ABS SKODA ROOMSTER 2011 1.G Owner's Manual

Table of Contents
Layout of this Owner's Manual
(explanations)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Using the system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Cockpit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
General view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Instruments and warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Overview of the instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Engine revolutions counter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Coolant temperature gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Counter for distance driven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Service reminder indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Digital clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Shift recommendation for changing gears . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Multi-functional indicator (onboard computer) . . . . . . . 14
MAXI DOT display (information display) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Auto Check Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Warning lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Unlocking and locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Vehicle key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Locking/Unlocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Child safety lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Central locking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Anti-theft alarm system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Interior monitor and towing protection monitoring . . 36
Electrical power windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Panorama roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Lights and Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Interior lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Visibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Windshield wiper and wash system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Rear-view mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Seats and Stowage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Heating the front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Rear seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Variable loading floor in the luggage compartment . . 58
Bicycle holder in the luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . 60
Roof rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Front cup holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Rear cup holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Parking ticket holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Cigarette lighters and power sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Heating and air conditioning system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Air outlet vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Air conditioning system (manual air conditioning
system) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Climatronic (automatic air conditioning) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Starting-off and Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Setting steering wheel position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Ignition lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Starting the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Switching off the engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Shifting (manual gearbox) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Handbrake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Parking aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Cruise control system (CCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
“START-STOP” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Automatic gearbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Multifunction steering wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Universal telephone preinstallation GSM II . . . . . . . . . . 94 Voice control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Music playback via Bluetooth
®
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Inputs AUX-IN and MDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Passive Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Basic information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Correct seated position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Why seat belts? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
The physical principle of a frontal collision . . . . . . . . . . 105
Important safety information regarding the use of
seat belts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
How are seat belts correctly fastened? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Belt tensioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Description of the airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Front airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Side airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Head airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Deactivating airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Transporting children safely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
What you should know about transporting children! . 118
Child seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Attaching a child seat using the “ISOFIX” system . . . . 123
Attaching child seat using the “Top Tether” system . . 124
Driving Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Intelligent Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Electronic stability programme (ESP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Brake booster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Antilock brake system (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Uphill Start Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Electrohydraulic power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 3
Table of Contents Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data

Layout of this Owner's Manual (explanations)
The Owner's Manual has been systematically designed, in order to make it easy
for you to find and absorb the information you require.
Chapters, table of contents and subject index
The text of the Owner's manual is divided into relatively short sections which are
combined into easy-to-read chapters. The chapter you are reading at any particu-
lar moment is highlighted at the bottom right of the page.
The Table of contents is arranged according to the chapters and the detailed Sub-
ject index at the end of the Owner's Manual helps you to rapidly find the informa-
tion you are looking for.
Sections The majority of Sections apply to all models.
Since there is a wide range of different equipment and options available it is clear-
ly unavoidable, despite dividing the contents into sections, that mention may be
made of equipment which is not fitted to your vehicle.
Brief information and instructions Each section has a Heading.
This is followed by Brief information (in large italic lettering), which tells you the
subject which is dealt with in this section.
Most of the illustrations are accompanied by an Instruction (in relatively large let-
ters) which explains to you in a straightforward way the action you have to take.
Work steps which have to be carried out are illustrated with a hyphen.
Direction indications
All direction indications such as
“left”, “right”, “front”, “rear” relate to the direction
of travel of the vehicle.
Explanation of symbols  End of a section.
£ The section is continued on the next page.
Notes
All four kinds of notes, which are used in the text, are always stated at the end of
the respective section. WARNING
The most important notes are marked with the heading WARNING. These
WARNING
notes draw your attention to a serious risk of accident or injury.
While reading the text you will frequently encounter a double arrow followed
by a small warning symbol. This symbol is intended to draw your attention to a
WARNING note at the end of the section to which you must pay careful atten-
tion. CAUTION
A Caution note draws your attention to the possibility of damage to your vehicle
(e.g. damage to gearbox), or points out general risks of an accident. For the sake of the environment
An Environmental note draws your attention to environmental protection as-
pects. This is where you will, for example, find tips aimed at reducing your fuel
consumption. Note
A normal Note draws your attention in a general way to important information. 6
Layout of this Owner's Manual (explanations)



