Page 207 of 291

Driving and operating205The CO2 emission (combined) is
within a range of 142 to 88 g/km.
For the values specific for your
vehicle, refer to the EEC Certificate of
Conformity provided with your vehicle or other national registration
documents.
General information The official fuel consumption and
specific CO 2 emission figures quoted
relate to the EU base model with
standard equipment.
Fuel consumption data and CO 2
emission data are determined
according to regulation R (EC)
No. 715/2007 (in the latest applicable version), taking into consideration the
vehicle weight in running order, as specified by the regulation.
The figures are provided only for the
purpose of comparison between
different vehicle variants and must
not be taken as a guarantee for the
actual fuel consumption of a
particular vehicle. Additional
equipment may result in slightly
higher results than the statedconsumption and CO 2 figures.
Furthermore, fuel consumption is
dependent on personal driving style
as well as road and traffic conditions.Trailer hitch
General information
Only use towing equipment that has
been approved for your vehicle.
Entrust retrofitting of towing
equipment to a workshop. It may be
necessary to make changes that
affect the cooling system, heat
shields or other equipment.
The bulb outage detection function for
trailer brake light cannot detect a
partial bulb outage, e.g. in case of four times five watt bulbs, the function onlydetects lamp outage when only a
single five Watt lamp remains or none
remain.
Fitting of towing equipment could
cover the opening of the towing eye.
If this is the case use the coupling ball
bar for towing. Always keep the
coupling ball bar in the vehicle when
not in use.
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206Driving and operatingDriving characteristics andtowing tips
Before attaching a trailer, lubricate the coupling ball. However, do not do
so if a stabiliser, which acts on the coupling ball, is being used to reduce snaking movements.
During trailer towing do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph. A maximum speed
of 60 mph is only appropriate if an
oscillation damper is used and the
permissible gross trailer weight does
not exceed the vehicle's curb weight.
For trailers with low driving stability
and caravan trailers, the use of an
oscillation damper is strongly
recommended.
If the trailer starts snaking, drive more slowly, do not attempt to correct the
steering and brake sharply if
necessary.
When driving downhill, drive in the
same gear as if driving uphill and
drive at a similar speed.
Adjust tyre pressure to the value
specified for full load 3 276.Trailer towing
Trailer loads9 Warning
Vehicles with engine B14XFT and
automatic transmission:
Use of towing equipment is
permissible for attaching
compatible bicycle carriers only.
Do not use towing equipment for
trailer towing.
The permissible trailer loads are
vehicle and engine-dependent
maximum values which must not be
exceeded. The actual trailer load is
the difference between the actual
gross weight of the trailer and the
actual coupling socket load with the
trailer coupled.
The permissible trailer loads are
specified in the vehicle documents. In
general, they are valid for gradients
up to max. 12%.
The permitted trailer load applies up to the 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 plate
3 263.
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 (75 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.
Page 209 of 291
Driving and operating207Rear axle loadWhen the trailer is coupled and the
towing vehicle fully loaded, the
permissible rear axle load (see
identification plate or vehicle
documents) may be exceeded by
40 kg. If the permissible rear axle load is exceeded, a maximum speed of
60 mph applies.
Towing equipmentCaution
When operating without a trailer,
remove the coupling ball bar.
Stowage of coupling ball bar
The bag with the coupling ball bar is
stowed on the rear floor cover in the
load compartment.
Place the strap through the rear right
lashing eye, wrap around twice and
tighten the strap to secure the bag.
Illustration shows 5-door hatchback.
Illustration shows Sports Tourer.
Fitting the coupling ball bar
On Sports Tourer remove cover from
rear bumper by pushing.
Page 210 of 291

