Operation
the vehicle or manually turns off the light, the
s ide light
goes out. WARNING
Any accidental movement of the vehicle could
r e
sult in serious injury.
● When switching on the ignition, do not
pr
ess the brake or clutch pedal, otherwise
the engine could start immediately. WARNING
If vehicle keys are used negligently or with-
out due c
are, this may cause accidents and
serious injury.
● Never leave any key inside the vehicle
when ex
iting. Otherwise, a child or unauthor-
ised person could lock the vehicle, start the
engine or connect the ignition and, in this
way, operate electronic equipment (e.g. the
windows). Note
● Bef
ore leaving the vehicle, always discon-
nect the ignition manually and, if appropri-
ate, take into account the instructions on the
screen of the dash panel.
● If the vehicle is stationary for a long time
with the ignition on, the
vehicle battery
might be discharged and it might not be pos-
sible to start the engine.
● In diesel vehicles, there may be a delay in
the engine s
tarting if it requires preheating. ●
If durin
g the STOP phase you press the
START ENGINE STOP button, the ignition is
sw it
ched off and the button flashes.
● If the indication “Start-Stop system deacti-
vat
ed: Start the engine manually” is dis-
played on the dash panel display, the START ENGINE STOP button will blink.
Starting the engine
3
Valid for vehicles: with Keyless Access
StepStarting the engine with the starter but-
ton ››› page 167 (Press & Drive).
1.Press and hold the brake pedal until step 5 is
performed.
1a.In vehicles with a manual gearbox: press and
hold the clutch down until the engine starts.
2.Put the gearbox lever in neutral or the selector
lever in position P or N.
3.
Briefly press the starter button ››› Fig. 164 with-
out pressing the accelerator. For the engine to
start there must be a valid key in the vehicle.
After starting the engine, the light of the START ENGINE STOP
button changes to a fixed
light indicating that the engine has started.
4.If the engine does not start, stop and wait for
approx. 1 minute before trying again. If neces-
sary, perform an emergency start ››› page 167.
5.Disconnect the electronic parking brake when
you are about to start driving ››› page 170. WARNING
Never leave the vehicle with the engine run-
nin g, e
specially if a gear or gear range is en-
gaged. The vehicle could then suddenly move
or something strange could happen that
would cause damage, fire or serious injury. WARNING
Cold start sprays could explode or cause a
s ud
den increase in the engine speed.
● Never use sprays to cold start the engine. CAUTION
● The s t
arter motor or the engine may be
damaged if you try to start the engine while
driving or if you restart it immediately after
switching it off.
● If the engine is cold, avoid high engine
speed
s, pushing the engine too hard and rap-
id acceleration.
● Do not start the engine by pushing the ve-
hicl
e or towing it. Unburnt fuel could enter
the catalytic converter and damage it. Note
● Do not w
ait until the engine warms up with
the vehicle stationary; if you have good visi-
bility through the windows, start driving im-
mediately. This helps the engine reach oper-
ating temperature faster and reduces emis-
sions. 168
Driving
●
Electric
al components with a high power
consumption are switched off temporarily
when the engine starts.
● When starting with a cold engine, noise
lev
els may briefly increase. This is quite nor-
mal, and no cause for concern.
● When the outside temperature is below
+5°C (+41°F), if
the engine is diesel, some
smoke may appear under the vehicle when the fuel-operated auxiliary heater is on. Stopping the engine
3
V
alid for vehicles: with Keyless Access
StepSwitch off the engine with the starter
button ››› page 167.
1.Stop the vehicle completely ››› .
2.Press and hold the brake pedal until the step
4 is performed.
3.If you are driving an automatic vehicle, place
the selector lever in position P.
4.Connect the electronic parking brake
››› page 170.
5.
Briefly press the start-up button ››› Fig. 164.
The START ENGINE STOP button blinks again. If
the engine fails to switch off, perform an emer-
gency disconnect ››› page 167.
6.If the vehicle is equipped with a manual gear-
box, put it into 1st or reverse. WARNING
Never switch off the engine while the vehicle
i s
moving. This could cause loss of control of
the vehicle, accidents and serious injury.
● The airbags and belt tensioners do not
work
when the ignition is switched off.
● The brake servo does not work with the en-
gine off.
Therefore, you need to press the
break pedal harder to brake the vehicle.
● Power steering does not work when the en-
gine is
not running. You need more strength
to steer when the engine is switched off.
