Automatic gearbox
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Automatic 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 98.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 95, and then release the
Shiftlock button.
– Wait a moment until the gearbox has shif ted (a slight engagement 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 88. 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!
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 conventional 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 98.Starting-off and Driving– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed.
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Automatic gearbox95
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– 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 88.
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 opened 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 23
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. 97 Selector lever / information display: Se lector lever positionsThe selector lever position you have engaged is shown in the information display of
the instrument cluster with the corresponding gear symbol highlighted fig. 97 on
WARNING (continued)
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Automatic gearbox
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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 mechanically 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 selector 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 98 for a short
time in order to adapt the gearbox rati os 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
9).
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 off - 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 162, “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 30 lights up in the instrument cluster as a
reminder for the driver when the selector lever is in position P or N.
APARANAD
9)Not valid for vehicles with automatic gearbox DSG.AS
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Automatic gearbox97
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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 - 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 engine 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 accelerator 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 down into the Tiptronic
position, in order to exploit the engine brake torque.
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Tiptronic
The Tiptronic allows the driver to also shift gears manually.Fig. 98 Manual shifting: Selector lever / large information displayThe selector lever position you have engaged is indicated in the information display of
the instrument cluster together with the engaged gear fig. 98 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 Tiptronic position) fig. 98 .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 stationary 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.
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 functional fault can ha ve 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 switched 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. 99 .
A+
A-
Fig. 99 Selector lever-emergency
unlocking
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Passive Safety111
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correctly fastened in order to provide an optimal protection for you and your
occupants.
The driver must maintain a distance of
at least 25 cm to the steering wheel
page 110, fig. 104 . Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that
the airbag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
When driving, hold the st eering wheel with both hands firmly on the outer
edge in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock po sition. Never hold the steering wheel
firmly in the 12 o'clock position or in another way (e.g. in the middle of the
steering wheel or at the inner steering wheel edge). In such cases, injuries to the
arms, the hands and the head can occur when the driver airbag is deployed.
The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving otherwise
this will affect proper operation of the se at belts and of the airbag system - risk
of injury!
Ensure that there are no objects in the footwell as any objects may get
behind the pedals during a driving or braking manoeuvre. You would then no
longer be able to operate the clutch, to brake or accelerate.
Correct seated position for the front passenger
The fro n t p assen ger must mai n tai n a d i stan ce of a t l ea st 25 c m from th e
dash panel so that the airbag offers him the greatest possible safety it is
deployed.For the safety of the front passenger and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an
accident, we recommend the following setting.
Adjust the front passenger seat as far as possible to the rear.
Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the same
level as the upper part of your head page 110, fig. 104 on the right.
Fasten the seat belt correctly page 115, “How are seat belts correctly fastened?”.
In exceptional cases the front pass enger airbag can be deactivated page 124,
“Deactivating airbags”.
Adjusting the passenger seat page 57, “Adjusting the front seats”.
WARNING
The front seats and the head restraints must always be adjusted to match
the body size of the seat occupant as well as the seat belts must always be
correctly fastened in order to provide an optimal protection for you and your
occupants.
The front passenger must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash
panel. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the airbag
system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
Always keep your feet in the footwel l when the vehicle is being driven -
never place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the
surfaces of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes
necessary to apply the brake or in the ev ent of an accident. If an airbag is
deployed, you may suffer fatal injuries wh en adopting an incorrect seated posi-
tion!
The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving otherwise
this will affect proper operation of the se at belts and of the airbag system - risk
of injury!
Correct seated position for the occupants on the rear seats
Occupants on the rear seats must sit upright, keep the feet in the foot-
well and must have their se at belts correctly fastened.To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or an accident,
the occupants on the rear seats must observe the following.
Adjust the head restraints so that the top edge of the head restraints is at the same
level as the upper part of your head page 110, fig. 104 on the right.
Fasten the seat belt correctly page 115, “How are seat belts correctly fastened?”.
If you are transporting page 126, “Transporting children safely” children in the
vehicle, please use a suitable child restraint system.
WARNING
The head restraints must always be adjusted to match the body size, in order
to offer an optimal protection for you and your occupants.
WARNING (continued)
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Passive Safety
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Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven - never
put your feet out of the window or on the surfaces of the seats. You will be
exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes necessary to apply the brake or
in the event of an accident. If the head airbag* is deployed and when adopting
an incorrect seated position, you are exposing yourself to an increased risk of
injury and in the event of an acci dent you may suffer fatal injuries!
If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury is
increased due to incorrect routing of the seat belt.
The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving otherwise
this will affect proper operation of the se at belts and of the airbag system - risk
of injury!
Examples of an incorrect seated position
An incorrect seated position can lead to severe injuries or death for the
occupants.Seat belts offer their optimum protection only if the webbing of the seat belts is prop-
erly routed. Incorrect seated positions considerably reduce the protective functions of
the seat belts and therefore increase the risk of injury due to an incorrect routing of the
seat belt. The driver is fully responsible for himself and his occupants, in particular for
the children. Do not permit an occupant to adopt an incorrect seated position when
the car is moving.
The following list contains the examples of seated positions which are dangerous for
the occupants. This list is not complete, howe ver we would like you to get interested in
this subject.
Therefore, while the car is moving never:
stand up in the vehicle;
stand up on the seats;
kneel on the seats;
tilt the seat backrest fully to the back;
lean against the dash panel;
lie on the rear seat bench;
only sit on the front area of the seat;
sit to the side;
lean out of the window;
put the feet out of the window;
put the feet on the dash panel;
put the feet on the seat upholstery;
transport somebody in the footwell;
have the seat belt not fastened when driving;
occupy the luggage compartment.
WARNING
If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life-
threatening injuries, in case he is hit by a deployed airbag.
Before setting off, please adopt the correct seated position and do not
change this seated position while the car is moving. Also advise your occupants
to adopt the correct seated position and not to change this seated position
while the car is moving.
WARNING (continued)
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Seat belts115
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How are seat belts correctly fastened?Fastening three-point seat belts
Fasten your seat belt before starting!Fig. 107 Routing of belt webbing over the sh oulders and the lap belt / Routing of belt
webbing for an expectant mother– Correctly adjust the seat and the head restraint before fastening your seat belt
page 110, “Correct seated position”.
– Slowly pull the belt webbing at the tongue of the lock over your chest and pelvis
.
– Insert the tongue of the lock into the seat belt buckle belonging to the seat until it is heard to lock in place.
– Pull on the belt to check that it has also reliably engaged in the lock.
Each three-point seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel. This inertia reel offers you
complete freedom of movement if the belt is unreeled slowly. If the brakes are applied
suddenly, the inertia reel will block. The belts also block when the car accelerates,
when driving downhill and when cornering.
Expectant mothers must also wear the seat belt .
WARNING
The shoulder part of the seat belt must never run across your neck but must
run approximately over the middle of the shoulder and fit snugly against the chest. The lap part of the belt must r
un across the hip and must never be routed
across the stomach. It must always fit snugly fig. 107 . Adjust the belt webbing
as required.
The lap part of the belt should be posi tioned as low as possible at the pelvis
of an expectant mother in order to avoid exerting any pressure on the lower
abdomen.
Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat
belts which are not correctl y adjusted can themselves cause injuries even in
minor accidents.
A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body is
moved forward by the kinetic energy pr oduced in an accident and is then
suddenly held firm by the belt.
Only insert the lock tongue into the lock which is the correct one for your
seat. This will affect the protection which the belt offers and increase the risk of
an injury.
Seat belt height adjuster on the front seatsThe seat belt height adjuster makes it possible for you to adapt the routing of the front
three-point seat belt in the area of the shoulder to match your body size.
– To adjust the belt height press the heig ht adjuster and move it up or down
fig. 108 .
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 108 Front seat: Seat belt height
adjuster
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