152Driving and operating
General information
9Warning
Forward collision alert is just a
warning system and does not
apply the brakes. When
approaching a vehicle ahead too
rapidly, it may not provide you
enough time to avoid a collision.
The driver accepts full
responsibility for the valid
following distance based on traffic, weather and visibility conditions.
The complete attention of the
driver is always required while
driving. He shall always be ready to take action and apply the
brakes.
System limitations
The system is designed to warn only for vehicles, but may react also on
other objects.
In the following cases, forward
collision alert may not detect a vehicle
ahead or sensor performance is
limited:
■ on winding roads
■ when weather limits visibility, such as fog, rain, or snow
■ when the sensor is blocked by snow, ice, slush, mud, dirt, or
windscreen damage
Following distance
indication The following distance indication
displays the distance to a preceding
moving vehicle. The front camera in
the windscreen is used to detect the
distance of a vehicle directly ahead in
the vehicle's path. It is active at
speeds above 25 mph.
When a preceding vehicle is detected
ahead, the distance is indicated in
seconds, displayed on a page in the
Driver Information Centre 3 93 . Press
the MENU button on the turn signal
lever to select Vehicle Information
Menu X and turn the adjuster
wheel to choose following distance
indication page.
The minimum indicated distance is
0.5 seconds.
Driving and operating153
If there is no vehicle ahead or the
vehicle ahead is out of range, two
dashes will be displayed: -.- s.
Parking assist
Rear parking assist9 Warning
It is the driver who bears full
responsibility for the parking
manoeuvre.
Always check the surrounding
area while reversing and using the rear parking assist system.
The rear parking assist makes
parking easier by measuring the
distance between the vehicle and
rear obstacles. It informs and warns
the driver by giving acoustic signals
and display indication.
The system has four ultrasonic
parking sensors in the rear bumper.
Activation
When reverse gear is engaged, the
system is ready to operate
automatically.
An illuminated LED in the parking
assist button r indicates that the
system is ready to operate.
Indication
The system warns the driver with
acoustic signals against potentially
hazardous obstacles behind the
vehicle in a distance range up to
1.5 metres. The interval between the
sounds becomes shorter as the
vehicle gets closer to that obstacle.
When the distance is less than
approx. 30 cm, the sound is
continuous.
Additionally, the distance to rear obstacles is displayed by changing
distance lines in the Driver
Information Centre 3 93 or,
depending on the version, on the Colour-Info-Display 3 98.
The distance indication can be inhibited by vehicle messages with a higher priority. After approving the
message by pressing the SET/CLR
button on the turn signal lever,
distance indication appears again.
154Driving and operating
Deactivation
The system automatically switches
off when reverse gear is disengaged.
Manual deactivation is also possible
by pressing the parking assist button
r .
In both cases the LED in the button extinguishes.
Fault
In the event of a fault or if the system does not work temporarily, e.g.
because of high external noise level
or other interference factors, the LED
in the button flashes for
three seconds and then extinguishes.
Control indicator r illuminates in
the instrument cluster 3 90 or a
message is indicated in the Driver
Information Centre.
Front-rear parking assist9 Warning
The driver bears full responsibility
for the parking manoeuvre.
Always check the surrounding
area when driving backwards or
forwards while using parking
assist system.
The front-rear parking assist
measures the distance between the vehicle and obstacles in front and
behind the vehicle. It informs and
warns the driver by giving acoustic
signals and display indication or
messages.
It uses two different acoustic warning
signals for the front and rear
monitoring areas, each with a
different tone frequency.
The system has four ultrasonic
parking sensors each in the rear and front bumper.
If the vehicle is equipped with
advanced parking assist, the system
has six ultrasonic parking sensors
each in the rear and front bumper.
Driving and operating155
Vehicles with rear or front-rear
parking assist are equipped with
button r.
Vehicles with front-rear parking assist
and advanced parking assist are
recognisable by button D.
Advanced parking assist, see section
below.
Activation and deactivation
When reverse gear is engaged, the
front and rear parking assist is ready
to operate.
An illuminated LED in the parking
assist button r or D indicates that
the system is ready to operate.
The front parking assist can also be
activated at a speed up to 7 mph with
a brief press of the parking assist
button.
If the r or D button is switched on
once within an ignition cycle, the front parking assist is deactivated at a
speed above 7 mph. It will be
reactivated if vehicle speed has not
exceeded 16 mph beforehand. If vehicle speed has exceeded 16 mph
beforehand, front parking assist
remains deactivated when speed
drops below 7 mph.When the system is deactivated, the
LED in the button extinguishes and
Park Assist Off pops-up in the Driver
Information Centre.
The system is deactivated
automatically when exceeding
16 mph.
Indication
The system warns the driver with acoustic signals against potentially
hazardous obstacles behind the
vehicle in a distance range up to
1.5 metres and in front up to
1.2 metres . Depending on which side
of the vehicle is closer to an obstacle, you will hear acoustic warning signals
in the vehicle on the respective side.
The interval between the sounds
becomes shorter as the vehicle gets closer to that obstacle. When the
distance is less than approx. 30 cm, the sound is continuous.
Additionally, the distance to rear and
front obstacles is displayed by
changing distance lines in the Driver
Information Centre 3 93 or,
depending on the version, on the
Colour-Info-Display 3 98.
156Driving and operating
The distance to a front and rear
obstacle is displayed by changing
distance lines in the Driver
Information Centre.
The distance indication can be
inhibited by vehicle messages with a higher priority. After approving the
message by pressing the SET/CLR
button on the turn signal lever,
distance indication appears again.The distance to obstacles is shown on the Colour-Info-Display by coloured
zones in front of or behind the vehicle
3 98.
Fault
In the event of a fault or if the system does not work temporarily, e.g.
because of high external noise level
or other interference factors, a
message pops-up in the Driver
Information Centre.
Vehicle messages 3 100.
Advanced parking assist9 Warning
The driver bears full responsibility
for accepting the parking slot
suggested by the system and the
parking manoeuvre.
Always check the surrounding
area in all directions when using
the advanced parking assist.
The advanced parking assist
measures a suitable parking slot
while passing, calculates the
trajectory and automatically steers
the vehicle into a parallel or
perpendicular parking slot.
Instructions are given on the Colour-
Info-Display supported by acoustic
signals. The driver must control
acceleration, braking and gear
shifting, while steering is done
automatically.
Advanced parking assist can only be
activated when driving forwards.
Driving and operating161Special conditions apply if there
are taller vehicles in the vicinity
(e.g. off-road vehicles, mini vans,
vans). Object identification and correct distance indication in the
upper part of these vehicles
cannot be guaranteed.
Objects with a very small reflection
cross-section, e.g. objects of
narrow size or soft materials, may
not be detected by the system.
Parking assist systems do not
detect objects outside the
detection range.
Notice
It is possible that the sensor detects a non-existing object caused by
echo disturbance from external
acoustic noise or mechanical
misalignments (sporadic false
warnings may occur).
Make sure that the front number
plate is properly mounted (not bent
and no gaps to the bumper on the left
or right side) and the sensors are
firmly in place.
Advanced parking assist system
may not respond to changes in the
available parking space after
initiating a parking manoeuvre. The
system may recognize an entry, a
gateway, a courtyard or even a crossing as a parking slot. After
selecting reverse gear the system
will start a parking manoeuvre. Take
care regarding the availability of the
suggested parking slot.
Surface irregularities, e.g. on
construction zones, are not detected
by the system. The driver accepts
responsibility.
Notice
If engaging a forward gear and
exceeding a certain speed, the rear
parking assist will be deactivated
when the rear carrier system is
extended.
If engaging reverse at first, the
parking assist will detect the rear
carrier system and provide a buzzing
sound. Press r or D button
briefly to deactivate the parking
assist.Notice
After production, the system
requires a calibration. For optimal parking guidance, a driving distance of at least 6 miles, including a
number of bends, is required.
Side blind spot alert
The Side blind spot alert system
detects and reports objects on either
side of the vehicle, within a specified
"blind spot" zone. The system alerts
visually in each exterior mirror, when
detecting objects that may not be
visible in the interior and exterior
mirrors.
Side blind spot alert uses some of the advanced parking assist sensors
which are located in the front and rear
bumper on both sides of the vehicle.9 Warning
Side blind spot alert does not
replace driver vision.
The system does not detect:
Driving and operating167
event, No Traffic Sign Detection
due to Weather is indicated on the
display.
■ Traffic signs are incorrectly mounted or damaged.
■ Traffic signs do not comply with the
Vienna Convention on traffic signs
(Wiener Übereinkommen über
Straßenverkehrszeichen).Caution
The system is intended to help the driver within a defined speed
range to discern certain traffic
signs. Do not ignore traffic signs
which are not displayed by the
system.
The system does not discern any other than the conventional traffic
signs that might give or end a
speed limit.
Do not let this special feature
tempt you into taking risks when
driving.
Always adapt speed to the road
conditions.
The driver assistance systems do not relieve the driver from full
responsibility for vehicle
operation.
Lane departure warning
The lane departure warning systemobserves the lane markings between
which the vehicle is driving via a front camera. The system detects lane
changes and warns the driver in the
event of an unintended lane change
via visual and acoustic signals.
Criteria for the detection of an
unintended lane change are:
■ no operation of turn signals
■ no brake pedal operation
■ no active accelerator operation or speeding-up
■ no active steering
If the driver is performing these
actions, no warning will be issued.
Activation
The lane departure warning system is activated by pressing the ) button.
The illuminated LED in the button
indicates that the system is switched
on. When the control indicator ) in
the instrument cluster illuminates
green, the system is ready to operate.
The system is only operable at
vehicle speeds above 35 mph and if
lane markings are available.
172Driving and operating
The permitted trailer loads apply up tothe specified incline and up to an
altitude of 1000 metres above sea
level. Since engine power decreases
as altitude increases due to the air
becoming thinner, therefore reducing
climbing ability, the permissible gross
train weight also decreases by 10 % for every 1000 metres of additional
altitude. The gross train weight does
not have to be reduced when driving on roads with slight inclines (less than
8 %, e.g. motorways).
The permissible gross train weight
must not be exceeded. This weight is specified on the identification plate3 226.
Vertical coupling load
The vertical coupling load is the load
exerted by the trailer on the coupling
ball. It can be varied by changing the
weight distribution when loading the
trailer.
The maximum permissible vertical
coupling load (55 kg) is specified on
the towing equipment identification
plate and in the vehicle documents.
Always aim for the maximum load,especially in the case of heavy
trailers. The vertical coupling load
should never fall below 25 kg.
Rear axle load When the trailer is coupled and the
towing vehicle fully loaded, the
permissible rear axle load (see
identification plate or vehicle
documents) for passenger vehicles
may be exceeded by 70 kg for the 5-
door vehicle and 60 kg for the 3-door vehicle, the gross vehicle weight
rating by 55 kg.
If the permitted rear axle load is
exceeded a maximum speed of
60 mph applies. If lower national
maximum speeds are specified for
trailer operation, they must be
complied with.
Towing equipmentCaution
When operating without a trailer,
remove the coupling ball bar.
Stowage of coupling ball bar
The coupling ball bar is stowed in a
bag in the spare wheel well and
secured to the lashing eyes in the
load compartment.
When inserting, fit protective cap over
rotary knob with key.