Operation
Manual gearbox Changing gears Fig. 91
Gear shift diagram of a 5- or 6-speed
manual gearbox When changing gear, always depress the
clutch pedal fully and keep it pressed down
to avoid excessive clutch wear.
In order to drive at an optimum RPM, follow
the gear change indications
››› page 32.
Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is
stopped. On engaging reverse gear while the
engine is running, first wait a moment with
the clutch pedal pressed down fully to limit
gear shift noise.
The reverse lights switch on when the reverse
gear is selected and the ignition is on. WARNING
Never engage reverse gear when moving for-
ward. Risk of accident! Note
Do not rest your hand on the gear lever while
driving. The pressure of your hand could lead
to premature wear of the gear system. Automatic gearbox
Basic information The gearbox changes up and down automati-
cally. The gearbox can be set to
Tiptronic
mode. The gears can be changed manually in
this mode ›››
page 102 .
The en gine c
an only be started
in positions P
or N. If, on engaging the steering lock,
switching the ignition on/off or starting the
engine, the selector lever is not in these posi-
tions, the informative display will show Move
the selector lever to position P/N! , or P/N
is
shown on the general dash panel display.
At temperatures below -10 °C (14 °F), the en-
gine can only be started in position P.
Mov
e the selector lever to position P when
parking the vehicle on a flat surface. On a
slope, the handbrake should be firmly ap-
plied before moving the selector lever to the park position. This reduces the load on the
lock mechanism while making it easier to
move the selector lever from position P.
If, while the vehicle is moving, the selector
lever is accidentally moved to position
N, re-
le
ase the accelerator and wait for the engine
to idle before moving it back into position. WARNING
● Never press the accelerator when selecting
the automatic gearbox operating mode when
the vehicle is stationary. Risk of accident!
● Never move the selector lever to positions
R or P when driving. Risk of accident!
● If the vehicle is to be stopped with a gear
selected and the engine idling (e.g. waiting
or moving slowly at traffic lights), press down
on the brake pedal because the transmission
is not entirely interrupted when the engine is
idling and the vehicle will tend to start mov-
ing.
● Apply the handbrake firmly and put the se-
lector lever in position P before opening the
bonnet and working on the vehicle with the
engine running. Risk of accident! Strictly fol-
low the safety instructions ››› page 132, En-
gine compartment.
● When s t
opping on a slope (hill), try not to
stop the vehicle from moving by pressing the
“accelerator” with a gear selected. This could
overheat the clutch. If the clutch risks being
burnt due to this force, it would switch off 100
Driving
and the vehicle could move backwards. Risk
of accident!
●
If you have to stop on a hill, press down on
the brake pedal to stop the vehicle from mov-
ing.
● The drive wheels could lose traction on a
slippery road surface when the kick-down
function is activated. Risk of sliding! CAUTION
● In DSG automatic gearboxes, the double
clutch is protected from overloads. If the hill
hold control is used, the clutches are subjec-
ted to greater force if the vehicle is at a
standstill on a slope or suddenly accelerating
on a slope.
● Should the clutches overheat, the sym-
bol is shown on the informative display with
a warning message Gear overheated. Stop! In-
struction Manual! An audible warning is also heard. Stop the vehicle in this case, stop the
engine and wait until the symbol has
switched off. Danger of damage to the gear-
box! You can continue driving once the sym-
bol is switched off. Starting and driving
Starting
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Press and hold the interlock button on the
selector lever knob and move the selector lever to position
››› page 101 before releas-
ing the interlock button.
– Release the brake and press the accelera-
tor.
Stopping
– The selector lever does not have to be
moved to position N
if the vehicle is stop-
ped f
or a short period, e.g. at intersections.
Applying the brake is enough. However, the
engine must remain idling.
Parking
– Press the brake pedal.
– Apply the handbrake.
– Press the interlock button, move the selec-
tor lever to position P and release the but-
ton.
Kick-down feature
The kick-down feature allows maximum ac-
celeration to be reached.
In any gear programme, press down fully on
the accelerator for the automatic gearbox to
activate the kick-down feature. This function
takes priority over the gear programmes with-
out taking into account the position of the se-
lector lever (
D, S or Tiptronic) and is used to
reach maximum acceleration, using full en-
gine power. Depending on the road speed
and engine speed, the automatic gearbox shifts down and the vehicle accelerates. It
only shifts up after the maximum engine
speed has been reached.
Selector lever positions Fig. 92
Selector lever/Informative display: se-
lector lever positions. The current position of the selector lever is
shown on the general instrument panel dis-
play
1
››› Fig. 92 .
»
101
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety
Operation
P – Parking position
In this position, the driven wheels are me-
chanically locked.
The parking position can only be selected
when the vehicle is stationary.
If you want to move the selector lever from
this position, press the interlock button on
the selector lever knob while pressing down
on the brake pedal.
If the battery is drained, the selector lever
cannot be moved from position P.
R – Reverse
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the
vehicle is stationary and the engine is idling.
To move the selector lever to position R from
positions P or
N, press the interlock button
on the selector lever knob and press down on
the brake pedal.
The reverse lights come on when the selector
lever is in position R and the ignition is on.
N – Neutral (idling)
Neutral (idling) is engaged in this position.
To move the selector lever from position N (if
the lever has remained in this position for
more than 2 seconds) to position D or R at
speeds of less than 5 km/h (3 mph) and
when the vehicle is stationary, press down on
the brake pedal. D – Drive (forwards)
In this position, the gearbox automatically
changes to a lower or higher gear, depending
on engine requirements, the driving speed
and the gear shift programme.
To move the selector lever to position D from
position N
at speeds of less than 5 km/h (3
mph) and when the
vehicle is stationary,
press down on the brake pedal.
In some situations (e.g. on mountain roads or
when towing a trailer or caravan), it can be
advantageous to switch temporarily to the
manual shift programme ››› page 102 so that
the gear ratios can be selected manually to
suit driving conditions.
S – Sports driving position
Shifting up later than usual makes full use of
the engine power. This shifts down earlier in
relation to position D
.
T
o move the selector lever to position S from
position
D, press the interlock button on the
selector lever knob. Tiptronic gearbox Fig. 93
Selector lever: Tiptronic. The Tiptronic gearbox allows the driver to
change gears manually using the selector
lever.
Activating the manual gearbox
– From position D
, push the selector lever to
the right
. The selected position of the se-
lector lever is shown on the general instru-
ment panel display together with the gear
engaged 1
››› Fig. 92 .
Shif tin
g up
– Push the selector lever gently forwards + ›››
Fig. 93 .
Shif tin
g down
– Push the selector lever gently backwards
-
››› Fig. 93 .
102
Operation
shift down manually when driving downhill to
use the braking effect of the engine.
Back-up programme A back-up programme exists in case of faults.
In the event of a fault in the gearbox electron-
ics, it will continue to work in one of the cor-
responding back-up programmes. All seg-
ments of the screen are lit up or switched off.
The fault can be seen as follows:
● The gearbox only engages certain gears
● Reverse gear R cannot be engaged
● The m
anual gearbox switches off in the
back-up programme Note
If the gearbox switches to the back-up pro-
gramme, visit an Authorised Service as soon
as possible to solve the problem. Run-in and economical driving
The first 1,500 km Over the first 1,500 kilometres the engine
must be run in. Up to 1000 kilometres
– Do not drive at more than 3/4 of the maxi-
mum speed corresponding to the engaged
gear, i.e. up to 3/4 of the maximum permit-
ted engine speed.
– Do not drive at full speed.
– Avoid high engine speeds.
– Do not tow a trailer.
From 1000 to 1500 kilometres (600 to 900
miles) – Slowly increase the engine speed until
r e
aching the maximum permitted speed of
the engaged gear, i.e. the maximum per-
mitted engine speed.
