Lights and Visibility
48Lights and VisibilityLightsSwitching lights on and off
Fig. 36 Dash panel: Light switch / fuse box: Switch for daylight driving lightsSwitching on side lights– Turn the light switch
fig. 36
- left into position
.
Switching on the low beam and main beam– Turn the light switch into position
.
– Press the main beam lever forward in order to switch on the main beam
page 52, fig. 40
.
Switching off lights (except daylight driving lights)– Turn the light switch into position O. During the engine start, the low beam
lights are switched off automatically.
On vehicles fitted with
right-hand steering
* the position of the switches differs to
some extent from the position shown on
fig. 36
. The symbols which mark the switch
positions are identical, however.
WARNING
Never drive with side lights on - risk of accident! The side lights are not bright enough to light up the road sufficiently in front of you or to be seen by other oncoming traffic. In this case, always switch on the low beam when it is dark or if visibility is poor.
Note
O n R S v e h i c l e s w i t h s e p a ra t e l i g h t s * f o r d a
ylight driving lights (in the bumper below
the main headlights) these lights also serve as side lights.
An audible warning will sound if you wi
thdraw the ignition key and open the
driver's door when the vehicle lights are still on.
The acoustic warning signal is switched off over the door contact when the driver's
door is closed (ignition off). The vehicle
can be parked with
the side lights on.
If the car is parked for a lengthy period,
we recommend switching off all lights, or
leaving only the parking lights switched on.
The switching on of the described lights
should only be undertaken in accordance
with the legal requirements.
In the event of cool or humid
weather conditions
, the headlights can be misted up
from inside.
The temperature difference between interior and external area of the headlight lenses is decisive. When the driving lights are switched on,
the light outlet surfaces are free from
mist after a short period. The headlight lens
es can possibly mist up at the border
areas. It also concerns reverse light and turn signal lights. This mist has no influence on th
e life of the lighting system.
“DAY LIGHT” *Activating daylight driving lights*– Remove the cover of the fuse box on
the left side of the dash panel
page 195.
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Lights and Visibility
49
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
– Turn the light switch into position O
page 48, fig. 36
- left.
– Switch on the switch for daylight driving lights
page 48, fig. 36
- right.
Activating daylight driving lights*
on vehicles with the “START-STOP”
system– Pull the turn signal light lever towards the
steering wheel, at the same time slide it
to the top and hold it in this position.
– Switch on the ignition - the right turn signal light flashes 4x.– Switch off the ignition - an audible signal
sounds, which confirms
the activation of
the daylight driving lights.
– Release the turn signal light lever.Deactivating daylight driving lights*– Switch off the switch for daylight driving lights
page 48, fig. 36
- right.
– Turn the light switch to the position side lights
or low beam
page 48,
fig. 36
- left.
Deactivating daylight driving ligh
ts* on vehicles with the “START-
STOP” system– Pull the turn signal light lever towards the
steering wheel, at the same time slide it
to the bottom and hold it in this position.
– Switch on the ignition - the left turn signal light flashes 4x.– Switch off the ignition - an audible signal
sounds, which confir
ms the deactivation
of the daylight driving lights.
– Release the turn signal light lever. On vehicles with separate ligh
ts* for daylight driving lights in the fog lights or in the
front bumper, the parking lights and the lice
nce plate light do not come on when acti-
vating the function daylight drivin
g lights (neither front nor rear).
If the vehicle is not equipped with separate lights* for daylight driving lights, the combination of the low beam, the parking ligh
ts (front and rear) including the licence
plate light is used as daylight driving lights.
In some countries, the national
legal provisions require that the rear parking lights also
come on together with the separate lights* for daylight driving lights when activating the function daylight driving lights.Halogen projector headlights with cornering light function*For a better cornering illumination, the halogen projector headlights with cornering light function are set in the optimal position in line with the vehicle speed and the steering angle. If the warning light
comes on while driving or after the ignition is switched on, a
fault is confirmed.
