
Faults in the brake surface
If it is found that the braking distance has suddenly become longer and that
the brake pedal can be depressed further, the brake system may be faulty.
Visit a specialist garage immediately and adjust your style of driving appropri-
ately as you will not know the exact extent of the damage.
Low brake fluid level
An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system.
The level of the brake fluid is monitored electronically » page 35,
Brake sys-
tem .
Brake booster
The brake booster increases the pressure generated with the brake pedal. The
brake booster only operates when the engine is running.
Handbrake
Fig. 137
Handbrake
Read and observe and on page 143 first.
Apply
›
Pull the handbrake lever firmly upwards.
Releasing
›
Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and at the same time push in the locking
button » Fig. 137 .
›
Move the lever right down while pressing the lock button.
The handbrake warning light illuminates when the handbrake is applied,
provided the ignition is on.
A warning signal sounds if the vehicle is inadvertently driven off with the
handbrake applied.
The following message is shown in the MAXI DOT display.
Release parking brake!
The handbrake warning is activated if the vehicle is driven at a speed of more
than around 5 km/h for more than 3 seconds.WARNINGPlease note that the handbrake must be fully released. A handbrake which
is only partially released can result in the rear brakes overheating. This can
have a negative effect on the operation of the brake system – there is a
risk of an accident.
CAUTION
After the vehicle has come to a standstill, always tighten the handbrake first
and then select the first gear (vehicles with a manual gearbox) or move the se-
lector lever to the P-position (vehicles with an automatic gearbox).
Manual gear changing and pedals
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Manual gear changing
144
Pedals
145
Manual gear changing
Fig. 138
Gearshift pattern of 5 gear or
6 gear manual gearbox
Always depress the clutch pedal all the way down. This prevents uneven wear on the clutch.
The gearshift indicator must be observed when changing gear » page 43.
144Driving

Switching to manual shifting›Push the gear selector from position D towards the right, or left in a right-
hand drive vehicle.
Shifting up gears›
Press the selector lever forwards
+
» Fig. 141 .
›
Pull the right-hand paddle +
» Fig. 141 briefly towards the steering wheel.
Shifting down gears
›
Press the selector lever backwards
-
» Fig. 141 .
›
Pull the left-hand paddle -
» Fig. 141 briefly towards the steering wheel.
Temporarily switching to manual gear shifting in mode D or S
›
Pull one of the -/+ paddles
» Fig. 141 briefly towards the steering wheel .
Manual gear shifting is deactivated if more than 1 minute passes after either of
the -
/+ paddles was pulled. The temporary switch to manual gear shifting can
also be deactivated by pulling the right-hand + paddle towards the steering
wheel for more than 1 second.
When accelerating, the gearbox automatically shifts up into the higher gear
just before the maximum permissible engine speed is reached.
If a lower gear is selected, the gearbox does not shift down until there is no risk of the engine over revving.
Note
It may be beneficial, for example, when travelling downhill, to use manual
shifting of gears. Shifting to a lower gear reduces the load on the brakes and
hence brake wear » page 143.
Starting off and driving
Read and observe
and on page 145 first.
Starting off
›
Start the engine.
›
Firmly depress and hold the brake pedal.
›
Press the lock button in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 140 on page 146 and
keep pressing.
›
Move the selector lever into the desired position » page 145 and then release
the lock button.
› Release the brake pedal and accelerate.
Stop›
Fully depress and hold the brake pedal and bring the vehicle to a stop.
›
Keep holding the brake pedal until driving is resumed.
The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stopping for a
short time, such as at a cross roads.
Parking
›
Fully depress and hold the brake pedal and bring the vehicle to a stop.
›
Firmly apply the handbrake.
›
Press the lock button in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 140 on page 146 and
keep pressing.
›
Move the selector lever into the position P and then release the locking but-
ton.
Launch control 1)
The launch control function allows the vehicle in mode S or Tiptronic to reach
its maximum acceleration when starting off.
›
Disable the ASR » page 154, Brake assist systems .
›
START STOP deactivate » page 164.
›
Fully depress and hold the brake pedal with your left foot.
›
Fully depress the accelerator pedal with your right foot.
›
Release the brake pedal.
