2015 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK ESP

detected vehicle turns a corner and reveals
an obstacle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC PLUS will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS may detect vehicles that
are crossing your lane by mistake. Activating DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with cross-
ing traffic, for example, could cause your vehi-
cle to pull away unintentionally. HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when manoeuvring on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is cancelled and the HOLD function is deactivated when you depress theaccelerator pedal to pull away. Important safety notes G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator pedal being depressed, e.g. by
a vehicle occupant
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
! When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD
function is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function
(Y page 205).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R the driver's door is closed or if your seat
belt is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated
R the transmission is in position D,Ror Non
vehicles with automatic transmission 204
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Start-off assist (except Mercedes-
AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you use start-off assist, individual wheels
may start to spin and the vehicle may skid. If
ESP ®
is deactivated, there is a greater danger
of skidding and having an accident. Make sure that no persons or obstacles are in the area
around the vehicle.
Start-off assist enables optimum acceleration
from a standstill. For this, a suitably high-grip road surface is required, along with the tyresand vehicle being in good condition.
Do not activate start-off assist on public
roads.
Observe the safety notes on driving safety
systems (Y page 69).
Be sure to read the safety notes and informa-
tion on ESP ®
(Y page 73).
Activating start-off assist X
Deactivate ESP ®
(Y page 248).
X Turn the steering wheel to the straight-
ahead position.
X Depress the brake pedal firmly with your
left foot and keep the brake pedal
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Use the DYNAMIC SELECT button to select
the Sdrive program (Y page 166).
X Quickly depress the accelerator pedal fully.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum accel-
eration.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the acceleration
process has ended. ESP ®
will otherwise not
be able to stabilise the vehicle if the vehicle
starts to skid or a wheel starts to spin. Cancelling start-off assist
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
X Reactivate ESP. RACE START (AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes i
RACE START must not be used on normal
roads. RACE START must only be activated and used on dedicated road circuits, out-
side of public road use.
i RACE START is only available in
Mercedes‑AMG vehicles. G
WARNING
If you use RACE START, individual tyres may
get into a spin and the vehicle could skid.
Depending on the selected ESP ®
mode, there
is an increased risk of skidding and having an accident. Make sure that no persons, animals
or obstacles are within range of the vehicle.
RACE START enables optimum acceleration
from a standing start. For this, a suitably high-
grip road surface is required, along with the
tyres and vehicle being in good condition.
i Observe the safety notes on driving safety
systems (Y page 69).
Be sure to read the safety notes and infor-
mation on ESP ®
(Y page 73).
Activation conditions You can activate RACE START if:
R the doors, the bonnet and the boot lid are
closed
R the engine is running and the transmission,
traction control and engine are at operating temperature
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake
pedal is depressed (left foot) 206
Driving systemsDriving and parking

R
the transmission is in position D
R drive program S,S+ orRACE is selected
(Y page 167)
Activating RACE START X
Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Pull and hold both steering wheel gearshift
paddles.
X The RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP
RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP
Cancel: Paddle DOWN
Cancel: Paddle DOWN message appears
in the multifunction display.
X Release both steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles.
i If the activation conditions are no longer
fulfilled, RACE START is cancelled. The
RACE START not possible See Own‐
RACE START not possible See Own‐
er's
er's Manual
Manual message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
X To cancel: pull the left steering wheel shift
paddle (Y page 177).
or
X To confirm: pull the right steering wheel
shift paddle (Y page 177).
The RACE START available Depress
RACE START available Depress
accelerator
accelerator message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
i If you do not depress the accelerator
pedal within a few seconds, RACE START is cancelled. The multifunction display shows
the RACE START cancelled
RACE START cancelled message.
X Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed increases.
The RACE START Release brake to RACE START Release brake to
start
start message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
i If the brake pedal is not released after a
short while, RACE START is cancelled. The
multifunction display shows the RACE
RACE
START cancelled
START cancelled message.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum accel-
eration. The
RACE RACE START
START active
active message appears
in the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 50 km/h.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if
you release the accelerator pedal during
RACE START or if any of the activation condi-
tions are no longer fulfilled. The RACE
RACE START START
not possible
not possible orRACE START cancelled
RACE START cancelled
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i After using it several times in short suc-
cession, RACE START will be unavailable
until a certain distance has been driven. AMG RIDE CONTROL
General notes The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection of "Sport" or
"Comfort"
The suspension setting is adjusted using the
corresponding button in the centre console.
i The mode can also be set using the AMG
DYNAMIC SELECT controller (Y page 167).
If the ignition is switched off for less than four hours, the previously selected drive program
is activated when the engine is next started. If
the ignition is switched off for more than four hours, Comfort mode is activated when the
engine is next started. Driving systems
207Driving and parking Z

Sport mode
The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
Sport mode ensures even better contact with
the road. Select this mode when employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country
roads.
X Press button :once.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. You have selec-
ted Sport mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT
AMG Ride Control SPORT message
appears in the multifunction display.
Comfort mode In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you prefer a more comfortable
driving style, but also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. motorways.
X Press button :again to switch off indica-
tor lamp ;.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG Ride Control COMFORT
AMG Ride Control COMFORT mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display. 4MATIC
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the differential.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz implied warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground or be fully raised. Observe the instructions for
towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground. 4MATIC, together with ESP
®
, improves the
traction of your vehicle whenever a drive
wheel spins due to insufficient grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic con-
ditions. 4MATIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R when pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
R accelerate less when driving.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tyres (M+S tyres), with snow chains if necessary. Suspension with Adaptive Damping
System
General notes A suspension with the Adaptive Damping Sys-
tem provides improved driving comfort and
continuously controls the calibration of the
dampers. The damping characteristics adapt
to the current operating and driving situation.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface conditions
R the drive program selected
R the vehicle level setting
The drive program can be set using the
DYNAMIC SELECT button (Y page 166).
Selecting Comfort mode In the
Comfort drive program, the driving
characteristics of your vehicle are more com- fortable. Therefore, select this drive program
if you prefer a more comfortable driving style. 208
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Also select the
Comfortdrive program when
driving fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches of motorway.
X Press DYNAMIC SELECT button :
(Y page 166) repeatedly until the Comfort
drive program is selected.
Selecting Sport mode The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
the Sport drive program ensures even better
contact with the road. Select this drive pro-
gram when employing a sporty driving style,
e.g. on winding country roads.
X Press DYNAMIC SELECT button :
(Y page 166) repeatedly until the Sport
drive program is selected. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area
around your vehicle using six sensors in the
front bumper and six sensors in the rear
bumper. PARKTRONIC indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a substi- tute for your attention to the immediate sur-
roundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you.
Make sure that there are no persons, animals
or objects in range while manoeuvring and
parking.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and
objects which absorb ultrasonic sources. Ultrasonic sources, such as an automatic
car wash, a lorry's compressed-air brakes
or a pneumatic drill, could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
! Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC meas-
ures the minimum detection range to an
obstacle from the bumper, not the ball cou-
pling.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift to position D,Ror Non vehicles with
automatic transmission
R release the electric parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
18 km/h. It is reactivated at lower speeds.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer.
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take into account
obstacles located:
R below the detection range, e.g. persons,
animals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g. overhang-
ing loads, tail sections or loading ramps of
goods vehicles Driving systems
209Driving and parking Z

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated and the
indicator lamp on the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has been deactivated.
X If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 332).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Active Parking Assist
General notes Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. It measures the road on
both sides of the vehicle. A parking symbol
indicates a suitable parking space. Active
steering intervention and brake application
can assist you during parking and when exit-
ing a parking space. You may also use
PARKTRONIC (Y page 209).
i The active braking application is only
available on vehicles with automatic trans-
mission.
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is only an aid. It is not a
substitute for your attention to the immediate
surroundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you. Make sure that no persons, animals or
objects are in the manoeuvring range.
When PARKTRONIC is deactivated, Active
Parking Assist is also unavailable. G
WARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
cause you to collide with other road users.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Park- ing Assist parking procedure.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as kerbs slowly and not at a
sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tyres. 212
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Example: parking symbol
:
Detected parking space on the left
; Parking symbol
= Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist is activated automati-
cally when driving forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately
35 km/h. While in operation, the system inde- pendently locates and measures parking
spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
Active Parking Assist will only detect parkingspaces:
R parallel or at right angles to the direction of
travel
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
and are at least 1.5 m wide
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
and at least 1.0 mlonger than your vehicle
R that are at right angles to the direction of
travel and at least 1.0 m wider than your
vehicle
i Note that Active Parking Assist cannot
measure the length of a parking space if it
is at right angles to the direction of travel.
You will need to judge whether your vehicle
will fit in the parking space.
When driving at speeds below 30 km/h, you
will see parking symbol ;as a status indi-
cator in the instrument cluster. When a park-
ing space has been detected, an arrow
towards the right or the left also appears.
Active Parking Assist only displays parking
spaces on the front-passenger side as stand- ard. Parking spaces on the driver's side are
displayed as soon as the turn signal on the
driver's side is activated. When parking on the driver's side, this must remain activated untilyou confirm the use of Active Parking Assist by pressing the
abutton on the multi-
function steering wheel. The system auto-
matically determines whether the parking
space is parallel or at right angles to the direc-
tion of travel.
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are approx-
imately 15 m away from it.
Parking G
WARNING
If you leave the vehicle when it is only being
braked by Active Parking Assist it could roll
away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the vehicle is accelerated, e.g. by a vehicle
occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always secure it
against rolling away.
i Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion:
When PARKTRONIC detects obstacles,
Active Parking Assist brakes automatically
during the parking process. You are respon-
sible for braking in good time.
X Stop the vehicle when the parking symbol
shows the desired parking space in the
instrument cluster.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to reverse gear.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift into position R.
The Start Park Assist? Start Park Assist? Yes: OK
Yes: OKNo:
No:
% message appears in the multifunction
display. 214
Driving systemsDriving and parking

location. It may be the case that Active
Parking Assist guides you too far into a
parking space, or not far enough into it. In
some cases, it may also lead you across or
onto the kerb. If necessary, you should can-
cel the parking procedure with Active Park- ing Assist.
R You can also preselect transmission posi-
tion D. The vehicle redirects and does not
drive as far into the parking space. Should
the transmission change take place too
early, the parking procedure will be cancel- led. A sensible parking position can no lon-
ger be achieved from this position.
Exiting a parking space In order that Active Parking Assist can sup-
port you when exiting the parking space:
R you need to have parked using Active Park-
ing Assist.
R the border of the parking space must be
high enough at the front and the rear. A
kerb stone is too small, for example.
R the border of the parking space must not be
too wide, as the position of the vehicle must
not exceed an angle of 45° to the starting
position as it is manoeuvred into the park-
ing space.
R a manoeuvring distance of at least 1.0 m
must be available.
Active Parking Assist can only assist you with exiting a parking space if you have parked thevehicle parallel to the direction of travel using
Active Parking Assist.
i Vehicles with automatic transmission:
If PARKTRONIC detects obstacles, Active
Parking Assist brakes automatically whilst
the vehicle exits the parking space. You are
responsible for braking in good time.
X Start the engine.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch on the turn signal in the direction
you will drive out of the parking space. X
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position Dor R.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to forward or reverse gear.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play %.
X To cancel the procedure: press the%
button on the multifunction steering wheel or pull away.
or
X To exit a parking space using Active
Parking Assist: press theabutton on
the multifunction steering wheel.
The Park Assist active Accelerate Park Assist active Accelerate
and
and brake
brake Observe
Observe surroundings
surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
X Release the multifunction steering wheel.
X Pull away, being ready to brake at all times.
Do not exceed a maximum speed of
approximately 10 km/h when exiting a
parking space. Otherwise, Active Parking
Assist will be cancelled.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
stop, at the latest when PARKTRONIC
sounds the continuous warning tone.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
depending on the message or as required,
shift the transmission to position Dor R.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
depending on the message or as required,
engage forward or reverse gear.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in the other direction. The Park Assist Park Assist
active Accelerate and brake
active Accelerate and brake
Observe Observe surroundings
surroundings message appears
in the multifunction display.
i You will achieve the best results by wait-
ing for the steering procedure to complete before pulling away.
If you reverse after activation, the steering
wheel is moved to the straight-ahead posi- tion. 216
Driving systemsDriving and parking