Clear vision
when outside light is very low . This is to r emind you , the driver , to
s witch on the headlight s before it get s too dark.
• Canada models : inst rument p anel illumin ation will stay br ight
regardles s of the inten sity of ambient light. Alw ay s be aware of
changes in outs ide light conditions wh ile you are driving. Respond
in time to fading daylight by turning the light switch to po sition
io
(or "AUTO" if your car is equipped with this feat ure) to turn on your
headlights .•
A ppli es to ve hicles : wit h xe non h eadlights
Xenon headlights
After starting the engine, the xenon head lights are automat ically
adjusted to the load and ang le of t he vehicle (for e xamp le, dur ing
acce leration and brak ing) . This prevents oncom ing traffic from expe
r ienc ing unnecessary headlight glare from yo ur xenon head lights.
If the sy ste m is not opera ting p roperly, a warning symbol in t he Auto
Check Control is displayed~
page 35. •
App lies to vehicles : w ith adapti ve lig ht
Adaptive Light
Wh en driving around bends, the relevant ar ea of the road
is better illuminated .
Fig . 68 Adaptive lig ht
w hen driving
The benefit of adaptive light is that the curve and the edge of the road
are better illum inate d~ fig. 68. Dyn am ic a daptive light is con trolled
automatically, depend ing on ve hicle speed and steering whee l angle .
When driving around bends, the headlights are contro lled accord ing
t o s teer ing whee l angle . So t hat there is no bla ck ho le ahea d of the
vehicle , the two ma in beams pivot at d ifferent angles.
[I] Tips
The system works above a speed of about 6 mph (10 km/h) .•
Emergency flashers A
T h e eme rgency flash ers m akes ot her mot ori st s a ware
that you or y our vehicle a re in an eme rgency situation.
Fig. 69 Eme rgenc y
fla she r sw itch
Pr ess the swi tch~ => fig. 69 to tu rn the eme rgenc y
flash ers on or of f.
When the e merge ncy flashers are on, all fou r turn sig nals blink at the
same t ime. The turn signal indicator lights¢¢ in the i nstr ument
cl uste r, as well as the ligh t in the eme rge ncy flasher switch ~ blink
likewise . The emergency flashers also wo rk when the ignition is
t urned off. .,_
Vision
Sun visors
Using the sun visors makes driving safer.
C
Fig. 73 S un viso r
The s un visors for the dr iver and passenger ca n be p ulled out of their
brackets in the center of the vehicle and turned towa rds the the doors
=> fig. 73 (D .
Vanity mirror
The van ity m irrors on the sun visors are cove red. When the lid is
opened @, the mirror light in the headliner turns on automatically.
It t urns off when the lid is closed and the visor is folded up aga in. •
Con tro ls a nd e quip
m en t Vehicle
OP-eration
Clear vision
Wiper and washer system
Switching on the windshield wipers
Fi g. 7 4 Wind shield
w iper l ever
Move the windshie ld w iper lever to the corresponding position :
©-W indshield wiper off
(D -Inte rval mode . To ex tend/shor ten t he w iper intervals, move the
switch @to the left/r ight . In ve hicles with a rain sensor*, the wind
shield wipers are activated a utomatically s tarting at a speed of 2 mph
(4 km/h) . The higher the sensi tivity of the ra in sensor* is set (sw itch
@ to the right), the earlier the windsh ield wipers react to mo isture
on the w indshield .
@ -Slow wiping
® -Fast wiping
© -Sing le wipe
© -Clean the windshield. To eliminate water droplets, the wind
shield wiper per forms one a fterwipe o pera tion a fter severa l seconds
wh ile dr iving . You can swi tch this funct ion off by moving the lever to
posit ion © with in 10 seconds of t he afterwipe operation . The after
w ipe function is react ivated the ne xt t ime the ignit ion is switched on .
Cleaning the headlights*. The headlight washer system * only func
ti ons whe n the light is switc hed on. The headlights are automat ically
cleaned the first time and every fifth t ime the lever is moved to posi-.,
Vehicle care Do-it-yourselt service iTechnical data
Clear vision
tion ®· They are also cleaned every time you hold the lever in position
© for long er than 2 seconds .
& WARNING
• The rain sensor is only intended to assist the driver. The driver
is still responsible for manually switching the wipers on according
to the visibility conditions.
