2019 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA Owners Manual

GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking positionP.
Rstart the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
GWARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro-
tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants havetheir seat belts fastened correctly and are sittingproperly. Particular attention must be paid tochildren.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt(Ypage 42) and the notes on correct use of seatbelts (Ypage 43).
A booster seat may be necessary to achieveproper seat belt positioning for children over40 lbs (18 kg) until they reach a height where a
three-point seat belt can be properly fastenedwithout a booster seat.
Special seatbelt retractor
GWARNING
If the seat belt is released while driving, the
child restraint system will no longer be
secured properly. The special seat belt retrac-
tor is disabled and the inertia real draws in a
portion of the seat belt. The seat belt cannot
be immediately refastened. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Stop the vehicle immediately, paying atten-
tion to road and traffic conditions. Reactivate
the special seat belt retractor and secure the
child restraint system properly.
All seat belts in the vehicle, except the driver'sseat belt, are equipped with a special seat beltretractor. When activated, the special seat beltretractor ensures that the seat belt cannotslacken once the child seat is secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
XMake sure you observe the child restraintsystem manufacturer's installation instruc-tions.
XPull the seat belt smoothly from the belt out-let.
XEngage seat belt tongue in belt buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor:
XPull the seat belt out fully and let the inertiareel retract it again.While the seat belt is retracting, you shouldhear a ratcheting sound. The special seat beltretractor is enabled.
XPush the child restraint system down so thatthe seat belt is tight and does not loosen.
Removing the child restraint system and deac-tivating the special seat belt retractor:
XMake sure you observe the child restraintsystem manufacturer's installation instruc-tions.
XPress the release button of the seat beltbuckle and guide the seat belt tongue backtowards the belt sash guide.The special seat belt retractor is deactivated.
Children in the vehicle55
Safety
Z

Child restraint system
The use of seat belts and child restraint systemsis required by law in:
Rall 50 states
Rthe U.S. territories
Rthe District of Columbia
Rall Canadian provinces
If you install a rearward-facing child restraintsystem on the center rear seat, the rear arm restmust be folded back as far as possible.
You can obtain further information about thecorrect child restraint system from any author-ized Mercedes-Benz Center.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly on a suitable seat, it cannot protect as
intended. The child cannot then be restrained
in the event of an accident, heavy braking or
sudden changes of direction. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Make sure that you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions and the notes on use. Please ensure,
that the base of the child restraint system is
always resting completely on the seat cush-
ion. Never place objects, e.g. cushions, under
or behind the child restraint system. Only use
child restraint systems with the original cover
designed for them. Only replace damaged
covers with genuine covers.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly or is not secured, it can come loose in
the event of an accident, heavy braking or a
sudden change in direction. The child
restraint system could be thrown about, strik-
ing vehicle occupants. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, even if they are not being used. Make
sure that you observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instructions.
You will find further information on stowingobjects, luggage or loads under "Loading guide-lines" (Ypage 239).
GWARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems which have been damaged or subjected
to a load in an accident can no longer protect
as intended. The child cannot then be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. There
is an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Replace child restraint systems which have
been damaged or subjected to a load in an
accident as soon as possible. Have the secur-
ing systems on the child restraint system
checked at a qualified specialist workshop,
before you install a child restraint system
again.
The securing systems of child restraint systemsare:
Rthe seat belt system
Rthe LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings
Rthe Top Tether anchorages
If it is absolutely necessary to carry a child onthe front-passenger seat, be sure to observe theinformation on the "Occupant ClassificationSystem (OCS)" (Ypage 47). There you will alsofind information on deactivating the front-passenger front air bag.
All child restraint systems must meet the fol-lowing standards:
RU.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards213 and 225
RCanadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards213 and 210.2
Confirmation that the child restraint system cor-responds to the standards can be found on aninstruction label on the child restraint system.This confirmation can also be found in the instal-lation instructions that are included with thechild restraint system.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-rior and on the child restraint system.
56Children in the vehicle
Safety

LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat secur-
ing system
GWARNING
For LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint sys-
tems in which the child is secured using the
safety belt integrated in the child restraint
system, the maximum permissible weight of
the child and child restraint system together
is 73 lbs (33 kg).
If the child and the child restraint system
together weigh more than 73 lbs (33 kg), the
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint system
with integrated safety belt no longer offers
sufficient protection. The LATCH-type (ISO-
FIX) child seat securing system may be over-
loaded, and the child may not be restrained in
an accident, for example. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
If the child and the child restraint system
together weigh more than 73 lbs(33 kg),use
only a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint sys-
tem in which the child is also secured with the
vehicle seat belt. Also secure the child
restraint system with the Top Tether belt, if
available.
Regularly check that the permissible grossweight of the child together with the childrestraint system is still maintained.
Always comply with the manufacturer's instal-lation and operating instructions for the childrestraint system used.
Before every trip, make sure that the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint system is engagedcorrectly in both LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securingrings
!When installing the child restraint system,make sure that the seat belt for the middleseat does not get trapped. The seat belt couldotherwise be damaged.
XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraintsystem on both LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securingringsC.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) is a standardized securingsystem for specially designed child restraintsystems on the rear seats. LATCH-type (ISOFIX)securing rings for two LATCH-type (ISOFIX) childrestraint systems are installed on the left andright of the rear seats.
Non-LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seats may alsobe used and can be installed using the vehicle'sseat belt system. Install the child seat accordingto the manufacturer's instructions.
Top Tether
Introduction
Top Tether provides an additional connectionbetween the child restraint system secured witha LATCH-type (ISOFIX) system and the vehicle.This helps reduce the risk of injury even further.If the child restraint system is equipped with aTop Tether belt, this should always be used.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the rear seat backrests are not locked, they
could fold forwards in the event of an acci-
dent, heavy braking or sudden changes of
direction. As a result, child restraint systems
cannot perform their intended protective
function. Rear seat backrests that are not
locked can also cause additional injuries, e.g.
in the event of an accident. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Children in the vehicle57
Safety
Z

Always lock rear seat backrests after instal-
ling a Top Tether belt. Observe the lock veri-
fication indicator. Adjust the rear seat backr-
ests so that they are in an upright position.
If the rear backrest is not engaged and locked,the red lock verification indicator will be visible(Ypage 242).
Top Tether anchorages
The Top Tether anchorage points are installed inthe rear compartment behind the headrestraints on the parcel shelf.
XPress down the rear of coverDin the direc-tion of the arrow.CoverDis raised slightly at the front.
XFold coverDup.
Vehicles with adjustable head restraints:
XMove head restraintCup.
XRoute Top Tether belt

You can thus avoid the risks that could arise asa result of:
Ran incorrectly categorized person in the front-passenger seat
Rthe unintentional deactivation of the front-passenger front air bag
Rthe unsuitable positioning of the childrestraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-board
Rearward-facing child restraint system
If it is absolutely necessary to install a rearward-facing child restraint system on the front-passenger seat, always make sure that thefront-passenger front air bag is deactivated.Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicatorlamp is permanently lit (Ypage 41) is the front-passenger front air bag deactivated.
Always observe the child restraint system man-ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-tions.
Forward-facing child restraint system
If it is absolutely necessary to install a forward-facing child restraint system on the front-passenger seat, always move the front-passenger seat as far back as possible. Fullyretract the seat cushion length. The entire baseof the child restraint system must always rest onthe seat cushion of the front-passenger seat.The backrest of the child restraint system mustlie as flat as possible against the backrest of thefront-passenger seat. The child restraint systemmust not touch the roof or be subjected to a loadby the head restraint. Adjust the angle of theseat backrest and the head restraint positionaccordingly. Always make sure that the shoul-der belt strap is correctly routed from the vehi-cle belt outlet to the shoulder belt guide on thechild restraint system. The shoulder belt strapmust be routed forward and down from the vehi-cle belt outlet. If necessary, adjust the vehiclebelt outlet and the front-passenger seat accord-ingly.
Always observe the child restraint system man-ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-tions.
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are traveling in the vehicle, they
could:
Ropen doors, thus endangering other people
or road users
Rexit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic
Roperate vehicle equipment and become
trapped
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always activate the child-proof locks and
override feature if children are traveling in the
vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always take
the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Override feature for:
Rthe rear doors (Ypage 60)
Rthe rear side windows (Ypage 60)
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking positionP.
Rstart the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
GWARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
Children in the vehicle59
Safety
Z

GWARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro-
tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors
You secure each door individually with the child-proof locks on the rear doors. A door securedwith a child-proof lock cannot be opened frominside the vehicle. When the vehicle is unlocked,the door can be opened from the outside.
XTo activate:press the child-proof lock leverup in the direction of arrowC.
XMake sure that the child-proof locks are work-ing properly.
XTo deactivate:press the child-proof locklever down in the direction of arrowD.
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows
XTo activate/deactivate:press buttonC.If indicator lampDis lit, operation of the rearside windows is disabled. Operation is onlypossible using the switches in the driver'sdoor. If indicator lampDis off, operation ispossible using the switches in the rear com-partment.
Pets in the vehicle
GWARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may press buttons
or switches, for instance.
In this way, animals may:
Ractivate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
Rswitch systems on or off and thereby
endanger other road users
Furthermore, unsecured animals may be flung
around inside the vehicle in the event of an
accident or abrupt steering or braking maneu-
ver, and thereby injure vehicle occupants.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle.
Always secure animals properly when driving,
for instance with a suitable pet carrier.
60Pets in the vehicle
Safety

Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information aboutthe following driving safety systems:
RABS (Anti-lockBrakingSystem)(Ypage 61)
RBAS (BrakeAssistSystem) (Ypage 61)
RActive Brake Assist (Ypage 62)
RESP®(ElectronicStabilityProgram)(Ypage 64)
REBD (ElectronicBrake forceDistribution)(Ypage 67)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 68)
RSTEER CONTROL (Ypage 68)
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you areinattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-ther reduce the risk of an accident nor overridethe laws of physics. Driving safety systems aremerely aids designed to assist driving.
You are responsible for maintaining the distanceto the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, forbraking in good time, and for staying in lane.Always adapt your driving style to suit the pre-vailing road and weather conditions and main-tain a safe distance from the vehicle in front.Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only workas effectively as possible when there is ade-quate contact between the tires and the roadsurface. Please pay special attention to thenotes on tires, recommended minimum tiretread depths, etc. (Ypage 291).
In wintry driving conditions, always use wintertires (M+S tires)and if necessary, snow chains.Only in this way will the driving safety systemsdescribed in this section work as effectively aspossible.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General information
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way thatthe wheels do not lock when you brake. Thisallows you to continue steering the vehicle whenbraking.
The%ABS warning lamp in the instrumentcluster lights up when the ignition is switchedon. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface conditions.ABS works on slippery surfaces, even when youonly brake gently.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 61).
GWARNING
If ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels could
lock when braking. The steerability and brak-
ing characteristics would be severely affec-
ted. There is an increased danger of skidding
and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,including driving safety systems, will alsobecome inoperative. Observe the informationon the ABS warning lamp (Ypage 222)and dis-play messages which may be shown in theinstrument cluster (Ypage 194).
Braking
XIf ABS intervenes:continue to depress thebrake pedal vigorously until the braking sit-uation is over.
XTo make a full brake application:depressthe brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel apulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indicationof hazardous road conditions, and functions as areminder to take extra care while driving.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
General information
BAS operates in emergency braking situations.If you depress the brake pedal quickly, BASautomatically boosts the braking force, thusshortening the stopping distance.
Driving safety systems61
Safety
Z

Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 61).
GWARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
Braking
XKeep the brake pedal firmly depressed untilthe emergency braking situation is over.ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once yourelease the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.
Active Brake Assist
General information
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 61).
Active Brake Assist consists of a distance warn-ing function with an autonomous braking func-tion and a situation-dependent brake boostingeffect.
Active Brake Assist can help you to minimize therisk of a collision with the vehicle traveling infront or reduce the effects of such a collision.
If Active Brake Assist detects that there is a riskof collision, you will be warned visually andacoustically. If you do not react to the visualcollision warning or the warning tone, autono-mous braking can be initiated in critical situa-tions. If you apply the brake yourself in a criticalsituation, Active Brake Assist supports you witha situation-dependent brake boosting effect.
Important safety notes
Detection of hazardous situations can be par-ticularly impaired if:
RThere is dirt on the sensors or anything elsecovering the sensors
RThere is snow or heavy rain
RThere is interference by other radar sources
RThere are strong radar reflections, for exam-ple in parking garages
RA narrow vehicle is traveling in front, e.g. amotorcycle
RA vehicle is traveling in front on a different line
RYou are driving a new vehicle or servicing onthe Active Brake Assist system has just beencarried out
Observe the important safety notes in the"Breaking-in notes" section (Ypage 122).
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle,have the configuration and operation of theradar sensor checked at a qualified specialistworkshop. This also applies to collisions at lowspeeds where no visible damage to the front ofthe vehicle is apparent.
Activating/deactivating
Active Brake Assist is active after every ignitioncycle.
You can activate or deactivate Active BrakeAssist (Ypage 187) in the on-board computer.When deactivated, the distance warning func-tion and the autonomous braking function arealso deactivated.
If Active Brake Assist is deactivated, the