● If the ignition is switched off, the steering
co
lumn could be locked, making it impossible
to control the vehicle. CAUTION
If the engine is made to work hard for a long
time, it m
ay overheat after being switched
off. To prevent damage to the engine before
switching it off, leave it idle for approx. 2 mi-
nutes in neutral. Note
After switching off the engine, the cooling fan
m a
y continue to operate in the engine com-
partment for a few more minutes, even with
the ignition off. The radiator fan is automati-
cally switched off. “My Beat” Function
For vehicles with a convenience key there is
the “M
y
Beat” function. This feature provides
an additional indication of the vehicle igni-
tion system.
When accessing the vehicle, e.g. by opening
the doors with the remote control, the START ENGINE STOP button flashes, calling at-
t ention t
o the relevant starter system button.
Upon switching the ignition on/off, the light
of the START ENGINE STOP button flashes. With
the en gine sw
itched off, after a few seconds,
the STOP ENGINE START button stops flashing
and g oe
s out.
With the engine running, the START ENGINE STOP button light stays on, indi-
c atin
g that the engine is running. Upon
switching the ignition off with the START ENGINE STOP button, it starts flashing
ag ain.
In
vehicles with the Start-Stop system , the
“My Beat” function also offers additional in-
formation:
● When the engine stops during the Stop
pha
se, the light of the START ENGINE STOP but-
t on s
tays on, since, even though the engine
is off, the Start-Stop system is active.
● When the engine cannot be stated again
with the
Start-Stop system, ›››
page 188, and
needs to be started manually, the »
169
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
START ENGINE STOP button flashes to indicate
thi s
fact.
Braking and parking Electr
onic parking brake Fig. 165
In the lower part of the centre con-
so l
e: electronic parking brake button. The electronic parking brake replaces the
h
andbr
ake.
Activating the electronic parking brake
The electronic parking brake can be activated
whenever the vehicle is at a standstill, even
when the ignition is switched off. Activate it
whenever you leave or park the vehicle.
● Pull and hold the ››
› Fig. 165 button.
● The parking brake is activated when the
contr
ol light of the ››› Fig. 165 button (arrow) and the red control light of the display in
the d
ash panel are on.
● Release the button.
Rel
easing the electronic parking brake
● Switch the ignition on.
● Press the button ››
› Fig. 165. At the same
time step hard on the brake pedal or, if the
engine is running, press the accelerator ped-
al slightly.
● The control light of the ››
› Fig. 165 button
(arrow) and the red control light of the dis-
play in the dash panel go out.
Automatic release of the electronic parking
brake on starting the engine
The electronic parking brake is automatically
switched off when starting if, after the driv-
er's door is closed and the driver's seat belt
fastened, any of the following situations take
place:
● On vehicles with an automatic gearbox: A
ge
ar range is engaged or the vehicle is
switched to another one and the accelerator
pedal is lightly pressed.
● In vehicles with a manual gearbox: The
clut
ch pedal is pressed fully before starting
off and the accelerator is pedal lightly press-
ed.
● To facilitate certain manoeuvres there are
ex
ceptions that allow the automatic parking brake to be released without the driver's seat
belt bein
g fastened.
The parking brake can be prevented from be-
ing automatically released by continuously
pulling up the ››› Fig. 165 switch when
starting off.
The electronic parking brake is not discon-
nected until the button is released. This
can facilitate starting off when a heavy load
is towed ››› page 255.
Automatic activation of the electronic park-
ing brake on starting the engine
In vehicles with automatic transmission, the
electronic parking brake is activated auto-
matically when exiting the vehicle incorrectly
if: ● The selector lever is in the D/S or R pos
i-
tion or in the Tiptronic selection track.
● AND: the vehicle is stationary.
● AND:
the driver door i
s open.
Emergency braking function
Only use the emergency brake function if you
are unable to stop the vehicle with the foot
brake ››› .
● Pull and hold the › ›
› Fig. 165 button in
this position to forcefully stop the vehicle. At
the same time, an acoustic warning can be
heard.
170
Driving
● To s
top the braking process, release the
button or press the accelerator. WARNING
The improper use of the electronic parking
br ak
e can cause accidents and serious injury.
● Never use the electronic parking brake to
st
op the vehicle, unless it is an emergency.
Braking distances can be considerably lon-
ger, since, under certain circumstances, only
the rear wheels brake. Always use the foot
brake.
● Never accelerate from the engine when a
ge
ar range or a gear is engaged and the en-
gine is running. The vehicle could move, even
if the electronic parking brake is activated. CAUTION
To prevent the vehicle from unintentionally
mo v
ing when parking it, first apply the elec-
tronic parking brake and then remove your
foot from the brake pedal. Note
● In v
ehicles with a manual gearbox, releas-
ing the clutch and accelerating at the same
time automatically disconnects the electronic
parking brake.
● If the vehicle battery is flat, it will not be
pos
sible to disconnect the electronic parking
brake. Use the jump-start ›››
page 58. ●
When the el ectr
onic parking brake is ap-
plied or released, noises may be heard.
● The system performs automatic and audi-
bl
e tests sporadically in the parked vehicle if
some time elapses without the electronic
parking brake being used. Parking
The electronic parking brake should always
be ap
p
lied when the vehicle is parked.
Always note the following points when park-
ing the vehicle: – Use the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.
– Apply the electronic parking brake.
– Put it in 1st gear.
– Switch the engine off and remove the key
from the ignition.
Turn the steering wheel
slightly to engage the steering lock.
– Never leave a vehicle key in the vehicle.
Addition
al notes on parking the vehicle on
gradients:
Turn the steering wheel so that the vehicle
rolls against the kerb if it started to roll.
● If the vehicle is parked facing downhi
ll,
turn the front wheels so that they point to-
wards the kerb . ●
If the
vehicle is parked facing uphill, turn
the front wheels so that they point away from
the kerb.
● Secure the vehicle as usual by applying the
electr
onic parking brake firmly and putting it
in 1st gear. WARNING
● Tak
e measures to reduce the risk of injury
when you leave your vehicle unattended.
● Never park where the hot exhaust system
cou
ld ignite inflammable materials, such as
dry grass, low bushes, spilt fuel etc.
● Never allow vehicle occupants to remain in
the v
ehicle when it is locked. They would be
unable to open the vehicle from the inside,
and could become trapped in the vehicle in
an emergency. In the event of an emergency,
locked doors will delay assistance to vehicle
occupants.
● Never leave children alone in the vehicle.
They c
ould set the vehicle in motion, for ex-
ample, by releasing the electronic parking
brake or the gearshift lever, which would
cause the vehicle to move, but uncontrolla-
bly.
● Depending on weather conditions, it may
become e
xtremely hot or cold inside the vehi-
cle. This can be fatal. 171
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
Disable the ESC “Snow” mode
T urn the Driv
ing Experience button to select a
different driving mode ››› page 226. WARNING
The ESC Sport mode should be activated only
when tr affic
conditions and the ability of the
driver allow it. Danger of skidding!
● With ESC in Sport mode, the stabilising
fu
nction will be limited to allow for a sportier
drive. The driving wheels could spin and the
vehicle could skid. WARNING
You should only activate the Offroad Mode or
di s
able the ASR if the experience of the driver
and traffic conditions allow it. Danger of skid-
ding!
● With the Offroad mode activated, the stabi-
lis
ation function is limited. In particular, if
the road is too smooth and slippery, the driv-
ing wheels could spin and the vehicle could
skid. Note
If the ASR is disconnected or the ESC’s Sport
mode i s
selected, cruise control* will be
switched off. Manual gearbox
Ch an
ging gear Read the additional information carefully
› ›
› page 40
In some countries the clutch pedal must be
fully pressed down for the engine to start.
Selecting reverse gear ● Engage reverse gear only when the vehicle
is
stopped.
Changing down gears
While driving, changing down a gear must al-
ways be done gradually, i.e. to the gear di-
rectly below and when the engine speed is
not too high ››› . Changing down while by-
p a
ssing one or various gears at high speeds
or at high engine speeds can damage the
clutch and the gearbox, even if the clutch
pedal remains depressed ››› .
WARNING
When the engine is running, the vehicle will
s t
art to move as soon as a gear is engaged
and the clutch released. This is also the case
with the electronic parking brake switched
on.
● Never engage reverse gear when the vehi-
cl
e is moving. WARNING
If the gear is changed down inappropriately
b y
selecting a gear that is too low, you may
lose control of the vehicle, causing an acci-
dent and serious injuries. CAUTION
When travelling at high speeds or at high en-
gine s peed
s, selecting a gear that is too low
can cause considerable damage to the clutch
and the gearbox. This can also occur if the
clutch pedal is pressed and held and it does
not engage. CAUTION
To prevent damage and avoid premature
w e
ar, please observe the following:
● Do not rest your hand on the gear lever
whil
e driving. The pressure applied by your
hand is transmitted to the gearbox selector
forks.
