cruise control MERCEDES-BENZ A CLASS 2012 Owner's Manual

prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country.
For
certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. Refer to the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies
to your vehicle. If you utilise any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer,
the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h for
reasons concerning the operating permit.
This also applies in countries in which the
permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. For vehicles
with automatic transmission, you need to
have selected manual drive program
M(Y page 156).
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you
need additional braking, depress the brake
pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
i Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal
on downhill gradients while the manual
drive program M is temporarily activated
(vehicles with automatic transmission): the
automatic transmission may switch back to
the last active automatic drive program E
or S. The automatic transmission may shift
to a higher gear. This can reduce the
engine's braking effect. Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X
Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle in front than when driving without a
trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently

at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine,
and consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing altitude. Folding out the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage
correctly when folding in, it will swing
out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that
the ball coupling engages when folding in.
Before you can tow a trailer with your vehicle,
you must fold out the ball coupling.
The release wheel is located behind the left-
hand side trim panel in the boot. Towing a trailer
203
Driving and parking Z

The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached.
Outside temperature display
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around the
freezing point.
The outside temperature display is in the mul-
tifunction display.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay. Speedometer with segments
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
R Cruise control activated ( Y page 168):
The segments light up from the stored
speed to the maximum speed.
R Variable SPEEDTRONIC activated
(Y page 171):
The

segments light up from the start of the
scale to the selected limit speed.
R DISTRONIC PLUS activated (Y page 173):
One or two segments in the set speed
range light up.
R DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front:
The segments between the speed of the
vehicle in front and the stored speed light
up. Operating the on-board computer
Overview :
Multifunction display
; Switches on LINGUATRONIC; see the sep-
arate operating instructions
= Right control panel
? Left control panel
A Back button
X To activate the on-board computer:
turn
the key to position 1 in the ignition lock.
You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel. Displays and operation
209
On-board computer and displays Z

?
Menu bar
A Drive program (Y page 152)
B Transmission position ( Y page 152)
X To show the menu bar ?: press the
= or ; button on the steering wheel.
Menu bar ?
disappears after a few seconds.
Text field = shows the selected menu or
submenu as well as display messages.
i You can set the time using the audio sys-
tem or COMAND Online; see the separate
operating instructions.
The following messages may appear in the
multifunction display:
Z Gearshift recommendation, for
manual transmission
(Y

page 151) or automatic trans-
mission ( Y page 156)
XjY Active Parking Assist
(Y page 186)
¯ Cruise control ( Y page 168)
È SPEEDTRONIC ( Y page 171)
_ Adaptive Highbeam Assist
(Y page 110)
¤ ECO start/stop function
(Y page 146)
ë HOLD function ( Y page 179)
120 km/h! Maximum permissible speed
exceeded

(only for certain coun-
tries) Menus and submenus
Menu overview
Operating the on-board computer
(Y page 209).
Depending on the equipment fitted in the
vehicle, you can call up the following menus:
R Trip menu (Y page 211)
R Navi menu (navigation instructions)
(Y page 213)
R Audio menu (Y page 214) R
Tel (telephone) menu ( Y page 215)
R Assist (Assistance) menu (Y page 217)
R Serv. menu (Y page 219)
R Settings menu (Y page 220)
R AMG menu in AMG vehicles ( Y page 226)
The Audio, Navi

and Tel menus differ slightly
in vehicles with Audio 5, Audio 20 and in vehi-
cles with COMAND Online. The examples
given in this Owner's Manual apply to vehicles
equipped with COMAND Online. Trip menu
Standard display X
Press and hold the % button on the
steering wheel until the Trip menu with
trip meter : and total distance
recorder ; is shown.
Trip computer "From start" or "From
reset" Example: "From start" trip computer
:
Distance
; Time
= Average speed
? Average fuel consumption Menus and submenus
211
On-board computer and displays Z

Settings menu
Introduction In the
Settings menu, you have the following
options:
R changing the instrument cluster settings
R changing the light settings
R changing the vehicle settings
R changing the auxiliary heating settings
(Y page 224)
R changing the convenience settings
R restoring the factory settings
Instrument cluster Selecting the unit of measurement for dis-
tance
You

can determine whether the multifunction
display shows some messages in miles or kil-
ometres.
X Press the =
or ; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings menu.
X Press the :
or 9 button to select the
Inst. cluster submenu.
X Press a to confirm.
X Press the :
or 9 button to select the
Display unit Speed-/odometer: func-
tion.
You will see the selected setting km or
miles.
X Press the a button to save the setting.
The selected unit of measurement for dis-
tance applies to:
R the digital speedometer in the Trip menu
R the total distance recorder and the trip
meter R
the trip computer
R the current consumption and the range
R the navigation instructions in the Navi
menu
R cruise control
R SPEEDTRONIC
R DISTRONIC PLUS
R ASSYST PLUS service interval display
Switching the additional speedometer
on/off
Only

vehicles with manual transmission have
this function.
X Press the =
or ; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings menu.
X Press the :
or 9 button to select the
Inst. cluster submenu.
X Press a to confirm.
X Press : or 9 to select the Dig.
speedo [mph]: function.
You will see the selected setting: Activa‐
ted or Deactivated.
X Press the a button to save the setting.
i The speed is displayed in mph.
i Vehicles for the United Kingdom: this
function is unavailable.
The Dig.

speedo [mph] function allows you
to choose whether the status area in the mul-
tifunction display always shows the speed in
mph instead of the outside temperature.
Selecting the permanent display function
i Vehicles for the United Kingdom: this
function is unavailable.
You can determine whether the multifunction
display permanently shows your speed or the
outside temperature.
X Press the =
or ; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings menu.
X Press the :
or 9 button to select the
Inst. cluster submenu.
X Press a to confirm.220
Menus and submenus
On-board computer and displays

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsDISTRONIC PLUS
inoperative DISTRONIC PLUS is faulty. Adaptive Brake Assist may also have
failed.
A warning tone also sounds.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. DISTRONIC PLUS
inactive You have depressed the accelerator pedal. DISTRONIC PLUS is no
longer controlling the speed of the vehicle.
X
Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal. DISTRONIC PLUS
--- km/h An activation condition for DISTRONIC PLUS is not fulfilled.
X
Check the activation conditions for DISTRONIC PLUS
(Y page 175). DISTRONIC PLUS and
SPEEDTRONIC inop‐
erative DISTRONIC PLUS and SPEEDTRONIC are faulty. A warning tone
also sounds.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Cruise control and
SPEEDTRONIC inop‐
erative SPEEDTRONIC and cruise control are malfunctioning.
A warning tone also sounds.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Limit
--- km/h While depressing the accelerator pedal beyond the pressure point
(kickdown), SPEEDTRONIC cannot be activated.
Cruise control
--- km/h A condition for activating cruise control has not been met.
You have tried to store a speed below
30 km/h, for example.
X If conditions permit, drive faster than 30 km/h and store the
speed.
X Check the activation conditions for cruise control
(Y page 169). 120 km/h
Maximum speed
exceeded Only for certain countries: the maximum speed has been excee-
ded.
In addition, the multifunction display shows
120 km/h.
X Drive more slowly.250
Display messages
On-board computer and displays

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions÷
The yellow ESP
®
warn-
ing lamp flashes while
the
vehicle is in motion. ESP
®
or traction control has intervened because there is a risk of
skidding or at least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary when
pulling away.
X Accelerate more gently while the vehicle is in motion.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions, see: ( Y page 65).å
The yellow ESP
®
OFF
warning

lamp is lit while
the engine is running. ESP
®
and ESP ®
trailer stabilisation are deactivated. ESP ®
will not
stabilise the vehicle if it starts to skid or if a wheel starts to spin.
G WARNING
If ESP ®
is deactivated, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
There is an increased danger of skidding and risk of an accident.
X Reactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions, see: ( Y page 65).
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
If ESP ®
cannot be activated:
X Have ESP ®
checked at a qualified specialist workshop. M
AMG vehicles only:
The yellow SPORT han-
dling mode warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running.
SPORT handling mode is activated.
G WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is switched on, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle.
There is an increased danger of skidding and risk of an accident.
X Only switch on SPORT handling mode in certain situations
(Y page 66). Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
261
On-board computer and displays Z