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
sgg.6.book Page 169 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
Intelligent Technology
171
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
TCS Off-road
⇒page 165,
•
ABS Off-road
⇒page 167.
Switch on Off-road The Off-road mode is switched on by pressing the button
⇒page 170, fig. 158
. The
warning light in the button lights up. The wa
rning light lights up in the instrument
cluster if the system is switched on
⇒page 38.
Switch off Off-road The Off-road mode is switched off by repe
ated pressing of the button. The warning
light in the button goes out. When switching
off the ignition, the Off-road mode is also
switched off and can be switched on again, if necessary, after switching on the ignition. If the engine is switched off by accident an
d restarted within 30 seconds, the Off-road
mode remains switched on. All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve proper operation of the Off-road mode. Differing rolling circum
ferences of the tyres can lead to an unde-
sirable reduction in the engine output.
WARNING
•
Always adjust your speed to suit weat
her, road and traffic conditions. The
increased safety must not tempt you to take a greater safety risk than otherwise - risk of accident!•
The Off-road equipment can also not overcome the physical limits of your
vehicle.•
The effect of the Off-road equipm
ent depends as well on the tyres.
•
The Off-road equipment
is not designed for the use on common roads.
Start-Off Assist*The Start-Off Assist enhances the driving comfort and can be used when starting off, in particular on a slope. When the vehicle is stationary, the Start-Off Assist is activated after switching it on using the button for the Off-road mode
⇒page 170, fig. 158
.
Operating principle When depressing the accelerator pedal fully, the engine speed required for the start- up procedure of the stationary vehicle is restricted. The overspeed trip unit is automat-ically deactivated after terminating the start-up procedure. As part of the Assist System, the accelerator pedal is adapted in its characteristics for an easier start-off on slippery and loose soil.Downhill Drive Support*Operating principle The Downhill Drive Support maintains a cons
tant speed on a steep downhill section
when driving forwards and backwards by
automatically intervening in the brake
system of all wheels. It prevents the wheels locking because the ABS remains active. The warning light
in the information display of the instrument cluster indicates that
the Downhill Drive Support is available
⇒page 38.
The vehicle speed, which is maintained by the Assist System, is selected by the driver while driving on a downhill section as of the
moment the first intervention of the Assist
System is performed or else, while driving on a downhill section, the driver must control the vehicle speed until the Assist System intervenes for the first time. When the Assist System actively intervenes, this is indicated by the warning light flashing or by a pulsating movement of the brake pedal,
similar to the intervention of the ABS.
The Downhill Drive Support is available in the speed range of 2 km/h up to 30 km/h. If the gear is engaged and the clutch pedal is
not pressed, the lower limit of the idling
speed corresponds to the respective gear which is engaged. You can increase or reduce the speed, even when no gear is engaged, by operating the accelerator or brake pedal. Thus the function
is always interrupted and is reactivated
afterwards. The Downhill Drive Support is activated auto
matically if the following conditions are
met:•
the Off-road mode is switched on and the warning light
lights up in the instru-
ment cluster,•
the engine of the vehicle is running and either the 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear, the reverse
gear or no gear is engaged,•
the speed is less than 30 km/h,
sgg.6.book Page 171 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
Driving and the Environment
180
Note
After driving through a body of water, we
recommend that the vehi
cle is checked by a
specialist garage.Off-road drivingImportant information
WARNING
•
Never drive too fast, particularly not around curves, and never undertake
extreme driving manoeuvres.•
Always adjust your speed and adapt your style of driving to suit road, off-
road, traffic and weather conditions.•
In case the vehicle is stationary on a hi
llside at a steep angl
e, do not exit the
vehicle when it is facing downhill. Throug
h this the overall centre of gravity can
shift in such a way that the vehicle tilts and rolls down the hillside - hazard! Always carefully exit your vehicle on the side facing uphill
⇒page 186.
•
A lack of experience and knowledge when
driving off-road can lead to crit-
ical situations an
d serious injuries.
•
Never choose a dangerous route and never take a risk which could jeop-
ardize your safety and that of your passengers. If you cannot go on or if you doubt the safety of the route, turn back and choose another way. Even a terrain, which looks harmless, can be difficult and dangerous, and may bring you and your passengers into
a critical
situation.
