126 Starting-off and Driving
The reversing lights will come on once reverse gear is engaged, provided the igni-
tion is on.
Releasing the handbrake
–
Pull the handbrake lever up slightly and at the same time press in the
locking button ⇒ fig. 148.
WARNING
–
Hold the button pressed and push the handbrake lever down fully
Never engage the reverse gear when driving - risk of accident!
⇒
.
The handbrake warning light lights up when the handbrake is applied, provided
the ignition is on.
Note
•
One should not lay the hand on the shift lever while driving the vehicle. The
pressure of the hand will be transferred to the gearshift forks in the gearbox. This
can, over a period of time, lead to early wear of the gearshift forks.
A warning signal sounds and the following text appears in the display* if you have
inadvertently driven off with the handbrake applied:
Handbrake on
•
Depress the clutch pedal fully when changing gears, in order to avoid unneces-
sary wear and damage to the clutch.
The handbrake warning is activated if you drive at a speed of more than 6 km/h for
more than 3 seconds.
Handbrake
WARNING
•
Please note that the handbrake must be fully released. A handbrake
which is only partially released can result in the rear brakes overheating
which will have a negative effect on the operation of the brake system - risk
of accident! In addition this can result in premature wear of the rear brake
pads.
•
Never leave children unattended in the vehicle. The children might, for
example, release the handbrake or take the vehicle out of gear. The vehicle
might then move off - risk of accident!
Fig. 148 Centre console:
Handbrake
Caution
After the car has come to a stop, always first of all apply the handbrake firmly before
then additionally engaging a gear (manual gearbox) or moving the selector lever
into position P (automatic gearbox).
Applying the handbrake
–
Pull the handbrake lever up fully.
English 
