2015 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK snow chains

Emergency locking ........................... 92
Emergency unlocking ....................... 91
Important safety note s.................... 89
Opening (from the inside) ................ 89
Drive program
Display ........................................... 172
Display (DIRECT SELECT lever) ...... 170
Manual transmission ...................... 169
Drive programs
Automatic transmission ................. 175
Driver's door
see Door
Driving abroad
Mercedes-Benz Service ................. 329
Symmetrical dipped beam ............. 120
Driving on flooded roads .................. 191
Driving safety system
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS ................................................ 70
EBD (electronic brake force distri-bution) ............................................. 77
STEER CONTROL ............................. 77
Driving safety systems
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) ....... 69
ADAPTIVE BRAK E............................. 77
Adaptive Brake Assist ...................... 72
Adaptive brake lights ....................... 73
BAS (Brake Assist System) .............. 70
Distance warning function ............... 71
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Pro-
gram) ............................................... 73
Important safety guidelines ............. 69
Overview .......................................... 69
Driving system
Start-off assis t............................... 206
Driving systems
Active Parking Assist ..................... 212
AMG RIDE CONTROL sports sus-
pension .......................................... 207
ATTENTION ASSIST ........................ 222
Blind Spot Assist ............................ 226
Cruise control ................................ 191
Display message ............................ 278
Distronic Plus ................................ 196
HOLD function ............................... 204
Lane Keeping Assist ...................... 228
Lane package ................................ 226
PARKTRONIC ................................. 209 RACE START (AMG vehicles) .......... 206
Reversing camera .......................... 217
SPEEDTRONIC ............................... 194
Traffic Sign Assist .......................... 223
Driving tips
Aquaplaning ................................... 190
Automatic transmission ................. 174
Brakes ........................................... 189
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 203
Downhill gradient ........................... 189
Driving abroad ............................... 120
Driving in winter ............................. 191
Driving on flooded roads ................ 191
Driving on wet roads ...................... 190
Fuel ................................................ 188
General .......................................... 187
Icy road surfaces ........................... 191
Limited braking efficiency on sal-
ted roads ....................................... 190
New brake pads/linings ................ 190
Running-in tip s............................... 156
Snow chains .................................. 361
Symmetrical dipped beam ............. 120
The first 1500 km .......................... 156
Towing a trailer .............................. 231
Wet road surface ........................... 190
DVD video
Operating (on-board computer) ..... 245
DYNAMIC SELECT button (all vehi-
cles except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles) .................................................... 166
DYNAMIC SELECT controller
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles) ................. 167
DYNAMIC SELECT switch
Climate control (air conditioning) .. 138
Climate control
(THERMOTRONIC) .......................... 140 E
EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution) Display message ............................ 260
Function/note s................................ 77
ECO display
Function/note s............................. 188
On-board computer ....................... 242 Index
9

Switching belt adjustment on/off
(on-board computer) ...................... 253
Seat belts
Adjusting the driver's and front-
passenger seat belt ......................... 45
Adjusting the height ......................... 44
Cleaning ......................................... 335
Display message ............................ 266
Fastening ......................................... 44
Important safety guidelines ............. 42
Introduction ..................................... 42
Rear seat belt status indicator ......... 46
Releasing ......................................... 45
Warning lamp ................................. 292
Warning lamp (function) ................... 45
Seats
Adjusting (electrically) ................... 109
Adjusting (manually) ...................... 108
Adjusting the 4-way lumbar sup-
port ................................................ 110
Adjusting the head restraint .......... 109
Cleaning the cover ......................... 335
Correct driver's seat position ........ 106
Important safety notes .................. 107
Seat heating problem .................... 112
Storing settings (memory func-
tion) ............................................... 116
Switching seat heating on/of f....... 111
Securing a load
see Stowage space
Securing luggage ............................... 311
Selector lever
Cleaning ......................................... 334
Sensors (cleaning instructions) ....... 332
Service
see ASSYST PLUS
Service Centre
see Qualified specialist workshop
Service menu (on-board com-
puter) .................................................. 250
Service message
see ASSYST PLUS
Service products
Brake fluid ..................................... 402
Coolant (engine) ............................ 402
Engine oil ....................................... 400
Fuel ................................................ 396
Important safety notes .................. 396 Washer fluid ................................... 403
Setting the air distribution ............... 143
Setting the airflow ............................ 143
Settings
Factory (on-board computer) ......... 253
On-board computer ....................... 250
SETUP (on-board computer) ............. 254
Shifting to neutral (manual trans-
mission) ............................................. 168
Side lamps
Switching on/of f........................... 121
Side windows
Convenience closing ........................ 95
Convenience opening ...................... 95
Important safety notes .................... 94
Opening/closing .............................. 94
Problem (malfunction) ..................... 98
Resetting ......................................... 96
Reversing feature ............................. 94
Sidebag ................................................ 48
Sliding sunroof
see Panorama sliding sunroof
Snow chains ...................................... 361
Socket
Luggage compartment ................... 317
Sockets
Centre console .............................. 317
General notes ................................ 316
Rear compartment ......................... 317
Specialist workshop ............................ 24
Spectacles compartment ................. 307
Speed, controlling
see Cruise control
Speedometer
Activating/deactivating the addi-
tional speedometer ........................ 250
Digital ............................................ 243
In the Instrument cluster ................. 30
Segments ...................................... 238
Selecting a display uni t.................. 250
SPEEDTRONIC
Deactivating variable ..................... 196
Display message ............................ 281
Function/note s............................. 194
Important safety notes .................. 194
LIM indicator lamp ......................... 195
Permanent ..................................... 196 Index
17

LIM (variable SPEEDTRONIC) .........1
95
Overview .......................................... 31
PASSENGER AIR BAG ..................... .41
Reserve fuel .................................. .301
Seat belt ........................................ 292
Tyre pressure monitor ................... 304
Warning triangle ................................ 338
Washer fluid
Display message ............................ 290
Wheel and tyre combinations
Tyres .............................................. 374
Wheel bolt tightening torque ........... 372
Wheel chock ...................................... 369
Wheels
Changing a wheel .......................... 367
Changing/replacing ....................... 367
Checking ........................................ 359
Cleaning ......................................... 331
Emergency spare wheel ................. 389
Fitting a new wheel ........................ 371
General notes ................................ 372
Important safety notes .................. 358
Information on driving .................... 358
Removing a wheel .......................... 371
Storing .......................................... .368
Tightening torque ........................... 372
Wheel size/tyre size ..................... .372
Windowbag
Display message ............................ 268
Operation ......................................... 49
Windows
Cleaning ......................................... 331
see Side windows
Windscreen
Demisting ...................................... 144
Windscreen washer fluid
see Windscreen washer system
Windscreen washer system
Important safety notes .................. 403
Topping up ..................................... 327
Windscreen wipers
Display message ............................ 291
Problem (malfunction) ................... 134
Rear window wiper ........................ 130
Replacing the wiper blades ............ 130
Switching on/off ........................... 129
Winter driving
General notes ................................ 360 Winter operation
Slippery road surfaces ................... 191
Snow chains .................................. 361
Winter tyres
Limiting the speed (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 251
M+S tyres ...................................... 360
Wiper blades
Cleaning ......................................... 332
Important safety notes .................. 130
Replacing (on the rear window) ..... 132
Replacing (windscreen) .................. 131
Wooden trim (cleaning instruc-
tions) ................................................. .335
Workshop
see Qualified specialist workshop Z
ZONE function Switching on/off ........................... 143 Index
21

Pets in the vehicle
G
WARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may push a button
or a switch, for example.
They could:
R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R switch vehicle systems on or off, thus
endangering other road users
In the event of an accident, sudden braking or
abrupt changes of direction, unsecured ani-
mals could be flung around the vehicle, injur-
ing the vehicle occupants. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals correctly during a
journey, e.g. in an animal transport box. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 69)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 70)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Y page 70)
R Adaptive brake lights (Y page 73)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 73)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 77)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 77)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 77) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor
override the laws of physics. Driving safety
systems are merely aids designed to assist
driving. You are responsible for maintaining
the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time, and for stay-ing in lane. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions and maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there is
adequate contact between the tyres and the
road surface. Please pay special attention to
the notes on tyres, recommended minimum
tyre tread depths etc. (Y page 358).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary, snow
chains. Only in this way will the driving safety systems described in this section work as
effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched on. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h,
regardless of road-surface conditions. ABS
works on slippery surfaces, even when you
only brake gently.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 69). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition- Driving safety systems
69Safety
Z

G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing
away your vehicle with the front axle raised,
please observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 352).
If the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
continuously, ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the å
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 297) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 258).
Only use wheels with the recommended tyre
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ®General notes
If the
÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving. When pulling away again, the engine starts automatically. ESP
®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when
the engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
Mercedes‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
You can select between the following sta-
tuses of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the
on-board computer (Y page 248).
ESP ®
deactivated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
ESP ®
activated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. 74
Driving safety systemsSafety

Characteristics when ESP
®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability
R Engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut- ting action for better traction on loose sur-faces.
R Traction control is still activated
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no lon-
ger available; nor is it activated if you brake
firmly with assistance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; it is also
not activated if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(Mercedes ‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 69).
You can select between the following sta-
tuses of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated
R SPORT handling mode is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated
ESP ®
is activated every time the engine is
switched on, regardless of whether ESP ®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched
off. G
WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is a greater risk of skidding and acci-
dents. Only activate SPORT handling mode in the sit-
uations described in the following. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
In the following situations, it may be better to activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP ®
:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
R on specially designated roads when the
vehicle's own oversteering and understeer-
ing characteristics are desired
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP ®
requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® X
To activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up. The Driving safety systems
75Safety Z

Driving on flooded roads
!
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans- mission.
If you must drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R in the case of standing water, the water
level must be no higher than the lower edge
of the vehicle body
R you should drive no faster than walking
pace Winter driving
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. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter. You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres. Do
not use cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing point.
Further information on driving with snow
chains (Y page 361).
Further information on driving with summer
tyres (Y page 360).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 360). Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid exceeding the set speed. You must
select a lower gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. For vehi-
cles with automatic transmission, you need tohave selected manual shift drive program M
(Y page 177). By doing so, you will make use Driving syste
ms
191Driving an d 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