•
If you have not fastened your seat belt correctly or you are not wearing your
seat belt at all, or you are holding th
e steering wheel incorrectly when driving
off-road, the risk of severe or even fata
l injuries increases.
Correctly fastened
seat belts reduce serious injuries in case of sudden braking manoeuvers and accidents. As long as the vehicle is in motion, always have your seat belt and those of your passen
gers correctly fastened. Take yo
ur thumbs off the steering
wheel when driving off-road. Should resist
ance build up in front of the wheels,
the steering wheel may suddenly and unexpect
edly spin and hur t you. Hold the
steering wheel with both hands firmly on
the outer edge in the 9 o'clock and 3
o'clock position.•
If you have not fastened your seat belt correctly or you are not wearing your
seat belt at all, or you are holding th
e steering wheel incorrectly when driving
off-road, the risk of severe or
even fatal injuries increases.
•
Correctly fastened seat belts reduce serious injuries in case of sudden
braking manoeuvers and accidents. Th
erefore you and your passengers must
always fasten your seat belts correctl
y as long as the vehicle is moving.
•
Take your thumbs off the steering wh
eel when driving off-road. If the
wheels hit an obstacle, the steering wh
eel may suddenly and unexpectedly spin
and hurt you!•
Never use the cruise control system when driving off-road. The use of the
cruise control system when driving off-
road is unsuitable and can even be
dangerous.•
Do not drive over embankments, ramps or
hillsides at too high a speed. This
can lead to the wheels of the vehicle lifting off the ground so that you can no longer steer and control the vehicle.•
If the wheels lose contact with the
ground, for example when the vehicle
rebounds while driving over
corrugations, steer straight ahead. If the wheels
are turned when making the contact with
the ground again, the vehicle can roll
over.•
There should never be any person in front or behind the vehicle when rocks,
scrub, wood pieces or other objects ar
e placed under the wheels in order to
achieve traction on a sandy or slippery ground. Turning the wheels can trans-form these objects into dangerous “bullets” – hazard!Warning of a rolloverVehicles of this type
have a higher centre of gravit
y than ordinary vehicles. This
increases the risk of vehicle rollover when driving on-road and off-road. Therefore, you must always pay attention to the safety information which is stated in the Owner's Manual.
WARNING (continued)
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Driving and the Environment
182
Explanation of technical termsFig. 163 Embankment angle / slope angle Fig. 164 Ground clearance / ramp angleThe technical data
⇒page 245, “Angle (in degree)” refer to ideal conditions. These
values may differ depending on the load an
d composition of the soil and the environ-
ment. The driver is responsible to decide whether a vehicle can overcome a certain situation. Embankment angle (front and rear) Transition from the horizontal plane to an
upward slope or from a downward slope
back to the plane. The angle indication determines the angle at which you can drive the vehicle down the embankment, at a slow speed, without the bumper or the under-body of the vehicle touching the ground. Slope angle The difference of altitude (upward slope) which is overcome on a stretch of road of 100 m, is indicated in percentage or degrees, i.e. the gradiant at which the vehicle can climb
a hill on its own (among other things, depe
nding on the road surface and the engine
power). Ground clearance The distance between the road surface and the deepest point of the vehicle under- body. Ramp angle The angle indication determines the angle
at which you can driv
e the vehicle over a
ramp, at a slow speed, without the underbody of the vehicle touching the ramp edge.
WARNING
When exceeding the maximum value given in the table
⇒page 245, “Angle (in
degree)”, this can result in serious injuries and/or vehicle damage. All of the data was determined on flat, firm and non-slip road surfaces as well as under dry weather conditions. There are no id
eal off-road conditions. Therefore,
never completely go according to th
e maximum values, but always leave a
safety margin.Useful utensilsMany items can be very useful wh
en driving off-road, for example:
•
compass and maps,
•
torch and spare batteries,
•
mobile phone or CB radio,
•
tow bar or tow rope with sufficient tear strength,
•
electrically driven tyre pump for connect
ing to the 12-volt power outlet of the
vehicle,•
a blanket and rubber boots,
•
snow chains,
•
a timber plank which is approximately 4 cm thick and about 1 metre long can be
used as a traction aid when the vehicle is stuck or as a base for the lifting jack,•
additional tools and a folding
yardstick or a measuring tape,
•
spare wheel and tyre repair kit,
AA
AB
AC
AD
sgg.6.book Page 182 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
Driving and the Environment
183
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
•
shovel.