● Always ensure that the vehicle is complete-
ly s
topped before engaging the reverse gear.
● Always press the clutch to the floor when
ch
anging gears.
● Never hold the vehicle “on the clutch” on
hil
ls with the engine on. 176
Driving
Automatic gearbox/DSG auto-
m atic
gearbox*
Introduction Your vehicle is equipped with an electronical-
ly
c
ontrolled manual gearbox. Torque be-
tween the engine and the gearbox is trans-
mitted via two independent clutches. They re-
place the torque converter found on conven-
tional automatic gearboxes and allow for
smooth, uninterrupted acceleration of the ve-
hicle.
The tiptronic system allows the driver to
change gears manually if desired
››› page 179, Changing gears in tiptronic
mode*.
Selector lever positions Read the additional information carefully
› ›
› page 41
The selector lever position engaged is high-
lighted on the display in the instrument clus-
ter. With the selector lever in the manual
gearbox positions G, D, E and S, the engaged
gear is also indicated on the display.
P – Parking lock
When the selector lever is in this position,
the driven wheels are locked mechanically. The parking lock must be engaged only when
the v
ehicle is stationary ››› .
The int erloc
k button (the button on the selec-
tor lever handle) must be pressed in and si-
multaneously the brake pedal must be de-
pressed before moving the selector lever ei-
ther in or out of position P.
R – Reverse gear
Reverse gear must be engaged only when the
vehicle is stationary and the engine is idling
››› .
T o mo
ve the selector lever to position R, the
interlock button must be pressed in and at
the same time the brake pedal must be de-
pressed. The reverse lights come on when
the selector lever is in the R position with the
ignition on.
N – Neutral (idling)
With the selector lever in this position, the
gear is in neutral.
D/S – Permanent drive (forward) position
The selector lever in the D/S position enables
the gears to be controlled in normal mode (D)
or Sport (S). To select Sport mode (S), move
the selector lever backwards. Moving the lev-
er again will select normal mode (D). The se-
lected driving mode is shown on the instru-
ment panel display. In normal mode
(D), the g
earbox automatical-
ly selects the best gear ratio. This depends
on the engine load, the road speed and the
dynamic gear control programme (DCP).
Sport mode (S) must be selected for a sporty
driving style. This setting makes use of the
engine's maximum power output. When ac-
celerating the gear shifts will be noticeable.
Press the brake pedal to move the selector
lever from N to D/S when the vehicle is sta-
tionary or at speeds below 3 km/h (2 mph)
››› .
Under c er
tain circumstances (e.g. when driv-
ing in mountains) it can be advantageous to
switch temporarily to tiptronic mode
››› page 179, in order to manually select gear
ratios to suit the driving conditions. WARNING
● Tak
e care not to accidentally press the ac-
celerator pedal when the vehicle is stopped.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● Never move the selector lever to R or P
when drivin
g. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● With selector lever in any position (except
P) the v
ehicle must always be held with the
foot brake when the engine is running. This is
because an automatic gearbox still transmits » 177
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
power even at idling speed, and the vehicle
t
end
s to “creep”. The accelerator pedal must
on no account be pressed inadvertently when
a gear is engaged with the vehicle stationary.
The vehicle could otherwise start moving im-
mediately (in some cases even if the parking
brake is engaged) resulting in the risk of an
accident.
● While you are selecting a gear and the vehi-
cl
e is stopped with the engine running, do
not accelerate. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident.
● As a driver you should never leave your ve-
hicl
e if the engine is running and a gear is en-
gaged. If you have to leave your vehicle while
the engine is running, you must apply the
handbrake and engage the parking lock (P).
● To avoid accidents, apply the handbrake
and put
the selector lever in position P before
opening the bonnet and working on the vehi-
cle with the engine running. Please always
observe the important safety warnings
››› page 282, Work in the engine compart-
ment. Note
● If the sel
ector lever is moved accidentally
to N when driving, release the accelerator and
let the engine speed drop to idling before se-
lecting gear range D or S again.
● Should the power supply to the selector
lev
er be interrupted in position P, the selector
lever will be locked. If this should happen the
manual release can be used ›››
page 41. Selector lever lock
Fig. 166
Selector lever lock. The selector lever lock prevents gears from
bein g en
gaged inadvertently, so that the ve-
hicle is not set in motion unintentionally.
The selector lever lock is released as follows:
– Switch the ignition on.
– Press the brake pedal and
, at the same
time, hold the lock button in the direction
of the arrow ››› Fig. 166.
Automatic selector lever lock
With the ignition switched on, the selector
lever is locked in the positions P and N. The
brake pedal must be pressed to release the
lever while pressing the release button if the
selector lever is in the position P. As a re-
minder for the driver, with the lever in posi-
tions P or N the following message will be
shown on the display: When stationary, apply footbrake
while selecting a gear.
Lev
el lock only engages with the vehicle sta-
tionary and at speeds of up to 5 km/h
(3 mph). At speeds of over 5 km/h (3 mph)
the lever lock is automatically deactivated in
position N.
The selector lever lock is not engaged if the
selector lever is moved quickly through posi-
tion N (e.g. when shifting from R to D). This
makes it possible, for instance, to rock the
vehicle “backwards and forwards” if it is
stuck. The selector lever lock engages auto-
matically if the brake pedal is not depressed
and the lever is in position N for more than
about two seconds.
Interlock button
The interlock button on the selector lever
handle prevents the driver from inadvertently
engaging certain gears. Press the button in
to disengage the selector lever lock.
Safety interlock for ignition key
Once the ignition has been turned off, the
key may be removed only if the gear selector
is in position P. While the key is not in the ig-
nition, the selector lever is locked in position
P.
178
Operation
When accelerating, the gearbox automatical-
ly shif
ts up into the next gear shortly before
the maximum engine speed is reached.
If you select a lower gear, the automatic gear-
box will not shift down until there is no risk of
over-revving the engine.
When the kick-down feature is used, the
gearbox shifts down to a lower gear, depend-
ing on road speed and engine speed.
Driving tips The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly
a
s the vehicle moves.
The engine can only start with the selector
lever in position P or N. At low temperatures,
below -10°C (50°F), the engine can only start
with the selector lever in position P.
Starting the vehicle
– Press and hold the brake pedal.
– Press and hold the interlock button (the
butt
on on the selector lever handle), move
the selector lever to the desired position,
for instance D ›››
page 177, and release the
interlock button.
– Wait for the gearbox to engage the gear (a
slight
movement can be felt).
– Release the brake and press the accelerator
››
› . Stopping briefly
– Apply the foot brake to hold the vehicle
briefly when s
tationary (for instance at traf-
fic lights). Do not press the accelerator.
Stopping/Parking
If the driver door is opened and the selector
lever is not in position P, the vehicle could
move. The driver message will be: Gear
change: selector lever in the
drive position! . Additionally, a buzzer
will sound.
– Press and hold the brake pedal ››
› .
– Apply the handbrake.
– Move the selector lever to position P.
Ho l
ding the car on a hill
– Always apply the brake pedal firmly to pre-
v
ent the vehicle from “moving backwards;
if necessary, apply the handbrake” ››› .
Do not tr y
to stop the vehicle “rolling back”
by increasing the engine speed when a
gear is engaged (pressing the accelerator)
››› .
St ar
ting off uphill
– Apply the handbrake.
– Once you have engaged a gear press the
acc
elerator carefully and disengage the
handbrake. Driving down hills: in some sit
uations (on
mountain roads or when towing a trailer or
caravan) it can be advantageous to switch
temporarily to the manual gearbox pro-
gramme so that the gear ratios can be selec-
ted manually to suit the driving conditions
››› .
On l ev
el ground it is sufficient to move the
selector lever to position P. On slopes, first
engage the parking brake and then put the
selection lever into the P position. This
avoids overloading the locking mechanism
and it will be easier to move the selector lev-
er from position P. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ››
› in Selector
l ev
er positions on page 177.
● Never allow the brake to rub and do not use
the brak
e pedal too often or for long periods.
Constant braking causes overheating in the
brakes. This could significantly reduce brak-
ing power, increase braking distance or even
result in the total failure of the brake system.
● To avoid rolling back on gradients always
hol
d the vehicle with the footbrake or hand-
brake if you have to stop. CAUTION
● If
you stop the vehicle on a gradient, do not
attempt to stop it from rolling by depressing
the accelerator when a gear has been selec-
ted. This could cause overheating and 180