2017 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA-Class Owner's Manual

Battery (vehicle)
Important safety notes
Special tools and expert knowledge are required
when working on the battery, e.g. removal and
installation. You should therefore have all work
involving the battery carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
GWARNING
Work carried out incorrectly on the battery
can lead, for example, to a short circuit and
thus damage the vehicle electronics. This can
lead to function restrictions applying to
safety-relevant systems, e.g the lighting sys-
tem, the ABS (anti-lock braking system) or the
ESP
®(Electronic Stability Program). The oper-
ating safety of your vehicle may be restricted.
You could lose control of the vehicle, for
example:
Rwhen braking
Rin the event of abrupt steering maneuvers
and/or when the vehicle's speed is not
adapted to the road conditions
There is a risk of an accident.
In the event of a short circuit or a similar inci-
dent, contact a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. Do not drive any further. You
should have all work involving the battery car- ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
For further information about ABS and ESP
®,
see (Ypage 60) and (Ypage 63).
GWARNING
Electrostatic build-up can lead to the creation of sparks, which could ignite the highly explo-
sive gases of a battery. There is a risk of an
explosion.
Before handling the battery, touch the vehicle
body to remove any existing electrostatic
build-up.
The highly flammable gas mixture forms when
charging the battery as well as when jump-start-
ing. Always make sure that neither you nor the bat-
tery is electrostatically charged. A build-up of
electrostatic charge can be caused, for exam-
ple:
Rby wearing clothing made from synthetic
fibers
Rdue to friction between clothing and seats
Rif you push or pull the battery across the car-
pet or other synthetic materials
Rif you rub the battery with a cloth
GWARNING
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.
RMake sure that the positive terminal of a
connected battery does not come into con- tact with vehicle parts.
RNever place metal objects or tools on a bat-
tery.
RIt is important that you observe the descri-
bed order of the battery terminals when
connecting and disconnecting a battery.
RWhen jump-starting, make sure that the
battery poles with identical polarity are
connected.
RIt is particularly important to observe the
described order when connecting and dis-
connecting the jumper cables.
RNever connect or disconnect the battery
terminals while the engine is running.
GWARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do
not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over
the battery. Keep children away from batter-
ies. Wash away battery acid immediately with
plenty of clean water and seek medical atten-
tion.
HEnvironmental note
Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
Battery (vehicle)271
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the household rubbish. They
must be collected separatelyand 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 Mainte-
nance Booklet or contact a qualified specialist
workshop for more information.
!You should have all work involving the bat-
tery carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop. In the exceptional case that it is neces-
sary for you to disconnect the battery your-
self, make sure that:
Ryou switch off the engine and remove the
key. On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, ensure
that the ignition is switched off. Check that
all the indicator lamps in the instrument
cluster are off. Otherwise, electronic com-
ponents, such as the alternator, may be
damaged.
Ryou first remove the negative terminal
clamp and then the positive terminal
clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
Otherwise, the vehicle's electronic system
may be damaged.
Rin vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The vehicle
is s
ecured against rolling away. You can
then no longer move the vehicle.
The battery and the cover of the positive ter-
minal 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 contact
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 physician
if necessary.
Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's Manual.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use batteries which have
been tested and approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz. These batteries provide
increased impact protection to prevent vehicle
occupants from suffering acid burns should the
battery be damaged in the event of an accident.
In order for the battery to achieve the maximum
possible service life, it must always be suffi-
ciently charged.
Like other batteries, the vehicle battery may
discharge over time if you do not use the vehicle.
In this case, have the battery disconnected at a
qualified specialist workshop. You can also
charge the battery with a charger recommended
by Mercedes-Benz. Contact a qualified special-
ist workshop for further information.
Have the battery condition of charge checked
more frequently if you use the vehicle mainly for
short trips or if you leave it standing idle for a
lengthy period. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop if you wish to leave your vehicle
parked for a long period of time.
Only replace a battery with a battery that has
been recommended by Mercedes-Be nz.
272Battery (vehicle)
Breakdown assistance

Remove theSmartKey if you park th evehicl e
and do no trequire any electrical consumers.
The vehicl ewill then use ver ylittl eenergy, thus
conserving battery power .
If th epower suppl yhas been interrupted, e.g. if
you reconnect th ebattery, you will hav eto :
Rset th eclock usin gth emultimedia system;
see th eseparat eoperating instructions.
Rreset th efunction for foldin gth eexterio rmir -
ror sin/out automatically, by foldin gth emir -
ror sout once (
Ypage 96)
Charging the battery
GWARNIN G
During charging and jump-starting ,explosive
gase scan escape from th ebattery. There is a
ris kof an explosion .
Particularly avoi dfire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Ensur ethere is sufficien t
ventilation while charging and jump-starting .
Do no tlean ove r abattery.
GWARNIN G
Battery acid is caustic. There is aris kof injury.
Avoid contact wit hskin, eyes or clothing .Do
no tinhale any battery gases. Do no tlean ove r
th ebattery. Kee pchildren away from batter-
ies. Wash away battery acid immediately wit h
plenty of clean water and seek medical atten -
tion .
GWARNIN G
A discharged battery can freez eat tempera-
tures belo wfreezing point. When jump-start -
ing thevehicl eor charging th ebattery, gase s
can escape from th ebattery. There is aris kof
an explosion .
Allow th efrozen battery to thaw out before
charging it or jump-starting .
!Only use battery chargers wit h amaximum
charging voltag eof 14.8 V.
!Only charge th ebattery usin gth ejump-
starting connection point.
The jump-starting connection poin tis in th e
engin ecompartmen t (
Ypage 273).
XOpen thehood.
XConnect th ebattery charge rto th epositive
termina land ground poin tin th esam eorder
as when connecting th edonor battery in th e
jump-starting procedure (
Ypage 273).
If th eindicator/warning lamp sdo no tligh tup in
th einstrumen tcluste rat low temperatures ,it is
ver ylikely that th edischarged battery has fro-
zen. In this cas eyou may neither jump-start th e
vehicl eno rcharge th ebattery. The servic elife of
a thawed-out battery may be shorter. The start -
ing characteristics can be impaired, particularly
at low temperatures .Hav eth ethawed-out bat -
tery checke dat aqualified specialist workshop.
Only charge th einstalled battery wit h abattery
charge rwhic hhas been tested and approve dby
Merced
es-Benz . Abattery charge runi tspecially
adapted for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and tested
and approve dby Mercedes-Benz is available as
an accessory. It permit sth echarging of th ebat -
tery in it sinstalled position .Contac tan author-
ized Mercedes-Benz Cente rfor further informa-
tion and availability. Read th ebattery charger's
operating instruction sbefore charging th ebat -
tery.
Jump-starting
Fo rth ejump-starting procedure ,use only th ejump-starting connection point, consisting of apos -
itive termina land aground point, in th eengin ecompartment.
GWARNIN G
Battery acid is caustic. There is aris kof injury.
Avoid contact wit hskin, eyes or clothing .Do no tinhale any battery gases. Do no tlean ove rth e
battery. Kee pchildren away from batteries. Wash away battery acid immediately wit hplenty of
clean water and seek medical attention .
Jump-starting273
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GWARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient ven-
tilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery.
GWARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or sparks
are created, the hydrogen gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
RMake sure that the positive terminal of a connected battery does not come into contact with
vehicle parts.
RNever place metal objects or tools on a battery.
RIt is important that you observe the described order of the battery terminals when connecting
and disconnecting a battery.
RWhen jump-starting, make sure that the battery poles with identical polarity are connected.
RIt is particularly important to observe the described order when connecting and disconnecting
the jumper cables.
RNever connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running.
GWARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point. When jump-starting the
vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion. Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before charging it or jump-starting.
!Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the catalytic converter could be
damaged by the non-combusted fuel.
If the indicator/warning lamps do not light up in the instrument cluster at low temperatures, it is very
likely that the discharged battery has frozen. In this case you may neither jump-start the vehicle nor
charge the battery. Let the battery thaw first. The service life of a thawed-out battery may be shorter.
The starting characteristics can be impaired, particularly at low temperatures. Have the thawed-out
battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not start the vehicle using a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jumper cables.
Observe the following points:
RThe battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible, jump-
start the vehicle using a second battery or a jump-starting device.
RYou may only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust system are cold.
RDo not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
ROnly jump-start from batteries with a 12 V voltage rating.
ROnly use jumper cables that are not damaged and have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
RMake sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
274Jump-starting
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Make sure that:
RThe jumper cables are not damaged.
RNon-insulated parts of the terminal clamps do not come into contact with other metal parts while
the jumper cables are connected to the battery
RThe jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts that can move when the engine is running,
such as the V-belt pulley or the fan
XSecure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to positionP.
XTurn the SmartKey to position0in the ignition lock and remove it.
XSwitch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window defroster, lighting, etc.
XOpen the hood.
Position numberBidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-starting
device.
XPress together cover :of positive clamp ;and slide it back.
XConnect positive terminal ;on your vehicle to positive terminal =of donor battery Busing the
jumper cable, beginning with your own battery.
XStart the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
XConnect negative terminal ?of donor battery Bto ground point Aof your vehicle using the
jumper cable, connecting the jumper cable to battery of other vehicle Bfirst.
XIf the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected for
a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the battery slightly.
XStart the engine.
XBefore disconnecting the jumper cables, let the engine run for several minutes.
XFirst, remove the jumper cables from ground point Aand negative terminal ?, then from pos-
itive clamp ;and positive terminal =. Begin each time at the contacts on your own vehicle first.
XClose cover:of positive terminal ;after removing the jumper cables.
XClose the hood.
XHave the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
iJump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
Jump-starting275
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iJumper cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any qualified
specialist workshop.
Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
Rthe engine is not running.
Rthe brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
Rthere is a malfunction in the voltage supply or the vehicle's electrical system.
If your vehicle is being towed, much more
force may be necessary to steer or brake.
There is a risk of an accident.
In such cases, use a tow bar. Before towing,
make sure that the steering moves freely.
GWARNING
You can no longer steer the vehicle if the
steering wheel lock has been engaged. There
is a risk of an accident.
Always switch off the ignition when towing the
vehicle with a tow cable or a tow bar.
GWARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible
gross weight of your vehicle, the:
Rthe towing eye could detach itself
Rthe vehicle/trailer combination could roll-
over.
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle weight
of your vehicle can be found on the vehicle iden-
tification plate (
Ypage 308).
!When Active Brake Assist, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC or the HOLD function is activated, the vehicle brakes automatically in certain
situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
these systems in the following or similar sit-
uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Make sure that the electric parking brake is
released. If the electric parking brake is faulty,
visit a qualified specialist workshop.
!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 pur-
poses 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
3
0 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.
!When towing vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
use the key instead of the Start/Stop button.
Otherwise, the automatic transmission may
shift to position Pwhen the driver's or front-
passenger door are opened, which could lead
to damage to the transmission.
!Vehicles with automatic transmission must
not be started by tow-starting. This could oth-
erwise damage the transmission.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed away.
If the vehicle can no longer be driven because of
an accident or breakdown, you have the follow-
ing options:
Rtransporting the vehicle
276Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

As a rule, you should have the vehicle trans-
ported.
Rtowing the vehicle with a tow rope or tow bar
Only tow the vehicle in exceptional cases.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
Rcannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock
Rcannot release the electric parking brake
Rcannot move the transmission to position N
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 if there is a sys-
tem malfunction:
Rthe electric parking brake may not be applied
in certain circumstances, or
Rthe transmission may not be shifted to P
Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. the
radio.
Disarm the automatic locking feature before the
vehicle is towed (
Ypage 184). You could other-
wise be locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
The brackets for the screw-in towing eye are
located in the bumpers. They are at the rear and
at the front, under covers :.
XRemove the towing eye from the stowage
space.
The towing eye is located with the vehicle tool
kit under the cargo compartment floor
(
Ypage 266).
Vehicles with the TIREFIT kit: the towing eye is beneath the tire inflation compressor.
XPress the mark on cover :inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
XTake cover :off the opening.
XScrew in the towing eye clockwise to the stop.
Removing the towing eye
XUnscrew and remove the towing eye.
XAttach cover :to the bumper and press until
it engages.
XPlace the towing eye in the stowage well
beneath the cargo compartment floor in the
cargo compartment (
Ypage 266).
XVehicles with the TIREFIT kit: put back the tire inflation compressor.
Towing the vehicle with the front axle
raised
Observe the important safety notes when tow-
ing your vehicle with the front axle raised
(
Ypage 276).
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 loaded up
and transported.
!The ignition must be switched off if the vehi-
cle is being towed with the front axle raised.
Otherwise, ESP
®may intervene and damage
the brake system.
XOn vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or the KEY-
LESS-GO start function: you must use the
SmartKey instead of the Start/Stop button
(
Ypage 122).
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock.
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XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
XShift the automatic transmission to posi-
tionP.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the automatic locking
(Ypage 184).
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
(Ypage 101).
XTurn the SmartKey in the ignition lock to posi-
tion0and leave the SmartKey in the ignition
lock.
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(
Ypage 276).
XOn vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or the KEY-
LESS-GO start function: you must use the
SmartKey instead of the Start/Stop button
(
Ypage 122).
The automatic transmission automatically shifts
to position Pwhen you open the driver's or front-
passenger door or when you remove the Smart-
Key from the ignition lock. In order to ensure
that the automatic transmission stays in posi-
tion Nwhen towing the vehicle, you must
observe the following points:
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock.
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
N .
XLeave the SmartKey in position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
(Ypage 101).
iIn order to signal a change of direction when
towing the vehicle with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual. In this case, only the indicator
lamps for the direction of travel flash. After resetting the combination switch, the hazard
warning lamp starts flashing again.
Transporting the vehicle
4MATIC vehicles or vehicles with auto-
matic transmission
!When the vehicle is loaded for transport, the
front and rear axles must be stationary and on
the same transportation vehicle. Positioning
over the connection point of the transport
vehicle is not permitted. The drive train may
otherwise be damaged.
All vehicles
!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.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock (Ypage 121).
XShift the transmission to position N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XTurn the SmartKey to position0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
XSecure the vehicle.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting pur- poses.
278Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance