The function is automatically activated each time the ignition is switched on.
In the start-stop mode, the engine automatically switches to the vehicle's idle
phase, e.g. when stopped at traffic lights.
Information regarding the current state of the
“START-STOP” system is indicated
in the display of the instrument cluster.
Automatic engine shut down (stop phase)
– Stop the vehicle (where necessary, apply the handbrake).
– Take the vehicle out of gear.
– Take your foot off the clutch.
Automatic engine restart (start phase).
– Push down on the clutch.
Switching the
“START-STOP” system on and off
You can switch the “START STOP” system on/off by pressing the button ⇒ fig. 105.
When start-stop mode is deactivated, the warning light in the button lights up.
If the vehicle is in the stop phase when manually switching off the system, the en-
gine starts immediately.
The “START-STOP” system is very complex. Some of the procedures are hard to
check without servicing. The general conditions for the proper functioning of the
“START-STOP” system are listed in the following overview.
Conditions for the automatic engine shut down (stop phase) The gearshift lever is in Neutral.
The clutch pedal is not pressed!
The driver has fastened the seat belt.
The driver's door is closed.
The bonnet is closed.
The vehicle is at a standstill.
The factory-fitted towing device is not electrically connected to a trailer.
The engine is at operating temperature.
The charge state of the vehicle battery is sufficient.
The stationary vehicle is not on a steep slope or a steep downhill section.
The engine speed is less than 1200 1/min. The temperature of the vehicle battery is not too low or too high.
The pressure in the brake system is sufficient.
The difference between the outdoor- and the set temperature in the interior is
not too great.
The vehicle speed since the last time the engine was switched off was greater
than 3 km/h.
No cleaning of the diesel particle filter takes place
⇒ page 23 The front wheels are not turned excessively (the steering angle is less than 3/4
of a steering wheel revolution). Conditions for an automatic restart (start phase)
The clutch is pressed.
The max./min. temperature is set.
The Defrost function for the windscreen is switched on.
A high blower stage has been selected.
The “START STOP” button is pressed.
Conditions for an automatic restart without driver intervention
The vehicle moves at a speed of more than 3 km/h.
The difference between the outdoor- and the set temperature in the interior is
too great.
The charge state of the vehicle battery is not sufficient.
The pressure in the brake system is not sufficient.
Messages in the instrument cluster display (valid for vehicles without
Information display) ERROR: START STOP
Error in the START-STOP system
START STOP NOT POSSIBLE Automatic engine shut down is not
possible
START STOP ACTIVE Automatic engine shut down (stop
phase)
SWITCH OFF IGNITION
Switch off the ignition
START MANUALLY
Start the engine manually
£106
Starting-off and Driving
Automatic gearbox
Information for driving with the 6-speed automatic
gearbox The maximum speed is reached in the 5th gear. The 6th gear serves as an eco-
nomic driving programme, which is intended to reduce the fuel consumption.
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 112.
Starting-off and Driving
– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in handle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the desired position, e.g. D ⇒ page 110, and then release
the Shiftlock button.
– Wait a moment until the gearbox has shifted (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 absolutely sufficient to hold the
stopped vehicle stationary by depressing the foot brake. The engine can, how-
ever, 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 . If the
selector lever is not in the P or N positions when locking the steering, switching
the ignition on or off or when leaving the engine on, the following message will
appear in the Information display Move selector lever to position P/N! or, in the
instrument cluster display: P/N. 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 is not in the P positin
when the driver's door is open and the ignition is switched off, or if it is not in the
P position when the ignition is switched off and the driver's door is opened, the
following message will appear in the Information display: Move selector lever to
position P! or, in the instrument cluster display: P. The message disappears af-
ter a few seconds by switching on the ignition or by moving the selector lever into
the position P .
If the selector lever position N is selected by accident while driving it is first nec-
essary 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 vehicle is stationary, it is necessary to
hold the car with the brake pedal in all the positions of the selector lever (ex-
cept 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 means Direct shift gearbox (Direct shift gear-
box).
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 interrupted. Shifting up and down through the gears is performed £108
Automatic gearbox
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 112.
Starting-off and Driving
– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in handle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the desired position, e.g. D ⇒ page 110, 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, how-
ever, 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 . If the
selector lever is not in the P or N positions when locking the steering, switching
the ignition on or off or when leaving the engine on, the following message will
appear in the Information display Move selector lever to position P/N! or, in the
instrument cluster display: P/N. At temperatures below -10 °C the engine can
only be started in the selector lever position 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 is not in the P positin
when the driver's door is open and the ignition is switched off, or if it is not in the
P position when the ignition is switched off and the driver's door is opened, the
following message will appear in the Information display: Move selector lever to
position P! or, in the instrument cluster display: P. The message disappears af-
ter a few seconds by switching on the ignition or by moving the selector lever into
the position P . If the selector lever position
N is selected by accident while driving it is first nec-
essary 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 sta-
tionary with the gear engaged by means of the “accelerator”, this means by
letting the clutch slip. This can lead to overheating of the clutch. If there is a
risk of overheating of the clutch due to overload, the clutch is opened auto-
matically and the vehicle rolls backward - risk of accident!
● If you must stop at a slope, depress and hold the brake pedal, so that you
can prevent the vehicle from rolling back. CAUTION
● The double clutch on the automatic gearbox DSG is equipped with an overload
protection. If you make use of the uphill function on a vehicle which is stationary
or driving slowly uphill, it will result in an increase of thermal stress of the clutch-
es.
● In the event that they overheat, the symbol appears in the information dis-
play with the warning text ⇒ page 29. 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 symbol and the
warning go out. 109
Automatic gearbox Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
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 driver must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the steering wheel
⇒ fig. 116 left. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the air-
bag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
● When driving, hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the outer
edge in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position. 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 de-
ployed.
● The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving other-
wise this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag sys-
tem - risk of injury!
● Ensure that there are no objects in the footwell as any objects may get be-
hind 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 front passenger must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm
from the dash panel so that the airbag offers him the greatest pos-
sible 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 ⇒
fig. 116 - right.
● Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒
page 137, How are seat belts correctly fas-
tened?.
In exceptional cases the front passenger airbag can be deactivated ⇒ page 145,
Deactivating an airbag.
Manual front passenger adjustment ⇒ page 60, Adjusting the front seats. Electrical front passenger seat adjustment
⇒
page 61, Adjusting front seats elec-
trically. 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 sys-
tem will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
● Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car 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 nec-
essary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If an airbag is de-
ployed, you may suffer fatal injuries when adopting an incorrect seated posi-
tion!
● The seat backrests must not be angled too far back when driving other-
wise this will affect proper operation of the seat belts and of the airbag sys-
tem - 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
footwell and must have their seat belts correctly fastened.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or an acci-
dent, 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 ⇒ fig. 116 - on the right.
● Fasten the seat belt correctly ⇒ page 137,
How are seat belts correctly fas-
tened?.
● If you are transporting ⇒ page 147, Transporting children safely
children in the
vehicle, please use a suitable child restraint system. £ 133
Passive Safety Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
Brake booster
The brake booster boosts the pressure which you generate with the brake pedal.
The necessary pressure is only generated when the engine is running. WARNING
● Never switch off the engine before the vehicle is stationary.
● The brake booster only operates when the engine is running. Greater
physical effort for braking is required when engine is switched off. Because if
you do not stop as normal, this can cause an accident and severe injuries.
● While stopping or braking with a vehicle with a petrol engine and manual
transmission in the low rev range, press down on the clutch pedal. If you fail
to do so, the result may be an impairment of the function of the power brake.
You will apply a greater force to the brake pedal which you are usde to - dan-
ger of accident!
Antilock brake system (ABS) ABS prevents the wheels locking when braking.
General
The ABS contributes significantly to enhancing the active safety of your vehicle.
Compared to a car not fitted with the ABS brake system, you are able to retain op-
timal steering ability even during a full brake application on a slippery road surface
because the wheels do not lock up.
You must not expect, however, that the braking distance will be shorter under all
circumstances as a result of the ABS. The braking distance for example on gravel
and fresh snow, when you should anyway be driving slowly and cautiously, will be
longer.
Operating principle
The brake pressure will be reduced on a wheel which is rotating at a speed which
is too low for the speed of the vehicle and tending to lock. This control cycle is
noticeable from a pulsating movement of the brake pedal which is accompanied
by noises. This is consciously intended to provide the driver with the information
that the wheels are tending to lock (ABS control range). You must always keep the
brake pedal depressed to enable the ABS to optimally control the brake applica-
tion in this braking range. Never interrupt the application of the brakes! As soon as the vehicle speed has increased to about 20 km/hour an automatic
test procedure is conducted during which you will be able to hear a pumping noise
for about 1 second. WARNING
● The ABS can also not overcome the physical limits of your vehicle. Please
do not forget this, particularly when driving on icy or wet road surfaces. If the
ABS is operating within the control range, adapt your speed immediately to
the conditions of the road surface and the traffic situation. The increased
safety offered by the ABS must not tempt you to take greater risks than oth-
erwise - risk of an accident!
● The normal braking system is still fully functional if there is an ABS fault.
Visit a specialist garage immediately and adjust your style of driving according
to the damage to the ABS as you will not know how great the damage is and
the limitation it is placing on the braking efficiency. Note
● A warning light comes on if a fault occurs in the ABS system ⇒ page 27.
● Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combi-
nation of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ABS ⇒
page 197,
Accessories, changes and replacement of parts.
Brake Assist During a severe brake application (e.g. if a hazard exists), the Brake Assist increa-
ses the braking force and thus makes it possible to rapidly produce the pressure
required in the brake system.
The majority of drivers do apply the brakes in good time in dangerous situations,
but do not depress the brake pedal with sufficient pressure. Consequently, it is
not possible for the car to achieve its maximum deceleration and the car covers a
greater distance than necessary.
The Brake Assist is activated by the very quick operation of the brake pedal. In
such cases, a much greater braking pressure exists than during a normal brake ap-
plication. This makes it possible, even with a relatively low resistance of the brake
pedal, to produce an adequate pressure in the brake system in the shortest possi-
ble time, which is required for maximum deceleration of the car. You must apply
the brake pedal firmly and hold it in this position in order to achieve the shortest
possible braking distance. £158
Intelligent Technology
Jump-starting in vehicles with the “START-STOP” system
Fig. 172 Jump-starting on vehicles with
the START-STOP system
On vehicles with the “START STOP” system, the negative cable of the charger
must never be connected directly to the negative pole of the vehicle battery, but
only to the engine earth ⇒ fig. 172.
Towing the vehicle General Vehicles with manual transmission can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope
or with the front or rear wheels raised.
Vehicles with automatic transmission can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow
rope or with the front wheels raised. If the vehicle is raised at rear, the automatic
gearbox is damaged!
Vehicles with four-wheel drive can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope or
with the front wheels raised.
A tow bar
is safest way of towing a vehicle and also minimizes any shocks. You
can use a tow rope only if a suitable tow bar is not available.
Refer to the following guidelines when towing:
Driver of the towing vehicle
– Release the clutch particularly gently when starting off or depress the acceler-
ator particularly gently if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
– On vehicles with manual transmission, only push down on the accelerator ped-
al once the rope is taught. The maximum towing speed is
50 km/h.
Driver of the towed vehicle
– Switch the ignition on so that the steering wheel is not blocked and you can
also operate the turn signal lights, the headlight flasher, the windscreen wip-
ers and windscreen washer system.
– Take the vehicle out of gear or move the selector lever into position N if your
vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
Note that the brake servo unit and power steering only operate if the engine is
running. You will require significantly greater physical force to depress the brake
pedal and to steer the vehicle if the engine is not running.
When using a tow rope, always ensure that the tow rope is always kept taught. CAUTION
● Do not tow start the engine - danger of damaging the engine. On vehicles with
a catalytic converter, unburnt fuel may get into the catalytic converter where it
may ignite. This in turn may damage or destroy the catalytic converter. You can
use the battery of another vehicle as a jump-start aid ⇒ page 206, Jump-starting
.
● If the gearbox of your vehicle no longer contains any oil because of a defect,
your vehicle must only be towed in with the driven wheels raised clear of the
ground, or on a special vehicle transporter or trailer.
● The vehicle must be transported on a special vehicle or trailer if it is not possi-
ble to tow in the vehicle in the way described or if the towing distance is greater
than 50
km.
● To protect both vehicles when tow-starting or towing, the tow rope should be
elastic. Thus one should only use plastic fibre rope or a rope made out of a similar-
ly elastic material.
● One should be constantly vigilant not to allow impermissibly high towing
forces or jerky loadings. There is always a risk of excessive stresses and damage
resulting at the points to which you attach the tow rope or tow bar when you at-
tempt to tow a vehicle which is not standing on a paved road.
● Attach the tow rope or the tow bar only to the towing eyes provided for this
purpose ⇒ page 209
, Front towing eye and ⇒ page 210, Rear towing eye. £208
Breakdown assistance
Removing fuse cover
–
Move the circlips A ⇒
fig. 177 as far as the stop, the symbol appears behind
the circlip and remove the cover.
Installing fuse cover
– Position the fuse cover on the fuse box and push the circlips A as far as the
stop - the symbol is visible behind the circlip. CAUTION
● When unlocking and locking the fuse cover, it must be pressed on the sides to
the box, otherwise damage can occur to the locking mechanism.
● Carefully position the fuse cover in the engine compartment. If the cover was
not correctly positioned, water can get into the fuses and this results in a damage
to the vehicle!
Fuse assignment in engine compartment Fig. 178 Schematic representation of
fuse carrier in engine compartment
Certain electrical components are only standard on certain vehicle model versions
or only available as optional equipment for certain models. No. Power consumer
F1 Not assigned
F2 Control unit for automatic gearbox DQ 200
F3 Measuring circuit
F4 Valves for ABS
F5 Control unit for automatic gearbox
F6 Instrument cluster, windshield wiper lever and turn signal light lever
F7 Power supply terminal 15, Starter No. Power consumer
F8 Radio
F9 Not assigned
F10 Engine control unit, Main relay
F11 Control unit for auxiliary heating
F12 Control unit for CAN databus
F13 Engine control unit
F14 Ignition
F15 Lambda probe
glow plug system relay
F16 Central control unit, right main headlight, right rear light unit
F17 Horn
F18 Amplifier for digital sound processor
F19 Front window wiper
F20 Water pump
valve for fuel dosing
F21 Lambda probe
F22 Clutch pedal switch, brake pedal switch
F23 Secondary air pump
Air mass meter
Fuel high pressure pump
F24 Activated charcoal filter, exhaust gas recirculation valve
F25 Pump for ABS
F26 Central control unit, left main headlight, left rear light unit
F27 Secondary air pump
Glow plug system
F28 Not assigned
F29 Power supply terminal 30
F30 Terminal X
a) a)
In order not to drain the battery unnecessarily when starting the engine, the electrical components
of this terminal are automatically switched off. 212
Fuses and light bulbs