Driving
WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause loss of traction
and skid din
g, especially on slippery ground.
This could cause loss of control of the vehicle
resulting in an accident and considerable
damage.
● Only use the kick-down function or rapid
accel
eration if visibility, weather, road and
traffic conditions so permit. WARNING
Do not allow the brakes to “rub” for a pro-
long ed period of
time, or brake frequently or
for long periods of time. Continuous braking
heats up the brakes. This could significantly
reduce braking power, increase braking dis-
tance or even result in the total failure of the
brake system. Control and warning lamps
It lights up red
Brake pedal not
pressed!Press brake pedal to the floor.
It lights up green
Brake pedal not
pressed.To select a range of gears, press
the brake pedal.
Please also see "Electronic park-
ing brake"
››› page 189.
Flashes green
The selector lever
locking button has
not engaged. The
vehicle does not
start to move.
Engage the selector lever lock
››› page 196. Several warning and indication lamps light
up for a f
ew sec
onds when the ignition is
switched on, signalling that the function is
being verified. They will switch off after a few
seconds. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Warning
and indication l amp
s on page 105. Manual gear change
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 34
In some countries, it is necessary to press the
clutch pedal to the floor to start the engine.
Selecting reverse gear
Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle is
stopped. WARNING
When the engine is running, the vehicle will
st ar
t to move as soon as a gear is engaged and the clutch released. This is also the case
with the el
ectr
onic parking brake on.
● Never engage the reverse gear when a vehi-
cle i
s moving forward. CAUTION
To prevent damage and avoid premature
w ear
, please observe the following:
● While driving, do not leave your hand rest-
ing on the ge
ar stick. The pressure applied by
your hand is transmitted to the gearbox se-
lector forks.
● Always ensure that the vehicle is complete-
ly st
opped before engaging the reverse gear.
● When changing gear, always make sure the
clutc
h pedal is pushed right to the floor.
● Never hold the vehicle “on the clutch” on
hill
s with the engine on. 195
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
● Pu
l
l the right-hand side paddle +›››
Fig. 205 t o
w ards the steering wheel to
step up a gear.
● Pull the left-hand side paddle –
› ››
Fig. 205
t o
wards the steering wheel step down a gear.
If the paddles are not used for a period of
time, the vehicle leaves Tiptronic mode. CAUTION
● When acc el
erating, the gearbox automati-
cally shifts up into the next gear shortly be-
fore the maximum engine speed is reached.
● When reducing speed manually, the gear
box on
ly shifts gear when the engine can no
longer exceed the maximum engine speed. Driving with automatic gearbox
The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly
a
s
the vehicle moves.
Driving down hills
The steeper the gradient, the lower the gear
you will need. The lowest gears increase the
engine braking work. Never go down hills
with the selector lever in neutral N.
● You should reduce speed accordingly.
● Press the selector lever from position D to
the right int
o the Tiptronic selector gate
››› page 197. ●
Gently p u
ll the selector lever back to
change down a gear.
● OR: reduce using the steering wheel pad-
dle
s ››› Fig. 205 ››› page 197.
Back-up mode
If all the selector lever positions on the in-
strument panel display are shown with a
light-coloured background, this means there
is a fault in the system. The automatic gear-
box will operate in back-up mode. When the
backup programme is activated, it is possible
to drive the vehicle, however, at low speeds
and within a selected range of gears.
For the DSG ®
dual clutch gearbox, in some
cases, this may mean that the reverse gear
does not engage . The gearbox should be
checked by a specialised workshop as soon
as possible.
Protection against overloading the DSG ®
6-
gear automatic gearbox
When the clutch is overloaded, the vehicle
begins to jerk and the selector lever position
indicator begins to flash. To prevent damage
to the clutch, this interrupts the power trans-
mission between the engine and the gear-
box. There is no more traction and it is not
possible to accelerate. If the clutch is opened
automatically due to overloading, press the
brake pedal. Wait a few seconds before start-
ing to move again. Kick-down
The kick
-down system provides maximum ac-
celeration when the gear selector lever is in
the positions D, S or in the Tiptronic position.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right
down, the automatic gearbox will shift down
to a lower gear, depending on road speed
and engine speed. This takes advantage of
the maximum acceleration of the vehicle
››› .
When the ac c
el
erator is pressed to the floor,
the automatic gearbox shifts to the next gear
only after the engine reaches the specified
maximum engine speed.
Launch-Control Programme
The Launch-Control programme enables max-
imum acceleration while at a standstill.
● Switch off the ASR ›››
page 189.
● Press and hold the brake pedal with your
left
foot.
● Place the selector lever in position S or Tip-
tronic
.
● Press the accelerator with the right foot un-
til the
vehicle reaches an engine speed of ap-
proximately 3200 rpm.
● Lift the left foot off the brake ›››
. The ve-
hic l
e s
tarts with maximum acceleration.
● Turn on the ASR after accelerating!
198
Driving
Do not wait until the last moment before
c h
an
ging gear. Only use first gear when you
move off and change to second gear quickly.
Avoid the kick-down function in vehicles with
automatic gearbox.
Vehicles with a gear display help to achieve
an economical driving style as the display in-
dicates the best moment to change gear.
Let the vehicle roll
If you take your foot off the accelerator, the
fuel supply is stopped and consumption is
reduced.
Allow the vehicle to roll without accelerating,
for example when approaching a red traffic
light. However, if the vehicle is rolling too
slowly or the distance is too long, the clutch
pedal should be pressed to declutch. The en-
gine will then operate at idle speed.
If the vehicle is going to be at a standstill for
a period of time, switch off the engine; for ex-
ample, while waiting at a level crossing. In
vehicles which have the Start-Stop function
on, the engine switches off automatically
when the vehicle is not moving.
Think ahead and “flow” with the traffic
Frequent acceleration and braking considera-
bly increase fuel consumption. If you think
ahead as you drive and keep a safe distance
from the vehicle in front, it is possible to slow
down by simply lifting your foot off the accel- erator. This eliminates the need for constant
brakin
g and acceleration.
Calm and steady driving
Constancy is more important than speed: The
more you drive at a constant speed, the lower
the fuel consumption.
When driving on the motorway, it is more effi-
cient to drive at a constant and more moder-
ate speed than to be continuously accelerat-
ing and braking. As a general rule, you will
reach your destination just as quickly when
you drive at a constant speed.
The cruise control function helps you to ach-
ieve a constant style of driving.
Moderate use of additional devices
It is important to travel in comfort, but con-
venience systems should be used ecological-
ly.
Some equipment, when connected, increase
fuel consumption considerably, for example:
● Air conditioning cooling system: If the air
conditioning sy
stem is required to cool to
significantly lower temperatures than the true
outside temperature, it will require a large
amount of energy from the engine. Therefore,
we recommend that the selected temperature
for the vehicle is not too different to the out-
side temperature. It is a good idea to air the
vehicle before starting your journey and to drive a short distance with all the windows
open. Only then shou
ld you close all the win-
dows and switch on the air conditioning.
Keep windows closed when travelling at high
speeds. Driving with the windows open in-
creases fuel consumption.
● Switch off the seat heating when the seats
have w
armed up.
● Switch off the heated rear window and the
winds
creen heating when the windows have
demisted and are free of ice.
● Do not leave the auxiliary heater switched
on when the vehic
le is moving ››› page 180.
Avoid short journeys
Fuel consumption is much higher when the
engine is cold, immediately after it has been
started. It takes a few kilometres of driving
for the engine to warm up and to normalise
consumption.
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their proper working temperature in or-
der to minimise fuel consumption and emis-
sions. The ambient temperature has a deci-
sive influence.
Therefore, unnecessary short journeys
should be avoided. Try to combine trips.
The vehicle uses more fuel in winter than in
summer, even when other conditions are the
same. »
201
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Driver assistance systems
Permanent Auto Hold connection
The Aut o Ho
l
d function must be switched on
every time the engine is started. However, to
switch the Auto Hold function on permanent-
ly, the mark must be switched on in the Set-
tings menu, “Autohold” submenu
››› page 26.
Auto Hold works automatically under the fol-
lowing conditions:
All points must be fulfilled simultaneously
››› :
Manual gearboxAutomatic gearbox
1.If the vehicle is stopped using the brake pedal on a
flat or slope.
2.The engine must be “running smoothly”.
3.On a slope, the 1st gear
is engaged uphill or the
reverse gear is engaged
for a downhill. The
clutch must be held
down.A gear for driving is se-
lected from R, D or S.
Upon accelerating and
pressing in the clutch
simultaneously, the
brake releases gradual-
ly.Upon accelerating, the
brake releases gradual-
ly. Auto Hold turns off automatically under the
f
o
l
lowing conditions:
Manual gearboxAutomatic gearbox
1.If one of the conditions mentioned in table on
page 209 changes.
2.If the engine is “not running regularly” or if there is a malfunction.
3.When changing to idle
speed.If the selector lever is
placed in neutral (N).
4.If the engine is turned
off or stalls.If the engine is switch-
ed off.
5.If the driver accelerates
while pressing the
clutch in.If the vehicle is acceler-
ated.
6. When one of the wheels
has minimal contact
with the ground (e.g. on
uneven ground). WARNING
The Auto Hold technology is limited by the
la w
s of physics. The improved comfort provi-
ded by Auto Hold should never prompt you to
take risks.
● Never leave the vehicle running and with
the Auto Hol
d function switched on.
● Auto Hold cannot always stop the vehicle
uphill
and downhill (e.g. if the ground is slip-
pery or frozen). CAUTION
Before entering an automatic car wash, al-
wa y
s switch the Auto Hold function off, as it
could be damaged when the electronic park-
ing brake automatically engages. Start-Stop Function*
Fig. 208
Detailed view of the centre console:
St ar
t
-Stop function button With the Start-Stop system enabled, the en-
gine i
s
aut
omatically stopped when the vehi-
cle is at a standstill. The engine restarts auto-
matically when required.
The function is enabled automatically when-
ever the ignition is switched on. The instru-
ment panel displays information on the cur-
rent status. »
209
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
Vehicles with a manual gearbox
● When the vehicle is at a standstill, leave it
in neutr al
and t
ake your foot off the clutch.
The engine switches off.
● Simply depress the clutch pedal to move
off again.
V
ehicles with an automatic gearbox
● When the vehicle is at a standstill, depress
the brake or k
eep it pressed down. The en-
gine switches off.
● The engine will start again as soon as you
rele
ase the brake pedal.
● With the selector lever set to position P, the
engine wi
ll not start until a range of gears is
selected or the accelerator pedal is de-
pressed.
Important conditions for the engine to auto-
matically switch off
● The driver seat belt must be buckled.
● The driver door must be closed.
● The bonnet must be closed.
● The factory-fitted towing bracket must not
be electrical
ly connected to a trailer.
● A minimum engine temperature has been
reac
hed.
● The steering wheel must not be turned
more than 270 de
grees.
● The vehicle has moved since the last stop. ●
In vehic
les with Climatronic: the tempera-
ture inside the vehicle is within the pre-set
temperature range.
● The temperature set is neither very high nor
very
low.
● The air conditioning defrost function is not
switc
hed on.
● In vehicles with Climatronic: the blower has
not been manual
ly set to a high speed.
● The power level of the vehicle's battery is
sufficient
.
● The vehicle's battery temperature is neither
too high nor too lo
w.
● The vehicle is not on a steep gradient or
slope.
● The front
wheels are not overly turned.
● The heated windscreen is not switched on.
● Reverse gear is not engaged.
● The park assist system is not switched on.
Conditions
for automatically restarting the
engine
The engine may automatically restart under
the following conditions:
● If the vehicle interior is too hot or too cold.
● If the vehicle moves.
● If the vehicle's battery voltage drops. Conditions requiring the key to restart the
engine
The engine mu
st be started manually under
the following conditions:
● If the driver unbuckles his/her seat belt.
● If the driver door is opened.
● If the bonnet is opened.
● In vehicles with a manual gearbox: if a gear
has
been selected.
Switching Start-Stop mode on and off man-
ually
● Press the button on the centre console
› ›
›
Fig. 208.
● The button will light up when the Start-Stop
function i
s switched off.
The engine will start immediately if the vehi-
cle is in Stop mode when it is switched off
manually. WARNING
The brake servo and the power steering do
not w ork
when the engine is switched off.
● Never allow the vehicle to move when the
engine is
switched off. CAUTION
Using the Start-Stop function for a long peri-
od at v
ery high outside temperatures could
damage the vehicle's battery. 210
Operation
● Ob
ser
ve the surrounding area and acceler-
ate carefully at a maximum of 7 km/h
(4 mph).
● The park assist system is only r
esponsible
for moving the steering wheel during the ma-
noeuvre. The driver applies the accelerator,
the clutch, the gears and the brake.
● Follow the instructions given by the park
ass
ist system until the manoeuvre is comple-
ted.
● The park assist system steers the vehicle
forw
ards and backwards until it is in a
straight position in the parking space.
● The manoeuvre is complete when the corre-
sponding indic
ation is given on the instru-
ment panel display.
Stopping the parking manoeuvre
The park assist system stops the manoeuvre
in advance in the event of one of the follow-
ing:
● Press button .
● Driving faster than 7 km/h (4 mph).
● The driver moves the steering wheel.
● The parking manoeuvre has not been com-
p l
et
ed after 6 minutes since the park assist
system was activated.
● A sliding door is opened. To restart the ma-
noeuvr e, c
lose the sliding door and press the
button again. ●
Ther e i
s
a system malfunction (system tem-
porarily unavailable).
● The ASR system is switched off or the ASR
or ESC i
s working. WARNING
The steering wheel turns quickly by itself
when park in
g using the park assist system.
Placing your hand between the steering
wheel spokes could lead to injuries. Note
● The park a
ssist system has its limitations.
For example, it is not possible to park on
tight bends using the park assist system.
● Even if the park assist system recognises
that ther
e is not enough space for parking
the vehicle, the instrument panel display will
still show this place. In this case, the parking
manoeuvre should not be requested.
● Changing gears between forward and re-
verse g
ears before indicated (that is, before
the signal from the parking sensor system)
the parking results may not be ideal.
● For parallel parking (parallel to the road), a
sound wi
ll tell the driver when they must
change from forward gears to reverse; the
signal from the parking sensor system does
not indicate changes of direction.
● The park assist can also be activated after-
ward
s, if you pass close to a parallel parking
space at a maximum of 40 km an hour
(25 mph) or close to be perpendicular parking space at about 20 km an hour (12 mph) then
pre
s
s the button .
● The progress bar on the screen of the in-
strument p
anel shows a display of the rela-
tive distance to be covered.
● When the Park Assist system is turning the
steerin
g wheel of the stopped vehicle the
symbol is also displayed. Press on the
brake pedal so that the steering can turn with
the vehicle at a standstill and thus reduce the
number of manoeuvres.
● A “suitable” parking space length is at
lea
st 1.1 m greater than the length of the ve-
hicle.
● If the results of the park assist system are
not as
good after changing the wheels, the
system must memorise the perimeter of the
new wheels. This process is performed auto-
matically while the vehicle is in motion. To
help this process, turn slowly (at less than
20 km/h [12 mph]), e.g. in an empty car park. Leaving a parking space using the
P
ark
As
sist system Driving off
● Switch on the engine.
● Press button . When the function is ena-
b l
ed, the b
utton ››› Fig. 213 will light up.
● Apply the turn signal for the side on which
you w ant
to leave the parking space.
● Select reverse gear.
216
Driver assistance systems
● Fo
l
low the instructions given by the park
assist system.
● When the next indication appears, release
the steerin
g wheel ››› in Parking using the
p ark
a
ssist system on page 216: The sys-
tem will move the steering wheel!
Observe the surrounding area.
● Observe the surrounding area and acceler-
ate car
efully at a maximum of 7 km/h
(4 mph).
● The park assist system is only r
esponsible
for moving the steering wheel during the ma-
noeuvre. The driver applies the accelerator,
the clutch, the gears and the brake.
● When it is possible to leave the parking
spac
e, the Park Assist system will stop. Take
control of the steering and when traffic condi-
tions permit, leave the parking space.
Automatic stoppage of the manoeuvre
The park assist system stops the manoeuvre
in the event of one of the following:
● Driving faster than 7 km/h (4 mph).
● The driver moves the steering wheel.
● A sliding door is opened. To restart the ma-
noeuvre, c
lose the sliding door and press the
button again.
● There is a system malfunction (system tem-
por ari
ly
unavailable).