Engine oil ⇒ 
page 23  Open door ⇒ page 24
 Fluid level in windshield washer system ⇒ page 24
 Control system for exhaust ⇒ page 24
 Switch off traction control system (TCS) ⇒ page 24
 Tyre pressure monitoring system ⇒ page 24
 Selector lever lock ⇒ 
page 25  Traction control system (TCS) ⇒ 
page 25  Electronic stability programme (ESP) ⇒ 
page 25  Antilock brake system (ABS) ⇒ 
page 25  Brake system ⇒ 
page 26  Handbrake ⇒ 
page 26  Speed regulating system ⇒ 
page 26  Airbag system ⇒ 
page 26  Diesel particle filter (diesel engine) ⇒ page 27
 Seat belt warning light ⇒ page 27 WARNING
● If you do not pay attention to the warning lights coming on and the corre-
sponding descriptions and warning notes, this may result in severe injuries or
major vehicle damage.
● The engine compartment of your car is a hazardous area. There is a risk of
injuries, scalding, accidents and fire when working in the engine compart-
ment, e.g. inspecting and replenishing oil and other fluids. It is also essential
to observe all warnings ⇒
 page 150, Working in the engine compartment. Note
● Arrangement of the indicator lights depends on the model and model version.
● Operational faults are shown in the instrument cluster as red symbols (priority
1 - danger) or yellow symbols (priority 2 - warning). 
Turn signal system   Either the left
 or right
 indicator light flashes depending on the position of the
turn signal lever.
The indicator light flashes at twice its normal rate if a turn signal light fails.
Switching off the hazard warning light system is switched on will cause all of the
turn signal lights as well as both indicator lights to flash.
Further information about the turn signal system ⇒

 page 43. 
Main beam  The indicator light
 comes on when the main beam is selected or also when the
headlight flasher is operated.
Further information about the main beam ⇒

 page 43. 
Low beam  The indicator light
 comes on when low beam is selected
⇒ page 39

.
Rear fog light  The warning light
 comes on when the rear fog lights are operating
⇒
 page 41.  21
Instruments and warning lights Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data

WARNING
● When the warning light  lights up, immediately reduce the speed and
avoid sudden steering and brake manoeuvres. Please stop the vehicle without
delay at the nearest possible stop and inspect the tyres and their inflation
pressures.
● Under certain circumstances (e.g. sporty style of driving, wintry or unpaved
roads) the warning light  can be delayed or does not light up at all.Note
If the battery has been disconnected, the warning light  comes on after switch-
ing on the ignition. The warning light must go out after driving a short distance. 
Selector lever lock  (automatic gearbox) If the
green warning light
 lights up, operate the brake pedal. This is necessary,
in order to be able to move the selector lever out of the position P or N.
Further information about the selector lever lock ⇒ page 90
.
Traction control system (TCS) The warning light
 comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on.
The warning light comes on when driving when a control cycle is activated.
The warning light lights up permanently if there is a fault in the TCS system.
The fact that the TCS system operates together with the ABS means that the TCS
warning light will also come on if the ABS system is not operating properly.
If the warning light  comes on immediately after starting the engine, the TCS
system can be switched off for technical reasons. In this case, the TCS system can
be switched on again by switching the ignition on and off. If the warning light
goes out, the TCS system is fully functional again.
Further information about the TCS ⇒ page 126, Traction control system (TCS)

