2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A CLASS ECO mode

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). Overview of climate control systems
Important safety notes
Observe the settings recommended on the
following pages. The windows could other-
wise mist up.
To prevent the windows from misting up:
R switch off climate control only briefly
R switch on air-recirculation mode only
briefly
R switch on the cooling with air dehumidifi-
cation function
R switch on the defrost windscreen function
briefly, if required
THERMATIC automatic climate control/
THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control
regulates the temperature and the humidity
of the vehicle interior and filters out undesir-
able substances from the air.
THERMATIC automatic climate control/
THERMOTRONIC

automatic climate control is
only operational when the engine is running.
Optimum operation is only achieved with the
side windows and panorama sliding sunroof
closed.
The residual heat function can only be acti-
vated or deactivated with the ignition
switched off (Y page 133).
i Ventilate the vehicle for a brief period
during warm weather, e.g. using the con-
venience opening feature (Y page 85). This will speed up the cooling process and the
desired

vehicle interior temperature will be
reached more quickly.
i The integrated filter can filter out most
particles of dust and completely filters out
pollen. A clogged filter reduces the amount
of air supplied to the vehicle interior. For
this reason, you should always observe the
interval for replacing the filter, which is
specified in the Service Booklet. As it
depends on environmental conditions, e.g.
heavy air pollution, the interval may be
shorter than stated in the Service Booklet.
i It is possible that the residual heat func-
tion may be activated automatically an hour
after the key has been removed in order to
dry the air-conditioning system. The vehicle
is ventilated for 30 minutes. 122
Overview of climate control systems
Climate control

Control panel for THERMATIC automatic climate control
:
To set the temperature (Y page 128)
; To demist the windscreen (Y page 130)
= To set the air distribution ( Y page 129)
? To activate/deactivate air-recirculation mode ( Y page 132)
A To set the airflow ( Y page 129)
B To activate/deactivate cooling with air dehumidification (Y page 126)
C To switch the rear window heating on/off ( Y page 131)Notes on using THERMATIC automatic
climate control
Automatic climate control The following contains notes and recommen-
dations
on optimum use of THERMATIC auto-
matic climate control.
R Switch on the air-conditioning system by
turning control knob A clockwise to the
desired position (except position 0).
R Set the temperature to 22 †.
R Recommendation to avoid misting of
the windows in the event of low outside
temperatures or rain: switch on the air
distribution ¯ and if possible switch off
P and O(Y page 129).
Deactivate air-recirculation mode
d(Y page 132). Set airflow control
A
to a setting between
3 and 6(Y page 129).
R Recommendation for rapid cooling or
heating of the vehicle interior: briefly set
airflow control A to a setting between 3
and 6(Y page 129).
R Recommendation for a constant vehi-
cle interior temperature: set airflow con-
trol A to a position between 1 and
3(Y page 129).
R Recommendation for air distribution in
winter: select the O and ¯ settings
(Y page 129).
Recommendation for air distribution in
summer: select the P or P and
¯ settings ( Y page 129).
R Only use the "Windscreen demisting" func-
tion briefly until the windscreen is clear
again. Overview of climate control systems
123
Climate control

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 equipment124
Overview of climate control systems
Climate control

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
the front-passenger side as well. The indi-
cator lamp in the á button goes out.
R Use the residual heat function if you want
to heat or ventilate the vehicle interior
when
the ignition is switched off. The resid-
ual heat function can only be activated or
deactivated with the ignition switched off.
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). Operating the climate control system
Switching climate control on/off
Points to observe before use When the climate control is switched off, the
air supply and air circulation are also
switched off. The windows could then mist
up.

Therefore, switch off climate control only
briefly.
THERMATIC automatic climate control X
Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock (Y page 143).
X To switch on: turn
control A clockwise to
the desired position (except position 0)
(Y page 123).
X To switch off: turn control A anti-clock-
wise to position 0(Y page 123). THERMOTRONIC automatic climate
control X
Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock (Y page 143).
X To activate: press the à button.
The
indicator lamp in the à button lights
up. Airflow and air distribution are set to
automatic mode.
or
X Press the ^ button.
The

indicator lamp in the ^ button goes
out. The previous settings are reactivated.
X To deactivate: press the ^ button.
The
indicator lamp in the ^ button lights
up.
i THERMOTRONIC automatic climate con-
trol: switch on climate control primarily
using the à button. Activating/deactivating the cooling
with air dehumidification function
Points to observe before use If you deactivate the "Cooling with air dehu-
midification

function", the air inside the vehi-
cle will not be cooled in warmer weather. The
air inside the vehicle will not be dehumidified
either. The windows can mist up more
quickly. Therefore, only switch off the "Cool-
ing with air dehumidification function" briefly.
The "Cooling with air dehumidification" func-
tion is only available when the engine is run-
ning. The air inside the vehicle is cooled and
dehumidified according to the temperature
selected.
Condensation may drip from the underside of
the vehicle when cooling mode is active. This
is normal and not a sign that there is a mal-
function. 126
Operating the climate control system
Climate control

Problems with the rear window heating
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe rear window heat-
ing has switched off
prematurely or cannot
be activated. The battery has not been sufficiently charged.
X
Switch off any consumers that are not required, e.g. reading
lamps, interior lighting or the seat heating.
When
the battery is sufficiently charged, the rear window heat-
ing can be activated again. Activating/deactivating air-recircula-
tion mode
If you switch on air-recirculation mode, the
windows can mist up more quickly, in partic-
ular at low temperatures. Only use air-recir-
culation

mode briefly to prevent the windows
misting up.
You can deactivate the flow of fresh air if
unpleasant odours are entering the vehicle
from outside. The air already inside the vehi-
cle will then be recirculated.
The operation of air-recirculation mode is the
same for all control panels.
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock (Y page 143).
X To activate: press the e button.
The
indicator lamp in the e button lights
up.
i Air-recirculation mode is activated auto-
matically at high outside temperatures.
When air-recirculation mode is activated
automatically, the indicator lamp in the
e button is not lit.
Outside air is added after about
30 minutes.
X To deactivate: press the e button.
The
indicator lamp in the e button goes
out. i
Air-recirculation mode deactivates auto-
matically:
R after approximately five minutes at out-
side temperatures below approximately
5 †.
R after approximately five minutes if the
"Cooling

with air dehumidification" func-
tion is deactivated.
R after approximately 30 minutes at out-
side temperatures above approximately
5 † and when the "Cooling with air dehu-
midification function" is activated. Convenience opening/closing using
the air-recirculation button
G
WARNING
When the convenience closing feature is oper-
ating,
parts of the body could become trapped
in the closing area of the side window and the
sliding sunroof. There is a risk of injury.
Observe the complete closing procedure
when the convenience closing feature is oper-
ating. When closing make sure that no parts
of the body are in the closing area. G
WARNING
During convenience opening parts of the body
could be drawn in or become trapped
between

the side window and window frame.
There is a risk of injury.
When opening, make sure that nobody is
touching the side window. If someone
becomes trapped, press the W switch132
Operating the climate control system
Climate control

immediately to open/close the side window
in the door. The side window stops. To con-
tinue closing the side window, pull on the
W switch.
X Convenience closing feature: press and
hold the e button until the side win-
dows
and the panorama sliding sunroof are
closed.
The indicator lamp in the e button lights
up. Air-recirculation mode is activated.
If parts of the body are in the closing area
during convenience closing, proceed as fol-
lows:
X To open/close the side window, press the
W button.
The side window stops.
X To then open the side window, press the
W button again.
X To open/close the panorama sliding sun-
roof press the 3 button.
The panorama sliding sunroof stops.
X To then open the panorama sliding sunroof
press the 3 button again.
X Press the d
button again for longer than
2 seconds.
The side windows move in the opposite
direction.
i Notes on the automatic reversing func-
tion for:
R the side window

(Y page 84)
R the panorama sliding sunroof
(Y page 87)
X Convenience opening feature:
press and
hold the e button until the side win-
dows and the panorama sliding sunroof
have opened. The side windows and the
panorama sliding sunroof move back to
their original position.
The indicator lamp in the e button goes
out. Air-recirculation mode is deactivated.
i If you open the side windows or the pan-
orama sliding sunroof manually after clos-
ing with the convenience closing feature, they will remain in this position when
opened

using the convenience opening fea-
ture. Activating/deactivating the residual
heat function
The residual heat function is only available
with

