2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A CLASS ignition

characteristics may be impaired, especially at low temperatures. Have the thawed battery
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Do
not use a rapid charging device to start the vehicle. If your vehicle's battery is discharged,
the engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jump
leads. Observe the following points:
R The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible,
jump-start the vehicle using a second battery or a jump-starting device.
R Vehicles with a petrol engine: only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust
system are cold.
R Do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
R Jump-starting may only be performed from batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
R Only use jump leads that have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
R If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected
for a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the empty battery a little.
R Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
R the jump leads are not damaged.
R bare parts of the terminal clamp do not come into contact with other metal parts while the
jump leads are connected to the battery.
R the jump leads cannot come into contact with parts which can move when the engine is
running, such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
X Secure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
X Manual transmission: shift into neutral.
X Automatic transmission: shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the key to position 0 in the ignition lock and remove it.
X Switch off all electrical consumers (e.g. radio, blower, etc.).
X Open the bonnet (Y page 285). Jump-starting
309
Breakdown assistance Z

!
Only secure the tow rope or towing bar to
the towing eyes. The vehicle may otherwise
be damaged.
! Observe the following points when towing
with a tow rope:
R secure the tow rope on the same side on
both vehicles.
R make sure that the tow rope is not longer
than legally permitted. Mark the tow rope
in the middle, e.g. with a white cloth
(30 x 30 cm). This makes other road
users aware that a vehicle is being
towed.
R only secure the tow rope to the towing
eye.
R observe the brake lamps of the towing
vehicle while driving. Always maintain a
distance so that the tow rope does not
sag.
R do not use steel cables or chains to tow
your vehicle. You could otherwise dam-
age the vehicle.
! Do not use the towing eyes for recovery
purposes as this could damage the vehicle.
If in doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! Pull away smoothly when towing away or
tow-starting a vehicle. If the tractive power
is too high, the vehicles could be damaged.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the front
axle or the entire vehicle must be raised
and transported.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. The transmission
may otherwise be damaged.
Observe the legal requirements for the rele-
vant countries when towing and tow-starting.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed. Vehicles with automatic transmission:
when
towing a vehicle, the transmission must
be in position N.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2
R vehicles with automatic transmission:
cannot shift the transmission to position N
i Deactivate the automatic locking feature
(Y page 223). You could otherwise be
locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection
(Y page 70) before the vehicle is towed. Fitting/removing the towing eye
Fitting the towing eye X
Remove the towing eye from the stowage
space.
The towing eye is located with the vehicle
tool kit under the luggage compartment
floor ( Y page 299). Towing and tow-starting
311
Breakdown assistance Z

Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit: the towing eye
is
located under the tyre inflation compres-
sor.
X Press the mark on cover : inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Remove cover : from the opening.
X Screw the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it.
Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch do not have
a bracket for the screw-in towing eye at the
back.

If you intend to use the vehicle for tow-
ing, fold out the ball coupling ( Y page 203)
and secure the towbar to it.
Removing the towing eye X
Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Attach cover : to the bumper and press
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the stowage well
under the luggage compartment floor
(Y page 299).
X Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit: replace the tyre
inflation compressor. Towing the vehicle with the front axle
raised
Only vehicles without 4MATIC can be
towed with the front axle raised.
! Vehicles

with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed
away with both axles on the ground or be loa-
ded up and transported.
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the front axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system.
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed. X
Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and shift to
neutral.
or
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Deactivate automatic locking
(Y page 223).
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 108).
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0 and leave the key in the ignition lock.
When towing your vehicle with the front axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions ( Y page 310). Towing the vehicle with both axles on
the ground
G
WARNING
The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will then need
much

more effort to brake and steer the vehi-
cle. Adapt your style of driving accordingly.
i In order to signal a change of direction
when towing with the hazard warning lamps
switched on, use the combination switch as
usual. In this case, only the turn signals for
the desired direction flash. When you reset
the combination switch, the hazard warn-
ing lamps start flashing again. 312
Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

Vehicles with automatic transmission:
the
automatic transmission automatically shifts
to position P when you open the driver's or
front-passenger door or when you remove the
key from the ignition lock. In order to ensure
that the automatic transmission stays in posi-
tion N when towing the vehicle, you must
observe the following points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Engage neutral.
Vehicles with manual or automatic trans-
mission:
X Leave the key in position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 108).
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 310). Transporting the vehicle
! Only

lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle could be damaged. X
Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Move the transmission to position N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the key to position 0 in the ignition
lock and remove it.
X Secure the vehicle.
The towing eyes or trailer tow hitch can be
used
to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or trans-
porter if you wish to transport it. Notes for 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles

with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may only be either
towed away with both axles on the ground or
be loaded up and transported.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it trans-
ported on a transporter or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system
If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P. To
shift the automatic transmission to position
N, you must provide power to the vehicle's
electrical system in the same way as when
jump-starting (Y page 308).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Towing and tow-starting
313
Breakdown assistance Z

Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Do not tow-start vehicles with automatic
transmission.
You could otherwise damage
the automatic transmission.
Before tow-starting, the following conditions
must be fulfilled:
R the battery is connected.
R the engine has cooled down.
R the exhaust system has cooled down.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 108).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 311).
X Secure the rigid towing bar or the towing
rope.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Depress the clutch pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Engage neutral.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Tow-start the vehicle.
X Engage second gear.
X Release the clutch pedal slowly without
depressing the accelerator pedal.
The engine is started.
X Depress the clutch pedal and shift to neu-
tral.
X Stop at a suitable place.
X Secure the vehicle by applying the electric
parking brake.
X Remove the rigid towing bar or towing rope.
X Remove the towing eye (Y page 312).
X Switch off the hazard warning lamps.
When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety instructions ( Y page 310)
and the legal requirements for the relevant
countries. Electrical fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you manipulate, bridge or replace a faulty
fuse with a fuse of a higher amperage, the
electric

cables could be overloaded. This may
result in a fire. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with specified new
fuses of the correct amperage.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system
concerned. Only use fuses marked with an
"S". Components or systems could other-
wise be damaged.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to disconnect
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions will
fail.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognise by
the colour and fuse rating. The fuse ratings
are listed in the fuse allocation chart.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. Before replacing a fuse
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 162).
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Turn the key to position 0 in the ignition
lock and remove it (Y page 143). All indi-
cator

lamps in the instrument cluster must
be off.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
R fuse

box in the engine compartment on the
left-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
R fuse box in the front-passenger footwell314
Electrical fuses
Breakdown assistance

The fuse allocation chart is on the fuse box in
the front-passenger footwell (
Y page 315).Fuse box in the engine compartment
G
WARNING
When the bonnet is open, and the windscreen
wipers are set in motion, you can be injured
by the wiper linkage. There is a risk of injury.
Always switch off the windscreen wipers and
the ignition before opening the bonnet.
! Make
sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it
is lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture
seeping in or dirt could otherwise impair
the operation of the fuses. X
Open the bonnet.
X Remove any existing moisture from the
fuse box using a dry cloth.
X To open: open clamps ;.
X Fold cover : up in the direction of the
arrow and remove it. X
To close: check whether the seal is lying
correctly in cover :.
X Insert cover : at the back into openings
= on the fuse box.
X Fold down cover :.
X Hook clamps ; into the fuse box and
close.
X Close the bonnet. Fuse box in the front-passenger foot-
well
X
To open: remove the floormat from the
front-passenger side.
X Fold out perforated floor covering :
in the
direction of the arrow. Electrical fuses
315
Breakdown assistance Z

i
The tyre pressure values given for low
loads are minimum values which offer you
good ride comfort characteristics.
However,
you can also use the values given
for higher loads. These are permissible and
will not adversely affect the running of the
vehicle. Tyre pressure loss warning system
Important safety notes While the vehicle is in motion, the tyre pres-
sure loss warning system monitors the set
tyre pressure using the rotational speed of
the

wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tyre. If the speed
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of
a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appear in the multifunction dis-
play.
The tyre pressure warning system does not
warn you of an incorrectly set tyre pressure.
Observe the notes on the recommended tyre
pressure ( Y page 321).
The tyre pressure loss warning system does
not replace the need to regularly check your
vehicle's tyre pressures, since an even loss of
pressure on several tyres at the same time
cannot be detected by the tyre pressure loss
warning system.
The tyre pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tyre is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering manoeuvres.
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, make sure that the tyre
pressures

are set properly on all four tyres
for the respective operating conditions.
The recommended tyre pressures can be
found in the table on the fuel filler flap.
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.
X Observe the notes on tyre pressure
(Y page 321).
X Make sure that the key is in posi-
tion 2(Y page 143) in the ignition lock.
X Press the =
or ; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Service menu.
X Press the 9 or : button to select
Tyre pressure.
X Press the a button.
The Run Flat Indicator active
Restart

with OK message appears in the
multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart:
X Press the a button.
The Tyre press. now OK? message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Press the 9 or : button to select
Yes.
X Press the a button.
The Run Flat Indicator restarted
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play. Tyre pressure
323
Wheels and tyres Z

Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have dam-
aged tyres or chassis components replaced
immediately. Fitting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle X
Stop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
X Apply the electric parking brake manually
(Y page 163).
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
move the DIRECT SELECT lever to P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X If a trailer is coupled to the vehicle, uncou-
ple it.
X If included in the vehicle equipment,
remove the tyre-change tool kit from the
vehicle.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
i Apart
from certain country-specific varia-
tions, vehicles are not equipped with a tyre-
change tool kit. For information on which
tools are required to perform a wheel
change on your vehicle, consult a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Necessary wheel-changing tools can
include, for example:
R Jack
R Wheel chock
R Wheel wrench Securing the vehicle against rolling
away
If your vehicle is equipped with a wheel chock,
it can be found in the tyre-change tool kit
(Y page 299).
The folding wheel chock is an additional
securing

measure to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, for example when changing a
wheel.
X Fold both plates upwards :.
X Fold out lower plate ;.
X Guide the lugs on the lower plate fully into
the openings in base plate =. Securing the vehicle on level ground
X
On level ground: place chocks or other
suitable items under the front and rear of
the wheel that is diagonally opposite the
wheel you wish to change. Changing a wheel
325
Wheels and tyres Z