.Note
If the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, the warning light  comes
on after switching on the ignition. The warning light must go out after driving a
short distance. Electronic stability programme (ESP)
 The warning light
 comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on.
If the ESP helps to stabilise the vehicle (for example when applying and releasing
a braking force to an individual wheel), then the indicator light  flashes.
The warning light  lights up permanently if there is a fault in the ESP system.
The fact that the ESP system operates together with the ABS means that the ESP
warning light will also come on if the ABS system is not operating properly.
If the warning light  comes on immediately after starting the engine, the ESP
system can be switched off for technical reasons. In this case, the ESP system can
be switched on again by switching the ignition on and off. If the warning light
goes out, the ESP system is fully functional again.
Further information on the ESP ⇒

 page 125, Electronic stability programme (ESP). Note
If the battery has been disconnected and reconnected, the warning light  comes
on after switching on the ignition. The warning light must go out after driving a
short distance. 
Antilock brake system (ABS)  The warning light
 shows the functionality of the ABS.
The warning light comes on for a few seconds after the ignition has been switch-
ed on or when starting the engine. The warning light goes out after an automatic
check sequence has been completed.
A fault in the ABS
The system is not functioning properly if the ABS warning light  does not go out
within a few seconds after switching on the ignition, does not light up at all or
lights up while driving. The vehicle will only be braked by the normal brake sys-
tem. Visit a specialist garage immediately and adjust your style of driving appropri-
ately as you will not know how great the damage is.
Further information about ABS ⇒ page 128

, Antilock brake system (ABS).
A fault in the entire brake system
If the ABS warning light  comes on together with the brake system warning
light , there is a fault not only in the ABS but also in another part of the brake
system ⇒  .
£ 25
Instruments and warning lights Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data

WARNING
● If the brake system warning light  comes on together with the ABS
warning light  stop the vehicle immediately and check the brake fluid level
in the reservoir ⇒ page 156
, Brake fluid. If the fluid level has dropped below
the MIN marking, do not drive any further - risk of accident! Contact a Škoda
dealer to obtain professional assistance.
● Pay attention to the following instructions ⇒
 page 150, Working in the en-
gine compartment before checking the brake fluid level and opening the bon-
net.
● If the brake fluid is at the correct level, the ABS control function has failed.
The rear wheels may then block very rapidly when braking. In certain circum-
stances, this can result in the rear end of the car breaking away - risk of skid-
ding! Drive carefully to the nearest specialist garage and have the fault recti-
fied. 
Brake system The warning light
 lights up when the brake fluid level is too low or there is a
fault in the ABS.
if the warning light flashes  and an audible signal sounds three times,
stop and
check the brake fluid level ⇒  .
The following text will be displayed in the information display: Brake fluid Owner's manual
If there is a fault in the ABS which also influences the function of the brake sys-
tem (e.g. distribution of brake pressure), the ABS warning light  comes on and at
the same time the brake system warning light starts flashing . Be aware that
not only the ABS but also another part of th brake system is defective ⇒  .
An audible signal sounds three times as an additional warning signal.
One should get used to high pedal forces, an extended free play of the brake ped-
al and long braking distances when carefully driving to the specialist garage.
For further information on the brake system ⇒ page 127,

Brakes. WARNING
● Pay attention to the following instructions before checking the brake fluid
level and opening the bonnet ⇒ page 150

, Working in the engine compart-
ment.
● If the brake system warning light  does not go out a few seconds after
switching on the ignition or comes on when driving, stop immediately and
check the brake fluid in the reservoir ⇒

 page 156, Brake fluid. If the fluid level
has dropped below the MIN marking, do not drive any further - risk of acci-
dent! Contact a Škoda dealer to obtain professional assistance. 
Handbrake  The warning light
 comes on if the handbrake is applied. An audible warning is
also given if you drive the vehicle for at least 3 seconds at a speed of more than 6
km/h.
The following text will be displayed in the information display:
Release parking brake! 
Cruise control  The warning light
 lights up, when operating the speed regulating system. 
Airbag system  Monitoring the airbag system
The warning light
 comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is switched on.
There is a fault in the system if the warning light does not go out or comes on or
flashes while driving ⇒  . This also applies if the warning light does not come on
after the ignition is switched on.
The following text will be displayed in the information display:
Error: Airbag
The functionality of the airbag system is also monitored electronically when one
airbag has been switched off. £26
Instruments and warning lights

