Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
17
The transmission position and the currently
engaged gear are displayed.
Selecting transmission position
>You can select transmission positions D, R
or N only when drive readiness is activated.
>With the vehicle stationary, depress the
brake pedal before shifting out of P or N;
otherwise the shift command will not be
executed: shiftlock.
Hold the brake pedal down until start-
ing to drive; otherwise, the vehicle can
begin to move.<
Shifting into D, R, N
Briefly press the selector lever in the desired
direction, beyond a resistance point if neces-
sary. When shifting out of P or into R, simulta-
neously push the unlock button1.
The engaged transmission position is displayed
on the selector lever.
The selector lever immediately returns to the
center position when released.
Shifting into P
Press buttonP.When the vehicle is stationary and the
transmission is in the R, D, or M/S posi-
tion, if you disconnect the driver's seat safety
belt and open the driver's door without stepping
on any of the pedals, then the transmission
shifts into position P.<
R Reverse
Select only with the vehicle stationary.
An interlock prevents inadvertent gearshifts
into transmission position R. To release the
lock, push the unlock button1.
During electric driving, please note that
pedestrians and other road users may fail
to notice the vehicle in the usual way due to the
lack of engine noise. For example, proceed with
particular caution when pulling into and out of a
parking space.<
P Park
Select only with the vehicle stationary. The rear
wheels are locked.
The transmission automatically shifts into
P as soon as you switch off the engine.
Unless position N is selected and the remote
control is in the ignition lock.<
N Neutral
Can be selected in automatic car washes, for
example. The vehicle can roll.
The transmission remains in N even after
the engine is switched off whenever you
leave the remote control in the ignition lock.
This function is used, for example, in a car wash,
refer to page15. After approx. 30 minutes P is
automatically engaged.<
Shifting into N
It is possible to select N even when the ignition
is switched on.
I t i s t h u s p o s s i b l e t o m o v e t h e v e h i c l e , e . g . i n t h e
event of a malfunction, even if it is not possible
to activate drive readiness.
Driving
18
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for-
ward gears are shifted automatically. Depend-
ing on operating conditions, the vehicle is
driven electrically or with the combustion
engine.
The fuel consumption is the lowest in transmis-
sion position D.
Kick-down
The kick-down mode provides maximum accel-
eration.
Press the accelerator pedal beyond the
increased resistance at full throttle.
Due to the high power requested, the combus-
tion engine is started and is assisted by the
electric motors as needed.
Sport program and manual mode M/S
Press selector lever out of transmission
position D toward the left:
The sport program is activated, S and the
engaged gear are displayed in the instrument
panel. This position is recommended for a per-
formance-oriented driving style.
With the sport program activated, the combus-
tion engine is always started.
When the selector lever is pressed forward or
back, the manual mode is activated and the
Steptronic shifts the gear. For example, M3 is
displayed in the instrument panel.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only
when they will result in a plausible combination
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example,
a downshift that would cause the engine to
overrev will not be executed by the system. The selected gear is briefly displayed in the instru-
ment panel, followed by the current gear.
To use the automatic function again, press the
selector lever to the right into position D.
Changing gears using shifting paddles
on steering wheel
The shifting paddles make it possible to quickly
change gears since both hands can remain on
the steering wheel.
>Upshifting: pull on one of the shifting pad-
dles, arrows +.
>Downshifting: press on one of the shifting
paddles, arrows –.
The gear change using the shifting paddles can
be executed in automatic mode D or in manual
mode M/S.
When the shifting paddles are actuated during
electric driving, the combustion engine starts.
Changing gears in manual mode M/S
With manual mode activated, gear changes are
executed using the shifting paddles or the
selector lever.
With the transmission position M/S selected,
the manual mode remains active.
Changing gears in automatic mode D
Even in automatic mode D, gear shifts can be
executed using the shifting paddles.
The combustion engine starts.
Then if a certa in amount of time pas ses witho ut
a gear change being executed using the shifting
paddles or a corresponding acceleration, then
the transmission returns to automatic shifting
of the forward gears.
Giving and receiving assistance
40 trained personnel. Otherwise, there is the risk of
life-threatening injury by electrocution due to
the high voltage of the hybrid system.<
Hybrid system: Contact with water
The hybrid system is generally safe, even in the
following sample situations:
>Water in the footwell, e.g. when rain show-
ers occur with an open glass roof.
>The vehicle is in water, e.g. in a flood.
>Fluid escapes in the cargo bay.
In these cases, there is no danger of being
injured by electrocution. Other types of damage
to the vehicle are possible.
Hybrid system: Automatic deactivation
In the event of an accident, the hybrid system is
switched off automatically in order to protect
passengers and other road users from injury.
The high-voltage system is automatically
switched off in the following sample situations:
>Sensors of the airbag system detect an
accident
>Obstacles on the road damage the under-
body and high-voltage cables
After an accident, do not touch any
exposed high-voltage components. Oth-
erwise, there is the risk of life-threatening injury
by electrocution due to the high voltage of the
hybrid system.<
Also follow the instructions for what to do after
an accident.
What to do after an accident
If you should get into an accident with your
vehicle, the following safety precautions must
be taken with regard to the hybrid system:
>Secure the accident site.
>Immediately inform the paramedics, police,
o r f ir e d e p a r t m e n t o f t h e f a c t t h a t i t i s a v e h i-
cle equipped with a hybrid system.>Move the selector lever into position P, set
the parking brake, and switch off drive
readiness.
>Do not touch any orange high-voltage
cables and connectors or high-voltage
components. Otherwise, there is the risk of
life-threatening injury by electrocution.
>Do not inhale gases emanating from the
high-voltage battery. Stay away from the
vehicle if necessary.
>Contact a service center in order to ascer-
tain the damage.