Automatic gearbox DSG*
123
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING
•
Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!•
When the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary, it is necessary to
hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (except P and N) since the power transmission is never completely interrupted, also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle creeps. •
You must on no account unintentionally operate the throttle (e.g. by hand
from the engine compartment) if a driv
e position is engaged when the car is
stationary. The vehicle would otherwise
immediately start of
f - also when the
handbrake is firmly applied - risk of an accident!•
You must move the selector lever into position P and firmly apply the hand-
brake first before you or any other person opens the bonnet and starts working on the engine when it is running - risk of
accident! It is also essential to observe
all warnings
⇒page 204, “Working in the engine compartment”.
Selector lever lockAutomatic selector lever lock
With the ignition on, the selector lever is locked when it is in the positions
P and
N. You
must first of all depress the brake pedal in or
der to move the selector lever out of this
position. The warning light
⇒page 35 lights up in the instrument cluster as a
reminder for the driver when the selector lever is in position
P and
N.
A time delay element ensures that the selector lever is not blocked when rapidly switching over the position
N (e.g. from
R to D). This does, for example, allow one to
seesaw out a stuck vehicle. The selector lever lo
ck will click into place if the lever is in
the
N position for more than 2 seconds without the brake pedal being pressed.
The selector lever lock is only active if the
vehicle is stationary or
moving at speed of
less than 5 km/hour. The lock is swit
ched off automatically into position
N when the
car is travelling at a higher speed. Shiftlock button The Shiftlock button in the hand
le of selector lever prevents certain selector lever posi-
tions being engaged inadvertently. The selector lever lock is cancelled when you press the Shiftlock button.
Keylock - Ignition key withdrawal lock You can only withdraw the ignition key after
switching off the ignition if the selector
lever is in position
P. If the ignition key is withdrawn,
the selector lever is blocked in
position
P.
Kickdown function The kickdown function provides you with maximum acceleration power.Fully depressing the a
ccelerator pedal allows the kickdown function to be activated in
the desired driving program. This function has precedence over the driving programme and serves for maximum accelerati
on of the vehicle when exploiting the
maximum power potential of the engine wi
thout taking into account the current
selector lever position (
D, S or Tiptronic
). The gearbox shifts down to one or several
gears in line with the driving state and the vehicle accelerates. The gearbox does not shift up into the highest gear until the en
gine has reached its maximum revolutions for
this gear range.
WARNING
Please note that using the kickdown f
unction can result in the driven wheels
spinning on a smooth or slippery road surface - risk of skidding!Dynamic shift programmeThe automatic gearbox of your vehicle is
controlled electronically. Shifting up and
down through the gears is performed automatically on the basis of pre-defined driving programmes. Adopting a
moderate style of driving
will cause the gearbox to select the most
economical driving programme. Shifting up into a higher gear as soon as possible and shifting down as late as po
ssible will have a favourable effect on your fuel consump-
tion. Adopting a
sporty style of driving
with rapid movements of the accelerator pedal
combined with sharp acceleration and freque
nt changes in speed, exploiting the top
speed of the car or depressing the accele
rator pedal (kickdown function), will cause
sgg.6.book Page 123 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
Automatic gearbox DSG*
124
the gearbox to switch over to this style of driving and shift down earlier with frequent changes in gears in comparison to the moderate style of driving. Selecting the most appropriate driving programme for the particular style of driving is a continuous process. Irrespective of this it is, however, possible to switch or shift down into a dynamic shift programme by depressi
ng the accelerator rapidly. The gearbox
shifts down into a lower gear matching th
e speed of the car and this allows you to
accelerate rapidly (e.g. when overtaking)
without having to depress the accelerator
pedal fully into the kickdown range. The
original programme will be reactivated to
match your particular styl
e of driving once the gearbox has shifted up again.
When driving in hilly regions, the gears
are selected to match uphill and downhill
sections. This avoids the gearbo
x frequently shifting up an
d down when negotiating an
uphill stretch. When driving downhill, it is possible to shift down into the Tiptronic position, in order to exploit the engine brake torque.Tiptronic The Tiptronic allows the driver
to also shift gears manually.
Fig. 124 Selector lever: manual shifting /
information display: Manual shifting of gears
The selector lever position you have engaged is indicated in the information display of the instrument cluster together with the engaged gear
⇒fig. 124
on the right.