Unlocking and locking
Vehicle key
Description Fig. 9 Set of keys without remote control/Keys with remote control key
Two keys are provided with the vehicle. Depending on the equipment, your vehi-
cle can be equipped with keys without radio remote control ⇒
 fig. 9 - left, or with
radio remote control ⇒ fig. 9 - right. WARNING
● Always withdraw the key whenever you leave the vehicle - even if it is only
for a short time. This is particularly important if children are left in the vehicle.
The children might otherwise start the engine or operate electrical equipment
(e.g. power windows) - risk of injury!
● Do not withdraw the ignition key from the ignition lock until the vehicle
has come to a stop. The steering lock might otherwise engage unintentionally
- risk of accident! CAUTION
● Each key contains electronic components; therefore protect them against
moisture and severe shocks.
● Keep the groove of the keys absolutely clean as impurities (textile fibres, dust
etc.) have a negative effect on the proper operation of the locking cylinder and the
ignition lock. Note
Please approach an authorised ŠKODA Service Partner if you lose a key since he
can obtain a new one for you. 
Changing the battery in the remote control key Fig. 10 Remote control key - remove cover/remove battery
Each remote control key contains a battery which is housed under the cover
B ⇒ 
fig. 10 . If the battery is discharged, the red warning light A does not flash after
you press a button on the remote control key ⇒

  fig. 9 . We recommend that you
have the batteries of the key replaced by an authorised ŠKODA Service Partner.
You should, however, proceed as follows if you wish to replace the discharged
battery yourself:
– Fold open the key.
– Press off the battery cover with your thumb or using a flat screwdriver at the
points of the arrows 1 .
– Remove the discharged battery from the key by pressing the battery down-
wards at the point of the arrow 2
⇒
 fig. 10.
– Insert the new battery. Ensure that the “+” symbol on the battery is facing up-
wards. The correct polarity is shown on the battery cover.
– Position the battery cover on the key and press on it until it is heard to lock in
place. £28
Unlocking and locking

Roof rack
General information
CAUTION
● Only use roof racks approved by ŠKODA.
● If you use other roof rack systems or if the roof bars are not properly fitted,
then any damage which may result to your car is not covered by the warranty
agreements. It is therefore essential to pay attention to the fitting instructions
supplied with the roof luggage rack system.
● Ensure that the opened boot lid does not collide with the roof load. For the sake of the environment
The increased aerodynamic drag results in a higher fuel consumption. Note
If a vehicle is not factory-equipped with a roof rack, it can be purchased from the
ŠKODA Original Accessories 
Roof load Distribute the weight evenly over the roof luggage rack system. The maximum
permissible roof load (including roof rack system) of
75 kg and the maximum per-
missible total weight of the vehicle should not be exceeded.
You cannot make full use of the permissible roof load if you use a roof luggage
rack system with a lower load carrying capacity. The load transported on the roof
luggage rack system must not exceed the weight limit which is stated in the fit-
ting instructions. WARNING
● The items which you transport on the roof bar system must be reliably at-
tached - risk of accident!
● You must on no account exceed the permissible roof load, the permissible
axle loads and the permissible gross weight of your vehicle - risk of accident!
● Please note that the handling properties of your vehicle change when you
transport heavy or bulky items on the roof bar system as a result of the dis-
placement of the centre of gravity and the increased wind attack area - risk of
accident! You must absolutely adapt your style of driving and the speed of the
vehicle to the specific circumstances. 
Front cup holder Fig. 57 Front centre console: Cup holder
You can place two cups or beverage cans into the recesses ⇒
 fig. 57. WARNING
● Do not place any hot beverages into the cup holder. If the vehicle moves,
they may spill - risk of scalding!
● Do not use any cups or beakers which are made of brittle material (e.g.
glass, porcelain). This could lead to injuries in the event of an accident. CAUTION
Do not open the beverages in the cup holder while driving. There is a risk of spill-
ing e.g. when braking and therefore the electrical components or the seat uphols-
tery can be damaged. 62
Seats and Stowage