THERMOTRONIC automatic climate con-
trol.
It is possible to make use of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heating the vehicle
for approximately 30 minutes after the engine
has been switched off. The heating time
depends on the temperature that has been
set for the vehicle interior.
i The blower will run at a low speed regard-
less of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed.
X Turn the key to position 0 in the ignition
lock or remove it ( Y page 143).
X To activate: press the Ì button.
The
indicator lamp in the Ì button lights
up.
X To deactivate: press the Ì button.
The
indicator lamp in the Ì button goes
out.
i Residual heat is deactivated automati-
cally:
R after approximately

30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops
R when the auxiliary heating is switched on Operating the climate control system
133
Climate control Z

Auxiliary heating
Important safety notes G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or sufficient
ventilation is not possible, toxic exhaust
fumes can enter the vehicle, especially car-
bon monoxide. This is the case, e.g. in
enclosed spaces, or if the vehicle is stuck in
snow. There is a risk of fatal injuries.
You should switch off the auxiliary heating in
enclosed
spaces which do not have an extrac-
tion system, e.g. a garage. If the vehicle is
stuck in snow and you must leave the auxiliary
heating running, keep the exhaust pipe and
the area around the vehicle clear of snow. To
guarantee a sufficient supply of fresh air, open
a window on the side of the vehicle away from
the wind. G
WARNING
When the auxiliary heating is switched on,
parts of the vehicle can become very hot.
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs

may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system for extended
periods. There is a risk of fire.
When the auxiliary heating is switched on,
make sure that no flammable material can
come into contact with hot vehicle compo-
nents.
! Operating the auxiliary heating/ventila-
tion draws on the vehicle battery. After you
have heated or ventilated the vehicle a
maximum of two times, drive for a longer
distance.
i Switch the auxiliary heating on regularly
once a month for about ten minutes.
The auxiliary heating heats the air in the vehi-
cle interior to the set temperature. This
occurs without using the heat of the running
engine. The auxiliary heating is operated
directly using the vehicle's fuel. For this rea-
son, the fuel tank must be at least ¼ full to
ensure that the auxiliary heating functions. The auxiliary heating/ventilation automati-
cally adjusts to changes in temperature and
weather

conditions. For this reason, the aux-
iliary heating could switch from ventilation
mode to heating mode or from heating mode
to ventilation mode.
The auxiliary heating switches off when the
engine is switched off. The auxiliary ventila-
tion switches off when you turn the key to key
position 2(Y page 143).
The auxiliary heating switches off automati-
cally after 30 minutes.
You cannot use the auxiliary ventilation to
cool the vehicle interior to a temperature
lower than the outside temperature.
Before switching on X
Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock (Y page 143).
X Set the desired temperature.
Auxiliary heating or ventilation can also be
switched on if the manually set climate con-
trol is activated. Optimum comfort can be
attained

when the system is set to automatic
mode. Set the temperature to 22 †.
The auxiliary heating/ventilation can be acti-
vated or deactivated using the remote control
or the button on the centre console.
The on-board computer can be used to spec-
ify up to three departure times, one of which
may be preselected ( Y page 224).134
Operating the climate control systemClimate control

Towing a trailer
Trailer towing is not permissible on the fol-
lowing models:
R
A 45 AMG 4MATIC
R Vehicles with the AMG Sports package
X Drive in the middle of the engine speed
range on uphill gradients.
X Depending on the uphill or downhill gradi-
ent,
select a lower gear (Y page 166), even
if cruise control, DISTRONIC PLUS, or
SPEEDTRONIC are activated. Program selector button
General notes The program selector button allows you to
choose between drive programs with differ-
ent driving characteristics.
Example: program selector button
E Economy Comfortable, economical
driving
S Sport Sporty driving style
M Manual Manual gearshifting
X
Press program selector button : repeat-
edly

until the letter for the desired gearshift
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i The automatic transmission switches to
automatic drive program E each time the
engine is started. i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see

(Y page 156).
AMG vehicles C Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S Sport Sporty driving style
M Manual Manual gearshifting
X
Press program selector button : repeat-
edly

until the letter for the desired gearshift
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i The automatic transmission switches to
automatic drive program C each time the
engine is started.
i For further information on the automatic
drive program, see

(Y page 156). Automatic transmission
155
Driving and parking Z