146Driving
Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is stopped. On engaging reverse
gear while the engine is running, first wait a moment with the clutch pedal
pressed down fully to limit gear shift noise.
The reverse lights switch on when the reverse gear is selected and the igni-
tion is on.
WARNING
Never engage reverse gear when moving forwards. Risk of accident!
Note
Do not rest your hand on the gear lever while driving. The pressure of your
hand could lead to premature wear of the gear system.
Automatic gearbox Introduction
WARNING
● Never press the accelerator when selecting the operating mode of the
automatic gearbox when the vehicle is stationary. Risk of accident!
● Never move the selector lever to positions R or P when driving. Risk of
accident!
● If the vehicle is to be stopped with a gear selected and the engine
idling (e.g. waiting or moving slowly at traffic lights), press down on the
brake pedal because the transmission is not entirely interrupted when
the engine is idling and the vehicle will tend to start moving.
WARNING (Continued)
● Apply the handbrake firmly and put the selector lever in position P
before opening the bonnet and working on the vehicle with the engine
running. Risk of accident! Strictly follow the safety instructions
⇒ page 182, Engine compartment.
● When stopping on a slope (hill), try not to stop the vehicle from mov-
ing by pressing the “accelerator” with a gear selected. This could over-
heat the clutch. If the clutch risks being burnt due to this force, it would
switch off and the vehicle could move backwards. Risk of accident!
● If you have to stop on a hill, press down on the brake pedal to stop
the vehicle from moving.
● The drive wheels could lose traction on a slippery road surface when
the kick-down function is activated. Risk of sliding!
CAUTION
● In DSG automatic gearboxes, the double clutch is protected from over-
loads. If the hill hold control is used, the clutches are subjected to greater
force if the vehicle is at a standstill on a slope or suddenly accelerating on a
slope.
● Should the clutches overheat, the symbol is shown on the informative
display with a warning message Gear overheated. Stop! Instruction Manual!
An audible warning is also heard. Stop the vehicle in this case, stop the en-
gine and wait until the symbol has switched off. Danger of damage to the
gearbox! You can continue driving once the symbol is switched off.
Basic information
The gearbox changes up and down automatically. The gearbox can be set to
Tiptronic mode. The gears can be changed manually in this mode
⇒ page 148.
147
Driving
The engine can only be started in positions P or N. If, on engaging the steer-
ing lock, switching the ignition on/off or starting the engine, the selector
lever is not in position P or N, the informative display will show Move the
selector lever to position P/N! or P/N is shown on the general instrument
panel display.
The engine can only be started in position P at temperatures below -10 °C
(14 °F).
Move the selector lever to position P when parking the vehicle on a flat sur-
face. On a slope, the handbrake should be firmly applied before moving the
selector lever to the park position. This reduces the load on the lock mecha-
nism while making it easier to move the selector lever from position P.
If, while the vehicle is moving, the selector lever is accidentally moved to
position N, release the accelerator and wait for the engine to idle before
moving it back into position.
Starting and driving
Starting
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Press and hold the interlock button on the selector lever knob
and move the selector lever to position ⇒ page 147 before re-
leasing the interlock button.
– Release the brake and press the accelerator.
Stopping
– The selector lever does not have to be moved to position N if
the vehicle is stopped for a short period, e.g. at junctions. Ap-
plying the brake is enough. However, the engine must remain
idling. Parking
–
Press the brake pedal.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Press the interlock button, move the selector lever to position P
and release the button.
Selector lever positions
Fig. 105 Selector lever/Informative display: selector lever positions The current position of the selector lever is shown on the general instru-
ment panel display 1
⇒ Fig. 105.
P
– Parking position
In this position, the driven wheels are mechanically locked.
The parking position can only be selected when the vehicle is stationary.
If you want to move the selector lever from this position, press the interlock
button on the selector lever knob while pressing down on the brake pedal.
