Operation
CAUTION
When the engine has been running under a
heavy load for a long period, heat can accu-
mulate in the engine compartment and cause
engine damage. For this reason, idle the en-
gine for approximately 2 minutes before
switching it off. Braking and parking
Braking capacity and braking distance The efficiency of the brakes depends directly
on the
brake pad
wear. This wear depends to
a gr
eat extent on the conditions under which
the vehicle is operated and the way the vehi-
cle is driven. If you often drive in town, drive
short distances or have a sporty driving style,
we recommend that you have the thickness
of your brake pads checked by technical serv-
ices more frequently than recommended in
the Maintenance Programme.
If you drive with wet brakes, for example, af-
ter crossing areas of water, on days of heavy
rainfall or even after washing the car, the ef-
fect of the brakes is reduced as the brake
discs are wet or even frozen (in winter): in
this case, the brakes should be “dried” by
pressing the brake pedal several times. WARNING
Longer braking distances and faults in the
brake system increase the risk of accidents.
● New brake pads must be run in and do not
have the correct friction during the first
200 km. This reduced braking capacity may
be compensated for by pressing on the brake
pedal a little harder, which also applies when
the brake pads have to be changed further
on.
● If brakes are wet or frozen, or if you are
driving on roads which have been salted,
braking power may be lower than normal.
● On steep slopes, if brakes are excessively
used, they will overheat. Before driving down
a long steep slope, it is advisable to reduce
speed and change down into a lower gear or
range (depending on the type of transmis-
sion). Thus, make use of engine braking and
relieve the brakes.
● Never let the brakes “drag” by applying
light pressure. Continuous braking will cause
the brakes to overheat and the braking dis-
tance will increase. Apply and then release
the brakes alternately.
● Never let the vehicle run with the engine
switched off. The braking distance is in-
creased considerably when the brake servo is
not active.
● If the brake fluid loses its viscosity and is
subjected to heavy use, vapour bubbles can
form in the brake system. This reduces the ef-
ficiency of the brakes. ●
Non-standard or damaged front spoilers
could restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat. Before purchasing
accessories please observe the relevant in-
structions ››› page 155, Technical modifica-
tions.
● If a br
ake system circuit fails, the braking
distance will be increased considerably. Con-
tact a specialised workshop immediately and
avoid unnecessary journeys. Handbrake
Fig. 132
Handbrake between the front seats. The handbrake should be applied firmly to
prevent the vehicle from accidentally rolling
away. Always apply the handbrake when you
leave your vehicle and when you park.
126
Driving
WARNING
● As a driver, you should never leave your ve-
hicle if the engine is running and a gear range
is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle
while the engine is running, you must apply
the parking brake and put the selector lever
in position P.
● If the engine is running and if D or R is en-
gaged, you will need to hold the car on the
foot brake. The car will creep forward as the
power transmission is not fully interrupted
even when the engine is idling.
● Never accelerate when moving the selector
lever or you may cause an accident.
● Never move the selector lever to R or P
when driving. Risk of accident!
● Before driving down a long, steep slope, it
is advisable to reduce speed and change into
a lower gear.
● If you stop the vehicle up hill, always hold
the foot brake strongly depressed down to
stop it from rolling back.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brake pedal too often or for long periods.
Constant braking will cause the brakes to
overheat and will considerably reduce the
brake effect. This increases the braking dis-
tance and could cause the brake system to
fail.
● Never allow the car to roll down a gradient
with the gear in neutral N, or in selector lever
position D, even if the engine is not running. CAUTION
● If you stop the vehicle up hills, do not at-
tempt to stop it from rolling back by depress-
ing the accelerator when a gear has been se-
lected. Otherwise, the automatic gearbox
may overheat causing damage. Pull the hand-
brake up or fully depress the brake pedal to
prevent the vehicle from rolling away.
● If you allow the vehicle to roll when the en-
gine is not running, or with the selector lever
in position N, a lack of lubrication in the auto-
matic gearbox will damage it. Changing gear in tiptronic mode*
Fig. 136
Changing gear with Tiptronic. Fig. 137
Steering wheel with paddle levers
for automatic gearbox. The Tiptronic system allows the driver to se-
lect gears manually.
General information about driving in tiptronic
mode
Changing gear with the selector lever
– Press the selector lever from position D to
the right int
o the tiptronic selector gate.
– Lightly press the selector lever forward
››› Fig. 136 + to change up to a higher
gear.
– Lightly press the selector lever backward
››› Fig. 136 - to change down to a lower
gear.
Changing gear with the steering wheel
paddle levers* – Press the right paddle lever + towards the
steering wheel to change up ››› Fig. 137 .
»
131
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Operation
– Press the left paddle lever - towards the
steering wheel to change down ››› Fig. 137.
Using the paddle levers on the steering
wheel, you can access manual driving mode
regardless of the pre-selected driving mode.
General information about driving in
tiptronic mode
When accelerating, the automatic gearbox /
DSG automatic gearbox goes into a higher
gear a little before the engine reaches its
maximum permitted revolutions.
If a lower gear is selected, the automatic
gearbox / DSG automatic gearbox will only
change down when the engine cannot go
over its maximum permitted revolutions.
If “tiptronic” is selected whilst the vehicle is
in motion and the automatic gearbox / DSG
automatic gearbox is in third gear and selec-
tor lever position D
, “tiptronic” mode will
then al
so be in third gear.
Changing gears in the normal or sport
programme using the steering wheel paddle
levers
If the paddle levers ››› Fig. 137 are used in
the normal
or sport programme, the system
switches temporarily to “tiptronic” mode. To
exit “Tiptronic” mode again, press the right
paddle lever + towards the steering wheel
for approximately one second. You will also leave “tiptronic” mode if the paddle levers
are not moved for a certain time. Note
● The gear paddle levers on the steering
wheel can be operated with the selector lever
in any position and with the vehicle in mo-
tion. Selector lever positions
Fig. 138
Automatic gearbox: instrument pan-
el display. Selector lever positions
The selected gear is displayed on the side of
the selector lever and on the instrument pan-
el display. The currently selected gear for the
automatic gearbox will also be shown on the
display.Tiptronic gear indicator
If the automatic gearbox is shifted manually,
the selected gears are shown on the screen.
P - parking lock
When the selector lever is in this position,
the driven wheels are locked mechanically.
Position P on the lever must only be selected
if the vehicle is stationary.
To move selector lever from position P, the
locking button on the selector lever handle
must be pressed and the brake pedal de-
pressed at the same time while the ignition is
switched on.
To put the selector lever in position
P, simply
pr e
ss the lock button down and, if necessary,
depress the brake pedal down.
R - Reverse gear
The reverse gear is engaged in this position.
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the
vehicle is stationary and the engine is idling.
To move the selector lever to position R,
press the lock button down and, at the same
time, press the brake pedal down, with the
ignition switched on.
With the selector lever in position R and the
ignition sw
itched on the following occurs:
● Reverse lights light up.
132
Operation
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle if you ac-
celerate on slippery road surfaces. Risk of se-
rious injury.
● Be particularly careful when using the kick-
down features on slippery road surfaces. With
a fast acceleration, the vehicle could lose
traction and skid.
● You should use the kick-down feature only
when traffic and weather conditions allow it
to be used safely. Gear-change indicator
3 Valid for vehicles: with a manual gearbox
The recommended gear for saving fuel is in-
dicated on the dash screen of certain vehi-
cles during driving.DisplayMeaning
The optimal gear is selected.
Changing to a higher gear is recommended.
Changing to a lower gear is recommended.
Information regarding the “cleanliness” of
the diesel particulate filter
The exhaust system manager detects that the
diesel particulate filter is nearly saturated
and contributes to self-cleaning by recom-
mending the optimal gear. For this purpose, it might be necessary to drive momentarily
with a high rpm
››› page 59. WARNING
The gear change indicator is only an auxiliary
function and in no case should be a substi-
tute for careful driving.
● The responsibility of choosing the correct
gear depending on the situation (e.g. over-
taking, driving up or down a slope or towing a
trailer) lies with the driver. For the sake of the environment
Selecting the correct gear can help to save
fuel. Note
The recommended gear display is switched
off when the clutch pedal is pressed. Run-in and economical driving
Running in a new engine The engine needs to be run in over the first
1,500 km.
Up to 1000 kilometres
– Do not drive at speeds of more than 2/3
the maximum speed. –
Do not accelerate hard.
– Avoid high engine revolutions.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1000 to 1500 kilometres (600 to 900
miles) – Speeds can be gradually increased to the
m ax
imum road speed or maximum permis-
sible engine speed (rpm).
During its first few hours of running, the in-
ternal friction in the engine is greater than
later on, when all the moving parts have bed-
ded in. For the sake of the environment
If the engine is run in gently, its life will be in-
creased and its oil consumption reduced. Running in tyres and brake pads
New tyres should be run-in carefully for the
first 500 km (300 miles). New brake pads
should be run-in carefully for the first
200 km.
During the first 200 km, you can compensate
for the reduced braking effect by applying
more pressure to the brake pedal. In case of
a sharp braking, the braking distance will be
longer with new brake pads than with brake
pads which have been run-in.
134
Driver assistance systems
Driver assistance systems
Braking and stability systems Electronic Stability Control (ESC)* Fig. 140
Detailed view of the dash panel: ESC
switch. This Electronic Stability System reduces the
risk of skidding and improves the vehicle's
stability and ability to hold the road.
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) contains
the electronic differential lock (EDL) and the
traction control system (ASR). The ESC works
together with the ABS. Both control lamps
will light up if the ESC or ABS systems are
faulty.
The ESC system is started automatically
when the engine is started. The ESC system is always active and cannot
be switched off. The ESC switch only switches
the ASR off.
The ASR can be deactivated when wheel spin
is desirable
››› page 141 .
F or e
xample:
● When driving with snow chains.
● When driving in deep snow or on loose sur-
faces.
● When the vehicle is stuck, to rock it back-
wards and forwards.
Press the button to switch the ASR back on
when you no longer need wheel spin.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)*
The ESC reduces the risk of skidding by brak-
ing the wheels individually.
The system uses the steering wheel angle
and road speed to calculate the changes of
direction desired by the driver, and constant-
ly compares them with the actual behaviour
of the vehicle. When irregularities occur, for
example, if the vehicle begins to skid, the
ESC brakes the appropriate wheel automati-
cally.
The forces acting on the braked wheel bring
the vehicle back to a stable condition. If the
vehicle tends to oversteer (the rear end
slides out), the system will act on the front
wheel on the outside of the turn. WARNING
● Do not forget that the electronic stability
control ESC cannot defy the laws of physics.
This should be kept in mind, particularly on
slippery and wet roads and when towing a
trailer.
● Always adapt your driving style to suit the
condition of the roads and the traffic situa-
tion. The greater safety provided by the ESC
should not encourage you to run any risks. CAUTION
● To ensure that the ESC works correctly, all
four wheels must be fitted with the same
tyres. Any differences in the rolling radius of
the tyres can cause the system to reduce en-
gine power when this is not desired.
● Any modifications made to the vehicle (for
example, to the engine, brake system, run-
ning gear or to the combination of wheels
and tyres) may affect the operation of the
ABS, EDL, ESC and ASR. Electronic differential lock (EDL)*
EDL helps the vehicle to start moving, accel-
erate and climb a gradient in slippery condi-
tions where this may otherwise be difficult or
even impossible.
It uses the ABS sensors to monitor the speed
of the driven wheels. In case of an EDL fault,
»
139Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Driver assistance systems
pressure to this wheel. The driver is made
aware of this control process by a pulsating
of the brake pedal and audible noise. This is
a deliberate warning to the driver that one or
more of the wheels is tending to lock and the
ABS control function has intervened. In this
situation it is important to keep the brake
pedal fully depressed so the ABS can regu-
late the brake application. Do not “pump”.
If you brake hard on a slippery road surface,
the best possible control is retained as the
wheels do not lock.
However, ABS will not necessarily guarantee
shorter braking distances in all conditions.
Br ak
ing distance could even be further if you
brake on gravel or on fresh snow on a slip-
pery surface. WARNING
● The anti-lock brake system cannot defy the
laws of physics. Slippery and wet roads are
dangerous even with ABS! If you notice that
the ABS is working (to counteract locked
wheels under braking), you should reduce
speed immediately to suit the road and traffic
conditions. Do not let the extra safety fea-
tures tempt you into taking any risks when
driving.
● The effectiveness of ABS is also determined
by the tyres fitted ››› page 176.
● If the ru
nning gear or brake system is modi-
fied, the effectiveness of the ABS could be se-
verely limited. Traction control system (ASR)*
The traction control system prevents the driv-
en wheels from spinning when the vehicle is
accelerating. This system always includes
ABS.
Description and operation of the traction
control system during acceleration (ASR
On front-wheel drive vehicles, the ASR sys-
tem intervenes, reducing engine power and
preventing the driven wheels from slipping
during acceleration. The system works in the
entire speed range in conjunction with ABS.
If a failure occurs in the ABS, the ASR will al-
so stop working.
TCS helps the car to start moving, accelerate
and climb a gradient in slippery conditions
where this may otherwise be difficult or even
impossible.
The ASR automatically switches on when the
engine is started. If necessary, it may be
turned on or off by briefly pressing the ESC
button on the centre console.
When the ASR is off, the warning lamp lights
up . The ASR should normally be left on.
Only in exceptional circumstances, when
wheel spin is required, can they be turned off
using the ESC button, for example:
●
With compact temporary spare wheel.
● When using the snow chains. ●
When driving in deep snow or on soft ter-
rain.
● When the vehicle is bogged-down, to free it
“by rocking it.”
The ASR should be switched on again as
soon as possible. WARNING
● Remember that not even the ASR can defy
the laws of physics. This should be kept in
mind, particularly on slippery and wet roads
and when towing a trailer.
● Always adapt your driving style to suit the
condition of the roads and the traffic situa-
tion. The greater safety provided by the ASR
should not encourage you to run any risks. CAUTION
● To ensure that the ASR works correctly,
identical tyres should be fitted on all four
wheels. Any differences in the rolling radius
of the tyres can cause the system to reduce
engine power when this is not desired.
● Any modifications made to the vehicle (for
example, to the engine, brake system, run-
ning gear or to the combination of wheels
and tyres) may affect the operation of the
ABS and ASR. 141
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Operation
XDS* When taking a curve, the driveshaft differen-
tial mechanism allows the outer wheel to turn
at a higher speed than the inner wheel. In
this way, the wheel that is turning faster (out-
er wheel) receives less drive torque than the
inner wheel. This may mean that in certain
situations the torque delivered to the inner
wheel is too high, causing the wheels to
spin. On the other hand, the outer wheel is
receiving a lower drive torque than it could
transmit. This causes an overall loss of lateral
grip on the front axle, resulting in understeer
or “lengthening” of the trajectory.
The XDS system can detect and correct this
effect via the sensors and signals of the ESC.
Via the ESC, the XDS will brake the inside
wheel and counter the excess driving torque
of that wheel. This means that the driver's
desired trajectory is much more precise,
The XDS system works in combination with
the ESC and is always active, even when ASR
traction control is disconnected.
Brake servo The brake servo increases the pressure you
apply to the brake pedal. It works
only when
the engine is running . If the brake servo is not functioning, e.g. due
to a malfunction, or if the vehicle is being
towed, you will have to press the brake pedal
considerably harder to make up for the lack
of servo assistance.
WARNING
The braking distance can also be affected by
external factors.
● Never let the vehicle coast with the engine
switched off. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in an accident. The braking dis-
tance is increased considerably when the
brake servo is not active.
● If the brake servo is not working, for exam-
ple when the vehicle is being towed, you will
have to press the brake pedal considerably
harder than normal. Start-Stop System*
Description and operation The Start-Stop function stops the engine
when the vehicle is stopped and starts it au-
tomatically when required.
– When the vehicle is stopped, put it in neu-
tral and release the clutch pedal. The en-
gine will stop.
