2023 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA Owners Manual

Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or
clothing.Do not lean over the battery.Do not inhale battery gases.Keep children away from the battery.Immediately rinse battery acid oM thor-
oughly with plenty of clean water and
seek medical attention immediately.
All vehicles
+ENVIRONMENTAL NOTE Environmental
damage due to improper disposal of bat- teries
Batteries contain pollutants. It is illegal
to dispose of them with the household rub-
bish.

Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible manner.
Take discharged batteries to a qualiNed
specialist workshop or to a collection
point for used batteries.
If you have to disconnect the 12 V battery, con- tact a qualiNed specialist workshop.
Comply with safety notes and take protective
measures when handling batteries.
Risk of explosion if the 12 V battery is
used improperly.Fire, naked Oames and smoking are pro-
hibited when you are handling the battery. Avoid creating sparks.Electrolyte or battery acid is corrosive.
Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or cloth-
ing. Wear suitable protective clothing, in
particular gloves, an apron and a face
mask. Immediately rinse electrolyte or
acid splashes oM with clean water. Consult
a doctor immediately.Do not place heavy objects on the surface of the battery or use the battery to sup-port a person in any way.Wear safety glasses.Keep children away.Observe this Operator\bs Manual.
Observe the following if you do not intend to use
the vehicle over an extended period of time:
= Non-plug-in hybrid: switch to standby mode
(  page 158).
= Alternatively: connect the battery to a battery
charger approved by Mercedes-Benz or con-
sult a qualiNed specialist workshop to discon-
nect the battery.
Notes on starting assistance and charging the 12
V battery
All vehicles
When charging the battery and during starting assistance, always use the jump-start connection
point in the engine compartment.
Breakdown assistance287

*NOTE Damage to the battery due to over-
voltage
When charging using a battery charger without
a maximum charging voltage, the battery or the on-board electronics may be damaged.
Only use battery chargers with a maxi-
mum charging voltage of 14.8 V.&WARNING Risk of explosion due to the
ignition of hydrogen gas
If there is a short circuit or sparks are created,
there is a danger of hydrogen gas igniting
when you charge the battery.
Make sure that the POSITIVE terminal of
a connected battery does not come into
contact with vehicle parts.Never place metal objects or tools on a
battery.When connecting and disconnecting the battery, always observe the sequence of
battery terminals described.During starting assistance, always take
care to connect only battery terminals of
identical polarity.During starting assistance, observe the sequence described for connecting and
disconnecting the jumper cables.Do not connect or disconnect the bat-
tery terminals with the engine running.&WARNING Risk of explosion due to a mix-
ture of explosive gases
A mixture of explosive gases can escape from
the battery during charging and jump starting.
Fire, open Oames, smoking and creating
sparks must be avoided.Make sure that there is suPcient ventila-
tion.Do not stand over the battery.&WARNING Risk of explosion from a frozen
battery
A discharged battery may freeze at tempera-
tures slightly above or below freezing point.
During starting assistance or battery charging,
battery gas can be released.
Always allow a battery to thaw before
charging it or performing starting assis-
tance.
If the indicator/warning lamps on the instrument cluster do not light up at low temperatures, it is
very likely that the discharged battery has frozen.
In this case, you may neither jump-start the vehi-
cle nor charge the battery.
The service life of a battery that has been thawedmay be dramatically shortened. The starting char-
acteristics may be impaired, especially at low
temperatures.
It is recommended that you have a thawed battery checked at a qualiNed specialist workshop.
288Breakdown assistance

