
Driving
Starting-off and Driving
Steering
Introduction
Fig. 103
Correct seated position for the
driver
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Adjusting the steering wheel position
117
Power steering
118WARNING■ When driving, hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the outer
edge in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position. Never hold the steering wheel in
the 12 o'clock position or in any other way (e.g. in the middle or inner edge of
the steering wheel). In such cases, you could severely injure the arms, hands
and head when the driver airbag is deployed.■
Never adjust the steering wheel when the vehicle is moving only when the
vehicle is stationary!
WARNING (Continued)■ Adjust the steering wheel so that the distance A » Fig. 103 between the
steering wheel and your chest is at least 25 cm. Adjust the distance of the
legs to the circuit board in the region of the knee airbag in such a way that it
is at least 10 cm B
If you do not comply with the minimum distance, this will
mean that the airbag system will not protect you - hazard!
■
If the steering wheel is adjusted further towards the head, the protection
provided by the driver airbag in the event of an accident is reduced. Check that the steering wheel is aligned to the chest.
Adjusting the steering wheel position
Fig. 104
Adjustable steering wheel: Lever
below steering wheel
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 117.
The height and forward/back position of the steering wheel can be adjusted.
›
First of all adjust the driver's seat » page 61.
›
Swivel the lever underneath the steering wheel downwards » Fig. 104.
›
Adjust the steering wheel to the desired position (with regard to the height and
forward/back position).
›
Push the lever upwards to the stop.
WARNINGThe lever for adjusting the steering wheel must be locked whilst driving so
that the steering wheel cannot accidentally change position during the jour-
ney – risk of accident!
117Starting-off and Driving

The distribution of the weight is very poor if your vehicle is unladen and the trail-
er 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 213,
Service life of tyres .
Towing capacity and trailer weight
The permissible trailer load must not be exceeded under any circumstan- ces » page 244 , Technical data .
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 vehicle's climbing pow- er. Therefore, for every additional 1000 m in height (or part), the maximum per-
missible towed weight must be reduced by 10%.
The towed weight is made up of 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 device is merely a test value for the towing device. The vehicle-specific values are detailed in the vehicle documents.WARNING■ Do not exceed the maximum permissible axle and drawbar load and the
maximum permissible total or towed weight of the vehicle and the trailer –
risk of accident and serious injury.■
Slipping loads can significantly impair the stability and safety of the vehicle/
trailer combination – risk of accident and serious injury.
Driving with a trailerFig. 134
Swivel out the 13-pin power
socket
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 156.
Before the journey
›
Swing the 13-pin socket in the direction of arrow
A
» Fig. 134 .
›
Lift off protective cap
5
» Fig. 126 on page 152.
After the journey
›
Swivel the 13-pin power socket
A
» Fig. 134 back in in the opposite direction to
the arrow.
›
Place the protective cover
5
» Fig. 126 on page 152 onto the tow bar.
Safety eyelet
The purpose of the safety eyelet
B
» Fig. 134 is to attach the breakaway cable of
the trailer.
When attaching the breakaway cable to the safety eye, it must sag freely in all
trailer positions in relation to the vehicle (sharp bends, in reverse, etc.)
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. The national legal
requirements must be observed.
Headlights
The front of the vehicle may lift up when a trailer is being towed and the head-
lights may dazzle other road users.
157Towing a trailer

Safety
Passive Safety
General information
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Safety equipment
160
Before setting off
160
What influences driving safety?
161
In this section you will find important information, tips and notes on the subject
of passive safety in your vehicle.
We have combined everything here which you should be familiar with, for exam- ple, regarding seat belts, airbags, child seats and safety of children.
WARNING■ This chapter contains important information on how to use the vehicle for
the driver and his occupants.■
You can find further information on safety concerning you and those travel-
ling with you in the following chapters of this owner's manual.
■
The complete on-board literature should always be in the vehicle. This ap-
plies in particular, if you rent out or sell the vehicle.
Safety equipment
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 160.
The following list contains only part of the safety equipment in your vehicle.
› Three-point seat belts for all the seats.
› Belt force limiters for the front seats.
› Belt tensioners for the front seats.
› Seat belt height adjusters for the front seats.
›
Front airbag for the driver and the front passenger.
› Driver’s knee airbag.
› Front side airbags.
› Rear side airbags.
› Head airbags.
› Anchoring points for child seats using the ISOFIX system.
› Anchoring points for child seats using the TOP TETHER system.
› Head restraints adjustable for height.
› Adjustable steering column.
The specified safety equipment works together, in order to optimally protect you
and those travelling with you in accident situations.
The safety equipment does not protect you or the people travelling with you, if
you or your occupants adopt an incorrect seated position or the equipment is not correctly adjusted or used.
If the seat belt is not fastened properly, this may result in injuries if an airbag is
activated in the event of an accident.
Before setting off
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 160.
For your own safety and the safety of the people travelling with you, please pay
attention to the following points before setting off.
› Ensure that the lighting and the turn signal system are functioning properly.
› Check the tyre inflation pressure.
› Ensure that all of the windows offer good visibility to the outside.
› Secure all items of luggage
» page 81, Luggage compartment .
› Ensure that no objects can obstruct the pedals.
› Adjust the mirrors, the front seat and head restraint to your body size.
› Advise your passengers to adjust the head restraints to their body size.
› Protect children in suitable child seats with correctly fastened seat
belts » page 177 , Transporting children safely .
› Adopt the correct seated position
» page 161, Correct seated position . Tell your
passengers to assume the correct seated position.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt. Also inform passengers to fasten the seat belt
correctly » page 164 , Using seat belts .
160Safety

What influences driving safety?First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 160.
The driver is fully responsible for himself and his occupants. If your driving safety is effected, you place yourself and the oncoming traffic at risk.
The following guidelines must therefore be observed. › Do not become distracted from concentrating on the traffic situation, e.g. by
your passengers or mobile phone calls.
› Never drive when your driving ability is impaired, e.g. due to medication, alcohol
or drugs.
› Keep to the traffic regulations and the permissible speed limit.
› Always adjust the driving speed to the road, traffic and weather conditions.
› Take regular breaks on long journeys – at least every two hours.
Correct seated position
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Correct seated position for the driver
162
Correct seated position for the front passenger
162
Correct seated position for the passengers in the rear seats
162
Examples of an incorrect seating position
162WARNINGGeneral information■The front seats and head restraints must be adjusted to match the body
size at all times and the seat belt must always be fastened properly to provide the most effective levels of protection to the passengers.■
If the occupant adopts an incorrect seated position, he is exposed to life-
threatening injuries, in case he is hit by a deployed airbag.
■
If the occupants on the rear seats are not sitting upright, the risk of injury is
increased due to incorrect routing of the seat belt.
■
The seat backrests must not be tilted too far back when driving, as this will
impair the function of the seat belts and of the airbag system – risk of injury!
WARNINGInformation for the driver■Always assume the correct seated position before setting off and do not
change this position while driving. Also advise your passengers to adopt the
correct seated position and not to change this position while the car is mov-
ing.■
Maintain a distance of at least 25 cm from the steering wheel, and a dis-
tance of at least 10 cm between the legs and the dash panel at the height of
the knee airbag. Not maintaining this minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to properly protect you - hazard!
■
When driving, hold the steering wheel with both hands firmly on the outer
edge in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock position. Never hold the steering wheel in
the 12 o'clock position or in any other way (e.g. in the middle or inner edge of the steering wheel). In such cases, you could severely injure the arms, hands
and head when the driver airbag is deployed.
■
Ensure that there are no objects in the driver's footwell, as these may get
caught in the pedal apparatus when driving or braking. You would then no
longer be able to operate the clutch, brake or acceleration pedals.
WARNINGInformation for the front passenger■Maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel. Not maintaining this
minimum distance will mean that the airbag system will not be able to proper-
ly protect you – hazard!■
Always keep your feet in the footwell when the car is being driven – never
place your feet on the instrument panel, out of the window or on the surfaces of the seats. You will be exposed to increased risk of injury if it becomes nec-
essary to apply the brake or in the event of an accident. If an airbag is de-
ployed, you may suffer fatal injuries when adopting an incorrect seated posi- tion!
161Passive Safety

Correct seated position for the driverFig. 135
Correct driver seating position / properly adjusted headrest
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 161.
For your own safety and to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident,
we recommend the following setting.
› Position the steering wheel so that there is a gap of at least 25 cm between the
steering wheel and the chest
A
» Fig. 135 , and that the distance between the
legs and the dash panel at the height of the knee airbag is at least 10 cm
B
.
› Adjust the driver’s seat in the forward/back direction so that the pedals can be
fully depressed with slightly bent legs.
› Adjust the seat backrest so that the highest point of the steering wheel can be
reached with your arms at a slight angle.
› Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of your head
C
.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 164, Using seat belts .
Manual driver seat adjustment » page 62.
Electrical driver seat adjustment » page 62.
Correct seated position for the front passenger
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 161.
For the safety of the front passenger and to reduce the risk of injury in the event
of an accident, we recommend the following setting.
› Position the front passenger seat back as far as possible. The front passenger
must maintain a distance of at least 25 cm to the dash panel so that the airbag
offers the greatest possible safety if it is deployed.
› Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of your head
C
» Fig. 135 on page 162.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 164.
In exceptional cases the front passenger airbag can be deactivated » page 175,
Deactivating airbags .
Manual front passenger adjustment » page 62.
Electrical front passenger seat adjustment » page 62.
Correct seated position for the passengers in the rear seats
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 161.
To reduce the risk of injury in the event of a sudden braking manoeuvre or an ac-
cident, the occupants on the rear seats must observe the following.
› Adjust the head restraint so that the top edge of the head restraint is at the
same level as the upper part of the head
C
» Fig. 135 on page 162.
› Correctly fasten the seat belt
» page 164, Using seat belts .
› Use a suitable child restraint system if transporting children in the vehi-
cle » page 177 , Transporting children safely .
Examples of an incorrect seating position
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-ings
on page 161.
Maximum seat belt protection is only achieved if seat belts are fastened correctly.
162Safety

Seat belts
Using seat belts
Introduction
Fig. 136
Driver wearing seat belt
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
The physical principle of a head-on collision
165
Fastening and unfastening seat belts
166
Belt height adjustment on the front seats
167
Seat belt for the rear middle seat
167
Seat belts that are fastened correctly offer good protection in the event of an ac-
cident. They reduce the risk of an injury and increase the chance of survival in the
event of a major accident.
Correctly fastened seat belts hold occupants of the car in the correct seated posi-
tion » Fig. 136 .
The seat belts reduce the kinetic energy (energy of motion) to a considerable ex-
tent. They also prevent uncontrolled movements which, in turn, may well result in
severe injuries.
Occupants of a vehicle who have correctly fastened their seat belts have the ma-
jor benefit of the fact that the kinetic energy is absorbed as effectively as possi-
ble by the belts.
The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other passive safety measures,
such as the airbag system, also contribute to the kinetic energy being reduced as
effectively as possible. The energy produced is thus absorbed and there is less
risk of injury.
Particular safety aspects must be observed when transporting children in the ve-
hicle » page 177 .WARNING■
Fasten your seat belt before each journey - even when driving in town! This
also applies to the passengers seated at the rear – risk of injury!■
Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way of
ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child » page 166, Fastening and
unfastening seat belts .
■
Maximum seat belt protection is only achieved if you are correctly seat-
ed » page 161 , Correct seated position .
■
The seat backrests of the front seats must not be tilted too far to the rear
otherwise the seatbelts can lose their effectiveness.
WARNINGInformation on the correct routing of the belt■Always ensure that the webbing of the seat belts is properly routed. Seat
belts which are not correctly adjusted can themselves cause injuries even in
minor accidents.■
Adjust the height of the belt in such a way that the shoulder part of the belt
is roughly positioned across the middle of your shoulder - on no account across your neck.
■
A seat belt which is hanging too loose can result in injuries as your body is
moved forward by the kinetic energy produced in an accident and is then sud-
denly held firm by the belt.
■
The belt webbing must not run across solid or fragile objects (e.g. specta-
cles, ball-point pens, bunches of keys etc.). Such objects can cause injury.
WARNINGInformation on dealing with the safety belts■The belt webbing must not be jammed in-between at any point or twisted,
or chafe against any sharp edges.■
Make sure you do not catch the seat belt in the door when closing it.
164Safety

Belt height adjustment on the front seatsFig. 140
Front seat: Seat belt height ad-
juster
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings on page 164.
The seat belt height adjuster makes it possible to adjust the routing of the front
seat belts in the area of the shoulder to the body size.
›
Press the height adjuster and move up or down in the desired direc- tion » Fig. 140 .
›
Then pull firmly on the belt to ensure that the seat belt height adjuster has cor-
rectly locked in place.
Seat belt for the rear middle seat
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 164.
The seat belt for the rear middle seat is anchored in the area of the boot on the
left side of the headliner.
Fasten
›
Pull the belt with both lock tongues out of the headliner mount.
›
Insert the lock tongue at the end of the belt into the belt buckle on the left side
until it is heard to lock in place.
›
Pull the second lock tongue, which is moveable on the seat belt, over the chest
and insert it into the belt buckle on the right side until it is heard to lock in place.
›
Pull on the seat belt to check that both lock tongues are securely engaged inthe locks.
The belt tongues for the rear middle seat are shaped differently so that they only
fit into the correct belt buckle. If you are not able to insert a lock tongue into the
wrong belt lock you probably tried to put it into the wrong buckle.
Release›
Take off the safety belt in the reverse order to how you fasten it.
›
Guide the belt back by hand so that the webbing rolls up easily, the seat belt is not twisted and the trim panel is not damaged.
WARNING■ After releasing the seat belt hold it tight and let it slowly reel up until both
lock tongues lock into the headliner mount and are secured with a magnet -
there is a risk of injury.■
Never unlock both lock tongues simultaneously.
Inertia reels and belt tensioners
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects: Intertia reel
167
Belt tensioners
168
Intertia reel
First read and observe the introductory information given on page 167.
Each seat belt is equipped with an inertia reel.When pulling slowly on the seat belt, the belt can move freely. When pullingsharply on the seat belt, the movement is locked by the inertia reel.
The belts also lock when full braking, when the car accelerates, when driving
downhill and when cornering.
167Seat belts

Use of a child seat on the front passenger seat
Never use a backwards-facing child restraint system on a seat that is protected by an active airbag installed in front of it. This could cause the child severe injury
or even death.Fig. 149
Sticker on the B column on the
front passenger side.
Fig. 150
Front passenger sun visor / label
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warn-
ings
on page 177.
For safety reasons, we recommend that you install child seats on the rear seats
whenever possible.
The following instructions must be followed when using a child seat on the front passenger seat.
› The front passenger airbag must be deactivated if using a rear-facing child
seat »
.
› If possible, adjust the front passenger seat backrest so that it is as vertical, so
as to ensure secure contact between the passenger seat backrest and the back of the child seat.
› If possible, move the front passenger seat backwards so that there is no con-
tact between the front passenger seat and the child seat behind it.
› With child safety seats in groups 2 or 3, make sure that the loop-around fittings
attached to the child seat headrest is positioned in front of or at the same
height as the loop-around fittings on the B pillar on the passenger side.
› Set the height-adjustable front passenger seat as high up as possible.
› Set the front passenger seat belt as high up as possible.
› Place and fasten the child seat on the seat and the child in the child seat ac-
cording to the specifications in the manufacturer's user manual of the child seat .WARNING■ The front passenger airbag must be deactivated if using a rear-facing child
seat on the front passenger seat » page 175, Deactivating airbags .■
Never use a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat if the passen-
ger airbag is activated. This child safety seat is positioned in the deployment
area of the front passenger airbag. The airbag may cause the child severe, or
even fatal injuries, in the event of it being deployed.
■
This fact is also indicated by the label that can be found in one of the follow-
ing locations. ■On the B-column on the front passenger side » Fig. 149. The sticker is visi-
ble upon opening the front passenger door.
■ On the front passenger's sun visor. In some countries, the sticker is loca-
ted on the front seat passenger's sun visor » Fig. 150.
■
With child safety seats in groups 2 or 3, make sure that the loop-around fit-
tings attached to the child seat headrest is positioned in front of or at the
same height as the loop-around fittings on the B pillar on the passenger side.
■
As soon as the rear-facing child seat is no longer being used on the passen-
ger seat, the front passenger airbag should be re-activated again.
178Safety