1Direction of travel2Head restraint3Hook for upper retaining strap4Mounting point/eye5Seat backrest6Upper retaining strap
Attaching the upper retaining strap to
the mounting point
Not for Australia:
1.Middle seat: raise the head restraint if
needed.2.Outer seats: guide the upper retaining
strap over the head restraint.
Middle seat: guide the upper retaining
strap between the supports of the head re‐
straint.3.If there is a retaining strap, run it between
the backrest and the cargo cover.4.Attach the hook of the retaining strap to
the mounting eye.5.Tighten the retaining strap by pulling it
down.6.Middle seat: lower and lock head restraints
as needed.Locking the doors and
windows
Rear doors
Push the locking lever on the rear doors up.
The door can now be opened from the outside
only.
Safety reel for the rear Press button on the driver's door if
children are being transported in the
rear.
This locks various functions so that they can‐
not be operated from the rear: safety reel, refer
to page 49.
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DrivingVehicle features and options
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems.
Start/Stop button
The concept Pressing the Start/Stop button
switches the ignition on or off
and starts the engine.
The engine starts with the brake
pedal pressed when you press
the Start/Stop button.
Ignition onPress the Start/Stop button, and do not press
on the brake pedal at the same time.
All vehicle systems are ready for operation.
Most of the indicator and warning lights in the
instrument cluster light up for a varied length
of time.
To save battery power when the engine is off,
reel off the ignition and any unnecessary elec‐
tronic systems/power consumers.
Note If the engine is switched off and the ignition is
switched on, the system automatically
switches to the radio-ready state if the lights
are turned off or, if correspondingly equipped,
the daytime running lights are activated.Ignition off
Press the Start/Stop button again, and do not
press on the brake pedal at the same time.
All indicator lights in the instrument cluster go
out.
To save battery power when the engine is off,
reel off the ignition and any unnecessary elec‐
tronic systems/power consumers.
P when the ignition is switched off
P is engaged automatically when the ig‐
nition is switched off. When in an automatic car wash, e.g., ensure that the ignition is not
switched off accidentally.◀
The ignition automatically cuts off while the
vehicle is stationary and the engine is stopped:▷When locking the vehicle, and when the
low beams are activated.▷Shortly before the battery is discharged
completely, so that the engine can still be
started. This function is only available
when the low beams are turned off.▷When opening or closing the driver door, if
the driver's safety belt is unbuckled and
the low beams are turned off.▷While the driver's safety belt is unbuckled
with driver's door open and low beams off.
The low beams reel to parking lights after ap‐
prox. 15 minutes of no use.
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.Seite 68ControlsDriving68
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▷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.
The radio-ready state remains active if, e.g.,
the ignition is automatically switched off for the
following reasons:
▷Opening or closing the driver's door.▷Unfastening of the driver's safety belt.▷When automatically switching from low
beams to parking lights.
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 engage trans‐
mission position P; otherwise, the vehicle may begin to move.◀
Repeated starting in quick succession
Avoid trying to start the vehicle repeat‐
edly and in quick succession. Otherwise, the fuel is not burned or is inadequately burned,
posing a risk of overheating and damage to the
catalytic converter.◀
Do not wait for the engine to warm-up while
the vehicle remains stationary. Start driving at
moderate engine speeds.
Steptronic Sport 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.
Engine stop
Hints Take the remote control with you
Take the remote control with you when
leaving the vehicle so that children, e.g., can‐
not start the engine.◀
Apply parking brake and further secure
the vehicle if needed.
Set the parking brake firmly when parking; oth‐
erwise, the vehicle could roll. On steep upward
and downward inclines, further secure the ve‐
hicle, e.g., by turning the steering wheel in the
direction of the curb.◀
Before driving into a car wash
So that the vehicle can roll into a car wash ob‐
serve instructions for going into an automatic
car wash, refer to page 225.
Steptronic Sport transmission Switching off the engine
1.Apply the brakes until the vehicle comes to
a stop.2.Press the Start/Stop button.
The engine is switched off.
The radio-ready state is switched on.3.Set the parking brake.Seite 69DrivingControls69
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Auto 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.
Semi-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 71.
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:▷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.