● The ASR system is switched off or the ASR
or ESC i
s working. WARNING
The steering wheel turns quickly automatical-
ly when l e
aving a parking space using the
park assist system. Placing your hand be-
tween the steering wheel spokes could lead
to injuries. Park Assist brake operation
The Park Assist system helps the driver by
brak
in
g automatically. Automatic braking
does not relieve the driver of responsibility
for controlling the accelerator, brake and
clutch ››› .
Br ak
in
g to avoid damage at excess speed
It is possible that the system operates the
brakes to reduce excess speed. The parking
manoeuvre can then continue. The brakes
will intervene during each parking process.
Braking to minimise damage
When approaching an obstacle, the vehicle
may brake automatically. In certain circum-
stances (e.g. storm, detection of ultrasounds,
vehicle status, load, inclination), the Park As-
sist system may stop the vehicle completely
before an object.
● Press the foot brake ››
›
!Following the intervention of the brakes, the
P
ark
As
sist will stop. WARNING
Despite the assistance provided by the park
as s
ist system, do not run any risks when
parking. The system is not a replacement for
driver awareness.
● Always be ready to brake.
● Automatic brake intervention will end after
1.5 seconds
approximately. Following auto-
matic intervention of the brakes, stop the ve-
hicle yourself. Rear assist* (Rear View Cam-
er
a)
Intr oduction The camera fitted to the rear lid helps drivers
durin
g p
ark
ing or reversing manoeuvres. The
camera image and certain orientation points
generated by the system are indicated on the
factory-fitted radio or navigation system
screen.
Two types of location point (modes) can be
selected:
● Mode 1: reverse parking perpendicular to
the ro
ad (e.g. in a car park). »
217
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
The CCS only slows down by reducing the ac-
c el
er
ator but not by braking ››› .
T r
av
elling down hills with the CCS
When travelling down hills the CCS cannot
maintain a constant speed. Slow the vehicle
down using the brake pedal and reduce
gears if required.
Automatic off
The cruise control system (CCS) is switched
off automatically or temporarily:
● If the system detects a fault that could af-
fect the w
orking order of the CCS.
● If you increase the stored speed by using
the accel
erator for a certain time.
● if the brake or clutch pedal is depressed.
● If you change gears.
● If the airbag is triggered. WARNING
Use of the cruise control could cause acci-
dents and sev
ere injuries if it is not possible
to drive at a constant speed maintaining the
safety distance.
● Do not use the cruise control in heavy traf-
fic, if the dis
tance from the vehicle in front is
insufficient, on steep roads, with several
bends or in slippery circumstances (snow,
ice, rain or loose gravel), or on flooded roads. ●
Never u se the C
CS when driving off-road or
on unpaved roads.
● Always adapt your speed and the distance
to the v
ehicles ahead in line with visibility,
weather conditions, the condition of the road
and the traffic situation.
● To avoid unexpected operation of the cruise
contro
l system, turn it off every time you fin-
ish using it.
● It is dangerous to use a set speed which is
too high for the pr
evailing road, traffic or
weather conditions.
● When travelling down hills, the CCS cannot
maintain a c
onstant speed. The vehicle tends
to accelerate under its own weight. Select a
lower gear or use the foot brake to slow the
vehicle. Lane Assist system*
Intr oduction WARNING
The intelligent technology in the lane assist
sys t
em cannot change the limits imposed by
the laws of physics and by the system itself.
Careless or uncontrolled use of the Lane As-
sist system may cause accidents and injury.
The system is not a replacement for driver
awareness. ●
Alw a
ys adapt your speed and the distance
to the vehicles ahead in line with visibility,
weather conditions, the condition of the road
and the traffic situation.
● Always keep your hands on the steering
wheel so y
ou can turn it at any time.
● The lane assist system does not detect all
roa
d markings. In some circumstances, the
poor state of the road, structures located on
it or certain objects may be mistakenly recog-
nised as road markings by the lane assist
system. In such situations, switch the lane
assist system off immediately.
● Pay attention to the instructions on the in-
strument p
anel display and act accordingly to
its requests.
● Always pay attention to the vehicle's sur-
roundin
gs. Note
The lane assist system has been exclusively
developed f or driv
ing on asphalted roads. Note
If the lane assist system does not work as de-
sc ribed in thi
s chapter, do not use it and con-
tact a specialised workshop. Note
If you observe any system malfunction, have
the sys t
em checked by a specialised work-
shop. 222