Head airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Deactivating an airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Transporting children safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
What you should know about transporting children! . 146
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Attaching a child seat using the “ISOFIX” system . . . . 151
Attaching child seat using the “Top Tether” system . . 152
Driving Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Intelligent technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Electronic stability programme (ESP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Brake booster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Antilock brake system (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Uphill Start Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Electromechanical power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Tyre pressure monitoring system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Diesel particle filter (diesel engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Off-road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Driving and the environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
The first 1 500 kilometres and then afterwards . . . . . . 162
Catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Driving in an economical and environmentally
conscious manner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Environmental compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Motoring abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Avoiding damage to your vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Driving through bodies of water on roads . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Off-road driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Towing a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
General Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Taking care of your vehicle and cleaning the
vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Care of the exterior of vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Care of the interior of vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Fuel
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Petrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Refuelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Inspecting and Replenishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Engine compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Cooling system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Brake fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Windshield washer system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Wheels and Tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Accessories, changes and replacement of parts . 207
General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Breakdown assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Breakdown assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Space for first-aid box and warning triangle . . . . . . . . . 208
Fire extinguisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Vehicle tool kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Tyre repair kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Jump-starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
The vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Fuses and light bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Electric fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Technical data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Used abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Identification details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Fuel consumption according to the ECE standards and
EU guidelines
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Other information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Engine oil specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine 1.2 l/77 kW TSI - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Engine 1.4 l/90 kW TSI - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine 1.8 ltr./118 kW TSI - EU2, EU5 (1.8 ltr./112 kW TSI
- EU5)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Engine 1.6 l/77 kW TDI CR - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Engine 2.0 l/81 kW TDI CR - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Engine 2.0 l/103 kW TDI CR - EU4, EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Engine 2.0 l/125 kW TDI CR - EU5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Multi-purpose vehicles (AF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2404
Table of Contents
EPC fault light (petrol engine)
⇒ page 26
Glow plug system (diesel engine)
⇒ page 26
Coolant temperature/coolant level
⇒ page 26
Traction control system (TCS)
⇒ page 27
Electronic stability programme (ESP)
⇒ page 27
Switch off traction control system (TCS)
⇒ page 27
Selector lever lock
⇒ page 27
Tyre pressure
⇒ page 28
Antilock brake system (ABS)
⇒ page 28
Boot lid
⇒ page 28
Open door
⇒ page 29
Seat belt warning light
⇒ page 28
Fluid level in windshield washer system
⇒ page 29
Brake system
⇒ page 29
Handbrake
⇒ page 29
Generator
⇒ page 29
Fuel reserve
⇒ page 30
Downhill Drive Support
⇒ page 30 WARNING
● If you do not pay attention to the warning lights coming on and the corre-
sponding descriptions and warning notes, this may result in severe injuries or
major vehicle damage.
● The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area. There is a risk of
injuries, scalding, accidents and fire when working in the engine compart-
ment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and other fluids. It is also essential
to observe all warnings ⇒
page 190, Working in the engine compartment. Note
● The arrangement of the indicator lights depends on the model version. The
symbols shown in the following functional description are to be found as indicator
lights in the instrument cluster.
● Operational faults are shown in the instrument cluster as red symbols (priority
1 - danger) or yellow symbols (priority 2 - warning).
Turn signal system Either the left
or right
indicator light flashes depending on the position of the
turn signal lever.
The indicator light flashes at twice its normal rate if a turn signal light fails. This
does not apply when towing a trailer.
Switching off the hazard warning light system is switched on will cause all of the
turn signal lights as well as both indicator lights to flash.
Further information about the turn signal system ⇒
page 51.
Fog lights The warning light
comes on when the fog lights are operating
⇒
page 48.
Main beam The indicator light
comes on when the main beam is selected or also when the
headlight flasher is operated.
Further information about the main beam ⇒
page 51. 23
Instruments and warning lights Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
The following text will be displayed in the information display:
Check oil level!
The warning light will go out if the bonnet is left open for more than 30 seconds.
If no engine oil has been replenished, the warning light will come on again after
driving about 100 km.
The warning light flashes yellow (engine oil level sensor faulty)
A fault on the engine oil level sensor is indicated additionally by an audible signal
and the warning light coming on several times after the ignition has been switch-
ed on.
In this case have the engine inspected without delay by a specialist garage.
The following text will be displayed in the information display:
Oil sensor: Workshop! WARNING
● If you must stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe dis-
tance from the traffic and switch off the engine and switch on the hazard
warning light system ⇒ page 50.
● The red oil pressure light is not an oil level indicator! One should there-
fore check the oil level at regular intervals, preferably after every refuelling
stop.
● Pay attention to the following instructions ⇒ page 190 before checking
the coolant fluid level and opening the bonnet.
EPC fault light
(petrol engine) The
(Electronic Power Control) warning light comes on for a few seconds when
the ignition is switched on.
If the warning light does not go out or lights up after starting the engine, a
fault exists in the engine control. The engine management system selects an
emergency programme which enables you to drive to the nearest specialist ga-
rage by adopting a gentle style of driving. Glow plug system (diesel engine) The warning light
lights up for a cold
engine when switching on the ignition
(pre-heat position) 2 ⇒ page 99. Start the engine after the indicator light goes
out.
The glow plug indicator light will come on for about 1 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.
There is a fault in the glow plug system if the warning light does not come on
or lights up continuously ; contact a specialist garage as soon as possible to ob-
tain assistance.
If the warning light begins to flash while driving, a fault exists in the engine
control. The engine management system selects an emergency programme which
enables you to drive to the nearest specialist garage by adopting a gentle style of
driving.
Coolant temperature/Coolant quantity The warning light
comes on for a few seconds 1)
when the ignition is switched
on.
The coolant temperature is too high or the coolant level too low if the warning
light does not go out or flashes while driving.
3 peeps sound as an additional warning signal.
In this case stop and switch the engine off and check the coolant level; top up
the coolant as necessary.
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the con-
ditions prevailing to top up with coolant. Keep the engine switched off and obtain
professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe
engine damage.
If the coolant is within the specified range, the increased temperature may be
caused by an operating problem at the coolant fan. Check the fuse of the coolant
fan, replace it if necessary ⇒ page 221, Fuse assignment in engine compartment
.£ 1)
The warning light on vehicles fitted with information display does not come on after switching the
ignition on, but only if the coolant temperature is too high or the coolant level is too low. 26
Instruments and warning lights
CAUTION
● In cold temperatures and in winter, check before the trip or before switching
on the ignition that the wiper blades are not frozen. Switching on windscreen
wipers when the blades are frozen to the windscreen may result in damage both
to the blades and the motor of the windscreen wipers!
● If you switch off the ignition while the windscreen wipers are on, the wipers
will sweep in the same mode the next time the ignition is switched on. At low
temperatures, the wipers may freeze to the window between switching off the ig-
nition and the next time you switch the ignition on again.
● Carefully detach frozen wiper blades from the front or rear window.
● Remove snow and ice from the window wipers before driving. Note
● If the slower 2 ⇒ fig. 37 or the faster
3 wiper setting is switched on and the
vehicle speed decreases to below 4 km/h, the lower wiper step is switched on au-
tomatically. At a speed increase of more than 8 km/h the previous wiper setting is
established again.
● If there is an obstacle on the windscreen, the wiper will try to push away the
obstacle. If the obstacle continues to block the wiper, the wiper stops automati-
cally after 5 attempts to eliminate the obstacle, in order to avoid a damage to the
wiper. Remove the obstacle and and switch on the wiper again.
● The windscreen washer nozzles for the windscreen are heated when the en-
gine is running and the outside temperature is less than +10 °C.
● The content of the windscreen wiper reservoir is 3 litres. On vehicles which are
equipped with a headlight cleaning system, the content of the reservoir is 5.5
li-
tres. On vehicles fitted with auxiliary heating, the content of the windscreen wiper
reservoir is 4.5 litres.
Automatic rear window wiper If the windshield wiper is in position
2 or
3 , the rear view window is wiped ev-
ery 30 seconds if the vehicle's speed exceeds 5
km/h.
When the rain sensor is active (the lever is in the position 1 ) the function is only
active if the front window wipers continue to operate (no break between each
wiping process). Activation/deactivation
The function of the automatic rear window wiper is activated/deactivated in the
information display in the menu:
■ Settings
■ Lights & Vision
■Rear wiper Note
The function of the automatic rear window wiper is only valid for vehicles which
are equipped with the information display. The function is activated in the factory.
Alternative park position of the rear window wiper Each time after switching off the engine for the second time, the wiper blade of
the rear window wiper is tilted. Thus, the life of the wiper blade is prolonged.
Activation/deactivation
– Switch on the ignition.
– Push the operating level into the position 6
⇒ fig. 37 five times in succession
within 5 seconds.
– Switch off the ignition. After switching on the ignition again, the alternative
park position of the rear window wiper is activated/deactivated.
Headlight cleaning system The headlights are being cleaned after the windscreen has been sprayed for the
first time and fifth time, the low beam or main beam are switched on and the
windscreen wiper lever was held in the position 5
⇒ fig. 37 for about 1 second.
The headlight washer nozzles are moved forward out of the bumper by the water
pressure for cleaning the headlights.
You should remove stubborn dirt (such as insect residues) from the headlight len-
ses at regular intervals, for example when refuelling. Please refer to the following
guidelines ⇒
page 183, The headlight lenses.
You should remove any snow from the fixtures of the washer nozzles and clear ice
in winter with a de-icing spray in order to ensure proper operation of the cleaning
system. £56
Lights and Visibility
Basic setting of the system
After changing the tyre inflation pressures, after changing one or several wheels,
the position of a wheel on the vehicle (e.g. exchanging the wheels between the
axles) or when the warning light lights up while driving, a basic setting of the sys-
tem must be carried out as follows.
● Inflate all tyres to the specified inflation pressure ⇒ page 201.
● Switch on the ignition.
● Press button
⇒ fig. 139
for more than 2
seconds. While pressing the but-
ton, the warning light lights up. At the same time the memory of the system is
erased and the new calibration is started, which is confirmed with an audible sig-
nal and then the warning light goes out.
● If the warning light does not go out after the basic setting, there is a fault in
the system. Have the vehicle inspected by your nearest specialist garage.
Warning light lights up
If the tyre inflation pressure of at least one wheel is insufficiently inflated in com-
parison to the stored basic value, the warning light ⇒ lights up.
Warning light flashes
If the warning light flashes, there is a system fault. Have the vehicle inspected by
your nearest specialist garage. WARNING
● When the warning light lights up, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake manoeuvres. Please stop the vehicle without
delay at the nearest possible stop and inspect the tyres and their inflation
pressures.
● The driver is responsible for the correct tyre inflation pressures. For this
reason, the tyre inflation pressures must be checked regularly.
● Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or unpaved
roads) the warning light can be delayed or does not light up at all.
● The tyre pressure monitoring system does not take away the responsibility
from the driver for the correct tyre inflation pressure. Note
The tyre pressure monitoring system:
● does not replace the regular tyre inflation pressure control, because the sys-
tem cannot detect an even pressure loss; ●
cannot warn in case of very rapid tyre inflation pressure loss, e.g. in case of
sudden tyre damage. In this case carefully bring the vehicle to a standstill without
sudden steering movements and without sharp braking.
● In order to ensure a proper functioning of the tyre inflation pressure-control
system, it is necessary to carry out the basic setting again every 10 000 km or 1x a
year.
Diesel particle filter (diesel engine) In the diesel particle filter the resulting soot particles are collected
and burnt during the combustion of diesel fuel. Fig. 140 Vehicle data sticker
Code 7GG , 7MB or 7MG on the vehicle data sticker, see ⇒ fig. 140 , indicates that
your vehicle is equipped with a diesel particle filter. The vehicle data sticker is lo-
cated on the floor of the luggage compartment and is also stated in the Service
schedule.
The diesel particle filter filters the soot particles completely from the exhaust. The
soot is collected in the diesel particle filter and burnt regularly. To assist this pro-
cedure, we recommend not to drive regularly over short distances.
If the diesel particle filter is full or there is a fault, it is indicated by the warning
light . £ 159
Intelligent technology Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
Driving and the environment
The first 1 500 kilometres and then afterwards
New engine The engine has to be run in during the first 1 500 kilometres.
Up to 1 000 kilometres
– Do not drive faster than 3/4 of the maximum speed of the gear in use, that is
3/4 of the maximum permissible engine speed.
– Do not use full throttle.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1 000 up to 1 500 kilometres
– Increase the power output of the engine gradually up to the full speed of the
gear engaged, that is up to the maximum permissible engine revolutions.
During the first operating hours the engine has higher internal friction than later
until all of the moving parts have harmonized. The driving style which you adopt
during the first approx.1 500 kilometres plays a decisive part in the success of run-
ning in your car.
You should not drive at unnecessarily high engine revolutions even after the run-
ning-in period is complete. The maximum permissible engine speed is marked by
the beginning of the red zone on the scale of the revolutions counter. Shift up in-
to the next higher gear on a vehicle fitted with manual gearbox before the red
zone is reached. During acceleration (depressing the accelerator) exceptionally
high engine speeds are automatically reduced, yet the engine is not protected
against too high engine speeds which are caused by incorrectly shifting down the
gears resulting in a sudden increase of the engine speeds above the permitted
maximum revolutions which can lead to engine damage.
For a vehicle fitted with a manual gearbox the converse situation also applies: Do
not drive at engine revolutions which are too low. Shift down as soon as the en-
gine is no longer running smoothly. CAUTION
All the speed and engine revolution figures apply only when the engine is at its
normal operating temperature. Never rev up an engine which is cold, neither when
the vehicle is stationary nor when driving in individual gears. For the sake of the environment
Not driving at unnecessarily high engine revolutions and shifting to a higher gear
as early as possible are ways to minimise fuel consumption and operating noise
levels and protects the environment.
New tyres New tyres have to be “run in” since they do not offer optimal grip at first. You
should take account of this fact for the first 500 kilometres and drive particularly
carefully.
New brake pads Allow for the fact that new brake pads do not achieve their full braking efficiency
until approximately 200 kilometres. New brake pads must be first “run in” before
they develop their optimal friction force. You can, however, compensate for this
slightly reduced braking force by increasing the pressure on the brake pedal.
This guideline also applies to any new brake pads installed at a future date.
During the running-in period, you should avoid excessive stresses on the brakes.
This includes, for example, violent braking, particularly from very high speeds, and
also when crossing mountain passes.
Catalytic converter Proper operation of the emission control system (catalytic convert-
er) is of major significance for driving your vehicle in an environ-
mentally conscious way.
Please refer to the following guidelines: £162
Driving and the environment
Regular servicing
A poorly tuned engine uses an unnecessarily high amount of fuel.
Having your vehicle serviced regularly at a specialist garge enables you to satisfy
one of the requirements for economical motoring even before you set off on your
journey. Keeping your vehicle properly serviced not only has a positive effect on
the safety of your vehicle and maintaining its value, but also saves on fuel.
A poorly tuned engine can result in a fuel consumption which is 10 % higher than
normal.
The foreseen maintenance work should be undertaken exactly according to the
Service schedule by a specialist garage.
Also check the oil level after refuelling. Oil consumption is dependent to a consid-
erable extent on the load and speed of the engine. Oil consumption could be as
high as 0.5 litres/1 000 km depending on your style of driving.
It is quite normal that a new engine has a higher oil consumption at first, and rea-
ches its lowest level only after a certain running in time. It is therefore not possi-
ble to correctly assess the oil consumption of a new vehicle until after you have
driven about 5 000 km. For the sake of the environment
● You can achieve additional improvements in your fuel economy by using high-
lubricity oils.
● Check the ground below your car at regular intervals to detect any leakages in
good time. Please have your vehicle inspected by a specialist garage if you find
any stains caused by oil or other fluids on the floor. Avoid driving short distances Short distances result in an above-average high fuel consumption.
Fig. 144 Fuel consumption in litres/100
km at different temperatures
– Avoid driving a distance of no more than 4 km if the engine is cold.
The engine and catalytic converter must first have reached their optimal operat-
ing temperature in order to effectively reduce fuel consumption and pollutant
emissions.
The cold engine vehicle consumes approx. 15 - 20 litres/100 km of fuel immediate-
ly after starting. Fuel consumption drops to 10 litres/100 km after just 1 kilometre.
The engine reaches its operating temperature (outside temperature and engine
dependent) only after about 4 to 10 kilometres and the fuel consumption then
stabilizes. You should therefore avoid driving short distances whenever possible.
An important factor in this connection is also the ambient temperature. The
⇒ fig. 144 shows the different fuel consumptions for the same distance, on the
one hand at +20 °C and on the other hand at -10
°C. Your vehicle has a higher fuel
consumption in winter than in summer.
Checking tyre inflation pressures Tyres which are correctly inflated save fuel.
Always ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure at all times. The
rolling resistance will be increased if the tyre filling pressure is too low. This will
not only increase fuel consumption but also tyre wear and the driving behaviour
will worsen.
Always check the inflation pressure of the tyres when cold. £ 165
Driving and the environment Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assistance Technical data
●
spare wheel and tyre repair kit,
● shovel.
Safe off-road driving Adopt a correct seated position and always fasten the seat belt correctly. Make
sure that your front passenger and your passengers seated on the rear seats al-
ways fasten their seat belts correctly.
When driving off-road, it is perhaps more useful to adopt a slightly different seat-
ed position. Depending on the terrain, an increased force may be required to turn
the steering wheel because the force is transferred from the front wheels to the
steering wheel. You must be seated in such a way that you have good front visibil-
ity, especially when driving uphill or downhill. You must never be seated in such a
way that the distance between your chest and the middle of the airbag cover is
less than 25 cm ⇒
page 139.
Under no circumstances must you drive off-road with high heels, slippery or open
shoes. You should wear shoes which fit your feet well and allow you to get a feel
for the pedals. WARNING
Observe the important guidelines ⇒
page 168.
Before driving off-road ●
Make sure the tyres are suitable for the planned off-road journey. Before you
drive through difficult terrain, equip your vehicle with off-road tyres.
● Fill up your tank. The fuel consumption of the vehicle is much higher when
driving off-road than when driving on the road.
● Install the towing eye at the front or at the rear before driving off-road. It is
not always possible to install the towing eye if the vehicle got stuck.
● Always check the inflation pressure of all the tyres and if necessary correct it.
● Check the vehicle tool kit and supplement it according to your needs.
● Fill with engine oil up to the line A , so that the engine is sufficiently supplied
with engine oil when the vehicle is in a tilted position ⇒
page 191, Check engine
oil level.
● Top up wash fluid.
● Stow your load as low as possible in the vehicle and attach all the items which
are loose. Off-road driving ●
Never be alone when driving off-road and be prepared to encounter unexpec-
ted situations. Travel together with at least two off-road vehicles. Equipment with
which you can call for help in an emergency is particularly useful.
● Drive slowly through unclear terrain.
● You must stop when encountering difficult passages and explore the continu-
ation of the route on foot. If you cannot go on or if you doubt the safety of the
route, turn back and choose another way.
● Drive slowly over hilltops. Make sure that the wheels of the vehicle do not lift
off the ground, as this could severely damage the vehicle and it may become disa-
bled.
● Drive slowly on difficult stretches of the route. When driving on a slippery
ground, shift up into the next higher gear and make sure that the vehicle always
stays in motion. Do not drive too fast so that you don't lose control over your vehi-
cle.
● If your vehicle got stuck in sand, snow or sludge, it may be more effective to
reverse the vehicle than trying to drive forwards.
● Place stones, footmats or pieces of wood under the spinning wheels in order
to achieve traction on a sandy or slippery ground.
● Do no drive through water before reading what you must take into account
⇒ page 167.
● Keep sufficient distance from other vehicles even at low speeds. When the
first vehicle suddenly gets stuck, the following vehicle can still stop in time with-
out getting stuck itself.
● Do not plan day trips which are too far in distance.
● Do not use the cruise control system when driving off-road. It is only intended
for driving on the road. WARNING
● The intelligent engineering of your vehicle cannot overcome the physical
limits of your vehicle.
● Be very alert and look ahead when driving off-road. Excessive speed or in-
correct driving manoeuvres can cause damage to the vehicle and lead to seri-
ous injuries.
● Observe the important guidelines ⇒ page 168. £ 171
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