The air flow from the air conditioner is reduced
when the engine is switched off.
Displays in the instrument cluster The 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 met.
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 car's interior 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.▷At higher elevations.▷The engine compartment lid is unlocked.▷HDC Hill Descent Control is activated.▷The parking assistant is activated.▷Stop-and-go traffic.▷Use of fuel with high ethanol content.
Starting the engine
The engine starts automatically under the fol‐
lowing conditions:
▷By releasing the brake pedal.
When Automatic Hold is activated: press
the accelerator pedal.
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 lights light up for a varied
length of time.
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The parking brake is not set if the engine is
switched off while the vehicle is coasting to a
halt. Automatic Hold is deactivated.
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, e.g., can‐
not release the parking brake.◀
Malfunction
In the event of a failure or malfunction of the
parking brake, secure the vehicle against roll‐
ing using a wheel chock, e.g., when leaving it.
Manual release Before releasing, secure the vehicle
against rolling
Before releasing the parking brake manually,
and whenever you park the vehicle with the
parking brake released, ensure that position P
of the Steptronic transmission is set.
Secure the vehicle in a manner appropriate to
the inclination of the road, e.g., with a wheel
chock; otherwise, there is a danger of an acci‐
dent and injuries if the vehicle rolls uninten‐
tionally.◀
The parking brake can be released manually in
the event of a power failure or electrical fault.
Unlocking Have the malfunction corrected
If the parking brake has been released
manually in response to a malfunction, only
technicians can return it to operation.
Have the malfunction corrected by your serv‐
ice center.◀1.Open the left side trim in the cargo area.2.Remove the first aid kit and warning trian‐
gle.3.Insert the screwdriver from the onboard
vehicle tool kit under the cargo floor panel
into the strap of the release point, see ar‐
row.4.Forcefully pull the screwdriver up against
the mechanical resistance until you notice
a marked increase in the resistance and
the parking brake releases audibly.5.Stow the screwdriver, warning triangle and
first aid kit, and close the left side trim in
the cargo area.
After a power failure
Only put the parking brake into operation
after a power failure
The parking brake should only be put into op‐
eration again if it was manually released due to
an interruption in the supply of electrical
power. Otherwise, it cannot be ensured that
the parking brake will function properly.◀
Putting the parking brake into
operation
1.Switch on the ignition.2. Press the reel while stepping on the
brake pedal or transmission position P is
set.
It may take several seconds for the brake to be
put into operation. Any sounds associated with
this are normal.
The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out as soon as the parking
brake is ready for operation.
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▷D/S: reel between drive mode and sequen‐
tial mode.
Engaging a selector lever position
Press on the brake pedal and pull or push the
selector lever in the corresponding direction.
As soon as the selector lever is released, it re‐
verts to the center position. In position R, the
selector lever locks.
The engaged selector lever position is dis‐
played in the instrument cluster and on the se‐
lector lever.
If a selector lever position is engaged, the vehi‐
cle may start rolling, after the brake is released,
e.g. on downhill slopes. Thus, drive off immedi‐
ately after releasing the brake.
Use the Slow Speed Assistant for maneuver‐
ing and during stop-and-go traffic.
Low Speed Assistant
The Low Speed Assistant gives assistance at
very low speeds. The vehicle moves at walking
speed.
This can also be used for rocking the vehicle in
the snow. To do this, reel between reverse
gear and forward gear without stepping on the
brakes in the process.
Activating
1.Engage a driving position.2.Briefly tap the accelerator pedal.
The vehicle rolls at minimum speed.
This is possible in 1st and 2nd gear and in re‐
verse gear.
Deactivating
Apply the brakes until the vehicle comes to a
stop.
Flashing display on the selector lever The actually engaged transmission position
can deviate from the selector lever position in
some situations. The display in the selector
lever flashes.
Observe the display in the instrument cluster,
refer to page 80, in these cases.
D Drive mode
In Drive mode, all forward gears are automati‐
cally changed.
Kickdown: for maximum acceleration, e. g. when passing. To do this, depress the acceler‐
ator pedal past the resistance point.
Switch to Sequential mode: shift using the
shift paddles or the selector lever, or push the
selector lever in the D/S direction.
S Sequential mode
Use the shift paddles or the selector lever to
upshift or downshift without letting off the gas.▷Maximum speed: once maximum engine
speed is attained, upshifting is not auto‐
matically performed in sequential mode. In
addition, the kickdown is deactivated.▷Shortly before falling below a gear-de‐
pendent minimum speed, the transmission
is automatically downshifted.▷Upshifting or downshifting is done only if
the rpm and vehicle speed are appropriate.
For example, there is no downshifting if the
engine speed is too high.▷Kickdown: the lowest possible gear is se‐
lected by simultaneously operating the
kickdown and the left shift paddle or selec‐
tor lever.▷It is also possible to start out in 2nd gear,
e. g. on icy roads.
Switch to Drive mode: push selector lever in
D/S direction.
R is Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
It is also possible to rock the vehicle up to
6 mph/10 km/h. To do this, reel between for‐
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ward gear and reverse gear without stepping
on the brakes in the process.
N is Neutral
Use in automatic car washes, e.g. The vehicle
can then roll, refer to page 225.
P Park 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 68, or when the ignition is switched
off, refer to page 68, and when position R
or D is set.▷With the ignition is off, if position N is set.▷If the safety belt is unbuckled, the driver's
door is opened, and the brake is released
while the vehicle is stationary and position
D or R is set.
Displays in the instrument cluster
Drive mode
▷Engaged gear together with
a D, arrow 1.▷Selected driving program,
Drivelogic, refer to
page 80, arrow 2.
Sequential mode
▷Engaged gear, arrow 1.▷Selected driving program,
Drivelogic, refer to
page 80, arrow 2.▷Gear shift indicator, refer to
page 93
Note
When the external temperature is very low, the
display may not work. Current driving direction
is recognizable at the engaged selector lever
position.
Gear change Shifting in Sequential mode possible.
A shift in Drive mode causes a reel to Sequen‐
tial mode.
Using the selector lever▷To shift up: pull the selector lever rear‐
wards.▷To shift down: press the selector lever for‐
ward.
Using the shift paddles on the steering wheel
▷Shift up: pull right shift paddle.▷Shift down: pull left shift paddle.
Drivelogic
Various driving programs are available.
After each reel between Sequential mode and
Drive mode, the last program selected is an ac‐
tive.
Exception: after each engine start, driving pro‐
gram 1 is active in Drive mode.
In Drive mode
Choice of three driving programs:
▷1: efficient driving.▷2: relaxed driving.▷3: sporty driving.Seite 80ControlsDriving80
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In Sequential modeChoice of three driving programs:▷1: comfortable shifting operations.▷2: sporty, fast shifting operations.▷3: maximum shifting speed, Launch Con‐
trol, refer to page 82.
Selecting driving program using
button in center console
Press button repeatedly until the de‐
sired driving program is displayed in
the instrument cluster.
Selecting driving program using
M Drive
On the Control Display:
1."Settings"2."M Drive 1" or "M Drive 2"3. Select the symbol.4."Mode"5.Turn the controller until the desired setting
is reached and press the controller.▷"D": drive mode▷"S": sequential mode.6."Shift position"7.Turn the controller until the desired setting
is reached and press the controller.8.Selecting another driving program.
When M Drive is active, setting is immedi‐
ately applied.To activate M Drive with the selected settings,
press the corresponding button on the steer‐
ing wheel:▷▷
Risk of an accident
Use the settings for DSC in M Drive; oth‐
erwise, driving stability may be impaired, and
there is risk of an accident.◀
Display in the instrument cluster Selected driving program corre‐
sponds to the number of illumi‐
nated fields.
Electronic unlocking of the
transmission lock
General information
Electronically unlock the transmission lock to
maneuver vehicle from the danger area.
Unlocking is possible, if the started can spin
the engine.
Engaging selector lever position N
1.Depress the brake pedal.2.Press the Start/Stop button. The starter
must audibly start.3.Press and hold the selector lever into posi‐
tion N.
A corresponding Check Control message
is displayed.4.Press the selector lever again into posi‐
tion N within approx. 6 seconds.
Position N is displayed in the instrument
cluster.Seite 81DrivingControls81
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