2015 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK warning

X
Start the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
X Connect negative terminal ?of donor battery Bto earth point Aof your vehicle using the
jump lead, connecting the jump lead to donor battery Bfirst.
X If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected
for a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the empty battery a little.
X Start the engine.
X Before disconnecting the jump leads, let the engines run for several minutes.
X First, remove the jump leads from earth point Aand negative terminal ?, then from pos-
itive clamp ;and positive terminal =. Begin each time at the contacts on your own vehicle
first.
X Close cover :of positive clamp ;after removing the jump leads.
X Close the bonnet.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
i Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jump-starting cables and further information regarding jump starting can be obtained at
any qualified specialist workshop. Towing away and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Safety relevant functions are restricted or no
longer available if:
R the engine is not running
R the brake system or power steering is mal-
functioning
R there is a malfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system
When your vehicle is towed away or towed
started, you may require considerably more
effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an
accident.
In such cases use a rigid towing bar. Before
being towed away or tow started, make sure
the steering moves freely. G
WARNING
If the steering wheel lock is engaged, the vehi- cle can no longer be steered. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always switch on the ignition when towing
with a tow rope or a towing bar. G
WARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible gross weight of your vehicle, the:
R towing eye may be torn off
R car/trailer combination may swerve or
even overturn
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle
weight of your vehicle can be found on the
vehicle identification plate (Y page 396).
! When COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS, DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func- tion is activated, the vehicle brakes auto-
matically in certain situations. To avoid
damage to the vehicle, deactivate these
systems in the following or similar situa-
tions:
R when towing away
R in a car wash 350
Towing away and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

X
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
or X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and engage
neutral.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Deactivate tow-away protection
(Y page 79).
X Deactivate automatic locking (Y page 251).
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 123).
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0 and leave the key in the ignition lock. Towing the vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 350).
X On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or the
KEYLESS-GO start function: you must
use the key instead of the Start/Stop but-
ton (Y page 159).
Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
automatic transmission automatically shifts
to position Pwhen you open the driver's or
front-passenger door or when you remove the
key from the ignition lock. In order to ensure that the automatic transmission stays in posi- tion Nwhen towing away the vehicle, you
must observe the following points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N. Vehicles with manual transmission:
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully and shift to
neutral.
Vehicles with manual or automatic trans-
mission:
X Leave the key in position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 123).
i In order to signal a change of direction
when towing the vehicle with the hazard
warning lamps switched on, use the com-
bination switch as usual. In this case, only
the turn signals for the desired direction
flash. When you reset the combination
switch, the hazard warning lamps start
flashing again. Transporting the vehicle
4MATIC vehicles/vehicles with auto-
matic transmission !
When the vehicle is loaded for transport,
the front and rear axles must be stationary
and on the same transportation vehicle.
Positioning over the connection point of the Towing away and tow-starting
353Breakdown assistance Z

transport vehicle is not permitted. The drive
train may otherwise be damaged.
All vehicles !
You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as axle or steering components. Otherwise,
the vehicle could be damaged.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and engage
neutral.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
turn the key to position 2in the ignition lock
(Y page 157).
X Shift the transmission to position N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded: X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and engage
first or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
X Secure the vehicle.
The towing eyes or trailer tow hitch can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or trans- porter if you wish to transport it. Notes for 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise, the transmission may be damaged.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may only be either
towed away with both axles on the ground or be loaded up and transported.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it trans-
ported on a transporter or trailer. In the event of damage to the electrical
system:
If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P. To
shift the automatic transmission to position
N, you must provide power to the vehicle's
electrical system in the same way as when
jump-starting (Y page 348).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Do not tow-start vehicles with automatic
transmission. You could otherwise damage the automatic transmission.
i You can find information on "Jump-start-
ing" under (Y page 348).
Before tow-starting, the following conditions
must be fulfilled: R the battery is connected
R the engine has cooled down
R the exhaust system has cooled down
When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety notes (Y page 350)and the
legal requirements in each respective coun-
try.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 123).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 352).
X Secure the rigid towing bar or the towing
rope.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X Depress the clutch pedal fully, engage sec-
ond gear and continue to keep the clutch
pedal fully depressed.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Tow-start the vehicle. 354
Towing away and tow-startingBreakdo
wn assis tance