208Driving and operatingDisengage and fold down the
connecting socket. Remove the
sealing plug from the opening for the
coupling ball bar and stow it.
Checking the tensioning of the
coupling ball bar
● Red marking on rotary knob must
point towards green marking on
coupling ball bar.
● The gap between the rotary knob
and the coupling ball bar must be approx. 6 mm.
● The key must be in position c.
Otherwise, the coupling ball bar must
be tensioned before being inserted:
● Unlock coupling ball bar by turning key to position c.
● Pull out rotary knob and turn
clockwise as far as it will go.
Inserting the coupling ball bar
Insert the tensioned coupling ball bar
in the opening and push firmly
upwards until it audibly engages.
The rotary handle snaps back into its
original position resting against the
coupling ball bar without a gap.
9 Warning
Do not touch rotary handle during
insertion.
Lock the coupling ball bar by turning
the key to position e. Remove the key
and close the protective flap.
Page 211 of 291
Driving and operating209Eye for break-away stopping cable
Attach breakaway stopping cable to
eye.
Check that the coupling ball bar is correctly installed
● Green marking on rotary knob must point towards green
marking on coupling ball bar.
● There must be no gap between the rotary handle and the
coupling ball bar.
● The coupling ball bar must be firmly engaged in the opening.
● The coupling ball bar must be locked and the key removed.
9Warning
Towing a trailer is permitted only
when a coupling ball bar is fitted correctly. If the coupling ball bardoes not engage correctly, seekthe assistance of a workshop.
Dismounting the coupling ball bar
Open the protective flap and turn the
key to position c to unlock the
coupling ball bar.
Pull out rotary handle and turn
clockwise as far as it will go. Pull out coupling ball bar downwards.
Insert sealing plug in opening.
Fold away connecting socket.
On Sports Tourer insert cover into
rear bumper as shown in the
illustration.
Page 212 of 291
210Driving and operatingStow the coupling ball bar in the bag
and secure by fixing the strap through the rear right lashing eye. Wrap
around twice and tighten the strap to
secure the bag.
Trailer stability assist
If the system detects snaking
movements, engine power is reduced
and the vehicle/trailer combination is selectively braked until the snaking
ceases. While system is working keep
steering wheel as still as possible.
Trailer stability assist is a function of
the Electronic Stability Control 3 176.
Page 213 of 291

Vehicle care211Vehicle careGeneral Information...................211
Accessories and vehicle modifications .......................... 211
Vehicle storage ........................212
End-of-life vehicle recovery .....212
Vehicle checks ........................... 213
Performing work ......................213
Bonnet ..................................... 213
Engine oil ................................. 214
Engine coolant ......................... 215
Washer fluid ............................ 216
Brakes ..................................... 216
Brake fluid ............................... 216
Vehicle battery ......................... 217
Diesel fuel system bleeding .....218
Wiper blade replacement ........219
Bulb replacement .......................219
Halogen headlights ..................219
Fog lights ................................. 221
Tail lights ................................. 222
Side turn signal lights ..............228
Number plate light ...................229
Interior lights ............................ 229
Instrument panel illumination ...229Electrical system ........................230
Fuses ....................................... 230
Engine compartment fuse box . 231
Instrument panel fuse box .......233
Load compartment fuse box ....235
Vehicle tools .............................. 236
Tools ........................................ 236
Wheels and tyres .......................238
Winter tyres ............................. 238
Tyre designations ....................238
Tyre pressure .......................... 238
Tyre pressure monitoring system .................................... 239
Tread depth ............................. 243
Changing tyre and wheel size . 244 Wheel covers ........................... 244
Tyre chains .............................. 244
Tyre repair kit .......................... 245
Wheel changing .......................248
Spare wheel ............................ 250
Jump starting ............................. 253
Towing ....................................... 255
Towing the vehicle ...................255
Towing another vehicle ...........256
Appearance care .......................257
Exterior care ............................ 257
Interior care ............................. 258General Information
Accessories and vehiclemodifications
We recommend the use of 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.
Page 235 of 291
Vehicle care233Instrument panel fuse boxThe fuse box is located behind a
cover.
Pull the cover and remove.
Vehicles with power connector:
If the fuse cover has a power
connector, it must be removed by
using an adapter and a screwdriver.
The adapter is stowed in the glovebox 3 70 . The screwdriver is stowed in the
load compartment 3 236.
Attach the adapter to the power
connector.
Push the screwdriver through the
recess in the adapter. Remove the
cover by pulling the screwdriver.