
Table of Contents
Abbreviations
Safety
Passive Safety
6
General information
6
Correct and safe seated position
7
Seat belts
10
Using seat belts
10
Inertia reels and belt tensioners
13
Airbag system
14
Description of the airbag system
14
Airbag overview
15
Deactivating airbags
19
Transporting children safely
21
Child seat
21
Fastening systems
23
Operation
Cockpit
27
Overview
26
Instruments and Indicator Lights
28
Instrument cluster
28
Warning lights
32
Information system
39
Driver information system
39
Multifunction display (MFD)
41
MAXI DOT display
44
Service interval display
46
Unlocking and opening
48
Unlocking and locking
48
Anti-theft alarm system
54
Luggage compartment lid
55Electric boot lid (Superb Combi)57Electric power windows59
Electric sliding/tilting roof
62
Panoramic sliding/tilting roof (Superb Estate)
63
Lights and visibility
65
Lights
65
Interior lights
71
Visibility
73
Windscreen wipers and washers
75
Rear mirror
77
Seats and useful equipment
79
Adjusting the seats
79
Seat features
83
Practical equipment
86
Luggage compartment
95
Removable light (Superb Combi)
101
Variable loading floor in the luggage
compartment (Estate)
102
Extending variable loading floor with
integrated aluminium rails and faseting
elements (Superb Combi)
103
Net partition (Superb Combi)
105
Roof rack system
106
Air conditioning system
108
Heating, ventilation, cooling
108
Air conditioning system (manual air
conditioning system)
110
Climatronic (automatic air conditioning
system)
113
Auxiliary heating (auxiliary heating and
ventilation)
116
Communication and multimedia
119
General information
119
Universal telephone preinstallation GSM II
122
Universal telephone preinstallation GSM IIl
124
WLAN
127Voice control129Multimedia131
Driving
Starting-off and Driving
135
Starting and stopping the engine using the key
135
Starting and stopping the engine - KESSY
137
Brakes
140
Manual gear changing and pedals
141
Automatic gearbox
142
Running in
145
Economical driving and environmental
sustainability
146
Avoiding damage to your vehicle
149
Driving abroad
150
Assist systems
151
Brake assist systems
151
Parking aid
153
Park assist
154
Cruise Control System
158
START-STOP
159
Fatigue detection (break recommendation)
162
Towing a trailer
163
Towing device
163
Trailer
166
General Maintenance
Car care
169
Services, modifications, and technical
alterations
169
Washing your car
172
Taking care of your vehicle exterior
173
Taking care of the interior
1763Table of Contents

Operation
Cockpit
OverviewElectric windows
59
Door opening lever
53
Central locking system
52
Air jet
108
Parking ticket holder
Operating lever: › Turn signal light, headlight and parking light, headlight
flasher
67
› Speed regulating system
158
Steering wheel:
› With horn
› With driver’s front airbag
15
›with pushbuttons for radio, navigation system phone and in-
formation system
120, 132
Instrument cluster: Instruments, warning lights and display
28
Operating lever:
› Information system
39
›Windscreen wiper and wash system
75
Air outlets in the central part of the dash panel
108
Regulator for left seat heating
83
Button for hazard warning light system
70
Regulator for right seat heating
83
Depending on equipment fitted:
› Radio
› Navigation system
Storage compartment on the front passenger side
92
Front passenger airbag
15
Air jet
108
Key switch for switching off the front passenger airbag (in front
passenger storage compartment)
20
Door opening lever
53
Electric exterior mirror adjustment
781234567891011121314151617181920Light switch66
Bonnet release lever
183
Regulator for the instrument lighting and regulator for the head-
light beam range adjustment
66, 66
Storage compartment on the driver's side
87
Lever for adjusting the steering wheel
8
Driver’s knee airbag
16
Ignition lock
136
Pedals
142
Handbrake
141
Bars with buttons depending on the equipment fitted:
›
START STOP
159
›
Tyre control display
38
›
Traction control TCS
152
›
Electronic Stability Control ESC
151
›
Park Assist
154
›
Parking aid
153
›
Tailgate operation (Superb Combi)
57
Depending on equipment fitted:
› Gearshift lever (manual gearbox)
141
›Selector lever (automatic gearbox)
142
Depending on equipment fitted:
› Ashtrays
89
›Storage compartment
88
Warning light for the deactivated front seat passenger airbag
20
Depending on equipment fitted:
› Operating controls for the air conditioning system
110
›
Operating controls for Climatronic
113
Note
The arrangement of the controls right-hand drive models may differ from the
layout shown in » Fig. 19. The symbols on the controls and switches are the
same as for left-hand drive models.212223242526272829303132333427Cockpit

WARNING■Ignoring illuminated warning lights and related messages or instructions
in the display of the instrument cluster may lead to serious personal injury
or damage to the vehicle.■
If you have to stop for technical reasons, then park the vehicle at a safe
distance from the traffic, switch off the engine and activate the hazard
warning lights system » page 70. The warning triangle must be set up at
the prescribed distance - observe the national legal provisions when doing
so.
■
The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area. The following
warning instructions must be followed at all times when working in the en-
gine compartment » page 182, Engine compartment .
Handbrake
Read and observe
on page 33 first.
The warning light
illuminates if the handbrake is applied.
An acoustic signal will sound if you drive the vehicle above 6 km/h for at least
3 seconds while the handbrake is applied.
The following message is shown in the MAXI DOT display. Release parking brake!
Brake system
Read and observe
on page 33 first.
The indicator light
illuminates if the brake fluid level in the braking system is
too low or there is a fault in the ABS.
The following message is shown in the MAXI DOT display. Brake fluid: Log book!
›
Stop the vehicle, switch off the engine, and check the level of the brake flu-
id » page 189 » .
WARNING■
If the warning light is displayed simultaneously with warning light
» page 36 , Antilock brake system (ABS) , do not continue your
journey! Seek help from a specialist garage.■
A fault to the ABS system or the braking system can increase the vehi-
cle's braking distance – risk of accident!
■
The following guidelines should be observed when opening the bonnet
and checking the brake fluid level » page 182, Engine compartment .
Seat belt warning light
Read and observe
on page 33 first.
The warning light
illuminates as a reminder for the driver and front passen-
ger to fasten seat belts.
The indicator light
goes off after the respective seat belt is fastened.
If the driver or front passenger has not fastened their seat belt and the vehicle
speed is more than 20 km/h, the warning light
flashes and you will hear an
acoustic signal.
The warning signal is switched of and the indicator light is
permanently lit if
the driver and front passenger have not fastened their seat belts within the
next 90 seconds.
Generator
Read and observe
on page 33 first.
If the warning light
illuminates when the engine is running, the vehicle bat-
tery is not being charged.
Seek assistance from a specialist garage immediately. The electrical system re-
quires checking.
CAUTION
If the warning light (cooling system fault) lights up in addition to the
warning light while driving, do not continue to drive! Stop the engine -
there is a risk of engine damage! Seek help from a specialist garage.33Instruments and Indicator Lights

Unlocking and opening
Unlocking and locking
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Vehicle key
49
Unlock/lock with remote control
49
Unlocking / locking - KESSY
50
Information message
51
Parking the vehicle
51
Safe securing
51
Individual settings
52
Locking/unlocking the vehicle from the inside
52
Child safety lock
53
Opening/closing a door
53
Your car is equipped with a central locking system.
The central locking system allows you to lock and unlock all doors, the fuel fill-
er flap and tailgate at the same time based on the current setting 1)
.
The safe securing system » page 51 is integrated in the central locking sys-
tem. Once the car is locked from the outside, the door locks 2)
are automatically
blocked by the safe securing system »
.
The following takes place after unlocking 1)
.
› The doors, the boot lid and the fuel filler flap are unlocked.
› The interior light, which is switched by the door contact, comes on.
› The safe securing system is switched off 2)
.
› The indicator light in the driver door stops flashing.
› The anti-theft alarm system is deactivated.
The following takes place after locking 1)
.
› The doors, the boot lid and the fuel filler flap are locked.
› The interior lights switched by the door contact come on.
› The safe securing system is switched on 2)
.
› The indicator light in the driver door begins flashing.
› The anti-theft alarm system is activated.
Displaying an error If the indicator light in the driver's door initially flashes quickly for around 2
seconds, and then lights up for 30 seconds without interruption before flash-
ing again slowly, you will need to seek the assistance of a specialist garage.WARNING■ Never leave the key in the vehicle when you exit the vehicle. Unauthor-
ized persons, such as children, for example, could lock the car, turn on the
ignition or start the engine - there is a danger of injury and accidents!■
When leaving the vehicle, never leave persons who are not completely in-
dependent, such as children, unattended in the vehicle. The children might,
for example, release the handbrake or take the vehicle out of gear. The ve-
hicle could then start to move – risk of injury and accidents! These individu-
als might also not be able to leave the vehicle on their own or to help
themselves. Can be fatal at very high or very low temperatures!
■
If the car is locked from the outside and the safelock system is switched
on, there must not be any person in the car as it is then not possible to
open either a door or a window from the inside. The locked doors make it
more difficult for rescuers to get into the vehicle in an emergency – risk to
life.
Note
■ When leaving the vehicle, always check if it is locked.■In the event of an accident in which the airbags are deployed, the locked
doors are automatically unlocked in order to enable rescuers to gain access to
the vehicle.■
Upon failure of the central locking system the key can be used only to unlock
and lock the driver's door. The other doors and the boot lid can be emergency
locked or released. ■ Emergency locking of the door » page 212.
■ Emergency unlocking of the boot lid » page 212.
1)
Depending on the individual setting » page 52 .
2)
This function is only enabled in certain countries.
48Operation

Storage compartment on the passenger side92Storage compartment under the passenger seat92
Clothes hook
92
Storage pockets on the front seats
93
Storage compartment for umbrella
93
Storage compartment in rear centre console
93
Storage compartment in the rear armrest
94
Rear seat backrest with long-cargo channel
94
Removable ski bag
95WARNING■Do not place anything on the dash panel. These objects might slide or fall
down when driving (when accelerating or cornering) and may distract you
from concentrating on the traffic – there is the risk of an accident.■
When driving, ensure that no objects from the centre console or from oth-
er storage compartments can get into the driver's footwell. You would not
be able to brake, operate the clutch pedal or accelerate - danger of causing
an accident!
■
No objects should be placed in the storage compartments nor in the
drinks holders; the vehicle occupants could be endangered if there is sud-
den braking or the vehicle collides with something.
■
Ash and cigarette or cigar stubs must only be discarded in ashtrays!
Car park ticket holder
Fig. 78
Windscreen: Parking ticket hold-
er
Read and observe on page 87 first.
The note holder is designed e.g. for attaching car park tickets.
WARNINGThe attached note has to always be removed before starting off in order
not to restrict the driver's vision.
Storage compartment on the driver's side
Fig. 79
Storage compartment on the
driver's side
Read and observe on page 87 first.
Opening
›
Raise the handle
A
» Fig. 79 and open out the compartment in the direction
of the arrow.
Closing
›
Swivel the lid against the direction of the arrow until it clicks into place.
WARNINGThe storage compartment must always be closed when driving for safety
reasons.87Seats and useful equipment

Low brake fluid level
An insufficient level of brake fluid may result in problems in the brake system.
The level of the brake fluid is monitored electronically » page 33,
Brake sys-
tem .
Brake booster
The brake booster increases the pressure generated with the brake pedal. The
brake booster only operates when the engine is running.
Handbrake
Fig. 136
Handbrake
Read and observe and on page 140 first.
Apply
›
Pull the handbrake lever firmly upwards.
Releasing
›
Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and at the same time push in the locking
button » Fig. 136 .
›
Move the lever right down while pressing the lock button.
The handbrake indicator light lights up when the handbrake is applied, pro-
vided the ignition is on.
A warning signal sounds if the vehicle is inadvertently driven off with the
handbrake applied.
The following instruction is shown in the MAXI DOT display. Release parking brake!
The handbrake warning is activated if the vehicle is driven at a speed of more
than around 5 km/h for more than 3 seconds.
WARNINGPlease note that the handbrake must be fully released. A handbrake which
is only partially released can result in the rear brakes overheating. This can
have a negative effect on the operation of the brake system – risk of acci-
dent!
CAUTION
After the vehicle has come to a standstill, always tighten the handbrake first
and then put in the first gear gear (vehicles with manual gearbox) or move the
selector lever to the P position (vehicles with automatic gearbox).
Manual gear changing and pedals
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Manual gear changing
141
Pedals
142
Manual gear changing
Fig. 137
Gearshift pattern of 5 gear or
6 gear manual gearbox
Always depress the clutch pedal all the way down. This prevents uneven wear on the clutch.
The gearshift indicator must be observed when changing gear » page 40.
Only engage reverse gear when the vehicle is stationary. Depress the clutch
pedal and hold it fully depressed. Wait a moment before reverse gear is engag-
ed to avoid any shift noises.
The reversing lights will come on once reverse gear is engaged, provided the
ignition is on.
141Starting-off and Driving

