2015 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK Owners Manual

Closing the fuel filler flap
X
Replace the cap on the filler neck and turn
clockwise until it engages audibly.
X Close the fuel filler flap.
Close the fuel filler flap before locking the
vehicle. 182
RefuellingDriving and parking

Problems with the fuel and fuel tank
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle. The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
G WARNING
There is a risk of fire or explosion. X Turn the key to position 0immediately and remove it
(Y page 157).
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The fuel tank of a vehicle with a diesel engine has been run com-
pletely dry.
X Refuel the vehicle with at least 5 litres of diesel.
X Turn the ignition on for approximately ten seconds
(Y page 157).
X Start the engine continuously for a maximum of ten seconds
until it runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start:
X Turn the ignition on again a maximum of ten seconds
(Y page 157).
X Start the engine again continuously for a maximum of ten sec-
onds until it runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start after three attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
X Unlock the vehicle (Y page 83). The key battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
X Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element
(Y page 85). The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Refuelling
183Driving and parking Z

Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rial can come into contact with hot vehicle
components. In particular, do not park on dry grassland or harvested grain fields. G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle
or its drivetrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is safeguarded
against rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied.
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage 1st gear or reverse gear.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in position Pand
the transmission position display must
show Pin the multifunction display. R
the key must be removed from the ignition
lock.
R on uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the kerb. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen 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.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either 1st gear or reverse gear R.
X With the key: turn the key to position 0in
the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X With the Start/Stop button: press the
Start/Stop button (Y page 157).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0: "key removed".
X Apply the electric parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG
vehicles): shift the transmission to posi-
tion P. 184
ParkingDriving and parking

X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: press but-
ton :.
X With the key: turn the key to position 0in
the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X With the Start/Stop button: press the
Start/Stop button (Y page 157).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0: "key removed".
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
With the key: if you then open the driver's
door or the front-passenger door or remove
the key from the ignition, the automatic trans- mission shifts to Pautomatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then
open the driver's door or the front-passenger
door, the automatic transmission shifts to P
automatically.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the
vehicle cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing system:
With the key:
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N. X
Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock.
With the Start/Stop button: X Remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock. Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. Parking
185Driving and parking Z

The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or if there is a malfunc-
tion 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 from
rolling away.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first gear.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or
if there is a malfunction in the system. Con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
The electric parking brake carries out a func-
tion check at regular intervals when the
engine is switched off. Noises that occur are
normal.
Applying or releasing manually X
To apply: push handle :.
When the electric parking brake is applied, the ! red indicator lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
The electric parking brake can also be
applied when the key is removed.
X To release: pull handle:.
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out. The electric parking brake can only be
released:
R when the key is in position 1or 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 157) or
R if the ignition was switched on using the
Start/Stop button
Applying automatically (vehicles with
automatic transmission) The electric parking brake is automatically
applied when the transmission is in position P
and:
R the engine is switched off or
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
To prevent the electric parking brake from
being automatically applied, pull handle :.
The electric parking brake is also engaged
automatically if:
R DISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
R the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle
stationary
R Active Parking Assist is keeping the vehicle
stationary
In addition, at least one of the following con-
ditions must be fulfilled:
R there is a system malfunction
R the power supply is insufficient
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
The electric parking brake is not automati-
cally applied if the engine is switched off by
the ECO start/stop function.
Applying automatically (vehicles with
manual transmission) When the vehicle's HOLD function is holding
the vehicle at a standstill, the electric parking
brake is applied automatically. 186
ParkingDriving and parking

In addition, at least one of the following con-
ditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is open
R there is a system malfunction
R the power supply is insufficient
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
The electric parking brake is not automati-
cally applied if the engine is switched off by
the ECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically The electric parking brake can only be
released automatically in vehicles with auto-
matic transmission.
The electric parking brake of your vehicle is
released automatically when all of the follow-
ing conditions are fulfilled:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position Dor R
R the seat belt is fastened
R you depress the accelerator pedal
If the transmission is in position R, the tailgate
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 3 km/h
Ensure that you do not depress the acceler-
ator pedal unintentionally. Otherwise, the
parking brake will be released and the vehicle 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 :of the electric
parking brake (Y page 185).
The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
handle :of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle :is 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 !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand- still, the electric parking brake is applied. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than four weeks, the battery may be damaged by exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, it may suffer from 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. Driving tips
187Driving and parking Z

Drive sensibly – save fuel
Observe the following tips to save fuel:
R The tyres should always be inflated to the
recommended tyre 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
Service Booklet or by the service interval
display.
Fuel consumption also increases when driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-start traffic, on
short journeys and in hilly terrain. ECO display
The ECO display shows you how economical
your driving style is. The ECO display assists
you in achieving the most economical driving
style for the selected settings and prevailing
conditions. Consumption can be significantly influenced by your driving style. :
Acceleration
; Coasting
= Constant
? Additional range achieved
Range ?is shown under Bonus fr. start Bonus fr. start
and represents the additional range achieved
since the beginning of the journey as a result of an adapted driving style.
If the fuel level has dropped into the reserve
range, the Reserve fuel Reserve fuel message is shown
in the multifunction display instead of
range ?. In addition, the 8warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up
(Y
page 301).
The ECO display consists of three sections,
with an inner and outer area. The sections
correspond to the following three categories: :
Acceleration
(evaluation of all
acceleration processes):
R the outer area fills up and the
inner area lights up green: mod-
erate acceleration, especially at
higher speeds
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: sporty accel-
eration ;
Coasting
(evaluation of all decel-
eration processes):
R the outer area fills up and the
inner area lights up green: antic-
ipatory driving, keeping your dis- tance and early release of the
accelerator. The vehicle can
coast without use of the brakes.
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: frequent heavy
braking =
Constant
(continuous evaluation
over the entire journey):
R the outer area fills up and the
inner area lights up green: con-
stant speed and avoidance of
unnecessary acceleration and
deceleration
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: fluctuations in
speed The three inner areas display the current driv-
ing style and light up green as a result of a
particularly economical driving style.
Depending on the driving situation, up to two
areas may light up simultaneously.
At the beginning of the journey, the three
outer areas are empty and fill up as a result of 188
Driving tipsDriving and pa
rking

economical driving. A higher level indicates a
more economical driving style. If the three
outer areas are completely filled at the same
time, the driver has adopted the most eco-
nomical driving style for the selected settings and prevailing conditions. The ECO display
border lights up.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual
fuel consumption. The additionally achieved
range displayed under Bonus fr. start
Bonus fr. start
does not indicate a fixed consumption reduc- tion.
In addition to driving style, the actual con-
sumption is affected by 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.
An economical driving style involves driving 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 Cor E
(vehicles with DYNAMIC SELECT button).
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. on
the motorway, only the outer area for "con-
stant" will change.
The ECO display summarises the driving style from the start of the journey to its completion.
Therefore, there are more marked changes in the outer areas at the start of a journey. Dur-
ing a prolonged driving time, these changes
are smaller. For more marked changes, per-
form a manual reset (Y page 243).
Further information on the ECO display
(Y page 242). Brakes
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.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. Take particular note of this when driving a laden vehicle and
when towing a trailer. For vehicles with auto-
matic transmission, you need to activate
manual gearshifting (Y page 177).
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, SPEEDTRONIC or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal on
downhill gradients while the manual drive
program Mis temporarily activated (vehicles
with automatic transmission): the automatic
transmission may switch back 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.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident. Driving tips
189Driving and parking
Z