- Fig. 1 Detail of the centre console: Selector lever with interlock button
The gears are changed automatically.
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/S) 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 WARNING!.
Stopping briefly
Apply the foot brake to hold the vehicle when stationary (for instance at traffic lights).
Do not press the accelerator while waiting.
To prevent the vehicle from rolling away, apply the parking brake before moving off on steep gradients WARNING!.
As soon as you accelerate as normal, the parking brake will automatically be released and the vehicle will start moving.
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 Gearbox: selector lever in gear! will appear. A buzzer will also sound.
Press and hold the brake pedal WARNING!.
Apply the parking brake.
Move the selector lever to P.
S tronic gearbox: Stopping on a slope
S tronic gearbox: Driving away on a slope
Once you have engaged a gear, release the footbrake and press the accelerator Link.
The engine can only be started when the selector lever is at P or N.
S tronic gearbox - Driving down hills: In some situations (such as when driving on mountain roads) it can be advantageous to switch temporarily to the manual shift programme so that the gear ratios can be selected manually to suit the driving conditions WARNING!.
On level ground it is sufficient to move the selector lever to P. On a gradient the parking brake should be applied first and the selector lever should be moved to P Link. This reduces the load on the locking mechanism and makes it easier to move the selector lever out of position P.
multitronic gearbox: Your vehicle is equipped with the hill hold assist function which makes it easier to drive away on a slope. The system is activated when you press and hold the brake pedal for a few seconds. When you release the brake pedal the braking force will be maintained for a moment in order to prevent the vehicle rolling back when you drive away.
- The driver should never get out of the vehicle when the engine is running and a gear is engaged.
- S tronic and tiptronic gearboxes: If the engine is running and a gear is engaged (D/S or R) or the vehicle is in "tiptronic" mode, you will need to hold the car with the footbrake. Otherwise, the car will "creep" forwards as the power transmission is not fully interrupted even when the engine is idling.
- Do not press the accelerator while selecting a gear with the vehicle stationary and the engine running, as this could cause an accident.
- Please note that some power will still be transmitted when you stop temporarily with the selector lever in position D/S or R. For this reason, to avoid risking an accident, apply the footbrake firmly when stopping to prevent the vehicle rolling away.
- Never move the selector lever to R or P when driving at normal speeds, as this could cause an accident.
- S tronic and tiptronic gearboxes: When you have stopped on a gradient, do not try to stop the vehicle rolling back by accelerating when a gear is engaged. This could cause the gearbox to overheat and become damaged. Apply the parking brake or press the brake pedal in order to prevent the vehicle from rolling back.
- S tronic and tiptronic gearboxes: If you allow the car to roll with the selector lever in position N and the engine switched off, the gearbox will be damaged as it will not be lubricated.