2008 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK snow chains

11S
Seat Adjusting. ................................... 63, 65
Correct driver's seat position. ..........76
Folding the rear bench seat
forward. .......................................... 150
Removing/fitting the front-
passenger seat. .............................. 156
Removing/fitting the rear seat
backrest. ........................................ 152
Removing/fitting the rear seat
cushion. .......................................... 151
Seat belt
Adjusting the height.......................... 75
Display message .......................76, 212
Fastening. ......................................... 73
Warning lamp. .......................... 75, 228
Seat cushion
Removing (rear bench seat). ...........151
Seat heating......................................... .69
Seat ventilation Malfunction indicator lamp. ............222
Securing a load................................... 146
Selector lever Positions. .......................................... 94
Service indicator................................ 191
Service products................................ 292
Brake fluid. ..................................... 300Coolant.
.......................................... 297
Windscreen washer fluid. ................300
Settings
Factory (on-board computer). .........106
Setting the unit (on-board computer)
Speedometer. ................................. 108
Sidebags................................................ 41
Side window
Fault. .............................................. 238
Side windows
Cleaning. ........................................ 194
Opening/closing. .............................. 84
resetting ........................................... 85
Ski rack............................................... 144
Snow chains....................................... 182
Socket Cockpit. .......................................... 163
Luggage compartment. ...................164
Spare wheel
Fitting ............................................. 259
Storage location. ............................ 200
Technical data. ............................... 285
Speed
Technical data. ............................... 280
Speed limiter
Speedtronic. ................................... 117Speedometer
Digital speedometer (on-board
computer). ...................................... 103
Setting the unit (on-board com-
puter). ............................................. 108
Speedtronic ........................................ 117
Display message ............................. 220
Permanent. ..................................... 120
Variabl e.......................................... 118
SRS (Supplemental Restraint Sys-
tem)....................................................... 37
Display message ............................. 211
Warning lamp. .......................... 37, 226
Standard display (on-board com-
puter) ................................................... 103
Station see Radio
Status line (on-board computer)....... 100
Selecting the display....................... 108
Steering
Display message ............................. 215
Steering assistant STEER CONTROL ...56
Steering wheel Adjusting .......................................... 70
Buttons (on-board computer)............ 98
Stowage compartment...................... 159
Armrest (front) ................................ 160
Armrest (under) .............................. 161
Boxes under the driver's seat/
front-passenger seat....................... 161 Index
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Driving safety sys
tems 55Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R ESP ®
( Electronic Stability Program)
R Steering assistant STEER CONTROL
i In wintry road conditions, always use win-
ter tyres (M+S tyres) and, where necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section
work as effectively as possible. G
Risk of accident
The risk of an accident is significantly
increased by driving too fast. This is partic-
ularly the case when cornering as well as
on wet or slippery roads or when driving too
close to the vehicle in front.
The driving safety systems described in this
section can neither reduce this risk nor
override the laws of physics.
For this reason, always adapt your driving
style to suit prevailing road and weather
conditions. Maintain sufficient distance from other road users and objects on the
road.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently. G
Risk of accident
Do not depress the brake pedal several
times in quick succession (pumping).
Depress the brake firmly and evenly. Pump-
ing the brake pedal reduces the braking
effect.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation is over. X
To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force. G
Risk of accident
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. This limits the steerability of the
vehicle when braking and the braking dis-
tance may increase.
If ABS is deactivated due to a malfunction,
then BAS and ESP are also deactivated.
There is an increased risk of your vehicle
skidding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style
to suit prevailing road and weather condi-
tions. BAS (Brake Assist)
BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
X Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. Safety
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Driving sys
tems 124
Use Active parking assist for parking spaces
R that are parallel to the direction of travel.
R that are on straight roads, not bends.
R that are on the same level as the road, i.e.
not on the pavement, for example;
Parking tips:
R On narrow roads, drive as close to the park-
ing space as possible.
R Parking spaces which are littered, over-
grown or partially occupied by trailer tow-
bars might not be identified properly.
R Snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R Pay attention to the Parktronic warning
messages during the parking procedure
(Y page 121).
R You can intervene in the steering procedure
to correct it at any time. Active parking
assist will then be cancelled.
R When transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle you should not use Active
parking assist.
R Never use active parking assist when snow
chains or an emergency spare wheel* are
fitted. R
Make sure that the tyre pressures are
always correct. This has a direct influence
on the parking characteristics of the vehi-
cle.
R The way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the posi-
tion and shape of the vehicles parked in
front and behind it as well as the condition
of the location. In some cases, Active park-
ing assist may guide you too far into a park-
ing space, or not far enough into it. In some
cases it may also lead you across or onto
the kerb. If necessary, you should abort the
parking procedure with Active parking
assist.
R You can also engage forward gear prema-
turely. The vehicle redirects and does not
drive as far into the parking space Should
a gear be changed too early to achieve a
sensible parking position, the parking pro-
cedure will be aborted.
! When unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as kerbs slowly and not at
a sharp angle. Otherwise you may damage
the wheel rims or tyres. Detecting parking spaces Active parking assist is switched on automat-
ically when driving forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately
35 km/h. While in operation, the system inde-
pendently locates and measures parking
spaces on both sides of the vehicle. When
driving at speeds below 35 km/h, you will see
the parking symbol as a status indicator in the
instrument cluster. Active parking assist only
displays parking spaces on the front-
passenger side as standard. Parking spaces
on the driver's side are displayed as soon as
the turn signal on the driver's side is activa-
ted. If you wish to park in a space on the driv-
er's side, the indicator on the driver's side
must remain on. This must remain switched
on until you acknowledge the use of Active
parking assist by pressing the
jbutton on
the multi-function steering wheel.
When a parking space has been detected, an
arrow towards the right or the left also
appears. Controls
* optional
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Tyres and wheels
176 G
Risk of fire
Windscreen washer fluid is highly flamma-
ble. Fire, naked flames and smoking are
prohibited when handling washer fluid con-
centrate.
X At temperatures above freezing:
fill the washer fluid reservoir with a mix of
water and windscreen washer concentrate
(Y page 175).
X At temperatures below freezing:
fill the washer fluid reservoir with a mix of
water, antifreeze additive and windscreen
washer concentrate ( Ypage 175). Adapt
the mixing ratio to the outside tempera-
tures.
X Mix the windscreen washer fluid in a con-
tainer beforehand.
! Only use windscreen washer fluid which
is suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Unsuit-
able windscreen washer fluid could dam-
age the plastic lamp lenses of the head-
lamps.
X To open: pull cap1upwards by the tab.
X To close: press cap 1onto the filler neck
until it clicks into place. Tyres and wheels
Points to remember
! For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz rec-
ommends that you only use tyres and
wheels which have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz specifically for your vehi-
cle. These tyres have been specially adap-
ted for use with the control systems, such
as ABS or ESP ®
, and are marked as follows:
R MO = Mercedes-Benz Original
R MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(with run-flat characteristics)*
*Mercedes-Benz Original Extended tyres
should only be used on wheels that have
been specifically approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
If you use other tyres and wheels,
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept any respon-
sibility for damage that may result from
this. Further information about tyres,
wheels and approved combinations can be
obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
If you use tyres other than those tested and
recommended for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles, characteristics such as handling, vehi-
cle noise emissions and fuel consumption may be adversely affected. In addition, the
wheels may come into contact with the
body or axle components when heavily loa-
ded or when driving with snow chains. This
could result in damage to the tyres or the
vehicle.
! Retreaded tyres are neither tested nor
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, since
previous damage cannot always be detec-
ted on retreaded tyres. As a result,
Mercedes-Benz cannot guarantee vehicle
safety if retreaded tyres are fitted. Do not
fit used tyres if you have no information
about their previous usage. G
Risk of accident
If wheels or tyres other than those which
have been tested are fitted:
R the brakes or chassis components could
be damaged.
R wheel and tyre clearances can no longer
be guaranteed.
This could cause an accident.
Modification work on the brake system and
wheels is not permitted, nor is the use of
spacer plates or brake dust shields. This inva- Operation
* optional
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Tyres and wheels
180 fully. Do not make any sudden steering
movements when doing so.
The function of the tyre pressure loss warning
system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are fitted to your vehicle's
tyres.
R road conditions are wintry.
R you are driving on sand or gravel.
R you adopt a very sporty driving style (cor-
nering at high speeds or driving with high
rates of acceleration).
R you are towing a very heavy or large trailer.
R you are driving with a heavy load (in the
vehicle or on the roof).
Restarting the tyre pressure loss warn-
ing system Restart the tyre pressure loss warning system
if you have:
R changed the tyre pressure
R changed the wheels or tyres
R fitted new wheels or tyres
X Before restarting, consult the table of tyre
pressures on the inside of the fuel filler flap
to ensure that the tyre pressure in all four tyres is set correctly for the operating con-
ditions concerned.
X Also observe the notes in the section on
tyre pressures ( Ypage 178). G
Risk of accident
The tyre pressure loss warning system can
only give reliable warnings if you have set
the correct tyre pressure.
If an incorrect tyre pressure is set, these
incorrect values will be monitored.
A tyre with insufficient pressure results in
vehicle instability when driving, thus
increasing the risk of an accident.
X Make sure that the key is in position
2(Y page 62) in the ignition lock.
You will see the following message on the
standard screen of the multi-function dis-
play (Y page 100)
X Press korj to select the tyre pres-
sure function:
Run Flat Indicator active
Menu: R-Button
X Press the reset button on the left of the
instrument cluster.
The following message appears in the
multi-function display: Restart Run Flat Indicat.? Yes Can-
cel
If you wish to confirm the restart:
X Press the æbutton.
The following message appears in the
multi-function display:
Run Flat Indicator restarted
After a teach-in period, the tyre pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tyre pressures of all four tyres.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the çbutton.
or
X Wait until the message
Restart Run Flat Indicator?
Yes Cancel disappears.
The tyre pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Operation
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Winter driving
182
in the driver's field of vision. This can be
obtained at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Under these circumstances, you should also
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
using permanent Speedtronic* 25
to the max-
imum permissible speed for the winter tyres
(Y page 120).
Once you have fitted the winter tyres:
X Check the tyre pressures (Y page 178).G
Risk of accident
If you fit the spare wheel* when driving with
winter tyres, bear in mind that driving sta-
bility will be impaired owing to unstable
cornering characteristics caused by the dif-
ferent tyres. You should therefore adapt
your driving style and drive carefully.
Have the spare wheel* replaced at the
nearest qualified specialist workshop
which has the necessary specialist knowl-
edge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre for this purpose. In particular, work
relevant to safety or on safety-related sys- tems must be carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Snow chains
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains which
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a corresponding
standard of quality.
! Information about the use of snow chain-
compatible AMG winter tyres is applicable
for AMG tyres. Use of snow chains is only
permissible with these tyres.
If you intend to fit snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
R snow chains cannot be fitted to all wheel/
tyre combinations.
R snow chains must not be fitted to emer-
gency spare wheels, e.g. on a "Minispare"
emergency spare wheel.
R Fit snow chains only in pairs and only to the
front wheels. Comply with the manufactur-
er's installation instructions.
! Vehicles with 17" tyres You may only fit snow chains as a pulling-
away aid. Only use fine-link snow chains.
When snow chains are fitted, you may only
drive straight ahead. The snow chains could
otherwise come into contact with the body-
work when you turn the front wheels.
When snow chains are fitted, you cannot use
Active Park Assist* (Y page 123).
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h. Winter driving
G
Risk of accident
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
25 Only available for certain countries. Operation
* optional
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Tyres and wheels
283Tyres
A 150 /
A 150 BlueEFFICIENCY /
A 170 /
A 170 BlueEFFICIENCY /
A 160 CDI /
A 160 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY /
A 180 CDI A 200 /
A 200 CDI A 200 TURBO
15" Both
axles Summer tyres
185/65 R15 88T – –
Winter tyres
185/65 R15 88T M+S
. Wheels
6J x 15 H2 ET 44 – –
16" Both
axles Summer tyres
195/55 R16 87T 195/55 R16 87H 195/55 R16 87V
Winter tyres
195/55 R16 87T M+S
. 195/55 R16 87T M+S
. 195/55 R16 87T M+S
. Wheels
6J x 16 H2 ET 46 6J x 16 H2 ET 46 6J x 16 H2 ET 46
17" Both
axles
Summer tyres
36, 37 215/45 R17 87V 215/45 R17 87V 215/45 R17 87V
Wheels
7J x 17 H2 ET 54 7J x 17 H2 ET 54 7J x 17 H2 ET 54
36
Snow chains only permitted as a starting-off aid.
37 Only with sports suspension. Techni
cal data
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Tyres and wheels
284 AMG equipment*
All models
18" Both axles
Summer tyres
38, 39 215/40 R 18 89W XL
Light-alloy wheels
7J x 18 H2 ET 54
MOExtended tyres*
i Tyres with run-flat characteristics, only in conjunction with light-alloy wheels and tyre pressure loss warning system. All models
40 16" Both axles
Winter tyres
41, 42 195/55 R16 87H M+S MOExtended
Light-alloy wheels
43 6J x 16 H2 ET 46
17" Both axles
Summer tyres
41, 44 215/45 R17 87V MOExtended
Light-alloy wheels
43 7J x 17 H2 ET 54
38
Use of snow chains not permitted.
39 Only with sports suspension.
40 Only with sports suspension.
41 Tyres with run-flat characteristics, only available in conjunction with tyre pressure loss warning system and tyre pressure monitor*.
42 Not available from the factory. You can obtain further information from a specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
43 Not on steel wheels.
44 Snow chains only permitted as a pull-away aid. Techni
cal data
* optional
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