Page 97 of 244

Starting-off and Driving
96 Automatic engine shut down (stop phase)– Bring the vehicle to a stop (a
pply the handbrake, if necessary).
– Take the vehicle out of gear.– Release the clutch pedal.Automatic engine start (start phase)– Depress the clutch pedal.Activating and deactivating the “START-STOP” systemYou can deactivate and reactivate the “START-STOP” system by pressing the button page 95, fig. 99
.
If the system is deactivated, the warning light lights up in the button.If the vehicle is in the stop phase when pressing the button, the engine starts immedi- ately. The START-STOP system involves compli
cated switching conditions, some of
them cannot be correctly determined with
out servicing. The
general conditions
for the proper functioning of the START-ST
OP system are listed in the following
overview. Conditions for the automatic en
gine shut down (stop phase)
Conditions that enable an auto
matic engine start (start phase)
Conditions that enable an automatic engine start without driver intervention
Gearshift lever in the neutral positionClutch pedal not depressedThe driver has fastened the seat beltThe driver's door is closedThe bonnet is closedThe vehicle is stationaryThe factory-fitted towing device is no
t electrically connected to a trailer
The engine operating temperature is reachedThe charge state of the vehicle battery is sufficientSlope angle / gradient of the vehicle must not be too great
Engine speed is lower than 1200 rpmThe temperature inside the vehicle battery is not too low or too highThe pressure in the brake system is sufficientThe difference between set and actual temperature in the interior is not too greatThe vehicle has exceeded the speed of 3 km/h since the last automatic startNo cleaning cycle is active in
the diesel particle filter*
page 33
The front wheels are not turned excessively (t
he steering angle is less than 3/4 of a
steering wheel revolution)The clutch pedal is pressedThe temperature setting is changed to min./max.Defrosting windscreen is switched onHigh blower speed is setButton for the START-STOP system is pressedThe vehicle moves at a speed of more than 3 km/hThe difference between the set and the actual temperature in the interior is too greatThe battery voltage is too lowThe pressure in the brake system is not sufficient
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Starting-off and Driving
97
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Messages in the instrument cluster (valid for vehicles without information display*)
WARNING
If the engine is switched off, neit
her the brake booster nor the electrohy-
draulic power steering operates.
Never let the vehicle roll wi
th the engine switched off.
Caution
If the “START-STOP” system is used at very
high outside temperatures over a longer
period of time, the vehicl
e battery can be damaged.
Note
A change in ambient temperature can affect the temperature inside the battery
with several hours delay. For example, if
the vehicle is standing outside for a long
period of time at a temperature below freezi
ng, or vice versa under
direct sunlight, it
may take several hours until the temperat
ure inside the battery reaches the appro-
priate temperature for the START-STOP system.
In some cases, it is necessary to manually start the engine using the key (for
example, if the driver's seat belt is not fastened or if the driver door is open for a period of more than 30 seconds during the stop
phase). Pay attention to the relevant
messages in the instrument cluster.
If the Climatronic* is switched into the automatic mode, this may in certain circum-
stances prevent the automatic engine shut down.
ERROR START STOP FEHLER START STOP
Error in the START-STOP system
ENGINE MUST RUN MOTORLAUF NOETIG
Automatic engine shut down is not possible
START STOP ACTIVE START STOP AKTIV
Automatic engine shut down (stop phase)
SWITCH OFF IGNITION ZUENDUNG AUSSCHALTEN
Switch off the ignition
START ENGINE MANUALLYMOTOR MANUELL STARTEN
Start the engine manu- ally
s3j8.a.book Page 97 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Page 99 of 244

Automatic gearbox
98Automatic gearboxAutomatic gearbox*Information for driving with the 6-speed automatic gearbox* Your car is equipped with a conv
entional 6-speed automatic gearbox.
The maximum speed is reached in the 5th gear. The 6th gear serves as an economic driving programme, which is intended to redu
ce the fuel consumption. Shifting up and
down through the gears is performed automa
tically. You can also, however, switch the
gearbox over into the
Tiptronic mode
. This mode makes it possible for you to also shift
gears manually
page 102.
Starting-off and Driving– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed. – Press the Shiftlock button (button in ha
ndle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the
desired position, e.g.
D page 99, and then release the
Shiftlock button.
– Wait a moment until the gearbox has shif
ted (a slight engage
ment nudge can be
felt).
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator
.