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. How the vehicle is driven over approx-
imately the first 1,500 kilometres (900
miles), determines the success of the proc-
ess of running in the engine.
Even after running in, the vehicle should not
be unnecessarily driven at high engine
speeds
. The maximum permitted engine
speed is marked at the start of the red zone
on the rev counter dial. The gear must be
changed up when the red area is reached in
vehicles with a manual gearbox. Extremely
high engine speeds when accelerating are
automatically limited, however the engine is not protected against high engine speeds
produced by incorrectly changing to a lower
gear, which could cause the engine to run at
revs above the maximum permitted amount,
and consequently result in damage to the en-
gine.
Additionally, vehicles with a manual gearbox
must also bear the following in mind: do not
drive with the engine speed too low. Change
down to a lower gear when the engine no
longer runs smoothly. Observe the recom-
mendations for changing gear
››› page 32,
Recommended gear display.
New tyres
New tyres must be submitted to “running in”,
given that initially their grip is not yet at the
maximum level. During the first 500 km (120
miles) drive very carefully.
New brake pads
New brake pads do not yet provide maximum
friction capacity. First they must be “run in”.
During the first 200 km (120 miles) drive very
carefully. CAUTION
All the information for speed and engine
speed refers to an engine that operates at op-
erating temperature. Do not run the engine at
high engine speeds, neither when stopped or
while driving. 104
Operation
●
Refuelling just once with leaded petrol dis-
ables the exhaust system! Economical and environmentally
friendly driving
Fuel consumption, environmental pollution
and wear to the engine, brakes and tyres de-
pends in large part on your driving style. By
adopting an economical driving style and an-
ticipating the traffic situation ahead, you can
easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-15%.
Some tips on how to help you reduce pollu-
tion while saving money are listed below.
Drive anticipating the traffic situation
A vehicle uses most fuel when accelerating.
When you anticipate situations, you have to
brake less often and, thus, accelerate less. If
it is possible, let the vehicle roll with a
gear
engaged , for example, if you see a red light
ahe a
d. The braking effect achieved in this
way helps to reduce the wear of brakes and
tyres; emissions and fuel consumption are
reduced to zero (disconnection due to iner-
tia).
Change gear early to save energy
An effective way of saving fuel is to change
up
quickly through the gears. Running the
engine at high rpm in the lower gears uses
an unnecessary amount of fuel. Manual gearbox:
shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. We recommend
that, whenever possible, you change to a
higher gear upon reaching 2000 rpm. Follow
the “recommended gear” indication that ap-
pears on the instrument panel ››› page 32,
Recommended gear display.
Avoid driving at high speed
We advise you not to drive at the top speed
permitted by the vehicle. Fuel consumption,
exhaust emissions and noise levels all in-
crease very rapidly at higher speeds. Driving
at moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Avoid idling
It is worthwhile switching off the engine
when waiting in a traffic jam, at level cross-
ings or at traffic lights with a long red phase.
The fuel saved after only 30 - 40 seconds is
greater than the amount of fuel needed to re-
start the engine.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. Mechanical wear and pollu-
tant emissions are also especially high dur-
ing this initial warm-up phase. It is therefore
best to drive off immediately after starting
the engine. Avoid running the engine at high
speed. Periodic maintenance
Periodic maintenance work guarantees that,
before beginning a journey, you will not con-
sume more than the required amount of fuel.
A well-serviced engine gives you the benefit
of
improved fuel efficiency as well as maxi-
mum reliability and an enhanced resale val-
ue.
A badly serviced engine can consume up to
10% more fuel than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
To reduce the consumption and emission of
polluting exhaust gases, the engine and the
exhaust gas filtration systems should reach
the optimum operating temperature.
With the en
gine cold, fuel consumption is
proportionally higher. The engine does not
warm up and fuel consumption does not nor-
malise until having driven approximately four
kilometres (2.5 miles). This is why we recom-
mend avoiding short trips whenever possi-
ble.
