The essentials
Front brake pads worn.
›››
page
143
it lights up:
Fault in the ESC, or dis-
connection caused by the system.
flashes: ESC or ASR activated.
ASR manually deactivated.
ABS faulty or does not work.
Rear fog light switched on.›››
page
94
lights up or flashes:
fault in the
emission control system.–
it lights up:
pre-ignition of diesel
engine.
››› page
71
flashes: fault in the diesel engine
management.
fault in the petrol engine manage-
ment.›››
page
71
lights up or flashes:
fault in the
steering system.››› page
190
Tyre pressure too low, or fault in
the tyre pressure monitoring sys-
tem.›››
page
212
Fuel tank almost empty.›››
page
66
Fault in airbag system and seat
belt tensioners.›››
page
48
Lane Assist is switched on, but not
active.›››
page
166 Other warning lamps
Left or right turn signal.›››
page
94
Hazard warning lights on.››› page
99
Trailer turn signals›››
page
177
it lights up:
Press the foot brake!
flashes: the selector lever locking
button has not engaged.››› page
132
it lights up:
cruise control activated
or speed limiter switched on and
active.
››› page
150
flashes: the speed set by the
speed limiter has been exceeded.
Lane Assist is switched on and ac-
tive.›››
page
166
Main beam on or flasher on.›››
page
94 On the instrument panel screen
Fig. 35
See Fig. 3 for positioning Do not continue driving!
With the corresponding indica-
tion: door(s), rear lid or bonnet
open or not properly closed.››› page
82
››› page
89
››› page
198
Ignition: Do not carry on driv-
ing! Engine coolant level too low,
coolant temperature too high
››› page
203
Flashing: Fault in the engine
coolant system.
Do not continue driving!
Engine oil pressure too low.››› page
200» 23
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Operation
Engine cold
If only the diodes in the lower part of the
scale light up, this indicates that the engine
has not yet reached operating temperature.
Avoid high revs and heavy acceleration and
do not make the engine work hard.
Normal temperature
If in normal operations, the diodes light up
until the central zone, it means that the en-
gine has reached operating temperature. At
high outside temperatures and when making
the engine work hard, the diodes may contin-
ue lighting up and reach the upper zone. This
is no cause for concern, provided the control
lamp does not light up on the instrument
panel digital display.
Heat range
When the diodes light up in the upper area of
the display and the control lamp appears
on the instrument panel display, the coolant
temperature is excessive ››› page 203. CAUTION
● To ensure a long useful life for the engine,
avoid high revs, driving at high speed and
making the engine work hard for approxi-
mately the first 15 minutes when the engine
is cold. The phase until the engine is warm al-
so depends on the outside temperature. If
necessary, use the engine oil temperature*
››› page 77 as a guide. ●
Additional lights and other accessories in
front of the air inlet reduce the cooling effect
of the coolant. At high outside temperatures
and high engine loads, there is a risk of the
engine overheating.
● The front spoiler also ensures proper distri-
bution of the cooling air when the vehicle is
moving. If the spoiler is damaged this can re-
duce the cooling effect, which could cause
the engine to overheat. Seek specialist assis-
tance. Fuel level - Gas
Fig. 85
Fuel gauge. Displays
2 and
6
››› Fig. 82 only work when
the ignition i s
switched on. When the display
reaches the reserve mark, the lower diode
lights up in red and the control lamp ap-
pears ››› page 66. When the fuel level is very
low
, the lower diode flashes in red. The yellow control lamp
lights up when the
reserve level has been reached.
The green warning lamp
lights up when the
vehicle is running in natural gas operating
mode.
The green warning lamp
switches off when
the natural gas is exhausted. The engine
changes to operate with petrol.
Problem:
If the vehicle is left parked for a
long time immediately after refuelling, the
natural gas level indicator may not accurately
indicate the same level shown after refuelling
when the vehicle is started up again. This is
not due to a leak in the system, but to a drop
in pressure in the gas tank for technical rea-
sons after a cooling phase just after refuel-
ling.
Fuel level - Petrol/Diesel Fig. 86
Fuel gauge.70
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
Operation
● Secure the vehicle as usual by applying the
handbrake firmly and putting it in 1st gear. WARNING
● Take measures to reduce the risk of injury
when you leave your vehicle unattended.
● Never park where the hot exhaust system
could ignite inflammable materials, such as
dry grass, low bushes, spilt fuel etc.
● Never allow vehicle occupants to remain in
the vehicle when it is locked. They would be
unable to open the vehicle from the inside,
and could become trapped in the vehicle in
an emergency. In the event of an emergency,
locked doors will delay assistance to vehicle
occupants.
● Never leave children alone in the vehicle.
They could set the vehicle in motion, for ex-
ample, by releasing the handbrake or the
gearbox lever.
● Depending on weather conditions, it may
become extremely hot or cold inside the vehi-
cle. This can be fatal. Manual gearbox
Changing gears Read the additional information carefully
››› page 24
In some countries the clutch pedal must be
fully pressed down for the engine to start. Selecting reverse gear
● Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle
is stopped.
Changing down gears
While driving, changing down a gear must al-
ways be done gradually, i.e. to the gear di-
rectly below and when the engine speed is
not too high ››› . Changing down while by-
passing one or various gears at high speeds
or at high engine speeds can damage the
clutch and the gearbox, even if the clutch
pedal remains depressed ››› .
WARNING
When the engine is running, the vehicle will
start to move as soon as a gear is engaged
and the clutch released. This is also the case
with the electro-mechanical parking brake
switched on.
● Never engage reverse gear when the vehi-
cle is moving. WARNING
If the gear is changed down inappropriately
by selecting a gear that is too low, you may
lose control of the vehicle, causing an acci-
dent and serious injuries. CAUTION
When travelling at high speeds or at high en-
gine speeds, selecting a gear that is too low can cause considerable damage to the clutch
and the gearbox. This can also occur if the
clutch pedal is pressed and held and it does
not engage.
CAUTION
To prevent damage and avoid premature
wear, please observe the following:
● Do not rest your hand on the gear lever
while driving. The pressure applied by your
hand is transmitted to the gearbox selector
forks.
● Always ensure that the vehicle is complete-
ly stopped before engaging the reverse gear.
● Always press the clutch to the floor when
changing gears.
● Never hold the vehicle “on the clutch” on
hills with the engine on. Automatic gearbox/DSG
automatic gearbox*
Introduction Your vehicle is equipped with an electronical-
ly controlled manual gearbox. Torque be-
tween the engine and the gearbox is trans-
mitted via two independent clutches. They re-
place the torque converter found on conven-
tional automatic gearboxes and allow for
132
Driver assistance systems
(2.5 miles), when fuel consumption will re-
turn to a normal level.
Check tyre pressure
Always make sure the tyres are inflated to the
correct pressures ››› page 208 to save fuel. If
the pr e
ssure is below half bar, fuel consump-
tion may increase by 5%. Due to the greater
rolling resistance, under-inflation
also increa-
ses tyre wear and impairs handling.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they
increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid carrying unnecessary loads
Given that every kilo of extra weight will in-
cr
ease the fuel consumption, it is advisable
to always check the luggage compartment to
make sure that no unnecessary loads are be-
ing transported.
Since the luggage rack increases the aerody-
namic drag of the vehicle, you should remove
it when not needed. This will save, at a speed
of 100-120 km/h (60-75 mph), 12% of fuel.
Save electrical energy
The engine drives the alternator, thereby gen-
erating electricity. This implies that any in-
crease in power consumption also increases
fuel consumption! For this reason, switch off
any unneeded electrical devices. Devices that
use a lot of electricity includes the blower at a high setting, the rear window heating or
the seat heating*. Driver assistance systems
Braking and stability systems Electronic Stability Control (ESC) The ESC helps to improve safety. It reduces
the tendency to skid and improves the stabil-
ity and roadholding of the vehicle. The ESC
detects critical handling situations, such as
vehicle understeer or oversteer, or wheelspin
on the driving wheels. It stabilises the vehi-
cle by braking individual wheels or by reduc-
ing the engine torque. The warning lamp will
flash on the instrument panel when the ESC
is intervening
.
ESC includes the Anti-lock brake system
(ABS), the brake assist system, the traction
control system (ASR), electronic differential
lock (EDL), electronic self-locking*, selective
torque control* and tractor-trailer sway miti-
gation*. ESC also helps stabilise the vehicle
by changing the torque.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up un-
der braking until the vehicle has reached a
virtual standstill. You can continue to steer
the vehicle even when the brakes are on full.
Keep your foot on the brake pedal and do not
pump the brakes. You will feel the brake ped-
al pulsate while the ABS is working. »
143
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials
Operation
to be reduced accordingly. The weight of the
vehicle and trailer combination must be re-
duced by 10% for every further 1000 m (or
part thereof). The gross combination weight
is the actual weight of the laden vehicle plus
the actual weight of the laden trailer. When
possible, operate the trailer with the maxi-
mum permitted drawbar load on the ball joint
of the t
owing bracket, but do not exceed the
specified limit.
The figures for trailer weights
and drawbar
loads that are given on the data plate of the
to
wing bracket are for certification purposes
only. The correct figures for your specific
model, which may be lower than these fig-
ures for the towing bracket, are given in the
vehicle documentation or in ››› chapter Tech-
nical Data .
Distributing the load
Distribute loads in the trailer so that heavy
objects are as near to the axle as possible.
Loads carried in the trailer must be secured
to prevent them moving.
Tyre pressure
Set tyre pressure to the maximum permissi-
ble pressure shown on the sticker on the in-
side of the fuel tank flap. Set the tyre pres-
sure of the trailer tyres in accordance with the
trailer manufacturer's recommendations. Exterior mirrors
Check whether you can see enough of the
road behind the trailer with the standard rear
vision mirrors. If this is not the case, you
should have additional exterior mirrors fitted.
Both exterior mirrors should be mounted on
hinged extension brackets. Adjust the mirrors
to give sufficient vision to the rear.
Tow rope
Always use a cable between the vehicle and
the trailer
››› page 178.
Tr
ailer rear lights
The trailer's rear lights should comply with
the statutory safety regulations ››› page 178. WARNING
Never transport people in a trailer. This could
result in fatal accidents. Note
● Towing a trailer places additional demands
on the vehicle. We recommend additional
services between the normal inspection inter-
vals if the vehicle is used frequently for tow-
ing a trailer.
● Find out whether special regulations apply
to towing a trailer in your country. Hitching and connecting the trailer
Fig. 171
Schematic diagram: assignment of
the pins of the trailer's electrical socket.
Key of the Schematic diagram ››› Fig. 171:
PinMeaning
1Left turn signal
2Rear fog light
3Earth, pins 1, 2, 4 to 8
4Right turn signal
5Tail light, right
6Brake lights
7Tail light, left
8Reverse lights
9Permanent live
10Cable without positive charge
11Earth, pin 10178
Advice
Automatic car washes
Before going through a car wash, be sure to
take the usual precautions such as closing
the windows and roof. If the vehicle has spe-
cial accessories such as spoilers or a roof
rack or two-way radio aerial, etc., it is advisa-
ble to consult the car wash tunnel operator.
It is best to use a car wash without revolving
bristles if possible.
Washing the vehicle with a high pressure
cleaner
When washing the vehicle with a high-pres-
sure cleaner, always follow the operating in-
structions for the equipment. This applies
particularly to the operating pressure and the
spraying distance . Do not hold the nozzle too
c lo
se to soft materials such as rubber hoses
or seals. The same applies to the parking aid
sensors*, which are located in the rear bump-
er.
Do not use a nozzle that sprays the water out
in a
direct stream or one that has a rotating
jet for forcing off dirt.
Washing the car by hand
When washing the car by hand, use plenty of
water to soften the dirt first, and rinse off as
well as possible.
Then clean the vehicle with a soft sponge,
glove
or brush using only slight pressure.
You should start on the roof and work down. Special car
soap
should only be used for very
persistent dirt.
Rinse the sponge or glove thoroughly and of-
ten.
Wheels, sills and similar should be cleaned
last. Use a second sponge for this. WARNING
● The vehicle should only be washed with the
ignition switched off. Failure to follow this in-
struction could result in an accident.