Stop– The selector lever position
N does not have to be selected when stopping just for
a short time, such as at a cross roads. It
is sufficient to hold
the vehicle stationary
using the foot brake. The engine can, however, be allowed just to idle.
Parking– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed. – Apply the handbrake firmly.– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector lever to
P and
then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be
started
when the selector lever is in position
P or N page 90.
It is sufficient to engage selector lever position
P when parking on a flat surface. When
parking on a slope you should first apply
the handbrake firmly and then move the
selector lever into position
P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive pressure acting
on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move the selector lever out of position
P.
If the selector lever position
N is selected by accident while driving it is first necessary
to release pressure on the accelerator pedal and wait for idling speed of the engine to be reached before engaging a driv
e position in the selector lever.
WARNING
Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the selector
lever if the car is stationary and the engine is running - risk of accident!
Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
When the engine is running and the vehi
cle is stationary, it is necessary to
hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (except P and N) since the power transmission is never completely interrupted, also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle creeps.Information for driving with the automatic gearbox DSG* The abbreviation DSG mean
s Direct shift gearbox (Direct shift gearbox).
Two independent clutches are needed for the power transmission between the engine and the gearbox. These replace the torque
converter of the conv
entional automatic
gearbox. Their shifting is matched in such
a way that there are no jerks when shifting
the gear and the power transmission of the engine to the front wheels is not inter- rupted. Shifting up and down through the
gears is performed automatically. You can
also, however, switch the gearbox over into the
Tiptronic mode
. This mode makes it
possible for you to also shift gears manually
page 102.
Starting-off and Driving– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed.
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Automatic gearbox
99
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in ha
ndle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the desired position, e.g. in
D, and then release the Shiftlock
button.
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator
.
Stop– The selector lever position
N does not have to be selected when stopping just for
a short time, such as at a cross roads. It is absolutely sufficient to hold the stopped vehicle stationary by depressing the foot
brake. The engine can, however, be
allowed just to idle.
Parking– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed. – Apply the handbrake firmly.– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector lever to
P and
then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be
started
when the selector lever is in position
P or N page 90.
At temperatures below -10 °C the engine can only be started in the selector lever posi- tion
P.
It is sufficient to engage selector lever position
P when parking on a flat surface. When
parking on a slope you should first apply
the handbrake firmly and then move the
selector lever into position
P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive pressure acting
on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move the selector lever out of position
P.
If the selector lever position
N is selected by accident while driving it is first necessary
to release pressure on the accelerator pedal and wait for idling speed of the engine to be reached before engaging a drive position in the selector lever.
WARNING
Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the selector
lever if the car is stationary and the
engine is running - risk of accident!
Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
If you are stopping at a hill (downhill section), never try to hold the car
stationary with the gear engaged by mean
s of the “accelerator”, this means by
letting the clutch slip. This can lead to ov
erheating of the clutch
. If there is a risk
of overheating of the clutch due to overlo
ad, the clutch is op
ened automatically
and the vehicle rolls backward - risk of accident!
If yo u m us t s to p a t a sl ope , d e pre s s a nd ho ld t he b ra ke pe d a l , s o t ha t y ou c a n
prevent the vehicle from rolling back.
Caution
The double clutch on the automatic gear
box DSG is equipped with an overload
protection. If you make use of the uphill func
tion on a vehicle which is stationary or
driving slowly uphill, it will result in an
increase of thermal stress of the clutches.
In the event that they overheat, the warning light
and a warning text
page 24
appear in the information display*. In such a case bring the vehicle to a stop, switch off the engine and wait until the warning light and the warning go out - risk of gearbox damage! You can continue the trip as soon as the warning light and the warning go out.Selector lever positionsFig. 100 Selector lever / information display: Selector lever positionsThe selector lever position you have engaged is shown in the information display of the instrument cluster with the corr
esponding gear symbol highlighted
fig. 100
- on
WARNING (continued)
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Page 101 of 244

Automatic gearbox
100
the right. In the positions
D and
S the gear you have already engaged will be addition-
ally displayed on the display. - Parklock The driven wheels are locked me
chanically in this position.
The Parklock must only be engage
d when the vehicle is stationary
.
If you wish to move the selector lever into
or out of this position, you must press the
Shiftlock button in the handle of the select
or lever and at the same time depress the
brake pedal. - Reverse gear Reverse gear must only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary and the engine idling
.
The brake pedal must be depressed and at
the same time the Shiftlock must be
pressed, if you wish to obtain the selector lever positions
R, P or N.
When the ignition is switched on an
d the selector lever is in position
R, the reverse
lights will come on. - Neutral The transmission is in Neutral in this position. The brake pedal must be depressed (if the le
ver is in its position for longer than 2
seconds) in order to move the selector lever out of the position
N into the position
D,
with the ignition switched on, on a vehicle travelling at less than 5 km/hour or on a stationary vehicle. - Position for driving forward When the selector lever is in this position
, the forward gears are shifted up and down
automatically in line with engine lo
ad, vehicle speed and the dynamic shift
programme. You must depress the brake pedal if you wish to move into position
D from
N when the
vehicle is travelling at less th
an 5 km/hour or is stationary
.
In certain circumstances (e.g. when driving
in mountainous regions or when towing a
trailer) it may be beneficial to
select the manual shift programme
page 102 for a
short time in order to adapt the gearbox
ratios manually to the driving situations.
- Position for sporty style of driving Shifting up later into a higher gear makes it
possible to fully exploit the power potential
of the engine. The gearbox also then shifts down at higher engine speeds as in the posi-tion
D.
The gearbox does not shift into the 6th gear in the position
S, because the maximum
speed is reached with the 5th gear
7).
The Shiftlock on the selector lever grip mu
st be pressed when moving the selector
lever out of the position
D into the position
S.
WARNING
Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
When the engine is running and the vehi
cle is stationary, it is necessary to
hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (except P and N) since the power transmission is never completely interrupted, also not when the engine is idling - the vehicle creeps.
You must on no account unintentionally operate the throttle (e.g. by hand
from the engine compartment) if a driv
e position is engaged when the car is
stationary. The vehicle would otherwise
immediately start o
ff - also when the
handbrake is firmly applied - risk of an accident!
You must move the selector lever into position P and firmly apply the hand-
brake first before you or any other person opens the bonnet and starts working on the engine when it is running - risk of accident! It is also essential to observe all warnings
page 166, “Working in the engine compartment”.
Selector lever lockAutomatic selector lever lock
With the ignition on, the selector lever is locked when it is in the positions
P and
N. You
must first of all depress the brake pedal in or
der to move the selector lever out of this
position. The warning light
page 31 lights up in the instrument cluster as a
reminder for the driver when the selector lever is in the positions
P and
N.
APARANAD
7)Not valid for vehicles with automatic gearbox DSG.AS
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Automatic gearbox
101
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
A time delay element ensures that the selector lever is not blocked when rapidly switching over the position
N (e.g. from
R to D). This does, for example, allow one to
seesaw out a stuck vehicle. The selector lever lo
ck will click into place if the lever is in
the
N position for more than 2 seconds without the brake pedal being pressed.
The selector lever lock is only active if the
vehicle is stationary or
moving at speed of
less than 5 km/hour. The lock is swit
ched off automatically into position
N when the
car is travelling at a higher speed. Shiftlock button The Shiftlock button in the hand
le of selector lever prevents certain selector lever posi-
tions being engaged inadvertently. The selector lever lock is cancelled when you press the Shiftlock button. Keylock
8)- Ignition key withdrawal lock
You can only withdraw the ignition key after switching off the ignition if the selector lever is in position
P. If the ignition key is withdrawn, the selector lever is blocked in
position
P.
Kickdown function The kickdown function provides you with maximum acceleration power.Fully depressing the accelerator pedal allows
the kickdown function to be activated in
the desired driving program. This function has precedence over the driving programme and serves for maximum acceleration of the vehicle when exploiting the maximum power potential of the engine wi
thout taking into account the current
selector lever position (
D, S or Tiptronic
). The gearbox shifts down to one or several
gears in line with the driving state and the vehicle accelerates. The gearbox does not shift up into the highest gear until the en
gine has reached its maximum revolutions for
this gear range.
WARNING
Please note that using the kickdown function can result in the driven wheels spinning on a smooth or slippery road surface - risk of skidding!
