ECU MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2008 User Guide

Occupant safety
52
You must not use the integrated child seat
with padded table directly attached to a baby
car seat on which a body weight of up to
10 kg is permitted. G
Risk of injury
If the padded table is not installed and used
correctly on the integrated child seat, it
cannot provide the intended protection. It
would then not be possible to restrain the
child in the event of an accident, sudden
braking or abrupt change in direction and
this could result in serious or even fatal
injury to the child. For this reason, observe
the following description when fitting the
padded table:
The padded table is only suitable for use
together with the folded-out integrated
child seat.
On the rear seats, only use the padded table
which is recommended for Mercedes-Benz
vehicles.
An incorrectly fitted padded table could
come loose and seriously or even fatally
injure the child or other vehicle occupants.
Fit the padded table and ensure that it is
correctly secured. G
Risk of injury
If the padded table is damaged or subjected
to a load in an accident, it cannot provide
the intended protection. It would then not
be possible to restrain the child in the event
of an accident, sudden braking or abrupt
change in direction and this could result in
serious or even fatal injury to the child.
You must therefore have padded tables
that are damaged or have been subjected
to a heavy load in an accident checked
immediately along with their mountings at
a qualified specialist workshop and
replaced if necessary. G
Risk of injury
To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal
injury to the child in the event of a sudden
change in direction, braking or an accident:
R observe the following description when
fitting the padded table.
R do not modify the padded table.
R When the child seat is occupied, adjust
the head restraint to a position at which
the back of the child's head is supported
by the centre of the head restraint at
about eye level. R
replace a damaged padded table or one
that has been subjected to a load in an
accident.
R be aware that children under two years
of age or children weighing less than
12.5 kg require a different child restraint
system. Information about other child
restraint systems is available from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. G
Risk of injury
Do not modify the padded table, integrated
child seat or seat belts. The padded table
must not be used without a cover. The
cover must not be removed from the pad-
ded table or replaced with a cover from
another manufacturer. Otherwise, the offi-
cial approval becomes invalid and its pro-
tective function could be restricted.
Do not subject the padded table to unnec-
essary heat nor expose it to direct sunlight.
Parts of the padded table could heat up and
the child could be burnt by the hot parts. Safety
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Occupant safety
53
!
Make sure that the padded table is not
trapped or damaged, for example when
you:
R close the doors
R adjust the seat
R store the padded table or transport
heavy objects
Fitting the padded table 1
Head restraint
2 Padded table
3 Seat belt guide points 4
Hook
5 Left leg
6 Integrated child seat
7 Right leg
X Fold out integrated child seat 6
(Y page 50).
X Place the child on integrated child seat
6.
X Fold both legs 5and 7down.
X Place padded table 2over integrated child
seat 6. G
Risk of injury
Ensure that:
R the belt is routed as described below
R the belt is not twisted
R the padded table is close to the child's
body
R the belt is routed through the hook
R the belt strap is not trapped or twisted
and does not rub against any sharp edges
It would otherwise not be possible to
restrain the child in the event of an acci-
dent, sudden braking or abrupt change in
direction and this could result in serious or
even fatal injury to the child. X
Pull the belt smoothly from the inertia reel.
X Guide the lower section of the belt through
hook 4.
X Attach the lower and upper sections of the
belt in left seat belt guide point 3.
X Guide both sections of the belt to right seat
belt guide point 3and attach.
X Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle.
X Slide padded table 2close to the child's
body.
X Pull both parts of the belt tight. Ensure that
the belt is not twisted.
X Adjust the head restraint (Y page 66)
Storing the padded table G
Risk of injury
The padded table must be secured in the
vehicle correctly or stowed securely in the
luggage compartment. It could otherwise
become loose in the event of an accident,
sudden braking or abrupt change in direc-
tion and could injure vehicle occupants or
cause damage to the vehicle.
X Fold in both legs 5and 7. Safety
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Occupant safety
54
Child-proof locks If children are travelling in the vehicle, you can
activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors.
Child-proof locks on the rear doors (5-
door vehicles)
The child-proof locks on the rear doors enable
you to secure each door individually. A locked
door cannot be opened from the inside. The
door can be opened from the outside if the
vehicle is unlocked. G
Risk of accident and injury
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
compartment side windows when children
are travelling in the vehicle. The children
could otherwise open doors or windows
while the vehicle is in motion and injure
themselves or others. 1
To deactivate
2 To activate
X To activate: press latch2downwards.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press latch1upwards.
Child-proof locks for the electric side win-
dows in the rear*(5-door vehicle) G
Risk of accident and injury
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
compartment side windows when children
are travelling in the vehicle. The children
could otherwise open doors or windows
while the vehicle is in motion and injure
themselves or others. 1
Switch
X To activate/deactivat e:press switch 1.
Switch 1engages or pops up. If the rear
switch is engaged, you can only operate the
rear side windows using the switches on
the driver's door. Safety
* optional
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Seats
63Seats
Points to remember
You can find information about enlarging the
luggage compartment (folding forwards/
removing the rear seats) on (Y page 150).
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
seats can be adjusted either manually or elec-
trically. G
Risk of injury
The seats can be adjusted when the key is
removed and the door is open. For this rea-
son, children should never be left unsuper-
vised in the vehicle. They could become
trapped when adjusting a seat. G
Risk of accident
Only adjust the driver's seat when the vehi-
cle is stationary. You will otherwise be dis-
tracted from the road and traffic conditions
and you could lose control of the vehicle as
a result of the seat moving. This could
cause an accident. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped when you adjust the seat. Observe the notes concerning the airbag
system.
Secure children as recommended; see
"Children in the vehicle" section.
! When you move the seats, make sure that
there are no objects in the footwell or
behind the seats. Otherwise, you could
damage the seats and the objects.
i The front seats are fitted with active head
restraints (Y page 42). For this reason, it is
not possible to remove the head restraints
from the front seats.
The rear-compartment head restraints can
be removed (Y page 66).
Please contact a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre for more information. Adjusting the seat manually
1
Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
2 Seat cushion angle*
3 Seat height
4 Backrest angle
Seat fore-and-aft adjustment X
Lift handle 1and slide the seat forwards
or backwards.
X Release handle 1again.
Make sure that you hear the seat engage
into position. Controls
* optional
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Seat belts
73Seat belts
Wearing seat belts
Seat belts are the most effective means of
restraining the movement of vehicle occu-
pants in the event of an accident. This
reduces the risk of vehicle occupants coming
into contact with the vehicle interior. G
Risk of injury
A seat belt which is not worn correctly, or
which has not been engaged in the seat belt
buckle correctly, cannot perform its inten-
ded protective function. Under certain cir-
cumstances this could cause severe or
even fatal injuries.
Make sure that all occupants – in particular,
pregnant women – wear their seat belt cor-
rectly at all times.
R The seat belt must pass closely over your
body and must not be twisted. You
should therefore avoid wearing bulky
clothing (e.g. a winter coat). The shoulder
belt section must be routed across the
middle of your shoulder – on no account
across your neck or under your arm – and
pulled tight against your upper body. The
lap belt must always pass across your lap
as low down as possible, i.e. over your hip joints – not across your abdomen. If
necessary, push down the belt strap
slightly and then retighten it in the roll-up
direction.
R 3-door vehicle: the swivelling belt guide
must be in the correct position.
R Do not route the belt strap across sharp
or fragile objects, especially if these are
located on or in your clothing, e.g. spec-
tacles, pencils, keys, etc. The seat belt
strap could be damaged and tear in an
accident and you or other vehicle occu-
pants could be injured.
R Only one person should use each seat
belt at any one time. Children must never
travel sitting on the lap of other occu-
pants. It would not be possible to restrain
the child in the event of a sudden change
in direction, braking or an accident. This
could result in severe or even fatal inju-
ries to the child and other occupants.
R Persons less than 1.50 m tall cannot
wear the seat belts correctly. For this
reason, secure persons less than 1.50 m
tall in specially designed, suitable
restraint systems. R
Children less than 1.50 m tall or under
12 years of age cannot wear the seat
belts properly. Therefore, always secure
these children in suitable child restraint
systems on suitable vehicle seats. You
can find more information under "Chil-
dren in the vehicle" in the "Safety" sec-
tion of the Owner's Manual. Follow the
manufacturer's installation instructions
when fitting the child restraint system.
R Do not secure any objects with a seat belt
if the seat belt is also being used by one
of the vehicle's occupants. G
Risk of injury
The seat belt does not offer the intended
level of protection unless the backrest is
almost vertical. Under certain circumstan-
ces this could cause severe or even fatal
injuries.
Before starting a journey, make sure that
the seat is properly adjusted and that the
backrest is almost vertical. G
Risk of injury
A dirty or damaged seat belt or a seat belt
that has been subjected to a load in an
accident or modified no longer offers the Controls
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Side windows
84
&
To switch on intermittent wiping
( To switch off intermittent wiping
) To wipe with washer fluid
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X Turn the combination switch to the corre-
sponding position.
When the rear window wiper is switched on
the icon appears in the instrument cluster. Side windows
Opening/closing the side windows
G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped between the side window and the door
frame when a side window is opened. Do
not touch or lean against the side window
during the opening procedure. You could
become trapped between the side window
and the door frame as the side window
moves down. If there is a risk of becoming
trapped, release the switch or pull the
switch upwards to close the side window
again. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped when closing the side windows. If there
is a risk of becoming trapped, release the
switch or push the switch again to reopen
the side window. G
Risk of injury
Children may injure themselves if they
operate the side windows.
Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. Always take the key with you when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time.
G
Risk of injury
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. The children could:
R be seriously or even fatally injured on
parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or even fatally injured by
prolonged exposure to extremely high or
extremely low temperatures
If children open a door, they could:
R seriously or even fatally injure other peo-
ple
R get out of the vehicle, thereby injuring
themselves or be seriously or even fatally
injured by a passing vehicle
Activate the child-proof locks if children are
travelling in the vehicle. They could other-
wise open doors or windows while the vehi-
cle is in motion and thereby injure them-
selves or others. Controls
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Driving and pa
rking 87
X
Point the tip of the key at the driver's door
handle.
X Lock the vehicle with the jbutton.
X Press and hold the jbutton until the
side windows and the panorama louvred
sliding sunroof* are fully closed.
X Make sure that all the side windows and the
panorama louvred sliding sunroof* are
closed. Driving and parking
Starting the engine
G
Risk of accident
Do not keep any objects in the driver's foot-
well. If you use a floormat or carpet in the
driver's footwell, make sure that they are
correctly secured and that there is suffi-
cient clearance for the pedals.
Objects could otherwise get between the
pedals in the event of sudden braking or
acceleration. You may then no longer be
able to brake, change gear or accelerate as
intended. This may result in an accident and
injury. G
Risk of poisoning
Never leave the engine running in enclosed
spaces. The exhaust gases contain carbon
monoxide. Inhaling exhaust fumes consti-
tutes a health hazard and could lead to loss
of consciousness or even death.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine. i
If you depress the brake when starting the
engine, pedal travel will be unusually long
and there will be less pedal resistance.
Manual transmission Vehicles without ECO Start-Stop-Function
*(5-
speed manual transmission) Controls
* optional
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Driving and pa
rking 90
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
on uphill gradients. It holds the vehicle for a
short time after you have removed your foot
from the brake pedal. This gives you enough
time to move your foot from the brake pedal
to the accelerator pedal and depress it before
the vehicle begins to roll. G
Risk of accident
Never leave the vehicle when it is held by
hill start assist. After approximately one
second, hill start assist will no longer brake
your vehicle and it could roll away.
X Remove your foot from the brake pedal.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist does not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient.
R on vehicles with AUTOTRONIC *,the selec-
tor lever is in the Nposition. R
the vehicle is secured with the parking
brake.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. Parking
G
Risk of accident
Only remove the key from the ignition lock
when the vehicle is stationary as you can-
not steer the vehicle with the key removed.
Never leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. They could release the parking
brake. This could lead to a serious or fatal
accident. G
Risk of fire
Make sure that the exhaust system does
not under any circumstances come into
contact with easily ignitable material such
as dry grass or petrol. The material could
otherwise ignite and set the vehicle on fire. Parking brake 1
Parking brake
2 Release button
X To apply: pull parking brake 1up firmly.
The 3 warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
i On steep slopes, turn the front wheels
towards the kerb. Controls
* optional
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Transmission
92 Transmission
Notes on the transmission
G
Risk of accident
The movement of the pedals must not be
impaired in any way. Do not keep any
objects in the driver's footwell. Make sure
that floormats or carpets are correctly
secured and that there is sufficient clear-
ance for the pedals. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid. This could
cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and cause an accident. Manual transmission
5-speed manual transmission Vehicles without ECO Start-Stop-Function* (5-
speed manual transmission)
Vehicles with ECO Start-Stop-Function*Neutral Nwith ECO Start-Stop-Func-
tion*activated
The transmission must be in neutral
Nfor the
engine to switch off when:
X the engine is running below a certain
speed.
X the brake pedal is depressed.
X the clutch pedal is not depressed.
Engaging reverse gear
! Only engage reverse gear when the vehi-
cle is stationary, otherwise the transmis-
sion could be damaged.
X Move the gear lever to the right and then
back. Controls
* optional
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Loading and stowing
144 Loading and stowing
Cup holder
The stowage compartments in the doors con-
tain mouldings designed to hold bottles. G
Risk of injury
Keep the cup holder closed while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Otherwise, vehicle occu-
pants could be injured by objects being
thrown around if you:
R brake sharply
R change direction suddenly
R are involved in an accident
Only use the cup holders for containers of
a suitable size and which have lids. Other-
wise, the drinks could spill.
Cup holders should not be used for hot
drinks. Otherwise, you may scald yourself. Cup holder in the centre console 1
Cup holder
Cup holder in the rear compartment* 1
Cup holder X
To open: fold down the rear seat armrest.
X Press the front of cup holder 1.
The cup holder slides out automatically.
! Do not fold the armrest up unless the cup
holder is closed. Otherwise, the cup holder
could be damaged. Roof rack system* and ski rack*
G
Risk of accident
An incorrectly secured roof rack, ski rack
or load could work loose from the vehicle
and thereby cause an accident. Follow the
roof rack/ski rack manufacturers' installa-
tion instructions and special instructions
for use.
The roof load raises the vehicle's centre of
gravity, thereby affecting vehicle handling.
You must observe the maximum roof load
of 50 kg. Always adapt your driving style to
the prevailing road, traffic and weather con-
ditions and drive with particular care if the
roof is laden.
! Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
only use roof rack systems which have
been tested and approved for Mercedes- Controls
* optional
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