When the ignition is switched off automatically
by opening or closing the driver's door, un‐
buckling the driver's seat belt or by the auto‐
matic switching of the low beams to parking
lamps, the radio ready state remains active.
Radio ready state Activate radio ready state:▷When the engine is running: press the
Start/Stop button.
Some electronic systems/power consumers
remain ready for operation.
The radio ready state switches off automati‐
cally:
▷After approx. 8 minutes.▷When the vehicle is locked using the cen‐
tral locking system.▷Shortly before the battery is discharged
completely, so that the engine can still be
started.
Starting the engine
Hints Enclosed areas
Do not let the engine run in enclosed
areas, since breathing in exhaust fumes may
lead to loss of consciousness and death. The
exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an
odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas.◀
Unattended vehicle
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with
the engine running; doing so poses a risk of
danger.
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine run‐
ning, set the parking brake and place the trans‐
mission in selector lever position P or neutral
to prevent the vehicle from moving.◀
Repeated starting in quick succession
Avoid repeated unsuccessful attempts to
start the vehicle or starting the vehicle several
times in quick succession. Otherwise, the fuel
is not burned or is inadequately burned, posing
a risk of overheating and damage to the cata‐
lytic converter.◀
Do not wait for the engine to warm-up while
the vehicle remains stationary. Start driving at
moderate engine speeds.
Diesel engine
If the engine is cold and temperatures are be‐
low approx. 32 ℉/0 ℃, the start process may
be delayed somewhat due to automatic pre‐
heating.
A Check Control message is displayed.
Automatic transmission
Starting the engine1.Depress the brake pedal.2.Press the Start/Stop button.
The ignition is activated automatically for a
certain time and is stopped as soon as the en‐
gine starts.
Manual transmission
Starting the engine
1.Depress the brake pedal.2.Press on the clutch pedal and shift to neu‐
tral.3.Press the Start/Stop button.
The ignition is activated automatically for a
certain time and is stopped as soon as the en‐
gine starts.
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Engine stop
Hints Take the remote control with youTake the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for exam‐
ple, cannot start the engine.◀
Set the parking brake and further secure
the vehicle as required
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth‐
erwise, the vehicle could roll. On steep upward
and downward inclines, further secure the ve‐
hicle, for example, by turning the steering
wheel in the direction of the curb. ◀
Before driving into a car wash
In order for the vehicle to be able to roll into a
car wash, pay attention to the information re‐
garding Washing in automatic car washes, re‐
fer to page 246.
Automatic transmission
Switching off the engine1.Engage selector lever position P with the
vehicle stopped.2.Press the Start/Stop button.
The engine is switched off.
The radio ready state is switched on.3.Set the parking brake.
Manual transmission
Switching off the engine
1.With the vehicle at a standstill, press the
Start/Stop button.2.Shift into first gear or reverse.3.Set the parking brake.Automatic Engine Start/Stop
Function
The concept The Auto Start/Stop function helps save fuel.
The system switches off the engine during a
stop, e.g., in traffic congestion or at traffic
lights. The ignition remains switched on. The
engine starts again automatically for driving
off.
Automatic mode
After every start of the engine using the Start/
Stop button, the Auto Start/Stop function is in
the last selected state, refer to page 67.
When the Auto Start Stop function is active, it
is available when the vehicle is traveling faster
than about 3 mph, approx. 5 km/h.
Engine stop
The engine is switched off automatically dur‐
ing a stop under the following conditions:
Automatic transmission:▷The selector lever is in selector lever posi‐
tion D.▷The brake pedal remains pressed while the
vehicle is stationary or the vehicle is held
by Automatic Hold.▷The driver's safety belt is buckled or the
driver's door is closed.
Manual transmission:
▷Neutral is engaged and the clutch pedal is
not pressed.▷The driver's safety belt is buckled or the
driver's door is closed.
The air flow of the air conditioner is reduced
when the engine is switched off.
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Displays in the instrument clusterThe display indicates that the
Auto Start/Stop function is
ready for an Automatic engine
start.
The display indicates that the
conditions for an automatic en‐
gine stop have not been satis‐
fied.
Note The engine is not switched off automatically in
the following situations:▷External temperature too low.▷The external temperature is high and auto‐
matic climate control is running.▷The passenger compartment has not yet
been heated or cooled to the required
level.▷The engine is not yet at operating temper‐
ature.▷The wheels are at a sharp angle or the
steering wheel is being turned.▷After driving in reverse.▷Fogging of the windows when the auto‐
matic climate control is switched on.▷Vehicle battery is heavily discharged.▷The engine compartment lid is unlocked.▷HDC Hill Descent Control is activated.▷The parking assistant is activated.▷Stop-and-go traffic.▷The selector lever is in position N or M/S.▷Use of fuel with high ethanol content.