Safe off-road drivingAdopt a correct seated position and always fa
sten the seat belt correctly. Make sure
that your front passenger and your passengers
seated on the rear seats always fasten
their seat belts correctly. When driving off-road, it is perhaps more useful to adopt a slightly different seated position. Depending on the terrain, an incr
eased force may be required to turn the
steering wheel because the force is transferred from the front wheels to the steering wheel. You must be seated in such a way that you have good front visibility, especially when driving uphill or dow
nhill. You must never be seat
ed in such a way that the
distance between your chest and the midd
le of the airbag cover is less than
25 cm
⇒ page 148. Under no circumstances must you drive off-ro
ad with high heels,
slippery or open
shoes. You should wear shoes which fit your fe
et well and allow you to get a feel for the
pedals.
WARNING
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Before driving off-road•
Make sure the tyres are suitable for the planned off-road journey. Before you drive
through difficult terrai
n, equip your vehicle with off-road tyres.
•
Fill up your tank. The fuel consumption of
the vehicle is much higher when driving
off-road than when driving on the road.•
Install the towing eye at the front or at the rear before driving off-road. It is not
always possible to install the towing eye if the vehicle got stuck.•
Always check the inflation pressure of a
ll the tyres and if necessary correct it.
•
Check the vehicle tool kit and suppl
ement it according to your needs.
•
Fill with engine oil up to the line , so that the engine is sufficiently supplied with
engine oil when the vehicle is in a tilted position
⇒page 205, “Check engine oil level”.
•
Top up wash fluid.
•
Stow your load as low as possible in the vehicle and attach all the items which are
loose.Off-road driving•
Never be alone when driving off-road and be prepared to encounter unexpected
situations. Travel together with at least two off-road vehicles. Equipment with which you can call for help in an em
ergency is partic
ularly useful.
•
Drive slowly through unclear terrain.
•
You must stop when encountering difficul
t passages and explore the continuation
of the route on foot. If you cannot go on or
if you doubt the safety of the route, turn
back and choose another way.•
Drive slowly over hilltops. Make sure that
the wheels of the vehicle do not lift off
the ground, as this could severely damage
the vehicle and it may become disabled.
•
Drive slowly on difficult stretches of the route. When driving on a slippery ground,
shift up into the next higher gear and make
sure that the vehicle always stays in motion.
Do not drive too fast so that you don't lose control over your vehicle.•
If your vehicle got stuck in
sand, snow or sludge, it may be more effective to reverse
the vehicle than trying to drive forwards.•
Place stones, footmats or pieces of wood
under the spinning wheels in order to
achieve traction on a sandy or slippery ground.•
Do no drive through water before reading what you must take into account
⇒ page 179.•
Keep sufficient distance from other vehicles even at low speeds. When the first
vehicle suddenly gets stuck, the following vehi
cle can still stop in time without getting
stuck itself.•
Do not plan day trips which are too far in distance.
•
Do not use the cruise control system when
driving off-road. It is only intended for
driving on the road.
WARNING
•
The intelligent engineering of your ve
hicle cannot overco
me the physical
limits of your vehicle.
AA
sgg.6.book Page 183 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM
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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Driving and the Environment
185
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
–Switch on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
– Drive at walking speed over rocky passages. – If it is not possible to drive around a ston
e, gently drive onto
the stone with one of
the front wheels and then drive over it slowly.
WARNING
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Caution
•
On no account drive over large objects (suc
h as pieces of rock
or tree stumps),
neither in the middle nor on one side. When driving over objects which are larger than the ground clearance, the chassis and its
components can get da
maged. Your vehicle
could break down far away from any assistance.•
Even objects that are smaller than the ex
isting ground clearance can come into
contact with the underbody of the vehicle an
d can lead to damage or failure of the
vehicle. This applies especially when there is
a hollow or soft ground in front or behind
the object or if you drive too fast over th
e object and thus the vehicle is deflected.
For the sake of the environment
Leaking engine oil and brake fluid pollute the environment and contaminate the bodies of water. The dispos
al e.g. of engine oil soaked soil can be costly.
Crossing bodies of waterParticular attention is required wh
en driving through bodies of water
⇒page 179.
