
securely against the backrest. If possible, ad‐
just the backrest tilt for all affected backrests
and correctly adjust the seats. Make sure that
seats and backrests are securely engaged. If
possible, adjust the height of the head re‐
straints or remove them.◀
Installing child restraint
systems
Before mounting Before mounting child restraint systems, en‐
sure that the rear seat backrests are locked.
Move the rear seats into the rearmost position
to facilitate assembly of the child restraint sys‐
tem.
Information Pay attention to the specifications of the child
restraint system manufacturer when selecting,
installing, and using child restraint systems.
WARNING
The stability of the child restraint system
is limited or compromised with incorrect seat adjustment or improper installation of the child
seat. There is risk of injuries or danger to life.
Make sure that the child restraint system fits
securely against the backrest. If possible, ad‐
just the backrest tilt for all affected backrests
and correctly adjust the seats. Make sure that
seats and backrests are securely engaged. If
possible, adjust the height of the head re‐
straints or remove them.◀
On the front passenger seat
Deactivating airbags WARNING
Active front-seat passenger airbags can
injure a child in a child restraint system when
the airbags are activated. There is risk of inju‐
ries. Make sure that the front-seat passengerairbags are deactivated and that the PASSEN‐
GER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp lights up.◀
After installing a child restraint system in the
front passenger seat, make sure that the front,
knee and side airbags on the front passenger
side are deactivated.
Deactivate the front-seat passenger airbags
automatically, refer to page 104.
Seat position and height
Before installing a child restraint system, move
the front passenger seat as far back as possi‐
ble and adjust its height to the highest and
thus best possible position for the belt and to
offer optimal protection in the event of an acci‐
dent.
If the upper anchorage of the safety belt is lo‐
cated in front of the belt guide of the child seat,
move the passenger seat carefully forward un‐
til the best possible belt guide position is
reached.
Backrest width Adjustable backrest width: before installing a
child restraint system in the front passenger
seat, open the backrest width completely. Do
not change the backrest width again and do
not call up a memory position.
Child seat security
The rear safety belts and the front passenger
safety belt can be permanently locked to fas‐
ten child restraint systems.
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The front passenger safety belt can be perma‐
nently locked to fasten child restraint systems.
Locking the safety belt1.Pull out the strap completely.2.Secure the child restraint system with the
belt.3.Allow the strap to be pulled in and pull it
tight against the child restraint system.
The safety belt is locked.Unlocking the safety belt1.Unbuckle the belt buckle.2.Remove the child restraint system.3.Allow the strap to be pulled in completely.
LATCH child restraint system
Information
LATCH: Lower Anchors and Tether for Chil‐
dren.
Pay attention to the operating and safety infor‐
mation of the child restraint system manufac‐
turer when installing and using LATCH child
restraint fixing system.
Mounts for the lower LATCH anchors The lower anchors may be used to attach the
CRS to the vehicle seat up to a combined child
and CRS weight of 65 lb/30 kg when the child
is restrained by the internal harnesses.
Information WARNING
If the LATCH child restraint fixing sys‐
tems are not correctly engaged, the protective
effect of the LATCH child restraint fixing sys‐
tem can be limited. There is risk of injuries or
danger to life. Make sure that the lower an‐
chors are securely engaged and that the
LATCH child restraint fixing system fits se‐
curely against the backrest.◀
PositionThe corresponding symbol shows the
mounts for the lower LATCH anchors. Seats equipped with lower anchors are
marked with a pair, 2, of LATCH symbols. It is
not recommended to use the inner lower an‐
chors of standard outer LATCH positions to
fasten a child restraint system on the middle
seat. Use the vehicle seat belt instead for the
middle seat.
Before installing LATCH child
restraint systems
Pull the belt away from the area of the child re‐
straint system.
Assembly of LATCH child restraint
systems1.Install child restraint system, see manufac‐
turer's information.2.Ensure that both LATCH anchors are prop‐
erly connected.
Child restraint fixing system with a
tether strap
Mounting points The respective symbol shows the an‐
chor for the upper retaining strap.
Seats with an upper Top Tether are
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marked with this symbol. It can be found on
the rear seat backrest or the rear window shelf.
Information CAUTION
The mounting points for the upper re‐
taining straps of child restraint systems are
only provided for these retaining straps. When
other objects are mounted, the anchors can be
damaged. There is risk of property damage.
Only mount child restraint systems to the up‐
per retaining straps.◀
Retaining strap guide WARNING
If the upper retaining strap is incorrectly
used for the child restraint system, the protec‐
tive effect can be reduced. There is risk of inju‐
ries. Make sure that the upper retaining strap is
not guided across sharp edges and without
twisting to the upper retaining strap.◀1Direction of travel2Head restraint3Hook for upper retaining strap4Mounting point5Seat backrest6Upper retaining strapAttaching the upper retaining strap to
the mounting point1.Raise the head restraint if needed.2.Guide the upper retaining strap between
the supports of the head restraint.3.If there is a retaining strap, run it between
the backrest and the cargo cover.4.Attach the hook of the retaining strap to
the anchor.5.Tighten the retaining strap by pulling it
down.6.Lower and lock head restraints as needed.
Securing of doors and
windows in the rear
Rear doors
Push the locking lever on the rear doors up.
The door can now be opened from the outside
only.
Safety switch for the rear Press button on the driver's door if
children are being transported in the
rear.
This locks various functions so that they can‐
not be operated from the rear: safety switch,
refer to page 49.
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Shift paddles
The shift paddles on the steering wheel allow
you to shift gears quickly while keeping both
hands on the steering wheel.
▷Shift up: briefly pull right shift paddle.▷Shift down: briefly pull left shift paddle.▷With the respective transmission version,
the lowest possible gear can be selected
by pulling and holding the left shift paddle.
Gears will only be shifted at appropriate engine
and road speeds, for example downshifting is
not possible if the engine speed is too high.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument cluster, followed by the current gear.
If the shift paddles on the steering wheel are
used to shift gears in automatic mode, the
transmission temporarily switches to manual
mode.
If the selector lever is still in selector lever po‐
sition D with the respective transmission ver‐
sion, it is possible to switch back into the auto‐
matic mode:
▷Pull and hold right shift paddle.
or▷In addition to the briefly pulled right shift
paddle, briefly pull the left shift paddle.
In the manual mode, after conservative driving
for a certain amount of time or if there has
been no acceleration or shifting of the shift
paddles within a certain amount of time, the
transmission switches back to automatic
mode.
Displays in the instrument cluster
The selector lever position is dis‐played, e.g.: P.
Manually release the transmission
lock
Should the selector lever be blocked in selec‐
tor lever position P despite the ignition being turned on, the brake being depressed and the
unlock button being pressed, the transmission
lock can be manually canceled:
Before unlocking the transmission lock man‐
ually, set the parking brake to prevent the vehi‐
cle from rolling away.1.Loosen the sleeve of the selector lever.2.Pull the sleeve over the selector lever. Un‐
plug the cable connector if needed.3.Using the screwdriver from the onboard
vehicle tool kit, refer to page 206, press
the yellow release lever downward, arrow.4.Move the selector lever slightly toward the
rear; to do this press the unlock button on
the front of the selector lever.
Release the release lever.5.Bring the selector lever into the desired
position.Seite 79DrivingControls79
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Driving stability control systemsVehicle features and optionsThis chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and
systems. The respectively applicable country
provisions must be observed when using the
respective features and systems.
Anti-lock Braking System
ABS
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during
braking.
The vehicle contains its steering power even
during full brake applications, thus increasing
active safety.
ABS is operational every time you start the en‐
gine.
Brake assistant When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system
automatically produces the greatest possible
braking force boost. It reduces the braking dis‐
tance to a minimum during emergency stop.
This system utilizes all of the benefits provided
by ABS.
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake pedal
for the duration of the emergency stop.
Automatic Differential Brake The system controls the driving force by auto‐
matic braking intervention on individual
wheels. The function corresponds to a differ‐
ential lock: the system detects if a wheel be‐gins to spin, because of loose road surface,
e.g., and automatically brakes it.
The driving force is diverted to the wheel with
better traction.
As a result, the engine force is transferred
more efficiently to the wheels during accelera‐
tions.
DSC Dynamic Stability
Control
The concept
DSC prevents traction loss in the power
wheels when driving off and accelerating.
DSC also recognizes unstable vehicle condi‐
tions such as fishtailing or nose-diving. Within
the physical limits DSC helps to keep the vehi‐
cle on a steady course by reducing engine
speed and by applying brakes to the individual
wheels.
InformationAdapt your driving style to the situation, for an
appropriate driving style is always the respon‐
sibility of the driver.
The laws of physics cannot be repealed, not
even with DSC.
Therefore, do not reduce the additional safety
margin by driving in a risky manner.
WARNING
When driving with roof load, e.g. with
roof-mounted luggage rack, driving safety may
not be ensured in driving-critical situations due
to the elevated center of gravity. There is risk
of accidents or risk of property damage. Do not
deactivate Dynamic Stability Control DSC
when driving with roof load.◀Seite 120ControlsDriving stability control systems120
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Press button repeatedly to select an
operating mode:▷LEDs off: outside air flows in continuously.▷Left LED on, automatic recirculated-air
control: a sensor detects pollutants in the
outside air and shuts off automatically.▷Right LED on, recirculated-air mode: the
supply of outside air into the vehicle is per‐
manently blocked.
Recirculated air mode switches off automati‐
cally at low external temperatures after a cer‐
tain amount of time in order to avoid window
fogging.
With constant recirculated-air mode, the air
quality in the car's interior deteriorates and the
fogging of the windows increases.
If the windows are fogged over, switch off the
recirculated-air mode and press the AUTO
button to utilize the condensation sensor.