Starting the engine
The engine starts automatically under the fol‐
lowing conditions:
▷Automatic transmission:
By releasing the brake pedal.When Automatic Hold is activated: press
the accelerator pedal.▷Manual transmission:
The clutch pedal is pressed.
After the engine starts, accelerate as usual.
Safety mode
After the engine switches off automatically, it
will not start again automatically if any one of
the following conditions are met.
▷The driver's safety belt is unbuckled and
the driver's door is open.▷The hood was unlocked.
Some indicator lamps light up for varying
lengths of time.
The engine can only be started via the Start/
Stop button.
Note Even if driving away was not intended, the de‐
activated engine starts up automatically in the
following situations:
▷Excessive warming of the passenger com‐
partment when the cooling function is
switched on.▷The steering wheel is turned.▷Automatic transmission: change from se‐
lector lever position D to N, R or M/S.▷Automatic transmission: change from se‐
lector lever position P to N, D, R or M/S.▷The vehicle begins rolling.▷Fogging of the windows when the auto‐
matic climate control is switched on.▷Vehicle battery is heavily discharged.▷Excessive cooling of the passenger com‐
partment when the heating is switched on.▷Low brake vacuum pressure; this can oc‐
cur, for example, if the brake pedal is de‐
pressed a number of times in succession.Seite 66ControlsDriving66
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▷The engine is switched off.▷A door is opened and driver's safety belt is
unbuckled while the vehicle is stationary.▷The moving vehicle is brought to a stand‐
still using the parking brake.
The indicator lamp switches from
green to red and the letters AUTO H go out.
Lower lamp: indicator lamp in Canadian
models.
Leaving the vehicle with the engine run‐
ning
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine run‐
ning, engage position P of the automatic trans‐
mission and ensure that the parking brake is
set. Otherwise, the vehicle may begin to roll.◀
Activating This function can be activated when the driv‐
er's door is closed and the safety belt is fas‐
tened, and while driving.
Press the button.
The LED and the letters AUTO H light
up.
The indicator lamp lights up.
Automatic Hold is activated.
Deactivating Press the button again.
The LED and the letters AUTO H go
out.
Automatic Hold is deactivated.
If the vehicle is being held by Automatic Hold,
press on the brake pedal to deactivate it.
When the parking brake is set manually, Auto‐
matic Hold is deactivated automatically.
Driving
Automatic Hold is activated: the vehicle is au‐
tomatically secured against rolling after brak‐
ing to a standstill.
The indicator lamp lights up green.
Press the accelerator pedal to drive off.
The brake is released automatically.
The indicator lamp goes out.
Lower lamp: indicator lamp in Canadian
models
Before driving into a car wash
Before driving into the car wash, deacti‐
vate Automatic Hold; otherwise, the parking
brake will be set when the vehicle is stationary
and the vehicle will no longer be able to roll.◀
Parking The parking brake is automatically set if the
engine is switched off while the vehicle is be‐
ing held by Automatic Hold.
The indicator lamp changes from green
to red.
The parking brake is not set if the en‐
gine is switched off while the vehicle is coasting to a halt. Automatic Hold is
deactivated.
Lower lamp: indicator lamp in Canadian mod‐
els
Automatic Hold remains activated during the
engine stop brought about by the Auto Start/
Stop function.
Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, for exam‐
ple, cannot release the parking brake.◀
Malfunction
In the event of a failure or malfunction of the
parking brake, secure the vehicle against roll‐Seite 69DrivingControls69
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Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
Selector lever positions
D Drive, automatic position Gear position for normal vehicle operation. All
forward gears are available.
R is Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N is Neutral
Use in automatic car washes, for example. The
vehicle can roll.
When the ignition is switched off, refer to
page 63, selector lever position P is engaged
automatically.
P Park Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
drive wheels are blocked.
P is engaged automatically:▷After the engine is switched off when the
vehicle is in radio ready state, refer to
page 64, or when the ignition is switched
off, refer to page 63, and when position R
or D is engaged.▷With the ignition off, if selector lever posi‐
tion N is engaged.▷If the safety belt is unbuckled, the driver's
door is opened, and the brake pedal is not
pressed while the vehicle is stationary and
position D or R is engaged.
Before exiting the vehicle, make sure that se‐
lector lever position P of the automatic trans‐
mission is engaged. Otherwise, the vehicle
may begin to roll.
Kickdown Kickdown is used to achieve maximum driving
performance. Press on the accelerator pedal
beyond the resistance point at the full throttle
position.
Engaging selector lever positions▷It is not possible to shift out of selector
lever position P until the engine is running
and the brake is applied.▷With the vehicle stationary, press on the
brake pedal before shifting out of P or N;
otherwise, the shift command will not be
executed: shift lock.
Press on the brake pedal until you
start driving
To prevent the vehicle from creeping after
you select a gear, maintain pressure on the
brake pedal until you are ready to start.◀
Engaging D, R and N
Briefly push the selector lever in the desired di‐
rection, beyond a resistance point if necessary.
After releasing the selector lever, it returns to
its center position.
Press unlock button, in order to:
▷Engage R.Seite 74ControlsDriving74
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SymbolFunction or systemDSC Dynamic Stability Control or
DTC Dynamic Traction ControlTire Pressure Monitor.
Flat Tire Monitor.Safety belts.Airbag system.Steering system.Engine functions.Brake system.In Canadian models
Brake system.ABS Antilock Brake System.In Canadian models
ABS Antilock Brake System.At least one Check Control mes‐
sage is displayed or is stored.
Text messages
Text messages in combination with a symbol
in the instrument cluster explain a Check Con‐ trol message and the meaning of the indicator
and warning lamps.
Supplementary text messages
Additional information, such as on the cause of
a fault or the required action, can be called up
via Check Control.
The supplementary text of urgent messages is
automatically displayed on the Control Display.
Symbols
Depending on the Check Control message, the
following functions can be selected.▷ "Owner's Manual"
Display additional information about the
Check Control message in the Integrated
Owner's Manual.▷ "Service request"
Contact your service center.▷ "Roadside Assistance"
Contact Roadside Assistance.
Hiding Check Control messages
Press the onboard computer button on the
turn signal lever.
▷Some Check Control messages are dis‐
played continuously and are not cleared
until the malfunction is eliminated. If sev‐
eral malfunctions occur at once, the mes‐
sages are displayed consecutively.
These messages can be hidden for approx.
8 seconds. After this time, they are dis‐
played again automatically.▷Other Check Control messages are hidden
automatically after approx. 20 seconds.
They are stored and can be displayed
again later.Seite 86ControlsDisplays86
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SafetyVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equip‐ment is also described that is not available in a
vehicle, e. g., because of the selected optional
equipment or country variant. This also applies
for safety-related functions and systems.
Airbags
1Front airbag, driver2Front airbag, front passenger3Head airbag4Side airbag5Knee airbagsFront airbags
Front airbags help protect the driver and front
passenger by responding to frontal impacts in
which safety belts alone cannot provide ade‐
quate restraint.
Side airbags
In a lateral impact, the side airbag supports the
side of the body in the chest and lap area.Head airbags
In a lateral impact, the head airbag supports
the head.
Knee airbagThe knee airbag supports the legs in a frontal
impact.Seite 103SafetyControls103
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Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Information on how to ensure the optimal
protective effect of the airbags▷Keep at a distance from the airbags.▷Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to
keep the danger of injury to your hands or
arms as low as possible if the airbag is trig‐
gered.▷There should be no people, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.▷Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.▷Keep the dashboard and window on the
front passenger side clear, i.e. do not cover
with adhesive labels or coverings, and do
not attach holders such as for navigation
instruments and mobile phones.▷Make sure that the front passenger is sit‐
ting correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and
legs in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries
can occur if the front airbag is triggered.▷Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.▷Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as
jackets, over the backrests.▷Make sure that occupants keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not rest
against the head airbag; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.▷Do not remove the airbag restraint system.▷Do not remove the steering wheel.▷Do not apply adhesive materials to the air‐
bag cover panels, cover them or modify
them in any way.▷Never modify either the individual compo‐
nents or the wiring in the airbag system.
This also applies to steering wheel covers,
the dashboard, the seats, the roof pillars
and the sides of the headliner.◀
Even when all instructions are followed closely,
injury from contact with the airbags cannot be
ruled out in certain situations.
The ignition and inflation noise may lead to
short-term and, in most cases, temporary
hearing impairment in sensitive individuals.
In the case of a malfunction, deactivation
and after triggering of the airbags
Do not touch the individual components imme‐
diately after the system has been triggered;
otherwise, there is the danger of burns.
Only have the airbags checked, repaired or dis‐
mantled and the airbag generator scrapped by
the service center or a workshop that has the
necessary authorization for handling explo‐
sives.
Non-professional attempts to service the sys‐
tem could lead to failure in an emergency or
undesired triggering of the airbag, either of
which could result in injury.◀
Warnings and information on the airbags are
also found on the sun visors.
Functional readiness of the airbag
system
When the ignition is switched on, the
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up briefly and thereby indicates
the operational readiness of the entire airbag
system and the belt tensioner.
Airbag system malfunctioning
▷Warning lamp does not come on when the
ignition is turned on.▷The warning lamp lights up continuously.Seite 104ControlsSafety104
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