2015 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK parking sensors

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). Running-in notes
Important safety notes
In certain driving and driving safety systems,
the sensors adjust automatically while a cer-
tain distance is being driven after the vehicle has been delivered or after repairs. Full sys-
tem effectiveness is not reached until the end
of this teach-in process.
Brake pads/linings and discs that are either
new or have been replaced only achieve opti- mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Compensate for the
reduced braking effect by applying greater
force to the brake pedal. The first 1500 km
If you treat the engine with sufficient care
from the very start, you will be rewarded with excellent performance for the remainder of
the engine's life.
R Drive at varying vehicle speeds and engine
speeds for the first 1500 km.
R Avoid overstraining the vehicle during this
period, e.g. driving at full throttle.
R Change gear in good time, before the rev
counter needle is Ôof the way to the red
area of the rev counter. R
Do not shift down a gear manually in order
to brake.
R Vehicles with automatic transmission:
try to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the point of resistance (kick- down).
After 1500 km, you may gradually bring the
vehicle up to full road and engine speeds.
Additional notes on running in Mercedes-
AMG vehicles:
R for the first 1,500 km do not drive at speeds
above 140 km/h.
R only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
You should also observe these notes on run-
ning-in if the engine or parts of the drive train on your vehicle have been replaced.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell may restrict
the clearance around the pedals or block a
depressed pedal. This jeopardises the oper-
ating and road safety of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Stow all objects securely in the vehicle so that
they do not get into the driver's footwell.
Always fit the floormats securely and as pre-
scribed in order to ensure that there is always sufficient room for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats and do not place several floor-mats on top of one another. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers 156
DrivingDriving and parking

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to:
R people or animals
R stationary obstacles on the road, e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles
R oncoming and crossing traffic
As a result, DISTRONIC PLUS may neither give
warnings nor intervene in such situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly rec-
ognise other road users and complex traffic
conditions.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
R accelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be prepared to
brake, particularly if DISTRONIC PLUS warns
you. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up to 50 %of the maximum possible deceleration.
If this deceleration is not sufficient,
DISTRONIC PLUS alerts you with a visual and
acoustic warning. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Apply the brakes yourself in these situations
and try to take evasive action.
! 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
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk
of an accident nor override the laws of phys-
ics. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take road and
weather conditions or traffic conditions into
account. DISTRONIC PLUS 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.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
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 smooth or slippery roads. Braking or
accelerating can 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
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example, in multi-storey car parks
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi- cle in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate tothe speed stored.
This speed can:
R be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high in the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the left
R be so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the right Driving systems
197Driving and parking Z

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

:
Example: sensors in the front bumper,
left-hand side
The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and
slush. Otherwise, they may not function cor-
rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y page 332).
Range Front sensors
Centre Approx. 100 cm
Corners Approx. 60 cm Rear sensors
Centre Approx. 120 cm
Corners Approx. 80 cm
Minimum distance
Centre Approx. 20 cm
Corners Approx. 20 cm
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a warn- ing tone sounds. If the distance falls below
the minimum, the distance may no longer be
shown.
Warning displays :
Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
; Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
= Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located
on the dashboard above the centre air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is loca-
ted on the roof lining in the rear compart-
ment.
The warning display for each side of the vehi- cle is divided into five yellow and two red seg-ments. PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow
segments showing operational readiness =
light up. 210
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

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

End of a speed limit
No speed limit
:applies here. No entry (wrong-way warning)
A warning message
:is displayed in the
instrument cluster if Traffic Sign Assist
detects that you are passing a “no entry” sign
and you are driving in the wrong direction.
You will then also hear a warning tone. You
should immediately check your direction of
travel in order to avoid danger to yourself and
other road users. Lane Tracking package
General notes The Lane Tracking package consists of Blind
Spot Assist (Y page 226) and Lane Keeping
Assist (Y page 228).
Blind Spot Assist General notes
Blind Spot Assist monitors the areas on either
side of the vehicle that are not visible to the
driver with two lateral, rear-facing radar sen-
sors. A warning display in the exterior mirrors draws your attention to vehicles detected in
the monitored area. If you then switch on the corresponding turn signal to change lanes,
you will also receive a visual and audible col-
lision warning.
Blind Spot Assist supports you from a speed
of approximately 30 km/h. Important safety notes G
WARNING
Blind Spot Assist does not react to vehicles:
R overtaken too closely on the side, placing
them in the blind spot area
R when the difference in the speed of
approach and overtaking is too great
As a result, Blind Spot Assist cannot warn
drivers in these situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and maintain a safe distance at the side
of the vehicle.
Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may fail to
detect some vehicles and is no substitute for
attentive driving. Always ensure that there is
sufficient distance to the side for other road
users and obstacles.
Radar sensors
The radar sensors for Blind Spot Assist are
integrated into the rear bumper. Make sure
that the bumpers are free from dirt, ice or
slush. The sensors must not be covered, for
example by cycle racks or overhanging loads.
Following a severe impact or in the event of
damage to the bumpers, have the function of the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Blind Spot Assist may no
longer work properly.
Monitoring range of the sensors
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle or a bicycle
R very wide lanes
R narrow lanes
R vehicles not driving in the middle of their
lane
R barriers or other road boundaries 226
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Tyre press. moni‐
Tyre press. moni‐
tor currently tor currently
unavailable unavailable No signals can be received from the tyre pressure sensors due to
strong RF interference. The tyre pressure monitor is temporarily
malfunctioning.
X Drive on.
The tyre pressure monitor restarts automatically as soon as the
cause has been rectified. Wheel sensor(s) Wheel sensor(s)
missing missing There is no signal from the tyre pressure sensor of one or several
wheels. The pressure of the affected tyre is not displayed in the
multifunction display.
X Have the faulty tyre pressure sensor replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Tyre press. moni‐ Tyre press. moni‐
tor tor
inoperative
inoperative No
No
wheel sensors
wheel sensors The wheels fitted do not have suitable tyre pressure sensors. The
tyre pressure monitor is deactivated.
X Fit wheels with suitable tyre pressure sensors.
The tyre pressure monitor is activated automatically after driv-
ing for a few minutes. Tyre press. moni‐ Tyre press. moni‐
tor inoperative tor inoperative The tyre pressure monitor is faulty.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Vehicle
Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Depress brake to
Depress brake to
start engine start engine You have attempted to start the engine with the transmission in
position
Nwithout depressing the brake pedal.
X Depress the brake pedal. To shift out of P To shift out of P
or N, depress or N, depress
brake and start brake and start
engine engine You have attempted to shift the transmission to position
Ror D
without starting the engine.
X Start the engine.
X Depress the brake pedal.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission from position
Pto
the desired position if you depress the brake pedal. Only then
can the parking lock be deactivated. If you do not depress the
brake pedal, the DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but the parking lock remains engaged.
i At transmission fluid temperatures below
Ò20 † you can only
shift out of position Pinto another transmission position when
the engine is running. Display
messages
285On-board computer/Displays Z