Driving and operating123Driving and operatingDriving hints............................... 123
Starting and operating ...............124
Engine exhaust .......................... 128
Automatic transmission .............. 130
Manual transmission ..................134
Drive systems ............................ 134
Brakes ........................................ 137
Ride control systems .................139
Driver assistance systems .........141
Fuel ............................................ 144
Trailer hitch ................................ 147Driving hints
Control of the vehicleNever coast with engine not
running (except during Autostop)
Many systems will not function in this
situation ( e.g. brake servo unit, power
steering). Driving in this manner is a
danger to yourself and others. All
systems function during an Autostop,
but there will be a controlled reduction
in power steering assist and vehicle
speed is reduced.
Stop-start system 3 125.
Pedals
To ensure the pedal travel is
uninhibited, there must be no mats in the area of the pedals.SteeringCaution
Never leave the steering wheel on
full lock when the vehicle is
stationary, as this may damage
the power steering pump.
If power steering assist is lost
because the engine stops or due to a system malfunction, the vehicle can
be steered but may require increased
effort.
Control indicator 2 3 87.
124Driving and operatingStarting and operating
New vehicle running-in Do not brake unnecessarily hard for
the first few journeys.
During the first drive, smoke may
occur because of wax and oil
evaporating off the exhaust system.
Park the vehicle in the open for a
while after the first drive and avoid
inhaling the fumes.
During the running-in period fuel and engine oil consumption may be
higher and the cleaning process of the diesel particle filter may take
place more often. Autostop may be
inhibited to allow for charging of the
battery.
Diesel particle filter 3 128.Ignition switch positionsLOCK=Ignition offACC=Steering wheel lock
released, ignition offON=Ignition on, for diesel
engine: preheatingSTART=StartingStarting the engine
Manual transmission: operate clutch
and brake pedals.
Automatic transmission: operate
brake pedal and move selector lever
to P or N.
Do not operate accelerator pedal.
Diesel engines: turn the key to
position ON for preheating until
control indicator ! extinguishes
3 88.
Turn key briefly to position START
and release. Key returns
automatically to position ON.
126Driving and operating
Deactivation
Deactivate the stop-start system
manually by pressing the eco button.
The deactivation is indicated when
the LED in the button extinguishes.
Autostop
If the vehicle is at a low speed or at a
standstill, activate an Autostop as
follows:
■ Depress the clutch pedal
■ set the lever to neutral
■ release the clutch pedal
The engine will be switched off while
the ignition stays on.
An Autostop is indicated by the
needle at the AUTOSTOP position in
the tachometer.
During an Autostop, the heating,
power steering and brake
performance will be maintained.
Air conditioning system may or may
not inhibit the stop-start system
according to the cooling performance.
Caution
The steering assist can be
reduced during an Autostop.
Conditions for an Autostop
The stop-start system checks if each
of the following conditions is fulfilled.
■ The stop-start system is not manually deactivated
■ the bonnet is fully closed
■ the driver's door is closed or the driver's seat belt is fastened
■ the vehicle battery is sufficiently charged and in good condition
■ the engine is warmed up
■ the engine coolant temperature is not too high or low
■ the engine exhaust temperature is not too high, e.g. after driving with
high engine load
■ the ambient temperature is not too low
■ the defrosting function is not activated
■ the climate control system does not
inhibit an engine stop
■ the brake vacuum is sufficient
Driving and operating127
■ the self-cleaning function of thediesel particle filter is not active
■ the vehicle has moved since the last Autostop
Otherwise an Autostop will be
inhibited.
Certain settings of the climate control
system may inhibit an Autostop. See
Climate control chapter for more
details 3 117.
Immediately after motorway driving
an Autostop may be inhibited.
New vehicle running-in 3 124.
Vehicle battery discharge protection To ensure reliable engine restarts,
several vehicle battery discharge
protection features are implemented
as part of the stop-start system.
Restart of the engine by the
driver
Depress the clutch pedal to restart the
engine.
The engine start is indicated by the
needle at the idle speed position in
the tachometer.If the selector lever is shifted out of
neutral before depressing the clutch
first, control indicator - illuminates.
Control indicator - 3 90.
Restart of the engine by the
stop-start system
The selector lever must be in neutral to enable an automatic restart.
If one of the following conditions
occurs during an Autostop, the
engine will be restarted automatically by the stop-start system.
■ The stop-start system is manually deactivated
■ the bonnet is opened
■ the driver's seat belt is unfastened and the driver's door is opened
■ the engine temperature is too low
■ the charging level of the vehicle battery is below a defined level
■ the brake vacuum is not sufficient
■ the vehicle is driven at least at walking speed
■ the defrosting function is activated■ the climate control system requests
an engine start
■ the air conditioning is manually switched on
If an electrical accessory, e.g. a
portable CD player, is connected to
the power outlet, a brief power drop
during restart might be noticeable.
Parking9 Warning
■ Do not park the vehicle on an
easily ignitable surface. The
high temperature of the exhaust system could ignite the surface.
■ Always apply the electrical parking brake.
Pull switch m.
The electric parking brake is
applied when control indicator
m illuminates 3 86.
For maximum force, e.g. parking
with a trailer or on inclines, pull
switch m twice.