If the battery is drained, the selector lever cannot be moved from position P.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications
148Driving
R
– Reverse
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the vehicle is stationary and the
engine is idling.
To move the selector lever to position R from positions P or N, press the in-
terlock button on the selector lever knob and press down on the brake ped-
al.
The reverse lights come on when the selector lever is in position R and the
ignition is on.
N
– Neutral (idling)
Neutral (idling) is engaged in this position.
To move the selector lever from position N (if the lever has remained in this
position for more than 2 seconds) to position D or R, at speeds of less than
5 km/h (3 mph), and when the vehicle is stationary, press down on the
brake pedal.
D
– Drive (forwards)
In this position, the gearbox automatically changes to a lower or higher
gear, depending on engine requirements, the driving speed and the gear
shift programme.
To move the selector lever to position D from position N at speeds of less
than 5 km/h (3 mph) and when the vehicle is stationary, press down on the
brake pedal.
In some situations (e.g. on mountain roads or when towing a trailer or cara-
van), it can be advantageous to switch temporarily to the manual shift pro-
gramme ⇒ page 148 so that the gear ratios can be selected manually to
suit driving conditions.
S
– Sports driving position
Shifting up later than usual makes full use of the engine power. This shifts
down earlier in relation to position D. To move the selector lever to position S from position D, press the interlock
button on the selector lever knob.
Tiptronic gearbox
Fig. 106 Selector lever:
Tiptronic
The Tiptronic gearbox allows the driver to change gears manually
using the selector lever.
Activating the manual gearbox
– From position D, push the selector lever to the right. The selec-
ted position of the selector lever is shown on the general instru-
ment panel display together with the gear engaged 1
⇒ Fig. 105.
Shifting up
– Push the selector lever gently forwards +
⇒ Fig. 106.
Shifting down
– Push the selector lever gently backwards -
⇒ Fig. 106.
149
Driving
The manual gearbox can be activated when the vehicle is either moving or
stationary.
When accelerating, the gearbox automatically shifts up shortly before the
maximum engine speed is reached.
On shifting up, the gear is only engaged when there is no risk of engine
damage.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed down to the kick-down zone, the
gearbox will shift down in line with the road speed and engine speed.
Note
The kick-down function is also available in manual shift mode.
Selector lever lock
Automatic selector lever lock
The selector lever is locked in the positions P and N when the ignition is on.
Press down on the brake to unlock it. Remember, if the selector lever is in
positions P and N then the ⇒ page 77 warning lamp will light up on the
general instrument panel.
When the selector lever merely moves through position N (e.g. when moved
from R to D), the lever lock is not applied. This makes it possible, for exam-
ple, to rock a stuck vehicle backwards and forwards. The lock is only applied
if the brake is not pressed and the selector lever is moved to position N for
more than 2 seconds.
The selector lever lock is only activated in vehicles that are stationary and at
speeds below 5 km/h (3 mph). It is automatically switched off in position N
at higher speeds. Interlock button
The interlock button on the selector lever knob prevents the driver from in-
advertently engaging a gear. Press the button to unlock the selector lever.
Safety interlock for ignition key
1)
After switching off the ignition, you can only remove the ignition key if the
selector lever is in position P. When the ignition key is removed, the selec-
tor lever is locked in position P.
Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum acceleration to be reached.
In any gear programme, press down fully on the accelerator for the automat-
ic gearbox to activate the kick-down feature. This function takes priority over
the gear programmes without taking into account the position of the selec-
tor lever (D, S or Tiptronic) and is used to reach maximum acceleration, us-
ing full engine power. Depending on the road speed and engine speed, the
automatic gearbox shifts down and the vehicle accelerates. It only shifts up
after the maximum engine speed has been reached.
Driving programmes
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronically-controlled automatic gear-
box. Shifting up or down depends on the programme selected.
For a calm driving style, the gearbox uses the most economic programme.
The gearbox shifts up as quickly as possible and shifts down as late as pos-
sible, thus increasing driving economy.
1)
Valid only for certain countries.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications
150Driving
With a sporty driving style , characterised by sudden acceleration, heavy ac-
celeration, speeds that often increase and decrease and maximum speed,
the gearbox adapts to this driving style when the accelerator is pressed fully
down (kick-down) by shifting down as quickly as possible and can even
shift down by several gears at once.
Selecting the best driving programmes is an endless job. Regardless of this,
the driver can also make the gearbox switch to a more dynamic gear shift
programme by pressing the accelerator quickly. This makes the automatic
gearbox shift down into a lower gear that would normally apply to the cur-
rent speed for more rapid acceleration (e.g. to overtake another vehicle)
without having to press the accelerator fully down into the kick-down posi-
tion. On shifting up in a corresponding driving style, the gearbox returns to
the original programme.
When driving along mountain roads, the gearbox adapts to the gradients.
This avoids having to frequently change gears when driving uphill. In Tip-
tronic mode, it is possible to shift down manually when driving downhill to
use the braking effect of the engine.
Back-up programme
A back-up programme exists in case of faults.
In the event of a fault in the gearbox electronics, this will continue to work
in one of the corresponding back-up programmes. All segments of the
screen are lit up or switched off.
The fault can be seen as follows:
● The gearbox only engages certain gears
● Reverse gear R cannot be engaged
● The manual gearbox switches off in the back-up programme
Note
If the gearbox switches to the back-up programme, visit an Authorised Serv-
ice as soon as possible to solve the problem.
Manual release of the selector lever
Fig. 107 Manual release
of the selector lever
If there is a fault in the power system to the electronic selector lev-
er lock system (flat battery, blown fuse) or the system itself is faul-
ty, the selector lever cannot be moved from position P in the nor-
mal manner, which prevents the vehicle from being moved. The se-
lector lever must be unlocked using the manual release.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Pull gently on both sides at the front of the selector lever cover.
– Also loosen the cover at the rear.
– Press the yellow plastic part with your finger in the direction in-
dicated by the arrow ⇒
Fig. 107.
152Driving
Switching the parking aid system on and off
Parking aid is switched on when the ignition is on and reverse gear engag-
ed. This is confirmed by a short audible warning.
Parking aid is switched off when reverse gear is released.
WARNING
● Parking aid does not free the driver from responsibility when parking
or performing similar manoeuvres. Pay special attention to small children
or animals, as the parking aid sensors may not always be able to detect
them.
● Before reversing or parking, make sure there are no small obstacles,
e.g. stones, narrow pillars, towing brackets, etc. in front and behind the
vehicle. These obstacles may not always be detected by the parking aid
device.
● The surface of certain objects may not reflect the signals of the park-
ing aid sensors. Therefore, people wearing clothing of this kind may not
be detected by the parking aid system.
● Outside noise may interfere with the parking aid system. Under cer-
tain unfavourable circumstances, certain objects or people may not be
detected.
Note
● If a constant sound at a higher frequency is emitted for 3 seconds when
the system is switched on then there is a fault in the system. Please take the
vehicle to a specialised technical service to solve this fault.
● To ensure that the parking aid system works properly, the sensors must
be kept clean (e.g. free of ice).
● If the parking aid system is switched on when the automatic gearbox se-
lector lever is in position P, the acoustic signal will be interrupted (the car
cannot be moved). Cruise control (Cruise control system)*
Introduction
The cruise control system allows you to drive at a constant speed of 30 km/
h (19 mph) or higher without having to press the accelerator. However, the
speed is only maintained within the margin permitted by the engine power
and the braking effect of the engine.
The warning lamp lights up on the general instrument panel if cruise con-
trol is switched on.
WARNING
● For safety reasons the cruise control system must not be used in
dense traffic or where roads conditions are poor (e.g. due to ice, aqua-
planing, loose grit, snow). Risk of accident!
● The programmed speed can only be re-established if it is not too high
for current traffic conditions.
● Always switch the cruise control system off after using it in order to
avoid involuntary use.
CAUTION
● The cruise control cannot maintain a constant speed when the vehicle is
moving downhill. The vehicle tends to accelerate under its own weight.
Therefore, shift down or use the brake pedal in good time to slow the vehi-
cle.
Note
● In vehicles with an automatic gearbox, the cruise control system cannot
be switched on if the selector lever is in position P, N or R.
● In vehicles with a manual gearbox, the cruise control cannot be switched
on if first gear or reverse gear is engaged.
153
Driving
Setting speed
Fig. 109 Turn signal and
main beam headlight lev-
er: cruise control buttons
Setting speed
– Move knob A
⇒ Fig. 109 to the ON position.
– Briefly press rocker switch B
in SET position when you have
reached the speed you wish to set.
On releasing rocker switch B
in SET, the current speed is stored and will
remain constant without having to press the accelerator pedal.
Adjusting set speed
Increasing speed by pressing the accelerator pedal
– Press the accelerator to increase the speed of the vehicle.
– Release the accelerator and the previously programmed speed
will be resumed.
If, when pressing the accelerator, the vehicle exceeds the program-
med speed by more than 10 km/h (6 mph) for more than 3 mi- nutes, the set speed will be deleted. The speed will have to be
stored again.
Increasing speed by pressing switch
B
.
– Press rocker switch B
⇒ Fig. 109 ⇒ page 153 in RES.
– If the button is held down in RES, the speed increases continu-
ously. Release the switch when the required speed is reached.
The speed is stored.
Setting a lower speed
– The set speed can be reduced by pressing switch B
⇒ Fig. 109
⇒ page 153 in SET.
– If the button is held down in SET, the speed lowers continuous-
ly. Release the switch when the required speed is reached. The
speed is stored.
– On releasing the switch at speeds of less than 30 km/h (19
mph), no speed will be set and the memory will be deleted. The
vehicle must be moving at a speed of over 30 km/h (10 mph)
and press switch B
again in SET for it to be set.
The speed can be reduced by pressing the brake pedal, which tem-
porarily switches off the cruise control.
Switching off cruise control temporarily
Cruise control is switched off temporarily by pressing switch A ⇒ Fig. 109
⇒ page 153 in CANCEL or by pressing the brake or clutch pedal.
The set speed is stored.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical TipsTechnical specifications
154Driving
To recover the set speed, briefly press switch B
in RES once you have re-
leased the brake or clutch pedal.
Switching off cruise control completely
– Move knob A ⇒ Fig. 109 ⇒ page 153 to OFF.
START-STOP*
Fig. 110 Instrument
panel: Start-Stop system
button
The START-STOP system helps save fuel and reduce harmful emis-
sions and CO 2.
The system is automatically switched on every time the ignition is
switched on.
The system automatically switches off the engine when the vehicle
is stationary, e.g. waiting at traffic lights.
The current status of the START-STOP system is displayed on the
general instrument panel display. Automatic engine shut down (Stop phase)
–
Stop the vehicle (if necessary using the handbrake).
– Shift to neutral.
– Release the clutch pedal.
Automatic engine start up (Start phase)
– Release the clutch pedal.
Switching the START-STOP system on and off
The START-STOP system can be switched on and off by pressing the
⇒ Fig. 110 button.
The warning lamp in the button will light up when the system is
switched off.
If the vehicle is in Stop phase when the button is pressed, the en-
gine will start immediately.
The START-STOP system works under complex driving conditions that are dif-
ficult to detect without specialist technology. The set of necessary condi-
tions for the correct operating of the START-STOP system are indicated be-
low.
Conditions for automatic engine shut down (Stop phase)
● Selector lever in neutral
● Clutch pedal not pressed
● Driver with seat belt fastened
● Driver door closed
● Bonnet closed
● Vehicle stationary
● The factory-fitted towing bracket is not electrically connected to a trailer