WARNING
If there is a fault in the halogen projec
tor headlights with
cornering light func-
tion, the warning light
lights up in the instrument cluster. The halogen
projector headlights with cornering light function are automatically lowered to the emergency position, which prevents a po
ssible dazzling of oncoming traffic.
Thus the illuminated length of the road is shortened. Drive carefully and have the car inspected immediately by a specialist garage.Tourist light*Halogen projector headlights with cornering light functionThis mode makes it possible to drive in countries with opposing traffic system, driving on the left/right, without dazzling the oncoming vehicles. When the mode “tourist light” is active, the side to side swivel of the headlights is deactivated.Activating tourist lightBefore activating the tourist light,
the following condit
ions must be met:
Ignition switched off, light switched off (light switch in the position O), control dial for the headlamp beam adjustment in the position
0, no gear engaged or selector lever in
the position
N (automatic gearbox), tourist light deactivated.
– Switch on the ignition.Up to 10 seconds after the ignition is switched on:
s3j8.a.book Page 49 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Heating and air conditioning system
83
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Climatic (semi-automatic air conditioning system)*Description Climatic is a combined cooling an
d heating system with electronic
control of the convenience temperature in the vehicle interior. It makes it possible to optimally control the air temperature at any season of the year.Description of the Climatic It is important for your safety and for your
driving comfort that the Climatic is operating
properly. The air conditioning system operates when switch
page 83, fig. 91
is
pressed and the following
conditions are met:
engine running,
outside temperature above +2°C and
blower switch switched on (positions 1 to 4).
If the cooling system is switched on, the temperature and air humidity drops in the vehicle. The wellbeing of the occupants of the
car is enhanced as a result of this partic-
ularly at high outside temperatures and a
high air humidity. The system prevents the
windows misting up during th
e cold season of the year.
The heating effect is dependent upon the c
oolant temperature, thus
full heat output
only occurs when the engine has reached its operating temperature. It is possible to briefly activate recirculat
ed air mode in order to enhance the cooling
effect
.
Air at a temperature of about 5°C may flow
out of the vents under certain circum-
stances when the cooling system is operatin
g. Lengthy and uneven distribution of the
air flow out of the vents (in particular at the leg area) and large differences in temper-ature, for example when getting out of the ve
hicle, can result in chills in sensitive
persons. The air inlet in front of the windscreen must
be free of ice, snow or leaves in order to
ensure that the heating and cooling systems operate properly.
After switching on the cooling
Condensation
from the evaporator of the air condi-
tioning may drip down and form a puddle be
low the vehicle. This is quite normal and
not an indication of a leak!
WARNING
For your own safety and that of other road users, ensure that all the
windows are free of ice, snow and misting. Please familiarize yourself about how to correctly operate
the heating and ventilation systems, how to demist
and defrost the windows, as well as with the cooling mode.
You should not leave recirculated air mode on over a longer period of time,
as “stale” air may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, divert your attention and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an accident increases. Switch recirculated air mo
de off as soon as the windows begin
misting up.
Note
We recommend that you do not smoke in
the vehicle when the recirculating air
mode is operating since the smoke which is drawn at the evaporator from the interior of the vehicle forms deposits in the evapor
ator of the air conditioning system. This
produces a permanent odour when the Climat
ic is operating which can only be elimi-
nated through considerable effort and
expense (replacement of compressor).
Using the system
AC
AE
Fig. 91 Climatic: Control elements
s3j8.a.book Page 83 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Heating and air conditioning system
84 Setting temperature– Turn the control dial
fig. 91
to the right in order to increase the temperature.
– Turn the control dial to the left in order to increase the temperature.Controlling blower– Turn the blower switch into one of the po
sitions, 1 to 4, in order to switch the
blower on.
– Turn the blower switch into position 0 in order to switch the blower off.– If you wish to shut off the fresh air supp
ly, use the button - recirculated air
mode.
Control for air distribution– You can adjust the direction of the inlet air flow using control .switching cooling on and off– Press the button
fig. 91
. The warning light lights up in the button.
– When you again press the switch , the cooling system is switched off. The
warning light in the button goes out.
The set temperature will be automatically maintained other than when the control dial is on the extreme
right or extreme left position:
Extreme right position - full heating.Extreme left position - full cooling.The controls and can be set to
any desired intermediate position.
The blower should aways be on to prevent the windows from misting up.
Note
The whole heat output will be needed to
unfrost the windscreen and side windows.
No warm air will be fed to the footwell. Th
is can lead to restriction of the heating
comfort.
The used air streams out through the air removal openings in the luggage compart-
ment.
If the cooling system has not been switched on for a lengthy period, odours may
be produced at the evaporator because of de
posits. Switch the air conditioning system
on at least once a month for approximately 5 minutes at the highest blower stage - also during the cold season of the year - in order to remove such odours. Also open a window for a short time.
Please refer to the information regarding recirculated air mode
page 80.
Have the air conditioning system cleaned by a specialist workshop.
AAAAABAB
ADAC
AC
AE
AC
AA
AC
s3j8.a.book Page 84 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Heating and air conditioning system
87
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Recommended setting for all periods of the year:
Set the desired temperature, we recommend 22°C (72°F).
Press the button
fig. 92
.
Move the air outlet vents
3 and
4 so that the air flow is
directed slightly upwards.
Switching over between degrees
Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit
Press and hold the buttons and
fig. 92
at the same time. The information
in the desired temperature measuring unit appears in the display.
WARNING
For your own safety and that of other road users, ensure that all the
windows are free of ice, snow and mistin
g. Please familiarize yourself about
how to correctly operate th
e heating and ventilation systems, how to demist
and defrost the windows, as well as with the cooling mode.
You should not leave recirculated air mode on over a longer period of time,
as “stale” air may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, divert your attention and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an accident increases. Switch recirculated air mode off as soon as the windows begin misting up.
Note
If the cooling system has not been switched on for a lengthy period, odours may
be produced at the evaporator because of
deposits. Switch the cooling system on at
least once a month for approximately 5 minut
es at the highest blower stage - also
during the cold se aso n of the y ear - i n o rde
r to avoid such odours. Also open a window
for a short time.
We recommend that you do not smoke in the vehicle when the recirculating air
mode is operating since the smoke which is drawn at the evaporator from the interior of the vehicle forms deposits in the evapor
ator of the air conditioning system. This
produces a permanent odour when the air co
nditioning system is operating which can
only be eliminated through considerable
effort and expense (replacement of
compressor).
The used air streams out through the air
removal openings in the luggage compart-
ment.
Using the cooling economically
page 86.
Operational problems
page 86.
Overview of the control elementsFig. 92 Climatronic: Control elementsButtons / control dial
Setting the interior temperature
The displays
Selected interior temperature, e.g. +22°C (72°F) Degrees Celsius or FahrenheitAutomatic air conditioning mode De-mist or de-ice the windscreen Air flow to the windscreen, head, upper body and feet Recirculated air mode Air conditioning sy
stem switched on
Set blower speed
Buttons / control dial
Setting the blower speed Interior temperature sensorAutomatic mode
AUTO
AUTO
AC
A1A2A3A4A5A6A7A8A9A10A11A12
s3j8.a.book Page 87 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
Heating and air conditioning system
88
De-mist or de-ice the windscreen Air flow to the windows Air flow to head Air flow in the footwellRecirculated air mode Air conditioning system switched onNote
The interior temperature sensor is locate
d in the bottom part of the device. Do not
glue or cover over the sensor, otherwise it could have an unfavourable effect on the Climatronic.Automatic mode The automatic mode is used in order to maintain a constant tempera- ture and to demist the windows in the interior of the car.Switching automatic mode on– Set a temperature between +18°C (64 °F) and +29°C (86 °F). – Move the air outlet vents
3 and
4, so that the air flow is
directed slightly upwards.
– Press the button ,
AUTO
appears in the display.
The automatic mode is switched
off by pressing the button
for the air distribution or
increasing or decreasing
the blower speed. The temperature is nevertheless
regulated.Defrosting windscreenDefrosting windscreen - switching on– Press the button
page 87, fig. 92
.
Defrosting windscreen - switching off– Once again press the button or the button .
The temperature control is controlled automatically. More air flows out of the air outlet vents
1 and
2.
Setting temperature– You can set the desired interior temperature after switching on the ignition with the
control dial .
You can set the interior temperature betw
een +18°C (64°F) and +29°C (86 °F). The
interior temperature is regulated automatica
lly within this range. If you select the
temperature below +18°C (64°F), “LO” appears in the display. If you select the temper-ature higher than +29°C (86°F), “HI” appears
in the display. In both limit positions the
Climatronic operates at ma
ximum cooling or heating capacity, respectively. The
temperature is not controlled in this case. Lengthy and uneven distribution
of the air flow out of the vents (in particular at the leg
area) and large differences in temperature, for example when getting out of the vehicle, can result in chills in sensitive persons.Controlling blower There are a total of seven blower stages available.The Climatronic system controls the blower st
ages automatically in
line with the inte-
rior temperature. You can also, however, adap
t the blower stages manually to suit your
particular needs. – Turn the control dial
page 87, fig. 92
to the left (reduce blower speed) or right
(increase blower speed).
If you switch off the blower, th
e Climatronic is switched off.
WARNING
“Stale air” may result in fatigue in the driver and occupants, reduce atten-
tion levels and also cause the windows to mist up. The risk of having an accident increases.
Do not switch the Climatronic system off for longer than necessary.
Switch the Climatronic system on as soon as the windows mist up.
A13A14A15A16A17A18
A11
AUTO
AUTO
A1
A10
s3j8.a.book Page 88 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM
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
Driving and the Environment
147
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
guidelines given in this chapter in order to
make best use of these characteristics and
to maintain their effectiveness.Looking ahead when driving A vehicle's highest fuel consumption occurs it accelerates.Avoid accelerating and braking unnecessarily.
If you drive with forsight you will not
need to brake so often and will also then
not have to accelerate so much. Let your
vehicle coast to a stop, for example, if this is possible, when you see that the next set of traffic lights is at red.Shifting gears and saving energy Shifting up early saves on fuel.Manual gearbox– Drive no more than about one length of your vehicle in first gear. – Shift up into the next higher gear at approx. 2 000 to 2 500 revs.Automatic gearbox– Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly
. Do not depress it beyond the kickdown
position, however.
An effective way of achieving good
fuel economy is to shift up
early
. You will consume
more fuel if you drive at unnecessaril
y high revolutions in any given gear.
The
fig. 133
shows the ratio of fuel consumption
to the speed of your vehicle in the
relevant gear. Fuel consumption in 1st gear
is the highest. The consumption is the
lowest in the highest gear. You will achieve good fuel economy by shif
ting up early and shifting down late.
Note
Also use the information supplied by the multi-functional indicator*
page 19.
Avoiding full throttle Driving more slowly
means saving fuel.
Sensitive use of the accelerator will not only significantly reduce fuel consumption but also positively influence environmenta
l pollution and wear of your vehicle.
You should avoid exploiting the top speed
of your vehicle wherever possible. Fuel
consumption, pollutant emissions and vehicl
e noises increase disproportionally at
high speeds. The
fig. 134
shows the ratio of fuel consumption to the speed of your vehicle. You
will cut your fuel consumption by half if
you only make use three-quarters of the
possible top speed of your vehicle.
Fig. 133 Fuel consumption
Fig. 134 Fuel consumption in litres/100 km. and speed in km/h.
s3j8.a.book Page 147 Tuesday, April 20, 2010 1:10 PM