Maintain the correct tyre pressures
Bear in mind that keeping the tyres at an ad-
equate pressure saves fuel. If the tyre pres-
sure is just one bar (14.5 psi/100 kPa) too
low, fuel consumption can increase by as
much as 5%. Due to the greater rolling resist-
ance, under-inflation also increases tyre wear
wear and impairs handling.
106
Operation
Electronic differential lock If one of the wheels starts to skid, the EDL
brakes that wheel, transmitting the driving
force to the other wheels. This increases ve-
hicle stability and improves driving stability.
To prevent the disc brake of the braking
wheel from overheating, the EDL cuts out au-
tomatically if subjected to excessive loads.
The vehicle will continue to function normally
without EDL. The EDL will switch on again au-
tomatically when the brake has cooled down.
Parking aid* Functioning Fig. 96
Parking aid: range of the sensors. Ultrasound sensors are used so that the park-
ing aid system can calculate the distance be- tween the rear bumper and an obstacle. The
sensors are located in the rear bumper.
Sensor range
The warning begins at a distance of 160 cm
from the obstacle (zone
A
››› Fig. 96 ). As the
o b
stacle is approached, the audible warning
sounds with increasing frequency.
Within a distance of approximately 30 cm
(zone B ), a warning tone will sound continu-
ously. Danger zone. Stop reversing immedi-
ately!
In vehicles factory-fitted with certain audio or
radio-navigation system models, the dis-
tance from the obstacle is displayed graphi-
cally on the screen. See the audio or naviga-
tion system Instruction Manual.
In vehicles factory-fitted with a towing sys-
tem, the rear area at which the system starts
to indicate the obstacle is extended by
around 5 centimetres. The length of the vehi-
cle can be extended by a detachable towing
bracket.
In vehicles factory-fitted with towing equip-
ment, the sensors are deactivated when tow-
ing a trailer or caravan.
Switching the parking aid system on and off
Parking aid is switched on when the ignition
is on and reverse gear engaged. This is con-
firmed by a short audible warning. Parking aid is switched off when reverse gear
is released. WARNING
● Parking aid does not free the driver from re-
sponsibility when parking or performing sim-
ilar manoeuvres. Pay special attention to
small children or animals, as the parking aid
sensors may not always be able to detect
them.
● Before reversing or parking, make sure
there are no small obstacles, e.g. rocks, nar-
row pillars, towing brackets, etc. in front or
behind the vehicle. These obstacles may not
always be detected by the parking aid device.
● The surface of certain objects may not re-
flect the signals of the parking aid sensors.
Therefore, people wearing clothing of this
kind may not be detected by the parking aid
system.
● Outside noise may interfere with the park-
ing aid system. Under certain unfavourable
circumstances, certain objects or people may
not be detected. Note
● If a constant sound at a higher frequency is
emitted for 3 seconds each time the system is
switched on, there is a fault in the system.
Please take the vehicle to a specialised tech-
nical service to repair this fault. 110
Operation
Adjusting set speed Increasing speed by pressing the accelerator
pedal
–
Press the accelerator to increase the speed
of the vehicle.
– Release the accelerator and the previously
programmed speed will be resumed.
If, when pressing the accelerator, the vehicle
exceeds the programmed speed by more
than 10 km/h (6 mph) for more than 3 mi-
nutes, the set speed will be deleted. The
speed will have to be stored again.
Increasing speed by pressing switch B–
Press rocker switch B
›››
Fig. 97
››› page 111 in
RES.
– If the button is held down in the RES posi-
tion, the speed inc
reases continuously. Re-
lease the switch when the required speed
is reached. The speed is stored.
Setting a lower speed
– The set speed can be reduced by pressing
swit
ch B
›››
Fig. 97 ›
› ›
page 111 in SET.
– If the button is held down in the SET posi-
tion, the speed dec
reases continuously. Re-
lease the switch when the required speed
is reached. The speed is stored.
– On releasing the switch at speeds of less
than 30 km/h (19 mph), no speed will be set and the memory will be deleted. The ve-
hicle must be moving at a speed of over
30 km/h (19 mph) and switch
B pressed
again to SET
for it to be set.
The s
peed can be reduced by pressing the
brake pedal, which temporarily switches off
the cruise control.
Switching off cruise control
temporarily Cruise control
is switched off temporarily by
pressing switch A
››› Fig. 97
›
›› p
age 111 in
CANCEL or by pressing the brake or clutch
pedal.
The set speed is stored.
To
recover the set speed, briefly press switch
B in
RES
once you have released the brake
or c
lutch pedal.
Switching off cruise control
completely –
Move knob A
›››
Fig. 97 ›››
page 111 to
OFF . St
ar
t-Stop* System
Functioning Fig. 98
Instrument panel: Start-Stop system
button The Start-Stop system helps save fuel and re-
duce harmful and CO
2 emissions.
The system is automatically switched on ev-
ery time the ignition is switched on.
The system automatically switches off the en-
gine when the vehicle is stationary, e.g. wait-
ing at traffic lights.
The current status of the Start-Stop system is
displayed on the general instrument panel
display.
Automatic engine shut down (Stop phase)
– Stop the vehicle (if necessary using the
handbrake).
– Shift to neutral.
112
Driver assistance systems
– Release the clutch pedal.
Automatic engine start up (Start phase)
– Press the clutch.
Switching the Start-Stop system on and off
The Start-Stop system can be switched on
and off by pressing the
››› Fig. 98 button.
The w arnin
g lamp in the button will light up
when the system is switched off.
If the vehicle is in Stop phase when the but-
ton is pressed, the engine will start immedi-
ately.
The Start-Stop system works under complex
driving conditions that are difficult to detect
without specialist technology. The set of nec-
essary conditions for the correct operating of
the Start-Stop system are indicated below.
Conditions for automatic engine shut down
(Stop phase)
● Selector lever in neutral.
● Clutch pedal not pressed.
● Driver with seat belt fastened.
● Driver door closed.
● The bonnet closed.
● Vehicle stationary.
● The factory-fitted towing bracket is not elec-
trically connected to a trailer. ●
Engine at operating temperature.
● Vehicle's battery sufficiently charged.
● Vehicle not on a very steep slope
● Engine speed below 1,200 rpm.
● Vehicle battery temperature is neither too
high nor too low.
● Sufficient brake system pressure.
● Difference between outside temperature
and set interior temperature not too great
● Vehicle speed since the last time the en-
gine started was above 3 km/h (2 mph).
● Particulate filter not being cleaned
››› page 37.
● Front
wheels not overly turned (steering
wheel turned less than three quarters of a
turn)
Conditions for engine start up (Start phase)
● Clutch pedal pressed.
● Max./min. temperature set.
● Windscreen defrost function switched on.
● High blower speed.
● Start-Stop button pressed.
Conditions for automatic engine start up
without driver involvement
● Vehicle moving at a speed of over 3 km/h
(2 mph). ●
Difference between outside temperature
and interior temperature is too great
● Vehicle's battery insufficiently charged.
● Insufficient brake system pressure.
If the driver seat belt is unfastened for more
than 30 seconds in Stop phase, the engine
must be started using the ignition key.
Please observe the messages on the general
instrument panel display.
Warnings on the instrument panel display
(valid for vehicles not fitted with an
informative display)FAULT: Start-StopFault in the Start-Stop sys-
tem
START-STOP IMPOSSIBLEEngine cannot be auto-
matically shut down
START-STOP ACTIVEAutomatic engine shut
down (Stop phase)
SWITCH OFF IGNITIONSwitch the ignition off
START MANUALLYStart the engine manually WARNING
● If the engine is switched off, neither the
brake servo nor the power steering will work.
● Do not move the vehicle when the engine is
switched off. » 113
Technical specifications
Advice
Operation
Safety