Starting-off and Driving
91
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Avoid high engine revolutions, full throttle and high engine loads as long as the
engine has not yet reached its normal oper
ating temperature - risk of damaging the
engine!
Vehicles which are fitted with an exhaust gas catalytic converter should not be tow-
started over a distance of more than 50 metres.
For the sake of the environment
Never warm up the engine when the vehicle is standing. Drive off right away. When driving the engine reaches its operating te
mperature more rapidly and the pollutant
emissions are lower.Petrol enginesThese engines are fitted with a starter system which selects the correct fuel-air mixture for every external air temperature.
Do not operate accelerator before and when starting engine.
Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10
seconds if the engine does not start right
awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.
It is possible that the fuse on the electric
al fuel pump is defect if the engine still
does not start. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary
page 195.
If the engine does not start, contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain profes-
sional assistance. It may be necessary, if the engine is
very hot
, to slightly depress the accelerator after
the engine has started.Diesel enginesGlow plug system Diesel engines are equipped with a glow
plug system, the preglow period being
controlled automatically in line with the coolant temperature and outside tempera- ture. The preglow indicator light
comes on after the ignition has been switched on.
You should not switch on any major electrical components during the heating period otherwise the vehicle battery will be drained unnecessarily.
You should start the engine immediately after the glow plug warning light
has
gone out.
The glow plug warning light will come on for about one second if the engine is at a
normal operating temperature or if the outside temperature is above +5°C. This means that you can start the engine
right away
.
Interrupt the attempt at starting after 10 seconds if the engine does not start right
awayand wait for about 30 seconds before repeating the attempt.
It is possible that the fuse
on the diesel preglow system is defect if the engine still
does not start. Check the fuse and replace it if necessary
page 195.
Contact the nearest specialist garage to obtain professional assistance.
Starting the engine after fuel tank has run dry It may take longer than normal to start the
engine after refuelling if the fuel tank has
run completely dry - up to one minute. This is
because the fuel system must first of all
be filled while the attempting to start the engine.Switching off the engine– The engine can be switched off by turnin
g the ignition key from position into
page 89, fig. 94
.
WARNING
Never switch off the engine before the ve
hicle is stationary - risk of accident!
The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater phys-
ical effort for braking is required when en
gine is switched off.
Because if you do
not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.
Caution
you should not switch the engine off right away at the end of your journey after the engine has been operated for a lengthy period
at high loads but should be allowed it
to run at idling speed for about 2 minutes.
This prevents any accumulation of heat
when the engine is switched off.
A1
s3j8.a.book Page 91 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Starting-off and Driving
92
Note
The radiator fan may continue running fo
r a further 10 minutes or so after the
engine and the ignition have been switched
off. The coolant fan may, however, also
switch on again after some time if the co
olant temperature rises because of an accu-
mulation of heat in the engine or if the engine is warm and the engine compartment is additionally heated
by strong sunlight.
This is why particular care is required
when carrying out any work in the engine
compartment
page 166, “Working in the engine compartment”.
Shifting (manual gearbox)Shift into reverse only when the vehicle is
stationary. Depress the clutch pedal and hold
it fully depressed. Wait a moment before en
gaging reverse gear in order to avoid any
shift noises. The reversing light will come on once reverse gear is engaged, provided the ignition is on.
WARNING
Never engage the reverse gear when driving - risk of accident!
Note
One should not lay the hand on the shift lever while driving the vehicle. The pres-
sure of the hand will be transferred to the gearshift forks in the gearbox. This can, over a period of time, lead to earl
y wear of the gearshift forks.
Depress the clutch pedal fully when changi
ng gears, in order to avoid unnecessary
wear and damage.HandbrakeApplying the handbrake– Pull the handbrake lever up fully.Releasing the handbrake– Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and
at the same time
press in the locking
button
fig. 96
.
– Hold the button pressed and push the handbrake lever down fully
.
The handbrake warning light
lights up when the handbrak
e is applied, provided the
ignition is on. A warning signal sounds and the following text appears in the display* if you have inad- vertently driven off with the handbrake applied:
Release parking brake!
Fig. 95 Shift pattern on models fitted with 5-speed manual gearbox
Fig. 96 Centre console: Handbrake
s3j8.a.book Page 92 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Starting-off and Driving
95
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
WARNING
First ensure that it is not too high for the traffic conditions which exist at that moment before resuming the stored speed.Changing a stored speed You can also change the speed of
the vehicle without depressing the
accelerator.Fa s t e r–You can
increase
the stored speed without depressing the accelerator, by pressing
the rocker button
page 94, fig. 98
into the
RES+
position.
– The speed of the car will increase cont
inuously if you hold the rocker button
pressed in the
RES+
position. Once the vehicle ha
s reached the desired speed,
release the rocker button. The set speed is then stored in the memory.
Slower–You can
decrease
the stored speed by pressing the rocker button in the
SET-
position.
– Holding down the pushbutton pressed in the
SET-
position will cause the speed of
the vehicle to reduce continuously. On
ce the vehicle has reached the desired
speed, release the rocker button. The set speed is then stored in the memory.
– If you release the rocker button when the vehicle is travelling at a speed of less than
30 km/h, the speed is not stored, the memory is erased. It is then necessary to again store the speed with the rocker button in the position
SET-
after an increase in
speed of the vehicle to more than 30 km/hour.
Switching off the cruise control system temporarily–You can
switch off
the cruise control system
temporarily
by depressing the brake
pedal or clutch pedal, on vehicles fitted
with an automatic gearbox only with the
brake pedal.
– You can switch off temporarily the cruise control system, if you press the switch
in the middle position.
The set speed remains stored in the memory. The
Resumption
of the stored speed is achieved by releasing the brake or clutch
pedal, on vehicles fitted with automatic
gearbox only after releasing the brake pedal
and after shortly pressing the rocker button
page 94, fig. 98
into the position
RES+
.WARNING
First ensure that it is not too high for the traffic conditions which exist at that moment before resuming the stored speed.Switching off the cruise control system completely– Press the switch
page 94, fig. 98
to the right into position
OFF
.
“START-STOP”*The “START-STOP” system helps you to save
fuel while at the same time reducing
exhaust pollutants and CO
2 emissions.
The system is automatically activated ea
ch time the ignition
is switched on.
The system switches the engine off automa
tically when the vehicle comes to a stand-
still, such as while wa
iting at a traffic light.
Information regarding the current state of the “START-STOP” system is indicated in the display of the instrument cluster.
AB
AB
AB
AA
AB
AA
Fig. 99 Centre console: Button for the START-STOP system
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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
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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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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