The vehicle starts off with maximum acceleration.
Reactivate the ASR and START STOP when the desired speed has been
reached.
Kickdown
The kickdown function allows you to achieve maximum acceleration by your
vehicle while driving.
When the accelerator pedal is fully depressed, the kickdown function is activa-
ted in any forward driving mode.
The gearbox shifts down one or more gears depending on the vehicle speed
and engine speed, 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.
1)
This function is only valid for some engines.
147Starting off and Driving

The ABS is activated faster and more effectively with the intervention of the
HBA.
Hill Hold Control (HHC)
Read and observe
and on page 154 first.
When driving on slopes, HHC allows you to move your foot from the brake ped-al to the accelerator pedal without having to use the handbrake.
The system holds the brake pressure produced by the activation of the brake pedal for approx. 2 seconds after the brake pedal is released.
The brake pressure drops gradually the more you operate the accelerator ped-
al. If the vehicle does not start off within 2 seconds, it starts to roll back.
HHC is active on slopes of >5 % when the driver door is closed. HHC is always only active on slopes when in forward or reverse start off. When driving down-
hill, it is inactive.
Parking aid
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Function
157
Activation/deactivation
157WARNING■ The parking aid is not a substitute for the driver paying proper attention
and it is always the driver's responsibility to take care when reversing the
vehicle or carrying out similar manoeuvres. Pay particular attention to small
children and animals as they may not be recognised by the system sensors.■
Before reversing, you should make sure that there are no small obstacles,
such as rocks, thin posts, trailer drawbars etc. in front or behind your vehi-
cle. Such obstacles may not be recognised by the system sensors.
■
Under certain circumstances, surfaces of certain objects and types of
clothing cannot reflect the system signals. Thus, these objects or people
who wear such clothing are not recognised by the System sensors.
■
External sound sources can have a detrimental effect on the system. Un-
der adverse conditions, this may cause objects or people to not be recog-
nised by the system.
CAUTION■ If a warning signal sounds for about 3 seconds after activating the system
and there is no obstacle close to your car, this indicates a system fault. The
fault is also indicated by the symbol
flashing in the button » Fig. 148 on
page 157 . Seek help from a specialist garage.■
The sensors must be kept clean (free of ice, etc.) to enable the system to op-
erate properly.
■
Under adverse weather conditions (heavy rain, water vapour, very low or
high temperatures etc.), the system function may be limited - “incorrect recog-
nition of obstacle”.
■
Additionally installed accessories such as e.g. bicycle carriers can impair the
system function.
Note
■ The signal tones for front obstacle recognition are factory-set to be higher
than for rear obstacle recognition.■
If not all fields around the vehicle are shown after the system is activated,
the vehicle will need to be moved a few metres forwards or in reverse.
■
The sound of the park assist can be adjusted via the MAXI DOT display in the
Assistants menu option » page 47.
■
If the system is activated and the selector lever of the automatic gearbox is
in position P (the vehicle cannot move), the warning tone is interrupted and no
obstacles are displayed.
156Driving

Exterior mirrors
You have to have additional exterior mirrors fitted if you are not able to see
the traffic behind the trailer with the standard rear-view mirrors. National legal
requirements must be observed.
Headlights
The front of the vehicle can be lifted when a trailer is being towed and the
headlights can dazzle other road users.
Adjust the headlight setting on the headlight range control » page 68, Operat-
ing the lights and the instrument illumination .WARNING■
Incorrect or improperly connected electrical installation can cause acci-
dents and serious injury due to electric shock.■
Work on the electrical system must only be carried out by specialist ga-
rages.
■
Never directly connect the trailer's electrical system with the electrical
connections for the tail lights or other current sources.
■
After coupling the trailer and connecting up the power socket, check the
rear lights on the trailer to ensure they are working.
■
The handbrake on the towing vehicle must be applied when coupling and
uncoupling the trailer.
■
Never use the safety eyelet for towing!
CAUTION
Incorrect or improperly connected electrical installations may cause malfunc-
tion of the entire vehicle electronics.
Loading a trailer
The vehicle/trailer combination must be balanced, whereby the maximum per-
missible drawbar load must be utilised. If the drawbar load is too low, it jeop-
ardises the performance of the vehicle/trailer combination.
Distribution of the load
Distribute the load in the trailer in such a way that heavy items are located as
close to the axle as possible. Secure the items from slipping.
The distribution of the weight is very poor if your vehicle is unladen and the
trailer is laden. Maintain a particularly low speed if you cannot avoid driving
with this combination.
Tyre pressure
Correct the tyre inflation pressure on your vehicle for a “full load” » page 198.
Trailer load
The permissible trailer load must not be exceeded under any circumstan-
ces » page 228 , Technical data .
The details given in the vehicle's technical documentation always take prece- dence over the details in the Owner's Manual.
The trailer loads specified apply only to altitudes up to 1,000 metres above
mean sea level.
The engine output falls as altitude increases, as does the ability to climb.
Therefore, for every additional 1,000 m in height (or part), the maximum per-
missible towed weight must be reduced by 10 %.
The towed weight comprises the actual weights of the (loaded) towing vehicle
and the (loaded) trailer.
The trailer and drawbar load information on the type plate of the towing
equipment are merely test data for the towing equipment. The vehicle-specific
values are detailed in the vehicle documents.WARNING■ The maximum permissible axle and drawbar load and the permissible
weight of the trailer must not exceed - this could cause an accident!■
A sliding cargo can significantly adversely affect stability and driving safe-
ty - there is a risk of accident!
Towing a trailer
Driving speed
For safety reasons, do not drive faster than 80 km/h when towing a trailer.
Immediately reduce your speed as soon as even the slightest swaying of the
trailer is detected. Never attempt to stop the trailer from “swaying” by acceler-
ating.
Brakes
Apply the brakes in good time! If the trailer is fitted with a trailer brake, apply
the brakes gently at first and then brake firmly. This will avoid brake jolts re-
sulting from the trailer wheels locking.
On downhill sections shift down a gear in good time to also use the engine as
a brake.
171Hitch and trailer

CAUTION■Just filling the tank once with diesel fuel that does not comply with the
standard, can cause severe damage to parts of the engine, the fuel and ex-
haust system!■
If a different fuel other than diesel fuel, which complies to the above men-
tioned standards (e.g. petrol) is used, do not start the engine or switch on the
ignition! Engine parts could be significantly damaged!
■
Water which has collected in the fuel filter can cause engine faults.
CAUTION
■ The vehicle cannot be operated with biofuel RME, therefore this fuel must
not be filled in the tank and used for driving the vehicle. The use of biofuel
RME can cause considerable damage to parts of the engine or fuel system.■
Do not mix any fuel additives, so-called “flow improvers” (petrol and similar
agents), into the diesel. This can result in considerable damage to parts of the
engine or the exhaust system!
Engine compartment
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Opening and closing the bonnet
187
Engine compartment overview
188
Radiator fan
188
Windscreen washer system
188WARNINGInjuries or scolding or risks of accident or fire may occur when working in
the engine compartment. For this reason, it is essential to comply with the
warning instructions outlined below and with the general applicable safety
rules. The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area!WARNINGInstructions before beginning work in the engine compartment■Turn off the engine and withdraw the ignition key.■
Firmly apply the handbrake.
WARNING (Continued)■ If the vehicle is fitted with a manual gearbox, move the gearshift lever in-
to Neutral, or if the vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox, move the
selector lever into position P.■
Allow the engine to cool.
■
Never open the bonnet if you can see steam or coolant escaping from the
engine compartment – risk of scalding! Wait until no more steam or coolant
is escaping.
WARNINGInformation for working in the engine compartment■Keep all people, especially children, away from the engine compartment.■
Never touch the radiator fan while the engine is still warm. The fan might
suddenly start running!
■
Do not touch any hot engine parts – risk of burns!
■
The coolant is harmful to health.
■
Avoid contact with the coolant.
■
Coolant vapours are harmful to health.
■
Never open the end cover of the coolant expansion reservoir while the
engine is still warm. The cooling system is pressurized!
■
When opening the end cover of the coolant expansion reservoir, cover it
with a cloth to protect your face, hands and arms from hot steam or hot
coolant.
■
If any coolant splashes into your eyes, immediately rinse out your eyes
with clear water and contact a doctor as soon as possible.
■
Always keep the coolant in the original container, safe from people who
are not completely independent, especially children - there is a danger of
poisoning!
■
Consult a doctor immediately if coolant is swallowed.
■
Never spill fluids on the hot engine. Such fluids (e.g. the antifreeze con-
tained in the coolant) may ignite!
WARNINGInformation for working in the engine compartment with the engine run-
ning■
Pay particular attention to rotating engine parts (e.g. V-ribbed belt, gen-
erator, radiator fan) and the high voltage ignition system – risk to life!
■
Never touch the electric wiring on the ignition system.
186General Maintenance

WARNING■If you are in flowing traffic, switch on the hazard warning light system
and set up the warning triangle at the prescribed distance! The national le-
gal requirements must be observed.■
Park the vehicle as far away as possible from the flow of traffic. Park on
as flat and firm a surface as possible.
■
The following instructions must be followed if the vehicle is subsequently
fitted with tyres or rims that differ from the factory fitted ones » page 201,
Explanation of the tyre labelling .
WARNINGInformation on the wheel bolts■The wheel bolts must be clean and must turn easily. Never treat them
with grease or oil.■
The prescribed tightening torque of the wheel bolts for steel and light al-
loy wheels is 120 Nm.
■
If the wheel bolts are tightened to a too low tightening torque, the rim
can come loose when the car is moving. A tightening torque which is too
high can damage the bolts and threads and this can result in permanent
deformation of the contact surfaces on the rim.
■
In case of incorrect treatment of the wheel bolts, the wheel can loosen
when the car is moving.
Note
The national legal requirements must be observed when changing a wheel.
Preliminary work
Read and observe
on page 206 first.
Before changing the wheel, the following work must be carried out.
›
Have all the occupants get out. The passengers should not stand on the
road (instead they should remain behind a crash barrier, for instance) while
the wheel is being changed.
›
Switch off the engine.
›
Select the 1st gear or place the selector lever of the automatic transmission
in the P-position .
›
Apply the handbrake firmly.
›
Uncouple a trailer.
›Remove the
vehicle tool kit » page 205 and the spare wheel » page 200 from
the boot.
Changing a wheel
Read and observe
on page 206 first.
When changing a wheel, the following instructions must be followed.
›
Remove the full wheel trim or the caps of the wheel bolts.
›
First of all slacken the anti-theft wheel bolt and then the other wheel bolts.
›
Jack up the vehicle until the wheel that needs changing is clear of the
ground.
›
Unscrew the wheel bolts and place them on a clean surface (cloth, paper, etc.).
›
Remove the wheel carefully.
›
Attach the spare wheel and slightly screw on the wheel bolts.
›
Lower the vehicle.
›
Tighten the opposite wheel bolts alternately (cross-wise) with the wheelwrench. Tighten the anti-theft wheel bolt last.
›
Replace the wheel trim or the caps.
When fitting unidirectional tyres, ensure that the indication is cor-
rect » page 197 .
WARNINGIf it is established when changing a wheel that the wheel bolts are corro-
ded and difficult to move, then these must be replaced.
Follow-up work
Read and observe
on page 206 first.
After changing the wheel, the following work must be carried out.
›
Stow and attach the replaced wheel in the spare wheel well using a special
bolt » page 200 .
›
Stow the tool kit in the space provided and secure using the strap.
›
Check the tyre pressure on the installed spare wheel as soon as possible.
›
Have the tightening torque of the wheel bolts checked with a torque
wrench as soon as possible.
206Do-it-yourself

Tyre inflation pressure indicator
Air release valve
ON and OFF switch
12 volt cable connector
Tyre inflator bottle with sealing agent
Replacement valve core
The valve remover 1
has a slot at its lower end which fits into the valve core.
The kit is located in a box under the floor covering in the luggage compart-
ment. This contains a sealing means and an air compressor.
Note
The declaration of conformity is included with the air compressor or the log
folder.
Preparations for using the breakdown kit
Read and observe
on page 209 first.
The following preparatory work must be carried out before using the puncturerepair kit.
›
Have all the occupants get out. The passengers should not stand on the
road (instead they should remain behind a crash barrier, for instance) while
the wheel is being changed.
