Lights and visibility
Windscreen wiper functionsWindscreen wiper performance in different sit-
uations
If the vehicle is at a
standstillThe activated position provision-
ally changes to the previous posi-
tion.
During automatic
wipe
The air conditioner comes on for
approximately 30 seconds in air
recirculation mode to prevent the
smell of the windscreen washer
fluid entering the inside the vehi-
cle.
For the interval wipe
Intervals between wipes depend
on the vehicle's speed. The high-
er the vehicle speed the shorter
the intervals. Heated windscreen washer jets
The heating only thaws the frozen jets, it
does not thaw the water in the washer hoses.
The heated windscreen washer jets automati-
cally adjust the heat depending on the ambi-
ent temperature, when the ignition is switch-
ed on.
Headlight wash/wipe system
The headlight washers/wipers clean the
headlight lenses.
After the ignition is switched on, the first and
every fifth time the windscreen washer is
switched on, the headlights are also washed. Therefore, the windscreen wiper lever should
be pulled towards the steering wheel when
the dipped beam or main beam are on. Any
incrusted dirt (such as insects) should be
cleaned regularly (e.g. when refuelling).
To ensure the headlight washers work cor-
rectly in winter, any snow which has got into
the bumper jet supports should be cleaned
away. If necessary, remove snow with an anti-
icing spray.
Note
The wiper will try to wipe away any obstacles
that are on the windscreen. The wiper will
stop moving if the obstacle blocks its path.
Remove the obstacle and switch the wiper
back on again. Rain sensor*
Fig. 103
Windscreen wiper lever: adjusting
the rain sensor A Fig. 104
Rain sensor sensitive surface The rain sensor controls the frequency of the
windscreen wiper intervals, depending on
the amount of rain
››› . The sensitivity of the
rain sensor can be adjusted manually. Man-
ual wipe ››› page 102 .
Mo v
e the lever to the required position
››› Fig. 103:
Rain sen
sor off.
Rain sensor on; automatic wipe if neces-
sary.
Setting sensitivity level of rain sensor
– Set control to the right: highly sensi-
tive.
– Set control to the left: less sensitive.
When the ignition is switched off and then
back on, the rain sensor stays on and starts
operating again when the windscreen wipers
are in position 1 and the vehicle is travel-
ling at more than 16 km/h (10 mph). »
0 1
A
103
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Lights and visibility
Read the additional information carefully
››› page 13
Synchronized regulation of the exterior
mirrors ● In the Settings - Convenience
menu, sel
ect
whether or not the exterior mirrors should
move in synchronisation.
● Turn the knob to position L 1)
.
● Adjust the left-hand exterior mirror. The
right exterior mirror will be adjusted at the
same time (synchronised).
● If necessary the right exterior mirror adjust-
ment may need correcting. turn the control to
position
R 1)
.
● In the Easy Connect system the exterior mir-
rors can be adjusted using the CAR button
and the function button SETUP .
Tilt function for front passenger exterior
mirror*
When parking backwards, and in order to be
able to see the kerb, the passenger side mir-
ror can be automatically tilted towards the
passenger to provide a better view of the
kerb. The control must be in the position R1)
for this feature to be operational.
The mirror returns to its original position as
soon as you drive forwards at over 15 km/h (10 mph) or switch off the ignition. It also re-
turns to its original position if the position of
the control is adjusted.
Storing the rear view mirror settings for the
tilt function
● Switch the ignition on.
● Access the Easy Connect system, Menu
CAR , function “Rear view mirrors and wind-
screen wipers” and select “lower when re-
versing” ››› page 81 .
● Sel ect
the R1)
position on the control.
● Select reverse gear.
● Adjust the front passenger exterior mirror
so that you can see, for example, the kerb
area well.
● Release the reverse gear.
● The adjusted position for the rear view mir-
ror is stored.
Fold in the exterior mirrors after parking
(convenience function)*
The Easy Connect system, Menu CAR , func-
tion “Rear view mirrors and windscreen wip-
ers” can be used to have the exterior mirrors
fold in when the vehicle is parked ››› page 81.
When the vehicle is locked with the remote
control, by pressing for more than approxi- mately 1 second the exterior mirrors are fol-
ded in automatically. When the vehicle is
opened with the remote control, the exterior
mirrors are deployed automatically. WARNING
Convex or wide-angle* exterior mirrors give a
larger field of vision. However, they make ob-
jects look smaller and further away than they
really are. If you use these mirrors to esti-
mate the distance to vehicles behind you
when changing lane, you could misjudge the
distance. Risk of accident! CAUTION
● If one of the mirror housings is knocked out
of position (e.g. when parking), the mirrors
must first be fully retracted with the electric
control. Do not readjust the mirror housing by
hand, as this will interfere with the mirror ad-
juster function.
● Before washing the vehicle in an automatic
car wash, please make sure to retract the ex-
terior mirrors to prevent them from being
damaged. Electrically retractable exterior
mirrors must not be folded in or out by hand.
Always use the electrical power control. »1)
Regulation in right-hand drive vehicles is symmet-
rical. 105
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Operation
Note
If the electrical adjustment should fail to op-
erate, both of the mirrors can be adjusted by
hand by lightly pressing the edge of the mir-
ror glass. Seats and head restraints
Adjusting the seats and
headrests
Manual adjustment of seats Read the additional information carefully
››› page 12 WARNING
The safe driving chapter contains important
information, tips, suggestions and warnings
that you should read and observe for your
own safety and the safety of your passengers
››› page 37. WARNING
● Adjust the front seats only when the vehi-
cle is stationary. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● Be careful when adjusting the seat height.
Careless or uncontrolled adjustment can
cause injuries.
● The front seat backrests must not be re-
clined for driving. Otherwise, seat belts and
the airbag system might not protect as they
should, with the subsequent danger of injury. Electric driver seat adjustment*
Read the additional information carefully
››› page 12 WARNING
● If the electric front seats are used negli-
gently or without paying due attention, it can
cause serious injury.
● The front seats can also be electrically ad-
justed when the ignition is switched off. Nev-
er leave a child or any other person who may
need help in the vehicle.
● In the event of an emergency, electrical ad-
justment can be stopped by pressing any
control. CAUTION
To avoid damaging the electrical components
of the front seats, please refrain from kneel-
ing on the seat or applying sharp pressure at
a single point to the seat cushion and back-
rest. Note
● It may not be possible to electrically adjust
the seat if the vehicle battery is very low.
● If the engine is started while the seats are
being electrically adjusted, the adjustment
will stop. 106
Operation
Seat heating Fig. 107
In the centre console: front seats
heating switch The seat cushions can be heated electrically
when the ignition is switched on. The back-
rest is also heated in some versions.
The seat heating should not be engaged in
any of the following conditions:
● The seat is unoccupied.
● The seat has a covering.
● There is a child seat installed in the seat.
● The seat cushion is wet or damp.
● The indoor or outdoor temperature is great-
er than 25°C (77°F).
Activate
Press the button or . Seat heating is
switched on fully. Adjusting the heating output
Press the button
or
repeatedly until the
desired intensity level is reached.
Deactivating
Press the button
or until all warning
lamps switch off. WARNING
People who, because of medications, paraly-
sis or chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes) cannot
perceive pain or temperature, or have a limi-
ted perception thereof, may suffer burns to
the back, buttocks or legs when using seat
heating, an occurrence that may entail a very
lengthy recovery period or from which it may
not be possible to recover fully. Seek medical
advice if you have doubts regarding your
health.
● People with limited pain and temperature
thresholds must never use seat heating. WARNING
If the fabric of the cushion is wet, this can ad-
versely affect the operation of the seat heat-
ing, increasing the risk of burns.
● Make sure the seat cushion is dry prior to
using the seat heater.
● Do not sit on the seat with clothing that is
wet or damp.
● Do not leave clothing that is wet or damp
on the seat. ●
Do not spill liquid on the seat. CAUTION
● To avoid damaging the heating elements of
the seat heaters, please do not kneel on the
seat or apply sharp pressure to a single point
on the seat cushion or backrest.
● Liquids, sharps objects and insulating ma-
terials (e.g. covers or child seats) can damage
the seat heating.
● In the event of smells, switch off the seat
heating immediately and have it inspected by
a specialised workshop. For the sake of the environment
The seat heating should remain on only when
needed. Otherwise, it is an unnecessary fuel
waste. Front centre armrest
The centre armrest can be adjusted to various
levels.
Adjusting the centre armrest
– To adjust the tilt, lift the armrest from the
starting position so that it is engaged.
– To return the armrest to the starting posi-
tion, remove the armrest from the upper
fixed position and lower it.
108
Driving
Driving Ignition lock Switching on the ignition and starting
the engine with the key Fig. 141
Ignition key positions. Read the additional information carefully
››› page 14
Diesel engines can take a few seconds longer
than usual to start on cold days. Therefore
the clutch pedal (manual gearbox) or the
brake pedal (automatic gearbox) must re-
main pressed until the engine starts up. Dur-
ing preheating, the warning lamp remains
lit.
The preheating time depends on the coolant
and exterior temperatures. With the engine at
operating temperature, or at outside temper-
atures above +8°C, the warning lamp will light up for about one second. This means
that the engine starts
immediately.
If the engine does not immediately start up,
interrupt the starting process and try again
after 30 seconds. To start the engine again,
return the key to position 1 .
Start-Stop System*
If the vehicle is stopped and the Start-Stop
system* switches off the engine, the ignition
remains switched on.
Automatic gearbox: before leaving the vehi-
cle, make sure that the ignition is switched
off and the selector lever is in position P.
Driv er me
ssages on the instrument panel
display
Press the clutch
This message appears on vehicles with a
manual gearbox if the driver tries to start the
engine without having the clutch pedal
pressed. The engine will only start if you
press the clutch pedal.
Press the brake
This message appears on vehicles with an
automatic gearbox if the driver tries to start
the engine without having the brake pedal
pressed. Select N or P
This message appears if you try to start or
stop the engine when the selector lever of
the automatic gearbox is not in position P or
N. The engine can only start or stop in certain
po
sitions.
Engage position P; the vehicle can move; doors
can only close in position P.
For safety reasons, this driver message ap-
pears and an audible warning sounds if the
selector lever of the automatic gearbox is not
in position P after you switch off the ignition.
P
ut the selector lever in position P, otherwise
the vehicle could roll away.
Gear change: selector lever in the drive
position! This driver message is displayed when the
selector lever is not in the position P when
the driver door i
s opened. Additionally, a
buzzer will sound. Put the selector lever in
position
P, otherwise the vehicle could roll
away.
Ignition is switched on
This driver message is displayed and a buz-
zer is sounded when the driver door is
opened with the ignition switched on. »
129
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Operation
WARNING
● Never run the engine in confined spaces, as
the exhaust gases are poisonous. CAUTION
Avoid high engine speeds, full throttle and
extreme load conditions until the engine has
reached its normal operating temperature,
otherwise this can damage the engine. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm up the engine by idling it. You
should drive off as soon as you start the en-
gine. This will help avoid unnecessary ex-
haust emissions. Note
● If it is difficult to turn the ignition key to
the position 1 , turn the steering wheel to
both sides to release the steering lock.
● When starting from cold, the engine may be
a little noisy for the first few seconds until oil
pressure has built up in the hydraulic valve
lifters. This is quite normal, and no cause for
concern.
● If the vehicle battery is disconnected and
reconnected, the key must remain in the posi-
tion 1 for around 5 seconds before starting
up.
● Vehicles with automatic gearbox: after
switching off the ignition, you can only re-
move the ignition key if the selector lever is in position “P” (parking lock). Next, the se-
lector lever is locked.
Switching off the engine with the key
Switching off the engine
– Stop the vehicle.
– Turn the ignition key to position 1 ›››
Fig. 141.
En g
aging the steering wheel lock
In vehicles with automatic gearbox, the igni-
tion key can only be removed when the selec-
tor lever is in position P.
– Remo
ve the key from the ignition in posi-
tion 1
››› Fig. 141
›
›› .
– Turn the steering wheel until you hear it en-
gage.
Possible vehicle theft is prevented with the
steering lock engaged. WARNING
● Never switch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is stationary. The brake servo and power
steering functions will not be completely cov-
ered under warranty. More force may also be
needed to turn the steering wheel or to brake.
As you cannot steer and brake in the normal
manner, there is a greater risk of accidents
and serious injury. ●
Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehicle is in motion. Otherwise, the steer-
ing could suddenly lock, making it impossible
to steer the vehicle: risk of accident!
● Always take the key with you when you
leave the vehicle. This is particularly impor-
tant if there are children in the vehicle, as
they might otherwise be able to start the en-
gine or use power-operated equipment (e.g.
the electric windows), which could cause in-
juries. CAUTION
If the engine has been running under high
load for a long time, there is a risk of heat
building up in the engine compartment after
it has been switched off; this could cause en-
gine damage. For this reason, you should idle
the engine for approximately 2 minutes be-
fore you switch it off. Note
● After the engine is switched off the radiator
fan may run on for up to 10 minutes, even if
the ignition is switched off. It is also possible
that the fan turns itself on once more if the
coolant temperature increases due to the
heat accumulated in the engine compartment
or due to its prolonged exposure to solar ra-
diation.
● If the vehicle is stopped and the Start-Stop
system* switches off the engine, the ignition 130
Driving
remains switched on. Make sure that the igni-
tion is switched off before leaving the
vehicle, otherwise the battery could dis-
charge.
Braking and parking
Using the handbrake Fig. 142
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.
Applying the handbrake
– Pull the handbrake lever up firmly
››› Fig. 142 . R
el easing the handbrake
– Pull the lever up slightly and press the re-
lease knob in the direction of the arrow
››› Fig. 142 and guide the handbrake lever
down f
ully ››› .
Always pull the handbrake all the way up, so
there is less risk of driving off with it still en-
gaged ››› .
The handbrake warning lamp lights up
when the handbrake is applied and the igni-
tion switched on. The warning lamp turns off
when the handbrake is released.
If you drive faster than 6 km/h (4 mph) with
the handbrake on, the following message*
will appear on the instrument panel display: HANDBRAKE ON. You will also hear an audible
warning. WARNING
● Never use the handbrake to stop the vehi-
cle when it is in motion. The braking distance
is considerably longer, because braking is
only applied to the rear wheels. Risk of acci-
dent!
● If the handbrake is only partially released,
this will cause the rear brakes to overheat,
which can impair the function of the brake
system and could lead to an accident. This al-
so causes premature wear on the rear brake
pads. CAUTION
Always apply the handbrake before you leave
the vehicle. Put it in 1st gear as well. Parking
The handbrake should always be firmly ap-
plied when the vehicle is parked.
Always note the following points when park-
ing the vehicle:
– Use the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Put it in 1st gear.
– Switch the engine off and remove the key
from the ignition. Turn the steering wheel
slightly to engage the steering lock.
– Never leave a vehicle key in the vehicle.
Additional notes on parking the vehicle on
gradients:
Turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle
rolls against the kerb if it started to roll. ● If the vehicle is parked facing downhill,
turn the front wheels so that they point to-
wards the kerb .
● If the vehicle is parked facing uphill
, turn
the fr ont
wheels so that they point away from
the kerb
. »
131
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Driving
smooth, uninterrupted acceleration of the
vehicle.
The tiptronic
system allows the driver to
c
hange gears manually if desired
››› page 135, Changing gears in tiptronic
mode*.
Select
or lever positions Read the additional information carefully
››› page 25
The selector lever position engaged is high-
lighted on the display in the instrument clus-
ter. With the selector lever in the manual
gearbox positions G, D, E and S, the engaged
gear is also indicated on the display.
P – Parking lock
When the selector lever is in this position,
the driven wheels are locked mechanically.
The parking lock must be engaged only when
the vehicle is stationary
› ›
› .
The interlock button (the button on the selec-
tor lever handle) must be pressed in and si-
mu lt
aneously the brake pedal must be de-
pressed before moving the selector lever ei-
ther in or out of position P. R – Reverse gear
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the
vehicle is
stationary
and the engine is idling
››› .
To move the selector lever to position R, the
interlock button must be pressed in and at
the s ame time the br
ake pedal must be de-
pressed. The reverse lights come on when
the selector lever is in the R position with the
ignition on.
N – Neutral (idling)
With the selector lever in this position, the
gear is in neutral.
D/S – Permanent drive (forward) position
The selector lever in the D/S position enables
the gears to be controlled in normal mode (D)
or Sport (S). To select Sport mode (S), move
the selector lever backwards. Moving the lev-
er again will select normal mode (D). The se-
lected driving mode is shown on the instru-
ment panel display.
In
normal mode (D), the gearbox automatical-
ly selects the best gear ratio. This depends
on the engine load, the road speed and the
dynamic gear control programme (DCP).
Sport mode (S) must be selected for a sporty
driving style. This setting makes use of the
engine's maximum power output. When ac-
celerating the gear shifts will be noticeable. The brake pedal must be pressed when mov-
ing the selector lever from D/S to N if the ve-
hicle is stationary or at speeds below 5 km/h
(3 mph)
››› .
Under certain circumstances (e.g. when driv-
ing in mountains) it can be advantageous to
switch temporarily to tiptronic mode
››› page 135 , in order to
manually select g
ear
ratios to suit the driving conditions. WARNING
● Take care not to accidentally press the ac-
celerator pedal when the vehicle is stopped.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● Never move the selector lever to R or P
when driving. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● With selector lever in any position (except
P) the vehicle must always be held with the
foot brake when the engine is running. This is
because an automatic gearbox still transmits
power even at idling speed, and the vehicle
tends to “creep”). The accelerator pedal must
on no account be pressed inadvertently when
a gear is engaged with the vehicle stationary.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident. » 133
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials