2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK brake

more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
R overheat and cause a fire
R lose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only set the automatic transmission to the
respective drive positions when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. Otherwise, you could damage the
drive train.
! AMG vehicles:
avoid full-load operation
and engine speeds greater than 5000 rpm
when the engine is cold. This helps to pro-
tect the engine and avoids uncomfortable
driving. Key positions
g
To remove the key
1 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windscreen wipers 2
Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
3 To start the engine
Vehicles with manual transmission: the
steering is locked when the key is taken out of
the ignition lock.
i If the key does not belong to the vehicle, it
can still be turned in the ignition lock. How- ever, the ignition will not be switched on.
The engine cannot be started. Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
i Vehicles with a petrol engine:
the
engine runs at a higher engine speed during the cold start procedure so that the cata-
lytic converter can reach operating tem-
perature more quickly. The sound of the
engine may change as a result. Driving
143Driving and parking Z

Manual transmission
X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Shift to neutral N.
i You can only start the engine when the
clutch pedal is fully depressed.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P.
Transmission position display Pis shown in
the multifunction display.
i When the transmission is in position
N,
you can also start the engine with the brake pedal depressed.
Starting procedure X
To start a petrol engine: turn the key to
position 3in the ignition lock (Y page 143)
and release it as soon as the engine is run-
ning.
X To start a diesel engine: turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock (Y page 143).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X When the %preglow indicator lamp
goes out, turn the key to position
3(Y page 143) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
i You can start the engine without preglow
if the engine is warm. Pulling away
Manual transmission !
Change gear in good time and avoid spin-
ning the wheels. Otherwise, you could dam- age the vehicle.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully. X
Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Release the electric parking brake
(Y page 163).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Slowly release the clutch pedal and gently
depress the accelerator pedal.
i Follow the shift recommendations in the
multifunction display for an economical
driving style (Y page 151).
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic lock- ing feature (Y page 223).
Automatic transmission i
It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then can
the parking lock be deactivated. If you do
not depress the brake pedal, the DIRECT
SELECT lever can still be moved but the
parking lock remains engaged.
i At transmission fluid temperatures below
Ò20 †, you can only shift out of position P
into another transmission position when
the engine is running.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake (Y page 163) is
automatically released.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down. 144
DrivingDriving and parking

You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic lock- ing feature (Y page 223).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Pulling away with a trailer To ensure that you do not roll backwards
when pulling away on an uphill slope, engage
the electric parking brake.
X Press and hold handle :.
The electric parking brake continues to
brake and prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster remains lit.
X Depress the accelerator pedal.
X As soon as the vehicle/trailer combination
is held by the driving force of the engine,
release lever :.
The electric parking brake is released.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
i For further information on the electric
parking brake, see (Y page 163). Hill start assist G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could roll away.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It
holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal. This gives you enough time to move your footfrom the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll.
X Remove your foot from the brake pedal.
The vehicle is then held for about a second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist will not function if: R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is in position N.
R the electric parking brake is engaged.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning.
Further information on holding the vehicle
stationary on uphill gradients (Y page 154). ECO start/stop function
Introduction The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is stop-
ped under certain conditions.
When pulling away again, the engine starts
automatically. The ECO start/stop function
thereby helps you to reduce the fuel con-
sumption and emissions of your vehicle. Driving
145Driving and parking Z

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving. There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes :
ECO start/stop display
If the ¤ symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display, the ECO start/stop
function switches the engine off automati-
cally if the vehicle stops moving.
The stop/start function is automatically acti-
vated each time you start the engine with the ignition key.
If the ECO start/stop function has been man- ually deactivated (Y page 147) or a malfunc-
tion has caused the system to be deactivated, the ¤ symbol is not displayed.
AMG vehicles: the ECO start/stop function
is only available in drive program C.
Automatic engine switch-off General notes
The ECO start/stop function is operational
and the
¤symbol is displayed in green in
the multifunction display, if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green
R the outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system R
the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached
R the battery is sufficiently charged
R the system detects that the windscreen is
not misted up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on
R the bonnet is closed
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off are fulfilled, the ¤symbol is
shown in yellow.
i All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is switched off automati-
cally.
i The engine can be switched off automat-
ically a maximum of four times (initial stop,
then three subsequent stops) in succes-
sion. The ¤symbol is shown in yellow in
the multifunction display after the engine
has been started automatically for the
fourth time. When the ¤symbol is
shown in green in the multifunction display,
automatic engine switch-off is again possi-
ble.
Vehicles with manual transmission
The ECO start/stop function switches off the engine automatically at low speeds. X
Brake the vehicle.
X Engage neutral N(Ypage 151) (follow
gearshift instruction :to engage neutral
N, if necessary).
X Release the clutch pedal.
The engine is switched off automatically. 146
DrivingDriving and pa
rking

Vehicles with automatic transmission
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in Dor N,
the ECO start/stop function switches off the engine automatically.
i The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automati-
cally. It is then not necessary to continue
applying the brakes during the automatic
stop phase. When you depress the accel-
erator pedal, the engine starts automati-
cally and the braking effect of the HOLD
function is deactivated.
Automatic engine start General notes
The engine is started automatically if:
R
you switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button
R you engage reverse gear R
R the vehicle starts to roll
R the brake system requires this
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
screen when the air-conditioning system is
switched on
R the battery's charge status is too low
R the driver's seat belt is released or the driv-
er's door is opened
Vehicles with manual transmission
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
The engine is started automatically if you:
R depress the clutch pedal fully
R depress the accelerator pedal Vehicles with automatic transmission
The engine is started automatically if you:
R release the brake pedal when HOLD is not
activated and the transmission is in posi-
tion Dor N
R depress the accelerator pedal
R move the transmission out of position P
i Shifting the transmission to position
P
does not start the engine.
i If you shift the transmission from
Rto D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the ¤symbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function ECO button
X To switch off: press button:.
Indicator lamp ;and the ¤symbol in
the multifunction display go out.
X To switch on: press button:.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 146) are met, the ¤
symbol is shown in green in the multifunc-
tion display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 146) are met, the ¤
symbol is shown in yellow in the multifunc-
tion display. If this is the case, the ECO
start/stop function is not available. Driving
147Driving and parking Z

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Vehicles with a petrol
engine:
The engine is not run-
ning smoothly and is
misfiring. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic con-
verter and damage it.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. The coolant tempera-
ture display is showing
more than 120 †. The
coolant warning lamp
may also be on and a
warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 288). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue
driving to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-start traffic. Manual transmission
Gear lever
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
! When shifting to
5thand 6thgear, you
must press the shift lever to the right. Oth- erwise, you could shift unintentionally into
3rd or4th gear and damage the engine or
transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine
to overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the vehicle stationary on uphill gradients.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
clutch.
! On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must shift into gear
1, 2or3in
good time. This uses the engine's braking
effect. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. Gear lever
k
Reverse gear
1 to6
Forward gears 150
Manual transmissionDriving and parking

Shifting to neutral (N)
X
Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Move the gear lever to position N:.Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear
Rwhen the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
X Pull the gear lever up, push it to the left and
then pull it back.
i The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
For further information on the ECO start/
stop function, see (Y page 146).Gearshift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunctiondisplay. X
Shift gear according to gearshift recom-
mendation :when shown in the multi-
function display of the instrument cluster. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
i Bear in mind that the power transmission
between the engine and the transmission is
interrupted when the engine is switched
off.
To prevent the vehicle from rolling away:
R when the engine is switched off and the
vehicle is stationary, shift the automatic
transmission to park position Pand
R apply the electric parking brake DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions All vehicles (except AMG vehicles):
the
DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
Information about the selector lever on AMG
vehicles (Y page 153). Automatic transmission
151Driving and parking Z

j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
i The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns
to its original position. The current trans-
mission position P,R, Nor Dappears in the
transmission position display (Y page 152)
in the multifunction display.
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
:
Transmission position display
; Drive program display
i The arrows in the transmission position
display show how and into which transmis-
sion positions you can change using the
DIRECT SELECT lever.
! If the transmission position display in the
multifunction display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to check whether the desired transmission position is
engaged. Ideally, you should select trans-
mission position Dand drive program Eor
S. Engaging park position P X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direc-
tion of arrow P.
Transmission position display Pis shown in
the multifunction display.
i When you engage park position
P, make
sure that the transmission position display shows Pin the multifunction display.
i You can only engage park position
Pwhen
the vehicle is stationary.
i The automatic transmission shifts into
park position Pautomatically:
R if you open the driver's door while the
vehicle is stationary in transmission posi-
tion Dor R
R if you open the door while travelling at
very low speeds in transmission position
D or R
In addition, a warning tone sounds and a
display message is shown.
i Depressing the brake and pushing the
DIRECT SELECT lever up or down disen-
gages the parking lock. The transmission is
in Nneutral.
At transmission fluid temperatures below
Ò20 †, you can only shift out of park posi-
tion Pinto another transmission position
when the engine is running.
In order to shift from park position P
directly into Ror D:
R depress the brake pedal and
R push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or
down past the first point of resistance
! If the engine speed is too high, do not shift
the automatic transmission directly from D
to R, from Rto Dor directly to P. Otherwise,
the automatic transmission could be dam-
aged. 152
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking