key MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2008 User Guide

Key positions
62
Opening from the outside You can only open the tailgate after unlocking
it first.
X To unlock centrally: press thekbut-
ton on the key. X
Pull handle 1.
X Raise the tailgate.
Closing from the outside G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped as you close the tailgate.
i Do not leave the key in the luggage com-
partment. You could otherwise lock your-
self out. X
Pull the tailgate down using recess 1.
X Push the tailgate closed from the outside.
X Lock the vehicle if necessary with
the ‹ button on the key. Key positions
}
To remove the key
$ Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windscreen wipers
% Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
& To start the engine
i Even if the key is not for the vehicle in
question, it will still turn in the ignition lock.
The ignition is not switched on. The engine
cannot be started. Cont
rols
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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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Seats
65Adjusting the seat electrically*
1
Head restraint height
2 Backrest angle
3 Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
4 Seat cushion angle
5 Seat height
X Make sure that the key is in position 1or
2 in the ignition lock or that the respective
door is open.
Seat fore-and-aft adjustment X
Slide the button forwards or back in the
direction of arrow 3. Seat height X
Slide the button up or down in the direction
of arrow 5.
Seat cushion angle Adjust the angle so that your thighs are gently
supported.
X
Slide the button up or down in the direction
of arrow 4.
Backrest angle X
Slide the button forwards or back in the
direction of arrow 2.
Head restraint height G
Risk of injury
Make sure that the central area of the head
restraint supports the back of your head at
about eye level. You could seriously injure
your neck if your head is not correctly sup-
ported by the head restraint in the event of
an accident. Never travel without a cor-
rectly adjusted and engaged head restraint. X
Slide the button up or down in the direction
of arrow 1.
Head restraint angle X
Push or pull the upper edge of the head
restraint in the direction of the arrow. Controls
* optional
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Seats
69Multi-contour backrest*
You can adjust the contour of the front seats
individually so as to provide optimum support
for your back. 1
Lumbar region support
2 Upper back support
3 Backrest side cushions
X Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
Lumbar region support X
Use button 1to adjust the lumbar region
support to the desired position. Upper back support X
Use button 2to adjust the upper back
support to the desired position.
Backrest side cushions X
Use button 3to adjust the backrest side
cushions to the desired position. Seat heating*
The three red indicator lamps in the button
indicate the heating level you have selected. 1
Seat heating
i The system automatically switches down
from level 3to level 2after approximately
five minutes. The system automatically switches down
from level
2to level 1after approximately
ten minutes.
The system automatically switches off
approximately 20 minutes after it is set to
level 1.
X Make sure that the key is in position 1or
2 in the ignition lock.
X To switch on: press button1repeatedly
until the desired heating level is set.
X To switch off: press button1repeatedly
until all indicator lamps go out.
i If the battery voltage is too low, the seat
heating may switch off. Controls
* optional
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Mirrors
71
and incident light from headlamps strikes the
sensor in the rear-view mirror.
The mirrors do not go into anti-dazzle mode if
reverse gear is engaged and the interior light-
ing is switched on. G
Risk of accident
If the incident light from headlamps cannot
strike the sensor in the rear-view mirror, for
instance by objects in the vehicle, the mir-
rors' automatic anti-dazzle function will not
operate.
Incident light could then dazzle you. This
may prevent you from observing the traffic
conditions, thereby causing an accident. In
this case, adjust the rear-view mirror man-
ually. Exterior mirrors
G
Risk of accident
The exterior mirrors reduce the size of the
image. Objects are actually closer than
they appear. You could misjudge the dis-
tance from vehicles driving behind and
cause an accident, e.g. when changing
lane. For this reason, make sure of the
actual distance from the vehicle driving
behind by glancing over your shoulder.
The convex exterior mirrors provide a larger
field of vision.
At low outside temperatures, the exterior mir-
rors are heated automatically. Adjusting the exterior mirrors 1
Adjustment button
2 Right-hand exterior mirror
3 Left-hand exterior mirror
X Make sure that the key is in position 1or
2 in the ignition lock.
X Press button 2for the right-hand exterior
mirror or button 3for the left-hand exte-
rior mirror.
The indicator lamp in the corresponding
button lights up in red.
The indicator lamp goes out again after
some time. You can adjust the selected
mirror using adjustment button 1as long
as the indicator lamp is lit.
X Press adjustment button 1up, down, to
the right or to the left until the exterior mir- Controls
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Mirrors
72ror is set to a position which provides you
with a good overview of traffic conditions.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
electrically* 1
To fold the exterior mirrors in or out
X Make sure that the key is in position 1or
2 in the ignition lock.
X Briefly press button 1.
Both exterior mirrors fold in or out.
i Make sure that the exterior mirrors are
always folded out fully while the vehicle is
in motion; otherwise, they may vibrate. Resetting the exterior mirrors If the battery has been disconnected or has
become discharged, the exterior mirrors
must be reset. If this is not done, the exterior
mirrors will not fold in when you select the
"Fold in mirrors when locking" function in the
on-board computer (Y
page 111).
X Make sure that the key is in position 1in
the ignition lock.
X Briefly press button 1.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
automatically* If the "Fold in mirrors when locking" function
is activated in the on-board computer
(Y
page 111):
R the exterior mirrors fold in automatically as
soon as you lock the vehicle from the out-
side.
R The exterior mirrors fold out again auto-
matically as soon as you unlock the vehicle
and then open the driver's or front-
passenger door.
i If you have activated this function and fold
in the exterior mirrors using button 1, they
will not be folded out automatically. You can only fold out the exterior mirrors again
using button
1. 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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Lights
78$
a
Left-hand parking lamp
% g
Right-hand parking lamp 8
& M
Lights off/constant headlamp mode
( U
Automatic headlamp mode/con-
stant headlamp mode
) C
Side lamps, licence plate and instru-
ment lighting
* B
Dipped-beam headlamps or main-
beam headlamps
, ¥
foglamps*
. †
Rear foglamp
i The exterior lighting (except for side
lamps and parking lamps) automatically
switches off when you remove the key from
the ignition lock or open the driver's door while the ignition is switched off (ignition
key in position
0).
! Switch off the side lamps and parking
lamp when you leave the vehicle. This pre-
vents the battery from discharging.
Dipped-beam headlamps X
Turn the ignition key to position 2in the
ignition lock or start the engine.
X To switch on: turn the light switch to
B.
Constant headlamp mode In countries in which constant headlamp
mode is not a legal requirement, you can
make this a setting using the on-board com-
puter.
You can activate or deactivate "constant
headlamp mode" using the on-board com-
puter (Y
page 109).
X To switch on: turn the light switch to
M orU.
The dipped-beam headlamps are switched
on when the engine is running. i
When you turn the light switch to any
position other than MorU, the cor-
responding light goes on.
Automatic headlamp mode G
Risk of accident
When the light switch is set to U, the
lights are not switched on automatically in
foggy conditions. This could endanger you
and others. Therefore, turn the light switch
to B in darkness and fog.
Automatic headlamp mode is only a driving
aid. You are responsible for the vehicle
lighting at all times. G
Risk of accident
When it is dark or foggy, turn the light
switch from UtoB in good time.
Otherwise, the headlamps could switch off
temporarily and you could cause an acci-
dent.
X To switch on: turn the light switch to
U.
Key in position 1in the ignition lock: the
side lamp is switched on or off automati-
cally, depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
8 You must turn the light switch beyond its resistance point when turning it from the Mposition to the gposition. Controls
* optional
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Lights
79
Starting the engine: the dipped-beam head-
lamps are also switched on or off automat-
ically, depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
When the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on, the Bindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
Front foglamps*/Rear foglamp G
Risk of accident
If you suspect that driving conditions will be
foggy, turn the light switch to Bbefore
you start your journey. Otherwise, your
vehicle may not be visible and you could
endanger yourself and others.
When the light switch is set to Uyou can-
not switch on the front *or rear foglamps.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X To switch on the front foglamps*: turn
the light switch to the BorC posi-
tion.
X Pull the light switch out to the first detent.
The ¥ green indicator lamp next to the
light switch lights up. X
To switch on the rear foglamp: turn the
light switch to BorC.
X On vehicles with front foglamps*, pull the
light switch out to the second detent.
On vehicles without front foglamps*, pull
the light switch out to the detent.
The † yellow indicator lamp next to the
light switch lights up.
X To switch off the front foglamps*/rear
foglamp: push in the light switch to the
stop.
The corresponding indicator lamp goes out. Combination switch (turn signals,
main-beam headlamps and headlamp
flasher)
Turn signal lamp
X
To switch on: press the combination
switch in the direction of arrow 2or?.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lamp K orL in the instrument clus-
ter flashes.
i If you only wish to indicate a minor change
of direction, press the combination switch
briefly in the appropriate direction. The cor-
responding turn signal flashes three times. Controls
* optional
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Lights
80
Main-beam headlamps X
Turn the ignition key to position 2in the
ignition lock or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to BorU 9
.
X To switch on: press the combination
switch in the direction of arrow 1.
The A main-beam indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To switch off: move the combination
switch back to its normal position.
The A main-beam indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Headlamp flasher X
To switch on: briefly pull the combination
switch in the direction of arrow =. Hazard warning lamps
The hazard warning lamps still operate if the
ignition is switched off. They switch on auto-
matically if an airbag is deployed or if you
brake sharply and bring the vehicle to a halt
from a speed of more than 70 km/h.
X
To switch on: press button1.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on
a turn signal using the combination switch
(Y page 79), only the turn signal lamp on
the corresponding side of the vehicle will
flash.
X To switch off: press button1. Adjusting the headlamp range (halo-
gen headlamps)
The headlamp range control allows you to
adjust the cone of light from the headlamps
to suit the vehicle load.
You can only adjust the headlamp range while
the engine is running. Position Load
0
Driver's seat and front-
passenger seat occupied
1
Driver's seat, front-
passenger seat and rear
seats occupied
9
In the Uposition, the main-beam headlamps are only switched on when it is dark. Controls
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