2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK suspension

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). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If wheels and tyres of the wrong size are used, the wheel brakes or suspension components
may be damaged. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always replace wheels and tyres with those
that fulfil the specifications of the original
part.
When replacing wheels, make sure to fit the
correct:
R designation
R type
When replacing tyres, make sure to fit the
correct:
R designation
R manufacturer
R type G
WARNING
A flat tyre severely impairs the driving, steer-
ing and braking characteristics of the vehicle.
There is a risk of accident.
Tyres without run-flat characteristics:
R do not drive with a flat tyre.
R immediately replace the flat tyre with your
emergency spare wheel or spare wheel, or
consult a qualified specialist workshop. Tyres with run-flat characteristics:
R pay attention to the information and warn-
ing notices on MOExtended tyres (tyres
with run-flat characteristics).
Accessories that are not approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz or that are not
being used correctly can impair the operating
safety.
Before purchasing and using non-approved
accessories, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop and enquire about:
R suitability
R legal stipulations
R factory recommendations
Information on dimensions and types of
wheels and tyres for your vehicle can be
found (Y page 329).
Information on air pressure for the tyres on
your vehicle can be found:
R on the tyre pressure label on the fuel filler
flap
R under "Tyre pressure"
Modification work on the brake system and
wheels is not permitted. The use of wheel
spacers or brake dust shields is not permit-
ted. This invalidates the general operating
permit for the vehicle.
i Further information on wheels and tyres
can be obtained at any qualified specialist
workshop. Operation
Information on driving
R Check the tyre pressures when the vehicle
is heavily laden and, if necessary, adjust.
R While driving, pay attention to vibrations,
noises and unusual handling characteris-
tics, e.g. pulling to one side. This may indi- cate that the wheels or tyres are damaged. If you suspect that a tyre is defective,
reduce your speed immediately. Stop the
vehicle as soon as possible to check the 318
OperationWheels and tyres

After a teach-in period, the tyre pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tyre pressures of all four tyres.
or
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the %button.
or
X If the Tyre press. now OK? Tyre press. now OK? message
appears, use the 9or: button to
select Cancel Cancel .
X Press the abutton.
The tyre pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Changing a wheel
Flat tyre
You can find information on what to do in the event of flat tyre in the "Flat tyre" section
(Y page 300). You will also find information on
driving with MOExtended tyres in the event of a flat tyre.
Vehicles with an emergency spare wheel:
in the event of a flat tyre, the emergency
spare wheel is fitted according to the descrip-
tion under "Fitting a wheel" (Y page 325).Interchanging the wheels
G
WARNING
Interchanging the front and rear wheels may
severely impair the driving characteristics if
the wheels or tyres have different dimensions. The wheel brakes or suspension components may also be damaged. There is a risk of acci-
dent.
Interchange front and rear wheels only if the
wheels and tyres are of the same dimensions.
Interchanging the front and rear wheels of
differing dimensions can render the general
operating permit invalid. Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes when changing a wheel
(Y
page 324).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tyres differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Interchange the wheels before a clear wear
pattern has formed on the tyres. Front tyres
typically wear more on the shoulders and the
rear tyres in the centre.
On vehicles that have the same size front and rear wheels, you can interchange the wheels
every 5,000km to 10,000 km depending on
the degree of tyre wear. Maintain the direc-
tion of tyre rotation.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is interchanged. Check the tyre pressure and, if necessary, restart the tyre pressure loss
warning system. Direction of rotation
Tyres with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk of aquaplaning. You will only gain these ben-
efits if the correct direction of rotation is
observed.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tyre indicates
its correct direction of rotation. Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool, dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tyres against oil, grease, petrol and diesel. Cleaning the wheels
G
WARNING
The water jet of circular-jet nozzles (dirt grind- ers) can cause damage not visible from the
outside to tyres or chassis components. Com-
ponents damaged in this way can unexpect-
edly fail. There is a risk of an accident. 324
Changing a wheelWheels and tyres

!
Large wheels: the lower the section width
for a certain wheel size, the lower the ride
comfort is on poor road surfaces. Roll com-
fort and suspension comfort are reduced
and the risk of damage to the wheels and
tyres as a result of driving over obstacles
increases.
Overview of abbreviations used in the follow- ing tyre tables:
R BA: both axles
R FA: front axle
R RA: rear axle
You will find a table with recommended tyre
pressures for various operating conditions on
the inside of your vehicle's fuel filler flap. For
further information on tyre pressure, see
(Y page 321). Check tyre pressures regularly
and only when the tyres are cold.
Notes on the vehicle equipment – always fit
the vehicle:
R with tyres of the same size on a given axle
(left/right)
R with the same type of tyres at a given time
(summer tyres, winter tyres, MOExtended
tyres)
Exception: it is permissible to fit a different
type or make in the event of a flat tyre.
Observe the "MOExtended tyres (tyres with
run-flat characteristics)" section
(Y page 300).
Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It is
therefore recommended that you additionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat characteris-
tics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT kit can be
obtained from a qualified specialist work-
shop. In the following table, the wheel/tyre combi-
nations are allocated to the vehicle models
through variants, e.g. V1, V2 etc.: V1
A 180
12 V2
A 180 CDI
12 V3
A 200
12
, A 220 CDI 12 V4
A 200 CDI
12 V5
A 250
12 V6 A 250 Sport
V7 A 45 AMG 4MATIC
i
Not all wheel/tyre combinations can be
fitted at the factory in all countries.
12 BlueEFFICIENCY 330
Wheel and tyre combinationsWheels and tyres

At temperatures above freezing:
X Fill the washer fluid reservoir with a mixture
of water and washer fluid, e.g. MB Sum-
merFit.
Mix 1 part MB SummerFit to 100 parts water.
At temperatures below freezing:
X Fill the washer fluid reservoir with a mixture
of water and washer fluid, e.g. MB Winter-
Fit.
Adapt the mixing ratio to the outside temper-
ature.
R Down to Ò10 †: mix 1 part MB WinterFit to
2 parts water.
R Down to Ò20 †: mix 1 part MB WinterFit to
1 part water.
R Down to Ò29 †: mix 2 parts MB WinterFit to
1 part water.
i Add washer fluid concentrate, e.g. MB
SummerFit or MB WinterFit, to the washer
fluid all year round. Vehicle data
General notes
Please note that for the specified vehicle
data:
R the heights specified may vary as a result
of:
- tyres
- load
- condition of the suspension
- optional equipment
R items of optional equipment increase the
unladen weight and reduce the maximum
payload. The unladen weight is specified in
accordance with EC directives and
includes:
- driver (68 kg)
- luggage (7kg)
- all fluids (fuel tank 90% full) R
vehicle-specific weight information can be
found on the vehicle identification plate
(Y page 338).
R only for certain countries: you can find vehi-
cle-specific vehicle data in the COC docu-
ments (CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMITY)
These documents are delivered with your
vehicle.
Dimensions and weights Model
: :
Maxi- mum
head- room ;
;
Opening height A 180 BlueEFFI-
CIENCY
A 180 CDI Blue-
EFFICIENCY 1856 mm 1975 mm
A 200 BlueEFFI-
CIENCY
A 200 CDI Blue-
EFFICIENCY
A 220 CDI Blue-
EFFICIENCY 1857 mm 1976 mm
A 250 BlueEFFI-
CIENCY
1861 mm 1980 mm
A 45 AMG
4MATIC
1840 mm 1959 mm346
Vehicle dataTechnical data