Driving and environment
Driving and environment
The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km)
and afterwards
New engine
The engine needs to be run-in during the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km) .
For the first 600 miles (1,000 kilometers):
Do not use full throttle .
- Do not drive faster t han 3/ 4 of the top speed mar ked on
the speedomete r.
- Avoi d high engine speeds .
From 600 to 1,000 miles (1,000 to 1,500
kilometers):
-Spe eds can g radually be inc reased to th e maximu m
permissib le road o r engine spee d.
During and after break-in period
- Do not rev the engine up to high speeds w hen it is cold.
This applies whet her t he tra nsmission is in N ( Neutral) or
1n gear .
After the break-in period
-Do not exceed max imum engi ne spee d under any circum
s ta nces .
- Ups hift i nto t he next hi gher gear
befor e reachi ng t he red
ar ea at t he end of the tachometer scale =>
page 8.
Dur ing the first few hou rs of d riving, the engine 's interna l frictio n is
higher than later when a ll the mov ing pa rts have been b ro ken in . How
we ll thi s brea k-in p roce ss is done depe nds to a considerable extent on
the way the veh icle is driven dur ing the first 1,000 m iles (1,500 ki lo
mete rs).
0 Note
Ex tremely high engine s peeds a re au tom atic ally red uced . H owever,
these rpm limits are programmed fo r a n engine we ll run-in, not a new
eng ine .
For the sake of the environment
Do not drive w ith unnecessari ly hi gh eng ine speeds -upshifting early
saves fuel, reduces noise and protec ts the env ironment .•
New tires
If your vehic le is running on new t ires, drive very caref ully for
the firs t 350 m iles (500 kilome ters) afte r fitt ing .
& WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must also be "broken-in ". Be
sure to remember th is during the first 350 miles (500 kilome
ter s). Brake gently. Avoid following closely behind other vehicle s
or other situation s that might require sudden, hard brak ing. •
Driving and environment
- Never put too much motor oil in your engine=> page 285,
"Adding engine oil~".
- Never try to pus h- or tow-sta rt your vehicle.
The catalytic converter is an efficient "clean-up" dev ice built into the
exhaust system of the vehicle. The catalytic converter burns many of
the pollutants in the exhaust gas before they are released into the
atmosphere.
T he exclusive use of unleaded fuel is c riti cal ly import ant for the life of
the catalytic converter and proper funct io ni ng of the eng ine.
& WARNING
• Do not park or operate the vehicle in areas where the hot
exhaust sy stem may come in conta ct with dry gras s, brush, fuel
spill or other material which can cause a fire.
• Do not apply addit ional undercoat ing or rustproofing on or
near the exhaust manifold , exhau st pipes , catalytic converte r or
heat shield s. During driving, the sub stan ce u sed f or under coating
c ould o ve rheat and cause a fire.
0 Note
• Be aware that just one tank filling with leaded fuel w ill already
ser iously degr ade the performance of the ca talytic co nve rter.
• Do not exceed the correct engine oil level =>
page 285.
• Do not dr ive until the f uel tank becomes com plete ly empty . T he
engine could misfire . Unburned fuel cou ld also get into the ex ha ust
system and t his co ul d cause t he ca talyt ic converter to ove rheat .
• Do not turn off the ignition while the vehicle is moving.
• Do not continue to operate your vehicle u nder these conditions, as
otherwise f uel can reac h the c ata ly tic conve rter. This co uld res ult in
over heat ing of the converter, requir ing its replacement.
• T o ass ure eff icien t operat ion of the Emission Cont rol System: -
Have your vehicle maintained properly and in accordance with
th e se rvice reco mmend ations in your W arran ty
& M ain ten ance
booklet.
- Lack of prope r main ten anc e as well as imp roper use of the
veh icle w ill impair the fu nction of the emission control system and
c o uld l ead to d amage.
~ For the sake of the environment
Even when the Emission Contro l System is operat ing proper ly, the
exhaust gas can have a sulfur-like exhaust gas smell u nder some
operating states. This depends on t he sulfur content of the fue l being
used . Using a different brand of fuel may help , o r fil lin g the tank with
lead-free supe r grade gasoline. •
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution
General
Yo ur person al sty le of drivi ng will determine the e cono my
of your vehicle, as well as e xhaust and noise levels .
Fuel economy, environmenta l impact, and wear on your engine,
bra kes and tires large ly depe nd on three fa ctors:
• your perso nal driv ing style
• operat ing cond itions
• technical lim itations
If you an ticipa te wh at yo u nee d to do nex t and drive e co nom ically,
you can easily cut your fuel consumption by 10- 15 percent. This
se ct io n w ill give you so me tips on how you ca n he lp the env ironment
and your pocketbook .
