It is not necessary to disconnect the cables of the battery if you recharge the ve-
hicle battery using low amperages (for example from a mini-charger). Refer to the
instructions of the charger manufacturer .
A charging current of 0.1 multiple of the total vehicle battery capacity (or lower)
must be used until full charging is achieved.
It is necessary to disconnect both cables before charging the battery with high
amperages, known as “ rapid charging”.
The vent plugs of the vehicle battery should not be opened for charging.WARNING“Quick-charging” the vehicle battery is dangerous and requires a special
charger and specialist knowledge.
CAUTION
On vehicles with the START/STOP system, the pole terminal of the charger must
not be connected directly to the negative terminal of the vehicle battery, but only
to the engine earth » page 236, Jump-starting in vehicles with the START-STOP
system .
Note
We therefore recommend that vehicle batteries be rapid charged by a specialist
garage.
Replace
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 215.
When replacing a battery, the new vehicle battery must have the same capacity,
voltage, amperage and be the same size. Suitable vehicle battery types can be
purchased from a specialist garage.
We recommend having the battery replaced by a specialist garage, where the
new vehicle battery will be installed properly and the original battery will be dis-
posed of in accordance with national regulations.
Disconnecting or reconnecting
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 215.
On disconnecting and reconnecting the vehicle battery the following functions
are initially deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free.
OperationOperating measureElectrical power window (operational faults)» page 46Panoramic sliding roof (operational faults)» page 242Enter the radio/navigation system code num-
ber» User manual of the radio
or » user manual of the naviga-
tion systemSetting the clock» page 13Data in the multifunction display are deleted.» page 25
Note
We recommend having the vehicle checked by a specialist garage in order to en-
sure full functionality of all electrical systems.
Automatic load deactivation
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 215.
The vehicle voltage control unit automatically prevents the battery from discharg-
ing when the battery is put under high levels of strain. This manifests itself by the
following.
› The idling speed is raised to allow the generator to deliver more electricity to
the electrical system.
› Where necessary, large convenience consumers such as seat heaters and rear
window heaters have their power limited or are shut off completely in the event of an emergency.
218General Maintenance
WARNING■When the indicator light illuminates, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake manoeuvres. Stop the vehicle as soon as
possible and inspect the tyres and their inflation pressure.■
Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or unpaved
roads) the warning light may light up after a delay, or not at all.
CAUTION
■
The tyre control display does therefore not replace the regular tyre inflation
pressure control, as the system cannot detect an even loss of pressure.■
The system 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 or sharp braking.
■
To ensure a proper functioning of the tyre control display, it is necessary to re-
peat the basic setting every 10000 km or once a year.
Spare wheel
Fig. 172
Boot: Spare wheel
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 220.
The spare wheel is located in a well under the floor covering in the boot and is
fixed in place with a special bolt » Fig. 172.
Take out the wheel
›
Open the boot lid.
›
Lift up the floor in the luggage compartment.
›
Remove the box with the tool kit.
›
Unscrew the bolt » Fig. 172 in a counterclockwise direction.
›Take out the wheel.
Stow the wheel›
Stow the replaced wheel in the spare wheel well with the rim facing down.
›
Screw the bolt » Fig. 172 in a clockwise direction until the wheel is safely se-
cured.
›
Place the box with the tool kit back into the spare wheel and secure it with the
tape.
›
Fold back the floor in the luggage compartment.
›
Close the boot lid.
Fit a wheel in the appropriate dimensions and design as soon as possible.
If the dimensions or design of the spare wheel differ from the tyres fitted to the
vehicle (e.g. winter tyres or low-profile tyres), it must only be used briefly in the
event of a puncture and if an appropriately cautious style of driving is adop-
ted »
.
Spare wheel
A warning label is displayed on the rim of the temporary spare wheel.
Please note the following if you intend to use the temporary spare wheel. › The warning label must not be covered after installing the wheel.
› Be particularly observant when driving.
› The inflation pressure for the temporary spare wheel is identical to the maxi-
mum inflation pressure for the standard tyres.
› Only use this temporary spare wheel to reach the nearest specialist garage, as it
is not intended for long-term use.
WARNING■ Never use the temporary spare wheel if it is damaged.■If the dimensions or design of the temporary spare wheel differ from the fit-
ted tyres, never drive faster than 80 km/h (or 50 mph).■
Avoid accelerating at full throttle, sharp braking and fast cornering.
CAUTION
Observe the instructions on the warning sign of the temporary spare wheel.
224General Maintenance
Full wheel trimFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 220.
Pulling off
›
Hook the clamp found in the vehicle tool kit into the reinforced edge of the wheel trim.
›
Push the wheel wrench through the clamp, support on the tyre and pull off the
wheel trim.
Install
›
Press the wheel trim onto the wheel rim at the designated valve opening.
›
Then press the trim into the wheel rim until its entire circumference locks cor- rectly in place.
CAUTION
■ Use the pressure of your hand only, do not strike the full wheel trim. Avoid
heavy impacts when the trim has not yet been inserted into the wheel rim. This
could cause damage to the guide and centring elements of the trim.■
When using the anti-theft wheel bolt, ensure that it is in the hole in the valve
area » page 231 , Securing wheels against theft .
■
If wheel trims are retrofitted it must be ensured that an adequate flow of air is
assured to cool the brake system.
Wheel bolts
Fig. 173
Remove the capFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 220.
Pulling off
›
Push the extraction pliers » page 228 sufficiently far onto the cap until the in-
ner catches of the pliers are positioned at the collar of the cap » Fig. 173.
›
Remove the cap.
Install
›
Push the caps onto the wheel bolts up to the stop.
The wheel bolt caps are housed in a plastic box in the spare wheel or in the stor-
age space for the spare wheel.
Hubcaps
Fig. 174
Pull off the wheel trim cap on
light alloy wheels
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 220.
Pulling off
›
Carefully remove the wheel trim cap using the wire clamp from the vehicle tool
kit » Fig. 174 .
225Wheels
Wheel boltsFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 220.
Wheels and wheel bolts are matched to each other in terms of design. Each time
you fit other wheels rims, e.g. light alloy wheel rims or wheels with winter tyres,
you must also use the matching wheel bolts with the correct length and dome
shape. The right fastening of wheels depends on this.
Winter operation
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Winter tyres
226
Snow chains
226
Winter tyres
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 226.
Fitting winter tyres will significantly improve the handling of your vehicle whendriving in wintry road conditions. Summer tyres have less grip on ice, snow and attemperatures below 7 °C. This is especially true of vehicles fitted with wide tyres
or high-speed tyres .
In order to achieve the best possible handling properties, winter tyres must be fit-
ted on all 4 wheels, the minimum tread depth must be 4 mm and tyres must be no older than 4 years.
Winter tyres of a lower speed category can be used provided that the permissible
maximum speed of these tyres is not exceeded even if the possible maximum
speed of the vehicle is higher.
The speed limit for winter tyres can be set in the MAXI DOT display in the menu
item Winter tyres » page 29 .
For the sake of the environmentFit the summer tyres on again in good time as they provide better handling prop-
erties, a shorter braking distance, less tyre noise, and reduced tyre wear on roadswhich are free of snow and ice as well as at temperatures above 7 °C. The fuelconsumption is also lower.
Snow chains
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 226.
When driving in wintry road conditions, snow chains improve not only traction,
but also the braking performance.
Snow chains must only be mounted on the front wheels.
For technical reasons, it is only permissible to fit snow chains with the following wheel/tyre combinations.
Wheel sizeDepth (D)Tyre size7J x 16 a)45 mm205/556J x 16 a)50 mm205/556J x 1745 mm205/50a)
Not valid for vehicles with 3.6 l/191 kW FSI engine.
Only use fine-link snow chains . They must not project more than 9 mm - includ-
ing the chain lock.
CAUTION
■ The chains must be removed when driving on roads which are free of snow.
They adversely affect the handling of your vehicle, damage the tyres and are rap-
idly destroyed.■
Remove the full wheel trims before installing the snow chains.
226General Maintenance
WARNING■The factory-supplied lifting jack is only intended for your model of vehicle.
Under no circumstances use it to lift heavier vehicles or other loads – risk of
injury!■
Ensure that the vehicle tool kit is safely secured in the boot.
■
Ensure that the box is always secured with the strap.
Changing a wheel
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Preliminary work
229
Changing a wheel
230
Follow-up work
230
Loosening/tightening wheel bolts
230
Raising the vehicle
231
Securing wheels against theft
231WARNING■ 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 legal re-
quirements 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 222,
New tyres .
WARNINGObserve the following instructions for lifting the vehicle.■If the wheel has to be changed on a slope, first of all block the opposite
wheel with a stone or similar object to prevent the vehicle from unexpectedly
rolling away.■
Secure the base plate of the lifting jack with suitable means to prevent pos-
sible moving. A soft and slippery ground under the base plate may move the lifting jack, causing the vehicle to fall down. It is therefore always necessary to
place the lifting jack on a solid surface or use a wide and stable base. Use a non-slip base (e.g. a rubber foot mat) if the surface is smooth, such as cobbled
stones, tiled floor, etc.
■
Only attach the lifting jack to the attachment points provided for this pur-
pose.
■
Always raise the vehicle with the doors closed.
■
Never position any body parts, such as arms or legs under the vehicle, while
the vehicle is raised with a lifting jack.
■
Never start the engine when the vehicle is raised – risk of injury.
CAUTION
■ The prescribed tightening torque of the wheel bolts for steel and light alloy
wheels is 120 Nm.■
If the wheel bolts are fastened too tightly, this can cause damage to the anti-
theft wheel bolt or the adapter.
Note
The national legal requirements must be observed when changing a wheel.
Preliminary work
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 229.
Always change a wheel on a level surface as far as possible.
The following steps must be carried out before actually changing the wheel:
›
Let all of the occupants get out. While changing a tyre, the occupants of the
vehicle should not stand on the road (instead they should remain behind a crash
barrier).
229Emergency equipment and self-help
Breakdown kitFig. 183
Components of the breakdown kit
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 232.
The kit is located in a box under the floor covering in the luggage compartment.
Components of the breakdown kit Valve remover
Sticker with speed designation “max. 80 km/h”/“max. 50 mph”
Inflation hose with plug
Air compressor
Tyre inflation hose
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.
This is the only way in which you can remove and re-install the valve core from
the tyre valve. The same also applies to the replacement valve core
11
.
1234567891011Preparations for using the breakdown kit
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 232.
The following preparatory work must be carried out before using the breakdown
kit.
›
Park the vehicle as far away as possible from the flow of traffic. Park on as flat and firm a surface as possible.
›
If you are in flowing traffic, switch on the hazard warning light system and setup the warning triangle at the prescribed distance! The national legal require-
ments must be observed.
›
Let all of the occupants get out. While changing a tyre, the occupants of the
vehicle should not stand on the road (instead they should remain behind a crash
barrier).
›
Switch off the engine and move the gearshift lever into Neutral or move the se-
lector lever on the automatic gearbox into position P.
›
Firmly apply the handbrake.
›
Check that you can carry out the repairs with the breakdown kit » page 232.
›
If a trailer is connected, uncouple it.
›
Remove the breakdown kit from the boot.
›
Stick the sticker
2
» Fig. 183 on page 233 on the dash panel in view of the driv-
er.
›
Do not remove the foreign body, e.g. screw or nail, from the tyre.
›
Unscrew the valve cap.
›
Use the valve remover
1
to unscrew the valve core and place it on a clean sur-
face (rag, paper, etc.).
Sealing and inflating the tyre
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 232.
Sealing
›
Forcefully shake the tyre inflator bottle
10
» Fig. 183 on page 233 several times.
›
Firmly screw the inflation hose
3
onto the tyre inflator bottle
10
in a clockwise
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.
233Emergency equipment and self-help
WARNING■A discharged vehicle battery may already freeze at temperatures just below
0 °C. If the battery is frozen, do not jump start with the battery of another ve- hicle – there is a risk of explosion.■
Pay attention to the warning instructions relating to working in the engine
compartment » page 206.
■
The non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps must never touch each other
– there is a risk of short circuit.
■
The jump-start cable connected to the positive terminal of the battery must
not come into contact with electrically conducting parts of the vehicle – there is a risk of short circuit.
■
Do not clamp the jump-start cable to the negative terminal of the dis-
charged battery. There is the risk of detonating gas seeping out the battery
being ignited by the strong spark which results from the engine being started.
■
Route the jump-start cables so that they cannot be caught by any rotating
parts in the engine compartment.
■
Do not bend over the battery – there is a risk of caustic burns.
■
The vent screws of the battery cells must be tightened firmly.
■
Keep any sources of ignition (naked flame, lit cigarettes, etc.) away from the
battery – there is a risk of explosion.
■
Never jump-start vehicle batteries with insufficient acid levels – risk of ex-
plosion and chemical burns.
CAUTION
■ There must not be any contact between the two vehicles otherwise current
may flow as soon as the negative terminals are connected.■
The discharged battery must be properly connected to the system of the vehi-
cle.
■
We recommend you buy jump-start cables from a car battery specialist.
Jump-starting using the battery from another vehicleFig. 184
Jump-starting: A – flat battery, B
– battery providing current
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 234.
The battery of another vehicle can be used to jump-start your vehicle if the en-
gine will not start because the battery is flat. Jump-start cables are required for
this purpose.
The jump-start cables must be attached in the following sequence.
›
Attach clamp
1
to the positive terminal of the discharged battery
A
» Fig. 184 .
›
Attach clamp
2
to the positive terminal of the battery supplying power
B
.
›
Attach clamp
3
to the negative terminal of the battery supplying power
B
.
›
Attach the clamp
4
to a solid metal component firmly connected to the engine
block or to the engine block itself.
Starting engine
›
Start the engine on the vehicle providing the power and allow it to idle.
›
Start the engine of the vehicle with the discharged battery.
›
If the engine does not start, halt the attempt to start the engine after 10 sec- onds and wait for 30 seconds before repeating the process.
›
Disconnect the cables in exactly the reverse order
to the one described above.
Both batteries must have a rated voltage of 12 V. The capacity (Ah) of the battery
supplying the power must not be significantly less than the capacity of the dis-
charged battery in your vehicle.
Jump-start cables
Only use jump-start cables which have an adequately large cross-section and in-
sulated terminal clamps. Observe the instructions of the jumper lead manufactur-
er.
Positive cable - colour coding in the majority of cases is red.
235Emergency equipment and self-help
Negative cable - colour coding in the majority of cases is black.
Jump-starting in vehicles with the START-STOP system
Fig. 185
Engine earth: START-STOP sys-
tem
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn- ings on page 234.
On vehicles with the START-STOP system, the jump-start cable of the charger
must never be connected directly to the negative pole of the vehicle battery, but
only to the engine earth » Fig. 185.
Jump-starting vehicles with the vehicle battery in the boot
Fig. 186
Detail of the engine compart-
ment: Jump-starting pointFirst read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 234.
On vehicles with the vehicle battery in the boot, the positive terminal of the bat-
tery supplying the power can only be connected to the jump-starting point in the
engine compartment of the vehicle being started by means of a jump-start ca-
ble » Fig. 186 !
›
Open the protective cap of the jump-starting point in the direction of the ar-
row » Fig. 186 .
›
Connect the positive terminal of the battery supplying the power with the jump-
starting point.
›
Attach the negative terminal of the battery supplying the power to a solid metal
part firmly connected to the engine block or to the engine block itself.
›
Start the engine.
›
After starting the engine, close the protective cap of the jump-starting point.
Towing the vehicle
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Front towing eye
237
Rear towing eye
238
Vehicles with a tow hitch
238
Vehicles with manual transmission may be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope
or with the front or rear wheels raised.
Vehicles with automatic transmission may 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!
A tow bar is the safest way of towing a vehicle and also minimises any shocks.
Only use a tow rope if a suitable tow bar is not available.
When towing, the following guidelines must be observed.
Driver of the tow vehicle
›
Release the clutch particularly gently when starting off or depress the accelera-
tor particularly gently if the vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
›
On vehicles with a manual transmission, only push down on the accelerator pedal once the rope is taught.
236Do-it-yourself