Starting the engine
The selector lever must be in position P or N.
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
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 WARNING!.
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.
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.
Stopping on a slope
Driving away on a slope
Once you have engaged a gear, release the footbrake and press the accelerator ►Link.
In some situations (such as on mountain roads or when towing a trailer or caravan) 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 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.
- 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, press the brake pedal 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.
- 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 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 indicator 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 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 engine switched off, the gearbox will be damaged as it will not be lubricated.
Note
For safety reasons the parking brake will only release automatically if the driver's seat belt is engaged in its buckle.