Driving
instance 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 consumption will drop
to zero due to the overrun fuel cut-off.
Change gear early to save fuel
An effective way of saving fuel is to change up
quickly through the gears. Running the engine at
high rpm in the lower gears uses an unnecessary
amount of
fuel.
Applies to: vehicles with manual gearbox
Shift up to second gear as soon as possible. If
possible, we recommend shifting up to the next
gear at approx. 2,000 rpm.
Applies to: vehicles with automatic gearbox
Press the accelerator slowly and avoid using the
"kick-down"
feature.
Avoid driving at high speed
Avoid travelling at top speed. Fuel consumption,
exhaust emissions and noise Levels all increase
very rapidly at higher speeds. Driving at moder
ate speeds will help to save
fuel.
Do not let the engine idle for longer than
necessary
Engine idling periods are automatically reduced
on vehicles with start/stop system*. On vehicles
without a start/stop system, it is worthwhile
switching off the engine at level crossings, for in
stance, or at traffic lights with a long red phase.
The fuel saved after about 5 seconds can be
greater than the amount of fuel needed to re
start a warm engine (the exact fuel saving de
pends on the engine version).
The engine takes a very long time to warm up
when it is running at idling speed. Mechanical
wear and pollutant emissions are also especially
high during this initial warm-up phase. It is
therefore best to drive off immediately after
starting the engine. Avoid running the engine at
high speed.
o
Regular servicing
Regular servicing can establish a basis for good
iS
fuel economy before you start driving. A
well-
serviced engine gives you the benefit of im
proved fuel efficiency as well as maximum relia
bility and an enhanced resale value. A poorly
maintained engine can consume up to ten per
cent more fuel than necessary.
Avoid short trips
The engine and emission control system need to
reach their proper working temperature in order
to minimise fuel consumption and emissions.
A cold engine uses disproportionately more
fuel.
The engine only reaches its working temperature
after about four kilometres, when fuel consump
tion will return to a normal level.
Check tyre pressures
Always make sure the tyres are inflated to the
correct pressures
•=>page
306 to save
fuel.
If the
tyre pressures
are
just 0.5
bar
too Low, this can
increase the fuel consumption by as much as 5
%. Due to the greater rolling resistance, under-
inflation also increases tyre wear and impairs
handling.
Do not use winter tyres all through the year; they
will increase fuel consumption by up to 10 %.
Avoid carrying unnecessary loads
Every kilo of extra weight will increase the fuel
consumption, so it is worth checking the Luggage
compartment occasionally to make sure that no
unnecessary loads are being transported.
The roof carrier increases the air resistance of the
vehicle and should be removed when not in use.
This will save about 12 % of fuel at speeds of be
tween 60 and 75
mph.
Save electrical energy
The engine drives the alternator to generate elec
tricity. This means that fuel consumption rises
when more power is required for electrical equip
ment. Switch off electrical equipment when it is
not needed. Electrical equipment which uses a
lot of electricity includes the blower (at a high
setting), the rear window heating and the seat
heating*.
73
Driving
CO
<
O
rN
iv
rN
•-i
00
Electrical components with a high power
con
sumption are switched off temporarily while you
start the engine.
If the engine fails to start immediately, switch
off the starter by turning the ignition key to
posi
tion (5) and try again after about 30 seconds.
Start/stop
system*
Please note the information on
^>page
79,
Start/stop system.
A WARNING
- Never run the engine in confined spaces.
The exhaust gases are toxic - risk of poison
ing!
- Never remove the key from the ignition
while the vehicle is moving. The steering
lock would engage, and you would not be
able to steer the car - risk of accident!
© CAUTION
Avoid high engine speeds, full throttle and ex
treme load conditions until the engine has
reached its normal operating temperature;
otherwise this can damage the engine.
© For the sake of the environmen
Do not warm up the engine by running it with
the car stationary. You should drive off imme
diately whenever possible. This will help avoid
unnecessary exhaust emissions.
© Note
- If it is difficult to turn the ignition key to po
sition ®, move the steering wheel (to take
the load off the steering lock mechanism)
until the key turns freely.
- Any noises which may be heard when the
engine is started are quite normal and no
cause for concern.
Switching off the engine
Applies to: vehicles with ignition lock
Switching off the engine
•
Stop the vehicle.
•
Turn the ignition key to position
@.
The rev
counter needle will move to the OFF position.
Engaging the steering lock
Important: The selector lever must be in position
P (automatic gearbox*).
