power steering Seat Alhambra 2016 Owner's Manual

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Starting the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Lights and visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
SEAT information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Warning lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Gearbox lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Level control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Action in the event of a puncture . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Changing a wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Emergency towing of the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 50
How to jump start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Changing windscreen wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Safe driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Safety first! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Advice about driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Correct position of the vehicle occupants . . . . 57
Pedal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Seat belts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Why wear a seat belt? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
How to properly adjust your seatbelt . . . . . . . . 64
Seat belt tensioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Brief introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Airbag safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Deactivating airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Transporting children safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Safety for children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Child seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Integrated child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Self-help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
In case of emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Vehicle tool kit* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Changing a wheel* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Tyre repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Changing the windscreen wiper blades . . . . . . 87
Tow-starting and towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Emergency locking and unlocking . . . . . . . . . . 89
Fuses and bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Changing bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
General instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Instrument panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Control lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Communications and multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Steering wheel controls* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Three button unit in headliner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Opening and closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Vehicle key set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Central locking and locking system . . . . . . . . . 114 Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Rear lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Electric windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Panoramic sliding sunroof* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Lights and visibility
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Windscreen wiper and window wiper sys-
tems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
R

ear vision mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Seats and head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Adjusting the seats and head restraints . . . . . . 142
Seat functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Transport and practical equipment . . . . . . . . . 152
Transporting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Roof carrier* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Drink holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Ashtray and cigarette lighter* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Power sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Air conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Auxiliary heater* (additional heater) . . . . . . . . 180
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Stopping and starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Braking and parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Run-in and economical driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Engine management and exhaust gas purifica-
tion syst
em . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Driving along flooded roadways . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Driver assistance systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Braking and stability systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Start assist systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 3

Emergencies
Always remain aware to avoid collision
with the t
o
wing 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 driver of the towing vehicle:
– Acc

elerate gently and carefully.
– Avoid sudden braking and manoeuvres.
– Brake well in advance than usual and
brake gently. CAUTION
● Car ef

ully 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
● The v ehic

le can only be towed if the elec-
tronic parking brake and steering lock are de-
activated. If the vehicle has no power supply
or there is an electric system fault, the en-
gine must be started using jump leads to de-
activate the electronic parking brake and
electronic steering lock.
● Vehicles with the Keyless Access locking
and ignition syst
em should only be towed
with the ignition connected since, otherwise,
the electronic steering lock will not unlock. Fitting the front towline anchorage
Fig. 104
On the right-hand side of the front
b umper:
Sc

rew in the towline anchorage. The location for the removable towline an-
c
hor
ag

e is on the right-hand side of the front
bumper ››› Fig. 104.
The towline anchorage should always be kept
in the vehicle.
Note the instructions for towing
›››  page 50.
To fit the towline anchorage
● Take the towline anchorage from the vehi-
cle t
ool kit ››› page 82.
● Press on the upper cover and carefully re-
move it
forwards. Allow the cover to hang.
● Screw in the towline anchorage into its po-
sition antic
lockwise as far as it will go
››› Fig. 104 ››› . Use a suitable tool to firmly
tight en the t o

wline anchorage in its location. ●
After t
owing, remove the towline anchorage
by turning it clockwise and put the cover
back in place. CAUTION
The towline anchorage must always be com-
pl et

ely and firmly tightened. Otherwise, it
could be released while towing and tow-start-
ing. Fitting the rear towline anchorage
Fig. 105
On the rear bumper, to the right
h and s ide:

Towline anchorage in position The location for the removable towline an-
c
hor
ag

e is on the right-hand side of the rear
bumper ››› Fig. 105. For vehicles with a facto-
ry fitted towing bracket , there is no fitting be-
hind the cover to insert the towline anchor-
age. For towing, fit and use the tow hitch
››› page 237, ››› .
88

Self-help
Note the instructions for towing
› ›
›
 page 50.
Fitting the towline anchorage to the rear for
vehicles without factory fitted tow hitch
● Take the towline anchorage from the vehi-
cle t
ool kit in the luggage compartment
››› page 82.
● Press on the upper cover and carefully re-
move it
back. This may require some
strength. Allow the cover to hang.
● Screw in the towline anchorage into its po-
sition antic
lockwise as far as it will go ››› .
U se a s
uit
able tool to firmly tighten the tow-
line anchorage in its location.
● After towing, remove the towline anchorage
by t
urning it clockwise and put the cover
back in place. CAUTION
● The to wline anc

horage must always be
completely and firmly tightened. Otherwise,
it could be released while towing and tow-
starting.
● Vehicles with a factory fitted towing brack-
et, can only
be used for towing with a tow
bar, specially designed to fit on a tow hitch
ball. Otherwise, the tow hitch ball and the ve-
hicle may be damaged. Otherwise, a tow rope
should be used. Towing advice
Towing requires some expertise and experi-
ence, e
s

pecially when using a tow rope. Both
drivers should be familiar with the technique
required for towing. For this reason, inexper-
ienced drivers should abstain.
While driving, avoid excessive traction forces
and jerking. When towing on an unpaved
road, there is always a risk of overloading
and damaging the anchorage points.
If the vehicle is towed, with the hazard warn-
ing lights on and the ignition switched on,
the turn signal may be used to indicate
changes of direction. Simply operate the turn
signal lever as usual. Meanwhile, the hazard
warning lights will go off. When the turn sig-
nal lever is returned to the rest position, the
hazard warning lights will be turned on auto-
matically.
Notes for the driver of the towed vehicle
● Leave the ignition on to avoid locking the
st eerin

g wheel, to release the electronic
parking brake and to activate the turn sig-
nals, the horn as well as the window wipers
and window washers.
● As the power assisted steering does not
work if
the engine is not running, you will
need more strength to steer than normally. ●
The brake mu
st be depressed must harder
as the brake servo does not operate. Avoid
hitting the towing vehicle.
● Note the instructions and information con-
tained in the Ins
truction Manual for the vehi-
cle to be towed.
Notes for the driver of the towing vehicle
● Accelerate gently and carefully. Avoid sud-
den manoeuvr
es.
● Brake well in advance than usual and brake
gently.
● Not

e the instructions and information con-
tained in the Ins
truction Manual for the vehi-
cle to be towed.
Emergency locking and unlock-
ing
Introduction Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 8,
›››
 page 10,
›››  page 12
The doors, rear lid and panoramic sliding
sunroof can be locked manually and partially
opened, for example if the key or the central
locking is damaged. »
89
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
– Manual
g
earbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
– Automatic
gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
12 volt power socket . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Auto Hold Switch -
 . . . . . . . . 208
Electronic parking brake switch
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Start-up push button (Keyless Ac-
ces
s closing and start-up system)
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
23 24
25
26
27
28 Steering column adjustment lev-
er
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Fuse box cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Lever for:
– Crui
se C

ontrol System (CCS)  –
 –  –  –  –  . .221
Open bonnet lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Controls for: – Electric w

indows  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
– Child
proof locks  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
29 30
31
32
33 Note
● Some of the it ems

of equipment listed here
are fitted only on certain model versions or
are optional extras.
● In versions with the steering wheel on the
right, the lay
out of the control elements is
somewhat different. But the symbols as-
signed to the controls correspond to the sym-
bols used in the versions with the steering
wheel on the left Instruments
V iew of
in

strument panel Fig. 119
Instrument panel, on dash panel Details of the instruments
››
›
Fig. 119: Clock set button1)
.
1 –
Pr e
s
s button  to select the hour or
minut e di
s
play.
100

Driving
Operating instructions The auxiliary heater exhaust system located
below the
v
ehicle must be kept clear of snow,
mud and other objects. The exhaust gases
must not be obstructed in any way. The ex-
haust gases generated by the auxiliary heater
are removed via an exhaust pipe fitted under-
neath the vehicle.
On heating the vehicle interior, depending on
the outside temperature the warm air is first
directed at the windscreen and then to the
rest of the vehicle interior through the air
vents. If the air vents are turned towards the
windows, for example, the form of air distri-
bution may be affected.
Depending on the outside temperature, the
temperature at which the auxiliary heater
warms the vehicle interior may be somewhat
higher if the heating or air conditioner tem-
perature control is set to maximum before
switching the heating on.
Depending on the engine, vehicles with aux-
iliary heater may be fitted with a second bat-
tery in the luggage compartment that is re-
sponsible for powering the auxiliary heater.
When will the auxiliary heater will not switch
on?
● The auxiliary heater requires about as
much po w

er as the dipped beam headlights.
If the battery charge is low, the auxiliary heat- er will switch off automatically or will not
even swit

ch on. This avoids problems when
starting the engine.
● The heater will switch on just once each
time. The timer wi
ll also have to be switched
back on every time it is required. Note
● Noise w i

