airbag is located in th
e lower part of the dash panel below the
steering column
⇒fig. 140
. The fitting position is show
n in a picture on the side
surface of the dash panel on the driver's side. The driver's knee airbag is complementary
to the three-point seat belt and offers
adequate protection to the knees of the driver.
Please note that an airbag can only
offer you optimal protection in combination with a seat belt which is fastened
.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the
seat belt
is to also
hold the driver in a correct seated position
in the event of a frontal collision so as to
enable the knee airbag to offer the maximum protection. You should therefore always fasten the seat belts, not only because this is required by law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection
⇒page 141, “Why seat
belts?”.Function of the driver's knee airbagsThe airbag system is designed in such a way
that the driver's knee airbag is deployed
together with the belt tensioner in the even
t of a frontal collision of major severity.
If an airbag is deployed, the airbag is filled
with gas. The airbags inflate in fractions of a
second and at a high speed in order to be able to offer that additional protection in the event of an accident.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 140 Driver's knee airbag below the steering column
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Airbag system
150
A grey white, non harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not an indicati
on of a fire in the vehicle.
The forward movement of the body is cushioned when it makes contact with the fully inflated airbag and the risk of injury to
the legs of the driv
er is thus reduced.
Important safety information on the driver's knee airbag
WARNING
•
The surface of the airbag module in the lower part of the dash panel below
the steering column must not be stuck onto, covered or modified in any other way. These parts should only be cleaned with a dry cloth or a cloth moistened with water. No objects must be attached
to the cover of the airbag module or be
located within the immediate area.•
No modifications of any kind may be
made to parts of the airbag system.
Any work on the airbag system includ
ing installing and removing system
components because of other repair wo
rk (e.g. removing the steering wheel)
must only be carried out by a specialist garage.•
Never carry out changes on the front bumper or on the body.
•
Do not attach any bulky and heavy obje
cts (keys etc.) to the keylock. These
can be ejected by the knee airb
ag being deployed and hurt you.
Side airbags*Description of side airbags The side airbag together with the head airbag offers enhanced occu- pant protection in the event of a side collision.The front side airbags are housed in the upho
lstery of the seat backrests of the front
seats
⇒fig. 141
.
The side airbag system in combination with the three-point seat belts, offers additional protection for the upper area of the body
(chest, stomach and pelvis) of the occupants
of the vehicle in the event of severe side collisions
⇒page 151.
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the
seat belts
is to also
hold the occupents of the front or rear exteri
or seats in a correct seated position in the
event of a side collision so as to enable th
e side airbag to offer the maximum protec-
tion. You should therefore always fasten the seat belts, not only because this is required by law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection. Each time the side airbags are deployed, th
e head airbag* and the front belt tensioner
on the side of the car on which the collision
occures, are automati
cally deployed at the
same time in order to provide the
occupant with enhanced protection.
Fig. 141 Installation position of side airbag in driver seat
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Airbag system
154
being deployed. When the deployed head
airbag is inflated, parts of the acces-
sories fitted may in certain circumstances be thrown into the interior of the car and cause injuries to the occupants
⇒page 221, “Accessories, changes and
replacement of parts”.•
Any work on the head airbag system
including installing and removing
system components because
of other repair work (e.g. removing headliner)
must only be carried out by a specialist garage.Deactivating an airbagDeactivating airbags If any airbags have been deactivated, switch them on again as soon as possible so that they are able to again provide their proper protection.There is the technical means installed within your vehicle to switch off the front, side* or head* airbag (take out of commission). This is why you should have the deactivation
of the airbags carried out by a specialist
garage. On vehicles equipped with the switch for de
activation of the airbags, you can deacti-
vate the front passenger airbag
by means of this switch
⇒page 154.
Deactivation of airbags is envisaged only for particular instances, such as if:•
Yo u m u s t i n
exceptional cases
use a child seat on the front passenger seat where
the child is seated with its back to the dire
ction of travel (in some countries this must
be in the direction of travel due to other legal regulations applying)
⇒page 156,
“Important safety information regarding the use of child safety seats”;•
you are not able to maintain the distance
of at least 25 cm between middle of
steering wheel and chest, despite the driver seat being correctly adjusted;•
special attachments are required in the ar
ea of the steering wheel because of a
physical disability;•
you have installed other seats (e.g. orthopaedic seats without side airbags).
Monitoring the airbag system The functionality of the airbag system is al
so monitored electronically when one airbag
has been switched off. If the airbag was switched off using diagnostic equipment:•
The warning light for the airbag system li
ghts up for 4 seconds after switching on
the ignition and then flashes for 12 seco
nds afterwards in 2 second intervals.
Front passenger airbags sw
itched off using the switch for front passenger
airbags* in storage compartmen
t on the front passenger side:
•
the airbag indicator light in the instrume
nt cluster comes on for about 4 seconds
each time the igniti
on is switched on;
•
switching off the airbag is indicated in the middle of the dash panel by the lighting
up of the yellow indicator light in display
⇒fig. 145
.
Note
A specialist garage will be able to advise you whether national legislation in your country allows airbags in
your vehicle to be deactivated, and which ones.
Switch for the front passenger airbagFig. 145 Storage compartment: Switch for the
front passenger airbag / indicator light for a
switched off front seat passenger airbagThe front passenger airbag is deactivated with the switch.
WARNING (continued)
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Intelligent Technology
164
offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an acci- dent!
Note
•
All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-free
operation of the ESP. Differing rolling circum
ferences of the tyres can lead to an unde-
sirable reduction in the engine output.•
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on th
e brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ESP
⇒page 221, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.Electronic Differential Lock (EDL)* The electronic differential lock prev
ents an individual wheel from slip-
ping.Models fitted with ESP ar
e equipped with electronic differential lock (EDL).
General The EDL makes it much easier, and sometimes
at all possible, to start off, accelerate
and climb a steep hill when the conditions of the road surface are unfavourable. Operating principle The EDL is activated automaticall
y, that is without any action
on the part of the driver.
It monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. Should only
one
drive wheel begin spinning on a slippery surface there will be an appreciable
difference in the speed of the driven wheels. The EDL function brakes the slipping wheel and the differential transmits a greate
r driving force to the other driven wheel.
This control process is also accompanied by noises. Overheating of the brakes The EDL switches off automatica
lly if unusually severe stresses exist in order to avoid
excessive heat generation in the disc brake on the wheel which is being braked. The vehicle can continue to be driven and has
the same characteristics as a vehicle not
fitted with EDL.
The EDL switches on again automatically
as soon as the brake has cooled down.
EDL Off-road* After switching on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170, EDL Off-road is activated.
EDL Off-road is matched in such a way that it assists the traction of the vehicle when driving on an unfirm ground. EDL is activated earlier in the Off-road mode than in the normal mode. The brake pres- sure builts up more quickly on the slipping
wheel, on one axle, as well as diagonally.
WARNING
•
Carefully depress the accelerator when
accelerating on uniformly slippery
road surfaces, such as ice and snow. Th
e driven wheels might still spin despite
the EDL and affect the stability of
the vehicle - risk of an accident!
•
You should always adapt your style of driving to the condition of road
surface and to the traffic situation even
when your vehicle is fitted with EDL.
The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note
•
If the ABS or ESP warning light comes on, this may also indicate a fault in the EDL.
Please have the vehicle inspected as soon
as possible by a specialist garage.
•
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the EDL
⇒page 221, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.
WARNING (continued)
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Intelligent Technology
165
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Traction control system (TCS) The traction control system prevents
the driven wheels from spinning
when accelerating.General The TCS makes it much easier, and sometimes at
all possible, to start off, accelerate and
climb a steep hill when th
e conditions of the road
surface are unfavourable.
Operating principle The TCS switches on automatically when th
e engine is started and then conducts a
self-test. The system monitors the speeds of the driven wheels with the aid of the ABS sensors. If the wheels are spinning, the force transmitted to the road surface is auto- matically adapted by reducing the engine speed. The system operates at all speeds. The TCS operates in combination with the ABS
⇒page 167, “Antilock brake system
(ABS)”. The TCS will not function if a fault exists in the ABS system. The TCS warning light lights up in the instru
ment cluster when there is a fault on the
TCS
⇒page 34.
During an intervention of the system, the TCS warning light
flashes quickly in the
instrument cluster
⇒page 34.
Switching off You can switch the TCS off and on again as yo
u wish. On vehicles fitted with ABS, you
can switch off the TCS by pressing the button
⇒fig. 155
, on vehicles fi
tted with ESP*,
you can switch off the TCS wi
th the aid of the button
⇒page 163, fig. 154
. The TCS
warning light
flashes slowly in the instrument cluster if the system is switched off
⇒ page 34. The TCS should normally always
be switched on. It may be good practice in certain
exceptional cases, such as when you wish to
have wheel slip, to switch off the system.
Examples:•
when driving with snow chains
•
when driving in deep snow or on a loose surface
•
when it is necessary to rock a vehicle when it has become stuck.
Then you should switch on the TCS again. TCS Off-road* After switching on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170, TCS Off-road is activated.
TCS Off-road provides a more effective a
cceleration of the vehicle on an unfirm
ground, as it allows higher traction be
tween the slipping wheels and the ground.
The system operates when starting off or at low speeds.
WARNING
You should always adjust your style of driving to the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!
Note
•
All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve problem-free
operation of the TCS. Differing rolling circumferences of the tyres can lead to an unde- sirable reduction in the engine output.•
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the TCS
⇒page 221, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.
Fig. 155 TCS switch
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Intelligent Technology
168
offered by the ABS must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an accident!•
The normal braking system is
still fully functional if there is an ABS fault.
Visit a specialist garage as quickly as poss
ible and adjust your style of driving to
take account of the ABS fault in the meantime since you will not know the extent of the fault and in how far the braking efficiency is affected.
Note
•
A warning light comes on if a fault occurs in the ABS system
⇒page 36.
•
Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on th
e brakes, on chassis or another combina-
tion of tyres and wheels) can in
fluence the function of the ABS
⇒page 221, “Accesso-
ries, changes and replacement of parts”.Brake Assist*During a severe brake application (e.g. if a hazard exists), the Brake Assist increases the braking force and thus makes it possible to
rapidly produce the pressure required in
the brake system. The majority of drivers do apply the brakes
in good time in dangerous situations, but
do not depress the brake pedal with sufficient
pressure. Consequently, it is not possible
for the vehicle to achieve its maximum deceleration and the vehicle covers a greater distance than necessary. The Brake Assist is activated by the very quick operation of the brake pedal. In such cases, a much greater braking pressure exists
than during a normal
brake application.
This makes it possible, even with a relative
ly low resistance of the brake pedal, to
produce an adequate pressure in the brake system in the shortest possible time, which is required for maximum deceleration of th
e vehicle. You must apply the brake pedal
firmly and hold it in this position in order to achieve the shortest possible braking distance. The Brake Assist is able to help you achieve a shorter braking distance in emergency situations by rapidly producing the pressure required in the brake system. It fully exploits the attributes of the ABS. After you release the brake pedal, the function of the Brake Assist is automatically switched off
and the brakes operate in the normal way.
The Brake Assist is part of the ESP system. If a fault occurs in the ESP, the Brake Assist function is also not available.
Further information on the ESP
⇒page 163.
WARNING
•
The Brake Assist is also not able to overcome the physical limits of your
vehicle in terms of the braking distance required.•
Adapt your speed to the conditions of th
e road surface and to the traffic situ-
ation.•
The increased safety offered by the Brake Assist must not tempt you to take
a greater safety risk than otherwise.Uphill-Start off-Assist*The uphill-start off-assist makes it much easier to start off on steep hills. The system assists a start off by holding the brake pressure produced by the brake pedal actuation for approx. 2 seconds after releasing the brake pedal. The driver can therefore move his foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and start off on the slope, without having to actuate the handbrake. The brake pressure drops gradually the more you operate the accelerator pedal. If the vehicle does not start off within 2 seconds, it starts to roll back. The uphill-start off-assist is active in the ev
ent of a 3 % slope, if the vehicle door is
closed. It is always active on slopes when in forward or reverse start off. When driving downhill, it is inactive.Electromechanical power steeringThe power steering enables you to steer the vehicle with less physical force. With the electromechanical power steering, the steering assist is automatically adapted to the speed and to the steering angle. It is still possible to fully steer the vehicle if the power steering fails or if the engine is not running (vehicle being towed in). The only difference is that greater physical effort is required.
WARNING (continued)
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Intelligent Technology
169
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
If there is a fault in the power steering, the warning light
or lights up in the instru-
ment cluster
⇒page 32.
WARNING
Contact your specialist
garage if the power steering is defective.
Tyre inflation pressu
re-control system*
The tyre inflation pressure-control system compares with the aid of the ABS sensors the speed and also the rolling circumference of the individual wheels. If the rolling circumference of a wheel is changed, the warning light
lights up in the instrument
cluster
⇒page 35 and an audible signal sounds.
The rolling circumference of the tyre
can change if:•
the tyre inflation pressure is too low,
•
the structure of the tyre is damaged,
•
the vehicle is loaded on one side,
•
the wheels of an axle are loaded heavily (e.g. when towing a trailer or when driving
uphill or downhill),•
snow chains are mounted,
•
the temporary spare wheel is mounted,
•
one wheel per axle was changed.
Basic setting of tyre inflation pressure-control system After changing the tyre inflation pressures or after changing one or several wheels, the position of a wheel on the vehicle (e.g. ex
changing the wheels between the axles) or
when the warning light lights up while drivin
g, a basic setting of the system must be
carried out as follows.•
Inflate all tyres to the specified inflation pressure
⇒page 215.
•
Switch on the ignition.
•
Press button
⇒fig. 156
for more than 2 seconds. While pressing the button,
the warning light
lights up. At the same time the memory of the system is erased
and the new calibration is started, which is confirmed with an audible signal and then the warning light
goes out.
•
If the warning light
does not go out after the basic
setting, there is a fault in the
system. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage. Warning light
lights up
If the tyre inflation pressure of at least one
wheel is insufficiently inflated in comparison
to the stored basic va
lue, the warning light
⇒
lights up.
Warning light
flashes
If the warning light flashes, there is a system fault. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage.
WARNING
•
When the warning light
lights up, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake manoeuvr
es. Please stop the vehicle without
delay at the nearest possible stop and in
spect the tyres and their inflation pres-
sures.•
The driver is responsible for the correc
t tyre inflation pressures. For this
reason, the tyre inflation pressu
res must be checked regularly.
•
Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or unpaved
roads) the warning light
can be delayed or does not light up at all.
•
The tyre inflation pressure-control system does not take away the respon-
sability from the driver for the
correct tyre inflation pressure.
Fig. 156 Button for setting the tyre infla- tion pressure control value
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Driving and the Environment
184
•
Be very alert and look ahead when
driving off-road. Excessive speed or
incorrect driving manoeuvr
es can cause damage to the vehicle and lead to
serious injuries.•
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Caution
•
Pay attention to the ground clearance of
the vehicle! The vehicle can be severely
damaged and become disabled once it touches the ground.•
Never drive off-road with an almost empty
fuel tank. The fuel supply to the engine
can be interrupted and therefore the cata
lytic converter can be severely damaged.
•
Do not leave your foot on the clutch peda
l or let the clutch slip when driving off-
road. Overwise you may unintentionally depress the clutch pedal on uneven ground leading to a loss of control over the vehi
cle. In addition, the force for connecting the
engine and the gearbox is lost. Moreover, driving while letting the clutch slip causes a fast wear of the clutch linings.
Note
The fuel consumption is higher when drivin
g off-road than when driving on conven-
tional roads, especially through difficult terr
ain. When you prepare for your journey, be
aware of an increase in fuel consumption; the nearest filling station may be far away.Shifting gears correctlyThe gear you must shift into depends on th
e terrain. Choosing the correct gear contrib-
utes to safe driving. In partic
ular if you do not have much
experience driving off-road,
it is always better, before negotiating a difficult stretch of the road, to pause and reflect on which gear to engage. Your experience will tell you which gear is the best for certain sections of the terrain. Basically:•
When the gear or the driving stage has been
properly selected, it is unnecessary to
slow down the vehicle on a downhill sectio
n using the footbrake as in most cases the
engine braking power is sufficient.
•
Depress the accelerator only as much as is necessary. A too great acceleration may
lead to the wheels spinning and thus result
s in the loss over the control of the vehicle.
Manual gearbox•
If you are driving thro
ugh difficult terrain,
on no account
use the clutch or change
the gear. When the clutch is depressed, th
e vehicle may come to
a standstill because
of the increased grip of all the tyres of the vehicle (e.g. in the mud, in deep sand or on a slope). Once the vehicle has come to a stan
dstill, it may be difficult or even impos-
sible to start off und
er these conditions.
•
When negotiating a steep downhill section
or a steep uphill section, always shift
into the 1st or 2nd gear.•
On a soft or slippery ground, you must
drive at the appropriate speed and you
must select the highest possible gear for this. Automatic gearbox•
Select the selector lever position
for normal flat stretches of terrain
⇒ page 122.•
While in the Tiptronic mode, select the se
lector lever position or if you are
driving through mud,
sand, water or hilly
sections of terrain
⇒page 124.
•
When negotiating a steep downhill sectio
n or a steep uphill section, select the
selector lever position while in the Tiptronic mode.•
On a soft or slippery ground, you must
drive at the appropriate speed and you
must select the highest possible driving stage.Driving over rough and smooth
WARNING (continued)
AD
A3
A2
A1
Fig. 165 Observe the ground clearance
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