10Safe driving
Sitting position for vehicle occupants
Introduction
WARNING
● The front seats, head restraints and seat belts must always be adjus-
ted to the size of the vehicle occupant to provide you and your passen-
gers with the greatest possible protection.
● Ensure your correct sitting position before setting off, and do not
change this during the journey. Also advise your passengers to ensure
their correct sitting positions not to be changed.
● A vehicle occupant sitting in an incorrect position is at risk of serious
injury in the event that an airbag is activated.
● If the passengers in the rear seats are not sitting in an upright posi-
tion, they are more likely to be injured due to the incorrect position of the
seat belts.
● It is important that the driver keeps at a minimum of 25 cm from the
steering wheel. It is important that the passenger keeps at a minimum of
25 cm from the dash panel. The airbag system will not be able to give the
required protection if the minimum distance is not observed. This can
cause a risk of fatal injury!
● When driving, always hold the steering wheel with both hands on the
outside part at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions. Never hold the
steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position, or in any other manner (e.g. in
the centre of the steering wheel or along its interior edge). In such cases,
if the airbag is triggered, you may sustain injuries to the arms, hands
and head.
● The backrests must not be reclined too far back while driving. This
could limit the effect of the seat belts and the airbag system. Risk of in-
jury!
WARNING (Continued)
● Objects must not be placed in the footwell, as they could move to the
area of the pedals in the event of a braking manoeuvre or change of direc-
tion. This would prevent the clutch, brake or accelerator from being
pressed.
● Always keep your feet on the footwell when the vehicle is moving;
never rest them on the dash panel, on the window or on the seat! An in-
correct sitting position exposes you to an increased risk of injury in case
of a sudden braking or an accident. If the airbag is triggered, you could
sustain severe injuries due to an incorrect sitting position!
31
Airbag system
Airbag system
Brief introduction Why wear a seat belt and assume the correct sitting
position?
For the inflating airbags to achieve the best protection, the
seat belt must always be worn properly and the correct sit-
ting position must be assumed.For your own safety and the safety of the passengers, please en-
sure the following before driving:
– Always wear the seat belt properly ⇒ page 20.
– Adjust the driver seat and the steering wheel correctly
⇒ page 11.
– Adjust the front passenger seat correctly ⇒ page 12.
– Adjust the head restraint correctly ⇒ page 14.
– Use the correct child restraint system to protect children in your
vehicle ⇒ page 45.
The airbag is deployed at high speed in fractions of a second. If you have an
incorrect seating position at the time the airbag is deployed, it could cause
you critical injuries. Therefore, it is essential that all vehicle occupants as-
sume a correct sitting position while travelling.
A sharp braking before an accident may cause a passenger not wearing a
seat belt to be thrown forward into the area of the deploying airbag. In this case, the inflating airbag may inflict critical or fatal injuries on the occupant.
This also applies to children.
Always maintain the greatest possible distance between yourself and the
front airbag. This way, the front airbags can completely deploy when trig-
gered, providing their maximum protection.
The most important factors that will trigger an airbag are: the type of acci-
dent, the angle of collision and the speed of the vehicle.
Whether the airbags are triggered depends primarily on the vehicle deceler-
ation rate resulting from the collision and detected by the control unit. If the
vehicle deceleration occurring during the collision and measured by the
control unit remains below the specified reference values, the front, side
and/or curtain airbag will not be triggered. Take into account that the visible
damage in a vehicle involved in an accident, no matter how serious, is not a
determining factor for the airbags to have been triggered.
WARNING
● Wearing the seat belt incorrectly or assuming an incorrect sitting po-
sition can lead to critical or fatal injuries.
● All vehicle occupants, including children, who are not properly belted
can sustain critical or fatal injuries if the airbag is triggered. Children up
to 12 years old should always travel on the rear seat. Never transport
children in the vehicle if they are not restrained or the restraint system is
not appropriate for their age, size or weight.
● If you are not wearing a seat belt, if you lean forward or to the side
while travelling or assume an incorrect sitting position, there is a sub-
stantially increased risk of injury. This increased risk of injury will be fur-
ther increased if you are struck by an inflating airbag.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications
107
Seats and storage
Seats and storage Front seats
Introduction
Set the driver seat in such a way that the pedals can be fully depressed with
your legs slightly bent.
Set the driver seat backrest in such a way that the upper point of the steer-
ing wheel can be reached with your arms slightly bent.
The correct seat position is very important for:
● Reaching all of the controls safely and quickly
● A relaxed low-fatigue posture
● maximum protection from the seat belts and airbag system
WARNING
● Adjust the driver seat only when the vehicle is stationary. Risk of ac-
cident!
● Be careful when adjusting the front seats! Careless and uncontrolled
adjustment can cause injuries.
● The backrests must not be reclined too far back while driving. This
could limit the effect of the seat belts and the airbag system. Risk of in-
jury!
● Never transport more that the permitted amount of people in your ve-
hicle.
WARNING (Continued)
● Every occupant in the vehicle must properly fasten and wear the seat
belt belonging to his or her seat. Children must be protected with an ap-
propriate child restraint system ⇒ page 45, Child safety.
● The front seats, head restraints and seat belts must always be adjus-
ted to the size of the vehicle occupant to provide you and your passen-
gers with the greatest possible protection.
● Your feet should remain in the footwell while the vehicle is moving;
never rest them on the dash panel, on the window or on the seat! This
also applies to passengers. An incorrect sitting position exposes you to
an increased risk of injury in case of a sudden braking or an accident. If
the airbag is triggered, you could sustain severe injuries due to an incor-
rect sitting position!
● It is important for the driver and front passenger to keep a distance of
at least 25 cm from the steering wheel and dash panel. Failure to respect
the minimum distance means that the airbag will not protect you. Risk of
fatal injury if triggered!
● No items must not be kept in the footwell, as they could block the
pedals in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or change of direc-
tion. You would no longer be able to brake, change gear or accelerate.
● Do not place any items on the front passenger seat other than those
allowed (e.g. child seat). Risk of accident!
Note
After a certain time, the backrest angle adjustment mechanism may gain a
certain amount of play.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications
189
Wheels and tyres
Unusual vibration or the car pulling to one side may indicate that one of the
tyres is damaged. Reduce speed immediately and stop if you suspect that
damage may have occurred! Check the tyres for damage (blisters, cracks,
etc.). If no external damage is visible, drive slowly and carefully to the near-
est Official Service and have the vehicle inspected.
Handling wheels and tyres
Fig. 125 Changing
wheels around
Changing wheels around
If the wear is visibly greater on the front tyres, they should be exchanged for
the rear tyres as shown in the diagram ⇒ Fig. 125. All the tyres will then last
for about the same time.
To ensure that the wear is equal on all tyres and maintain their optimum
useful life, they should be changed around every 10 000 km (6000 miles).
Storing tyres
Mark tyres when you remove them to indicate the direction of rotation. This
ensures you will be able to install them correctly when you replace them.
When removed, the wheels and/or tyres should be stored in a cool, dry and
preferably dark location. Store tyres in a vertical position if they are not fit-
ted on wheel rims. Replacing tyres and wheels
All four wheels must be fitted only with tyres of the same type, size and the
same tread pattern.
The correct tyre/wheel combinations specified for your vehicle are listed in
its registration documentation.
Understanding the tyre designations makes it easier to choose the correct
tyres. The tyre designation is marked on the sidewall. For example.
195/55 R 15 85 H
This contains the following information:
195Tyre width in mm55Height/width ratio in %RTyre construction – Radial15Rim diameter in inches85Load rating codeHSpeed rating code letter
The tyres are subject to the following maximum speed limits:
Speed rating code letterMaximum speed limitQ160 km/h (168 mph)R170 km/h (168 mph)S180 km/h (168 mph)T190 km/h (168 mph)U200 km/h (168 mph)H210 km/h (168 mph)V240 km/h (168 mph)W270 km/h (168 mph)
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications
190Wheels and tyres
The manufacturing date is also indicated on the tyre sidewall (possibly only
on the inner side of the wheel). DOT … 27 12…
means, for example, that the tyre was produced in the 27th week of 2012.
Follow the instructions ⇒ page 190 if you only have a temporary spare
wheel.