Switching over to manual shifting– Push the selector lever to the right out of position
D. After switching over, the
current engaged gear is indicated in the display.
Shifting up gears– One-touch forward of the selector
lever (in the Tiptronic position)
⇒fig. 124
on
the left.
Shifting down gears– One-touch back of the selector
lever (in the Tiptronic position) .
It is possible to switch over to manual both
when the car is stationary and also when
driving. When you accelerate, the gearbox shifts up
automatically into the higher gear just
before the maximum
permissible engine speed is reached.
If you select a lower gear, the automatic gearbox does not shift down until there is no risk of the engine overrevving. If you operate the kickdown function, the gear
box shifts into a lower gear in line with
the vehicle speed and engine speed.Emergency programme An emergency programme exists in the event of a fault in the system.The gearbox operates in a corresponding emergency programme if there are func- tional faults in the gearbox electronics. This
is indicated by all of
the segments in the
display lighting up or going out. A functional fault can ha
ve the following effect:
•
The gearbox only shifts into certain gears.
•
The reverse gear
R cannot be used.
•
The manual shift programme (Tiptronic) is switched off in the emergency mode.
If the gearbox has switched over to
emergency mode, drive to the nearest
specialist garage in order to
have the fault rectified.
A+
A-
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Airbag system
147
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
When are the airbags deployed?The airbag system is designed in such a wa
y that the driver and front passenger airbag
are deployed in the event of a
violent frontal collision
.
In the case of a
violent side collision
, the side airbag* on the side of the vehicle at
which the collision occurs, is deployed to
gether with the relevant head airbag*.
In special cases, the front as well as th
e relevant side and head airbags may be
deployed together. The airbags
are not deployed
in the case of
minor
frontal and side collisions, in the
case of rear-end collisi
ons and vehicle rollover.
Deployment factors It is not possible to state globally which
deployment conditions apply to the airbag
system in every situation as the circumstances which exist in the case of accidents vary greatly. An important role in
this case is pl
ayed by factors such as the type of object
against which the vehicle impacts (hard, soft
), the angle of impact, the relative speed
during the accident etc. A decisive factor for the deployment of the airbags is the deceleration which occurs during a collision. The control unit analyses
the nature of the collision and activates the
relevant restraint system. If the vehicle deceleration which occurs and is measured during the collision remains below the prescribed reference values specified in the control unit, the airbags are no
t deployed although the vehicle may well suffer severe
damage to the bodywork as a consequence of the accident. The airbags are not deployed if:•
ignition is switched off;
•
a minor frontal collision;
•
a minor side collision;
•
a rear-end collision;
•
rollover of the vehicle.Note
•
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.
•
In the event of an accident in which the airbags are deployed: − the interior lighting comes on (if the swit
ch for the interior light is in the door
contact position); − the hazard warning li
ght is switched on;
− all the doors are unlocked; − the fuel supply to the engine is interrupted.
Front airbagsDescription of the front airbags The airbag system is not a su
bstitute for the seat belt!
Fig. 137 Driver airbag in th
e steering wheel / front passenger airbag in the dash panel
The front airbag for the driver is housed in the steering wheel
⇒fig. 137
on the left. The
front airbag for the front passenger is housed in the dash panel above the storage compartment
⇒fig. 137
on the right. The installation positions are each marked with
the “AIRBAG” logo. The front airbag system, in combination with
three-point safety belts, offers additional
protection for the head and chest area of the driver and front passenger in the event of a frontal collision of major severity
⇒page 148.
The airbag is not a substitute for the seat
belt, but is part of the complete passive
vehicle safety concept.
Please note that an airbag can only offer you optimal
protection in combination with a seat belt which is fastened
.
sgg.6.book Page 147 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
Intelligent Technology
163
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Driving TipsIntelligent TechnologyElectronic stability programme (ESP)*GeneralGeneral The ESP aids you in maintaining control of
your vehicle in situations in which the
vehicle is driving at its dynamic limits, such as
entering a curve fast. The risk of skidding
is reduced and your vehicle thus offers greater driving stability depending on the conditions of the road surface. The system operates at all speeds. The following systems are integrated into the electronic stability programme:•
electronic Differential Lock (EDL),
•
traction control system (TCS),
•
active driver-steering recommendation (DSR),
•
antilock brake system (ABS),
•
brake Assist,
•
uphill-Start off-Assist.
The ESP system cannot be switched off, the
TCS system can only be switched off by
pressing the button
⇒fig. 154
, then the ESP warning light flashes slowly
.
Operating principle The ESP switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts a self-test. The ESP control unit processes data from the individual systems. It also proc- esses additional measurement data which are supplied by highly sensitive sensors: the rotational velocity of the vehicle about its ve
rtical axis, the lateral acceleration of the
vehicle, the braking pressure and the steering angle. The direction which the driver wishes to take is determined based on the steering angle and the speed of the vehicle and is co
nstantly compared with the actual behav-
iour of the vehicle. If
differences exist, such as the vehi
cle beginning to skid, the ESP will
automatically brake the appropriate wheel. The car is stabilised again by the forces wh
ich take effect when the wheel is braked.
Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the outer front wheel of a vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency for the rear of the vehicle to break away) while occurs this is on the inner rear wh
eel of a vehicle whic
h tends to understeer
(tendency to shift out of the curve). This braking control cycle is accompanied by noises. During an intervention of the system, the warning light
flashes quickly in the instru-
ment cluster
⇒page 35.
The ESP operates in combination with the ABS
⇒page 167, “Antilock brake system
(ABS)”. If there is a fault in the ABS system, the ESP also does not operate. The ESP warning light lights up in the inst
rument cluster when there is a fault on the
ESP
⇒page 35.WARNING
It is also not possible for the ESP to overcome the physical limits of the vehicle. Even if a vehicle fitted with ESP you should still always adapt your style of driving to the condition of the road surfac
e and the traffic situation. This partic-
ularly applies when driving on slippery
and wet roads. The increased safety
Fig. 154 ESP switch
sgg.6.book Page 163 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
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
sgg.6.book Page 165 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
Intelligent Technology
167
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Caution
•
Never allow the brakes to rub by applying sl
ight pressure if you do not wish to brake
the vehicle. This causes the br
akes to overheat and can also result in a longer braking
distance and excessive wear.•
Before negotiating a steep downhill section, please reduce your speed, shift down
into the next lower gear (manual gearbox)
or select a lower driving stage (automatic
gearbox). This enables you to make full us
e of the braking power of the vehicle and
reduces the strain on the brakes. Any additional braking should be done intermittently, not continuously.
Note
The brake light flashes automatically in case
of an emergency braking at speeds greater
than 60 km/h or with the intervention of the ABS, which lasts longer than 1.5 seconds. After the speed was reduced below 10 km/h or the vehicle was stopped, the brake light stops flashing and the hazard warning light system switches on. The hazard warning light system is switched off automatically
after accelerating
or driving off again.
Brake boosterThe brake booster boosts the pressure which you generate with the brake pedal. The necessary pressure is only genera
ted when the engine is running.
WARNING
•
Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary.
•
The brake booster only operates when
the engine is running. Greater phys-
ical effort for braking is required when en
gine is switched off. Because if you do
not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.
Antilock brake system (ABS)ABS prevents the wheels locking when braking.General The ABS contributes significantly to enhanc
ing the active safety of your vehicle.
Compared to a vehicle not fitted with the ABS brake system, you are able to retain optimal steering ability even during a full br
ake application on a slippery road surface
because the wheels do not lock up. You must not expect, however, that the br
aking distance will be shorter under all
circumstances as a result of the ABS. The braking distance for example on gravel and fresh snow, when you should anyway be driv
ing slowly and cautiously, will be longer.
Operating principle The brake pressure will be reduced on a wheel which is rotating at a speed which is too low for the speed of the vehicle and tending
to lock. This control
cycle is noticeable
from a
pulsating movement of the brake pedal
which is accomp
anied by noises.
This is consciously intended to provide the driver with the information that the wheels are tending to lock (ABS control range). You must always keep the brake pedal depressed to enable the ABS to optimally control the brake application in this braking range. Never interrupt the application of the brakes! ABS Off-road* After switching on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170, ABS Off-road is activated.
ABS Off-road increases the braking power of
the vehicle on an unfirm ground, as it
keeps the wheels blocked for a longer period
of time when the brake is applied while
sliding. The system is only available, if the front wheels are in the straight-ahead posi-tion. The system operates at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
WARNING
•
The ABS can also not overcome the physical
limits of your ve
hicle. Please do
not forget this, particularly when driving on icy or wet road surfaces. If the ABS is operating within the control range, adapt your speed immediately to the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased safety
sgg.6.book Page 167 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
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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