Frequently Asked Ques-
tion
sBefore driving
How do you adjust the seat?
››› page 12
How do you adjust the steering wheel? ››› page 14
How do you adjust the exterior mirrors? ››› page 13
How do you turn on the exterior lights? ››› page 21
How does the automatic gearbox selector lever work?
››› page 27
How do you refuel? ››› page 31
How do you activate the windscreen wipers and wind-
screen washer system? ››› page 22
Emergency situations
A warning lamp lights up or flashes. What does this
mean? ››› page 25
Where are the first-aid kit and the warning triangle in
the vehicle? ››› page 70
How do you open the bonnet? ››› page 10
How do you perform a jump start? ››› page 43
Where is the vehicle tool kit located? ››› page 70
How do you repair a tyre with the anti-puncture kit?
››› page 35
How do you change a wheel? ››› page 36
How do you change a fuse? ››› page 34
How do you change a light? ››› page 79
How do you tow a vehicle? ››› page 42
Useful tips
How do you set the time? ››› page 89
When should the vehicle inspection should be per-
formed? ››› page 90
How do you remove the luggage compartment cover?
››› page 125
How do you drive in an economical and environmental-
ly-friendly way? ››› page 149
How do you check and top up the engine oil?
››› page 31
How do you check and top up the engine coolant?
››› page 32
How do you top up the windscreen washer fluid?
››› page 33
How do you check and top up the brake fluid?
››› page 33
How do you check and adjust tyre pressure values?
››› page 203
Vehicle washing tips ››› page 171
Functions of interest
How does the START-STOP system work? ››› page 160
What parking assistants are available? ››› page 153
How does tyre pressure monitoring work? ››› page 206
Interior lighting ››› page 22
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The e s
senti
als . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Exterior view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Exterior view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Interior view (left guide) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
How it works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Unlocking and locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Before driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Starting the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
SEAT information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Gearbox lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Fluid Level control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Action in the event of a puncture . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Emergency towing of the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 42
How to jump start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Changing the wiper blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Safe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Safety first! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Driving advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Correct position of the vehicle occupants . . . . 48
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Seat belts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Why wear a set belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
How to properly adjust your seatbelt . . . . . . . . 56
Seat belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Airbag safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Deactivating airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Transporting children safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Safety for children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
In case of emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Vehicle tool kit* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Tyre repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Changing the windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . 75
Tow-starting and towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Emergency locking and unlocking . . . . . . . . . . 77
Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
General instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Opening and closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Vehicle key set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Central locking* and locking system . . . . . . . . 94
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Rear lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Controls for the windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Sliding/tilting electric panoramic sunroof . . . . 102 Lights and visibility
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Windscreen wiper and window wiper sys-
tems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Mirr
or . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Seats and head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Adjusting the seat and head restraints . . . . . . 112
Seat functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Transport and practical equipment . . . . . . . . . 114
Transporting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Practical equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Roof carrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning . . . . . 129
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Stopping and starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Braking and parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Changing gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Run-in and economical driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Engine management and exhaust gas purifica-
tion syst
em . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Driving tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Driver assistance systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Parking distance warning system* . . . . . . . . . . 153
Cruise control* (Cruise control system -
CCS)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Safety Assist* (City Safety Assist function) . . . . 156
Hill driving assistant* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Start-Stop System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Towing bracket device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
3
The essentials
Driving style
T o
w
ing requires some experience, especially
when using a tow rope. Both drivers should
realise how difficult it is to tow a vehicle. In-
experienced drivers should not attempt to
tow.
Do not pull too hard with the towing vehicle
and take 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 Instructions for tow-starting on
page 76
››› page 75 Tow-starting
In general, the vehicle should not be started
by
t
owing. Jump-starting is much more pref-
erable ››› page 43.
For technical reasons, the following vehicles
can not be tow started:
● Vehicles with an automatic gearbox.
● If the vehicle battery is flat, it is possible
that the en
gine control unit does not operate
correctly.
However, if your vehicle must absolutely be
tow-started (manual gearbox):
● Put it into second or third gear.
● Keep the clutch pressed down.
● Switch on the ignition and the hazard warn-
ing lights.
● Rel
ease the clutch when both vehicles are
movin
g.
● As soon as the engine starts, press the
clutc
h and move the gear lever into neutral.
This helps to prevent a collision with the tow-
ing vehicle. How to jump start
Jump lea
ds If the engine fails to start because of a dis-
ch
ar
ged battery, the battery of another vehi-
cle can be used to start the engine. Before
starting, check the magic eye on the battery
››› page 196.
For starting assistance, jump lead cables con-
forming to the standard DIN 72553 are re-
quired (see the cable manufacturer instruc-
tions). The cable section in vehicles with pet-
rol engine must be at least 25 mm 2
. WARNING
Incorrect use of jump leads and incorrectly
jump st ar
ting could cause the battery to ex-
plode resulting in serious injury. Please ob-
serve the following rules to minimise the risk
of a battery explosion:
● The battery providing current must have
the same v
oltage (12V) and approximately
the same capacity (see markings on battery)
as the flat battery.
● Never charge a frozen or recently thawed
batter
y. A flat battery can also freeze at tem-
peratures close to 0°C (+32°F).
● If a battery is frozen and/or has been frozen
then it mus
t be replaced.
● A highly explosive mixture of gases is re-
lea
sed when the battery is being charged. Al-
ways keep lit cigarettes, flames, sparks and » 43
The essentials
fire far from the battery. Never use a mobile
tel
ephone when c
onnecting and removing the
jump leads.
● Charge the battery only in well ventilated
area
s given that when the battery is charged
by outside assistance, it creates a mix of
highly explosive gases.
● Jump leads should never enter into contact
with mov
ing parts in the engine compart-
ment.
● Never switch the positive and negative
pole
s or connect the jump leads incorrectly.
● Note the instruction manual provided by
the manufact
urer of the jump leads. CAUTION
To avoid considerable damage to the vehicle
electric a
l system, note the following careful-
ly:
● If the jump leads are incorrectly connected,
this c
ould result in a short circuit.
● The vehicles must not touch each other,
otherwi
se electricity could flow as soon as
the positive terminals are connected. How to jump start: description
Fig. 59
Diagram of connections for vehicles
w ithout
Start Stop system Fig. 60
Diagram of connections for vehicles
w ith
St
art Stop system Jump lead terminal connections
Swit
c
h off the ignition of both vehicles
››› .
1. Connect one end of the
re
d
jump lead to
the positive + terminal of the vehicle
w ith the fl
at
battery A
› ››
Fig. 59
.
C
onnect the other end of the red jump
lead to the positive terminal + in the
v ehic
l
e providing assistance B .
F or
vehicles without Start-Stop system:
connect one end of the black jump lead
to the negative terminal – of the vehi-
c l
e pr
oviding the current B
› ››
Fig. 59
.
F
or vehicles with Start-Stop system: con-
nect one end of the black jump lead X to a suitable ground terminal, to a solid
piec
e of
met
al in the engine block, or to
the engine block itself ››› Fig. 60.
Connect the other end of the black jump
lead X to a solid metal component bol-
t ed t
o the en
gine block or to the engine
block itself of the vehicle with the flat
battery. Do not connect it to a point near
the battery A .
P o
s
ition the leads in such a way that
they cannot come into contact with any
moving parts in the engine compart-
ment.
Starting Start the engine of the vehicle with the
boosting battery and let it run at idling
speed.
2.
3.
4a.
4b.
5.
6.
7.
44
The essentials
Start the engine of the vehicle with the
fl at
b
attery and wait for 2 or 3 minutes
until the engine is running.
Removing the jump leads Before you remove the jump leads,
switch off the dipped beam headlights if
they are switched on.
Turn on the heater blower and heated
rear window in the vehicle with the flat
battery. This helps minimise voltage
peaks which are generated when the
leads are disconnected.
When the engine is running, disconnect
the leads in reverse order to the details
given above.
Make sure the battery clamps have sufficient
metal-to-metal contact with the battery termi-
nals.
If the engine fails to start after about 10 sec-
onds, switch off the starter and try again after
about 1 minute. WARNING
● Ple a
se note the safety warnings referring to
working in the engine compartment
››› page 187.
● The battery providing assistance must have
the same v
oltage as the flat battery (12V) and
approximately the same capacity (see imprint 8.
9.
10.
11.
on battery). Failure to comply could result in
an exp
lo
sion.
● Never use jump leads when one of the bat-
teries
is frozen. Danger of explosion! Even af-
ter the battery has thawed, battery acid could
leak and cause chemical burns. If a battery
freezes, it should be replaced.
● Keep sparks, flames and lighted cigarettes
awa
y from batteries, danger of explosion.
Failure to comply could result in an explo-
sion.
● Observe the instructions provided by the
manufact
urer of the jump leads.
● Do not connect the negative cable from the
other vehic
le directly to the negative terminal
of the flat battery. The gas emitted from the
battery could be ignited by sparks. Danger of
explosion.
● Never attach the negative cable to fuel sys-
tem component
s or the brake lines in the oth-
er vehicle.
● The non-insulated parts of the battery
clamp
s must not be allowed to touch. The
jump lead attached to the positive battery
terminal must not touch metal parts of the ve-
hicle, this can cause a short circuit.
● Position the leads in such a way that they
cannot c
ome into contact with any moving
parts in the engine compartment.
● Do not lean on the batteries. This could re-
sult
in chemical burns. Note
The vehicles must not touch each other, oth-
erw i
se electricity could flow as soon as the
positive terminals are connected. Changing the wiper blades
Wind s
creen wipers service position Fig. 61
Wipers in service position. The wiper arms can be raised when the wip-
er
s
ar
e in service position ›››
Fig. 61.
● Close the bonnet ›››
page 187.
● Switch the ignition on and off.
● Press the windscreen wiper lever down-
ward
s briefly ›››
Fig. 32 4 .
» 45
Self-help
WARNING
Driving with an unsealed tyre is dangerous
and can c au
se accidents and serious injury.
● Do not continue driving if the tyre pressure
is 1.3
bar (19 psi / 130 kPa) and lower.
● Seek specialist assistance. Changing the windscreen wiper
bl
a
des
Changing the windscreen and rear
window wiper blades Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 46.
The windscreen wiper blades are supplied as
standard with a layer of graphite. This layer is
responsible for ensuring that the wipe is si-
lent. If the graphite layer is damaged, the
noise of the water as it is wiped across the
windscreen will be louder.
Check the condition of the wiper blades regu-
larly. If the wipers scrape across the glass
they should be changed if they are damaged,
or cleaned if they are dirty ››› .
Dam ag
ed w
iper blades should be replaced
immediately. These are available from quali-
fied workshops. WARNING
Worn or dirty windscreen wiper blades reduce
vi s
ibility and increase the risk of accident
and serious injury.
● Always replace damaged or worn wind-
scr
een wiper blades or blades that no longer
clean the windscreen properly. CAUTION
● Damag ed or dir
ty windscreen wipers could
scratch the glass.
● If products containing solvents, rough
spong
es or sharp objects are used to clean
the blades, the graphite layer will be dam-
aged.
● Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint
thinner or simil
ar products to clean the win-
dows. CAUTION
● To pr ev
ent damage to the bonnet and the
wiper arms, only leave them in the service
position.
● Before driving, always lower the wiper
arms. Note
If wax deposits, other cleaning products from
the autom atic
car wash, or other care prod-
ucts, are left on the windscreen and the rear
window, the blades can scratch the glass. Re- move wax deposits with a special product or
cl
e
aning cloths. Tow-starting and towing
Ins truction
s for tow-starting Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 42.
When towing or tow starting, respect the le-
gal requirements.
For technical reasons, it is not possible to
tow a vehicle if the battery is flat.
In general, the vehicle should not be started
by towing. Jump-starting is much more pref-
erable ›››
page 43.
For technical reasons, the following vehicles
can not be tow started:
● Vehicles with an automatic gearbox.
● If the vehicle battery is flat, it is possible
that the en
gine control unit does not operate
correctly.
However, if your vehicle must absolutely be
tow-started (manual gearbox):
● Put it into second or third gear.
● Keep the clutch pressed down. »
75
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Emergencies
● Sw it
c
h on the ignition and the hazard warn-
ing lights.
● Release the clutch when both vehicles are
movin
g.
● As soon as the engine starts, press the
clutc
h and move the gear lever into neutral.
This helps to prevent a collision with the tow-
ing vehicle. WARNING
A vehicle with a flat battery should never be
to w
ed.
● Never remove the key from the ignition
lock. Otherw
ise, the steering wheel lock
could suddenly lock. The vehicle would not
be controlled and a serious accident could
ensue. WARNING
When towing the vehicle, the handling and
brak in
g efficiency change considerably.
Please observe the following instructions to
minimise the risk of serious accidents and in-
jury:
● As the driver of the vehicle being towed:
– The brake mu
st be depressed must hard-
er as the brake servo does not operate.
Always remain aware to avoid collision
with the towing vehicle.
– More strength is required at the steering
wheel as the power steering does not op-
erate when the engine is switched off. ●
As the driv er of
the towing vehicle:
– Accelerate gently and carefully.
– Avoid sudden braking and manoeuvres.
– Brake well in advance than usual and
brake gently. CAUTION
● When t ow-
starting, fuel could enter the cat-
alytic converter and damage it.
● Carefully fit and remove the towline anchor-
age and its
cover to avoid damage to the ve-
hicle (e.g. paintwork).
● When towing, fuel could enter the catalytic
conv
erter and cause damage! Note
Fitting a towline anchorage to the rear bump-
er is not
possible. The vehicle is not suitable
for towing other vehicles. Advice for towing the vehicle
Towing vehicles with an automatic gearbox
Not
e the f
o
llowing for a towed vehicle:
● Make sure the gear selector lever is in the N
position.
● Do not
drive faster than 50 km/h (30 mph)
when tow
ing a vehicle.
● Do not tow further than 50 km (30 miles). ●
If a bre
akdown truck is used, the vehicle
must be towed with the front wheels raised.
Situations in which a vehicle should not be
towed
In the following cases, the vehicle should not
be towed but transported on a trailer or spe-
cial vehicle:
● If the vehicle gearbox does not contain lu-
bricant due t
o a fault.
● If the battery is flat and the steering cannot
be unloc
ked as a result, the electronic steer-
ing lock and electronic parking brake cannot
be disengaged.
● If the vehicle to be towed has an automatic
gearbo
x and the distance to be covered is
greater than 50 km (30 miles). Note
The vehicle can only be towed if the steering
lock el
ectronic gearbox lock is deactivated. If
the vehicle has no power supply or there is
an electric system fault, the engine must be
started using jump leads to deactivate the
steering column electronic gearbox lock. 76
Driving
Maximum cooling power or heating power in
the c a
se of
Climatronic
When driving, the maximum cooling power or
heating power can be adjusted by pressing
the 1 or
2
› ››
Fig. 144
b
utton repeatedly.
The temperature is not regulated.
● Maximum cooling power: adjus
t the tem-
perature below +16°C (+60°F). The display
then shows LO.
● Maximum heating power: adjus
t the tem-
perature above +29°C (+84°F). The display
then shows HI.
Dust and pollen filter
The dust and pollen filter should be changed
regularly in order to maintain air conditioner
performance.
If the vehicle is used frequently in areas
where the outside air is highly polluted, it
may be necessary to change the filter before
the next scheduled service.
Water under the vehicle
If the humidity and temperature outside the
vehicle are high, condensation can drip off
the evaporator in the cooling system and
form a small pool underneath the vehicle.
This is normal and does not indicate a leak! Driving
St op
pin
g and starting the en-
gine
Switching on the ignition and starting
the engine Fig. 145
Vehicle key positions Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 20
Immobiliser display
When an invalid key is used or in the event of
a system fault, is displayed on the instru-
ment panel. The engine cannot be started.
Pushing or towing
For technical reasons, the vehicle must not
be push- or tow-started. Jump starting is pref-
erable. Key not authorised for the vehicle
If a key
which is not authorised for this vehi-
cle is inserted in the ignition lock, it can be
removed as follows:
● Automatic gearbox : the key c
annot be re-
moved from the ignition lock. Press and re-
lease the selector lever locking button. Key
can be removed from the vehicle.
● Manual gearbox: Remov
e the key from the
ignition. WARNING
Switching off the engine while driving makes
st op
ping the vehicle difficult. As a conse-
quence you may lose control of the vehicle
and there is a risk of serious accident.
● The assisted braking and steering systems,
the airbag sys
tem, seat belts and certain
safety equipment are only active while the
engine is running.
● The engine should only be switched off
when the vehic
le is at a standstill. WARNING
While the engine is running or starting it
cou l
d help reduce the risk of serious injury.
● Never start or leave the engine running in
poorly v
entilated or closed spaces. Exhaust
gas contains carbon monoxide, a toxic, col-
ourless and odourless gas. Carbon monoxide
can cause people to lose consciousness. It
can also cause death. » 133
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety