The essentials
Do not pull too hard with the towing vehicle
and t ak
e care to avoid jerking the tow rope.
When towing on an unpaved road, there is al-
ways a risk of overloading and damaging the
anchorage points.
Switch on the ignition so that the turn sig-
nals, windscreen wipers and windscreen
washer can work. Ensure that the steering
wheel is unlocked and moves freely.
Place the gear lever in neutral on vehicles
with a manual gearbox. With an automatic
gearbox, place the lever in N.
To brake, press the brake pedal firmly. The
brake servo does not work when the engine
is switched off.
The power steering only works when the igni-
tion is switched on and the vehicle is moving,
provided that the battery is sufficiently charg-
ed. Otherwise, it will need more force.
Ensure that the tow rope remains taut at all
times.
››› in Introduction on page 86
››› page 86 Tow-starting
If the engine will not start, first try starting it
u
s
ing the battery of another vehicle
››› page 58. You should only attempt to tow-
start a vehicle if charging the battery does
not work. This is done by leveraging wheel
movement.
When tow-starting a vehicle with a petrol en-
gine, do not tow it more than a short dis-
tance, otherwise unburned fuel can enter the
catalytic converter.
● Engage 2nd or 3rd gear before moving off.
● Press the clutch and hold the pedal down.
● Switch the ignition on.
● Once both vehicles are moving, release the
c lut
ch.
● As soon as the engine has started, press
the clut
ch and move the gear lever to neutral.
How to jump start Jump le
ads The jump lead must have a sufficient wire
c
r
oss section.
If the engine fails to start because of a dis-
charged battery, the battery can be connec-
ted to the battery of another vehicle to start
the engine. Jump leads must comply with standard
DIN
72553 (see cab
le manufacturer's instruc-
tions). The wire cross section must be at least
25 mm 2
for petrol engines and at least
35 mm 2
for diesel engines. Note
● The v
ehicles must not touch each other,
otherwise electricity could flow as soon as
the positive terminals are connected.
● The discharged battery must be properly
connect
ed to the on-board network.58
Self-help
–
Ac
celerate with particular care and cau-
tion.
– Avoid sudden braking and manoeuvres.
– Brake earlier than usual and more
smoothly. CAUTION
● To av
oid damaging the vehicle, for example
the paint, remove and replace the lid and
towing eye carefully.
● Unburnt fuel could enter the catalytic con-
ver
ter and damage it during towing. Indications for tow-starting
Vehicle's should not generally be tow-star-
t
ed.
The jump start should be used instead
››› page 58.
For technical reasons, towing the following
vehicles is not allowed:
● Vehicles with an automatic gearbox.
● If the vehicle battery is discharged, be-
cau
se in vehicles with the Keyless Access
locking and ignition system the steering re-
mains locked and the electronic parking
brake cannot be deactivated nor can the elec-
tronic lock of the steering column be re-
leased if they are activated. ●
If the b
attery is flat, it is possible that the
engine control units may not operate correct-
ly.
However, if the vehicle must absolutely be
tow-started (in the case of manual gearbox-
es):
● Engage the 2nd or 3rd gear.
● Keep the clutch pressed down.
● Switch on the ignition and the hazard warn-
ing lights.
● Onc
e both vehicles are moving, release the
clut
ch.
● Once the engine starts, press the clutch
and disen
gage the gear to avoid colliding
with the towing vehicle. CAUTION
When tow-starting, unburnt fuel could enter
the c at
alytic converter and damage it. Note
The vehicle can only be tow-started if the
el ectr
onic parking brake and, if appropriate,
the electronic lock of the steering column are
deactivated. If the vehicle has no power sup-
ply or there is an electric system fault, the
engine must be tow-started to deactivate the
electronic parking brake and the electronic
lock of the steering column. Indications for towing
Tow rope or tow bar
It
i
s safer for the vehicle to be towed using a
tow bar, avoiding damage to the vehicle. A
tow rope should only be used if a tow bar is
not available.
A tow rope should be slightly elastic to avoid
damage to both vehicles. It is advisable to
use a tow rope made of synthetic fibre or sim-
ilarly elastic material.
Only attach the tow rope or the tow bar to the
towing eyes provided or a towing bracket.
If the vehicle is factory-equipped with a tow-
ing bracket, it is only allowed to tow with a
tow bar if this has been specially designed to
be installed with a tow hitch ›››
page 257.
When the vehicle needs to be towed:
Check whether the vehicle may be towed
››› page 88, Cases where towing a vehicle
is not allowed .
● Switch the ignition on.
● Put the gearbox lever in neutral or the se-
l ect
or lever in the N position ›››
page 176.