● Do not clean the underside of chassis, the
inside of wheel arches or wheel trims without
protecting your hands and arms. You may cut
yourself on sharp-edged metal parts. Other-
wise, there is a risk of sustaining cuts.
● When washing the car during the winter
season: water and ice in the brake system
can reduce braking effectiveness: risk of acci-
dent! CAUTION
● Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight –
otherwise the paint can be damaged.
● Do not use sponges, abrasive household
sponges or similar to clean insect remains.
This could damage the surface.
● Clean off stubborn dirt (insects, etc.) from
the headlights at regular intervals, for in-
stance when filling the fuel tank. The head-
lights should only be washed with water, do not wipe them with a dry cloth or sponge. It
is best to use soapy water.
● Never wash tyres with a jet that sprays the
water out in a direct stream. This could dam-
age the tyres even if the spray is kept at a
distance and only used for a very short time.
● 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. CAUTION
● Before washing the vehicle in an automatic
car wash, please proceed as follows to lock
the wiper arms so that they are not moved to-
wards the top of the windscreen:
–the bonnet must be closed.
– switch the ignition on and off.
– press the windscreen wiper lever forward
briefly (windscreen washer function).
This will lock the wiper arms. For the sake of the environment
The car should only be washed in special
wash bays. These areas are prepared to pre-
vent oily water from getting into the public
drains. In some places, washing vehicles out-
side the areas intended for this purpose is
prohibited. 184
Checking and refilling levels
●
Take care not to cause short circuits in the
electrical system, especially when working
on the battery.
● If working inside the engine compartment,
remember that, even when the ignition is
switched off, the radiator fan may start up au-
tomatically, and therefore there is a risk of in-
jury.
● Never cover the engine with additional in-
sulating materials such as a blanket. Risk of
fire!
● Do not unscrew the cap on the coolant ex-
pansion tank when the engine is hot. The
cooling system is under pressure.
● Protect face, hands and arms by covering
the cap with a large, thick rag to protect
against escaping coolant and steam.
● If it is necessary to work in the engine com-
partment while the engine is running, the ro-
tating components (for example, poly-V belt,
alternator, radiator fan) and the high voltage
ignition system are an additional hazard.
● Observe the following additional warnings
if work on the fuel system or the electrical
system is necessary:
– Always disconnect the battery from the
on-board network.
– Do not smoke.
– Never work near naked flames.
– Always keep an approved fire extinguish-
er immediately available. CAUTION
When topping up fluids make sure the correct
fluid is put into the correct filler opening, oth-
erwise this can cause serious malfunctions or
engine damage. For the sake of the environment
Inspect the ground underneath your vehicle
regularly so that any leaks are detected at an
early stage. If you find spots of oil or other
fluids in the area where it was parked, have
your vehicle inspected at the workshop. Note
On right-hand drive vehicles* some of the
containers/reservoirs mentioned below are
located on the other side of the engine com-
partment. Opening the bonnet
Read the additional information carefully
››› page 10
The bonnet is released from inside the vehi-
cle.
Check that the windscreen wiper arms are
not unfolded. Otherwise the paint may be
damaged.
The bonnet can only be unlocked when the
driver door is open. WARNING
Never open the bonnet if you see steam or
drips of coolant being released from the en-
gine compartment. Failure to comply could
result in burns. Wait until no steam or coolant
can be seen before opening the bonnet. Closing the bonnet
–
Slightly lift the bonnet.
– Release the bonnet stay before pressing it
back into its support.
– Carefully close the bonnet.
– Press the bonnet down until it locks into
place.
– Make sure that the bonnet catches onto its
clasp. Do not press down too hard › › › .
WARNING
● For safety reasons the bonnet must always
be completely closed when the vehicle is
moving. Therefore, after closing the bonnet,
always check that the locking element is
properly engaged. This is the case if the bon-
net is flush with the adjacent body panels.
● Should you notice that the bonnet is not
safely secured when the vehicle is moving,
stop the vehicle immediately and close the
bonnet. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in an accident. 199
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
The essentials