2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK low beam

Trailer towing ................................. 199
Bonnet
Active bonnet (pedestrian protec-tion) ............................................... 284
Closing ...........................................2 86
Display message ............................ 254
Important safety notes .................. 284
Opening ......................................... 285
Boot
see Tailgate
Boot load (maximum) ........................ 346
Brake Assist System
see BAS (Brake Assist System)
Brake fluid
Display message ............................ 236
Notes ............................................. 344
Brake lamps
Adaptive .......................................... .64
Changing bulbs .............................. 115
Display message ............................ 240
Brakes
ABS .................................................. 61
Adaptive Brake Assist ...................... 63
BAS .................................................. 62
Brake fluid (notes) ........................ .344
Display message ............................ 230
Driving tips ................................... .166
Important safety notes .................. 166
Parking brake ................................ 163
Warning lamp ................................. 258
Breakdown
see Flat tyre
see Towing away/tow-starting
Bulbs
see Replacing bulbs C
Calling up a fault see Display messages
Car
see Vehicle
Car wash (care) ................................. 291
Care
Automatic car wash ....................... 291
Carpets .......................................... 296
Display .......................................... .295
Exhaust pipe .................................. 294 Exterior lighting ............................
.293
Gear or selector lever .................... 295
High-pressure cleaner .................... 291
Interior .......................................... .295
Matt paintwork .............................. 292
Notes ............................................. 290
Paint .............................................. 292
Plastic trim ................................... .295
Reversing camera .......................... 294
Roof lining ...................................... 296
Seat belt ........................................ 296
Seat cover ..................................... 296
Sensors ......................................... 294
Steering wheel ............................... 295
Trim pieces ................................... .295
Washing by hand ........................... 291
Wheels .......................................... .292
Windows ........................................ 293
Wiper blades .................................. 293
Wooden trim .................................. 295
Central locking
Automatic locking (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 223
Locking/unlocking (key ).................. 75
Centre console
Lower section .................................. 35
Upper section .................................. 34
Changing bulbs
Brake lamps ................................... 115
Cornering light function ................. 114
Dipped-beam headlamp s............... 113
Main-beam headlamp s................... 114
Rear foglamp ................................. 115
Reversing lamps ............................ 115
Tail lamps ...................................... 115
Turn signals (front) ......................... 114
Turn signals (rear) .......................... 115
Child seat
Automatic recognition ..................... 52
ISOFIX .............................................. 53
On the front-passenger sea t............ 51
Problem (malfunction) ..................... 56
Recommendations ........................... 58
Suitable positions ............................ 56
Top Tether ....................................... 54
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes .................... 60
Rear doors ....................................... 60 6
Index

Warning and indicator lamps
Function Page
:
L
Dipped-beam head-
lamps 105
;
T
Side lamps 106
=
K
Main-beam head-
lamps 107
?
÷
ESP® 260
A
!
Electric parking brake
(red) 263
B
!
Electric parking brake
(yellow) 263
C
·
Distance warning 266
D
#!
Turn signals 107
E
6
SRS 263
F
ü
Seat belts 257 Function Page
G
%
Diesel engine: pre-
glow 144
M
SPORT handling
mode in AMG vehicles 261
H
?
Coolant 264
I
R
Rear foglamp 106
J
N
Front foglamps 106
K
;
Engine diagnostics 264
L
h
This lamp has no func-
tion M
æ
Reserve fuel 264
N
å
ESP®
OFF 260
O
!
ABS 258
P
J
Brakes 25832
Instrument clusterAt a glance

even if the light sensor does not sense dark
ambient light conditions. This is advanta-
geous when there is fog or rain.
X To switch on the dipped-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to L.
The green Lindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
Foglamps
In conditions where visibility is poor due to
fog, snow or rain, the foglamps improve visi-
bility as well as making it easier for other road
users to see you. They can be operated
together with the side lamps or together with the side lamps and dipped-beam headlamps.
X To switch on the foglamps: turn the key
in the ignition lock to position 2or start the
engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ.
X Press the Nbutton.
The green Nindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
X To switch off the front foglamps: press
the N button.
The green Nindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Only vehicles with front foglamps are equip-
ped with the "Foglamp" function; for how to
operate the foglamps on vehicles with the
Intelligent Light System (Y page 109).
Rear foglamp
The rear foglamp improves the visibility of
your vehicle in heavy fog for the following
traffic. Please observe the country-specific
laws on the use of rear foglamps.
X To switch on the rear foglamp: turn the
key in the ignition lock to position 2or start
the engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ. X
Press the Rbutton.
The yellow Rindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To switch off the rear foglamp: press the
R button.
The yellow Rindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
i Vehicles with bi-xenon headlamps or the
Intelligent Light System: when the rear fog- lamp is switched on, the lower 15 LEDs of
the brake lamp in the tail lamp switch off
due to a legal requirement: for right-hand
traffic only in the left-hand tail lamp and for left-hand traffic only in the right-hand tail
lamp.
Side lamps ! If the battery has been excessively dis-
charged, the side lamps or parking lamps
are automatically switched off to enable
the next engine start. Always park your
vehicle safely and sufficiently lit according
to legal standards. Avoid the continuous
use of the Tside lamps for several
hours. If possible, switch on the Xright
or the Wleft parking lamp.
X To switch on: turn the light switch to T.
Depending on the equipment level, the
green indicator lamp or the scale illumina-
tion in the instrument cluster light up.
Parking lamps
Switching on the parking lamps ensures the
corresponding side of the vehicle is illumina-
ted.
X To switch on the parking lamps: the key
is not in the ignition lock or it is in posi-
tion 0.
X Turn the light switch to W(left-hand side
of the vehicle) or X(right-hand side of
the vehicle). 106
Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers

Adjusting the headlamp range (halogen
headlamps) The headlamp range control allows you to
adjust the cone of light from the headlamps to
suit the vehicle load. Headlamp range control
g
Driver's seat and front-passenger seat
occupied
1 Driver's seat, front-passenger seat and
rear seats occupied
2 Driver's seat, front-passenger seat and
rear seats occupied, luggage compart-
ment laden
3 Driver's and front-passenger seats occu-
pied and maximum permissible rear axle
load utilised, e.g. when towing a trailer
X Start the engine.
X Turn the headlamp range control to the
position which corresponds to the load in
your vehicle. Combination switch
Turn signals :
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right
= Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To indicate briefly: press the combination
switch briefly to the pressure point in the
direction of arrow ;or?.
The corresponding turn signal flashes three
times.
X To indicate: press the combination switch
beyond the pressure point in the direction
of arrow ;or?.
Main-beam headlamps X
To switch on the main-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow :.
In the Ãposition, the main-beam head-
lamps are only switched on when it is dark
and the engine is running.
The blue Kindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up when the main-beam headlamps are switched on.
X To switch off the main-beam head-
lamps: move the combination switch back
to its normal position.
The blue Kindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out. Exterior lighting
107Lights and windscreen wipers Z

i
Vehicles with Adaptive Highbeam Assist:
when Adaptive Highbeam Assist is active, it controls activation of the main-beam head-lamps (Y page 109).
Headlamp flasher X
To switch on: turn the key in the ignition
lock to position 1or 2, or start the engine.
X Pull the combination switch in the direction
of arrow =. Hazard warning lamps
The hazard warning lamps switch on auto-
matically if:
R an airbag is deployed or
R the vehicle decelerates rapidly from a
speed of more than 70 km/h and comes to
a standstill
X To switch on the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on a turn signal using the combination switch,
only the turn signal lamp on the corre-
sponding side of the vehicle will flash.
X To switch off the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.
The hazard warning lamps switch off auto-
matically if the vehicle reaches a speed of
over 10 km/h again after a full brake appli-
cation.
i The hazard warning lamps still operate if
the ignition is switched off. Headlamp cleaning system
If the "Wipe with washer fluid" function is
operated five times (Y page 116) while the
lights are on and the engine is running, the
headlamps are cleaned automatically. When
you switch off the ignition, the automatic
headlamp cleaning system is reset and count-
ing is resumed from 0. Intelligent Light System
General notes The Intelligent Light System is a system that
adjusts the headlamps automatically to suit
the prevailing driving and weather conditions.
It offers advanced functions for improved illu-
mination of the road surface, e.g. depending
on the vehicle speed or weather conditions.
The system includes the active light function, cornering light function, motorway mode and
extended range foglamps. The system is only active when it is dark.
You can activate or deactivate the "IntelligentLight System" using the on-board computer
(Y page 221).
Active light function The active light function is a system that
moves the headlamps according to the steer-
ing movements of the front wheels. In this
way, relevant areas remain illuminated while
driving. This allows you to recognise pedes-
trians, cyclists and animals.
Active: when the lights are switched on. 108
Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers

Cornering light function
The cornering light function improves the illu-
mination of the road over a wide angle in the
direction you are turning, enabling better vis- ibility in tight bends, for example. The corner-ing light function can only be activated when
the dipped-beam headlamps are switched on.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds below 40 km/h
and the turn signal is activated or the steer- ing wheel is turned.
R if you are driving at speeds between
40 km/h and 70 km/h and turn the steer-
ing wheel.
Not active: if you are driving at speeds above
40 km/h or switch off the turn signal or turn
the steering wheel to the straight-ahead posi-
tion.
The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after
no more than three minutes.
Motorway mode Motorway mode increases the range of the
beam.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds above
110 km/h and do not make any large steer-
ing movements for 1000 m
R if you are driving at speeds above
130 km/h
Not active: if you are driving at speeds below
80 km/h following activation.
Extended range foglamps The extended range foglamps reduce the
glare experienced by the driver and improve
the illumination of the edge of the carriage-
way.
Active:
if you are driving at speeds below
70 km/h and you switch on the rear foglamp.
Not active: if you are driving at speeds above
100 km/h or if you switch off the rear foglamp following activation. Adaptive Highbeam Assist
G
WARNING
Adaptive Highbeam Assist does not recognise road users:
R who have no lights, e.g. pedestrians
R who have poor lighting, e.g. cyclists
R whose lighting is blocked, e.g. by a barrier
In very rare cases, Adaptive Highbeam Assist
recognises road users too late or not at all. In
this, or in similar situations, the automatic Exterior lighting
109Lights and windscreen wipers
Z

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

X
To switch off the crash-responsive
emergency lighting: press the hazard
warning lamp button.
or X Lock and then unlock the vehicle using the
key. Replacing bulbs
Important safety notes
Xenon bulbs G
DANGER
Xenon bulbs are under high voltage. You can
get an electric shock if you remove the cover
of the xenon bulb and touch the electrical
contacts. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Never touch the parts or the electrical con-
tacts of the xenon bulb. Always have work on the xenon bulbs carried out at a qualified spe- cialist workshop.
If your vehicle is equipped with xenon bulbs,
you can recognise this by the following: the
cone of light from the xenon bulbs moves
from the top to the bottom and back again
when you start the engine. For this to be
observed, the lights must be switched on
before starting the engine.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly.
Other bulbs G
WARNING
Bulbs, lamps and plug connectors can
become very hot during use. When replacing a bulb, you could burn yourself on these com-
ponents. There is a risk of injury.
Allow these components to cool down before replacing the bulb.
There are bulbs other than the xenon bulbs
that you cannot replace. Replace only the bulbs listed (Y
page 112). Have the bulbs that
you cannot replace yourself replaced at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If you require assistance replacing bulbs, con-
sult a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not touch the glass tube of new bulbs with
your bare hands. Even minor contamination
can burn into the glass surface and reduce
the service life of the bulbs. Always use a lint- free cloth or only touch the base of the bulb
when fitting.
Only use bulbs of the correct type.
If the new bulb still does not light up, consult
a qualified specialist workshop.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly. Overview of bulb replacement – bulbs
You can replace the following bulbs. The
details for the bulb type can be found in the
legend. Halogen headlamps
:
Turn signal lamp: PY 21 W
; Main-beam headlamp/side lamp/park-
ing lamp: H15 55 W/15 W
= Dipped-beam headlamp: H7 55 W 112
Replacing bulbsLights and
windscreen wipers