128Driving and operating■ Switch off the engine and turnthe ignition key to position
LOCK , push key into ignition
switch and remove.
Turn the steering wheel until the steering wheel lock is felt to
engage.
For vehicles with automatic
transmission, depress foot
brake and shift into P before
pushing key into ignition switch
and removing.
■ If the vehicle is on a level surface or uphill slope, engage
first gear or move the selector
lever to P before switching off
the ignition. On an uphill slope,
turn the front wheels away from
the kerb.
If the vehicle is on a downhill
slope, engage reverse gear or
move the selector lever to P
before switching off the ignition.
Turn the front wheels towards
the kerb.■ Close windows and sunroof.
■ Lock the vehicle with button p on
the radio remote control 3 21.
Activate the anti-theft alarm system
3 25.Engine exhaust9 Danger
Engine exhaust gases contain
poisonous carbon monoxide,
which is colourless and odourless and could be fatal if inhaled.
If exhaust gases enter the interior
of the vehicle, open the windows.
Have the cause of the fault
rectified by a workshop.
Avoid driving with an open load
compartment, otherwise exhaust
gases could enter the vehicle.
Malfunction indicator light 3 85.
Diesel particle filter
The diesel particle filter system filters
harmful soot particles out of the
exhaust gases. The system includes
a self-cleaning function that runs
automatically during driving without
any notification.
130Driving and operatingCaution
Fuel grades other than those listedon pages 3 144, 3 205 could
damage the catalytic converter or
electronic components.
Unburnt petrol will overheat and
damage the catalytic converter.
Therefore avoid excessive use of the starter, running the fuel tank
dry and starting the engine by
pushing or towing.
In the event of misfiring, uneven
engine running, a reduction in engine performance or other unusual
problems, have the cause of the fault
rectified by a workshop as soon as
possible. In an emergency, driving
can be continued for a short period,
keeping vehicle speed and engine
speed low.
Malfunction indicator light 3 85.
Automatic transmission
The automatic transmission permits
automatic gearshifting (automatic
mode) or manual gearshifting
(manual mode).
Transmission display
The mode or selected gear is shown
in the transmission display.
P=park positionR=reverse gearN=neutralD=drive position (automatic
mode)1-6=selected gear in manual mode
Selector lever
P=park position, wheels are locked, engage only when the vehicle is
stationary and the electrical
parking brake is appliedR=reverse gear, engage only when
vehicle is stationaryN=neutral or idleD=drive position (automatic mode
with all gears)
Driving and operating131
The selector lever is locked in position
P and N and can only be moved when
the ignition is on and the foot brake is applied.
To engage P or R, push the release
button.
Never shift to P or R while the vehicle
is moving.
The engine can only be started with
lever in position P or N. Depress foot
brake or apply electrical parking
brake before starting.
Do not accelerate while engaging a
gear. Never depress the accelerator
pedal and brake pedal at the same
time.
When a gear is engaged, the vehicle
slowly begins to creep when the foot
brake is released.
Engine braking To utilise the engine braking effect,
select a lower gear in good time when
driving downhill - see Manual mode.
Use of the engine braking effect, as
opposed to the use of the foot brake
when driving downhill, can extend the
life of the brakes.Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle is only
permissible if the vehicle is stuck in
water, ice, sand, mud, snow or a dip.
Move the selector lever between D
and R in a repeat pattern while
applying light pressure to the
accelerator pedal when the vehicle is in gear. Do not race the engine and
avoid sudden acceleration.
If the vehicle cannot be released after
rocking the vehicle several times,
your vehicle may need to be towed
3 192.
Parking
Apply the electrical parking brake and engage P.
The ignition key can only be removed
when the selector lever is in position
P .Manual mode
Move selector lever out of position D
towards the left and then forwards or backwards.
<=Shift to a higher gear.]=Shift to a lower gear.
Tip selector lever in the appropriate
direction. It then returns to the centre
position.
Gearshifting in manual mode can be
achieved whilst accelerating. If the
engine speed is too low, the
Driving and operating133
Deactivation
Fuel economy mode is switched off
by pressing button s again;
control indicator s extinguishes in
the instrument cluster.
Fault
In the event of a fault in the automatic
transmission, control indicator Z
illuminates in the instrument cluster 3 85 . Automatic shifting may be much
harsher than normal or, in the case of
a serious fault, cancelled altogether.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
If control indicator g illuminates in
the instrument cluster when the
engine is running, this may indicate a
fault in the transmission electronics
3 85. The electronics switch to the
emergency running programme, fuel
consumption may increase and the
driveability of the vehicle may be
affected. Seek the assistance of a
workshop.Interruption of power
supply
The clutch is not disengaged if the
vehicle battery is discharged and a
gear has been selected. The vehicle
cannot move. The selector lever
cannot be moved out of position P or
N .
If the battery is discharged, start the
vehicle using jump leads 3 190.
If the battery is not the cause of the
fault, release the selector lever:
1. Switch off ignition and remove the
key.
2. Depress and hold foot brake.3. Remove trim cover.
4. Press and hold shift lock release button.
5. Shift to neutral ( N).
6. Replace trim cover.
7. Start engine and shift to chosen gear.
Have the cause of the power supply
interruption remedied by a workshop.