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Applies to: vehicles with automatic gearbox
The gearbox changes the forward gears up and down automatically.
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- Fig. 74 Detail of the centre console: Selector lever with interlock button
Starting the engine
The selector lever must be in position 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) link► 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 link►.
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 with your seat belt fastened, the parking brake will automatically be released and the vehicle will start moving.
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
►.
Apply the parking brake.
Move the selector lever to P.
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 link►.
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.
- The driver should never get out of the vehicle when the engine is running and a gear is engaged. If you have to leave your vehicle while the engine is running, you must apply the parking brake and engage the parking lock P.
- 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.
- The accelerator pedal must on no account be pressed inadvertently when the vehicle is stationary. The vehicle could otherwise start moving immediately (in some cases even if the parking brake is engaged) and possibly cause an accident.
- Do not press the accelerator while selecting a gear with the vehicle stationary and the engine running, as this could cause an accident.
- Never move the selector lever to R or P when driving at normal speeds, as this could cause an accident.
- Before you drive down a steep gradient, reduce the speed and use “tiptronic” to select a low gear.
- Never allow the brake to drag when driving downhill and do not use the brake pedal too often or for long periods. Constant braking will cause the brakes to overheat and will considerably reduce the effectiveness of the brakes. It will increase the braking distance and could cause the brake system to fail.
- To avoid rolling back on gradients always hold the vehicle with the footbrake or parking brake if you have to stop.
- Never attempt to hold the vehicle with the clutch when stopping on a gradient. The clutch is disengaged automatically if it is overloaded and becomes too hot - accident risk! If the clutch is overloaded, the warning lamp
will light up and a message will appear link►.
- 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 automatic gearbox to overheat and become damaged. Apply the parking brake or press the brake pedal in order to prevent the vehicle from rolling back.
- If you allow the car to roll with the selector lever in position N with the engine switched off, the automatic gearbox will be damaged as it will not be lubricated.
- In certain driving and traffic conditions, for instance in stop-and-go traffic, if you have to pull away frequently or if the vehicle creeps forwards over a long distance, the gearbox can overheat and become damaged. If the indicator lamp
or the warning lamp
lights up, stop the vehicle at the first opportunity and let the gearbox cool down link►.
- If you allow the car to roll with the engine switched off, the S tronic gearbox will be damaged as it will not be lubricated link►.
Note
For safety reasons the parking brake will only release automatically if the driver s seat belt is engaged in its buckle.