104Instruments and controls
Illuminates green
Seat occupied and the seat belt has
been fastened.
Illuminates grey
Seat not occupied.
Fastening the seat belt 3 54.
Airbag and belt tensioners
v illuminates red.
When the ignition is switched on, the control indicator illuminates for
approx. 4 seconds. If it does not
illuminate, does not go out after
4 seconds or illuminates whilst
driving, there is a fault in the airbag
system. Seek the assistance of a
workshop. The airbags and belt
pretensioners may fail to trigger in the event of an accident.
Deployment of the belt pretensioners
or airbags is indicated by continuous
illumination of v.9 Warning
Have the cause of the fault
remedied immediately by a
workshop.
Belt pretensioners, airbag system
3 53, 3 57.
Airbag deactivation
V illuminates yellow.
The front passenger airbag is
activated.
* illuminates yellow.
The front passenger airbag is
deactivated 3 62.9 Danger
Risk of fatal injury for a child using
a child restraint system together
with activated front passenger
airbag.
Risk of fatal injury for an adult
person with deactivated front
passenger airbag.
Charging system
p illuminates red.
Illuminates when the ignition is
switched on and extinguishes shortly
after the engine starts.
Illuminates when the engine is
running
Stop, switch off engine. Vehicle
battery is not charging. Engine
cooling may be interrupted. The
brake servo unit may cease to be
effective. Seek the assistance of a
workshop.
108Instruments and controls
Flashes
Fault in system or tyre without
pressure sensor mounted (e.g. spare wheel). After 60-90 seconds the
control indicator illuminates
continuously. Consult a workshop.
Engine oil pressure I illuminates red.
Illuminates when the ignition is
switched on and extinguishes shortly
after the engine starts.
Illuminates when the engine is runningCaution
Engine lubrication may be
interrupted. This may result in
damage to the engine and/or
locking of the drive wheels.
1. Depress clutch.
2. Select neutral gear, set selector lever to N.
3. Move out of the flow of traffic as
quickly as possible without
impeding other vehicles.
4. Switch off ignition.9 Warning
When the engine is off,
considerably more force is needed
to brake and steer. During an
Autostop the brake servo unit will still be operational.
Do not remove key until vehicle is stationary, otherwise the steeringwheel lock could engage
unexpectedly.
Check oil level before seeking
assistance of a workshop 3 217.
Low fuel
i or Y illuminates or flashes yellow.
Illuminates Level in fuel tank is too low.
Flashes
Fuel used up. Refuel immediately.
Never run the tank dry.
Catalytic converter 3 160.
Bleeding the diesel fuel system
3 223.
Immobiliser
d flashes yellow.
Fault in the immobiliser system. The
engine cannot be started.
Autostop
D illuminates when engine is in an
Autostop.
Stop-start system 3 156.
Exterior light
8 illuminates green.
The exterior lights are on 3 125.
High beam
C illuminates blue.
Driving and operating151Driving and operatingDriving hints............................... 151
Starting and operating ...............152
Engine exhaust .......................... 159
Automatic transmission .............. 160
Manual transmission ..................164
Drive systems ............................ 165
Brakes ........................................ 165
Ride control systems .................168
Driver assistance systems .........173
Fuel ............................................ 204
Trailer hitch ................................ 211Driving 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 3 156.
Pedals
To ensure the pedal travel is
uninhibited, there must be no mats in the area of the pedals.Steering
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 c 3 106.Caution
Vehicles equipped with hydraulic
power steering:
If the steering wheel is turned until it reaches the end of its travel, and
is held in that position for more
than 15 seconds, damage may occur to the power steering
system and there may be loss of
power steering assist.
Driving and operating165Drive systems
All-wheel drive The All-wheel drive system enhances
driving characteristics and stability,
and helps to achieve the best
possible driveability regardless of
ground surface. The system is always
active and cannot be deactivated.
The torque is distributed steplessly
between the wheels of the front and rear axle, depending on the driving
conditions. Additionally the torque
between the rear wheels is distributed depending on the surface.
For optimum system performance,
the vehicle's tyres should not have
varying degrees of wear.
If a service message is displayed in
the Driver Information Centre, the
system may have limited functionality
(or be completely disabled in some
cases, i.e. the vehicle switches to
Front-wheel drive). Seek the
assistance of a workshop.
Towing the vehicle 3 257.Brakes
The brake system comprises twoindependent brake circuits.
If a brake circuit fails, the vehicle can
still be braked using the other brake
circuit. However, braking effect is
achieved only when the brake pedal
is depressed firmly. Considerably
more force is needed for this. The
braking distance is extended. Seek the assistance of a workshop before
continuing your journey.
When the engine is not running, the
support of the brake servo unit
disappears once the brake pedal has
been depressed once or twice.
Braking effect is not reduced, but
braking requires significantly greater
force. It is especially important to bear this in mind when being towed.
Control indicator R 3 105.
Antilock brake system
Antilock brake system (ABS)
prevents the wheels from locking.ABS starts to regulate brake pressure as soon as a wheel shows a tendency to lock. The vehicle remains
steerable, even during hard braking.
ABS control is made apparent
through a pulse in the brake pedal
and the noise of the regulation
process.
For optimum braking, keep the brake
pedal fully depressed throughout the
braking process, despite the fact that the pedal is pulsating. Do not reduce
the pressure on the pedal.
After starting off, the system performs a self-test which may be audible.
Control indicator u 3 106.
Adaptive brake light During full braking, all three brakelights flash for the duration of ABS
control.
Vehicle care215Vehicle careGeneral Information...................215
Vehicle checks ........................... 216
Bulb replacement .......................225
Electrical system ........................235
Vehicle tools .............................. 241
Wheels and tyres .......................242
Jump starting ............................. 255
Towing ....................................... 257
Appearance care .......................260General Information
Accessories and vehicle
modifications
We recommend to use genuine parts and accessories and factory
approved parts specific for your
vehicle type. We cannot assess or
guarantee reliability of other products
- even if they have a regulatory or
otherwise granted approval.
Do not make any modifications to the
electrical system, e.g. changes of
electronic control units (chip tuning).Caution
When transporting the vehicle on
a train or on a recovery vehicle, the
mud flaps might be damaged.
Vehicle storage
Storage for a long period of time
If the vehicle is to be stored for several months:
■ Wash and wax the vehicle.
■ Have the wax in the engine compartment and underbody
checked.
■ Clean and preserve rubber seals.
■ Fill up fuel tank completely.
■ Change engine oil.
■ Drain washer fluid reservoir.
■ Check coolant antifreeze and corrosion protection.
■ Adjust tyre pressure to the value specified for full load.
■ Park vehicle in dry, well ventilated place. Engage first or reverse gear
or set selector lever to P. Prevent
the vehicle from rolling.
■ Do not apply parking brake.