9>
Trailer towing
"-------------------------------------------------
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the trailer is held securely in pla ce to prevent it
from shifting forward, backward or s ideways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer => & in "Driving instruc
tions" on
page 256.
Engine cooling system
Towing a trailer makes the eng ine work harde r. It is important that
the cooling system's performance is up to the additional load. Make
sure that the cooling system has enough fluid.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your vehicle to the cold tire
pressure listed under "Full load" on the label located either on the
dr iver's side B-pillar (visible when the door is open) or inside the fuel
filler flap . Inflate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' spec
ifications.
Lights
The headl ight settings should be checked w ith the trailer attached
before driving off. Check to make sure both vehicle and trai ler lights
are working properly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety cha ins are properly connected from the trailer
to the hitch on the vehicle. Leave enough s lack in the chains to permit
turning corners. When you install safety chains, make sure they will
not drag on the road when you are driving.
T he chains should cross under the trailer tongue to p revent it from
dropping in case of separation from the hitch.
Driving instruct!ons
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care and
consideration.
To obtain the best possible handling of vehicle and trailer,
please note the following:
- Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself is not
loaded.
- Be especially careful when passing other veh icles .
- Observe speed limits.
- Do not drive at the maximum permissible speed.
- Always apply brakes early.
- Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car results in a highly unstable
distr ibution of weight. If this cannot be avoided, drive at very low
speeds only to avo id the r isk of losing steer ing control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control. Th is means that the
tow vehicle should be loaded to the extent possible and permissible,
wh ile keeping the trailer as light as possible under the c ircumstances.
Whenever possible, trans fer some cargo to the luggage compart
ment of the tow vehicle while observing tongue load requirements
and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
Th e higher the speed, the more difficult it becomes for the driver to
control the r ig . Do not drive at the maximum permiss ible speed.
Reduce your speed even more if load, weather or wind conditions are
unfavorable -part icularly when go ing downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately i f the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Do not try to stop the swaying by accelerating. _,
-~_C_ le_ a_n_ i_ n_ g=- a_ n_d___. p_ ro_ t_e _c_ t_ i_o _n ___________________________________________ _
& WARNING (conti nu ed )
• Alway s read and heed all WARNINGS and other information
~ page 260 .
0 Note
• N ever try to remove dirt, mud o r d ust if the su rface of the vehicle
is dry . Never use a dry cloth or sponge, since this could scratch your
veh icle's pai nt or windows.
• Never was h your car in bright sunlight . D rops of water act as
magni fyi ng lenses and may damage your pa int.
• When you was h yo ur c ar in the winter: i f you rinse your vehicle wit h
a hose, be care ful not to a im the stream of wate r d irectly at locks, or
at door or hatch openings -they can freeze shut.
• Never use sponges des igned to remove insects, or any kitchen
s co ur ing sponges or s imilar pro ducts. They can damage your paint
fin ish ,
• You shou ld remove debris (s uch as inse cts) from the he adlight
lenses on a regu lar bas is, for example when refuelling yo ur vehicle .
• N ever use a d ry cl oth o r sponge to clean t he he adlig hts . Only use
wet cloths or sponges to prevent scratches. It is best to use soapy
wate r.
~ For the sake of the environment
In the in terest o f th e envi ronme nt, the ve hicl e should o nly be washed
in special wash bays. •
Washing your vehicle with a power washer
Clea ning the ex teri or of y our c ar with a high- pre ssu re
po wer washer is safe as long as y ou obser ve a fe w sim ple
rul es.
- Before using the powe r washer, make su re you have read
a nd unders tood the WARN IN GS=>
& in "General info r
ma tio n" on
page 260.
- Alw ays fo llow t he operat ing i nst ructions fo r the powe r
washer.
- Make sure t hat the jet o n the spray hose produces a "fa n
shaped sp ray".
- Do
not ho ld t he spr ay no zz le too close t o sof t ma terials .
Never use a power wa sher to cl ean the powe r to p itself.
When cleaning the vehicle with a powe r washe r
always follow the
operat ing inst ruct ions . T his app lies part icu larly to the
operating
pres sure
and the spraying distance. M ain tain a suff ic ient distance to
soft mater ia ls s uch as rubbe r hoses an d so und/v ibration deaden ing
m ater ials (pa rt icula rly on t he un derside o f th e e ng ine hood). Do not
use a jet which sprays water in a
direct stream or one that has a
rotating j et.
Water temperature s hou ld not exceed 140
°F (60 °().
& WARNING
Never wash tires with a jet that sprays water in a direct stream.
This could cause invisible damage to the tires and weaken them ,
even if the spray is from a relatively long distance and for a short
time . Damaged and weakened tires can fail and cause accident s
and personal injury . .,_
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
Tires and wheels
Tires
General notes
Tires may be the least appreciated and most abused
parts of a motor vehicle.
T ir es may be the least apprec iated and most abused pa rts of a moto r
vehicle. Tires are, however, one of the most important parts of a
veh icle, parti cularly conside ring the comparative ly small patch of
rubber on eac h tire that assu res that all- important co ntact between
you , your ve hicle and the road .
Ma inta in ing t he correct t ire pressu re, making s ure that your veh icle
and i ts tires do not have to carry more weight than they can safely
hand le, avoid ing damage from road ha za rds and reg ula rly inspect ing
tires for damage incl ud ing c uts, s lashes irregular wea r and overall
condi tion are the mos t important th ings that you can do to help avoi d
sudden tire fa ilure includ ing t read separation and blowouts .
Avoiding damage
If you have to drive over a curb or sim ilar obstacle, drive very s lowly
and as close as poss ible at a right angle to the cu rb .
Always keep chemicals including grease, oil , gasoline and bra ke fl uid
o ff the t ires .
Inspect the ti res regularly for damage (cuts, crac ks o r bl ist ers, e tc .).
Remove any foreign bodies embed ded in the trea ds.
Storing tires
M ar k tires when yo u remove t hem to indica te the d irect ion of rota
tion . This ens ures yo u to be able to mo unt them co rrectly whe n you
re insta ll them.
Wh en r emoved, t he wheels or tires s hould be sto red in a c ool, dry and
preferably da rk p lace. Sto
re tires in a ver tica l pos it ion if they a re not mounted on rims, in a
hor izonta l position if they are mo unted on r ims.
New tires
N ew tires have to be bro ken in~ & .
Th e tread dep th of new tires may v ary, ac cor ding to t he type an d
make of t ire and the tread pattern.
Hidden damage
Dama ge to t ires and rims is often not readi ly visible . If yo u notice
unusu al v ib ra tion o r the veh icle pulls to one sid e, t his may i ndicate
that one of the tires has been damaged. The tires must be c hecke d
i m medi ately by an a uthor ized A udi deale r or quali fied w or ksh op .
Unidirectional tires
A u nidirectional tire can be identified by arrows on the sidewall, that
point in the d irect io n the tire is des igned to rotate. Yo u m ust follow
t he s peci fied dire ction of ro tation . T his is nece ssary so th at t hese
tires can develop the ir optimum c haracter istics regarding gr ip, road
noise, we ar and hy dropl aning res istance. For more informa tion
~page 326 .
& WARNING
New tires or tires that are old , worn or damaged cannot provide
maximum control and braking ability.
• New tires tend to be slippery and must also be broken-in. To
reduce the risk of losing control, a collision and serious personal
injuries , drive with special care for the first 350 miles (560 km).
• Driving with worn or damaged tires can lead to loss of control,
sudden tire failure , including a blowout and sudden deflation ,
crashes and serious personal injuries. Have worn or damaged tires
replaced immediately. .,_
________________________________________________ T_i_re _ s_ a _ n_d_ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ l!'II
& WARNING (co ntinued )
• Tires age even if they are not be ing used and can fail suddenly ,
e specially at high speeds . Tires that are more than 6 year s old can
only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at low
s peed .
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the combined weigh t (in excess of those sta ndard items wh ich
may be replaced) of automatic transmission, power steer ing, power
bra kes, powe r win dows, power sea ts, radio, and heate r, to the exte nt
that these items are available as factory-insta lled equipment
(whet her i ns ta lled or no t).
Aspect ratio
means the r atio of t he he ight to t he widt h of the t ire in percent.
N umbers of 55 or lower indicate a low sidewa ll for improved steer ing
res ponse and bet ter over all h andling on dry p avemen t.
Bead
means the part of the t ire that is made of stee l wi res, w rapped or
re in forced by ply cords and that is shaped to fit the rim.
Bead separation
means a brea kdown of the bond between components in the bead.
Cord
means the st rands forming the plies in the ti re.
Safety first
& W ARNING (co ntinued )
• Never mount u sed tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their "previous history ." Old u sed tires may have been damaged
eventhoughthedamagecannotbeseenthatcanleadtosudden
tire failure and loss of vehicle control.
• If you notice unusual vibr ation or if the vehicle pulls to one side
when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check
the wheels and tires for damage. •
Cold tire inflation pressure
means the t ire pressu re recom mended by the vehicle manufa ctu rer
for a tire of a desig nate d size that has not been driven for more than
a couple of m iles ( kilomete rs) a t low speeds in the t hree hour per io d
before the tire pressu re is measured or adjusted.
Curb weight
means the weight of a moto r vehicle wit h standard equipment
incl uding the max imum ca pac it y of fue l, o il, and coo lan t, air condi
tioning and additiona l weig ht of optional eq uipment.
Extra load tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads and at higher inflat ion
pressures than t he co rresponding sta ndard t ire. Extra load tires may
be identif ied as "XL", "xl", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewa ll.
Gross Axle Weight Rating ( "GAWR ")
means the loa d-carrying capac ity of a sing le ax le system, measure d at
the t ire-grou nd interfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ("GVWR")
mea ns the maximum tota l loaded we ig ht of the vehicle .
Vehicle care Technical data
-~_T_ ir_e_ s_ a_ n_ d_ w_ h_e_ e_ ls _______________________________________________ _
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread ribs.
Load rating (code)
means the maximum load that a tire is rated to carry for a given infla
tion pressure. You may not find this information on all tires because
it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
means the load rating fo r a tir e at the maximum permissible inflation
pressure for that tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
means the sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight, and
(d) Production options weight
Maximum (permissible) inflation pressure
means the maximum cold inflation pressure to which a tire may be
inflated. Also called "maximum inflation pressure."
Normal occupant weight
means 150 lbs. (68 kilograms) times the number of occupants seated
in the vehicle up to the total seating capacity of your vehicle.
Occupant distribution
means distr ibution of occupants in a vehicle .
Outer diameter
means the overall diameter of an inflated new tire.
Overall width
means the linear distance between the exteriors of the sidewalls of
an inflated tire, including elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs.
Ply
means a layer of rubber -coated paralle l cords.
Production options weight
means the combined weight of those installed regular production
options weigh ing over 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) in excess of those standard
items which they replace, not previously considered in curb weight or
accessory weight, including heavy duty brakes, ride levelers, heavy
duty battery, and specia l trim .
Radial ply tire
means a pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that extend to the
beads are laid at substantially 90 degrees to the centerline of the
tread .
Recommended inflation pressure
see=> page 297, "Cold tire inflation pressure".
Reinforced tire
means a tire design to operate at higher loads and at higher inflation
pressures than the corresponding standard tire. Reinforced t ires may
be identified as "XL ", "x l", "EXTRA LOAD", or "RF" on the sidewall.
Rim
means a metal support for a tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
wh ich the tire beads are seated .
Rim diameter
means nominal diameter of the bead seat . If you change your wheel
size, you w ill have to purchase new tires to match the new rim diam
eter .
Rim size designation
means rim diameter and width.
Rim width
means nominal distance between rim flanges.
________________________________________________ T_i_re _ s_ a _ n_d_ w_ h_ e_ e_l_s __ _
Sidewall
means that portion of a tire between the tread and bead.
Speed rating (letter code)
means the speed at which a tire is designed to be driven for extended
periods of time. The ratings range from 93 mph (150 km/h) to 186
mph (298 km/h)=>
page 309. You may not find this information on
all tires because it is not required by law.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is molded on the tire
sidewall and indicates the max imum permissible road speeds=>
& in
"Winter tires" on
page 311.
Tire pressure monitoring system*
means a system that detects when one or more of a vehicle's tires are
underinflated and illuminates a low tire pressure warning telltale.
Tread
means that portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road.
Tread separation
means pulling away of the tread from the tire carcass.
Treadwear indicators (TWI)
means the projections within the principal grooves designed to give a
visual indication of the degrees of wear of the tread. See=>
page 306,
"Tread Wear Ind icator (TWI)" for more information on measuring
tire wear.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
is a tir e information system developed by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that is designed to
help buyers make relative comparisons among tires. The UTQG is not
a safety rating and not a guarantee that a tire will last for a prescribed
number of miles (kilometers) or perform in a certain way. It simp ly
gives tire buyers additional information to combine with other
considerations, such as price, brand loyalty and dealer recommenda
tions. Under UTQG, tires are graded by the tire manufacturers in three
Safety first
areas: treadwear, traction, and temperature resistance . The UTQG
information on the tires, molded into the sidewalls .
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
This is the tire's "serial number" . It begins with the letters "DO T" and
indicates that the tire meets all federal standards. The next two
numbers or letters indicate the plant where it was manufac tured, and
the last four numbers represent the week and year of manufacture.
For example,
DOT ... 2210 ...
means that the tire was produced in the 22nd week of 2010. The
other numbers are ma rket ing codes that may or may not be used by
the tire manufacturer. Th is information is used to contact consumers
if a tire defect requires a recall.
Vehicle capacity weight
means the rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lbs. (68 kilograms)
times the vehicle's total seating capacity as listed on the label located
on the driver's side B-pillar.
Vehicle maximum load on the tire
means that load on an individua l tire that is determined by distrib
uting to each axle its share of the maximum loaded vehicle weight
and dividing by two.
Vehicle normal load on the tire
means that load on an individua l tire that is de term ined by distrib
uting to each axle its share of the curb weight, accessory weight, and
normal occ upant weight (distr ibuted in accordance with table below
=> page 300) and dividing by two. ..,_
Vehicle care Technical data