2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A CLASS steering

more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
G
WARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
R overheat and cause a fire
R lose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only set the automatic transmission to the
respective drive positions when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. Otherwise, you could damage the
drive train.
! AMG vehicles: avoid full-load operation
and engine speeds greater than 5000 rpm
when the engine is cold. This helps to pro-
tect the engine and avoids uncomfortable
driving. Key positions
g
To remove the key
1 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windscreen wipers 2
Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
3 To start the engine
Vehicles with manual transmission: the
steering is locked when the key is taken out
of the ignition lock.
i If the key does not belong to the vehicle,
it can still be turned in the ignition lock.
However, the ignition will not be switched
on. The engine cannot be started. Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these

exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite

if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
i Vehicles with a petrol engine: the
engine runs at a higher engine speed during
the cold start procedure so that the cata-
lytic converter can reach operating tem-
perature more quickly. The sound of the
engine may change as a result. Driving
143
Driving and parking Z

Shifting to neutral (N)
X
Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Move the gear lever to position N:. Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear R when the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
X Pull the gear lever up, push it to the left and
then pull it back.
i The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
For further information on the ECO start/
stop function, see ( Y page 146).Gearshift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display. X
Shift gear according to gearshift recom-
mendation : when shown in the multi-
function display of the instrument cluster. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position D or
R,

the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position D or R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral
position N when you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of
an accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
i Bear in mind that the power transmission
between the engine and the transmission
is interrupted when the engine is switched
off.
To prevent the vehicle from rolling away:
R when the engine is switched off and the
vehicle is stationary, shift the automatic
transmission to park position P and
R apply the electric parking brake DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions All vehicles (except AMG vehicles):
the
DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
Information about the selector lever on AMG
vehicles ( Y page 153). Automatic transmission
151Driving and parking Z

Steering wheel gearshift paddles
:
Left steering wheel gearshift paddle
(shifts down)
; Right steering wheel gearshift paddle
(shifts up)
In drive program M, you can change gear
yourself using the steering wheel gearshift
paddles.
If
you pull the left or right steering wheel gear-
shift paddle when in automatic drive program
E (drive program C on AMG vehicles) or S, the
automatic transmission shifts into drive pro-
gram M for a limited time. Depending on
which gearshift paddle is pulled, the auto-
matic transmission immediately shifts into
the next gear down or up.
AMG vehicles: you can activate drive pro-
gram M RACE START (Y page 181) using the
steering wheel gearshift paddles.
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddles when the trans-
mission is in position D.
i For further information on the manual
drive program, see ( Y page 156).Automatic drive program
Drive program E (drive program C on AMG
vehicles) is characterised by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. R
the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward

and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin.
Drive program S is characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine settings.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later.
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption pos-
sibly being higher. Manual drive program
Introduction In manual drive program
M, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
gearshift paddles. For this, the transmission
must be in position D. The gear currently
selected and engaged is shown in the multi-
function display.
Manual drive program M differs from drive
programs E (drive program C on AMG vehi-
cles) and S with regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes. Gear Driving situations
=
To use the engine's braking effect156
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

5
To use the braking effect of the
engine on downhill gradients and
for driving:
R
on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 4
To use the braking effect of the
engine
on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches Activating the manual drive program
Activating permanently
X
Press the program selector button
(Y

page 155) repeatedly until M appears in
the multifunction display.
Manual drive program M remains active
until drive program E (drive program C on
AMG vehicles) or S is engaged.
Activating temporarily
X Pull the right or left steering wheel gearshift
paddle

(Y page 156).
M is shown in the multifunction display.
Manual drive program M is temporarily
active. Depending on which gearshift pad-
dle is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear down
or up.
i When manual drive program M is activa-
ted via the steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles, the temporarily active manual drive
program M will be deactivated automati-
cally after a limited time, if the driving sit-
uation permits. The automatic transmis-
sion switches to the previously activated
drive program E (drive program C on AMG
vehicles) or S. When driving on downhill
gradients, the temporarily active manual
drive program M

will only be deactivated if
the accelerator pedal is depressed while
the vehicle is rolling downhill. Shifting up X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle

(Y page 156).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
i All vehicles (except AMG vehicles): in
order to prevent engine damage the auto-
matic

transmission automatically shifts up:
R if the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
AMG vehicles:
! In manual gearshift program M, the auto-
matic transmission does not shift up auto-
matically even when the engine limiting
speed for the current gear is reached.
When the engine limiting speed is reached,
the fuel supply is cut to prevent the engine
from overrevving. You must make sure that
the engine speed does not reach the red
area of the rev counter. Otherwise, there is
a risk of engine damage.
AMG vehicles !
In
manual gearshift program M, the auto-
matic transmission does not shift up auto-
matically even when the engine limiting
speed for the current gear is reached.
When the engine limiting speed is reached,
the fuel supply is cut to prevent the engine
from overrevving. You must make sure that
the engine speed does not reach the red
area of the rev counter. Otherwise, there is
a risk of engine damage. :
Gear indicator
; Upshift indicator Automatic transmission
157
Driving and parking Z

Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an
upshift indicator will be shown in the mul-
tifunction display.
X If the colour in the speedometer multifunc-
tion

display changes to red and the UP dis-
play message is shown, shift up a gear.
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle

(Y page 156).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you slow down or stop without shifting
down, the automatic transmission auto-
matically shifts down.
i For maximum acceleration, pull the left-
hand steering wheel gearshift paddle until
the

transmission selects the optimum gear
for the current speed.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto-
matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down.
Kickdown AMG vehicles:
it
is only possible to use kick-
down in temporary manual drive program M.
You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
i During kickdown, you cannot shift gears
using

the steering wheel gearshift paddles.
i If you apply full throttle, the automatic
transmission shifts up to the next gear
when the maximum engine speed is
reached. This prevents the engine from
overrevving. Deactivating the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 155) repeatedly until E or S
appears in the multifunction display.
Deactivating the temporary manual drive
program
X Pull and hold the right steering wheel gear-
shift paddle until the automatic transmis-
sion shifts into the last active automatic
drive program E (drive program C on AMG
vehicles) or S.
i When manual drive program M is deacti-
vated, the automatic transmission in auto-
matic

drive program E (drive program C on
AMG vehicles) or S may shift from the cur-
rent gear into a higher or lower gear. This
is dependent on the position of the accel-
erator pedal, speed and load. 158
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Driving tips
General notes
G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with
limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. ECO display
The ECO display provides feedback on how
economical your driving characteristics are.
The ECO display assists you in achieving the
most economical driving style for the selec-
ted settings and prevailing conditions. Con-
sumption can be significantly influenced by
your driving style. Example: ECO display
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R
Acceleration
R Constant
R Coasting
The

percentage count is the mean value of the
three bar values. The three bars and the mean
value begin at the value of 50%. A higher per-
centage count indicates a more economical
driving style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual
fuel consumption and a fixed percentage
count in the ECO display does not indicate a
fixed consumption figure. In addition to driving style, the consumption
is affected by many other factors, such as:
R
load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers
These

factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style takes the
following three categories into consideration:
R Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
-The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- The bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant (assessment of driving behav-
iour at all times):
-The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes):
-The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping your distance and early release
of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes
- The bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style involves driv-
ing at a moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration and Constant:
R observe the gearshift recommendation.
R drive the vehicle in drive program E (vehi-
cles with automatic transmission).
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the motorway, only the bar for Con‐
stant will change.
i The ECO display summarises the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey
to its completion. Therefore, there are Driving tips
165
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

The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activa-
ted and:
R
the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened
R the
engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R a system fault occurs
R the power supply is not sufficient
Vehicles with automatic transmission
If a fault occurs, then the transmission may
also be shifted into position P automatically.
Vehicles with manual transmission
The Brake immediately message can also
appear in the multifunction display.
X Immediately depress the brake pedal firmly
until

the warning message in the multifunc-
tion display goes out.
The HOLD function is deactivated.
A horn will sound at regular intervals if you
turn off the engine, take off your seat belt or
open the driver's door when the HOLD func-
tion is activated. The horn alerts you to the
fact that the HOLD function is still activated.
If you attempt to lock the vehicle, the tone
becomes louder. The vehicle cannot be
locked until you have deactivated the HOLD
function.
i Once you have switched off the engine,
you cannot restart it until you have deacti-
vated the HOLD function. RACE START
Important safety notes RACE START enables optimum acceleration
from a standing start. The precondition for
this is a suitable high-grip road surface.
Only

activate RACE START on dedicated race
circuits. i
RACE
START is only available in AMG vehi-
cles.
Activation conditions You can activate RACE START if:
R
the doors, the bonnet and the tailgate are
closed
R the

engine is running and the transmission,
traction control and engine are at operating
temperature
R SPORT handling mode is activated
(Y page 66)
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position.
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake
pedal is depressed (left foot)
R the transmission is in position D.
R drive program M is selected ( Y page 155).
Activating RACE START X
Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Pull and hold both steering wheel gearshift
paddles.
X The RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP
Cancel: Paddle DOWN message appears
in the multifunction display.
X Release both steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles.
i If the activation conditions are no longer
fulfilled, RACE START is cancelled. The
RACE START not possible See Own‐
er's

Manual message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
X To cancel:
pull the left steering wheel shift
paddle (Y page 156).
or
X To confirm: pull the right steering wheel
shift paddle

(Y page 156).
The RACE START available Depress
accelerator message appears in the mul-
tifunction display. Driving systems
181
Driving and parking Z