Operation
object generates a force corresponding to 20
time s
its
weight. That means that the effec-
tive weight of the object increases to approxi-
mately 90 kg. You can imagine the severity of
the injuries which might be sustained if this
“object” strikes an occupant as it flies
through the interior of the vehicle. This in-
creased risk of injury will be further increased
if a loose object is struck by an inflating air-
bag. WARNING
● If piec e
s of baggage or other objects are se-
cured to the fastening rings with inappropri-
ate or damaged retaining cords, injuries
could result in the event of braking manoeu-
vres or accidents.
● Never secure a child seat on the fastening
rings. Luggage compartment
Intr oduction Please observe the following points to ensure
the
v
ehic
le handles well at all times:
– Distribute the load as evenly as possible.
– Place heavy objects as far forward in the
luggag
e compartment as possible.
– Secure luggage using the fastening rings or
retainin
g net ›››
page 143. During an accident, even small and light ob-
jects c
an have so much kinetic energy that
they can cause very severe injuries. The
amount of kinetic energy depends on the
speed of the vehicle and the weight of the
object. However, the speed of the vehicle is
the most important factor.
Example: An unsecured object weighing 4.5
kg produces energy corresponding to 20
times its weight in a frontal collision at 50
km/h (31 mph). This means that its weight
reaches around 90 kg. You can imagine the
severity of the injuries that might be sus-
tained if this “projectile” strikes an occupant
as it flies through the vehicle interior. WARNING
● Stor e o
bjects in the luggage compartment
and secure to the fastening points.
● In an accident or sudden manoeuvre, loose
obj
ects in the interior can be flung forward
and possibly injure vehicle occupants or oth-
ers. This risk is even greater if the flying ob-
jects hit a triggering airbag. In this case, any
rebounding objects could injure vehicle occu-
pants. Risk of fatal injuries!
● Take into account that transporting heavy
obj
ects changes the centre of gravity that
could also cause changes in vehicle handling.
Risk of accident! Therefore, always adjust
your speed and driving style to suit these cir-
cumstances. ●
Securin g the lo
ad to the rings using unsuit-
able or damaged straps could lead to injuries
in the event of an accident or sudden braking
manoeuvre. Secure suitable straps safely to
the rings to ensure this does not happen.
● Position the load so it cannot move forward
during a sud
den braking manoeuvre. Risk of
injuries!
● If transporting sharp or dangerous objects
in the spac
e provided when the rear seats are
folded, ensure the safety of the occupant of
the remaining rear seat ››› page 58.
● If the rear seat located alongside a folded
seat i
s occupied, ensure safety, for example,
by placing the load so that it stops the seat
from folding backward in the event of being
hit from behind.
● Never drive with the rear lid open or half-
closed, e
xhaust gases may penetrate into the
interior of the vehicle. Danger of poisoning!
● Never exceed the allowed axle loads or al-
lowed m
aximum weight. Risk of accident!
● Never transport passengers in the luggage
compar
tment! CAUTION
Make sure sharp objects stored in the boot
cannot not
damage the rear window heating
filaments. 142
Air conditioning
Connecting the recirculation
In an y
po
sition of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr
ess button 1
› ››
Fig. 169
, the sw
itch's
lamp will light up, indicating that air recircu-
lation inside the vehicle has been activated.
Disconnecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr
ess button 1 again and the button's
l amp w
i
ll go off, indicating that air recircula-
tion from the outside has been activated.
In the thaw position of rotary switch C , the
entr y
of
air into the vehicle interior is always
from the outside. WARNING
Read and observe the safety warnings ›››
in
Genera l
notes on page 146. Air conditioning (manual)*
Gener a
l
notesThe air cooling system only works if
A/C but-
t on 2
› ›
›
Fig. 170 ›››
page 149 is pressed
and under following conditions:
● The engine is running, ●
The outside temper
ature is above +2°C
(+36°F),
● The blower control is in position 1–4.
When the coolin
g system is on and under cer-
tain conditions, air can be blown from the
vents at a temperature of approximately +5°C
(+41°F). In the event of prolonged, irregular
distribution of the air flow from the outlets
and significant differences in temperature,
e.g. on leaving the vehicle, sensitive people
may catch cold. Note
A visit to the specialised service once a year
is r
ecommended to clean the air conditioning
system. Manual operation
Fig. 170
Air conditioning: controls. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 37
Temperature selection – Turn rotary control A
› ››
Fig. 170
c
lockwise
to increase the temperature.
– Turn rotary control A anti-clockwise to re-
duc e the t
emper
ature.
Blower selection
– Turn rotary control B
› ››
Fig. 170
t
o posi-
tion 1 to 4 to switch the blower on.
– Turn rotary control B to position 0 to
sw it
c
h the blower off.
– Press button
1
› ›
› p
age 150, Air recir-
culation to close the fresh air vent.
Air distribution selection – Turn rotary control C
› ›
› Fig. 170
to select
the air vents ››› page 147 you wish to acti-
vate.
Switching cooling on and off
– Press the button A/C
2
› ›
› Fig. 170
and
the lamp in the button will illuminate.
– Press the A/C
2 button again and the
light in the b
utt
on will switch off. »
149
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
Coldest setting – On turning control A to the coldest setting
(b lue indic
at
or), buttons 1
and
2 A/C
, light up
– The recirculation function is activated auto-
matic
al
ly in order to cool faster. Note
● If the air di s
tribution is directed towards
the windows, all, of the heating power is
used to defrost the windscreen. No warm air
is directed to the footwell area. This could
limit heating comfort.
● The AC button lamp will illuminate after
the sys t
em has been switched on, even if not
all of the conditions for cooling system oper-
ations are met. Cooling is indicated as availa- ble once all of the conditions are met
›› ›
page 149, General notes . Air recirculation
Air recirculation prevents unpleasant smells,
e.g. when p
a
ssing through a tunnel or in
queuing traffic, from entering the interior.
If the rotary switch C
››› Fig. 170 i
s in the
thaw position, the recirculation flap will al-
ways be open (button light off).
If the rotary switch C is switched from any
po s
ition t
o the thaw position, recirculation
will be automatically deactivated.
Connecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w: ●
Pr
es
s button 1
› ››
Fig. 170
, the sw itch's
lamp will light up, indicating that air recircu-
lation inside the vehicle has been activated.
Disconnecting the recirculation
In any position of rotary switch C except
th a
w:
● Pr
ess button 1 again and the button's
l amp w
i
ll go off, indicating that air recircula-
tion from the outside has been activated.
In the thaw position of rotary switch C , the
entr y
of
air into the vehicle interior is always
from the outside. WARNING
Read and observe the safety warnings ›››
in
Genera l
notes on page 146. 150
Operation
● Pr e
s
s the AUTO button
13
› ››
Fig. 171
.
● Adju
st vents 3 and 4 ›››
page 147 so that
the air flow is directed slightly upwards.
Change between degrees Centigrade and de-
grees Fahrenheit
Keep the AUTO and
A/C
› ››
Fig. 171
b
uttons
held down for 2 seconds at the same time.
The data is displayed on the screen in the
units required. Note
● A v i
sit to the specialised service once a
year is recommended to clean the Climatronic
system.
● The interior temperature sensor 11›››
Fig. 171 is at
the bottom. Do not cover it
with stickers or the like, as this could have a
negative effect on Climatronic operations. Automatic mode
Automatic mode is used to maintain a con-
s
t
ant
temperature and demist the windows
inside the vehicle.
Switching on automatic mode
● Set the interior temperature between +16°C
(+64°F) and +29°C (+84°F).
● Adjus
t vents 3 ›››
page 147 and 4 so that
the air flow is directed slightly upwards. ●
Pres
s the AUTO button
13
› ››
Fig. 171
and
AUTO di
splayed on the screen.
Automatic mode is switched off by pressing
the air distribution buttons or increasing or
decreasing the blower speed. However, the
temperature remains regulated.
Adjusting the temperature ●
When you switch on the ignition, control 1 ›››
Fig. 171 can be u sed t
o set the required in-
terior temperature.
It is possible to select interior temperatures
from +16°C (+64°F) to +29°C (+84°F). In this
range the temperature is regulated automati-
cally. If a temperature below +16°C (+64°F) is
selected, “LO” is displayed on the screen. If a
temperature above +29°C (+84°F) is selected,
“HI” is displayed on the screen. At both ex-
tremes, Climatronic works at maximum cool-
ing or heating power, respectively. The tem-
perature is not regulated.
In the event of prolonged, irregular distribu-
tion of the air flow from the outlets (particu-
larly the footwells) and significant differen-
ces in temperature, e.g. on leaving the vehi-
cle, sensitive people may catch cold. Air recirculation Air recirculation prevents unpleasant smells,
e.g. when p
a
ssing through a tunnel or in
queuing traffic, from entering the interior.
Switching on air recirculation mode
● Press button
17
››› Fig. 171 and the
symbol is displayed on the screen.
Switching off air recirculation mode
● Press button
17
› ›
› Fig. 171
and the
symbol disappears from the screen. WARNING
Read and observe the safety warnings ›››
in
Genera l
notes on page 146. Note
If air recirculation mode remains on for 15 mi-
nute s, the
symbol will start to flash on
the screen to indicate prolonged air recircula-
tion. If air recirculation is not switched off,
the symbol will continue to flash for about 5
minutes. Blower selection
Climatronic automatically regulates blower
s
peed ac
c
ording to the interior temperature.
152
Driving
It is possible, however, to set the blower
s peed t
o s
uit requirements.
● Turn control 10
› ››
Fig. 171
c
ounter-clock-
wise (to lower the speed) or clockwise (to in-
crease the speed).
Climatronic will switch off when the blower
switches off. WARNING
Read and observe the safety warnings ›››
in
Genera l
notes on page 146. Windscreen defrost
Switching on windscreen defrosting
●
Press the button
12
› ›
›
Fig. 171.
Switching off windscreen defrosting
● Press button
12
› ›
›
Fig. 171 several
times or press the AUTO button.
The t emper
at
ure is regulated automatically.
The air output is increased from vents 1
››› page 147 and 2. Driving
St ar
tin
g and stopping the en-
gine
Introduction Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 17 WARNING
● When mov in
g with the engine switched off,
the ignition key must always remain in posi-
tion 2
››› Fig. 172 ›
›› page 154 (ignition on).
The control lamps will light up in this posi-
tion. Otherwise, the steering lock could en-
gage suddenly. Risk of accident!
● Do not remove the key from the ignition un-
til the
vehicle has come to a standstill and is
secure (e.g. the handbrake is engaged). Oth-
erwise, the steering lock could suddenly en-
gage. Risk of accident!
● Always take the ignition key with you when
you le
ave the vehicle. This is particularly im-
portant if you leave children in the vehicle.
Children could, for example, start the engine
with the subsequent risk of accident.
● Never leave the engine running in unventi-
lated or c
losed rooms. The exhaust gases
contain carbon monoxide, an odourless and
colourless poisonous gas. Risk of fatal acci-
dents! Carbon monoxide can cause people to
lose consciousness and can cause death. ●
Never l e
ave the vehicle unattended if the
engine is running.
● Never switch the engine off until the vehi-
cle h
as come to a complete stop. Risk of acci-
dent! CAUTION
● Turnin g the s
teering wheel fully in either
direction when the vehicle is stationary and
the engine is in gear puts the power steering
under great stress. This could lead to noise.
Never leave the steering wheel turned fully in
either direction for more than 15 seconds.
Risk of damage to the power steering system!
● The starter motor may only be used (key
position 3
››› Fig. 172 ›
›› page 154 in the ig-
nition) if the engine is off. Using the starter
motor when the engine is running could dam-
age it.
● Immediately release the ignition key when
the engine st
arts, otherwise damage could be
caused to the starter motor.
● When the engine is cold, you should avoid
high engine speed
s, driving at full throttle
and over-loading the engine before it reaches
operating temperature. Risk of engine dam-
age!
● Do not tow-start the engine. Risk of engine
damag
e! In vehicles with a catalytic convert-
er, fuel that has not been burned could reach
the catalytic converter and catch fire in it.
This would lead to a fault in the catalytic con-
verter. You may use the battery from another » 153
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Driving
If the steering lock is engaged
and it
i s diffi-
cult or impossible to turn the key to position 2 , release the lock by turning the steering
wheel s
lightly
in both directions.
Starter button Fig. 173
In the steering column: start-up
p u
sh b
utton for the Keyless Access lock and
start-up system. The layout in right-hand
drive vehicles is symmetrical. Fig. 174
Emergency ignition in vehicles with
Keyl e
ss Access. The start-up button may only be used if there
i
s
a
valid key in the vehicle.
Opening the driver's door when exiting the
vehicle activates the electronic lock on the
steering column if the ignition is disabled.
Switching the ignition on/off
● Briefly push the start-up button ›››
Fig. 173
without touching the brake or clutch ped-
al ››› .
Emer g
ency
starting function
If no valid key is detected inside the vehicle,
an emergency start-up will be required. The
relevant message will appear in the dash
panel display. This may happen when, for ex-
ample, the vehicle key battery is very low or
flat: ●
Immediately
after pushing the start-up but-
ton, keep the vehicle key next to the steering
column ››› Fig. 174.
● The ignition connects and the engine starts
automatic
ally.
Emergency disconnection
If the engine does not stop after briefly press-
ing the start-up button, an emergency dis-
connect will be required:
● Press the starter button twice within 1 sec-
ond or pres
s it once for more than 2 seconds
››› .
● The engine turns off automatically.
En gine r
e
start feature
If no valid key is detected inside the vehicle
after the engine stops, you will only have 5
seconds to restart it. A warning will display
on the dash panel screen.
After this interval, it will not be possible to
start the engine without a valid key inside
the vehicle. WARNING
Any accidental movement of the vehicle could
re s
ult in serious injury.
● When pressing the start-up button, do not
pre
ss the brake or clutch pedal, this way the
engine will start immediately. » 155
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
WARNING
If vehicle keys are used negligently or with-
out due c ar
e, this may cause accidents and
serious injury.
● Never leave any key inside the vehicle
when exitin
g. Otherwise, a child or unauthor-
ised person could lock the vehicle, start the
engine or connect the ignition and, in this
way, operate electronic equipment (e.g. the
windows). Note
In diesel vehicles with the Keyless Access
sys t
em, there may be a delay in the engine
starting if it requires preheating. Starting the engine
Vehicles with a
diesel
en
gine are equipped
with a glow plug system. When you switch on
the ignition, the glow plug warning lamp
will light up. The engine can be started
straight away when the lamp switches off.
Do not connect electrical appliances during
preheating so as not the drain the vehicle
battery unnecessarily.
Starting the engine
● Move the gearbox lever into neutral or
move the sel
ector lever to position P or N and
pull firmly on the handbrake. ●
Pres
s the clutch pedal all the way down
and start the engine 3
› ››
Fig. 172
› ›
› page 154, without pressing the accelera-
tor. Keep the clutch pedal pressed down until
the engine starts.
● Release the ignition key as soon as the en-
gine star
ts. The key returns to position 2 .
● If the engine does not start after 10 sec-
ond s, t
urn the k
ey back to position 1 . Re-
pe at
the action af
ter 30 seconds.
● Release the handbrake before moving off.
Switching off the engine with the key Stop the engine by turning the ignition key to
po
s
ition 1
› ›
› Fig. 172
››› page 154.
Brakes and brake servo sys-
tems Introduction WARNING
● The brak e ser
vo only works when the en-
gine is running. Braking when the engine is
switched off requires applying more strength
to the brake pedal. Risk of accident!
● Press down on the clutch pedal when stop-
ping and brak
ing with a manual gearbox, pet- rol engine vehicle at low speed. Otherwise,
the brak
e ser
vo might not work properly. Risk
of accident!
● In the event of damage to the standard
front s
poiler or where a different front spoil-
er, wheel trims, etc. are subsequently fitted,
make sure the air vent to the brakes on the
front wheels is not blocked. Otherwise, brak-
ing operations may be impaired. Risk of acci-
dent!
● Always fully release the handbrake. If it is
only p
artially released, this will cause over-
heating of the rear brakes, which can impair
the function of the brake system. Risk of acci-
dent!
● Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicl
e. They could release the handbrake or
move the gear lever. The vehicle could start
moving. Risk of accident!
● Insufficient fuel can cause the engine to run
irregu
larly or to switch off. Brake assist sys-
tems could be impaired. Risk of accident!
● Always adjust your driving style to suit visi-
bility
, the weather and road and traffic condi-
tions. The best vehicle safety offered by
brake assist systems must never encourage
you to run greater risks. Risk of accident! CAUTION
● Ob ser
ve the information concerning new
brake pads ››› page 163.156
Driving
●
Where br ak
ing is not necessary, do not
wear down the brake pads by pressing down
gently on the brake pedal. This causes the
brakes to overheat, increasing their wear and
increasing braking distances.
● To ensure the brake assist systems work
properly, a
ll wheels must be fitted with tyres
approved by the manufacturer. Note
● If y
ou brake suddenly and the brake system
control unit regards the situation as hazard-
ous for the drivers behind you, the brake
lights will begin to flash automatically. After
reducing speed to approximately 10 km/h (6
mph) or stopping the vehicle, the brake lights
will stop flashing and the hazard warning
lights will switch on. The hazard warning
lights are automatically switched off when
you accelerate or restart the vehicle.
● On long, steep gradients, reduce your
speed and ch
ange to a lower gear (manual
gearbox) or move the selector lever to a lower
gear position (automatic gearbox). This uses
the force of the engine and the brakes do not
suffer as much. If you still have to brake, do
so intermittently, pressing down repeatedly
on the brake pedal.
● Vehicle modifications (e.g. to the engine,
brake
s, frame or a combination of wheels and
tyres) could impair the brake assist systems
››› page 193, Accessories and modifications
to the vehicle . ●
In the event of
a fault in the ABS system,
the ESC, TCS and EDL are switched off auto-
matically. A fault in the ABS is indicated by
the ››› page 101 warning lamp. Brakes
Wear
The rat
e of
wear of the brake pads depends
on the driving style and on the way in which
the vehicle is used. The brake pads will wear
more quickly if you use your vehicle frequent-
ly in urban traffic and short trips or drive in a
sporty style. Under these demanding condi-
tions, visit your specialised service, even be-
fore the scheduled service date, so that the
thickness of the brake pads can be meas-
ured.
Wet roads or road salt
If brakes are wet or frozen, or if you are driv-
ing on roads which have been gritted with
salt, braking power may set in later than nor-
mal. Dry the brakes as soon as possible by
braking repeatedly.
Corrosion
Long periods of inactivity and little use can
lead to rust on the brake discs and dirt on the
brake pads. Where the brake system is sub-
jected to light stress or in the case of corro- sion, clean the brake discs by braking fully
sever
al
times at a high speed.
Brake system fault
If you notice that the braking distance sud-
denly increases and the brake pedal can be
pressed down more fully, there may be a fault
in the brake system. Visit a specialised serv-
ice immediately and adjust your driving style
to the extent of the damage and to limit the
effect of the brakes.
Low brake fluid level
Insufficient brake fluid could cause faults in
the brake system. The brake fluid level is con-
trolled electronically ››› page 99, Brake sys-
tem .
Brake servo
The brake servo supplements the pressure
you exert on the brake pedal. The brake servo
only works when the engine is running.
157
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety