Driving173
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
The Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) contains the electronic differential
lock (EDL) and the traction control system (TCS). The ESP function works
together with the ABS. If a fault in the ABS occurs, both warning lamps light
up, but if the ESP fails, only the ESP warning lamp lights up.
The ESP is started automatically when the engine is started.
The ESP switch deactivates both TCS and ESP functions. The ESP, in spite of
being deactivated, will always self-connect when necessary if brakes are
being used.
The TCS can be deactivated when in cases where wheel sliding is desirable.
For example:
•When driving with snow chains,•when driving in deep snow or on loose surfaces,•when rocking the vehicle backwards and forwards to free it from mud, for
example.
Next, the button should be pressed to reactivate the TCS.
When does the warning lamp switch on or flash?•On switching the ignition on, it lights up for about two seconds to carry
out a function control.•The warning lamp will start flashing when the vehicle is moving if the ESP
or the TCS is activated.•It will light up continuously if there is a malfunction in the ESP.WARNING
•The Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) cannot defy the laws of
physics. This should be kept in mind, particularly on slippery and wet
roads and when towing a trailer.•Always adapt your driving style to suit the condition of the roads and
the traffic situation. Do not let the extra safety afforded by ESP tempt you
into taking any risks when driving, as this can cause accidents.
•Please refer to the corresponding warning notes on ESP in ⇒page 191,
“Intelligent technology”.
Ignition lockIgnition key positions
The ignition key is used to start and stop the engine.Position
The ignition key is inserted in this position. To engage the steering wheel
lock , take out the key and turn the wheel until you hear the pin engage. You
should always engage the steering lock when you leave the vehicle. This will
help to deter thefts ⇒.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 147 Ignition key
positions
A1
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Intelligent technology191
Safety First
Operating Instructions
Practical Tips
Technical Specifications
Practical TipsIntelligent technologyElectronic Stability Programme (ESP)General notes
The Electronic Stability Programme increases the vehicle's
stability on the road.The ESP is designed to increase the degree of control in situations where the
vehicle approaches the limits of adhesion, especially when accelerating and
cornering. It reduces the risk of skidding and improves stability in all road
conditions. The system is active across the entire speed range. The anti-lock brake system (ABS), the electronic differential lock (EDL) and
the traction control system (TCS) are all integrated into the Electronic Stability
Programme.
How it works
The ESP control unit processes data from the three integrated systems. It also
processes additional inputs provided by other high-precision sensors. These
register the vehicle's rotation about the vertical axis (yaw rate), lateral accel-
eration, brake pressure and steering wheel angle.
The system uses the steering wheel angle and road speed to calculate the
changes of direction desired by the driver, and constantly compares them
with the actual behaviour of the vehicle. If the desired course is not being
maintained (for instance, if the vehicle is starting to skid), then the ESP
compensates automatically by braking the appropriate wheel.
The forces acting on the braked wheel bring the vehicle back to a stable
condition. If the vehicle over
swerves (tendency of the rear to leave the road),
the brakes will act on the front wheel facing the outside of the bend. If the
vehicle under swerves (tendency to leave the bend), the braking force is
applied to the rear wheel facing the inside of the bend.
The ESP works in conjunction with the ABS ⇒page 192. If a malfunction
should occur in the ABS, the ESP will also stop working.
Deactivating
The ESP is activated automatically when the engine is started and performs a
self-test routine.
Fig. 160 Centre console
with ESP switch
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Intelligent technology
194
NoteIf the ABS warning lamp lights up, this can also mean there is a fault in the
EDL. Please take the vehicle to a qualified workshop as soon as possible.Traction control system (TCS)
The traction control system prevents the drive wheels from
spinning when the vehicle is accelerating.General notes
The traction control system (TCS) is one of the functions incorporated in the
Electronic Stability Programme (ESP).
The traction control system (TCS) helps the vehicle to start moving, accelerate
or climb a gradient in slippery conditions where this may otherwise be diffi-
cult or even impossible.
How it works
The TCS acts automatically, without the driver's intervention. With the aid of
the ABS sensors ⇒page 192, the TCS monitors the speed of the drive
wheels. If the wheels start to spin, the engine speed is reduced automatically
to match the amount of grip available. The system is active across the entire
speed range.
The TCS works in conjunction with the ABS. If a malfunction occurs in the ABS,
the TCS will also be inoperative.
Note
To ensure that the TCS works properly, all four wheels must be fitted with
identical tyres. The difference in size of the wheels may lead to an undesired
reduction in engine power. Also see ⇒page 251.
BrakesGeneral notesNew brake pads
New brake pads do not provide optimal performance during the first 200 km;
first they must be “run in”. However, the reduced braking capacity may be
compensated by pressing on the brake pedal a little harder. Avoid over-
loading the brakes during run-in.
Wear
T h e r a t e o f we a r o n t h e brake pads depends a great deal on how you drive and
the conditions in which the vehicle is operated. Negative factors are, for
instance, city traffic, frequent short trips or hard driving with abrupt starts
and stops.
Wet roads or road salt
In certain conditions, such as in heavy rain, or after washing the vehicle or
driving through water, the full braking effect can be delayed by moisture (or
in winter by ice) on the discs and brake pads. In this case the brakes should
be dried by pressing the brake pedal several times.
When the speed is over 80 km/h and the windscreen wipers are on, the brake
system moves the pads towards the brake discs for a few seconds. This
occurs - without the driver knowing - at regular intervals and allows a faster
response from the brakes when driving on wet roads.
The effectiveness of the brakes can also be temporarily reduced if the vehicle
is driven for some distance without using the brakes when there is a lot of salt
on the road in winter. In this case, the layer of salt on the brake discs and pads
has to wear off before braking.
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Index
320Sliding/tilting sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Automatic close function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Emergency activation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Manual operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253, 300
Solar sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Solar-powered blower/sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Spare keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Spare parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Spare wheel Steel rim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Speed warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81, 82
Speed warning function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Steam jets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Steering Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Manual steering wheel adjustment . . . . . . 172
Steering wheel controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Stopping the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Sun visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Switches in the driver door Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Symbols Red symbols in central display . . . . . . . . . . 77
Yellow symbols in central display . . . . . . . . 79
TTailgateCentral locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
TCS How the system works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Technical modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
The danger of not using the seat belt . . . . . . . . 20
The environment Heated rear window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Leaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Warming up the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Tightening torque of wheel bolts . . . . . . . . . . . 300
tiptronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183, 189
Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Tow starting General notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203, 294 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Notes on towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203, 204
Removable towing bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Technical requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Towing bracket, fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Towing eye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Towing eyes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Tow-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Traction control system How the system works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Trailer weights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299 Trip recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Turn signal lamps
Hazard warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Trailer turn signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Turn signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Turn signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Tyre Mobility System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tyre mobility system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Tyre pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66, 90, 245 Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Tyre pressure monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Tyre pressure monitoring system . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Tyre pressures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Tyre repair kit Tyre Mobility System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tyres and wheels Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Tyres service life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Tyres tread depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Tyres with directional tread pattern . . . . . . . . . 245
UUnderbody protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219VVehicle data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Vehicle identification data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Vehicle identification number . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Vehicle keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
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