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Vehicle care263
■Never expose the vehicle battery to
naked flames or sparks.
■ A discharged vehicle battery can already freeze at a temperature of
0 °C. Defrost the frozen battery
before connecting jump leads.
■ Wear eye protection and protective
clothing when handling a battery.
■ Use a booster battery with the same voltage (12 Volts). Its
capacity (Ah) must not be much less than that of the discharged
vehicle battery.
■ Use jump leads with insulated terminals and a cross section of at
least 16 mm 2
(25 mm 2
for diesel
engines).
■ Do not disconnect the discharged vehicle battery from the vehicle.
■ Switch off all unnecessary electrical
consumers.
■ Do not lean over the vehicle battery
during jump starting.
■ Do not allow the terminals of one lead to touch those of the other
lead.■ The vehicles must not come into contact with each other during the
jump starting process.
■ Apply the parking brake, transmission in neutral, automatic
transmission in P.
■ If there is a cover over the vehicle
battery, remove it to charge or jumpstart the vehicle battery. Lift up the
cover at the rear and unlatch it at
the front.
■ Open the positive terminal protection caps of both vehicle
batteries.
Lead connection order:
1. Connect the red lead to the positive terminal of the booster
battery.
2. Connect the other end of the red lead to the positive terminal of the
discharged battery.
3. Connect the black lead to the negative terminal of the booster
battery.
4. Connect the other end of the black
lead to a vehicle grounding point,
such as the engine block or an
engine mounting bolt. Connect as
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264Vehicle care
far away from the discharged
battery as possible, however at
least 60 cm.
Route the leads so that they cannot
catch on rotating parts in the engine
compartment.
To start the engine: 1. Start the engine of the vehicle providing the jump.
2. After 5 minutes, start the other engine. Start attempts should be
made for no longer than
15 seconds at an interval of
1 minute.
3. Allow both engines to idle for approx. 3 minutes with the leads
connected.
4. Switch on electrical consumers (e.g. headlights, heated rear
window) of the vehicle receiving
the jump start.
5. Reverse above sequence exactly when removing leads.Towing
Towing the vehicle
5-door Hatchback, 4-door Saloon,
Sports Tourer: disengage cap at
bottom and remove downwards.
Country Tourer: insert a screwdriver
in the slot at the lower edge of the cap. Release the cap by carefully moving
the screwdriver downwards. To
prevent damage, it is recommended
to place a cloth between the
screwdriver and the frame.
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Vehicle care265
VXR: insert screwdriver in the slot at
the upper bend of the cap. Release
the cap by carefully moving the
screwdriver downwards. To prevent
damage, it is recommended to place
a cloth between the screwdriver and
the frame.
The towing eye is stowed with the vehicle tools 3 248.Screw in the towing eye as far as it will
go until it stops in a horizontal
position.
Attach a tow rope – or better still a tow
rod – to the towing eye.
The towing eye must only be used for towing and not for recovering the
vehicle.
Switch on ignition to release steering
wheel lock and to permit operation of
brake lights, horn and windscreen
wiper.
Transmission in neutral.
Caution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
When the engine is not running,
considerably more force is needed to
brake and steer.
To prevent the entry of exhaust gases from the towing vehicle, switch on the
air recirculation and close the
windows.
Vehicles with manual transmission
and All-wheel drive: If the vehicle is
towed with all four wheels on the
ground then there are no technical
limitations for speed and distance. If
only one axle has been raised, the
maximum speed is 30 mph. There is
no distance limitation.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
and Front-wheel drive: The vehicle
must be towed facing forwards, not
faster than 50 mph nor further than
60 miles . In all other cases and when
the transmission is defective, the front
axle must be raised off the ground.
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266Vehicle care
Vehicles with automatic transmissionand All-wheel drive: The vehicle must
be towed facing forwards. If the
vehicle is towed with all four wheels
on the ground, the maximum speed is 30 mph and for a maximum of
30 miles. If the front axle has been
raised, the maximum speed is
30 mph. There is no distance
limitation.
Seek the assistance of a workshop. After towing, unscrew the towing eye.5-door Hatchback, 4-door Saloon,
Sports Tourer: insert cap at the
bottom, turn slightly clockwise and
close cap.
Country Tourer: insert cap with the
upper flange into the recess and fix
cap by pushing.
VXR: insert cap with the lower flange
into the recess. Push the cap into the bumper.
Towing another vehicle
5-door Hatchback, 4-door Saloon,
Sports Tourer, VXR: disengage cap
at bottom and remove downwards.
Country Tourer: insert a screwdriver
in the slot at the lower edge of the cap. Release the cap by carefully moving
the screwdriver downwards. To
prevent damage, it is recommended
to place a cloth between the
screwdriver and the frame.
The towing eye is stowed with the vehicle tools 3 248.
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Vehicle care267
Screw in the towing eye as far as it will
go until it stops in a horizontal
position.
The lashing eye at the rear
underneath the vehicle must never be used as a towing eye.
Attach a tow rope – or better still a tow
rod – to the towing eye.
The towing eye must only be used for towing and not for recovering a
vehicle.
Caution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
After towing, unscrew the towing eye.
5-door Hatchback, 4-door Saloon,
Sports Tourer, VXR: insert cap at the
bottom, turn slightly clockwise and
engage cap.
Country Tourer: insert cap with the
upper flange into the recess and fix
cap by pushing.
Appearance care
Exterior care LocksThe locks are lubricated at the factory
using a high quality lock cylinder
grease. Use a de-icing agent only
when absolutely necessary, as this
has a degreasing effect and impairs
lock function. After using a de-icing
agent, have the locks regreased by a workshop.
Washing The paintwork of your vehicle is
exposed to environmental influences.
Wash and wax your vehicle regularly.
When using automatic vehicle
washes, select a programme that
includes waxing.
Bird droppings, dead insects, resin,
pollen and the like should be cleaned
off immediately, as they contain
aggressive constituents which can
cause paint damage.
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268Vehicle care
If using a vehicle wash, comply with
the vehicle wash manufacturer's
instructions. The windscreen wiper and rear window wiper must be
switched off. Remove antenna and
external accessories such as roof
racks etc.
If you wash your vehicle by hand,
make sure that the insides of the
wheel housings are also thoroughly
rinsed out.
Wax painted parts of the vehicle
regularly.
Clean edges and folds on opened
doors and the bonnet as well as the
areas they cover.Caution
Always use a cleaning agent with
a pH value of 4 to 9.
Do not use cleaning agents on hot surfaces.
Do not clean the engine compartmentwith a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Thoroughly rinse and leather-off the vehicle. Rinse leather frequently. Use
separate leathers for painted and
glass surfaces: remnants of wax on
the windows will impair vision.
Have the door hinges of all doors
greased by a workshop.
Exterior lights Headlight and other light covers aremade of plastic. Do not use any
abrasive or caustic agents, do not use
an ice scraper, and do not clean them dry.
Polishing and waxing
Wax the vehicle regularly (at the
latest when water no longer beads).
Otherwise, the paintwork will dry out.
Polishing is necessary only if the paint
has become dull or if solid deposits
have become attached to it.
Paintwork polish with silicone forms a
protective film, making waxing
unnecessary.
Plastic body parts must not be treated with wax or polishing agents.Windows and windscreen wiper
blades
Use a soft lint-free cloth or chamois leather together with window cleaner and insect remover.
When cleaning the rear window from
inside, always wipe in parallel to the
heating element to prevent damage.
For mechanical removal of ice, use a
sharp-edged ice scraper. Press the
scraper firmly against the glass so
that no dirt can get under it and
scratch the glass.
Clean smearing wiper blades with a
soft cloth and window cleaner.
Remove dirt residues from smearing
wiper blades by using a soft cloth and window cleaner. Also make sure to
remove any residues such as wax,
insect residues and similar from the
window.
Ice residues, pollution and continuous wiping on dry windows will damage or
even destroy the wiper blades.
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Vehicle care269
SunroofNever clean with solvents or abrasive
agents, fuels, aggressive media
(e.g. paint cleaner, acetone-
containing solutions etc.), acidic or
highly alkaline media or abrasive
pads. Do not apply wax or polishing
agents to the sunroof.
Wheels and tyres
Do not use high-pressure jet
cleaners.
Clean rims with a pH-neutral wheel
cleaner.
Rims are painted and can be treated
with the same agents as the body.
Paintwork damageRectify minor paintwork damage with
a touch-up pen before rust forms. Have more extensive damage or rust
areas repaired by a workshop.
Underbody
Some areas of the vehicle underbody
have a PVC undercoating while other critical areas have a durable
protective wax coating.After the underbody is washed, check
the underbody and have it waxed if
necessary.
Bitumen/rubber materials could
damage the PVC coating. Have
underbody work carried out by a
workshop.
Before and after winter, wash the
underbody and have the protective
wax coating checked.
Liquid gas system9 Danger
Liquid gas is heavier than air and
can collect in sink points.
Take care when performing work
at the underbody in a pit.
For painting work and when using a
drying booth at a temperature above
60 °C, the liquid gas tank must be
removed.
Do not make any modifications to the
liquid gas system.
Towing equipment
Do not clean the coupling ball bar with
a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Interior care Interior and upholsteryOnly clean the vehicle interior,
including the instrument panel fascia
and panelling, with a dry cloth or
interior cleaner.
Clean the leather upholstery with clear water and a soft cloth. In case of
heavy soiling, use leather care.
The instrument cluster and the
displays should only be cleaned using
a soft damp cloth. If necessary use a
weak soap solution.
Clean fabric upholstery with a
vacuum cleaner and brush. Remove
stains with an upholstery cleaner.
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270Vehicle care
Clothing fabrics may not be
colourfast. This could cause visible discolourations, especially on light-
coloured upholstery. Removable
stains and discolourations should be
cleaned as soon as possible.
Clean seat belts with lukewarm water or interior cleaner.Caution
Close Velcro fasteners as open
Velcro fasteners on clothing could damage seat upholstery.
The same applies to clothing with
sharp-edged objects, like zips or
belts or studded jeans.
Plastic and rubber parts
Plastic and rubber parts can be
cleaned with the same cleaner as
used to clean the body. Use interior cleaner if necessary. Do not use any
other agent. Avoid solvents and petrol in particular. Do not use high-
pressure jet cleaners.