›
Switch off the engine.
›
Select the 1st gear or place the selector lever of the automatic transmission
in the P-position .
›
Apply the handbrake firmly.
›
Check that you can carry out the repairs with the breakdown kit
» page 209.
›
Uncouple a trailer.
›
Remove the breakdown kit from the boot.
›
Stick the appropriate sticker
2
» Fig. 183 on page 209 onto the dashboard in
the driver's field of view.
›
Unscrew the valve cap.
›
Use the valve remover
1
to unscrew the valve core and place it on a clean
surface (rag, paper, etc.).
67891011Sealing and inflating the tyre
Read and observe
on page 209 first.
Sealing
›
Shake the tyre inflator bottle
10
» Fig. 183 on page 209 vigorously several
times.
›
Firmly screw the inflation hose
3
onto the tyre inflator bottle
10
in a clock-
wise direction. The film on the cap is pierced automatically.
›
Remove the plug from the inflation hose
3
and plug the open end fully onto
the tyre valve.
›
Hold the bottle
10
with the bottom facing upwards and fill all of the sealing
agent from the tyre inflator bottle into the tyre.
›
Remove the empty tyre inflator bottle from the valve.
›
Screw the valve core back into the tyre valve using the valve remover
1
.
Inflating
›
Screw the air compressor tyre inflation hose
5
» Fig. 183 on page 209 firmly
onto the tyre valve.
›
Check that the air release valve
7
is closed.
›
Start the engine and run it in idle.
›
Plug the connector
9
into 12 Volt socket » page 91, Cigarette lighter .
›
Switch on the air compressor with the ON and OFF switch
8
.
›
Allow the air compressor to run until a pressure of 2.0 - 2.5 bar is achieved.
Maximum run time of 8 minutes » .
›
Switch off the air compressor.
›
If you cannot reach an air pressure of 2.0 - 2.5 bar, unscrew the tyre inflation
hose
5
from the tyre valve.
›
Drive the vehicle 10 metres forwards or backwards to allow the sealing agent
to “distribute” in the tyre.
›
Firmly screw the tyre inflation hose
5
back onto the tyre valve and repeat
the inflation process.
›
If you cannot reach the required tyre inflation pressure here either, this
means the tyre has sustained too much damage. You cannot seal with tyre with the breakdown kit »
.
›
Switch off the air compressor.
›
Remove the tyre inflation hose
5
from the tyre valve.
Once a tyre pressure of 2.0 - 2.5 bar is reached, the journey may be continued
at a maximum speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).
210Do-it-yourself

Locking the door without a locking cylinderFig. 193
Left rear door: Emergency lock-
ing
An emergency locking mechanism is located on the face side of the doors
which have no locking cylinder. It is only visible after opening the door.
›
Remove the cover
A
» Fig. 193 .
›
Insert the key into the slot
B
and turn it into the horizontal position in the
direction of the arrow (mirror-inverted on the right doors).
›
Replace the cover.
Unlocking the boot lid
Fig. 194
Emergency unlocking: Superb / Superb Combi
The boot lid can be unlocked manually in an emergency.
Unlocking (Superb)
›
Insert the vehicle key into the slot in the trim panel as far as the
stop » Fig. 194 -
.
›
Unlock the lid by moving it in the direction of the arrow.
›
Open the boot lid.
Unlocking (Superb Combi)›Insert a screwdriver or similar tool into the opening in the trim as far as the
stop » Fig. 194 -
.›
Unlock the lid by moving it in the direction of the arrow.
›
Open the boot lid.
Selector lever-emergency unlocking
Fig. 195
Selector lever-emergency unlocking
›
Firmly apply the handbrake.
›
Grasp the cover
1
in the area of arrow
2
» Fig. 195 and carefully pull up-
wards.
›
Also unlock the cover on the other side.
›
Use a finger to press the yellow plastic part in the direction of the arrow
3
.
›
At the same time, press the locking button in the selector lever and move the selector lever to N.
The selector lever will be locked once more if it is moved again to P.
Emergency operation of the sliding/tilting roof
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Operation
218
Activation after unclamping and reclamping the battery
218217Emergency equipment and self-help