2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK display

If the
÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the å
ESP ®
OFF warning lamp are lit continuously,
ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 260) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 230).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ®General notes
If the
÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving. When pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when
the engine is switched on again.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving. When pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when
the engine is switched on again. Deactivating/activating ESP
®
(AMG
vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R SPORT handling mode is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is a greater risk of skidding and acci-
dents.
Only activate SPORT handling mode in the sit- uations described in the following. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
In the following situations, it may be better to activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP ®
:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
R on specially designated roads when the
vehicle's own oversteering and understeer-
ing characteristics are desired
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP ®
requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety

Deactivating/activating ESP
®X
To activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up. The
SPORT handling mode
SPORT handling mode message appears
in the multifunction display.
X To deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out.
X To deactivate ESP ®
:press button :until
the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
The ÷OFF OFFmessage appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷
ESP ®
ON
ON message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
Characteristics of activated SPORT han-
dling mode
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a
limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R traction control is still activated. R
engine torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels are able to
spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur- faces.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-faces.
R traction control is still activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; nor is it
activated if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
.
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no lon-
ger available; nor is it activated if you brake
firmly with assistance from ESP ®
.
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no lon-
ger available; nor is it activated if you brake
firmly with assistance from ESP ®
.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
You can select between the following states
of ESP
®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. Driving safety syste
ms
67Safety Z

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos- sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 24). Correct driver's seat position
Observe the safety guidelines on seat adjust-
ment (Y page 93).
X Make sure that seat =is correctly adjus-
ted.
Manual seat adjustment (Y page 94)
Electrical seat adjustment (Y page 94)
When adjusting the seat, make sure that:
R you are as far away from the driver's air-
bag as possible.
R you are sitting in a normal upright posi-
tion.
R you can fasten the seat belt properly. R
you have moved the backrest to an
almost vertical position.
R you have set the seat angle so that your
thighs are gently supported.
R you can depress the pedals properly.
X Check whether the head restraint is adjus-
ted properly (Y page 94).
When doing so, make sure that you have
adjusted the head restraint so that the back of your head is supported at eye level by the
centre of the head restraint.
Observe the safety guidelines on steering
wheel adjustment (Y page 98).
X Make sure that steering wheel :is adjus-
ted correctly.
Adjusting the steering wheel
(Y page 98)
When adjusting the steering wheel, make
sure that:
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent.
R you can move your legs freely.
R you can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly.
Observe the safety guidelines for seat belts
(Y page 46).
X Check whether you have fastened seat
belt ;properly (Y page 47).
The seat belt should:
R fit snugly across your body
R be routed across the middle of your
shoulder
R be routed in your pelvic area across the
hip joints
X Before starting off, adjust the rear-view mir-
ror and the exterior mirrors (Y page 99)
so that you have a good view of road and
traffic conditions.
X Vehicles with a memory function: save
the seat and exterior mirror settings
(Y page 101). 92
Correct driver's seat positionSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

main-beam headlamps will not be deactivated
or activated regardless. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always carefully observe the traffic conditions
and switch off the main-beam headlamps in
good time.
You can use this function to set the head-
lamps to change between dipped beam and
main beam automatically. The system recog-
nises vehicles with their lights on, either
approaching from the opposite direction or
travelling in front of your vehicle, and conse-
quently switches the headlamps from main
beam to dipped beam.
The system automatically adapts the dipped- beam headlamp range depending on the dis-
tance to the other vehicle. Once the system
no longer detects any other vehicles, it reac-
tivates the main-beam headlamps.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windscreen near the overhead control
panel. X
To activate: activate the Adaptive High-
beam Assist function using the on-board
computer (Y page 222).
X Turn the light switch to Ã.X
Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of
arrow :(Ypage 107).
The _ indicator lamp in the multifunc-
tion display lights up when it is dark and the light sensor activates the dipped-beam
headlamps.
If you are driving at speeds above 45 km/h:
The headlamp range is set automatically
depending on the distance between the
vehicle and other road users.
If you are driving at speeds above 55 km/h and no other road users are recognised:
The main-beam headlamps are switched on
automatically. The Kindicator lamp in
the instrument cluster also lights up.
If you are driving at speeds below 45 km/h or other road users are recognised or the
roads are adequately lit:
The main-beam headlamps are switched off
automatically. The Kindicator lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out. The _
indicator lamp in the multifunction display
remains lit.
X To deactivate: move the combination
switch back to its normal position.
The _ indicator lamp in the multifunc-
tion display goes out. Headlamps misted up on the inside
The headlamps may mist up on the inside if
there is high atmospheric humidity.
X Switch on the lights and drive off.
The level of moisture diminishes, depend-
ing on the length of the journey and the
weather conditions (humidity and temper-
ature).
If the level of moisture does not diminish:
X Have the headlamps checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. 110
Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers

R
Only use air-recirculation mode briefly, e.g.
if there are unpleasant outside odours or
when in a tunnel. The windows could oth-
erwise mist up as no fresh air is drawn into
the vehicle in air-recirculation mode.
R If you change the settings of the climate
control system, the climate status display
appears for three seconds at the bottom of
the screen in the COMAND display. See
also the separate COMAND Online operat-
ing instructions 9
. You will see the current
settings of the various climate control func- tions.
ECO start/stop function During automatic engine switch-off, the cli-
mate control only operates at a reduced capa- city. If you require the full climate control out-
put, you can switch off the ECO start/stop
function by pressing the ECO button
(Y page 147).
9 Only for vehicles with "COMAND Online Multimedia System" optional equipment 124
Overview of climate control systemsClimate control

Control panel for THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control (2-zone)
:
To set the temperature, left (Y page 128)
; To set climate control to automatic mode (Y page 128)
= To demist the windscreen (Y page 130)
? To increase the airflow (Y page 129)
A To set the air distribution (Y page 129)
B Display
C To activate/deactivate air-recirculation mode (Y page 132)
D To switch climate control on/off (Y page 126)
E To set the temperature, right (Y page 128)
F To activate/deactivate the residual heat function (Y page 133)
G To activate/deactivate cooling with air dehumidification (Y page 126)
H To reduce the airflow (Y page 129)
I To switch the rear window heating on/off (Y page 131)
J To switch the ZONE function on/off (Y page 129)Notes on using THERMOTRONIC auto-
matic climate control
Automatic climate control The following contains instructions and rec-
ommendations to enable you to get the most
out of your THERMOTRONIC automatic cli-
mate control.
R Activate climate control using the Ãand
¿ buttons. The indicator lamps in the
à and¿ buttons light up.
R Set the temperature to 22 †. R
Only use the "windscreen demisting" func-
tion briefly until the windscreen is clear
again.
R Only use air-recirculation mode briefly, e.g.
if there are unpleasant outside odours or
when in a tunnel. The windows could oth-
erwise mist up as no fresh air is drawn into
the vehicle in air-recirculation mode.
R Use the ZONE function to adopt the tem-
perature settings on the driver's side for Overview of climate control systems
125Climate control

Setting the air distribution
THERMATIC automatic climate control Air distribution settings
¯
Directs the airflow through the demis-
ter vents
P Directs the airflow through the centre
and side air vents
O Directs the airflow through the foot-
well air vents
i You can also activate several of the air
distribution settings simultaneously. In
order to do this, press several of the air
distribution buttons. The air is then routed
through different air vents.
Setting the air distribution
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 143).
X Press one or more of the P,O, ¯
buttons.
The corresponding indicator lamp comes
on.
THERMOTRONIC automatic climate
control Air distribution settings
¯
Directs the airflow through the demis-
ter vents
P Directs the airflow through the centre
and side air vents
O Directs the airflow through the foot-
well air vents
S Directs airflow through the centre and
side air vents as well as the footwell air
vents 10
.
b Directs the airflow through the centre
and side air vents as well as the demis-
ter vents 10
a Directs the airflow through the foot-
well and demister vents i
Regardless of the air distribution setting,
airflow is always directed through the side
air vents. The side air vents can only be
closed if the adjusters are turned clockwise until they engage.
Setting the air distribution
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 143).
X Press the ÉorË button until the
desired symbol appears in the display. Setting the airflow
THERMATIC automatic climate control X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 143).
X To increase/reduce: turn controlA
clockwise or anti-clockwise (Y page 123).
THERMOTRONIC automatic climate
control X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 143).
X To increase/reduce: press theKor
I button. Switching the ZONE function on/off
This function is only available with the
THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control.
X To activate: press theábutton.
The indicator lamp in the ábutton lights
up.
The temperature setting for the driver's
side is not adopted for the front-passenger
side.
X To deactivate: press theábutton.
The indicator lamp in the ábutton goes
out.
10 Only for certain countries. Operating the climate control system
129Climate control

Switching the auxiliary heating/venti-
lation on/off using the centre console
button Switching on the auxiliary heating/venti-
lation The colours of the indicator lamps on the but-
ton have the following meanings:
Blue Auxiliary ventilation switched on
Red Auxiliary heating switched on
Yellow Departure time preselected (Ypage 224)
X Press button :.
The red or blue indicator lamp in button :
lights up.
Switching off the auxiliary heating/venti-
lation
X Press button :.
The red or blue indicator lamp in button :
goes out.
Switching the auxiliary heating/venti-
lation on/off using the remote control Your vehicle comes with one remote control.
You may use two additional remote controls
for your vehicle. For more information, pleasecontact a qualified specialist workshop.
The remote control has a maximum range of
approximately 300 metres. This range is
reduced by:
R sources of radio interference
R solid objects between the remote control
and the vehicle R
the remote control being in an unfavoura-
ble position in relation to the vehicle
R transmitting from an enclosed space
i The optimum range can be achieved if you
hold the remote control vertically, pointing upwards when you press one of the but-
tons.
i A battery symbol appears in the display
when the battery in the remote control is
low. Replace the remote control battery
(Y page 136).
Switching the auxiliary heating/ventila-
tion on/off Remote control
:
Display
; . To check the status/set the depar-
ture time
= ^ To switch off the auxiliary heating/
ventilation
? u To switch on the auxiliary heating/
ventilation
A , To check the status/set the depar-
ture time
X To activate: press theubutton.
ON
ON is shown in the remote control display.
X To deactivate: press the^button.
OFF OFF is shown in the remote control display.
Checking the status of the auxiliary heat-
ing/ventilation
X Press the ,or. button. Operating the climate control system
135Climate control Z