automatically. You can also, however, switch the gearbox over into the
Tiptronic
mode. This mode makes it possible for you to also shift gears manually
⇒ page 91.
Starting-off and Driving
– Depress the brake pedal fully and keep it depressed.
– Press the Shiftlock button (button in handle of the selector lever), move the
selector lever into the desired position, e.g. in D, and then release the Shiftlock
button.
– Release the brake pedal and depress the accelerator ⇒  .
Stop
– The selector lever position N does not have to be selected when stopping just
for a short time, such as at a cross roads. It is absolutely sufficient to hold the
stopped vehicle stationary by depressing the foot brake. The engine can, how-
ever, be allowed just to idle.
Parking
– Depress the brake pedal and hold it depressed.
– Apply the handbrake firmly.
– Press and Shiftlock button in the selector lever, move the selector lever to P
and then release the Shiftlock button.
The engine can only be started when the selector lever is in position P or N . If the
selector lever is not in the P or N positions when locking the steering, switching
the ignition on or off or when leaving the engine on, the following message will
appear in the Information display Move selector lever to position P/N! or, in the
instrument cluster display:  P/N. At temperatures below -10 °C the engine can
only be started in the selector lever position P.
It is sufficient to engage selector lever position P when parking on a flat surface.
When parking on a slope you should first apply the handbrake firmly and then
move the selector lever into position P. This is to ensure that there is no excessive
pressure acting on the lock mechanism and that it is easier to subsequently move
the selector lever out of position P. If the selector lever is not in the P position
when the driver's door is open and the ignition is switched off, or if it is not in the
P position when the ignition is switched off and the driver's door is opened, the
following message will appear in the Information display: Move selector lever to
position P! or, in the instrument cluster display:  P. The message disappears af-
ter a few seconds by switching on the ignition or by moving the selector lever into
the position P . If the selector lever position
N is selected by accident while driving it is first nec-
essary to release pressure on the accelerator pedal and wait for idling speed of
the engine to be reached before engaging a drive position in the selector lever. WARNING
● Do not depress the accelerator when changing the position of the selector
lever if the car is stationary and the engine is running - risk of accident!
● Never move the selector lever into position R or P when driving - risk of an
accident!
● If you are stopping at a hill (downhill section), never try to hold the car sta-
tionary with the gear engaged by means of the “accelerator”, this means by
letting the clutch slip. This can lead to overheating of the clutch. If there is a
risk of overheating of the clutch due to overload, the clutch is opened auto-
matically and the vehicle rolls backward - risk of accident!
● If you must stop at a slope, depress and hold the brake pedal, so that you
can prevent the vehicle from rolling back. CAUTION
● The double clutch on the automatic gearbox DSG is equipped with an overload
protection. If you make use of the uphill function on a vehicle which is stationary
or driving slowly uphill, it will result in an increase of thermal stress of the clutch-
es.
● In the event that they overheat, the warning light  and a warning text ap-
pears in the information display ⇒ page 18. In such a case bring the vehicle to a
stop, switch off the engine and wait until the warning light and the warning go
out - risk of gearbox damage! You can continue the trip as soon as the warning
light and the warning go out. 88
Automatic gearbox

Seat belts
Why seat belts? Fig. 92 Driver wearing seat belt
It is a proven fact that seat belts offer good protection in accidents ⇒ fig. 92 . Thus
wearing a seat belt is a legal requirement in most countries.
Seat belts which have been correctly fastened and adjusted hold the occupants of
the car in the correct seated position ⇒ fig. 92 . The seat belts reduce the kinetic
energy (energy of motion) to a considerable extent. They also prevent uncontrol-
led movements which, in turn, may well result in severe injuries.
The occupants of a vehicle who have fastened and correctly adjusted their seat
belt, profit to a major extent from the fact that the kinetic energy is optimally ab-
sorbed by the belts. The structure of the front end of the vehicle and other pas-
sive safety measures, such as the airbag system, also contribute to reducing the
kinetic energy. The energy produced is thus absorbed and there is less risk of in-
jury.
Accident statistics prove that seat belts which are fastened and properly adjusted
reduce the risk of an injury and enhance the chance of survival in a major accident
⇒  page 105.
It is important that you pay attention to safety measures, particularly when trans-
porting children in the vehicle ⇒
 page 118, Transporting children safely. WARNING
● Fasten your seat belt each time before setting off - also when driving in
town! This also applies to the people seated at the rear - risk of injury!
● Expectant women must also always wear a seat belt. This is the only way
of ensuring optimal protection for the unborn child ⇒ page 107, Fastening
three-point seat belts

