2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A CLASS air condition

Displaying service messages
X
Switch the ignition on.
X Using = or ;, select the Service
menu.
X Press 9 or : to select the ASSYST
PLUS submenu and press a to confirm.
The service due date appears in the multi-
function display.
Information about Service Resetting the ASSYST PLUS service inter-
val display
!
If the ASSYST PLUS service interval dis-
play has been inadvertently reset, this set-
ting

can be corrected at a qualified special-
ist workshop.
Have service work carried out as described
in the Service Booklet. This may otherwise
lead to increased wear and damage to the
major assemblies or the vehicle.
A qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, will reset the
ASSYST PLUS service interval display after
the service work has been carried out. You
can also obtain further information on main-
tenance work, for example.
Special service requirements
The prescribed service interval is based on
normal operation of the vehicle. Service work
will need to be performed more often if the
vehicle is operated under arduous conditions
or increased loads, for example:
R regular city driving with frequent intermedi-
ate stops
R if the vehicle is primarily used to travel
short distances
R for frequent operation in mountainous ter-
rain or on poor road surfaces
R if the engine is often left idling for long peri-
ods
In these or similar operating conditions, have
the air filter, engine oil and oil filter, for exam-
ple, changed more frequently. The tyres must be checked more frequently if the vehicle is
operated under increased loads. Further
information can be obtained at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
Driving abroad
An

extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. The
Service Hotline's current telephone numbers
for use when you are abroad are to be found
in the "Mercedes-Benz Service24h" section
of the Service Booklet. Care
General notes
H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths
in an environmentally responsible man-
ner.
! For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any
of the following:
R dry, rough or hard cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective
films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film.
! Do not park up the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked up. 290
Care
Maintenance and care

Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents rec-
ommended
and approved by Mercedes-Benz.Care of the exterior
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after the vehicle
has been washed. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
After washing the vehicle, brake carefully
while

paying attention to the traffic conditions
in order to restore full braking efficiency.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
! Make sure that the automatic transmis-
sion is in position N when washing your
vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehi-
cle could be damaged if the transmission is
in another position.
! Make sure that:
R the side windows and sliding sunroof are
closed completely.
R the blower for the ventilation/heating is
switched off (OFF button is depressed/
airflow control is turned to position 0).
R the windscreen wiper switch is at posi-
tion 0.
The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
Wash off excess dirt before cleaning the vehi-
cle in an automatic car wash. After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windscreen and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping

noises caused by residue on the wind-
screen.
Washing by hand In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at wash bays that are specially
designed for this purpose. Observe the legal
requirements for each individual country.
X
Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use a soft sponge to clean.
X Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlet.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
High-pressure cleaning equipment 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.
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have dam-
aged tyres or chassis components replaced
immediately.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
30 cm between the vehicle and the high- Care
291
Maintenance and care Z

R
One pair of gloves
R Foldable wheel chock Flat tyre
Preparing the vehicle
Your vehicle may be equipped with:
R MOExtended
tyres (tyres with run-flat char-
acteristics) (Y page 300)
Vehicle preparation is not necessary on
vehicles with MOExtended tyres.
R a TIREFIT kit (Y page 299)
R an emergency spare wheel (only for certain
countries)
Information on changing/fitting a wheel
(Y page 325).
X Stop the vehicle as far away as possible
from

traffic on solid, non-slippery and level
ground.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 162).
X If possible, bring the front wheels into the
straight-ahead position.
X Switch off the engine.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X All occupants must get out of the vehicle.
Make

sure that they are not endangered as
they do so.
X Make sure that no one is near the danger
area while a wheel is being changed. Any-
one who is not directly assisting in the
wheel change should, for example, stand
behind the barrier.
X Get out of the vehicle. Pay attention to traf-
fic conditions when doing so.
X Close the driver's door.
X Place the warning triangle a suitable dis-
tance away

(Y page 298). Observe legal
requirements.
i Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory.
It

is therefore recommended that you addi- tionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit
if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat
characteristics,

e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT
kit can be obtained from a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
General notes With MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tyres. The affected
tyre must not show any clearly visible dam-
age.
You can recognise MOExtended tyres by the
MOExtended marking which appears on the
tyre

wall. You will find this marking next to the
tyre size designation, the load-bearing capa-
city and the speed index.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with an active tyre pressure loss
warning system.
If the pressure loss warning message
appears in the multifunction display:
R Observe the instructions in the display
messages ( Y page 251).
R Check the tyre for damage.
R If driving on, observe the following notes.
The maximum driving distance is approx-
imately 80 km when the vehicle is partially
laden and approximately 30 km when the
vehicle is fully laden.
In addition to the vehicle load, the driving dis-
tance possible depends upon:
R speed
R road condition
R outside temperature
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode
may be reduced by extreme driving condi-
tions/manoeuvres, or it can be increased
through a moderate style of driving. 300
Flat tyre
Breakdown assistance

does not exceed the maximum permissible
speed for the M+S tyres(Y page 172).
When you have fitted the M+S tyres:
X
Check the tyre pressures ( Y page 321).
X Restart the tyre pressure loss warning sys-
tem (Y page 323).
For more information on driving with the
emergency spare wheel, see (Y page 332). Snow chains
G
WARNING
If snow chains are fitted to the rear wheels,
they may scrape against the vehicle body or
chassis components. This could cause dam-
age

to the vehicle or the tyres. There is a risk
of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R never fit snow chains on the rear wheels
R always fit snow chains in pairs to the front
wheels.
! Vehicles with steel wheels: if you fit
snow chains on steel wheels, you may dam-
age the hub caps. Remove the hub caps
from the relevant wheels before fitting the
snow chains.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains that
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz, or that are of a corre-
sponding standard of quality.
If you intend to fit snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
R snow chains cannot be fitted to all wheel-
tyre combinations. Permissible wheel-tyre
combinations (Y page 329).
R only use snow chains when the road sur-
face is completely snow-covered. Remove
the snow chains as soon as possible when
you come to a road that is not snow-cov-
ered. R
local regulations may restrict the use of
snow

chains. Observe the appropriate reg-
ulations if you wish to fit snow chains.
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h.
R when snow chains are fitted, never use
Active Parking Assist (Y page 186).
i You may wish to deactivate
ESP ®
(Y page 65) when pulling away with
snow chains fitted. This way you can allow
the wheels to spin in a controlled manner,
achieving an increased driving force (cut-
ting action).
Information about driving with an emergency
spare wheel ( Y page 332). Tyre pressure
Tyre pressure specifications
G
WARNING
Tyres with too low or too high tyre pressure
contain the following hazards:
R they

can burst, in particular if the vehicle is
heavily laden or when driven at high
speeds.
R the tyres can wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which can severely impair tyre
traction.
R the driving, steering and braking character-
istics may be severely impaired.
There is a risk of accident.
Follow recommended tyre inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tyres includ-
ing the spare wheel:
R at least every two weeks
R if the load changes
R before beginning a long journey
R for changed operating conditions, e.g. off-
road driving
If necessary, correct the tyre pressure. Tyre pressure
321
Wheels and tyres Z

G
WARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tyre
valves, the tyre valves may be overloaded and
malfunction, which can cause tyre pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tyre pres-
sure monitors keep the tyre valve open. This
can also result in tyre pressure loss. There is
a risk of accident.
Only screw standard valve caps or valve caps
specifically provided by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle onto the tyre valve. G
WARNING
If the tyre pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tyre may be damaged. Tyre
pressure that is too low may result in a tyre
blow-out. There is a risk of accident.
R Check the tyre for foreign objects.
R Check

whether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking.
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop. H
Environmental note
Check the tyre pressure regularly, at least
every 14 days
.
You will find a table of tyre pressures for var-
ious operating conditions on the inside of
your vehicle's fuel filler flap.
Operation with an emergency spare
wheel (Y page 332).
Operation with a trailer: the applicable
value for the rear tyres is the maximum tyre
pressure value stated in the table inside the
fuel filler flap.
The table inside the fuel filler flap may state
tyre pressures for different load conditions.
These are defined in the table as different
numbers of passengers and amounts of lug-
gage. The actual number of seats may vary;
for more information, please refer to the vehi-
cle's registration documents.
If tyre sizes are not specified, the tyre pres-
sures stated on the tyre pressure information label apply for all tyres approved for this vehi-
cle.
If a tyre size precedes a tyre pressure, the
following tyre pressure information is only
valid for that tyre size.
Use a suitable pressure gauge to check the
tyre

pressure. The outer appearance of a tyre
does not permit any reliable conclusion about
the tyre pressure.
If possible, only correct tyre pressures when
the tyres are cold.
The tyres are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked with the tyres
out of direct sunlight for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has not been driven further
than 1.6 km
Depending on the ambient temperature, the
speed at which you are driving and the load
on the tyres, the tyre temperature and thus
the tyre pressure change by approximately
10 kPa per 10 † (0.1 bar/1.5 psi). Take this
into account when checking the pressure of
warm tyres. Only correct the tyre pressure if
it is too low for the current operating condi-
tions.
Driving with tyre pressure that is too high or
too low can:
R shorten the service life of the tyres
R cause increased tyre damage
R have a negative effect on handling charac-
teristics and thus the driving safety (e.g.
aquaplaning)322
Tyre pressure
Wheels 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? message
appears, use the 9 or : button to
select Cancel.
X Press the a button.
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 emer-
gency spare wheel is fitted according to the
description 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 wheel
Wheels and tyres