The following modes can be selected with the selector lever » Fig. 138.P
– Parking mode
The driven wheels are locked mechanically in this mode.
The parking mode must only be selected when the vehicle is stationary.
R
- Reverse gear
Reverse gear can only be engaged when the vehicle is stationary and the en-
gine is at idling speed.
Before moving into mode R from mode P or N, depress the brake pedal while
simultaneously pressing the lock button in the direction of the ar-
row » Fig. 139 .
N
- Neutral
The power transmission to the drive wheels is interrupted in this mode.
D
- Mode for forwards travel (normal programme)
In mode D, the forward gears are automatically changed according to the en-
gine load, accelerator pedal actuation and driving speed.
S
- Mode for forwards travel (sports programme)
In mode S, the forward gears are shifted automatically up and down at higher
engine speeds than in mode D.
Before changing to mode S from mode D, press the lock button in the direction
of the arrow » Fig. 139.
Releasing selector lever from mode P or N (selector lever lock)
The selector lever is locked in modes P and N to prevent the forwards travel
mode from being selected accidentally and setting the vehicle in motion. The
warning light illuminates in the instrument cluster
» page 39.
The selector lever is released by depressing the brake pedal while simultane-
ously pressing the lock button in the direction of the arrow » Fig. 139.
The selector lever is not locked when quickly moving via position N (e.g. from R
to D). This, for example, helps to rock out a vehicle that is stuck, e.g. in a bank
of snow. The selector lever lock will engage if the lever is in position N for
more than approx. 2 seconds without the brake pedal being depressed.
The selector lever is locked only when the vehicle is stationary and at speeds up to 5 km/h.
NoteIf you want to move the selector lever from mode P to mode D or vice versa,
move the selector lever quickly. This prevents modes R or N from being acci-
dentally selected.
Manual shifting of gears (Tiptronic)
Fig. 140
Selector lever / multi-function steering wheel
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
Tiptronic mode makes it possible to manually shift gears with the selector lev-
er or multifunction steering wheel. This mode can be selected both while stop-
ping and while driving.
The currently selected gear is indicated in the display » Fig. 138 on page 142 .
The gearshift indicator must be observed when changing gear » page 40.
Switching to manual shifting
›
Push the gear selector from position D towards the right, or left in a right-
hand drive vehicle.
Shifting up gears
›
Press the selector lever forwards
+
» Fig. 140 .
›
Pull the right-hand paddle +
» Fig. 140 briefly towards the steering wheel.
Shifting down gears
›
Press the selector lever backwards
-
» Fig. 140 .
›
Pull the left-hand paddle -
» Fig. 140 briefly towards the steering wheel.
Temporarily switch to manual gear changing in mode D or S
›
Pull one of the -/+ paddles
» Fig. 140 briefly towards the steering wheel .
143Starting-off and Driving

If one of the rocker switches -/+ is not pulled for more than 1 minute, manual
gear changing is deactivated. The temporary switch to manual gear changing
can also be deactivated by pulling the right-hand rocker switch +
towards the
steering wheel for more than 1 second.
When accelerating, the gearbox automatically shifts up into the higher gear
just before the maximum permissible engine speed is reached.
If a lower gear is selected, the gearbox does not shift down until there is no risk of the engine overrevving.
Note
It may be beneficial, for example, when travelling downhill, to use manual
shifting of gears. Shifting to a lower gear reduces the load on the brakes and
hence the wear of the brakes » page 140.
Starting-off and driving
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
Starting off
›
Start the engine.
›
Firmly depress and hold the brake pedal.
›
Press the lock button in the direction of to arrow » Fig. 139 on page 142 and
hold.
›
Move the selector lever into the desired position » page 142 and then release
the lock button.
›
Release the brake pedal and accelerate.
Stop
›
Fully depress and hold the brake pedal and bring the vehicle to a stop.
›
Keep holding the brake pedal until driving is resumed.
The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stopping for a
short time, such as at a cross roads.
Parking
›
Fully depress and hold the brake pedal and bring the vehicle to a stop.
›
Firmly apply the handbrake.
›
Press the lock button in the direction of to arrow » Fig. 139 on page 142 and
hold.
› Move the selector lever into the position
P and then release the locking but-
ton.
Launch control 1)
The Launch control function allows the vehicle to reach maximum acceleration
when starting off in mode S or Tiptronic.›
Activate the ASR » page 151, Brake assist systems .
›
START STOP deactivate » page 161.
›
Fully depress and hold the brake pedal with your left foot.
›
Fully depress the accelerator pedal with your right foot.
›
Release the brake pedal.
The vehicle starts off with maximum acceleration.
Reactivate the ASR and START-STOP as soon as the desired speed is reached.
Kickdown
The kickdown function allows you to achieve the maximum acceleration of
your vehicle while driving.
When the accelerator pedal is fully depressed, the kickdown function is activa-
ted in any forward driving mode.
The gearbox shifts down one or more gears depending on the vehicle speed
and engine speed, and the vehicle accelerates.
The gearbox does not shift up into the highest gear until the engine has
reached its maximum revolutions for this gear range.
WARNINGRapid acceleration, particularly on slippery roads, can lead to loss of control
of the vehicle – risk of accident!
Malfunction
Read and observe
and on page 142 first.
Emergency programme
The transmission switches to the emergency programme, if there is a fault in
system of the automatic gearbox.
1)
This function is only valid for some engines.
144Driving