•
Remove the ignition key while it is in position
(§) ^>page
76, Fig. 70
=> A
•
Turn the steering wheel until you hear the
steering lock engage.
The steering lock acts as a theft deterrent.
A,
WARNING
- Never switch off the engine until the vehicle
is stationary. Otherwise you may not have
the full benefit of the brake servo and pow
er steering. You may need more strength to
steer and brake the vehicle than you nor
mally would. This would mean a greater risk
of accidents and serious injury, because you
cannot steer and brake in the normal
man
ner.
- Never remove the key from the ignition
while the vehicle is moving. The steering
lock could engage suddenly, and you would
not be able to steer the car.
- Always take the key with you when you leave
the vehicle. Otherwise the engine can be
started or power-operated equipment such
as the electric windows can be used. This
could result in serious injury.
- When parking, always move the selector
lever to position
P
to prevent the vehicle
from rolling back accidentally.
© CAUTION
If the engine has been working hard
fora
long
time,
there is a risk of heat building up in the
engine compartment after the engine has
been switched off; this could cause engine
damage. For this reason, you should Leave the
engine idling for about 2 minutes before
switching
it
off.
75
Driving
©
y
Note
After the engine is stopped, the radiator fan
may remain on or turn itself back on for up to
10 minutes, even if the ignition is switched
off. This may occur for the following reasons:
- Residual heat has raised the coolant
tem
perature.
- Direct sunlight has additionally heated up
the engine compartment while the engine is
warm.
- Applies to vehicles with diesel particulate
filter: The emission control system is hot
because of the regeneration process, even
though the engine has
not
yet reached oper
ating temperature.
Starting and stopping
the engine (vehicles with
convenience key)
Starting the engine
Applies to: vehicles with convenience key
You can use the ISTART ENGINE STOP| button to
switch on the ignition and start the engine.
Fig.
70 Centre console: START ENGINE STOP button
Starting the engine
•
Manual gearbox: Press the clutch pedal all the
way down and move the gear lever into neutral.
•
Automatic gearbox: Press the brake pedal and
move the selector lever to position P or N.
•
Press the ISTART ENGINE
STOP!
button briefly
to start the engine.
Applies to: vehicles with diesel engine
•
The engine may take a few seconds longer than
usual to start on cold days. Please keep your
foot on the clutch pedal (manual gearbox) or
brake pedal (automatic gearbox) until the en
gine starts. The indicator Lamp
E 3
lights up
while the glow plugs are preheating.
Electrical components with a high power
con
sumption are switched off temporarily while you
start the engine.
If the engine fails to start immediately, switch
off the starter by pressing the
ISTART
ENGINE
STOPI
button once more and try
again after about 30 seconds.
Switching the ignition on/off
If you only wish to switch on the ignition and do
not want to start the engine as
well,
proceed as
follows:
•
Press the ISTART ENGINE STOP| button with
out pressing the clutch (manual gearbox) or
brake pedal (automatic gearbox). Vehicles
without start/stop system*: The rev counter
needle will move to the READY position.
•
To switch off the ignition, press the button
again.
The rev counter needle will move to the
OFF position.
Diesel engines are automatically preheated when
you switch on the ignition.
If the indicator lamp
£21
flashes and the message
Please move steering wheel appears when you
switch on the ignition, the steering wheel is
locked.
In this case, turn the steering wheel
slightly
to
the left/right.
Start/stop system*
Please note the information on
<^>page
79,
Start/stop system.
WARNING
Never run the engine in confined spaces. The
exhaust gases are toxic - risk of poisoning!
© CAUTION
Avoid high engine speeds, full throttle and ex
treme load conditions until the engine has
reached its normal operating temperature;
otherwise this can damage the engine. •
76
Driving
CO
<
O
rN
IV
rN
t-H
o <
® For the sake of the environment
Do not warm up the engine by running it with
the car stationary. You should drive off imme
diately whenever possible. This will help avoid
unnecessary exhaust emissions.
© Note
- Any noises which may be heard when the
engine is started are quite normal and no
cause for concern.
- If
you
leave your vehicle with the ignition
switched on, it will be switched off auto
matically after
a
while. Please note that
electrical equipment such as the exterior
lighting will also be switched off.
Switching off the engine
Applies to: vehicles with convenience key
•
Stop the vehicle.
•
Automatic gearbox: Move the selector lever to
position P.
•
Press the ISTART ENGINE STOP| button
tapage
76, Fig. 70.
Steering
lock15
The steering will be locked if
you
switch off the
engine with the ISTART ENGINE STOP| button,
move the selector lever to position P (on vehicles
with automatic gearbox*) and open the driver's
door. The steering lock acts as a theft deterrent.
Emergency Off function
If necessary in an emergency, the engine can be
switched off while the vehicle is still moving at
speeds of 7 km/h and above. To switch off the
engine, press the ISTART ENGINE STOP| button
twice in quick succession or hold it in for longer
than two seconds.
A WARNING
- Never switch off the engine until the vehicle
is stationary. Otherwise you may not have
the full benefit of the brake servo and pow
er steering. You may need more strength to
steer and brake the vehicle than you nor
mally would. This would mean a greater risk
of accidents and serious injury, because you
cannot steer and brake in the normal
man
ner.
- Always take the key with you when you Leave
the vehicle. Otherwise the engine can be
started or power-operated equipment such
as the electric windows can be used. This
could result in serious injury.
- When parking, always move the selector
lever to position
P
to prevent the vehicle
from rolling back accidentally.
If the engine has been working hard for
a
long
time,
there is a risk of heat building up in the
engine compartment after the engine has
been switched off; this could cause engine
damage. For this reason, you should leave the
engine idling for about 2 minutes before
switching it off.
©
Note
After the engine is stopped, the radiator fan
may remain on or turn itself back on for up to
10 minutes, even if the ignition is switched
off. This may occur for the following reasons:
- Residual heat has raised the coolant
tem
perature.
- Direct sunlight has additionally heated up
the engine compartment while the engine is
warm.
- Applies to vehicles with diesel particulate
filter: The emission control system is hot
because of the regeneration process, even
though the engine has
not
yet reached oper
ating temperature.
Driver messages
Engine running. Warning! Switch off ignition
before leaving car
1J
This function is not available on all export versions.
77
Driving
display.
The rev
counter needle will also move
to
the
READY position.
•
The engine will start again automatically when
you press
the
clutch pedal.
The
indicator lamp
will
go out.
Applies to: vehicles with automatic gearbox
•
Brake
the
vehicle
to a
stop.
The
engine will
be
switched
off
shortly before
the
vehicle comes
to
a
standstill
or
when
the
vehicle
is
station-
aryx).
Keep your foot
on the
brake pedal.
The
indicator
lamp
@/
@
will appear
on the
dis
play.
The rev
counter needle will also move
to
the READY position.
•
The engine will start again automatically when
you take your foot
off
the brake pedal.
If the
parking brake
is
applied
or
hold assist*
is
switched on,
the
engine will only restart when
you press
the
accelerator pedal1).
The
indicator
lamp
will
go out.
Further information
for
automatic gearboxes
The engine will stop
if
the selector lever
is in po
sition
P, N or D.
The engine will start again
if
you move
the
selec
tor lever
to
R during
a
stop phase.
If you
do not
want
the
engine
to
start when mov
ing
the
selector Lever through
R,
move
the
lever
to P quickly.
You
can
control whether
or not the
engine
is
switched
off by
varying
the
amount
of
pressure
on
the
brake pedal.
For
instance,
if
you brake
gently
in
stop-and-go traffic
or
before turning
off
at a junction,
the
engine will remain
on
while
the
vehicle
is at
a standstill.
As
soon as you press
the
brake pedal harder,
the
engine will
be
switched
off.
be switched
off. The rev
counter needle will
move
to the
OFF position.
- Keep your foot
on the
brake pedal during
a
stop phase
to
prevent
the
vehicle from mov
ing.
-
If you press the
ISTART ENGINE STOP|
but
ton*
during
a
stop phase,
the
ignition will
Note
Applies to: vehicles with manual gearbox
If the engine stalls, you
can
start
it
again
di
rectly
by
pressing
the
clutch pedal immedi
ately.
General notes
Applies to: vehicles with start/stop system
Engine does
not
switch
off
The system checks that certain conditions
are
met before
and
during each stop phase.
If
the
in
dicator lamp
Ey
appears
on the
instrument clus
ter display,
the
engine will
not be
switched
off in
the following situations:
- The engine
has
not
yet
reached
the
minimum
temperature required
for
start/stop mode.
- The interior temperature selected
on the air
conditioner*
has
not
yet
been reached.
- The exterior temperature
is
very high/low.
- The windscreen
is
being defrosted
W.
-The parking
aid*
is
switched
on.
- The vehicle battery charge
is too low.
- The steering wheel
is
close
to
full lock
or the
vehicle
is
being steered.
- Reverse gear has just been selected.
- The vehicle
is on a
steep gradient.
-At high altitudes.
Engine cuts
in
again automatically
The stop phase
is
interrupted
in the
following sit
uations,
for
example.
The
engine cuts
in
auto
matically without intervention from
the
driver.
- The vehicle starts
to
roll (e.g.
on a
hiLl).
- The interior temperature deviates from
the air
conditioner setting.
- The windscreen
is
being defrosted
*$?.
- The brake pedal
is
pressed several times
in
suc
cession.
- The vehicle battery charge drops
to an
insuffi
cient level.
1'
May vary in different countries
80
Driving
©
y Note
If the selector lever does not lock automati
cally, a malfunction has occurred. In this case,
the power transmission is interrupted to pre
vent the vehicle from moving unintentionally.
Proceed as follows to engage the selector lev
er lock again:
- Applies to vehicles with 6-speed gearbox:
Briefly press the brake pedal.
- Applies to vehicles with 7-speed gearbox:
Press the brake pedal. Move the selector
lever to position
P
or
N
and then select a
gear.
- If the vehicle does not move forwards or
backwards even though a gear is selected,
proceed as follows:
- If the vehicle does not move in the desired
direction,
the system may have failed to en
gage the gear correctly. In this case, press
the brake pedal and select the gear again.
- If the vehicle still does not move in the de
sired direction, a system malfunction has
occurred.
Seek professional assistance and
have the system checked.
General notes on driving an automatic
Applies to: vehicles with automatic gearbox
Fig.
77 Detail of the centre console: Selector lever with in
terlock button
Starting the engine
•
Move the selector Lever to
P
or N. In the case of
Low outside temperatures (below -10 °C), the
engine can only be started when the selector
lever is in position P.
Driving away from a standstill
•
Press and hold the brake pedal.
•
Press and hold the interlock button (the button
in the selector lever handle), set the selector
lever to the desired position (e.g. D)
^>page
86
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
There are several convenient functions to help
you drive away on gradients
^page
83.
Stopping briefly
•
Press the brake pedal to hold the vehicLe when
stationary (for instance at traffic lights).
•
Do not press the accelerator.
•
To prevent the vehicLe from rolling away, apply
the parking brake before moving off on steep
gradients
•=>^
and
•=>(]).
• As soon as you acceLerate as normal, the park
ing brake will automatically be released and
the vehicLe will start moving. Important: The
driver's door must be closed.
Stopping/parking the car
If
you
open the driver's door while the selector
lever is not in position P, the vehicle can roll
away. The message Shift to P, otherwise vehicle
can roll away. Doors do not lock if lever is not in
P. appears on vehicles with convenience key*. A
buzzer will also sound.
•
Press and hold the brake pedal
<=>
A..
•
Apply the parking brake.
•
Move the selector Lever to P.
In some situations (such as on mountain roads or
when towing a trailer or caravan) it can be advan
tageous to switch temporarily to the manual
shift programme so that the gear ratios can be
selected manually to suit the driving conditions
^>page
90.
On level ground it is sufficient to move the selec
tor lever to P. On a gradient the parking brake
should be applied first and the selector Lever
should be moved to
P ^>page
82. This reduces
the load on the locking mechanism and makes it
easier to move the selector lever out of position
P. •
88
Towing a trailer
Towing a trailer
Driving the vehicle with a
trailer or caravan
Technical requirements
The
towing bracket must comply with certain
technical requirements.
Your car is intended mainly for transporting pas
sengers and luggage. However, if suitably equip
ped,
it can also be used to tow a trailer or cara
van.
If the car is supplied with a factory-fitted towing
bracket it will already have the necessary techni
cal modifications and meet the statutory require
ments.
A 13-pin socket is provided to make the electrical
connection between the car and the trailer. If the
trailer you wish to tow has a 7-pin plug, the nec
essary adapter cable can be obtained from a spe
cialist retailer.
If
a
towing bracket is to be fitted after the car is
purchased,
this must be done according to the in
structions of the towing bracket manufacturer
^page
102.
A WARNING
If
a
towing bracket is retrofitted, the installa
tion should be carried out by
a
qualified work
shop.
- In particular in high outside temperatures it
is not possible to drive up long steep gradi
ents without
a
suitable cooling system. The
engine would then overheat.
- Incorrect installation can result in a safety
risk.
Points to check before towing
There are a number of points which need to be
checked before towing a trailer or caravan.
*•
Observe the maximum permitted trailer
weights
^>page
342.
Trailer weights
Never exceed the maximum permitted trailer
weights.
If
you
do not load the trailer up to the maximum
permitted trailer weight, you can then climb cor
respondingly steeper gradients.
The maximum trailer weights listed are only ap
plicable for altitudes up to 1000 m above sea
level.
With increasing altitude the engine power
and therefore the car's climbing ability are im
paired because of the reduced air density, so the
maximum trailer weight has to be reduced ac
cordingly. The weight of the car and trailer must
be reduced by about 10% for every further
1000 m (or part thereof). This figure refers to
the combined weight of the (loaded) vehicle and
(Loaded) trailer.
The figures for the draw bar weight that appear
on the identification plate of the towing bracket
are for certification purposes only. The correct
figures for your specific model, which may be
lower than these figures for the towing bracket,
are given in the registration documents and in
•=>
page 343.
Drive select*
Please note that the
efficiency*
mode is not
available in towing mode.
Exterior lights
Before starting
a
journey, make sure that all the
lights for the trailer are working properly.
Distributing the load
Distribute loads in the trailer so that heavy ob
jects are as near to the axle as possible. Loads
carried in the trailer must be secured to prevent
them slipping. A badly distributed load can also
affect handling. This can activate the trailer sta
bilisation feature and cause the vehicle to reduce
speed.
Where possible, operate the trailer with the max
imum permitted draw bar weight on the ball
joint of the towing bracket, but do not exceed the
specified limit. •
96
Towing a trailer
Requirements for correct functioning of the
trailer stabilisation system
If these conditions are not met in
full,
the trailer
stabilisation system will only intervene to a
limi
ted extent or not at all
>=>
A-
- The electrical connection between the towing
vehicle and the trailer must be functioning cor
rectly.
- The load on the trailer must be properly se
cured.
- The tyre pressures on both the vehicLe and the
trailer must be adapted to the load that is be
ing carried.
- Where possible, operate the trailer with the
maximum permitted draw bar weight.
- The trailer overrun brake must be set correctly.
This is important to ensure that the trailer can
be braked correctly, to avoid the vehicle and
trailer "jack-knifing" and to prevent excess
braking of the trailer.
- At low outside temperatures, both the towing
vehicle and the trailer should be fitted with
winter tyres.
A WARNING
It is essential that you adjust your speed to
suit the weather, road and traffic conditions.
Do not let the trailer stabilisation system
tempt you into taking any risks when driving -
this can cause accidents.
- The ESC and trailer stabilisation system
can
not defy the Laws of physics. This should be
kept in mind, particularly on slippery and
wet roads and when towing a trailer with a
light Load.
- The trailer stabilisation system is function
al,
regardless of whether the trailer has a
mechanical overrun brake or not.
- The trailer stabilisation system is not always
able to detect swaying of trailers with a
light load and will therefore not intervene.
- A trailer can still "jack-knife" on slippery
roads with little grip, even if the towing ve
hicle is equipped with the trailer stabilisa
tion system.
-Trailers with a high centre of gravity may
even tip over before they start to sway
side
ways.
-If
you
are not towing a trailer,
but
the
trail
er socket is being used (e.g. for an illumina
ted bicycle rack), the trailer stabilisation
system may be activated in extreme driving
conditions.
- Please note the additional information and
warnings
^>page
98, Driving tips.
Driving tips
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care.
Weight distribution
Try to avoid towing a loaded trailer with an unla
den vehicle. If this cannot be avoided, drive extra
slowly to allow for the unbalanced weight distri
bution.
Speed
Normally, you must not exceed 80 km/h when
towing a trailer or caravan. However, if the
trail
er/caravan is equipped with a trailer stabilisation
system,
you can drive at max. 100 km/h. Please
observe any other regulations applicable in the
country in which you are travelling.
The stability of the car and trailer is reduced with
increasing speed. For this reason it is advisable
not to drive at the maximum permissible top
speed in unfavourable
road,
weather or wind
con
ditions. This applies especially on a downhill gra
dient.
You should always reduce speed immediately if
the trailer shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating fur
ther.
Always brake in good time. If the trailer has an
overrun brake, apply the brakes gently at first
and then firmly. This will prevent the jerking that
can be caused by the trailer wheels locking.
Change down in good time before going down a
steep hill so
that
you can use the engine braking
effect to slow down the vehicLe.
Swaying and pitching can be reduced by attach
ing an extra stabiliser to the trailer. It should •
98