X
Release the clutch pedal slowly; do not
depress the accelerator pedal while doing
so.
X When the engine has been started, imme-
diately depress the clutch pedal fully and
shift to neutral.
X Pull over at a suitable place and stop the
vehicle safely, paying attention to road and
traffic conditions.
X Use the electric parking brake to secure the
vehicle and prevent it from rolling away.
X Remove the rigid towing bar or towing rope.
X Remove the towing eye (Y page 352).
X Switch off the hazard warning lamps. Electrical fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you manipulate, bridge or replace a faulty
fuse with a fuse of a higher amperage, the
electric cables could be overloaded. This may result in a fire. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with specified new fuses of the correct amperage.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognise by
the colour and fuse rating. The fuse ratings
are listed in the fuse allocation chart.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Ser-
vice Centre.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system concerned. Only use fuses marked with an
"S". Components or systems could other-
wise be damaged.
The fuses in your vehicle disconnect faulty
circuits. If a fuse blows, all the components on the circuit and their functions will fail. Before replacing a fuse
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 184).
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the key from the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: open the driver's
door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the key having been
removed.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes: R fuse box in the engine compartment on the
left-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
R fuse box in the front-passenger footwell
The fuse allocation chart is on the fuse box in
the front-passenger footwell (Y page 356). Fuse box in the engine compartment
G
WARNING
When the bonnet is open, and the windscreen wipers are set in motion, you can be injured by
the wiper linkage. There is a risk of injury.
Always switch off the windscreen wipers and
the ignition before opening the bonnet.
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it
is lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture
seeping in or dirt could otherwise impair
the operation of the fuses. Elect
rical fuses
355Breakdown assis tance Z

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos- sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 24). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If wheels and tyres of the wrong size are used, the wheel brakes or suspension components
may be damaged. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always replace wheels and tyres with those
that fulfil the specifications of the original
part.
When replacing wheels, make sure to fit the
correct:
R designation
R type
When replacing tyres, make sure to fit the
correct:
R designation
R manufacturer
R type G
WARNING
A flat tyre severely impairs the driving, steer-
ing and braking characteristics of the vehicle.
There is a risk of accident.
Tyres without run-flat characteristics:
R do not drive with a flat tyre.
R immediately replace the flat tyre with your
emergency spare wheel or spare wheel, or
consult a qualified specialist workshop. Tyres with run-flat characteristics:
R pay attention to the information and warn-
ing notices on MOExtended tyres (tyres
with run-flat characteristics).
Accessories that are not approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz or are not being
used correctly can impair the operating
safety.
Before purchasing and using non-approved
accessories, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop and enquire about:
R suitability
R legal stipulations
R factory recommendations
Information on the sizes and types of wheels
and tyres for your vehicle can be found under
"Wheel/tyre combinations" (Y page 372).
Information on tyre pressures can be found:
R in the tyre pressure table in the fuel filler
flap (Y page 181)
R under "Tyre pressure" (Y page 362)
Modification work on the brake system and
wheels is not permitted. The use of spacers or
brake dust shields is not permitted. This inva- lidates the general operating permit for the
vehicle.
i Further information on wheels and tyres
can be obtained at any qualified specialist
workshop. Operation
Information on driving
Check the tyre pressure when the vehicle is
heavily laden and adjust prior to a trip.
While driving, pay attention to vibrations,
noises and unusual handling characteristics,
e.g. pulling to one side. This may indicate that
the wheels or tyres are damaged. If you sus-
pect that a tyre is defective, reduce your
speed immediately. Stop the vehicle as soon
as possible to check the wheels and tyres for damage. Hidden tyre damage could also be 358
OperationWheels and tyres

causing the unusual handling characteristics.
If you find no signs of damage, have the tyres
and wheels checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When parking your vehicle, make sure not to
squash the tyre sidewalls. If this cannot be
avoided, drive slowly over obstacles, e.g.
kerbs, and only at an obtuse angle. You could
otherwise damage the wheel rims and tyres. Regular checking of wheels and tyres
G
WARNING
Damaged tyres can cause tyre inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tyres regularly for signs of damageand replace any damaged tyres immediately.
Check wheels and tyres for damage at least
once a month. Check wheels and tyres after
driving off-road or on rough roads. Damaged
wheels can cause a loss of tyre pressure. Pay
particular attention to damage such as:
R cuts in the tyres
R punctures
R tears in the tyres
R bulges on the tyres
R deformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tyre tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width of the tyre (Y page 359). If necessary, turn
the front wheels to full lock in order to inspect the inner side of the tyre surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not fit
anything onto the valve other than the stand-
ard valve cap or other valve caps approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz. Do not fit any other valve caps or systems, e.g. tyre pres-
sure monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tyres,
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tyre
pressure as necessary (Y page 362).Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (Y page 389).
The service life of tyres depends on various
factors, including the following:
R driving style
R tyre pressure
R mileage Notes on the tyre tread
G
WARNING
Insufficient tyre tread will reduce tyre trac-
tion. The tyre is no longer able to dissipate
water. This means that on wet road surfaces, the risk of aquaplaning increases, in particularwhere speed is not adapted to suit the driving
conditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tyre pressure is too high or too low, tyres may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tyre tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tyres.
Minimum tyre tread depth for:
R summer tyres: 3 mm
R M+S tyres: 4 mm
For safety reasons, replace the tyres before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tyre tread depth is reached. Selecting, fitting and replacing tyres
G
WARNING
Exceeding the stated tyre load-bearing capa-
city and the approved maximum speed could
lead to tyre damage or the tyre bursting. There is a risk of accident.
Therefore, only use tyre types and sizes
approved for your vehicle model. Observe the
tyre load rating and speed rating required for your vehicle.
Pay special attention to country-specific
requirements for tyre approval. These Operation
359Wheels and tyres Z

requirements can stipulate a specific tyre
type for your vehicle. Furthermore, the use of certain tyre types in certain regions and areas
of operation can be highly beneficial. You can find further information regarding tyres at
specialist tyre retailers, at qualified specialist
workshops or at any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
R Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
and make.
Exception: it is permissible to fit a different type or make in the event of a flat tyre.
Observe here the "MOExtended tyres (tyres
with run-flat characteristics)" section
(Y page 340).
R Only fit tyres of the correct size onto the
wheels.
R Run in new tyres at moderate speeds for
the first 100 km. They only reach their full
performance after this distance.
R Do not drive with tyres which have too little
tread depth. This otherwise significantly
reduces the traction on wet roads (aqua-
planing).
R Replace the tyres after six years at the lat-
est, regardless of wear.
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (Y page 389). MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
With MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tyres.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with an activated tyre pressure loss
warning system or with an activated tyre pres- sure monitor and on wheels specifically tes-
ted by Mercedes-Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tyres with
a flat tyre (Y page 340).
Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It is therefore recommended that you additionally
equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit
tyres that do not feature run-flat characteris- tics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT kit can be
obtained from a qualified specialist work-
shop. Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (Y page 367). Driving with summer tyres
At temperatures below +7 †, summer tyres
lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tyres on your vehi- cle to M+S tyres. Using summer tyres at very
cold temperatures could cause tears to form, thereby damaging the tyres permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility
for this type of damage. G
WARNING
Damaged tyres can cause tyre inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tyres regularly for signs of damageand replace any damaged tyres immediately. M+S tyres
G
WARNING
M+S tyres with a tyre tread depth of less than 4 mm are not suitable for use in winter as they
do not provide sufficient traction. There is a
risk of accident.
M+S tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced. 360
Winter operationWheels and tyres

At temperatures below +7 †, use winter tyres
or all-season tyres. Both types of tyre are
identified by the M+S marking.
Only winter tyres bearing the isnowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking pro-
vide the best possible grip in wintry road con-
ditions. Only these tyres will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to
function optimally in winter. These tyres have
been developed specifically for driving in
snow.
Use M+S tyres of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling charac-
teristics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tyres you have
fitted.
If you fit M+S tyres that have a lower maxi-
mum permissible speed than that of the vehi-
cle, affix an appropriate warning sign in the
driver's field of vision. This can be obtained at a qualified specialist workshop.
Under these circumstances, you should also
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
using permanent SPEEDTRONIC so that it
does not exceed the maximum permissible
speed for the M+S tyres (Y page 196).
When you have fitted the M+S tyres:
X Check the tyre pressures (Y page 362).
X Restart the tyre pressure loss warning sys-
tem (Y page 364).
X Restart the tyre pressure monitor
(Y page 366).
Information about driving with an emergency spare wheel (Y page 389). Snow chains
G
WARNING
If snow chains are fitted to the rear wheels,
they may scrape against the vehicle body or
chassis components. This could cause dam-
age to the vehicle or the tyres. There is a risk of an accident. To avoid hazardous situations:
R never fit snow chains on the rear wheels
R always fit snow chains in pairs to the front
wheels.
! Vehicles with steel wheels:
if you fit
snow chains on steel wheels, you may dam-
age the hub caps. Remove the hub caps
from the relevant wheels before fitting the
snow chains.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains that
have been specifically approved for your vehi-
cle by Mercedes-Benz, or that are of a corre-
sponding standard of quality. For more infor- mation, please contact a qualified specialist
workshop.
If you intend to fit snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
R snow chains cannot be fitted to all wheel-
tyre combinations. Permissible wheel-tyre
combinations (Y page 372).
R only use snow chains if the road surface is
completely snow-covered. Remove the
snow chains as soon as possible when you
come to a road that is not snow-covered.
R local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Observe the appropriate reg-
ulations if you wish to fit snow chains.
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h.
R when snow chains are fitted, never use
Active Parking Assist (Y page 212).
You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
(Y page 73)
when pulling away with snow chains fitted.
This way you can allow the wheels to spin in a controlled manner, achieving increased driv-
ing force (cutting action).
Information about driving with an emergencyspare wheel (Y page 389). Winter operation
361Wheels and tyres Z