Dynamic shift programmeThe automatic gearbox of your vehicle is
controlled electronically. Shifting up and
down through the gears is performed automatically on the basis of pre-defined driving programmes. Adopting a
moderate style of driving
will cause the gearbox to select the most
economical driving programme. Shifting up into a higher gear as soon as possible and shifting down as late as po
ssible will have a favourable effect on your fuel consump-
tion. Adopting a
sporty style of driving
with rapid movements of the accelerator pedal
combined with sharp acceleration and freque
nt changes in speed, exploiting the top
speed of the car or depressing the accele
rator pedal (kickdown function), will cause
the gearbox to switch over to this style of driving and shift down earlier with frequent changes in gears in comparison to the moderate style of driving. Selecting the most appropriate driving programme for the particular style of driving is a continuous process. Irrespective of this it is, however, possible to switch or shift down into a dynamic shift programme by depressi
ng the accelerator rapidly. The gearbox
shifts down into a lower gear matching the speed of the car and this allows you to accelerate rapidly (e.g. when overtaking)
without having to depress the accelerator
pedal fully into the kickdown range. The or
iginal programme will be reactivated to
match your particular styl
e of driving once the gearbox has shifted up again.
When driving in hilly regions, the gears are selected to match uphill and downhill sections. This avoids the gearbox frequently
shifting up and down when negotiating an
uphill stretch. When driving downhill, it is
possible to shift do
wn into the Tiptronic
position, in order to exploit the engine brake torque.
8)Only valid for some countries.
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Automatic gearbox
102
Tiptronic The Tiptronic allows the driver
to also shift gears manually.
Fig. 101 Selector lever: manual shifting / large information display: manual shiftingThe selector lever position you have engaged is indicated in the information display of the instrument cluster together with the engaged gear
fig. 101
on the right.
Switching over to manual shifting– Push the selector lever to the right out of position
D. After switching over, the
current engaged gear is indicated in the display.
Shifting up gears– One-touch forward of the selector
lever (in the Ti
ptronic position)
fig. 101
.
Shifting down gears– One-touch back of the selector lever (in the Tiptronic position) . It is possible to switch over to manual both
when the car is stat
ionary and also when
driving. When you accelerate, the gearbox shifts up
automatically into the higher gear just
before the maximum permissible engine speed is reached. If you select a lower gear, the automatic gearbox does not shift down until there is no risk of the engine overrevving. If you operate the kickdown function, the gearbox shifts into a lower gear in line with the vehicle speed and engine speed.
Manual shifting on the multifunction steering wheel*Switching over to manual shifting– Push the selector lever to the right out of position
D. After switching over, the
current engaged gear is indicated in the display.
Shifting up gears– Press the right rocker switch
fig. 102
for the multifunction steering wheel.
Shifting down gears– Press the left rocker switch
fig. 102
for the multifunction steering wheel.
Temporarily switching over to manual shifting– If the selector lever is in position
D or S, press the left rocker switch or the right
rocker switch for the multifunction steering wheel.
– If the rocker switches or are not pr
essed for some time, the manual shifting
switches off. You can also switch off the
temporary switch over to manual shifting
by pressing the right
rocker switch for more than 1 second.
Emergency programme An emergency programme exists in the event of a fault in the system.The gearbox operates in a corresponding emergency programme if there are func- tional faults in the gearbox electronics. This
is indicated by all of
the segments in the
display lighting up or going out.
A+
A-
Fig. 102 Multifunction steering wheel: manual shifting
+-
-
+
-
+
+
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Automatic gearbox
103
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
A functional fault can have the following effect:
The gearbox only shifts into certain gears.
The reverse gear
R cannot be used.
The manual shift programme (Tiptronic) is switched off in the emergency mode.
If the gearbox has switch
ed over to emergency mode, drive to the nearest
specialist garage in order to have the fault rectified.Selector lever-emergency unlockingIn case of interruption of the power supply (e
.g. flat vehicle battery, defective fuse) or
defect of the selector lever lock, the select
or lever can no longer be shifted from the
position
P in the normal way and the vehicle ca
n no longer be moved. The selector
lever must be unlocked in case of emergency. – Apply the handbrake firmly.– Carefully pull up the front left and right cover.– Pull up rear cover.– Use the finger to press the yellow plastic part downwards
fig. 103
.
– Simultaneously press the shiftlock button in
the handle of the selector lever in the
position
N9).
Tow-starting and towing vehicle Tow-starting a vehicle It is not possible to tow-start or push-sta
rt vehicles fitted wi
th automatic gearbox.
you can use jump-start
cables connected to the battery of another vehicle for starting
your car if the vehicle battery is flat
page 190.
Towing a vehicle Please pay attention to the following information if it comes necessary to tow-in your car
page 192.
9)If the selector lever is moved again into the position
P, it is once again blocked.Fig. 103 Selector lever-emergency unlocking
s3j8.a.book Page 103 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM