2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA-Class Owner's Manual

When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or there is a malfunction
in the system, it may not be possible to apply the released parking brake.
X If this is the case, only park the vehicle on
level ground and secure it to prevent it roll- ing away.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake, if the on-board voltage is low
or there is a malfunction in the system. Con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
i The electric parking brake performs a
function test at regular intervals while the
engine is switched off. The sounds that can be heard while this is occurring are normal. Applying/releasing manually
Applying
X Push handle 0043.
When the electric parking brake is applied, the red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster.
i The electric parking brake can also be
applied when the SmartKey is removed. Releasing
X Pull handle 0043.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter goes out.
i You can only release the electric parking
brake when the SmartKey is in position 1or
2 in the ignition lock.
Applying automatically The electric parking brake is applied auto-
matically:
R if DISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
R if the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle
stationary or
R if Active Parking Assist is holding the vehi-
cle at a standstill
In addition, at least one of the following con-
ditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off.
R the driver's door is open and the seat belt is
not fastened.
R there is a system malfunction.
R the power supply is insufficient.
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up.
i The electric parking brake is not automat-
ically engaged if the engine is switched off
by the ECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically Your vehicle's electric parking brake is auto-
matically released if all of the following con-
ditions are met:
R the engine is running.
R the transmission is in position Dor R.
R the seat belt has been fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal. Parking
159Driving and parking Z

If the transmission is in position
R, the trunk
lid must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you have shifted out of transmission posi-
tion Por you have previously driven faster
than 2 mph (3 km/h).
i Ensure that you do not depress the accel-
erator pedal unintentionally. Otherwise the
parking brake will be released and the vehi-
cle will start to move.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
X While driving, push handle 0043of the electric
parking brake (Y page 158).
i The vehicle is braked for as long as han-
dle 0043of the electric parking brake is
pressed. The longer electric parking brake
handle 0043is depressed, the greater the
braking force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds
R the Release Park. Brake
Release Park. Brake message
appears
R the red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus- ter flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand- still, the electric parking brake is engaged. Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging. If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety 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. G
WARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment while driving, you will be distracted from traffic conditions. You could also lose controlof the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicleis stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the coun- try in which you are driving. Some jurisdic-
tions prohibit the driver from using a mobile
phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per
second. 160
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Drive sensibly – save fuel
Observe the following tips to save fuel:
R The tires should always be inflated to the
recommended tire pressure.
R Remove unnecessary loads.
R Remove roof racks when they are not nee-
ded.
R Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
R Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
R Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or by the service
interval display.
Fuel consumption also increases when driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in
hilly terrain.
Drinking and driving G
WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent is greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-
ing drugs.
Emission control 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.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust fumes within legal limits. These systems only work at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance with
the manufacturer's specifications. For this
reason, only have work on the engine carried
out by qualified and authorized Mercedes-
Benz technicians.
The engine settings must not be changed
under any circumstances. Furthermore, all
specific service work must be carried out at
regular intervals and in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz service requirements. Details
can be found in the Maintenance Booklet. 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. Your
driving style can significantly influence the
vehicle's consumption. Example: ECO display
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R Acceleration
Acceleration
R Constant Constant
R Coasting
Coasting
The percent value is the average value of the three bars. The three bars and the mean value
begin at the value of 50%. A higher percent-
age indicates a more economical driving
style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual fuel consumption. A fixed percentage count
in the ECO display does not indicate a fixed
consumption. Driving tips
161Driving and pa rking Z

Apart from driving style, consumption is
dependent on many factors such as, e.g.:
R Load
R Tire pressure
R Cold start
R Choice of route
R Electrical consumers switched on
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style is carried
out using the following three categories:
R Acceleration
Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
- The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- The bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant Constant (assessment of driving behavior
at all times):
- The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting 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 specially
requires driving at moderate engine
speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration Acceleration andConstant
Constant:
R observe the gearshift recommendations.
R drive in drive program E.
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the highway, only the bar for Constant
Constant
will change.
i The ECO display summarizes the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey
to its completion. For this reason, the bars change dynamically at the beginning of the
journey. On longer journeys, there are
fewer changes. For more dynamic changes, carry out a manual reset.
For further information on the ECO display,
see (Y page 200). Braking
Important safety notes 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.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients !
On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting to
a lower gear in good time. This allows you to
take advantage of the engine's braking
effect. For this, you need to have selected
manual drive program M. This helps you to
avoid overheating the brakes and wearing
them out excessively.
When you take advantage of the engine's
braking effect, a drive wheel may not turn
for some time, e.g. on a slippery road sur-
face. This could cause damage to the drive train. This type of damage is not covered bythe Mercedes-Benz warranty.
i Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal
on downhill gradients while the manual
drive program Mis temporarily activated:
the automatic transmission may switch to
the last active automatic drive program Eor
S. The automatic transmission may shift to
a higher gear. This can reduce the engine's braking effect. 162
Driving tipsDriving an
d parking

Heavy and light loads
G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.
Drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac- tion from the brakes when braking for the firsttime. This may also occur after the vehicle has
been washed or driven through deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance. R
Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes !
If the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a warn- ing tone while the engine is running, the
brake fluid level may be too low. Observe
additional warning messages in the multi-
function display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due tobrake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immedi-
ately. This work should be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a 2-axle dynamom-
eter. If you are planning to have the vehicle tested on such a dynamometer, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center to
obtain further information first. Otherwise,
you could damage the drive train or the
brake system.
! As the ESP ®
system operates automati-
cally, the engine and the ignition must be
switched off (the SmartKey must be in posi-
tion 0or 1in the ignition lock) if:
R the electric parking brake is tested on a
brake dynamometer (for a maximum of
ten seconds)
R the vehicle is towed with the front axle
raised.
Braking triggered automatically by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. Consult a qualified
specialist workshop to arrange this. Driving tips
163Driving and parking Z

Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the function- ality of your brakes at regular intervals.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on (Y page 64).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
have brake pads/linings installed on your
vehicle which have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which correspond to an equivalent quality standard. Brake
pads/linings which have not been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which are not
of an equivalent quality could affect your vehi-
cle's operating safety.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use brake fluid that has been specially
approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz,
or which corresponds to an equivalent quality standard. Brake fluid which has not been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which is not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
Checking brake lining thickness You can measure the break pad/lining thick-
ness using a test gauge. Color-coding (green
or red) on the test gauge allows you to deter-
mine whether the brake pad/lining thickness is still sufficient. The test gauge is in the vehi-
cle document wallet in the glove box. Front wheel
Rear wheel
X Bring the vehicle and wheels into a suitable
position so that you can attach test gauge
0083.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 157).
X Move the selector lever to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Place test gauge 0083between the wheel's
spokes on brake pad/lining 0087.164
Driving tipsDriving and parking

X
Hold test gauge 0083vertically on brake
disc 0043and slide measuring pin 0044onto
brake disc 0043.
X Check which color field 0085the arrow on
measuring pin 0044is pointing to.
Green: the brake pad/lining thickness is
sufficient.
Red: the brake pad/lining thickness is not
sufficient. Have the brake pads/lining
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
To avoid an inaccurate measurement:
R make sure you position the wheels suitably
R do not put the measuring pin on a recess in
the brake disc Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
R
you drive at low speeds.
R the tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
R lower your speed.
R avoid ruts.
R avoid sudden steering movements.
R brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic compo-
nents in the engine or the automatic trans- mission. Water can also be drawn in by the
engine's air suction nozzles and this can
cause engine damage. Winter driving
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.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering
and braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control using
corrective steering.
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. Driving tips
165Driving and parking Z

You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Y page 317).
For more information on driving with summer tires, see (Y page 316).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 316). Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select a low gear in good time. For this, you will need to have
selected manual drive program M
(Y page 152). 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 20 mph
(30 km/h).
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 the road,
traffic and weather 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
your 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 slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could 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.
Cruise control lever 0043
To activate or increase speed
0044 To activate or reduce speed
0087 To deactivate cruise control
0085 To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds.
Activation conditions To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R the electric parking brake must be
released.
R you are driving faster than 20 mph
(30 km/h).
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the selector lever must be in position D.166
Driving systemsDriving and parking