ll be heard while the auxiliary
heater is running.
● When the air humidity is high and the out-
side temper
ature low, the heating system
may evaporate condensation from the auxili-
ary heater. In this case, steam may be re-
leased from underneath the vehicle. This is
completely normal and there is no need to
suspect a fault!
● If the auxiliary heater runs several times
over a pr
olonged period, the vehicle battery
may run flat. To re-charge the battery, drive
the vehicle for a long distance. As a general
rule, drive for as much time as the auxiliary
heating was working. Driving
Ad dr
e

ss
Introduction The power steering is not hydraulic but elec-
tromec
h

anical. The advantage of this steer-
ing system is that it disposes of hydraulic
tubes, hydraulic oil, the pump, filter and oth-
er components. The electromechanical sys-
tem saves fuel. While a hydraulic system re-
quires oil pressure to be maintained, electro-
mechanical steering only requires energy
when the steering wheel is turned.
With the power steering system, the assisted
steering function automatically adjusts ac-
cording to the vehicle speed, the steering tor-
que and the wheel turning angle. The power
steering only works when the engine is run-
ning. WARNING
If the power steering is not working then the
st eerin

g wheel is much more difficult to turn
and the vehicle more difficult to control.
● The power steering only works when the
engine is
running.
● Never allow the vehicle to move when the
engine is
switched off.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehic
le is in motion. The steering may » 183
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation
lock and it will not be possible to turn the
st
eerin
g wheel. Warning and indication lamps

It lights up red
Power steering faul-
ty.The steering system should be
checked by a specialised work-
shop as soon as possible.

It lights up yellow
Power steering op-
eration reduced.The steering system should be
checked by a specialised work-
shop as soon as possible.
If, after restarting the engine and
driving for a short distance, the
yellow warning lamp no longer
comes on, it will
not be necessa-
ry to take the vehicle to a speci-
alised workshop.
The vehicle battery
was disconnected
and has been recon-
nected.Drive for a short distance at
15-20 km/h (9-12 mph). 
Flashes red
Fault in the steering
column electronic
lock.
 Do not drive on!
Seek professional advice. 
It flashes yellow
Steering column de-
viation.Gently turn the steering wheel to
and fro.
Steering wheel not
unlocked or locked.Remove the key from the ignition
and then switch the ignition
back on. Check the messages
displayed on the instrument
panel at the same time.
Do not drive on, if
the steering
column remains locked after the
ignition has been switched on.
Seek specialist assistance. Several warning and indication lamps light
up f
or a f
ew sec

onds when the ignition is
switched on, signalling that the function is
being verified. They will switch off after a few
seconds. WARNING
Observe the safety warnings ›››
in Warning
and indication l amp
s on page 105. Information on the steering
Electronic steering column lock
V
ehic
l

es with Keyless Access: the steering
column locks when the driver's door is
opened and the ignition is switched off.
Therefore, the vehicle should be at a stand-
still and, where applicable, the selector lever
in position P. If the driver door is opened before the igni-
tion is sw

itched off, the steering column elec-
tronic lock is activated via the ignition key or
the sensor built into the door handle.
Steering column mechanical lock
To prevent theft, we recommend you lock the
steering before leaving the vehicle.
Please engage steer-
ing lockUnlocking the steering
Parking the vehicle
››› page 189.Turn the steering wheel
slightly to release the
steering lock.
Remove the key from the
ignition.Insert the key in the igni-
tion lock.
Turn the steering wheel
slightly until you hear the
steering lock.Hold the steering wheel in
this position and switch
on the ignition. Electromechanical power steering
W
ith the po
w

er steering system, the assisted
steering function automatically adjusts ac-
cording to the vehicle speed, the steering tor-
que and the wheel turning angle. The power
steering only works when the engine is run-
ning.
You should remember that you will need con-
siderably more power than normal to steer
the vehicle if the power steering is not work-
ing correctly or not at all.
184

Driving
Counter steering assistance system
The c ou
nt
er steering assistance system helps
the driver in critical situations. Additional
steering power helps the driver when counter
steering. WARNING
The counter steering assistance system com-
bined w ith E

SC helps the driver to steer the
vehicle in critical driving conditions. At all
times, it is the driver who steers the vehicle.
The counter steering system does not steer
the vehicle. Stopping and starting the en-
gine
Intr oduction Immobiliser display
When an in
v
alid k

ey is used or in the event of
a system fault,  or Immobiliser on is
displayed on the instrument panel. The en-
gine cannot be started.
Pushing or towing
For technical reasons, the vehicle must not
be push- or tow-started. Jump starting is pref-
erable. WARNING
Turning off the engine while driving will make
st op

ping the vehicle difficult; this could even
result in the loss of control causing an acci-
dent with serious consequences.
● 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.
● Never leave the vehicle unattended if the
engine is
running. The vehicle could move off
suddenly or something unexpected could
happen resulting in damage and serious in-
jury.
● Never use start boosters. Cold start sprays
coul
d explode or increase the engine speed
unexpectedly. WARNING
The components of the exhaust system reach
ver y

high temperatures. This could cause a
fire and considerable damage.
● Always park your vehicle so that no part of
the exhau
st system can come in contact with
flammable materials (such as wood, leaves,
dried grass, spilled fuel, etc.).
● Do not apply additional underseal or anti-
corro
sion coatings to the exhaust pipes, cata-
lytic converter, heat shields or the diesel par-
ticulate filter. Ignition lock
Fig. 199
Vehicle key positions Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›

 page 23 »
185
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Operation Vehicles without
Keyless AccessVehicles with
Keyless Access
6.
If the engine does not
start, stop and wait for around 1 minute to try again.If the engine does not
start, stop and wait for around 1 minute to try again. If necessary,
perform an emergency start ››› page 187.
7.Disconnect the electronic parking brake when you
are about to start driving ››› page 189. WARNING
Never leave the vehicle unattended if the en-
gine is ru

nning. The vehicle could move off
suddenly, especially if it is in gear, resulting
in an accident and serious injury. WARNING
Cold start sprays could explode or cause a
sud den inc

rease in the engine speed.
● Never use start boosters. CAUTION
● An attempt t

o start the engine while driving
or starting the engine immediately after turn-
ing it off can cause damage to the engine or
starter motor.
● When the engine is cold, avoid high revs
and heavy ac
celeration and do not make the
engine work hard. ●
Do not p u

sh or tow start the engine. Un-
burnt fuel could damage the catalytic con-
verter. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm the engine at idle speed; start
driv ing immedi

ately if the visibility is OK.
This helps the engine reach operating tem-
perature faster and reduces emissions. Note
● For e x

ample, if the key battery is very worn
or flat, the engine cannot be started with the
starter button. In this case, remove the igni-
tion button from the lock and insert the key.
● Electrical devices with a high power con-
sumption are sw
itched off temporarily when
the engine starts.
● When the engine is started cold, there may
be stron
g vibrations for a few moments for
technical reasons. This is quite normal, and
no cause for concern.
● At temperatures below +5°C (+41°F),
smoke ma
y be given off below the vehicle
when the additional heater is connected. Stopping the engine
Complete operations only in the sequence
giv
en:
Vehicles without
Keyless AccessVehicles with
Keyless Access
1.Bring the vehicle to a full stop ››› .
2.Press and hold the brake pedal until the step 4 is
performed.
3.If the vehicle has an automatic gearbox, place theselector lever in position P.
4.Connect the electronic parking brake ››› page 189.
5.Turn the vehicle key in
the ignition lock to po-
sition ››› Fig. 199 1
.
Briefly press the start-
up button
››› Fig. 200. If
the engine fails to
switch off, perform an
emergency disconnect
››› page 187.
6.If the vehicle is equipped with a manual gearbox,
put it into 1st or reverse. WARNING
Never switch off the engine while the vehicle
is mo

ving. You may lose control of the vehicle
and there is a risk of serious accident.
● The airbags and belt tensioners do not
work when the ignition i
s switched off.
● The brake servo does not work with the en-
gine off. T
o stop, the brake pedal must be
pressed with more force.
● As the power steering does not work if the
engine is
not running, you will need more
strength to steer than normally. 188

Operation
● Pu
l
l the right-hand side paddle +›››
Fig. 205 t o
w ards the steering wheel to
step up a gear.
● Pull the left-hand side paddle –
› ››
Fig. 205
t o

wards the steering wheel step down a gear.
If the paddles are not used for a period of
time, the vehicle leaves Tiptronic mode. CAUTION
● When acc el

erating, the gearbox automati-
cally shifts up into the next gear shortly be-
fore the maximum engine speed is reached.
● When reducing speed manually, the gear
box on
ly shifts gear when the engine can no
longer exceed the maximum engine speed. Driving with automatic gearbox
The gearbox changes gear ratios automatical-
ly
a
s

the vehicle moves.
Driving down hills
The steeper the gradient, the lower the gear
you will need. The lowest gears increase the
engine braking work. Never go down hills
with the selector lever in neutral N.
● You should reduce speed accordingly.
● Press the selector lever from position D to
the right int

o the Tiptronic selector gate
››› page 197. ●
Gently p u

ll the selector lever back to
change down a gear.
● OR: reduce using the steering wheel pad-
dle
s ››› Fig. 205 ››› page 197.
Back-up mode
If all the selector lever positions on the in-
strument panel display are shown with a
light-coloured background, this means there
is a fault in the system. The automatic gear-
box will operate in back-up mode. When the
backup programme is activated, it is possible
to drive the vehicle, however, at low speeds
and within a selected range of gears.
For the DSG ®
dual clutch gearbox, in some
cases, this may mean that the reverse gear
does not engage . The gearbox should be
checked by a specialised workshop as soon
as possible.
Protection against overloading the DSG ®
6-
gear automatic gearbox
When the clutch is overloaded, the vehicle
begins to jerk and the selector lever position
indicator begins to flash. To prevent damage
to the clutch, this interrupts the power trans-
mission between the engine and the gear-
box. There is no more traction and it is not
possible to accelerate. If the clutch is opened
automatically due to overloading, press the
brake pedal. Wait a few seconds before start-
ing to move again. Kick-down
The kick

-down system provides maximum ac-
celeration when the gear selector lever is in
the positions D, S or in the Tiptronic position.
When the accelerator pedal is pressed right
down, the automatic gearbox will shift down
to a lower gear, depending on road speed
and engine speed. This takes advantage of
the maximum acceleration of the vehicle
››› .
When the ac c
el

erator is pressed to the floor,
the automatic gearbox shifts to the next gear
only after the engine reaches the specified
maximum engine speed.
Launch-Control Programme
The Launch-Control programme enables max-
imum acceleration while at a standstill.
● Switch off the ASR ›››
page 189.
● Press and hold the brake pedal with your
left
foot.
● Place the selector lever in position S or Tip-
tronic
.
● Press the accelerator with the right foot un-
til the
vehicle reaches an engine speed of ap-
proximately 3200 rpm.
● Lift the left foot off the brake ›››
. The ve-
hic l
e s
tarts with maximum acceleration.
● Turn on the ASR after accelerating!
198

Operation
Vehicles with a manual gearbox
● When the vehicle is at a standstill, leave it
in neutr al
and t
ake your foot off the clutch.
The engine switches off.
● Simply depress the clutch pedal to move
off again.
V

ehicles with an automatic gearbox
● When the vehicle is at a standstill, depress
the brake or k
eep it pressed down. The en-
gine switches off.
● The engine will start again as soon as you
rele
ase the brake pedal.
● With the selector lever set to position P, the
engine wi
ll not start until a range of gears is
selected or the accelerator pedal is de-
pressed.
Important conditions for the engine to auto-
matically switch off
● The driver seat belt must be buckled.
● The driver door must be closed.
● The bonnet must be closed.
● The factory-fitted towing bracket must not
be electrical
ly connected to a trailer.
● A minimum engine temperature has been
reac
hed.
● The steering wheel must not be turned
more than 270 de
grees.
● The vehicle has moved since the last stop. ●
In vehic
les with Climatronic: the tempera-
ture inside the vehicle is within the pre-set
temperature range.
● The temperature set is neither very high nor
very
low.
● The air conditioning defrost function is not
switc
hed on.
● In vehicles with Climatronic: the blower has
not been manual
ly set to a high speed.
● The power level of the vehicle's battery is
sufficient
.
● The vehicle's battery temperature is neither
too high nor too lo
w.
● The vehicle is not on a steep gradient or
slope.
● The front

wheels are not overly turned.
● The heated windscreen is not switched on.
● Reverse gear is not engaged.
● The park assist system is not switched on.
Conditions
for automatically restarting the
engine
The engine may automatically restart under
the following conditions:
● If the vehicle interior is too hot or too cold.
● If the vehicle moves.
● If the vehicle's battery voltage drops. Conditions requiring the key to restart the
engine
The engine mu

st be started manually under
the following conditions:
● If the driver unbuckles his/her seat belt.
● If the driver door is opened.
● If the bonnet is opened.
● In vehicles with a manual gearbox: if a gear
has
been selected.
Switching Start-Stop mode on and off man-
ually
● Press the  button on the centre console
› ›
›

Fig. 208.
● The button will light up when the Start-Stop
function i
s switched off.
The engine will start immediately if the vehi-
cle is in Stop mode when it is switched off
manually. WARNING
The brake servo and the power steering do
not w ork

when the engine is switched off.
● Never allow the vehicle to move when the
engine is
switched off. CAUTION
Using the Start-Stop function for a long peri-
od at v

ery high outside temperatures could
damage the vehicle's battery. 210