2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A CLASS heating

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

H
Environmental note
Dispose of service products in an environ-
mentally-responsible manner.
Service products include the following:
R Fuels (e.g. petrol, diesel)
R Lubricants
(e.g. engine oil, transmission oil)
R Coolant
R Brake fluid
R Windscreen washer fluid
R Climate control system refrigerant
Components and service products must be
matched. Mercedes-Benz recommends that
you use products tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. They are listed in this
Mercedes-Benz Owner's Manual in the appro-
priate section.
You can identify service products approved
by Mercedes-Benz by the following inscrip-
tions on the container:
R MB-Freigabe (e.g. MB-Freigabe 229.51)
R MB Approval (e.g. MB Approval 229.51)
Other designations or recommendations indi-
cate a level of quality or a specification in
accordance with an MB Sheet Number (e.g.
MB 229.5). They have not necessarily been
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Further information can be obtained from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre or on the
Internet at http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com. Fuel
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.
Tank capacity The total capacity of the fuel tank may vary,
depending on the vehicle equipment.
Model Total capa-
city A 180 BlueEFFICIENCY,
manual transmission
A 180 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY, manual trans-
mission
40 l
or
50.0 l Models with 4MATIC
56.0 l
All other models
50.0 l
Model Of which
reserve
fuel AMG vehicles
Approx.
8.0 l All other models
Approx.
6.0 l Service products and capacities
339
Technical data Z

!
Do not use the following:
R marine diesel
R heating oil
R bio-diesel
R vegetable oil
R petrol
R paraffin
R kerosene
Do not mix such fuels with diesel fuel and
do not use any special additives. This can
otherwise lead to engine damage.
! Vehicles
with a diesel particle filter: in
countries outside the EU, only refuel with
low-sulphur Euro diesel with a sulphur con-
tent under 50 ppm; otherwise the emission
control system could be damaged.
! Vehicles without a diesel particle fil-
ter: in countries where only diesel fuel with
a high sulphur content is available, you will
need to carry out your vehicle's oil change
at shorter intervals. More information
about the interval for oil change can be
obtained from any qualified specialist
workshop.
Usually you will find information about the
fuel grade on the pump. If you cannot find the
label on the petrol pump, ask the filling sta-
tion staff.
Information on refuelling (Y page 159).
Low outside temperatures
In winter months, diesel fuel with an improved
cold flow quality is available. In Europe, the
EN 590 standard defines various climate-
dependent temperature categories. Malfunc-
tions can be avoided by refuelling with diesel
fuel that corresponds to the climatic specifi-
cations outlined in EN 590. At unusually low
outside temperatures, it is possible that the
flow characteristics of the diesel fuel could be
insufficient. Accordingly, diesel fuel from
warmer areas may not be suitable for opera-
tion in colder climatic conditions. i
Further information on country-specific
fuel properties can be obtained from oil
companies, e.g. at filling stations.
Fuel consumption information H
Environmental note
CO 2 (carbon dioxide) is the gas which scien-
tists believe to be principally responsible for
global

warming (the greenhouse effect). Your
vehicle's CO 2 emissions are directly related to
fuel consumption and therefore depend on:
R efficient use of the fuel by the engine
R driving style
R other non-technical factors, such as envi-
ronmental influences or road conditions
You can minimise your vehicle's CO 2 emis-
sions by driving carefully and having it serv-
iced regularly.
The vehicle will use more fuel than usual in
the following situations:
R at very low outside temperatures
R in urban traffic
R on short journeys
R in mountainous terrain
R when towing a trailer
i Only for certain countries: you can find
the current consumption and emission val-
ues of your vehicle in the COC documents
(EU CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMITY). These
documents are delivered with your vehicle.
The consumption figures were in each case
based on the currently applicable version:
R for vehicles that comply with standards
up to and including the EURO 4 standard,
in accordance with EU Directive
80/1268/EEC
R for vehicles that comply with or exceed
the EURO 5 standard, in accordance with
Regulation (EC) No. 715/2007
Deviations from these values may occur
under normal operating conditions. 342
Service products and capacities
Technical data

clean the antifreeze from components before
starting the engine.
! Only
add coolant that has been premixed
with the desired antifreeze protection. You
could otherwise damage the engine.
Further information on coolants can be
found in the Mercedes-Benz Specifications
for Service Products, MB Specifications for
Service Products 310.1, e.g. on the Inter-
net at http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
Or contact a qualified specialist workshop.
! Always use a suitable coolant mixture,
even in countries where high temperatures
prevail.
Otherwise, the engine cooling system is not
sufficiently protected from corrosion and
overheating.
! The engine cooling system is filled with
coolant, which must be renewed after
15 years or after 250,000 kilometres at the
latest.
When handling coolant, observe the impor-
tant safety notes on service products
(Y page 338).
The coolant is a mixture of water and anti-
freeze/corrosion inhibitor. It performs the
following tasks:
R anti-corrosion protection
R antifreeze protection
R raising the boiling point
If antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor is present in
the correct concentration, the boiling point of
the coolant during operation will be approx-
imately 130 †.
The antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor concentra-
tion in the engine cooling system should:
R be at least 50%. This will protect the engine
cooling system against freezing down to
approximately -37 †.
R not exceed 55% (antifreeze protection
down to -45 †). Heat will otherwise not be
dissipated as effectively. If the vehicle has lost coolant, top it up with
equal amounts of water and antifreeze/cor-
rosion inhibitor.
Mercedes-Benz recommends an antifreeze/
corrosion inhibitor concentrate in accord-
ance
with MB Specifications for Service Prod-
ucts 310.1.
The coolant is checked at every maintenance
interval at a qualified specialist workshop.
i When the vehicle is first delivered, it is fil-
led with a coolant mixture that ensures
adequate antifreeze and corrosion protec-
tion. Windscreen washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Windscreen washer concentrate is highly
flammable. If it comes into contact with hot
engine components or the exhaust system it
could ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Make sure that no windscreen washer con-
centrate is spilled next to the filler neck.
! Only use washer fluid that is suitable for
plastic lamp lenses, e.g. MB SummerFit or
MB WinterFit. Unsuitable washer fluid
could damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.
! Do

not use distilled or de-ionised water in
the washer fluid reservoir. Otherwise, the
level sensor may be damaged.
! Only the washer fluids SummerFit and
WinterFit can be mixed. Otherwise, the
spraying nozzles could become blocked.
When handling washer fluid, observe the
important safety notes on service products
(Y page 338). Service products and capacities
345
Technical data Z