2015 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK Owners Manual

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

Tyre pressure
Tyre pressure specifications
G
WARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tyres pose the
following risks:
R the tyres may burst, especially as the load
and vehicle speed increase.
R the tyres may wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which may greatly impair tyre
traction.
R the driving characteristics, as well as steer-
ing and braking, may be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
Observe the recommended tyre pressure and check the tyre pressure of all the tyres includ-
ing the spare wheel:
R at least every two weeks
R when the load changes
R before embarking on a longer journey
R for changed operating conditions, e.g. off-
road driving
If necessary, correct the tyre pressure. G
WARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tyre
valves, the tyre valves may be overloaded and malfunction, which can cause tyre pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tyre pres-
sure monitors keep the tyre valve open. This
can also result in tyre pressure loss. There is a risk of accident.
Only screw standard valve caps or valve caps
specifically provided by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle onto the tyre valve. G
WARNING
If the tyre pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tyre may be damaged. Tyre
pressure that is too low may result in a tyre
blow-out. There is a risk of accident.
R Check the tyre for foreign objects.
R Check whether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking. If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
H
Environmental note
Check the tyre pressure regularly, at least
every 14 days.
The recommended tyre pressures for various
operating conditions can be found in the tyre pressure table on the fuel filler flap
(Y page 181).
Operation with an emergency spare
wheel: information on operation with an
emergency spare wheel can be found in the
general notes in the "Emergency spare wheel"
section (Y page 390).
Operation with a trailer: the applicable
value for the rear axle is the maximum tyre
pressure value stated in the table inside the
fuel filler flap.
Additionally, the tyre pressure table may also state tyre pressures for different load condi-
tions. These are defined in the table as dif-
ferent numbers of passengers and amounts
of luggage. The actual number of seats may
vary; for more information, please refer to the
vehicle's registration documents.
If tyre sizes are not specified, the tyre pres-
sures stated on the tyre pressure table apply for all tyres approved for this vehicle. If a tyre size precedes a tyre pressure, the
following tyre pressure information is only
valid for that tyre size.
Use a suitable pressure gauge to check the
tyre pressure. The outer appearance of a tyre362
Tyre pressureWheels and tyres

does not permit any reliable conclusion about
the tyre pressure. On vehicles fitted with the
electronic tyre pressure monitor, the tyre
pressure can be checked using the on-board
computer.
If possible, only correct tyre pressures when
the tyres are cold.
The tyres are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked with the tyres
out of direct sunlight for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has not been driven further
than 1.6 km
Depending on the ambient temperature, the
vehicle speed and the load on the tyres, the
tyre temperature and thus the tyre pressure
changes by approximately 10 kPa (0.1 bar/
1.5 psi) per 10 †. Take this into account
when checking the pressure of warm tyres.
Only correct the tyre pressure if it is too low
for the current operating conditions.
Driving with tyre pressure that is too high or
too low can:
R shorten the service life of the tyres
R cause increased tyre damage
R have a negative effect on handling charac-
teristics and thus driving safety (e.g. aqua- planing)
The tyre pressure values given for low loads
are minimum values which offer you good ride
comfort characteristics.
However, you can also use the values given
for higher loads. These are permissible and
will not adversely affect the running of the
vehicle. Tyre pressure loss warning system
General notes While the vehicle is in motion, the tyre pres-
sure loss warning system monitors the set
tyre pressure using the rotational speed of
the wheels. This enables the system to detect significant pressure loss in a tyre. If the speed of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of a
loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appear in the multifunction dis-
play.
You can recognise the tyre pressure loss
warning by the Run Flat Indicator
Run Flat Indicator
active Restart with OK active Restart with OK message which
appears in the multifunction display in the
Serv.
Serv.menu. Information on the message dis-
play can be found in the "Restarting the tyre
pressure loss warning system" section
(Y page 364).
Important safety notes The tyre pressure warning system does not
warn you of an incorrectly set tyre pressure.
Observe the notes on the recommended tyre
pressure (Y page 362).
The tyre pressure loss warning does not
replace the need to regularly check the tyre
pressures. An even loss of pressure on sev-
eral tyres at the same time cannot be detec-
ted by the tyre pressure loss warning system.
The tyre pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tyre is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering manoeuvres.
The function of the tyre pressure loss warning system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are fitted to your vehicle's
tyres.
R road conditions are wintry.
R you are driving on sand or gravel.
R you adopt a very sporty driving style (cor-
nering at high speeds or driving with high
rates of acceleration).
R you are towing a very heavy or large trailer.
R you are driving with a heavy load (in the
vehicle or on the roof). Tyre pressure
363Wheels and tyres Z

Restarting the tyre pressure loss warn-
ing system Restart the tyre pressure loss warning system
if you have:
R changed the tyre pressure
R changed the wheels or tyres
R fitted new wheels or tyres
X Before restarting, make sure that the tyre
pressures are set properly on all four tyres
for the respective operating conditions.
The recommended tyre pressures can be
found in the tyre pressure table on the fuel
filler flap.
The tyre pressure loss warning system can only give reliable warnings if you have set
the correct tyre pressure. If an incorrect
tyre pressure is set, these incorrect values
will be monitored.
X Observe the notes in the section on tyre
pressures (Y page 362).
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 157).
X Press =or; on the steering wheel
to select the Serv.
Serv.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tyre pressure
Tyre pressure .
X Press the abutton.
The Run Flat Indicator active Run Flat Indicator active
Restart
Restart with
withOK
OKmessage appears in the
multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart: X Press the abutton.
The Tyre press. now OK?
Tyre press. now OK? message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Yes
Yes.
X Press the abutton.
The Run Flat Indicator restarted
Run Flat Indicator restarted
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
After a teach-in period, the tyre pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tyre pressures of all four tyres. If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the %button.
or X If the Tyre press. now OK?
Tyre press. now OK? message
appears, press the 9or: button to
select Cancel Cancel.
X Press the abutton.
The tyre pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Tyre pressure monitor
General notes If a tyre pressure monitor system is fitted, the
vehicle's wheels have sensors fitted that
monitor the tyre pressures in all four tyres.
The tyre pressure monitor warns you if the
pressure drops in one or more of the tyres.
The tyre pressure monitor only functions if
the corresponding sensors are fitted to all
wheels.
Information on tyre pressures is shown in the multifunction display. After a few minutes of
driving, the current tyre pressure of each tyre
is shown in the Serv. Serv.menu of the multifunc-
tion display, see illustration (example). For further information on displaying this
message, refer to the "Checking the tyre pres-
sure electronically" section (Y page 365).
Important safety notes It is the driver's responsibility to set the tyre
pressure to the recommended cold tyre pres-
sure suitable for the operating situation
(Y page 362). Note that the correct tyre pres-
sure for the current operating situation must
first be taught-in to the tyre pressure monitor. 364
Tyre pressureWheels and tyres

If there is a substantial loss of pressure, the
warning threshold for the warning message is aligned to the reference values taught-in.
Restart the tyre pressure monitor after
adjusting to the cold tyre pressure
(Y page 366). The current pressures are
saved as new reference values. This will
ensure that a warning message will only
appear if the tyre pressure drops significantly.
The tyre pressure monitor does not warn you of an incorrectly set tyre pressure. Observe
the notes on the recommended tyre pressure
(Y page 362).
The tyre pressure monitor is not able to warn you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tyre is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering manoeuvres.
The tyre pressure monitor has a yellow warn-
ing lamp in the instrument cluster for indicat-
ing a pressure loss or malfunction. Depending on how the warning lamp flashes or lights up,
a tyre pressure that is too low or a malfunc-
tion in the tyre pressure monitor is indicated:
R if the warning lamp is lit continuously, the
tyre pressure on one or more tyres is sig-
nificantly too low. The tyre pressure moni-
tor is not malfunctioning.
R if the warning lamp flashes for around a
minute and then remains lit constantly, the
tyre pressure monitor is malfunctioning.
In addition to the warning lamp, a message
appears in the multifunction display. Observe
the information on display messages
(Y page 283).
It may take up to ten minutes for a malfunc-
tion of the tyre pressure monitor to be indi-
cated. A malfunction will be indicated by the
tyre pressure warning lamp flashing for
approximately one minute and then remain-
ing lit. When the fault has been rectified, the
tyre pressure warning lamp goes out after you
have driven for a few minutes.
The tyre pressure values indicated by the on- board computer may differ from those meas- ured at a filling station using a pressure
gauge. The tyre pressures shown by the on-
board computer refer to those measured at
sea level. At high altitudes, the tyre pressure
values indicated by a pressure gauge are
higher than those shown by the on-board
computer. In this case, do not reduce the tyre
pressures.
The operation of the tyre pressure monitor
can be affected by interference from radio
transmitting equipment (e.g. radio head-
phones, two-way radios) that may be being
operated in or near the vehicle.
Checking the tyre pressure electroni-
cally X
Make sure that the key is in position 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 157).
X Press =or; on the steering wheel
to select the Serv.
Serv.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tyre pressure Tyre pressure.
X Press the abutton.
The current tyre pressure for each wheel
will be displayed in the multifunction dis-
play.
If the vehicle was parked for longer than
20 minutes, the Tyre Tyrepressures
pressures will
willbe
be
displayed after a few minutes of
displayed after a few minutes of
driving driving message is shown.
After a teach-in period, the tyre pressure
monitor automatically detects new wheels or
new sensors. As long as a clear allocation of
the tyre pressure values to the individual
wheels is not possible, the Tyre pressure Tyre pressure
monitor active
monitor active message is shown instead
of the tyre pressure display. The tyre pres-
sures are already being monitored.
If an emergency spare wheel is fitted, for a
few minutes the system may continue to
show the tyre pressure of the wheel that has been removed. If this occurs, note that the
value displayed for the position where the
spare wheel is fitted is not the same as the
current tyre pressure of the emergency spare wheel. Tyre pressure
365Wheels and tyres Z