
Lights and visibility129
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
– In vehicles equipped with a rain sensor*, you can move the
switch up and down to set the sensitivity of the rain sensor.
Slow wipe
– Move the lever up to position .
Continuous wipe
– Move the lever up to position .
Automatic wash and wipe
– Pull the lever towards the steering wheel, , to activate the windscreen washer.
– Release the lever. The washer will stop and the wipers will keep running for approximately 4 seconds.
Deactivating the windscreen wiper
– Pull the lever to basic position .General notes
The washers and wipers will work only when the ignition is switched on.
If you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights, the wiper speed will automatically be
reduced. The rain sensor* will automatically be set to the intermittent wipe
function.
The windscreen washer jets are heated when the ignition is switched on.
The wiper intervals in the intermittent wipe setting are also varied automati-
cally according to the road speed (in addition to the manual delay setting).
When the lights are switched on you should only pull the lever briefly to wash
the windscreen, otherwise the headlight washers* will also be enabled. This
will use an unnecessary amount of fluid from the reservoir. Rain sensor
The rain sensor* will only function in the intermittent wipe position. The inter-
mittent wipe function is enabled automatically when it starts to rain.
If the windscreen wiper lever was in the intermittent wipe position when the
ignition was off, the rain sensor will not activate until you reach a speed of 6
km/h.
Use switch to set the sensitivity of the rain sensor*.
If you have selected a high sensitivity level for the rain sensor the windscreen
wipers will react sooner to any moisture on the windscreen.
The wiper intervals in the intermittent wipe setting are also varied automati-
cally according to the road speed (in addition to the sensitivity setting).
WARNING
•For correct visibility and safe driving, the wiper must be in perfect
condition ⇒page 218. Failure to do so could result in an accident.•The rain sensor* is only intended to assist the driver. The driver is still
obliged to manually operate the windscreen wipers as required depending
on visibility.•Do not use water-repellent coatings on the windscreen. In bad visibility
conditions such as light rain, low sun or when driving at night, these coat-
ings can cause increased dazzle, which is a serious safety hazard. Such
coatings can also cause the wiper blades to make noise.Caution
•In the event of frost, check that the wiper blade has not frozen before acti-
vating the windscreen wipers. Should the windscreen wiper system be
enabled when the blade is frozen, this could damage it or even the wind-
screen wiper system motor.
AA
A3A4
A5
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Lights and visibility
132
Switching off the anti-dazzle function
–Press button ⇒page 131, fig. 104 . Indicator lamp goes
off.
Switching on the anti-dazzle function
–Press button ⇒page 131, fig. 104 . Indicator lamp turns
on.Anti-dazzle function
The anti-dazzle function is activated every time the ignition is switched on.
The green indicator lamp lights up in the mirror housing.
When the anti-dazzle function is enabled, the interior mirror will darken auto-
matically according to the amount of light it receives. The anti-dazzle function
is disabled if:•the interior lighting is switched on•reverse gear is engaged
Sensors for automatic headlights*
When the light switch is set to the AUTO position, the dipped beam head-
lights are switched on and off automatically according to the ambient light
level with the aid of the sensors located in the interior mirror ⇒page 117.WARNING
Electrolyte fluid can leak from a broken mirror. This fluid can cause irrita-
tion to the skin, eyes and respiratory organs. Wash thoroughly with clean
water should you come into contact with this fluid. Seek medical assist-
ance if needed!
Caution
Electrolyte fluid leaking from a broken mirror can cause damage to plastic
surfaces. Use a sponge or similar to remove the fluid as soon as possible.
Note
•The interior mirror automatic anti-dazzle function* will only work properly
if the sun blind* for the rear window is retracted and if there are no other
objects preventing light from reaching the mirror.•If you have to stick any type of sticker on the windscreen, do not do so in
front of the sensors. Doing so could prevent the automatic headlight or anti-
dazzle function from working correctly or even from working at all.Exterior mirrors
The exterior mirrors are adjusted electrically.
AA
AB
AA
AB
Fig. 105 Detailed view of
the armrest: Adjuster
knob
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Seats and storage compartments
154One or two drink holders can be held in the centre console.
WARNING
•Do not put any hot drinks in the drink holder while the vehicle is
moving. You can be scalded if the hot liquid is spilt.•Do not use hard china cups or glasses. These could cause injury in the
event of an accident.
Ashtray*, cigarette lighter* and electric
sockets*Front ashtray*
Opening the ashtray
– Lightly press the front part of the ashtray ⇒fig. 133 .
Removing the ashtray
– Take hold of the sides of the ashtray ⇒ fig. 133 and lift it out.
Fitting the ashtray casing
– Insert the casing and press it into its mountings.
WARNING
Never put waste paper in the ashtray, as this could cause a fire.Rear ashtray
Fig. 133 Centre console:
Open ashtray
AA
AB
Fig. 134 Rear ashtray
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Seats and storage compartments155
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Opening the ashtray
– Lift the lid.
Removing the ashtray
– Take hold of the lid ⇒page 154, fig. 134 and lift out the ashtray.
Fitting the ashtray casing
– Open the lid on the ashtray and press the casing into the mounting as far as it will go.
WARNING
Never put waste paper in the ashtray, as this could cause a fire.
Cigarette lighter*
The 12 volt socket for the cigarette lighter can also be used as
a power source for other electrical appliances.Using the cigarette lighter
–Press in the ciga rette lighter button.
– Wait for the lighter to pop out slightly.
– Pull out the cigarette lighter immediately.
– Use the glowing heater element of the cigarette lighter to light your cigarette.
– Put the cigarette lighter back in its socket.
Operating the socket
– Take out the cigarette lighter.
Fig. 135 Cigarette lighter
in the centre console
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Air conditioning
170Each of the three buttons has a specific function. The numbers relate to the
air outlets ⇒page 169, fig. 143.
Air directed to windows
This setting directs all the air to outlets 1 and 2. Unlike in setting , the
volume of air delivery remains the same.
Air to the driver/front passenger
All the air comes from outlets 3 and 4 in the dash panel and from the rear of
the centre console.
Air to the footwells
Most of the air emerges from outlets 5 and the outlets under the front seats.
Some of the air will also be issued from outlets 3 and 4.
Note
In all of the above air distribution settings, a small amount of air will still
come from the other outlets.Economical use of the air conditioner
Economical use of the air conditioner will help save fuel.Engine power is reduced and fuel consumption increases when the
air conditioner is in co oling mode. To ensure that the system is only
switched on when it is really necessary, please note the following
points:
– Select ECON mode if you wish to save fuel.
– S e le c t ECO N m o d e i f yo u d e ci d e t o o p e n t h e w i n d o w s o r su n r o o f * while driving. – If the vehicle has heated up after standing in the sun, open the
windows and doors for a short time to cool the vehicle.
For the sake of the environment
By saving fuel you also reduce the amount of pollutants emitted from your
vehicle.Key settings
When the ignition is switched on, the air conditioner settings
assigned to the key are selected automatically.The air conditioner settings selected are automatically stored and assigned
to the key in use. When the vehicle is started, the air conditioner automati-
cally selects the settings assigned to the key. Hence, every driver automati-
cally obtains his/her preferred settings without having to select them manu-
ally.
Note
Should another driver use the key and enter other settings, the previous
settings will be deleted.
<
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Driving
186To move the selector lever to position R, press in the interlock button and at
the same time press the brake pedal. Depending on the model, one or two
reverse lights will come on in selector lever position R (when ignition is
switched on).
N - Neutral (idling)
In this position the gearbox is in neutral ⇒.
D - Drive (forward)
In this position, the gearbox selects the optimal transmission ratio
depending on the engine load, speed and the dynamic gear regulation
programme (DRP).
Press the brake pedal when moving the selector lever from N to D if the
vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 5 km/h ⇒.
Under certain circumstances (e.g. when driving in mountains or towing a
trailer or caravan) it can be advantageous to switch temporarily to tiptronic
mode ⇒page 189, so that the gear ratios can be selected manually to suit
the driving conditions.
S - Sport position
To drive in sports mode, select the position S. The engine power reserve is
used to its maximum. When accelerating the gear shifts will be noticeable.
Press the brake pedal when moving the selector lever from N to S if the
vehicle is stationary or at speeds below 5 km/h ⇒.
WARNING
•Never move the selector lever to R or P when driving. Failure to do so
could result in an accident.•In selector position D or S the vehicle must always be held with the foot
brake when the engine is running. This is because an automatic gearbox
still transmits power even at idling speed, and the vehicle tends to “creep”.
The throttle must on no account be opened inadvertently (for instance by hand from the engine compartment) when a gear is engaged with the
vehicle stationary. The vehicle could otherwise start moving immediately
(in some cases even if the parking brake is engaged) and possibly cause an
accident.
•To avoid accidents, apply the parking brake and put the selector lever
in position P before opening the bonnet and working on the vehicle with
the engine running. Please observe the important safety warnings
⇒ page 229, “Work in the engine compartment”.Note
•Applies to vehicles with tiptronic gearbox:•If the lever is moved accidentally to N when driving, release the acceler-
ator and let the engine speed drop to idling before selecting D or S again.•For the sake of fuel economy (and the environment), the gearbox ratios on
some models are designed so that maximum speed is only obtained when
the gear lever is in position S.WARNING (continued)
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Driving
188Vehicles with tiptronic gearbox
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right down past the point of resistance
at full throttle, the gearbox will shift down to a lower gear, depending on road
speed and engine speed. The upshift to the next higher gear is delayed until
the engine reaches maximum rpm.
WARNING
P l eas e n o te t ha t i f t h e road s u r fa ce is s l i pp e r y o r w e t , t h e k ick- d ow n fe at u re
could cause the driving wheels to spin, which could result in skidding.Dynamic gear control programme (DCP)
The automatic gearbox is controlled electronically.The vehicle is equipped with an electronically controlled gearbox. The gear
ratios are selected automatically according to preset gearshift programmes.
When you drive at moderate speeds the gearbox will select the most econom-
ical shift programme. It will then change up early and delay the downshifts to
give better fuel economy.
If you drive at higher speeds with heavy acceleration, if you open the throttle
quickly, or if you use the kick-down or the vehicle's maximum speed, the
gearbox will automatically select the sport programme.
The gearbox is self-adapting, and continuously selects the most suitable shift
programme. At the same time, the driver can also make the gearbox switch to
the sport programme by pressing the accelerator quickly. This makes the
gearbox shift down into a lower gear ratio, allowing a more rapid acceleration
(for instance to pass another vehicle), without having to press the accelerator
all the way down into the kick-down position. After the gearbox has shifted
back up it returns to the original programme, depending on your style of
driving. Vehicles with multitronic® gearbox: the gearbox continuously adapts the
gear ratios to gradients. If the brake
pedal is pressed on a downhill gradient
the gearbox automatically shifts to a lower gear ratio. This increases the
engine braking effect.
Vehicles with tiptronic gearbox: in mountainous areas, the gearbox adapts
the gears for uphill and downhill gradients. This helps to avoid constant gear
changes on uphill gradients.
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Intelligent technology
192If required, the ESP can also be enabled and disabled manually by briefly
pressing the button ⇒ page 191, fig. 160. The ESP warning lamp lights
up when the system is switched off, see ⇒page 68.
In general, the ESP should be left switched on at all times. In particular
circumstances where a certain amount of wheel slip is desirable, it may be
advisable to switch off the ESP. Examples:•when driving with snow chains•when driving in deep snow or on loose surfaces•when rocking the vehicle backwards and forwards to free it.
The ESP should be switched on again afterwards as soon as possible.WARNING
The ESP is not able to overcome the physical limits of adhesion. Even with
ESP, you should always adjust your speed to suit the conditions. Please
b ea r t h is i n m i n d , e s p e ciall y o n w e t o r s l i pp e r y roa d s u r fa ces . D o n o t l e t t h e
extra safety features tempt you into taking any risks when driving. Failure
to do so could result in an accident.Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up under braking.The anti-lock brake system (ABS) is an important part of the vehicle's active
safety system. However, the ABS will not necessarily guarantee shorter stop-
ping distances in all conditions. For instance, on loose gravel or fresh snow
on top of an icy surface (conditions which anyway require extreme care and
reduced speed), the stopping distance with ABS may even be slightly longer. How the ABS works
The system runs an automatic self-check when the vehicle reaches a road
speed of about 6 km/h. This may be accompanied by a noise from the ABS
pump.
When one of the wheels is turning very slowly in relation to the road speed
and is close to locking up, the system will reduce the brake pressure on that
wheel. The driver is made aware of this adjustment process by a vibration of
the brake pedal
and an audible noise. This is a deliberate warning to the
driver that one or more of the wheels is tending to lock up and the ABS control
function has intervened. In this situation it is important to keep the brake
pedal fully depressed so the ABS can regulate the brake application, but do
not “pump” the brake pedal.
WARNING
The grip provided by ABS is still subjec t to the physical limits of adhesion.
Always bear this in mind, especially on wet or slippery roads. If you notice
that the ABS is working (to counteract locked wheels under braking), you
should reduce speed immediately to suit the road and traffic conditions. Do
not let the extra safety features tempt you into taking any risks when
driving. Failure to do so could result in an accident.
Note
If a malfunction should occur in the ABS, this is indicated by a warning lamp
⇒ page 67.
ESP
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