Driving through snow-covered terrain– Before you drive through snow-covered te
rrain, mount snow chains on the front
wheels or on the rear wheels
⇒page 219, “Snow chains” in order to achieve the
best possible traction.
–Switch on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
Even harmless looking sections of terrain can be dangerous. This applies in particular for sections where no ruts or other tracks are visible.
WARNING
•
Driving through snow-covered terrain poses special dangers. Never choose
a dangerous route and never take a risk which could jeopardize your safety and that of your passengers. If you cannot go on or if you doubt the safety of the route, turn back and choose another way.•
Potholes, troughs, trenches, precipices,
sheets of ice or other obstructions
are often completely or partially obscured by snow.•
The hidden dangers of snow can cause an accident, serious injuries or your
vehicle to break down under
extreme weather conditions.
Driving over steep terrainDriving uphill and downhill– Stop the vehicle before driving uphill or
downhill, exit the vehicle and explore the
situation.
– Walk a stretch and check the firmness of the soil and look for obstructions or other
hidden dangers.
– Check how the route continues beyond the slope. – Switch on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
– Drive slowly and steadily straight uphill or downhill.– Do not stop the vehicle on a hillside or attempt to turn around. – You must prevent the engine from cutting out.Driving uphill– Check before driving over a hilltop, how it
continues on the other side. If you drive
up a steep hill, the vehicle faces the sky and you cannot see what is directly in front of the vehicle.
– Switch on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
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Driving and the Environment
186
– Do not shift gears or release the
clutch during th
e climbing phase.
– Depress the accelerator only as much as
is necessary in order
to handle the slope.
If you can go no further on a slope– Never attempt to make a turn with the vehicle on a hillside. – If the engine cuts out, press the foot brake and restart the engine. – Engage the reverse gear and carefully
drive backwards in your own tracks.
– Press the foot brake in order to maintain a constant speed.Driving downhill–Switch on the Off-road mode
⇒page 170.
– Shift into first gear or select the first driving stage, while in the Tiptronic mode, to
drive downhill on steep hillsides in order
to use the Downhill Drive Support to its
maximum.
– Press the foot brake gently, so you do not lose the control over your vehicle. – If it is feasible and safe, drive straight down (maximum gradient).– Do not release the clutch or shift into Neutral.
WARNING
•
Never attempt to drive uphill or downhill if it is too steep for your vehicle.
The vehicle could slip or roll
over - risk of accident!
•
Never attempt to make a turn on a hillside. The vehicle could tilt or roll over.
This can result in serious accidents.•
If the engine cuts out on a slope or
you can no longer go on for whatever
other reason, then stop!•
Never let the vehicle roll down the hill
side at idling speed. You can lose the
control over your vehicle.•
If the engine cuts out, press the foot brake and restart the engine. Engage the
reverse gear and carefully drive backward
s in your own tracks. Use the engine
braking power and press the foot brake in order to maintain a slow and constant speed.
•
Observe the important guidelines
⇒page 180.
Driving at an angle on a hillsideFig. 166 Steer and maintain your trajectory
/ in direction to exit - facing uphill
Driving at an angle on a hillside is one of the most dangerous situations while driving off-road. It may look harmle
ss, but you must never underestimate the difficulties and
the dangers when driving at an angle on a
hillside. Basically you should avoid moving
your vehicle into a sideways
position on a hillside. Unde
r certain circumstances, the
vehicle can slide away uncontrollably or roll over. Check before driving in a tilted position, whether there is a different and safer route. If you have to drive in a tilted position, then
the ground should be as firm and even as
possible. Note that the vehicle may slide sideways or sink in and roll over when driving on slippery or soft ground. Make sure that
the inclination is not too steep when driving
over surface irregularities. Otherwise, the vehicle can roll over and then roll down the hillside. If the vehicle is at a very steep angle, the wheels on the low side must not sink deeply into the ground or into troughs and you mu
st not drive over stones, tree stumps or
other obstructions with the alternate raised wheels. If there is a risk your ve
hicle may tilt, steer immedi
ately in direction of dip
⇒fig. 166
and lightly depress the accelerator. The centre
of gravity of the vehicle should be as low
as possible. Distribute the weight of all the occupants of the vehicle evenly. Taller and heavier people should be seated on the rais
ed side of the vehicle. The luggage on the
WARNING (continued)
sgg.6.book Page 186 Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:32 PM