Tyres with directional tread pattern
The direction of rotation is indicated by the arrows on the tyre sidewall. The
direction of rotation indicated must be respected. This guarantees optimum
grip and helps avoid excessive noise, wear and aquaplaning.
In the event of a flat tyre, a spare wheel with an undetermined tread pattern
or an opposite tread pattern must be used and you must drive carefully, as
in these cases the tyres no longer offer maximum performance. Spare wheelFig. 126 Luggage com-
partment: spare wheel
The spare wheel is housed in a well under the floor panel in the luggage
compartment and is secured by a special bolt ⇒ Fig. 126.
Take out the tool box before removing the spare wheel.
The tyre pressure of the spare wheel must be checked (preferably whenever
the tyre pressure is checked – see sticker on fuel tank flap ⇒ page 188) to
ensure the spare wheel remains ready for use.
If the spare wheel is not the same size or design as the tyres that are moun-
ted on the car (for example if the car has winter tyres or tyres with direction
tread), only use the spare tyre for a short period of time in the event of
breakdown and drive with the corresponding care ⇒
.
It must be replaced as soon as possible for a wheel with a normal size and
finish.
Temporary spare wheel
If the vehicle is equipped with a temporary spare wheel, there will be a
warning sign on the rim of the wheel.
191
Wheels and tyres
Follow the instructions below when driving with this wheel fitted.
● After fitting the wheel, the warning sign must not be covered.
● Do not drive faster than 80 km/h (50 mph) with a spare wheel and take
great care during the trip. Avoid heavy acceleration, hard braking and fast
cornering.
● The tyre pressure is the same as that of the standard tyres.
● Only use this spare wheel to reach the nearest Official Service, as it is
not designed for permanent use.
WARNING
● Under no circumstances must damaged spare wheels be used.
● If the spare wheel is different in size or design to the tyres currently
fitted, never drive faster than 80 km/h (50 mph). Avoid heavy accelera-
tion, hard braking and fast cornering.
CAUTION
Follow the instructions given on the temporary spare wheel label.
Note
The tyre pressure of the spare wheel must always correspond to the highest
pressure prescribed for the model of vehicle in question.
Wheel trim
Removing
– Place the hook from the vehicle tool kit on the reinforced edge
of the wheel trim. –
Insert the box spanner through the hook, supporting it on the
tyre and remove the wheel trim.
Fitting
– First press the wheel trim onto the wheel at the cut out de-
signed for the valve. Then press the wheel trim on both sides in
the direction of the valve so that it fits correctly in place around
all the perimeter.
CAUTION
● Press down by hand, do not hit the wheel trim! Knocking it sharply, par-
ticularly at points where the wheel trim has not yet been inserted, could re-
sult in damage to the wheel trim guiding and centring elements.
● Before fitting the trim on a steel alloy wheel attached with an anti-theft
wheel bolt, make sure the bolt is in the hole in the valve area ⇒ page 202,
Anti-theft wheel bolts.
● Where trim is fitted at a later date, ensure enough air inflow is guaran-
teed in order to cool the brake system.
Wheel bolt caps
Fig. 127 Pull off the
wheel bolt cap
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications
194Wheels and tyres
Rim sizeRim offsetTyre size5J x 14a)35 mm175/706J x 15b)38 mm185/606J x 15b)38 mm195/55a)
Only use snow chains with fine-pitch links and lock no greater than 9 mm.
b) Only use snow chains with fine-pitch links and lock no greater than 13 mm.
Remove the wheel trims before fitting snow chains.
CAUTION
Chains must be removed when roads are free of snow. Otherwise they will
impair handling, damage the tyres and wear out very quickly.
230Description of the data
Consult the section “wheels” of this manual.
Wheel bolts
After the wheels have been changed, the tightening torque of the wheel
bolts should be checked as soon as possible with a torque wrench ⇒
.
The tightening torque for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm.
WARNING
● Check the tyre pressure at least once per month. Checking the tyre
pressure is very important. If the tyre pressure is too high or too low,
there is an increased danger of accidents, particularly at high speeds.
● If the tightening torque of the wheel bolts is too low, they could loos-
en while the vehicle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tightening tor-
que is too high, the wheel bolts and threads can be damaged.
Note
We recommend that you ask your Technical Service for information about
appropriate wheel, tyre and snow chain size.