All vehicles*NOTE Damage caused by numerous or
extended attempts to start the engine
Numerous or extended attempts to start the
engine may damage the catalytic converter
due to non-combusted fuel.
Avoid numerous and extended attempts
to start the engine.
Observe the following points during starting assis-
tance and when charging the battery:
= Use only undamaged jumper cables/charging
cables with a suPcient cross-section and
insulated terminal clamps.
= Non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps
must not come into contact with other metal
parts while the jumper cable/charging cable is connected to the battery/jump-start con-
nection point.
= The jumper cable/charging cable must not
come into contact with any parts that may move when the engine is running.
= Always make sure that neither you nor the bat-
tery is electrostatically charged.
= Keep away from Nre and naked Oames.
= Do not lean over the battery.
Observe the additional following points when
charging the battery:
= Use only battery chargers tested and
approved for Mercedes-Benz.
= Read the battery charger\bs operating instruc-
tions before charging the battery.
Observe the additional following points during
starting assistance:
= Starting assistance may be provided only
using vehicles, batteries or other jump start
devices with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
= The vehicles must not touch.
= Vehicles with gasoline engines: jump-start the
vehicle only when the engine and exhaust sys- tem are cold.Starting assistance and charging the 12 V battery
Requirements
= The vehicle is secured with the electric park-
ing brake.
= Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
transmission is in position ].
= The vehicle and all electrical consumers are
switched oM.
= The hood is open.
Breakdown assistance289

Example: engine compartment
Slide cover 1 of POSITIVE contact 2 on the
jump-starting connection point in the direction
of the arrow.Connect POSITIVE contact 2 on your vehicle
to the positive terminal of the donor battery using the jumper cable/charging cable.Always begin with POSITIVE contact 2 on
your own vehicle Nrst.During starting assistance: start the engine of
the donor vehicle and run it at idle speed.Connect the negative terminal of the donor
battery and ground point 3 of your own vehi-
cle using the jumper cable/charging cable.
Begin with the donor battery Nrst.During starting assistance: start the engine of
your own vehicle.During the charging process: start the charg-
ing process.During starting assistance: let the engines run
for several minutes.During starting assistance: before disconnect-
ing the jumper cable, switch on an electrical consumer in your own vehicle, e.g. the rearwindow defroster or lighting.
When the starting assistance/charging process is complete, perform the following steps:
First, remove the jumper cables/charging
cables from ground point 3 and the negativeterminal of the donor battery, then POSITIVE
contact 2 and the positive terminal of the
donor battery. Begin each time with the con- tacts on your own vehicle Nrst.Aser removing the jumper cables/charging
cables, close cover 1 of POSITIVE contact
2 .
Further information can be obtained at a qualiNed
specialist workshop.
Replacing the 12 V battery
Observe the notes on the 12 V battery (  page 286).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the
12 V battery replaced at a qualiNed specialist
workshop, e.g. at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Observe the following notes if you want to replace
the battery yourself:
= Always replace a faulty battery with a battery
that meets the speciNc vehicle requirements.
290Breakdown assistance

The vehicle is equipped with a battery usingAGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology or alithium-ion battery. Full vehicle functionality isguaranteed only with an AGM battery or lith- ium-ion battery. For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use only batteries
that have been tested and approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
= Carry over detachable parts, such as vent
hoses, elbow Ntting or terminal covers from
the battery being replaced.
= Make sure that the vent hose is always con-
nected to the original opening on the side of
the battery.
Install any existing or supplied cell caps.Otherwise, gases or battery acid could
escape.
= Make sure that detachable parts are recon-
nected in the same way.
Tow starting or towing away
Overview of permitted towing methods (not plug-
in hybrid)
Mercedes-Benz recommends transporting your vehicle in the case of a breakdown, rather than
towing it away.
For towing with both axles on the ground, use a tow rope or tow bar. Do not use tow bar systems.
&WARNING Risk of accident when towing
with steering wheel locking
When the steering wheel locking is engaged,
you can no longer steer the vehicle.
Always switch on the vehicle when tow-
ing with a tow rope or tow bar.*NOTE Damage to the vehicle due to tow-
ing away incorrectlyObserve the instructions and notes on
towing away.Breakdown assistance291

Permitted towing methodsVehicle equipment/towing method
Both axles on the groundFront axle raisedRear axle raised
Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sionYes, for a maximum of 31 miles
(50 km) at 31 mph (50 km/h)Yes, for a maximum of 31 miles
(50 km) at 31 mph (50 km/h)Yes, for a maximum of 31 miles
(50 km) at 31 mph (50 km/h)4MATIC vehiclesYes, for a maximum of 31 miles
(50 km) at 31 mph (50 km/h)NoNoTowing with a raised axle: towing should be per-
formed by a towing company.
Towing the vehicle with both axles on the ground
Observe the notes on the permitted towing methods.Make sure that the battery is connected and
charged.Observe the following points when the battery is
discharged:
= the vehicle cannot be started.
= the electric parking brake cannot be released
or applied
= Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
transmission cannot be shised to position \\
or ] .\bVehicles with automatic transmission: if the
transmission cannot be shised to position \\or if the display does not show anything,
transport the vehicle (  page 294). A towing
vehicle with lising equipment is required for
vehicle transportation.*NOTE Damage due to towing away at
excessively high speeds or over long dis-
tances
The drivetrain could be damaged when towing
at excessively high speeds or over long distan-
ces.
292Breakdown assistance

A towing speed of 30 mph (50 km/h)
must not be exceeded.A towing distance of 30 miles (50 km)
must not be exceeded.&WARNING Risk of accident when towing a
vehicle which is too heavy
If the vehicle to be tow-started or towed away
is heavier than the permissible gross mass of
your vehicle, the following situations can
occur:
= The towing eye may become detached.
= The vehicle/trailer combination may
swerve or rollover.
Before tow-starting or towing away,
check if the vehicle to be tow-started or
towed away exceeds the permissible
gross mass.If a vehicle has to be tow-started or towed away, its permissible gross mass must not exceed thepermissible gross mass of the towing vehicle.Information on the permissible gross mass of
the vehicle can be found on the vehicle identi-
Ncation plate ( page 333).Vehicles with automatic transmission: do not
open the driver\bs door or front passenger
door; the transmission otherwise automati-
cally shiss to position ].Install the towing eye (  page 295).Fasten the towing device.*NOTE Damage due to incorrect connec-
tion of the tow barOnly connect the tow rope or tow bar to
the towing eyes.Deactivate the automatic locking mechanism .Do not activate the HOLD function.Deactivate the tow-away alarm (  page 88).Deactivate Active Brake Assist (  page 184).Vehicles with automatic transmission: shis to
position \\.Release the electric parking brake.&WARNING Risk of accident due to limited
safety-related functions during the towing
process
Safety-related functions are limited or no lon-
ger available in the following situations:
= The vehicle is switched oM.
= The brake system or power steering sys-
tem is malfunctioning.
= The energy supply or the on-board electri-
cal system is malfunctioning.
When your vehicle is towed away, signiNcantly
more eMort may be required to steer and
brake than is normally required.
Use a tow bar.Make sure that the steering wheel can
move freely before towing the vehicle
away.Breakdown assistance293

*NOTE Damage due to excessive tractive
power
If you pull away sharply, the tractive power
may be too high and the vehicles could be
damaged.
Pull away slowly and smoothly.
Loading the vehicle for transport
Observe the notes on towing away (  page 292).Connect the towing device to the towing eye
in order to load the vehicle.Vehicles with automatic transmission: shis the
automatic transmission to position \\.\bVehicles with automatic transmission: the
automatic transmission may be locked in posi- tion ] in the event of damage to the electri-
cal system. To shis to \\, supply the on-
board electrical system with power
(  page 289).Load the vehicle onto the transporter.Vehicles with automatic transmission: shis the
automatic transmission to position ].Use the electric parking brake to secure the
vehicle against rolling away.Only secure the vehicle by the wheels.
Vehicles with adaptive damping adjustment
&WARNING Risk of an accident when trans-
porting vehicles with adaptive damping
adjustment
When transporting vehicles with adaptive
damping adjustment, the vehicle/trailer com-
bination may begin to rock and start to skid.
Load the vehicle correctly onto the transporter.Secure the vehicle on all four wheels
with suitable tensioning straps.*NOTE Damage to the vehicle from secur-
ing it incorrectlyAser loading, the vehicle must be
secured on all four wheels. Otherwise,
the vehicle could be damaged.A minimum distance of 8 in (20 cm)
upwards and 4 in (10 cm) downwards
must be kept to the transport platform.Secure the vehicle on all four wheels aser
loading.
4MATIC vehicles/vehicles with automatic trans-
mission
294Breakdown assistance