● Do not allow the vehicle to be towed at
speed
s of over 50 km/h (30 mph).
● Do not allow the vehicle to be towed at
s peed
s of over 50 km. »
87
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
Normal temperature
If in norm
al operations, the diodes light up
until the central zone, it means that the en-
gine has reached operating temperature. At
high outside temperatures and when making
the engine work hard, the diodes may contin-
ue lighting up and reach the upper zone. This
is no cause for concern, provided the control
lamp does not light up on the instrument
panel digital display.
Heat range
When the diodes light up in the upper area of
the display and the control lamp appears
on the instrument panel display, the coolant
temperature is excessive ››› page 286. CAUTION
● To en
sure a long useful life for the engine,
avoid high revs, driving at high speed and
making the engine work hard for approxi-
mately the first 15 minutes when the engine
is cold. The phase until the engine is warm al-
so depends on the outside temperature. If
necessary, use the engine oil temperature*
››› page 34 as a guide.
● Additional lights and other accessories in
front
of the air inlet reduce the cooling effect
of the coolant. At high outside temperatures
and high engine loads, there is a risk of the
engine overheating.
● The front spoiler also ensures proper distri-
bution of
the cooling air when the vehicle is moving. If the spoiler is damaged this can re-
duc
e the c
ooling effect, which could cause
the engine to overheat. Seek specialist assis-
tance. Fuel level
Fig. 117
Fuel gauge. The display
6
› ›
›
Fig. 115 only works when
the ignition is switched on. When the display
reaches the reserve mark, the lower diode
lights up in red and the control lamp ap-
pears ››› page 102. When the fuel level is very
low, the lower diode flashes in red.
The distance to empty fuel level is displayed
on the instrument panel 3
› ›
›
Fig. 115.
The capacity of the fuel tank of your vehicle is
given in the Technical data section
››› page 48. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry. An ir-
r e
gular fuel supply could cause misfiring. In
this way the unburned fuel can reach the ex-
haust system, which could cause the catalytic
converter to overheat resulting in damage. Control lamps
W arnin
g and control lamps Read the additional information carefully
› ›
› page 38.
The control and warning lamps are indicators
of warnings, ››› , faults
››
› or certain func-
tion s.
Some control and warning lamps come
on when the ignition is switched on, and
switch off when the engine starts running, or
while driving.
Depending on the model, additional text
messages may be viewed on the instrument
panel display. These may be purely informa-
tive or they may be advising of the need for
action ›››
page 102, Instruments.
Depending upon the equipment fitted in the
vehicle, instead of a warning lamp, some-
times a symbol may be displayed on the in-
strument panel.
When certain control and warning lamps are
lit, an audible warning is also heard.
106
Operation
6. Use the warning triangle to draw the atten- tion of other r
oad users to your vehicle.
7. Always take the vehicle key with you when you l
eave the vehicle.
All turn signals flash simultaneously when
the hazard warning lights are switched on.
The two turn signal turn signal lamps
and the turn signal lamp in the switch will
flash at the same time. The simultaneous
hazard warning lights also work when the ig-
nition is switched off.
Emergency braking warning
If the vehicle brakes suddenly and continu-
ously at a speed of more than 80 km/h (50
mph), the brake light flashes several times
per second to warn the vehicles driving be-
hind. If you continue braking, the hazard
warning lights will come on automatically
when the vehicle comes to a standstill. They
switch off automatically when the vehicle
starts to move again. WARNING
● The ri sk
of an accident increases if your ve-
hicle breaks down. Always use the hazard
warning lights and a warning triangle to draw
the attention of other road users to your sta-
tionary vehicle.
● Due to the high temperatures that the cata-
lytic c
onverter can reach, never park in an
area where the catalytic converter could come into contact with highly inflammable materi-
a
l
s, for example dry grass or spilt petrol. This
could start a fire. Note
● The b att
ery will run down if the hazard
warning lights are left on for a long time,
even if the ignition is switched off.
● The use of the hazard warning lights de-
sc
ribed here is subject to the relevant statu-
tory requirements. Parking lights
When the parking light is switched on, (right
or l
ef
t turn signal), the front side light and
the rear light on the corresponding side of
the vehicle stay lit. The parking lights can on-
ly be activated with the ignition switched off
and the turn signal and main beam lever in
the central position, before being triggered.
Parking light on both sides With the ignition switched off and the light
sw
it
ch in position , when locking the vehi-
cle from the outside, the parking lights on
both sides of the vehicle light up. In doing
so, only the side lights of both headlights
light up, and additionally the tail lights will
do so partially. Motorway light* The motorway light is available on vehicles
equip
ped w
ith full-LED lights.
The function is connected/disconnected via
the corresponding Easy Connect system
menu.
● Activation: when goin
g above 110 km/h
(68 mph) for more than 30 seconds, the dip-
ped beam raises slightly to increase the driv-
er's visibility distance.
● Deactivation: when r educ
ing the speed of
the car below 100 km/h (62 mph), the dip-
ped beam returns to its normal position.
Driving abroad The light beam of the dipped beam lights is
a
symmetric: the s
ide of the road on which
you are driving is lit more intensely.
When a car that is manufactured in a country
that drives on the right travels to a country
that drives on the left (or vice versa), it is nor-
mally necessary to cover part of the headlight
bulbs with stickers or to change the adjust-
ment of the headlights to avoid dazzling oth-
er drivers.
In such cases, the regulations specify certain
light values that must be complied with for
designated points of the light distribution.
This is known as “Tourist light”.
136
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
Economical and environmentally-
friendly driv
ingFuel consumption, environmental pollution
and w
e
ar to the engine, brakes and tyres de-
pends largely on driving style. Fuel consump-
tion can be reduced by 10-15% with an eco-
nomical driving style and proper anticipation
of traffic conditions. The following section
gives you some tips on lessening the impact
on the environment and reducing your oper-
ating costs at the same time.
Active cylinder management (ACT ®
)*display
Depending on vehicle equipment, the active
cylinder management (ACT ®
) may automati-
cally deactivate some of the engine cylinders
if the driving situation does not require too
much power. When it is switched off, no fuel
is injected into these cylinders, hence total
fuel consumption may be reduced. The num-
ber of active cylinders can be seen on the in-
strument panel display ›››
page 30.
Foresight when driving
Acceleration causes the vehicle to consume
more fuel. If you think ahead when driving,
you will need to brake less and thus acceler-
ate less. Wherever possible, let the car roll
slowly to a stop, with a gear engaged (for in-
stance when you can see that the next traffic
lights are red). This takes advantage of the
engine braking effect, reducing wear on the brakes and tyres. Emissions and fuel con-
s
umption w
ill drop to zero due to the overrun
fuel cut-off.
Changing gear to save energy
An effective way of saving is to change in ad-
vance to a higher gear. Running the engine at
high rpm in the lower gears uses an unneces-
sary amount of fuel.
Manual gearbox : shift up from first to second
gear as soon as possible. In any case, we rec-
ommend that you change to a higher gear
upon reaching 2,000 rpm. Choosing the right
gear enables fuel savings. Select the highest
possible gear appropriate for the driving sit-
uation (the engine should continue function-
ing with cyclical regularity).
Automatic gearbox : accelerate gradually and
without reaching the “kick-down” position.
Avoid driving at high speed
Avoid travelling at top speed, whenever pos-
sible. Fuel consumption, emission of harmful
gases and noise pollution multiply dispropor-
tionately as speed is increased. Driving at
moderate speeds will help to save fuel.
Reduce idling time
In vehicles with the Start-Stop system idling
is automatically reduced. In vehicles without
the Start-Stop system it is worth switching off
the engine, for example, at level crossings and at traffic lights that remain red for long
periods
of time. When an engine has reached
operating temperature, and depending on
the cylinder capacity, keeping it switched off
for a minimum of about 5 seconds already
saves more than the amount of fuel necessa-
ry for restarting.
The engine takes a long time to warm up
when it is idling. Mechanical wear and pollu-
tant emissions are also especially high dur-
ing this initial warm-up phase. It is therefore
best to drive off immediately after starting
the engine. Avoid running the engine at high
speed.
Regular maintenance
Regular servicing helps in saving fuel even
before the engine is started. A well-serviced
engine gives you the benefit of improved fuel
efficiency as well as maximum reliability and
an enhanced resale value. A badly serviced
engine can consume up to 10% more fuel
than necessary.
Avoid short journeys
The engine and catalytic converter need to
reach their optimal operating temperature in
order to minimise fuel consumption and
emissions.
A cold engine consumes a disproportionate
amount of fuel. The engine reaches its work-
ing temperature after about four kilometres »
185
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
(2.5 miles), when fuel consumption will re-
t urn t
o a normal level.
Check tyre pressure
Always make sure the tyres are inflated to the
correct pressures ››› page 292 to save fuel. If
the pressure is below half bar, fuel consump-
tion may increase by 5%. Due to the greater
rolling resistance, under-inflation also increa-
ses tyre wear and impairs handling.
Do not use winter tyres all year round as they
increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Avoid carrying unnecessary loads
Given that every kilo of extra weight will in-
crease the fuel consumption, it is advisable
to always check the luggage compartment to
make sure that no unnecessary loads are be-
ing transported.
Since the luggage rack increases the aerody-
namic drag of the vehicle, you should remove
it when not needed. At speeds of 100-120
km/h (62-75 mph), this will save 12% of fuel.
Save electrical energy
The engine drives the alternator, thereby gen-
erating electricity. This implies that any in-
crease in power consumption also increases
fuel consumption! For this reason, switch off
any unneeded electrical devices. Devices that
use a lot of electricity includes the blower at a high setting, the rear window heating or
the seat
heating*.
Engine management and ex-
hau
st gas purification system
Introduction WARNING
● Bec
ause of the high temperatures which
can occur in the exhaust purification system
(catalytic converter or diesel particulate fil-
ter), do not park the vehicle where the ex-
haust can come into contact with flammable
materials under the car (e.g. on grass or at
the forest edge). Fire hazard!
● Do not apply wax underneath the vehicle
arou
nd the area of the exhaust system: Fire
hazard! Note
While the control lamps , , or re-
m
ain lit, there may be engine problems, fuel
consumption may increase and the engine
may lose power. Catalytic converter
3 Ap
plies to vehicles with petrol engine
The
vehicle must only be used with unleaded
petrol, otherwise the catalytic converter will
be irreparably damaged.
Never drive until the tank is empty; an irregu-
lar supply of fuel can cause faulty combus-
tion. In these cases, unburned fuel reaches
the exhaust system, which can overheat and
damage the catalytic converter.
Diesel particulate filter 3 Ap
p
lies to vehicles with diesel engine
The diesel engine particulate filter eliminates
most of the soot from the exhaust gas sys-
tem. Under normal driving conditions, the fil-
ter cleans itself. The diesel particulate filter is
cleaned automatically without need for indi-
cation by the warning lamp . This may be
noticed because the engine idle speed in-
creases and an odour may be detected.
If automatic filter purification cannot be car-
ried out (because only short trips are taken,
for example), soot will accumulate on the fil-
ter and the Diesel particulate filter warning
lamp will switch on.
Facilitate the automatic filter cleaning proc-
ess by driving in the following manner: drive
for approximately 15 minutes at a minimum
speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) in 4th or 5th gear
186
Driving
(automatic gearbox: gear S). Maintain the en-
gine s peed at
approximately 2,000 rpm. The
rise in temperature causes the soot on the fil-
ter to burn. On completion of the cleaning
the warning lamp will switch off. If the warn-
ing lamp does not switch off, go immediately
to a specialised workshop to rectify the prob-
lem.
Engine management* This warning lamp monitors the engine man-
ag
ement
system for petrol engines.
The warning lamp (Electronic Power Con-
trol) lights up when the ignition is switched
on while system operation is being verified. It
should go out once the engine is started.
If there is a fault in the electronic engine
management system while you are driving,
this warning lamp will light up. Take the vehi-
cle to a specialised workshop as soon as
possible and have the engine checked.
Emission control system* Control lamp
fla
shes:
When there is misfiring that can damage the
catalytic converter. Reduce speed and drive
carefully to the nearest specialised workshop
to have the engine checked. The control lamp
lights
up:
If a fault has developed during driving which
has reduced the quality of the exhaust gas
(e.g. lambda probe fault). Reduce speed and
drive carefully to the nearest specialised
workshop to have the engine checked.
Engine pre-heating/fault system* The warning lamp lights up to show that the
glo
w p
lugs are preheating the diesel engine.
The control lamp lights up
If the control lamp lights up when the en-
gine is started it means that the glow plugs
are preheating. The engine can be started
straight away when the lamp switches off.
Control lamp flashes
If a fault develops in the engine management
system while you are driving, the glow plug
system lamp will flash . Take the vehicle to
a specialised workshop as soon as possible
and have the engine checked. Driving tips
Driv in
g on flooded roads To prevent damage to the vehicle when driv-
in
g thr
ough water, for example, along a floo-
ded road, please observe the following:
● The water should never come above the
low
er edge of the bodywork.
● Drive at pedestrian speed. WARNING
After driving through water, mud, sludge,
et c
., the braking effect can be delayed slight-
ly due to moisture build-up on the discs and
brake pads. Applying the brakes carefully
several times will remove the moisture and
restore the full braking effect. CAUTION
● Driv in
g through flooded areas may severely
damage vehicle components such as the en-
gine, transmission, running gear or electrical
system.
● Whenever driving through water, the Start-
Stop sy
stem* must be switched off
››› page 188. Note
● Chec k
the depth of the water before enter-
ing the flooded zone. » 187
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety