2018 MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS SALOON Owners Manual

Fu
nction of thera dar senso rs Some driving and driving sa
fety sy stems use
ra dar sensors tomonitor the area in front of,
behind or next totheve hicle (depending on the
ve hicle's equipment).
Depending on theve hicle's equipment, thera dar
sensors are integrated behind the bumpers
and/or behind the Mercedes star. Keep these
parts free of dirt, ice and slush
(/ page442). The sensors must not be cov‐
ered, forex ample bycycle rack s, overhanging
loads, sticke rs,fo il or foils toprotect against
st one chipping. In theeve nt of dama getothe
bumpers or radiator grille, or following a collision
impacting the bumpers or radiator grille, ha ve
th e function of thera dar sensors checked at a
qu alified specialist workshop. The driver assis‐
ta nce sy stem may no longer workproper ly. Overview of driving sy
stems and driving
saf ety sy stems In
this section, you will find information about
th efo llowing driving sy stems and driving saf ety
sy stems:
R 360° Camera (/ page 226)
R ABS (A nti-lock Braking System)
(/ page191)
R Active Dis tance Assi stDISTRONIC
(/ page 205)
R Adaptive brake lights (/ page 201)
R Active Brake Assi st (/ page195)
R Active Lane Keeping Assist (/ page245)
R ATTENTION ASSIST (/ page 237)
R BAS (Bra keAssist System) (/ page191)
R Hill Start Assist (/ page217)
R Suspension with ada ptive damping adjust‐
ment (/ page219)
R EBD ( Electronic Brakeforce Distribution)
(/ page195) R
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
(/ page191)
R Speed Limit Assist (/ page 238)
R Active Speed Limit Assi st (/ page 209)
R HOLD function (/ page217)
R STEER CONTROL (/ page 195)
R Active Steering Assist (/ page211)
R Speed limiter (/ page 202)
R Active Parking Assist (/ page 230)
R Parking Assist PARKTRONIC
(/ page 220)
R Reversing camera (/ page 223)
R Cruise control (/ page 201)
R Function of Blind Spot Assi stand Active Blind
Spot Assi stwith exitwa rning
(/ page242)
R Traf fic Sign Assi st (/ page240) 19 0
Driving and pa rking

Fu
nction of ABS (Anti-lock Braking Sy stem) ABS
regulates the brake pressure in critical driv‐
ing situations:
R During braking, e.g. at full brake application
or insuf ficient tyre traction, the wheels are
pr eve nted from lo cking.
R Vehicle steerability while braking is ensured.
If ABS inter venes when braking, you will feel a
pulsing in the brake pedal. The pulsating brake
pedal can be an indication of hazardous road
conditions and can ser veas a reminder totake
ex tra care while driving.
Sy stem limitations
R ABS is active from speeds of appr ox.
8 km/h.
R ABS may be impai red or may not function if a
malfunction has occur red and theye l‐
low ! ABSwarning lamp lights up contin‐
uously in the instrument clus ter af terthe
engine is star ted. Fu
nction of BAS (Brake Assist Sy stem) &
WARNING Risk of an accident caused by
a malfunction in BAS (Brake Assi stSys‐
te m)
If BA S is malfunctioning, the braking dis tance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. #
Dep ress the brake pedal with full force
in emer gency braking situations. ABS
pr eve nts the wheels from locking. BA
S suppo rts yo ur eme rgency braking situation
with additional brake forc e.
If yo u depress the brake pedal quickl y,BA S is
acti vated:
R BAS au tomatical lyboosts the brake pres‐
sure.
R BAS can sho rten the braking dis tance.
R ABS pr events the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
re lease the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. Fu
nctions of ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Pro‐
gr am) &
WARNING Risk of skidding if ESP ®
is
malfunctioning
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
cannot car ry
out vehicle stabilisation. In addition, other
driving saf ety sy stems are switched off. #
Drive on carefull y. #
Have ESP ®
ch ecked at a qualified spe‐
cialist workshop. &
WARNING Risk of skidding if ESP ®
is
deactivated
If yo u deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
cannot car ry
out vehicle stabilisation. #
ESP ®
should on lybe deactivated in the
fo llowing situations. Driving and parking
191

ESP
®
can moni tor and impr ovedriving stability
and traction in thefo llowing situations, within
ph ysical limits:
R When pulling away on wet or slippe rycar ria‐
ge wa ys.
R When braking.
R Vehicles with trailer hitch: in trailer opera‐
tion from speeds of 65 km/h, if theve hicle/
trailer combination begins tosw ay from side
to side.
R Instro ng side winds when you are driving
fa ster than 80 km/h.
If th eve hicle deviates from the direction desired
by the driver, ESP ®
can stabilise theve hicle by
inter vening in thefo llowing ways:
R One or more wheels are braked.
R The engine output is adap ted according to
th e situation.
ESP ®
is deactivated if theå ESP®
OFF warn‐
ing lamp lights up continuously in the instrument
clus ter. Obser
vethefo llowing points when ESP ®
is deac‐
tivated:
R Driving stability will no lon ger be impr oved.
R Vehicles with trailer hitch: stabilisation of
th eve hicle/trailer combination is no longer
active.
R Crosswind Assist is no longer active.
R The drive wheels could spin.
R ETS/4ETS traction control is still active.
% When ESP ®
is deactivated, you are still assis‐
te dby ESP ®
when braking.
If th e÷ ESP®
wa rning lamp flashes in the
instrument clus ter,one or se veralve hicle wheels
has reached its grip limit:
R Adapt the driving style to suit the pr evailing
ro ad and weather conditions.
R Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum‐
st ances.
R Onlydepress the accelerator pedal as far as
is necessar y. It may be best
todeactivate ESP ®
in thefo llow‐
ing situations:
R When using snow chains.
R In deep sn ow.
R On sand or gr avel.
% Spinning the wheels results in a cutting
action, which enhances traction.
If th e÷ ESP®
wa rning lamp lights up continu‐
ousl y,ESP ®
is not available due toa malfunction.
Obse rveth efo llowing information:
R Warning and indicator lamps
(/ page 560)
R Display messages (/ page 509)
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction Sy stem)
ETS/4E TStraction control is pa rtof ESP ®
and
makes it possible topull away and accelerate on
a slippe rycar riag ew ay.
ETS/4ETS can impr ovetheve hicle's traction by
inter vening in thefo llowing ways:
R The drive wheels are braked individually if
th ey spin. 19 2
Driving and pa rking

R
More drive torque is transferred tothe wheel
or wheels with traction.
Influence of drive prog rams on ESP ®
The drive programs enable ESP ®
to adapt todif‐
fe re nt we ather and road conditions as well as th
e driver's prefer red driving style. You can
select the drive programs using theDY NA MIC
SELECT switch (/ page165).
ESP ®
ch aracteristics per drive prog ramDrive prog
ram
ESP®
mode Cha
racteristics
A (Comfort)
; (Economy) ESP
®
Comfort These drive prog
rams pr ovide the ideal balance
between traction and stabilit y.
Select drive program ;orA in difficult
ro ad conditions, such as sn owor ice, or when
th ero ad is wet from rain.
C (Sport)
ESP®
Sport This drive program continues
toofferst ability
but with a sporty setup which allo wsthe enthu‐
siastic driver a more active driving style.
Select drive program Cin good road condi‐
tions, forex ample on dry car riag ewa ysand clear
st re tches of road. Driving and parking
19 3

Ac
tivating/deactivating ESP ®
(Electronic Sta‐
bility Prog ram) Multimedia sy
stem:
4 © 5
Settings 5
Quick access
% ESP®
can only be activated/deactivated
using quick access when at least one other
function is available in quick access. ESP ®
can otherwise be found in theAssistance
menu. #
Select ESP.
A prom ptappears. #
Select Onorå Off.
ESP ®
is deactivated if theå ESP®
OFF warn‐
ing lamp lights up continuously in the instrument
clus ter.
Obser vethe information on warning lamps and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument clus ter. Fu
nction of ESP ®
Crosswind Assist ESP
®
Crosswind Assist de tects sudden gu sts of
side wind and helps the driver tokeep theve hi‐
cle in the lane:
R ESP ®
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle
speeds between 80 km/h and 200 km/h
when driving stra ight ahead or cornering
slightly.
R The vehicle is stabilised bymeans of individ‐
ual brake application on one side. Fu
nction of ESP ®
trailer stabilisation &
WARNING Risk of accident in poor road
and weather conditions
In poor road and weather conditions, the
trailer stabilisation cannot pr event lu rching of
th eve hicle/trailer combination. Trailers with
a high centre of gr avity may tip over before
ESP ®
de tects this. #
Alw ays adapt your driving style to suit
th e cur rent road and weather condi‐
tions. When driving with a trailer, ESP
®
can stabilise
yo ur vehicle if the trailer begins toswer vefrom
side toside:
R ESP ®
trailer stabilisation is active abo ve
speeds of 65 km/h.
R Slight swerving is reduced bymeans of a tar‐
ge ted, individual brake application on one
side.
R Intheeve nt of se vere swerving, the engine
output is also reduced and all wheels are
braked.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation may be impaired or
may not function if:
R The trailer is not connec ted cor rectly or is
not de tected prope rly by theve hicle. 194
Driving and pa rking

Fu
nction of EBD (Electronic Brake forc e Dis‐
tribution) EBD is
characterised bythefo llowing:
R Monitoring and regulating the brake pressure
on there ar wheels.
R Impr oved driving stability when braking,
especially on bends. Fu
nction of STEER CONT ROL ST
EER CONT ROL helps youby transmitting a
noticeable steering forc eto thesteering wheel in
th e direction requiredforve hicle stabilisation.
This steering recommendation is given pa rticu‐
lar lyin thefo llowing situations:
R both right wheels or bo thleft wheels are on a
we t or slippe ryroad sur face when you brake
R theve hicle starts toskid
Sy stem limitations
ST EER CONTROL may be impaire d or may not
function in thefo llowing situations:
R ESP ®
is deactivated R
ESP ®
is malfunctioning
R thesteering is malfunctioning
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will be assis ted
fur ther by the electric po werst eering. Fu
nction of Active Brake Assi st Ac
tive Brake Assi stconsi sts of thefo llowing
functions:
R Distance warning function
R Autonomous braking function
R Situation-dependent braking assi stance
R Vehicles with Driving Assistance Pack‐
age: Evasi veSteering Assist
Ac tive Brake Assi stcan help youto minimise the
ri sk of a collision with vehicles, cyclists or
pedestrians, or reduce the ef fects of su cha colli‐
sion.
If Ac tive Brake Assi sthas de tected a risk of colli‐
sion, a warning tone sounds and theL dis‐
ta nce warning lamp lights up in the instrument
clus ter. If
yo u do not react tothewa rning, autonomous
braking can be initiated in critical situations.
In especially critical situations, Active Brake
Assi stcan initia teautonomous braking direct ly.
In this case, thewa rning lamp and warning tone
occur simultaneously wi th the braking applica‐
tion.
If yo u apply the brake yourself in a critical situa‐
tion or apply the brake during autonomous brak‐
ing, situation-dependent braking assis tance
occu rs. The brake pressure increases up tomax‐
imum full-s top braking if necessar y. If autonomous braking or situation-dependent
braking assist
ance has occur red, display 1 Driving and parking
19 5

appears in
the multifunction display and then
automatically goes out af ter a short time.
If th e autonomous braking function or the situa‐
tion-dependent braking assis tance is trig gered,
additional pr eventive measu resfo r occupant
pr otection (PRE-SAFE ®
) may also be initiated. &
WARNING Risk of an accident caused by
limited de tection per form ance of Active
Brake Assi st
Ac tive Brake Assi stcannot al ways clear ly
identify objects and complex traf fic situa‐
tions.
In su chcases, Active Brake Assi stmight:
R Give a warning or brake without reason R
Not give a warning or not brake #
Alw ays pay careful attention tothe traf‐
fi c situation; do not rely on Active Brake
Assi stalone. Active Brake Assi stis only
an aid. The driver is responsible for
maintaining a suita ble distance tothe
ve hicle in front, vehicle speed and for
braking in good time. #
Be prepared tobrake or swer veif nec‐
essar y. Also obser
vethe sy stem limitations of Active
Brake Assi st.
The individual subfunctions are available in
th efo llowing speed ranges:
Distance warning function The dis
tance warning function issues a warning
in thefo llowing situations:
R From appr oximately 30 km/h, if over se veral
seconds the dis tance maintained totheve hi‐
cle tr avelling in front is insuf ficient forthe
driven speed, theL distance warning
lamp lights up in the instrument clus ter.
R From appr oximately 7 km/h, if your vehicle
is critically close toave hicle or pedestrian,
yo u will hear an intermit tent wa rning tone
and theL distance warning lamp lights
up in the instrument clus ter.
Brake immediately or take evasive action, pr ovi‐
ded it is safe todo so and the traf fic situation
allo wsthis. 19 6
Driving and pa rking

The distance
warning function can aid you in thefo llowing situations with an intermit tent wa rning tone and a warning lamp: Ve
hicles
tr av elling in
front St
ationary
ve hicles Crossing
ve
hicles Moving
pedestrians St
ationary
pedestrians Crossing
cycli
sts Cyclists tr
avel‐
ling in front St
ationary
cycli sts
Ve hicles
without Driv‐
ing Assis‐
ta nce pa ck‐
age Up
toappr ox.
250 km/h Up
toappr ox.
80 km/h No
reaction Uptoappr ox.
80 km/h No
reaction Uptoappr ox.
60 km/h Up
toappr ox.
80 km/h No
reaction
Ve hicles with
Driving Assis‐
ta nce pa ck‐
age Up
toappr ox.
250 km/h Up
toappr ox.
10 0 km/h Up
toappr ox.
70 km/h Up
toappr ox.
80 km/h Up
toappr ox.
70 km/h Up
toappr ox.
70 km/h Up
toappr ox.
80 km/h Up
toappr ox.
70 km/h Driving and parking
197