
Compass display (if applicable)
On vehicles equipped with compass display, the current compass direction is indicated in the instru-
ment cluster display when the ignition and navigation system are switched on ⇒ page 15, Compass.
Selector lever positions
The selector lever position is shown both on the side of the selector lever and in the instrument cluster display. The respective gear may also be shown in the instrument cluster display in Drive D and Sport Drive S, as well as in Tiptronic® mode.
WARNING
Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text messages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result in a collision and serious personal injury.
x Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.
x Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
x Park the vehicle at a safe distance from moving traffic and where no part of the hot cata-lytic converter and exhaust system can come into contact with flammable materials under the vehicle, such as dry grass, brush, spilled fuel, etc.
x A broken down vehicle presents a high accident risk for itself and others. Switch on emergency flashers and set up a warning triangle to warn oncoming traffic.
WARNING
Roads and bridges may be dangerously icy even if the outside air temperature is above freez-ing.
x If you use the outside temperature display to tell you about frost conditions, remember that roads can even ice over at temperatures above +39 °F (+4 °C). Always remember: even if the “snowflake symbol” (icy road warning) is not displayed, there could still be black ice on the road.
x Never rely exclusively on the outside temperature display.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.
The instrument cluster displays and their arrangement may vary depending on the vehicle model and engine. For displays without warning and information messages, malfunctions are only signaled with indicator lights.
If there are multiple warning messages, the symbols are displayed for several seconds in order of importance. The symbols are displayed until the cause has been corrected.

Switches in the driver door
Key to ⇒ fig. 33:
(1) For the windows in the front doors.
(2) For the windows in the rear doors.
(3) Safety switch.
Opening or closing windows
Function Action
Opening: Press the switch.
Closing: Pull the switch.
Stopping automatic movement:
Press/pull the respective switch again.
_ The safety switch (3) deactivates the power windows in the rear doors. The yellow indicator light in the switch comes on.
You can still use the power windows for several minutes after the ignition is switched off as long as the driver or front passenger door has not been opened. When the vehicle key has been removed from the ignition and the driver door has been opened, the power windows cannot be opened or closed.
A separate button for controlling the window is located in the front passenger door.
Power windows – features

When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds.
A warning chime also sounds.
The safety belt warning light ª comes on for 6 seconds when the ignition is switched on. A warning chime also sounds for up to 6 seconds if the driver's safety belt is not buckled. The chime stops sooner if the driver buckles his or her safety belt. The warning light and the chime go out when both driver and front passenger have bucked their safety belts.
If the driver and front seat passenger do not both fasten their safety belts within about 24 seconds after the chime stops and the vehicle is moving at a speed of more than about 15 mph (25 km/h), the chime will again sound for about 6 seconds, then go off for about 24 seconds, then sound again for about another 6 seconds. The same thing happens if one of the safety belts is fastened and then unfastened while the vehicle is moving. The safety belt warning light ª also flashes. The warning chime continues to sound at 24 second intervals for up to 2 minutes. No chime sounds at speeds of less than about 5 mph (8 km/h).
If the ignition is switched on, the safety belt warning light ª stays on until the driver and front passenger have both buckled their safety belts.
WARNING
Not wearing a safety belt or wearing an improperly positioned safety belt increases the risk of severe personal injury or death. Safety belts offer optimum protection only when used correctly.
Frontal collisions and laws of physics
Fig. 50 A vehicle with passengers not wearing safety belts approaches a wall.
Fig. 51 A vehicle with passengers not wearing safety belts hits a wall.

WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly stowed items can fly through the vehicle, causing serious personal injury during hard braking or sharp steering or in an accident. Loose items can also be struck and thrown through the passenger compartment by the front airbags if they inflate. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
x Always stow all objects securely in the vehicle.
x Always keep storage compartments closed while driving.
x Do not stow hard, heavy, or sharp objects in open bins in the vehicle or on top of the instrument panel.
x Remove hard, heavy, and sharp objects from clothing and bags in the vehicle interior and stow securely. Always put heavy items in the luggage compartment.
x Always secure objects in the passenger compartment properly with suitable straps so that they cannot move into the deployment area of a side or front airbag during braking, in a sudden maneuver, or in a collision.
x Always make sure that there is nothing on the front passenger seat when the backrest is folded forward. When the backrest is folded forward, even light objects could be pushed into the seat cushion and cause the weight-sensing mat in the seat to register enough weight to turn the airbag on, How to tell if the front passenger front airbag is on or off.
x Always make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 9 light is on and stays on whenever the backrest of the front passenger seat is folded forward, PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF 9 light.
x Passengers must never ride in an incorrect seating position because objects are being transported in the vehicle.
x Never let anybody sit in a seat that is blocked by objects being carried in the vehicle.
WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehicle handles and increase stopping distances. Heavy loads that are not properly stowed or secured can cause loss of control and serious injury.
x Secure the load properly to keep it from shifting.
x Always remember when transporting heavy objects that a change in the center of gravity also changes the way your vehicle handles:
– Always distribute the load as evenly as possible.
– Secure heavy objects properly as far forward in the luggage compartment as possible.
– Always tie down heavy items securely with suitable straps using the tie-downs in the luggage compartment.
x Securely latch the rear seat backrest in the upright position.
x Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating on the safety compliance sticker on the left door jamb. Exceeding permissible weight can cause the vehicle to skid and handle differently.
x Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and the weight distribution in the vehicle. Take road, weather, traffic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
x Always accelerate gently and avoid sudden braking and driving maneuvers.
x Always brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a loaded vehicle.
Stowing luggage

WARNING
Improper use of the trailer hitch can cause accidents and injuries. An improperly installed, incorrect, or damaged trailer hitch can cause the trailer to separate from the towing vehicle and cause serious personal injuries.
x Only use an undamaged, properly mounted trailer hitch.
x Never repair or modify the trailer hitch.
x To reduce the risk of injury in rear-end collisions, and the risk to pedestrians and cyclists when the vehicle is parked, always remove the ball mount when you are not towing a trailer.
x Never install a “weight distributing” or “load equalizing” trailer hitch on your vehicle. The vehicle was not designed for these kinds of trailer hitches. The trailer hitch attachment can fail, causing the trailer to tear loose from the vehicle.
WARNING
Improper trailer towing can cause loss of vehicle control and serious personal injury.
x Driving with a trailer and carrying heavy or large things can change the way the vehicle handles, increase the distance it needs to stop safely, and cause accidents.
x Always secure the load properly with suitable and undamaged straps so that the load will not shift.
x Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and the weight distribution in the vehicle. Take road, weather, traffic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
x Reduce your speed even more than you otherwise would when going downhill and under unfavorable load, weather, or wind conditions.
x Trailers with a high center of gravity tip more easily than trailers with a low center of gravity.
x Always avoid sudden maneuvers and hard braking.
x Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
x Reduce speed immediately if the trailer shows the slightest sign of swaying.
x Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
x Always obey speed limits. In some areas, the speed limits for vehicles towing trailers are lower than for vehicles without trailers. Never drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h; under exceptional circumstances 60 mph - 100 km/h), when towing a trailer. This applies even if the local speed limit is higher.
If you are driving a new vehicle or a vehicle with a new or rebuilt engine, do not tow a trailer during the break-in period, about 600 miles (1000 km), Parts, accessories, repairs, and modifications.
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need maintenance more often because of the extra load it has to move.
When you are not towing, remove the trailer hitch ball. This helps keep the trailer hitch from causing damage to your vehicle and to others if your vehicle is hit from behind.
Some models need a trailer hitch to tow or tow-start other vehicles. You may want to always carry the ball mount in the vehicle after it has been removed. Be sure to stow it securely.