– When the clutch pedal is pressed, the en-
gine starts again. –
The instrument panel display shows infor-
mation about the status of the Start-Stop
function ››› Fig. 142 .
St ar
t-Stop function conditions
● The driver seat belt must be buckled.
● The bonnet must be closed.
● The engine must be at operating tempera-
ture.
● The steering wheel must be straight.
● The vehicle must be on flat ground.
● The vehicle must not be in reverse.
● A trailer must not be connected.
● The temperature of the interior must be
within the comfort limits ( A/C button should
be selected).
● The windscreen de-mist function must be
off.
● If in an increase in airflow is not requested.
● The t emper
ature must not be set to HI or
LO.
● The driver door must be closed.
● The diesel particulate filter must not be in
regeneration mode, for diesel engines.
● The battery charge must not be low for the
next start.
● Battery temperature must be between -1 °C
(+30 °F) and +55 °C (+131 °F).
142
Driver assistance systems
Rear parking aid The parking aid system will use an audible
warning to indicate of the approach of any
object towards the rear of the vehicle.
Description
The acoustic parking aid system will measure
the distance between the rear of the vehicle
and any possible obstacle using four ultra-
sonic sensors located on the rear bumper.
The measuring range of the sensors starts
approximately and depending on the nature
of the obstacle
at a distance of:
● side of the rear bumper: 0.6 m
● middle of the rear bumper: 1.6 m
Activation
The system is activated by engagement of
the reverse gear. A brief audible warning con-
firms the activation and correct function of
the system.
Reverse gear
The distance warning will begin as soon as
an obstacle is detected by the system. The
frequency of the bleeps emitted by the sys-
tem will increase rapidly as the vehicle ap-
proaches the obstacle. After a distance lower
than approximately 30 cm, a continuous sig-
nal sounds (stop signal). The driver should
not reverse any further. Models with a factory-fitted towing bracket:
when the vehicle is less than 0.35 m away
the warning tone will sound continuously.
The driver should then not reverse any fur-
ther.
The warning tone volume decreases by 30%
3 seconds after it the system is triggered
if
the detected obstacle stays at a constant dis-
tance from the vehicle .
Provided that it is not in continuous mode,
the tone on the parking aid system stops
when it detects a wall parallel to the vehicle.
Trailer towing
For vehicles factory-fitted with a towing bar,
the parking aid system will not be activated
by the engagement of the reverse gear when
pulling a trailer, as the trailer's electric con-
nector will be plugged into the vehicle.
Possible faults
If a continuous beep sounds for some sec-
onds when the reverse gear is engaged, this
indicates that there is a fault in the parking
aid system. If the fault continues until the ig-
nition is turned off, the audible warning of
the fault will not be emitted every time the
system is reactivated (by engaging the re-
verse gear). Thus, the system ready indica-
tion will not sound either. Have the fault re-
paired by technical services as soon as possi-
ble. If there is no ready signal or no acoustic
warning signal, then the parking aid loud-
speaker is faulty and may not warn of obsta-
cles. To ensure that the system works proper-
ly, the sensors must be kept clean and free of
ice and snow.
CAUTION
● Please note that low obstacles detected by
the system may no longer be registered by
the sensors as the car moves closer, so the
system will not give any further warning. Cer-
tain kinds of obstacles, such as wire fences,
chains, thin posts or trailer draw bars, high
kerbs or painted railings, etc., may not al-
ways be detected by the system, so there is a
risk of damaging the vehicle in such cases.
● In some case, obstacles with edges and
bumps may not be detected immediately by
the system due to their geometry. Take spe-
cial care with this type of obstacle (corners,
rectangular objects, etc.), as they can cause
damage to the vehicle.
● Be especially careful when manoeuvring in-
to a corner between two perpendicular walls.
Pay special attention to the side distance
from the wall using the mirrors.
● The parking aid system does not replace
use of the mirrors for manoeuvres.
● External ultra-sonic sources (pneumatic
drills, construction machinery, other vehicles
with PDC) may interfere with the operation of
the system. » 147Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials