2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A CLASS service

Petrol (EN 228, E DIN 51626-1)
Fuel grade (AMG vehicles)
!
Only refuel using super unleaded petrol
with at least 98 RON/88 MON that con-
forms to European standard EN 228 or an
equivalent specification.
You
can otherwise impair engine output or
damage the engine.
! Premium-grade unleaded petrol with an
octane rating of 95 RON/85 MON may be
used as a temporary measure if the recom-
mended fuel is not available. This may
reduce engine performance and increase
fuel consumption. As much as possible,
avoid driving at full throttle.
! Regular unleaded petrol with an octane
rating of 91 RON/82.5 MON may also be
used as a temporary measure if the recom-
mended fuel is not available.
Doing so results in noticeably higher fuel
consumption, and the engine power output
is noticeably reduced. Avoid driving at full
throttle.
If only regular unleaded petrol with an
octane rating of 91 RON/82.5 MON or
lower is available, you must have the vehi-
cle adapted to this fuel at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
i E10 fuel contains up to 10% bioethanol.
Your vehicle is suitable for use with E10
fuel. You can refuel your vehicle using E10
fuel.
Fuel grade (except AMG vehicles)
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
petrol engine. Do not switch on the ignition
if you accidentally refuel with the wrong
fuel. Otherwise, fuel can enter the fuel sys-
tem. Even small amounts of the wrong fuel
could result in damage to the fuel system
and the engine. Notify a qualified specialist
workshop and have the fuel tank and fuel
lines drained completely. !
Only refuel using premium-grade unlea-
ded petrol with at least

95 ROZ/85 MOZ,
that conforms to European standard
EN 228 or E DIN 51626–1 or an equivalent
specification.
Fuel of this specification can contain up to
10 % ethanol.
Fuel that does not conform to EN 228 or
E DIN 51626–1 can lead to increased wear
and damage the engine and exhaust sys-
tem.
! Only use the fuel recommended. Operat-
ing the vehicle with other fuels can lead to
engine failure.
! Do not use the following:
R E85 (petrol with 85% ethanol)
R E100 (100% ethanol)
R M15 (petrol with 15% methanol)
R M30 (petrol with 30% methanol)
R M85 (petrol with 85% methanol)
R M100 (100% methanol)
R Petrol with additives containing metal
R Diesel
Do not mix such fuels with the fuel recom-
mended for your vehicle. Do not use addi-
tives. This can otherwise lead to engine
damage. This does not include cleaning
additives for the removal and prevention of
residue build-up. Petrol must only be mixed
with additives recommended by Mercedes-
Benz; see "Additives". You can obtain fur-
ther information from any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
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.
i E10 fuel contains up to 10% bioethanol.
Your vehicle is suitable for use with E10
fuel. You can refuel your vehicle using E10
fuel.
i A 200 BlueEFFICIENCY, A 250 BlueEF-
FICIENCY: as a temporary measure, if the340
Service products and capacities
Technical data

recommended fuel is not available, you
may also use unleaded petrol with an
octane rating of 93 RON/
83 MON.
All other models: as a temporary meas-
ure, if the recommended fuel is not availa-
ble, you may also use unleaded petrol with
an octane rating of 91 RON/82 MON. This
may reduce engine performance and
increase fuel consumption. Avoid driving at
full throttle and sudden acceleration. Never
refuel using fuel with a lower RON/MON.
i In some countries, the available petrol
may not be sufficiently low in sulphur. This
fuel can temporarily produce unpleasant
odours, especially on short journeys. As
soon as sulphur-free fuel (sulphur content
< 10 ppm) is used for refuelling, the odours
are reduced.
Information on refuelling (Y page 159).
Additives
! Operating the engine with fuel additives
can cause wear in the fuel high-pressure
pump and contaminate the entire fuel sys-
tem. The repair costs are high. This does
not include additives for the removal and
prevention of residue build-up. Petrol must
only be mixed with additives recommended
by Mercedes-Benz. More information about
recommended additives can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
One of the major problems with low-grade
fuel is the creation of carbon deposits during
the process of burning fuel. Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you use fuel brands that
have additives.
If you use fuels without these additives for a
longer period of time, there may be a build-up
of carbon deposits. These will form especially
on the inlet valves and in the combustion
chamber.
This could lead to engine running problems,
e.g.:
R longer engine warm-up phase
R uneven idle R
engine noise
R misfiring
R loss of power
In areas where petrol with the required addi-
tives is not available, carbon deposits can
build
up. In this case, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends the use of additives that have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles; see
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
The quality of the fuel available in some coun-
tries may not be sufficient. Residue could
build up as a result. In such cases, and in
consultation with a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre, the petrol may be mixed with the
additive recommended by Mercedes-Benz
(part no. A000989254512). You must
observe the notes and mixing ratios specified
on the container.
Consult a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre to
view a list of approved products. Observe the
instructions for use in the product descrip-
tion.
Do not mix other fuel additives with fuel. This
causes unnecessary costs and could damage
the engine.
Diesel (EN 590) Fuel grade
G
WARNING
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.
! When refuelling, only use diesel fuel that
conforms to the European standard EN 590
or is of equivalent quality. Fuel that does
not conform to EN 590 can lead to
increased wear as well as damage to the
engine and exhaust system. Service products and capacities
341
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

Engine oil
General notes When handling engine oil, observe the impor-
tant safety notes on service products
(Y page 338).
The
quality of the engine oil is decisive for the
function and service life of an engine. After
extensive tests, Mercedes-Benz approves
engine oils that correspond to the current
technical standard.
Therefore, only Mercedes-Benz approved
engine oils may be used in Mercedes-Benz
engines.
Further information on tested and approved
engine oils can be obtained from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you have the oil
change carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Mercedes-Benz approval is indicated on the
oil container by the inscription "MB Approval"
and the corresponding designation, e.g. MB
Approval 229.51.
You can call up an overview of approved
engine oils on the Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com by enter-
ing the designation, e.g. 229.5.
The table shows which engine oils have been
approved for your vehicle.
Missing values were not available at the time
of going to print. Petrol engines MB Approval
All models
229.5 Diesel engines with a
diesel particle filter MB Approval
A 180 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY, manual trans-
mission
A 180 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY, automatic
transmission
A 200 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY
A 220 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY
228.51,
229.31, 229.51 Diesel engines without
a diesel particle filter MB Approval
A 180 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY, manual trans-
mission
A 180 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY, automatic
transmission
A 200 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY
A 220 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY
228.3, 228.5,
228.51, 229.3,
229.31, 229.5, 229.51 i
If
the engine oils listed in the table are not
available, you may add the following engine
oils until the next oil change:
Rvehicles with a petrol engine: MB
Approval 229.1 or ACEA A3
R vehicles with a diesel engine: MB
Approval 229.1, 229.3, 229.5 or
ACEA C3
This may only be added once and the
amount must not be greater than 1.0 l.
Capacities The following values refer to an oil change,
including the oil filter.Service products and capacities
343Technical data Z

Model Replacement
amount A 180 BlueEFFICIENCY
A 200 BlueEFFICIENCY
5.8 l
A 250 BlueEFFICIENCY
5.6 l
A 180 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY, manual trans-
mission
4.5 l
A 180 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY, automatic
transmission
A 200 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY
A 220 CDI BlueEFFI-
CIENCY
7.0 l
A 45 AMG 4MATIC
5.5 l
Additives
!
Do not use any additives with the engine
oil. This could damage the engine.
Engine oil viscosity Viscosity describes the flow characteristics
of
a fluid. If an engine oil has a high viscosity
rating, it flows slowly; the lower the viscosity,
the faster it flows.
Engine oil selection is based on the respective
outside temperatures and in accordance with
the SAE classification (viscosity). The table
shows you which SAE classifications are to be
used. The low-temperature properties of engine oils can be significantly impaired dur-
ing operation due to, for example, ageing or
soot and fuel accretion. It is therefore
strongly

recommended to observe regular oil
changes using an approved engine oil with the
appropriate SAE classification. Brake fluid
G
WARNING
The brake fluid continuously absorbs mois-
ture from the air. This results in the boiling
point

of the brake fluid lowering. If the boiling
point of the brake fluid is too low, vapour
pockets may form when the brakes are sub-
jected to a heavy load. This would impair brak-
ing efficiency. There is a risk of an accident.
Have the brake fluid renewed at the prescri-
bed intervals.
When handling brake fluid, observe the
important safety notes on service products
(Y page 338).
The brake fluid change intervals can be found
in the Service Booklet.
Only use brake fluid approved by Mercedes-
Benz according to MB Approval 331.0.
Information about approved brake fluid can
be obtained at any qualified specialist work-
shop or on the Internet at:
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
i Have the brake fluid regularly replaced at
a qualified specialist workshop. Coolant
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If antifreeze comes into contact with hot com-
ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Let the engine cool down before you top up
the antifreeze. Make sure that antifreeze is
not spilled next to the filler neck. Thoroughly 344
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

Permissible
trailer load,
braked 18 Permissible
trailer load,
braked 19 Permissible
trailer load, unbraked Maximum
drawbar nose-
weight 20 Permissible
rear axle
load when towing a trailer A 180
21 1500 kg 1200 kg 695 kg 75 kg 955 kg
A 200
21 1500 kg 1400 kg 695 kg 75 kg 950 kg
A 250
21 1500 kg 1500 kg 720 kg 75 kg 960 kg
A 180 CDI
21 1500 kg 1200 kg 735 kg 75 kg 950 kg
A 200 CDI
21 1500 kg 1500 kg 735 kg 75 kg 950 kg
A 220 CDI
21 1500 kg 1500 kg 740 kg 75 kg 950 kg
The actual noseweight may not be higher than the value which is given. The value can be found
on the trailer tow hitch or trailer identification plates. The lowest weight applies.
You can attach carrier systems, e.g. bicycle racks or load-bearing implements, on the ball
coupling. The maximum noseweight of
75 kg applies when using carrier systems on the ball
coupling. 24 GHz radar sensor system (country overview)
The 24 GHz radar sensor system requires separate approval for each country. When you are
driving in a country in which the radar sensor system is not approved, you must deactivate
the system using the on-board computer (Y page 223).
The current country overview can be obtained from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre or on
the Internet at:

http://www.mercedes-benz.de/betriebsanleitung.
Vehicles with a navigation system: the radar sensor system is deactivated automatically
near radio telescope facilities. A display message appears in the multifunction display to tell
you that the radar sensor system is being switched off ( Y page 246).
If Blind Spot Assist is active, it will be deactivated automatically (Y page 219).
If deactivation does not occur automatically, you must deactivate the radar sensor system
using the on-board computer (Y page 223).
Vehicles without navigation and vehicles for Australia: you must deactivate the radar
sensor system using the on-board computer when you are near a radio telescope facility
(Y page 223).
18 At a minimum gradient-climbing capability of
8% from a standstill.
19 At a minimum gradient-climbing capability of 12% from a standstill.
20 The drawbar noseweight is not included in the trailer load.
21 BlueEFFICIENCY350
24 GHz radar sensor system (country overview)
Technical data

Publication details
Internet
Further information about Mercedes-Benz
vehicles and about Daimler AG can be found
on the following websites:
http://www.mercedes-benz.com
http://www.daimler.com Editorial office
You are welcome to forward any queries or
suggestions you may have regarding this
Owner's
Manual to the technical documenta-
tion team at the following address:
Daimler AG, HPC: CAC, Customer Service,
70546 Stuttgart, Germany
© Daimler AG: not to be reprinted, translated
or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part,
without written permission from Daimler AG.
As at 13.12.2012