2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A CLASS heating

Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer shifts into all of
the gears.
Reverse gear can no
longer be engaged. The transmission is in emergency mode.
X
Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least 10seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and,
if applicable, the auxiliary heating before
refuelling. G
WARNING
Fuels are poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a danger of injury.
Do

not swallow fuel or let it come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale fuel
vapours. Keep fuels out of the reach of chil-
dren.
If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
R Wash the fuel off any affected areas of skin
with water and soap immediately.
R If you get fuel in your eyes, rinse them thor-
oughly with clean water immediately. Seek
immediate medical attention. R
If fuel is swallowed, seek immediate medi-
cal attention. Do not induce vomiting.
R Change any clothing that has come into
contact with fuel immediately. G
WARNING
Electrostatic charge can cause sparks and
thereby ignite fuel vapours. There is a risk of
fire and explosion.
Always

touch the vehicle body before opening
the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. This discharges any electrostatic
charge that may have built up. G
WARNING
Vehicles with a diesel engine:
If you mix diesel fuel with petrol, the flash
point

of this fuel mixture is lower than that of
pure diesel fuel. When the engine is running,
components in the exhaust system may over-
heat unnoticed. There is a risk of fire.
Never refuel with petrol. Never add petrol to
diesel fuel.
! Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not use diesel to refuel
vehicles with a petrol engine. Do not switch Refuelling
159
Driving and parking Z

dynamic changes in the bars at the start of
a
journey. During a prolonged driving time,
these changes are smaller. For more
dynamic changes, perform a manual reset.
For further information on the ECO display,
see ( Y page 212). Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This

increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and

steep downhill gradients. Take particular
note of this when driving a laden vehicle and
when towing a trailer. For vehicles with auto-
matic transmission, you need to have selec-
ted manual drive program M(Y page 156).
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to prevent the
vehicle from gaining speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
i Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal
on downhill gradients while the manual
drive program M is temporarily activated
(vehicles with automatic transmission): the
automatic transmission may switch back to
the last active automatic drive program E
or S. The automatic transmission may shift to a higher gear. This can reduce the
engine's braking effect.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave
your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This

increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There
is a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If heavy demands are made on the brakes, do
not park the vehicle immediately. Drive on for
a short while. This allows the airflow to cool
the brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed, paying attention to traffic con-
ditions. This improves the grip of the brakes.
Wet road surfaces If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without

braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after a car wash or
after driving through deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion. 166
Driving tips
Driving and parking

Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.
R
Brake
occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
New brake pads/linings New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach

their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometres of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on

the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts and
brake carefully. Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age

the engine, the electronics or the trans-
mission.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the maximum permissible fording depth in
still water is 25 cm
R you should drive no faster than walking
pace Winter driving
General notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This

increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such

as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open
a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind. Driving tips
167
Driving and parking Z

Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (
Y page 320).
Driving with summer tyres Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (
Y page 320).
Slippery road surfaces G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This
increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially

in wooded areas or on bridges. You
should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
i For more information on driving with
snow chains, see ( Y page 321). Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control

can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take into account road,
weather or traffic conditions. Cruise control
is only an aid. You are responsible for the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed,
for braking in good time, and for staying in the
lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed
(e.g. in heavy traffic or on winding roads).
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or
accelerating can cause the drive wheels to
lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed

for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. You must
select a lower gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. For vehi-
cles with automatic transmission, you need
to have selected manual drive program
M(Y page 156). By doing so, you will make
use of the braking effect of the engine. This
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 30 km/h. 168
Driving systems
Driving and parking

SPEEDTRONIC
Important safety notes SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that
you
do not exceed the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must
select shift range 1, 2 or 3 in good time. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine. This relieves the load on
the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly. If
you need additional braking, depress the
brake pedal repeatedly rather than continu-
ously.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of an
accident nor override the laws of physics.
SPEEDTRONIC cannot take into account
road, weather or traffic conditions. SPEED-
TRONIC is only an aid. You are responsible for
the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, for braking in good time, and for stay-
ing in the lane.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
General notes You can set a variable or permanent limit
speed:
R
variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up
areas
R permanent for long-term speed restric-
tions, e.g. when driving with winter tyres
fitted (Y page 172)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC General notes
With

the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS and vari-
able SPEEDTRONIC. The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever

indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected.
You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the speed to any speed above 30 km/h while
the engine is running. :
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed and calling up
the last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed
A To switch between cruise control or DIS-
TRONIC

PLUS and variable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC
Selecting variable SPEEDTRONIC
X Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;
is on.
If it is on, variable SPEEDTRONIC is already
selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ; in the cruise control
lever lights up. Variable SPEEDTRONIC is
selected.
X Make sure that the accelerator pedal is not
depressed beyond the pressure point. Driving systems
171
Driving and parking Z

This speed can:
R
be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high in the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the left
R be so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the right
If
there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. DIS-
TRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so that
the set speed is not exceeded.
You

must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially
if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. For
this, you need to have selected manual drive
program M(Y page 166). By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine.
This relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle. It
maintains the preset distance to the vehicle
in front.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. Without your intervention, DIS-
TRONIC PLUS cannot prevent a collision. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster. Brake immediately to
increase the distance to the vehicle driving in
front, or take evasive action, provided it is
safe to do so.
The radar sensor system is switched off auto-
matically in the vicinity of radio telescope
facilities ( Y page 350).
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you when driv-
ing, the radar sensor system must be:
R activated (Y page 223)
R operational i
In some countries you must deactivate
the radar sensor system ( Y page 223).
For

further information about the radar sen-
sor system; see ( Y page 350).
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if:
R you are driving slower than 25 km/h and
there is no longer a vehicle in front or
R the vehicle ahead has not been detected
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between
30 km/h and 200 km/h. If a vehicle is driving
in front of you, it operates in the speed range
between 0 km/h and 200 km/h.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS on roads with
steep gradients.
Cruise control lever With the cruise control lever, you can operate
DISTRONIC PLUS and variable SPEED-
TRONIC.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever

indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp off: DISTRONIC PLUS
is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected. :
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; To set the specified minimum distance
= LIM indicator lamp174
Driving systems
Driving and parking

prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country.
For
certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. Refer to the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies
to your vehicle. If you utilise any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer,
the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h for
reasons concerning the operating permit.
This also applies in countries in which the
permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. For vehicles
with automatic transmission, you need to
have selected manual drive program
M(Y page 156).
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you
need additional braking, depress the brake
pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
i Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal
on downhill gradients while the manual
drive program M is temporarily activated
(vehicles with automatic transmission): the
automatic transmission may switch back to
the last active automatic drive program E
or S. The automatic transmission may shift
to a higher gear. This can reduce the
engine's braking effect. Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X
Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle in front than when driving without a
trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently

at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine,
and consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing altitude. Folding out the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage
correctly when folding in, it will swing
out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that
the ball coupling engages when folding in.
Before you can tow a trailer with your vehicle,
you must fold out the ball coupling.
The release wheel is located behind the left-
hand side trim panel in the boot. Towing a trailer
203
Driving and parking Z

Settings menu
Introduction In the
Settings menu, you have the following
options:
R changing the instrument cluster settings
R changing the light settings
R changing the vehicle settings
R changing the auxiliary heating settings
(Y page 224)
R changing the convenience settings
R restoring the factory settings
Instrument cluster Selecting the unit of measurement for dis-
tance
You

can determine whether the multifunction
display shows some messages in miles or kil-
ometres.
X Press the =
or ; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings menu.
X Press the :
or 9 button to select the
Inst. cluster submenu.
X Press a to confirm.
X Press the :
or 9 button to select the
Display unit Speed-/odometer: func-
tion.
You will see the selected setting km or
miles.
X Press the a button to save the setting.
The selected unit of measurement for dis-
tance applies to:
R the digital speedometer in the Trip menu
R the total distance recorder and the trip
meter R
the trip computer
R the current consumption and the range
R the navigation instructions in the Navi
menu
R cruise control
R SPEEDTRONIC
R DISTRONIC PLUS
R ASSYST PLUS service interval display
Switching the additional speedometer
on/off
Only

vehicles with manual transmission have
this function.
X Press the =
or ; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings menu.
X Press the :
or 9 button to select the
Inst. cluster submenu.
X Press a to confirm.
X Press : or 9 to select the Dig.
speedo [mph]: function.
You will see the selected setting: Activa‐
ted or Deactivated.
X Press the a button to save the setting.
i The speed is displayed in mph.
i Vehicles for the United Kingdom: this
function is unavailable.
The Dig.

speedo [mph] function allows you
to choose whether the status area in the mul-
tifunction display always shows the speed in
mph instead of the outside temperature.
Selecting the permanent display function
i Vehicles for the United Kingdom: this
function is unavailable.
You can determine whether the multifunction
display permanently shows your speed or the
outside temperature.
X Press the =
or ; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings menu.
X Press the :
or 9 button to select the
Inst. cluster submenu.
X Press a to confirm.220
Menus and submenus
On-board computer and displays