.
● It is important for the belt webbing to be properly routed if the seat belts
are to offer the maximum protection. You can see a description of how safety
belts should be fitted properly on the next pages. Note
Please comply with any differing legal requirements when using the seat belts. 
The physical principle of a frontal collision Fig. 93 The driver is catapulted forward if not wearing a belt/The rear seat occupant is cata-
pulted forward if not wearing a belt
The physical principle of a frontal accident can be explained quite simply:
Motion energy, so-called kinetic energy, is produced as soon as the vehicle is mov-
ing, both for the vehicle and its occupants. The magnitude of this kinetic energy
depends essentially on the speed at which the vehicle is travelling and on the
weight of the vehicle including the occupants. The greater the speed and weight
increase, the greater the amount of energy which has to be absorbed in the event
of an accident. £ 105
Seat belts Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data

Driving Tips
Intelligent Technology Electronic stability programme (ESP)
General General
The ESP aids you in maintaining control of your vehicle in situations in which the
vehicle is driving at its dynamic limits, such as entering a curve fast. The risk of
skidding is reduced and your car thus offers greater driving stability depending on
the conditions of the road surface. The system operates at all speeds.
The following systems are integrated into the electronic stability programme:
● Electronic Differential Lock (EDL),
● Traction control system (TCS),
● Antilock brake system (ABS),
● Brake Assist,
● Uphill Start Assist.
Operating principle
The ESP switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts
a self-test. The ESP control unit processes data from the individual systems. It al-
so processes additional measurement data which are supplied by highly sensitive
sensors: the rotational velocity of the vehicle about its vertical axis, the lateral ac-
celeration of the vehicle, the braking pressure and the steering angle.
The direction which the driver wishes to take is determined based on the steering
angle and the speed of the vehicle and is constantly compared with the actual be-
haviour of the vehicle. If differences exist, such as the car beginning to skid, the
ESP will automatically brake the appropriate wheel.
The car is stabilised again by the forces which take effect when the wheel is
braked. Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the outer front
wheel of a vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency for the rear of the vehicle
to break away) while occurs this is on the inner rear wheel of a vehicle which
tends to understeer (tendency to shift out of the curve). This braking control cycle
is accompanied by noises. During an intervention of the system, the warning light
 flashes quickly in the
instrument cluster.
The ESP system cannot be switched off, only the TCS system can be switched off
by pressing the button ⇒
 fig. 113. The warning light  ⇒ page 25 lights up if the
TCS system is switched off.
The warning light  lights up permanently if there is a fault in the ESP system.
The fact that the ESP system operates together with the ABS means that the ESP
warning light will also come on if the ABS system is not operating properly.
If the warning light  comes on immediately after starting the engine, the ESP
system can be switched off for technical reasons. In this case, the ESP system can
be switched on again by switching the ignition on and off. If the warning light
goes out, the ESP system is fully functional again. WARNING
It is also not possible for the ESP to overcome the physical limits of the vehi-
cle. Even if a vehicle fitted with ESP you should still always adapt your style of
driving to the condition of the road surface and the traffic situation. This par-
ticularly applies when driving on slippery and wet roads. The increased safety
offered must not tempt you to take greater risks than otherwise - risk of an
accident! Note
● All four wheels must be fitted with the same tyres in order to achieve prob-
lem-free operation of the ESP. Differing rolling circumferences of the tyres can
lead to an undesirable reduction in the engine output.
● Changes to vehicle (e.g. on engine, on the brakes, on chassis or another combi-
nation of tyres and wheels) can influence the function of the ESP ⇒

 page 166, Ac-
cessories, changes and replacement of parts.  125
Intelligent Technology Using the system Safety Driving Tips General Maintenance Breakdown assis-
tance Praktik Technical data