Make sure that air can flow to the windshield.
Air flow, manual To manually adjust air flow turn off AUTO pro‐
gram first.
Press the left or right side of the but‐
ton: decrease or increase air flow.
The selected air flow is shown on the display of
the automatic climate control.
The air flow of the automatic climate control
may be reduced automatically to save battery
power.
Manual air distribution Press button repeatedly to select a
program:
▷Upper body region and footwell.▷Footwell.▷Windows and footwell.▷Windows▷Windows and upper body region.▷Upper body region.▷Windows, upper body region, and footwell.
If the windows are fogged over, press the
AUTO button to utilize the condensation sen‐
sor.
SYNC program Press button.
The current setting of the temperature
on the driver's side is transferred to the front
passenger side.
The program is switched off if the setting on
the front passenger side is changed.
Defrosts windows and removes
condensation
Press button.
Ice and condensation are quickly re‐
moved from the windshield and the front side
windows.
For this purpose, point the side vents onto the
side windows as needed.
Adjust air flow with the program active.
If the windows are fogged over, you can also
switch on the cooling function or press the
AUTO button to utilize the condensation sen‐
sor.
Rear window defroster Press button.
The rear window defroster switches
off automatically after a certain period of time.
For permanent activation, press the button for
longer than 3 seconds. To deactivate, press
the button again.
Microfilter/activated-charcoal filter In external and recirculated air mode the mi‐crofilter/activated charcoal filter filters dust,
pollen, and gaseous pollutants out of the air.
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Load
The maximum load is the sum of the weight of
the occupants and the cargo.
The greater the weight of the occupants, the
less cargo that can be transported.
Stowing cargo
▷Cover sharp edges and corners on the
cargo.▷Heavy cargo: stow as far forward as possi‐
ble, directly behind and at the bottom of
the rear passenger seat backrests.▷Very heavy cargo: when the rear seat is not
occupied, secure each of the outer safety
belts in the opposite buckle.▷If necessary, fold down the backrests to
stow cargo.▷Do not stack cargo above the top edge of
the backrests.Securing cargo
Lashing eyes in the cargo area
To secure the cargo there are four lashing
eyes in the cargo area.
Securing cargo WARNING
Improperly stowed objects can shift and
be thrown into the car's interior, e.g. in the
event of an accident or during braking and eva‐
sive maneuvers. Vehicle occupants can be hit
and injured. There is risk of injuries. Stow and
secure objects and cargo properly.◀
▷Smaller and lighter items: secure with re‐
taining straps or draw straps.▷Larger and heavy objects: secure with
cargo straps.
Attach the cargo straps, retaining straps or
draw straps to the lashing eyes in the trunk.
Roof-mounted luggage rack Information
Installation only possible with roof rack.
Roof racks are available as special accessories.
Securing
Follow the installation instructions of the roof
rack.
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Tire treadSummer tires
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.12 in/3 mm.
There is an increased danger of hydroplaning if
the tire tread depth is less than 0.12 in/3 mm.
Winter tires
Do not drive with a tire tread depth of less than
0.16 in/4 mm.
Below a tread depth of 0.16 in/4 mm, tires are
less suitable for winter operation.
Minimum tread depth
Wear indicators are distributed around the
tire's circumference and have the legally re‐
quired minimum height of 0.063 in/1.6 mm.
They are marked on the side of the tire with
TWI, Tread Wear Indicator.
Tire damage
General information
Inspect your tires often for damage, foreign
objects lodged in the tread, and tread wear.
Information Driving over rough or damaged road surfaces,
as well as debris, curbs and other obstacles
can cause serious damage to wheels, tires and
suspension parts. This is more likely to occur
with low-profile tires, which provide less cush‐
ioning between the wheel and the road. Be
careful to avoid road hazards and reduce your
speed, especially if your vehicle is equipped
with low-profile tires.
Indications of tire damage or other vehicle mal‐
functions:▷Unusual vibrations while driving.▷Unusual handling such as a strong ten‐
dency to pull to the left or right.
Damage can, e. g., be caused by driving over
curbs, road damage, or similar things.
WARNING
Damaged tires can lose tire inflation
pressure, which can lead to loss of vehicle
control. There is risk of an accident. If tire dam‐
age is suspected while driving, immediately re‐
duce speed and stop. Have wheels and tires
checked. For this purpose, drive carefully to
the nearest dealer’s service center or another
qualified service center or repair shop. Have
vehicle towed or transported as needed.◀
WARNING
Damaged tires can lose tire inflation
pressure, which can lead to loss of vehicle
control. There is risk of an accident. Do not re‐
pair damaged tires, but have them replaced.◀
Changing wheels and tires
Mounting Have mounting and wheel balancing carriedout by a dealer’s service center or another
qualified service center or repair shop.
Wheel and tire combination
You can ask the dealer’s service center or an‐
other qualified service center or repair shop
about the right wheel/tire combination and
wheel rim versions for the vehicle.
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