2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GLA-Class automatic transmission

should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents rec-
ommended and approved by Mercedes-Benz. Exterior care
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
After the vehicle has been washed, brake
carefully while paying attention to the traffic
conditions until full braking power is restored.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
! Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts.
! Make sure that the automatic transmis-
sion is in position Nwhen washing your
vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehi-
cle could be damaged if the transmission is
in another position.
! Make sure that: R
the side windows and the sliding sunroof
are fully closed.
R the ventilation/heating is switched off
(the OFF button has been pressed/the
airflow control is set to position 0).
R the windshield wiper switch is in position
0.
Otherwise, the vehicle might be damaged.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windshield and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind- shield.
Washing by hand In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at wash bays that are specially
designed for this purpose. Observe the legal
requirements in all countries concerned.
X Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use a soft sponge to clean.
X Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlet.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible. 298
CareMaintenance and care

G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery produ- ces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or
sparks are created, the hydrogen gas can
ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
R Make sure that the positive terminal of a
connected battery does not come into con- tact with vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a bat-
tery.
R It is important that you observe the descri-
bed order of the battery terminals when
connecting and disconnecting a battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the
battery poles with identical polarity are
connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the
described order when connecting and dis-
connecting the jumper cables.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery
terminals while the engine is running. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury. Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing.
Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean
over the battery. Keep children away from
batteries. Wash battery acid immediately with water and seek medical attention. H
Environmental note Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
the household rubbish. They
must be collected separately
and recycled to protect the
environment. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or a special
collection point for used bat-
teries. !
Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the service intervals in the Main-
tenance Booklet or contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop for more information.
! You should have all work involving the
battery carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop. In the exceptional case that it is
necessary for you to disconnect the battery yourself, make sure that:
R you switch off the engine and remove the
SmartKey. Check that all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster are off.
Otherwise, electronic components, such
as the alternator, may be damaged.
R you first remove the negative terminal
clamp and then the positive terminal
clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
Otherwise, the vehicle's electronic sys-
tem may be damaged.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The vehi-
cle is secured against rolling away. You
can then no longer move the vehicle.
The battery and the cover of the positive
terminal clamp must be installed securely
during operation.
Comply with safety precautions and take pro-
tective measures when handling batteries. Risk of explosion.
Fire, open flames and smoking are
prohibited when handling the bat-
tery. Avoid creating sparks. Battery acid is caustic. Avoid con-
tact with skin, eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective clothing,
especially gloves, apron and face-
guard.
Rinse any acid spills immediately
with clear water. Contact a physi-
cian if necessary.312
Battery (vehicle)Breakdown assistance

!
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 the vehicle
R in the car wash
! Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eyes for recovery
purposes as this could damage the vehicle.
If in doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of
30 mph (50km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the front axle must be
raised or the entire vehicle raised and
transported.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per- missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
If the vehicle can no longer be driven because
of an accident or breakdown, you have the
following options:
R transporting the vehicle
As a rule, you should have the vehicle trans-
ported.
R towing the vehicle with a tow rope or tow
bar
Only tow the vehicle in exceptional cases.
When towing a vehicle, the transmission must be in position N. The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock
R cannot release the electric parking brake
R cannot shift the transmission to position N
i The function of the electric parking brake
and the parking lock is dependent on the
on-board voltage. If the on-board voltage is low or there is a malfunction in the system,
it may not be possible to apply the released parking brake or shift the transmission to
position P.
i Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g.
the radio.
i Disarm the automatic locking feature
before the vehicle is towed (Y page 217).
You could otherwise be locked out when
pushing or towing the vehicle. Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye Example: towing eye mounting covers
X Remove the towing eye from the stowage
space. 318
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

The towing eye is beneath the cargo com-
partment floor with the vehicle tool kit
(Y
page 306).
Vehicles with the TIREFIT kit: the towing
eye is beneath the tire inflation compres-
sor.
X Press the mark on cover 0043inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Take cover 0043off the opening.
X Screw in and tighten the towing eye clock-
wise to the stop.
Removing the towing eye X
Unscrew and remove the towing eye.
X To fasten the front cover: position the top
of cover 0043in the bumper and press it in at
the bottom until it engages.
X To fasten the rear cover: position the left-
hand side of cover 0043in the bumper and
press it in on the right-hand side until it
engages.
X Place the towing eye in the stowage well
beneath the cargo compartment floor
(Y page 306) in the cargo compartment.
X Vehicles with the TIREFIT kit: put back the
tire inflation compressor. Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
i In order to signal a change of direction
when towing with the hazard warning lamps switched on, use the combination switch asusual. In this case, only the indicator lamps
for the direction of travel flash. After reset-
ting the combination switch, the hazard
warning lamp starts flashing again. The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position
Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock. In order to ensure that the automatic transmission
stays in position Nwhen towing the vehicle,
you must observe the following points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Leave the SmartKey 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 113).
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 317). Towing the vehicle with the front axle
raised
Only vehicles without 4MATIC can be
towed with the front axle raised.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed
away with both axles on the ground or be loa- ded up and transported.
! The ignition must be switched off if the
vehicle is being towed with the front axle
raised. Otherwise, ESP ®
may intervene and
damage the brake system.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed. Towing and tow-starting
319Breakdown assistance Z

X
Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the automatic locking
(Y page 217).
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 113).
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and leave the SmartKey in the
ignition lock.
Observe the important safety notes when
towing your vehicle with the front axle raised (Y page 317). Transporting the vehicle
! 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.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
X Shift the transmission to position N.
X Release the electric parking brake.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded: X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
X Secure the vehicle. Notes on 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission. Vehicles with 4MATIC may only either be
towed away with both axles on the ground or
be loaded up and transported.
If the vehicle's transmission, front, or rear
axle is damaged, have the vehicle transported on a truck 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 315).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. You could other-
wise damage the automatic transmission.
i You can find information on "Jump-start-
ing" under (Y page 315). Fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you manipulate or bridge a faulty fuse or if
you replace it with a fuse with a higher amper- age, the electric cables could be overloaded.
This could result in a fire. There is a risk of an
accident and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with the specified
new fuses having the correct amperage.
! 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". Otherwise, components or systems
could be damaged. 320
FusesBreakdown assistance