• The windshield may not be treated with water-repelling wind
shield coating agents. Unfavorable conditions, such as wetness,
darkness, low sun, can result in increased glare. Wiper blade
chatter is also possible.
• Properly functioning windshield wiper blades are required for
a clear view and safe driving~ page
71, "Installing new wiper
blades ".
0 Note
• In the case of frost, check whether the windshield wiper blades are
frozen to the windshie ld. Switching on the windshield wipers can
damage the wiper blades!
• Prio r to using a car wash, the windsh ield wiper system must be
switched off (lever in position 0) . This prevents unintentional
switching on and damage to the win dshield wiper system.
[ i J Tips
• The windshield wipers are switched off when the ignition is turned
off . Activate the windsh ield wipers after the ignition is switched back
on by moving the windshield wiper lever to any position.
• Worn or dirty windshield wiper blades result in streaking. This can
affect the rain sensor* function . Check your windshield wiper blades
regularly .
• Th e washer fluid nozzles of the w indshield washe r system are
heated at low temperatures when the ignition is on. •
When stopping temporarily, e .g . at a traffic light, the set speed of
the windsh ield wipers is automatically reduced by one speed.•
Service position
The windshield wiper blades are replaced in the service
position.
Fig. 75 Service posi
tion
The service position is set in the radio or in the MMI*.
- If the wiper blades are not frozen to the windshield, bring
the windshield wiper lever to the basic position @
~ page 69, fig . 74.
-Select: Function button [ CAR] > Windshield wipers >
Service position.
• On -changing the windshield wipe r blades can only be done if you
br ing the wiper arms to the service position~ fig. 75 . You will also
avoid paint damage to the hood when working on the wipers in this
position .
• Off -the windshield wipers are moved to their initial position
again.
Clear vision
(I] Tips
Commercial hot waxes applied by automatic car washes affect t he
how easily the glass surface can be cleaned. •
Mirrors
Manual glare-dimming
Standard setting
- Move the small lever (located on the bottom edge of the
mirror) to the front.
Anti-glare setting
- Move the small lever (located on the bottom edge of the
m irror) to the rear .•
A ppli es to vehicl es: w ith automat ica lly dim ming in side m ir ro r
Automatically dimming inside mirror
The automatic dimming function con be turned on and
off if required.
Fi g. 7 7 In sid e re ar
v iew mirr or
Disabling auto dimming
- Press button@=> fig. 77 briefly, -the indicator light ®
goes out.
Activating /reactivating auto dimming
- Press button @ briefly, -the indicator light ® goes on .
Automatic dimming function
The automat ic dimm ing function is act ivated eve ry time t he ig nitio n
is turned on. The green indicator lig ht is lit to indicate auto dimming
is active.
When d imming is activated, the inside mirror w ill darken
automati
cally
in respo nse to the amount o f light s triking the mir ror (suc h as
headlights from rearward approach ing ve hicles). Even in dimming
mode, the mirror surface turns brigh t when:
• the interior light is sw itched on
• reverse gear is engaged .
& WARNING
Broken glass of automatic dimming mirror can cause electrolyte
fluid leak age. Electrolyte fluid can irritate skin, eyes , and resp ira
tory sy stem.
• Repeated or p rolonged e xposu re to electrolyte can cause i rrita
tion to the re spiratory system, especially among people with
asthma or other respiratory conditions . Get fresh air immediately
by leaving the vehicle or , if that is not po ssible , open window s and
doors all the way.
• If electrolyte get s into the eye s, flu sh them thoroughly with
large amounts of clean water fo r at least 15 minutes; medical
attention is recommended.
• If elect rolyte contacts skin , flush affected area with clean
water for at lea st 15 minute s and then wash affected area with
Clear vision
Memory for exterior mirrors*
On vehicles with memory for the drive r's seat, the curren t sett ing for
t he exter io r mir rors is automatically stored a long w it h t he seat posi
tion ~
page 80.
Tilt funct ion for the passenger's mirror* (only with
memory for exterior mirrors)
W hen the reverse gear is engaged , th e mirror su rface t ilts downwa rd
slightly if the setting is for the passenger 's mirror (knob in position
@ ~ page 73, fig . 78) . T hi s allows you to see the curb dur ing pa ralle l
par king .
T he mir ror r etur ns to it s in iti al position as soon as reverse gear is
disengaged and ve hicle speed is above about 9 mph (15 km/h). The
m irro r also retu rn s t o its in itia l pos it ion i f th e swi tch is moved to the
dr iver's outside mirror © or the ignition is sw itched off.
If t he position of t he mir ro r su rface is changed on a ti lted mirror, this
new position will be automatically assig ned to the remote key when
the vehicle is taken out of reverse gear.
0 Note
Curved mirror su rfaces (convex or spherica l*) increase your fie ld of
view. Remembe r th at veh icles o r o the r object s will appear sm alle r
and fart her away than when seen in a flat m irro r. If you use this
m irror to est ima te dis tanc es o f following vehicles when cha nging
lanes, you cou ld estimate incorrect ly and cause an accident .
[I] Tips
If there should be a malfu nction in the electrical system, you can st ill
a djus t the ou ts id e mir rors by pressing the edge o f the m irro r.•
A pp lies to vehicles: with aut omat ica lly adj usting outs id e m irr ors
Automatic dimming for the outside
mirrors
Th e o utside mirrors dim at the same time as the inside m irror. Whe n
the ignition is switched o n, the mirrors a utomatically dim depending
on the a mou nt of light s triki ng t he m irro rs (su ch as he adlights
shining into the veh icle from the rear) .
W hen the inter io r li ght ing is switche d on and when reverse gear is
engaged, the m irro rs a re switched back to their original brig htn ess
(not dimmed) .
& WARNING
Broken gla ss of automatic dimming mirror can cause electrolyte
fluid leakage. Electrolyte fluid can irritate skin, eyes, and respira
tory sy stem.
• Repeated or prolonged exposure to electrolyte can cause irrita
tion to the re spiratory system, especially among people with
asthma or other respiratory conditions . Get fresh air immediately
by leaving the vehicle or , if that is not po ssible , open window s and
doors all the way.
• If electrolyte gets into the eye s, flush them thoroughly with
large amounts of clean water fo r at least 15 minutes; medical
attention i s recommended .
• If electrolyte contacts skin , flush affected area with clean
water for at lea st 15 minute s and then wash affected area with
soap and water; medical attention is recommended. Thoroughly
wash affected clothing and shoes before reu se.
• If swallowed and person is conscious, r inse mouth with water
for at least 15 minutes . Do not induce vomiting unles s instru cted
to do so by medical professional. Get medical attent ion immedi-
ately .
~
Seats and storage
General recommendations
Why is your seat adjustment so important?
The safety belts and the airbag system can only provide
maximum protection if the front seats are correctly
adju sted.
Th ere a re various ways of adjusting t he front seats to provide safe and
comfortable support for the driver and the front passenger . Ad just
your seat properly so that :
• you can easily and quickly reach a ll the switc hes and contro ls in the
ins trumen t pa nel
• your body is properly supported thus reducing phys ica l stress and
fatigue
• the safety be lts and airbag system can offer maximum protection
=>
page 200 .
In the following sections, you w ill see exact ly how you can best ad just
your sea ts .
Th ere are special regulations a nd instr uctions for install ing a child
safety seat on the front passenger's sea t. Always follow the informa
tion regarding child safety p rovided in=>
page 222, "Child Safety ".
& WARNING
Incorrect seating posit ion of the dri ver and all other passengers
can result in seriou s personal injury.
• Always keep your feet on the floor when the vehicle is in
motion -never put your feet on top of the instrument panel, out
of the window o r on top of the seat cush ion. This applies especially
to the passengers.
If your seating po sition is incorrect, you
increase the ri sk of injury in the case of sudden braking or an acci-
Controls and equip
ment Safety first
Seats and storage
& WARNING
(con tinu ed)
dent . If the airbag inflates and the seating position is incorrect ,
this could result in per sonal injury or even death .
• It is important for both the dri ver and front passenger to keep
a distan ce of at least 10 inche s (25 cm) between themselves and
the steering wheel and /or instrument panel. If you 're sitting any
closer than this , the airbag system cannot protect you properly. In
addition, the front seats and head restraints must be adjusted to
your body height so that they can give you maximum protection .
• Always try to keep as much distance as possible between your
self and the steering wheel or instrument panel.
• Do not adjust the driver's or front passenger 's seat while the
vehicle is moving. You r seat may move unexpectedly , causing
sudden loss of vehicle control and personal injury . If you adjust
your seat while the vehicle is moving , you are out of position. •
Driver's seat
The correct seat position is important for saf e and
re lax ed driving.
W e recomme nd that you a djust the drive r's sea t in the
f ollowing man ner :
- Ad just the seat in fore and aft direction so that you can
easily pus h the pedals to the floor w hile keeping your
knees slightly bent=>
& in "Why is yo ur seat a djus tme nt
so importa nt?" .
- Adjust the seatback so that when yo u sit with yo ur back
agai nst t he seatback , you can st ill grasp t he top of the
steering w heel. ..,
Vehicle care Technical data
Seats and storage
-Position the head restraint according to the occupant's
height=>
page 82. For maximum protection, the top of
the head restraint should be at least at eye level, prefer
ably higher and ideally level with the top of the head
=>
page 181, fig. 180.
& WARNING
Never place any objects in the driver's footwell. An object could
get into the pedal area and interfere with pedal function. In case
of sudden braking or an accident, you would not be able to brake
or accelerate. •
Front passenger's seat
Always move the front passenger seat into the rearmost
position.
To avoid contact with the airbag while it is deploying, do not
sit any closer to the instrument panel than necessary and
always wear the three-point safety belt provided adjusted
correctly. We recommend that you adjust the passenger's
seat in the following manner:
- Bring the backrest up to an (almost) upright position.
Do
not ride with the seat reclined.
- The ideal position for the head restraint is with the upper
edge of the restraint level with the top of your head
=> page 82. You should not lower the top of the restraint
below the level of your eyes.
- Place your feet on the floor in front of the passenger's
seat. •
Power front seat adjustment
Seat adjustment controls
The operating logic for the switches corresponds to the
construction and function of the seat.
Fig. 81 Front seat:
Controls for seat
adjustment
The switches to adjust the seat cushion and the seat back correspond
to the layout, the design and the function of the seat. The seats are
adjusted by moving the switches following this logic.
Controls
© Lumbar support
© Seat adjustment
© Seat back and head restraint height adjustment*
@ Upper thigh support* •
Adjusting the seat
Position, angle and shape of the seat can be adjusted
electrically to ensure safe and comfortable seating.
Read and follow the warning notices=>.&, before you adjust
your seat.
~
Seats and storage Folding down the front seat backs
- Lift the latch=> page 79, fig. 8 2.
- Tilt the seat bac k forward.
Moving the front seats forward
- Press a nd ho ld the switch @ until th e seat has r eached t he
desir ed p osition .
Moving front seats back
-Press and ho ld t he switc h@ until th e seat has reached t he
des ired position. The seat stops a utomatically when it has
reached its starting position again .
To make it easier to enter and leave the rear seat , t h e seatbacks of the
front sea ts ca n be folded forward and the he ad restraints are a uto
matically lowered . At the same time, the front seats can be moved
forward and back.
W hen the front seats a re moved forward, their or ig inal position is
sto red . When it is moved back, the seat automat ically stops in this
posit io n. T o move the seat even further b ack, you have to release the
switch @ and reactivate it.
T he head rest raints from the front sea ts, depending on t he se at
height that has been set, a re a utomatically retracted when t he seat
backs are folded down. They return to their or iginal position again
when the sea tbacks for the fron t seats a re ra ised .
(I) Tips
With the driver 's o r passenger's door closed, the corresponding
switch to move the seat is inoperative. •
Seat memory
Applies to veh icles : w it h seat memo ry
Memory for driver's seat
The seat adjustment settings for t wo drivers can be
stored using the memory buttons in the driv er's door .
Fig. 83 Driver 's doo r:
Seat memory
In additio n to the setting for the driver's seat, the exterior rear v iew
m irror setting ca n be stored and reca lled throug h seat memory if the
veh icle is properly equipped.
Storing and recalling settings
With the he lp of the memory b uttons 1 a nd 2 ~ fig. 83 the settings
for two different drivers can be stored and recalled~
page 81.
The cur rent settings are also automatically stored on the remote
c o ntrol key being used when the vehicle is locke d. Whe n the vehicle is
unlocked, the settings stored on the remote contro l key being used
are autom atic ally re calle d.
Turning seat memory on and off
If the [ ON/OFF ] switc h is depressed , th e seat memo ry is inoperative.
The word
OFF in the [ ON/OFF] sw itch illuminates .
All the stored setti ngs are retained . We recommend using the
I O N/OFF ] switch and deact ivating the seat memory if the vehicle is .,