2012 MERCEDES-BENZ A CLASS low beam

Notes/function
.............................. 198
Trailer towing ................................. 199
Bonnet
Active
bonnet (pedestrian protec-
tion) ............................................... 284
Closing ........................................... 286
Display message ............................ 254
Important safety notes .................. 284
Opening ......................................... 285
Boot
see Tailgate
Boot load (maximum) ........................ 346
Brake Assist System see BAS (Brake Assist System)
Brake fluid
Display message ............................ 236
Notes ............................................. 344
Brake lamps
Adaptive ........................................... 65
Changing bulbs .............................. 116
Display message ............................ 240
Brakes
ABS .................................................. 61
Adaptive Brake Assist ......................64
BAS .................................................. 62
Brake fluid (notes) .........................344
Display message ............................ 230
Driving tips .................................... 166
Important safety notes .................. 166
Parking brake ................................ 163
Warning lamp ................................. 258
Breakdown
see Flat tyre
see Towing away/tow-starting
Bulbs
see Replacing bulbs C
Calling up a fault see Display messages


Car
see Vehicle
Care
Automatic car wash ....................... 291
Carpets .......................................... 296
Display ........................................... 295
Exhaust pipe .................................. 294Exterior lighting
............................. 293
Gear or selector lever ....................295
High-pressure cleaner ....................

291
Interior ........................................... 295
Matt paintwork .............................. 292
Notes ............................................. 290
Paint .............................................. 292
Plastic trim .................................... 295
Reversing camera ..........................294
Roof lining ...................................... 296
Seat belt ........................................ 296
Seat cover ..................................... 296
Sensors ......................................... 294
Steering wheel ............................... 295
Trim pieces .................................... 295
Washing by hand ........................... 291
Wheels ........................................... 292
Windows ........................................ 293
Wiper blades .................................. 293
Wooden trim .................................. 295
Car wash (care) ................................. 291
Central locking Automatic locking (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 223
Locking/unlocking (key) ..................75
Centre console
Lower section .................................. 35
Upper section .................................. 34
Changing bulbs
Brake lamps ................................... 116
Cornering light function .................115
Dipped-beam headlamps ............... 114
Main-beam headlamps ................... 114
Rear foglamp ................................. 116
Reversing lamps ............................ 116
Tail lamps ...................................... 116
Turn signals (front) ......................... 115
Turn signals (rear) .......................... 116
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes .................... 60
Rear doors ....................................... 60
Children
In the vehicle ................................... 50
Restraint systems ............................ 50
Child seat
Automatic recognition ..................... 52
ISOFIX .............................................. 53
On the front-passenger seat ............516
Index

Warning and indicator lamps
Function Page
:
L Dipped-beam head-
lamps
105
;
T Side lamps
106
=
K Main-beam head-
lamps
107
?
÷ ESP
® 260
A
! Electric parking brake
(red)
263
B
!
Electric parking brake
(yellow)
263
C
· Distance warning
266
D
#! Turn signals
107
E
6 SRS
263
F
ü Seat belts
257
G
% Diesel engine: pre-
glow
144
M SPORT handling
mode in AMG vehicles
261 Function Page
H
? Coolant
264
I
R Rear foglamp
106
J
N Front foglamps
106
K
; Engine diagnostics
264
L
h
This lamp has no func-
tion
M
æ Reserve fuel
264
N
å ESP
®
OFF 260
O
! ABS
258
P
J Brakes
25832
Instrument cluster
At a glance

even if the light sensor does not sense dark
ambient light conditions. This is advanta-
geous when there is fog or rain.
X
To switch on the dipped-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2 or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to L.
The green L indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
Foglamps
In conditions where visibility is poor due to
fog, snow or rain, the foglamps improve visi-
bility

as well as making it easier for other road
users to see you. They can be operated
together with the side lamps or together with
the side lamps and dipped-beam headlamps.
X To switch on the foglamps: turn the key
in

the ignition lock to position 2 or start the
engine.
X Turn the light switch to L or Ã.
X Press the N button.
The

green N indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
X To switch off the front foglamps: press
the N button.
The

green N indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Only vehicles with front foglamps are equip-
ped with the "Foglamp" function; for how to
operate the foglamps on vehicles with the
Intelligent Light System

(Y page 109).
Rear foglamp
The rear foglamp improves the visibility of
your vehicle in heavy fog for the following
traffic. Please observe the country-specific
laws on the use of rear foglamps.
X To switch on the rear foglamp: turn the
key
in the ignition lock to position 2 or start
the engine.
X Turn the light switch to L or Ã.X
Press the R button.
The yellow R indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To switch off the rear foglamp:
press the
R button.
The yellow R indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
i Vehicles with bi-xenon headlamps or the
Intelligent

Light System: when the rear fog-
lamp is switched on, the lower 15 LEDs of
the brake lamp in the tail lamp switch off
due to a legal requirement: for right-hand
traffic only in the left-hand tail lamp and for
left-hand traffic only in the right-hand tail
lamp.
Side lamps
! If the battery has been excessively dis-
charged, the side lamps or parking lamps
are automatically switched off to enable
the next engine start. Always park your
vehicle safely and sufficiently lit according
to legal standards. Avoid the continuous
use of the T side lamps for several
hours. If possible, switch on the X right
or the W left parking lamp.
X To switch on: turn the light switch to
T.
Depending on the equipment level, the
green indicator lamp or the scale illumina-
tion in the instrument cluster light up.
Parking lamps
Switching on the parking lamps ensures the
corresponding side of the vehicle is illumina-
ted.
X To switch on the parking lamps: the key
is not in the ignition lock or it is in posi-
tion 0.
X Turn the light switch to W
(left-hand side
of the vehicle) or X (right-hand side of
the vehicle). 106
Exterior lighting
Lights and windscreen wipers

Adjusting the headlamp range (halogen
headlamps)
The headlamp range control allows you to
adjust the cone of light from the headlamps
to suit the vehicle load.
Headlamp range control
g
Driver's seat and front-passenger seat
occupied
1 Driver's seat, front-passenger seat and
rear seats occupied
2 Driver's seat, front-passenger seat and
rear seats occupied, luggage compart-
ment laden
3 Driver's and front-passenger seats occu-
pied and maximum permissible rear axle
load utilised, e.g. when towing a trailer
X Start the engine.
X Turn the headlamp range control to the
position which corresponds to the load in
your vehicle. Combination switch
Turn signals :
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right
= Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To indicate briefly: press the combination
switch briefly to the pressure point in the
direction of arrow ; or ?.
The corresponding turn signal flashes three
times.
X To indicate: press
the combination switch
beyond the pressure point in the direction
of arrow ; or ?.
Main-beam headlamps X
To switch on the main-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2 or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to L or Ã.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of
arrow :.
In

the à position, the main-beam head-
lamps are only switched on when it is dark
and the engine is running. Exterior lighting
107
Lights and windscreen wipers Z

Active light function
The active light function is a system that
moves
the headlamps according to the steer-
ing movements of the front wheels. In this
way, relevant areas remain illuminated while
driving. This allows you to recognise pedes-
trians, cyclists and animals.
Active: when the lights are switched on.
Cornering light function The cornering light function improves the illu-
mination

of the road over a wide angle in the
direction you are turning, enabling better vis-
ibility in tight bends, for example. The corner-
ing light function can only be activated when
the dipped-beam headlamps are switched on.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds below
40 km/h and the turn signal is activated or
the steering wheel is turned.
R if you are driving at speeds between
40 km/h and 70 km/h and turn the steer-
ing wheel. Not active:
if
you are driving at speeds above
40 km/h or switch off the turn signal or turn
the steering wheel to the straight-ahead posi-
tion.
The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after
no more than three minutes.
Motorway mode Motorway mode increases the range of the
beam.
Active:
R
if you are driving at speeds above
110

km/h and do not make any large steer-
ing movements for 1000 m
R if you are driving at speeds above
130 km/h
Not active: if you are driving at speeds below
80 km/h following activation.
Extended range foglamps The extended range foglamps reduce the
glare experienced by the driver and improve Exterior lighting
109
Lights and windscreen wipers Z

the illumination of the edge of the carriage-
way.
Active:
if you are driving at speeds below
70
km/h and you switch on the rear foglamp.
Not active: if you are driving at speeds above
100 km/h or if you switch off the rear foglamp
following activation. Adaptive Highbeam Assist
G
WARNING
Adaptive Highbeam Assist does not recognise
road users:
R who have no lights, e.g. pedestrians
R who have poor lighting, e.g. cyclists
R whose lighting is blocked, e.g. by a barrier
In

very rare cases, Adaptive Highbeam Assist
recognises road users too late or not at all. In
this, or in similar situations, the automatic
main-beam headlamps will not be deactivated
or activated regardless. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always carefully observe the traffic conditions
and switch off the main-beam headlamps in
good time.
You can use this function to set the head-
lamps to change between dipped beam and
main beam automatically. The system recog-
nises vehicles with their lights on, either
approaching from the opposite direction or
travelling in front of your vehicle, and conse-
quently switches the headlamps from main
beam to dipped beam.
The system automatically adapts the dipped-
beam headlamp range depending on the dis-
tance to the other vehicle. Once the system
no longer detects any other vehicles, it reac-
tivates the main-beam headlamps.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windscreen near the overhead control
panel. X
To activate: activate the Adaptive High-
beam Assist function using the on-board
computer (Y page 222).
X Turn the light switch to Ã.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of
arrow : (Y page 107).
The _ indicator lamp in the multifunc-
tion

display lights up when it is dark and the
light sensor activates the dipped-beam
headlamps.
If you are driving at speeds above
45 km/h:
The headlamp range is set automatically
depending on the distance between the
vehicle and other road users.
If you are driving at speeds above
55 km/h and no other road users are rec-
ognised:
The main-beam headlamps are switched on
automatically. The K indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster also lights up.
If you are driving at speeds below
45 km/h or other road users are recog-
nised or the roads are adequately lit:
The main-beam headlamps are switched off
automatically. The K indicator lamp in110
Exterior lighting
Lights and windscreen wipers

Overview of bulb replacement – bulbs
You can replace the following bulbs. The
details for the bulb type can be found in the
legend. Halogen headlamps
:
Turn signal lamp: PY 21 W
; Main-beam headlamp/side lamp/park-
ing lamp: H15 55 W/15 W
= Dipped-beam headlamp: H7 55 W Vehicles with Intelligent Light System
:
Cornering lamp: H7 55 W Tail lamp (halogen headlamps)
:
Reversing lamp: W 16 W
; Turn signal lamp: PY 21 W
= Tail lamp/brake lamp: W 16 W
? Rear foglamp: W 16 W
A Tail lamp: W 16 W Replacing the front bulbs
Fitting/removing the cover on the front
wheel arch You must remove the cover from the front
wheel housing before you can change the
front bulbs.
X
To remove: switch off the lights.
X Turn the front wheels inwards.
X Turn rotary knob : through 90°.
Cover ; is released.
X Push cover ; down.
X To fit: push cover ; up.
X Turn rotary knob : through 90°.
Cover ; is locked. Replacing bulbs
113
Lights and windscreen wipers Z

?
Menu bar
A Drive program (Y page 152)
B Transmission position ( Y page 152)
X To show the menu bar ?: press the
= or ; button on the steering wheel.
Menu bar ?
disappears after a few seconds.
Text field = shows the selected menu or
submenu as well as display messages.
i You can set the time using the audio sys-
tem or COMAND Online; see the separate
operating instructions.
The following messages may appear in the
multifunction display:
Z Gearshift recommendation, for
manual transmission
(Y

page 151) or automatic trans-
mission ( Y page 156)
XjY Active Parking Assist
(Y page 186)
¯ Cruise control ( Y page 168)
È SPEEDTRONIC ( Y page 171)
_ Adaptive Highbeam Assist
(Y page 110)
¤ ECO start/stop function
(Y page 146)
ë HOLD function ( Y page 179)
120 km/h! Maximum permissible speed
exceeded

(only for certain coun-
tries) Menus and submenus
Menu overview
Operating the on-board computer
(Y page 209).
Depending on the equipment fitted in the
vehicle, you can call up the following menus:
R Trip menu (Y page 211)
R Navi menu (navigation instructions)
(Y page 213)
R Audio menu (Y page 214) R
Tel (telephone) menu ( Y page 215)
R Assist (Assistance) menu (Y page 217)
R Serv. menu (Y page 219)
R Settings menu (Y page 220)
R AMG menu in AMG vehicles ( Y page 226)
The Audio, Navi

and Tel menus differ slightly
in vehicles with Audio 5, Audio 20 and in vehi-
cles with COMAND Online. The examples
given in this Owner's Manual apply to vehicles
equipped with COMAND Online. Trip menu
Standard display X
Press and hold the % button on the
steering wheel until the Trip menu with
trip meter : and total distance
recorder ; is shown.
Trip computer "From start" or "From
reset" Example: "From start" trip computer
:
Distance
; Time
= Average speed
? Average fuel consumption Menus and submenus
211
On-board computer and displays Z