ECU MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2008 Owner's Manual

Loading and stowing
145
Benz vehicles. This helps to prevent dam-
age to the vehicle.
Position the load on the roof rack in such a
way that the vehicle will not sustain dam-
age even when it is in motion.
Depending on the vehicle's equipment,
make sure that you can:
R open the panorama louvred sliding sun-
roof* fully
R open the tailgate fully 1
Covers
X Fold covers 1upwards.
X Only secure the roof rack to the anchorage
points under covers 1. Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions. Luggage net
G
Risk of injury
Only place lightweight items in the luggage
net. Do not use it to transport heavy, bulky,
sharp-edged or fragile objects. In the event
of an accident, the luggage net will not
secure the transported goods. Loading guidelines
G
Risk of injury
Secure and position the load as described
in the loading guidelines.
Otherwise, vehicle occupants could
be injured by the load being thrown around
in the event of sharp braking, a sudden
change in direction or an accident. This also
applies to seats which have been removed.
You will find further information in the
"Securing a load" section.
Even if you follow all the loading guidelines,
the load will increase the risk of injury in the
event of an accident. G
Risk of poisoning
Keep the tailgate closed when the engine is
running. Otherwise, you could be poisoned
by exhaust fumes entering the vehicle.
The handling characteristics of a laden vehi-
cle depend on the distribution of the load
within the vehicle. You should therefore load
your vehicle as shown in the illustrations. Observe the following notes when transport-
ing a load:
R
When transporting a load, never exceed the
maximum permissible gross vehicle weight
or the permissible axle loads for the vehicle
(including occupants).
R Position heavy loads as far forwards and as
low down in the luggage compartment as
possible.
R The load must not protrude above the
upper edge of the backrests. Controls
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Loading and stowing
146
R
Always place the load against the rear seat
backrests or the seat cushions if these
have been folded forwards.
R The maximum load capacity of the stowage
well under the luggage compartment floor
is 25 kg.
R Always place the load behind unoccupied
seats if possible.
R Secure the load with sufficiently strong and
wear-resistant load restraints. Pad sharp
edges for protection.
i Load restraints are available at any quali-
fied specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre. R
If the rear seats are not occupied, insert the
belt tongue on the outer seat belts into the
buckle of the opposite seat belt. This
increases the restraining effect of the rear
seat backrests.
! Do not position the load on one part of the
folding luggage compartment floor only.
The maximum load capacity of the folding
luggage compartment floor is 100 kg.
Spread the weight evenly to avoid damag-
ing the luggage compartment floor. If nec-
essary, place a solid board under the load.
Please note that the load on the luggage compartment floor will be increased when
the load is lashed down. Securing a load
Lashing eyelets G
Risk of injury
Distribute the load on the lashing eyelets
evenly.
Otherwise, vehicle occupants could be
injured by objects being thrown around if
you:
R brake sharply
R change direction suddenly
R are involved in an accident
Please observe the loading guidelines.
Observe the following points or guidelines
when securing loads:
R Secure the load using the lashing eyelets.
R Do not use elastic straps or nets to secure
a load, as these are only intended as an
anti-slip protection for light loads.
R Do not route lashing materials across sharp
edges or corners.
R Pad sharp edges for protection. Controls
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Loading and stowing
147
Securing loads in the luggage compart-
ment
There are four lashing eyelets in the luggage
compartment. Example: 5-door vehicle
1
Lashing eyelets
X Secure the load using lashing eyelets 1or
the mounting cups for the seats, if the seats
have been removed. Securing a load when the seats have been
removed Rear seat removed
X
Guide the load restraints in a cross pattern
over the load, as shown in the illustration.
X Secure the load using the lashing eyelets
or the mounting cups on the seats. G
Risk of injury
Always stow the load so that it does not
interfere with driving the vehicle.
Avoid obstructing the driver's line-of-sight.
The load must not protrude above the upper
edge of the door trim if the front-passenger
seat has been removed.
Pad sharp edges for protection. This will
reduce the risk of lacerations and prevent
the load restraints from wearing.
Observe the following notes: R
The load must not protrude above the
upper edge of the door trim.
R Long loads must only be placed low down
and towards the front of the front-
passenger footwell.
! Load restraints must not be fastened to
the front right-hand mounting cup. Other-
wise, the contact switch for the front-
passenger seat could be damaged.
Securing a light load using a retaining
net*
X Place the retaining net over the load.
X Engage the retaining net hooks in the lash-
ing eyelets. Through-loading feature*
G
Risk of injury
Do not transport unsecured objects in the
through-loading facility.
Otherwise, you and other vehicle occu-
pants could be injured by objects being
thrown around the vehicle in the event of
sharp braking, a sudden change in direction
or an accident. Controls
* optional
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Loading and stowing
149
X
Pull release 2upwards and hold it
securely.
X Pull armrest 1out towards the front.
Hold the side of armrest 1as you do this,
otherwise you could inadvertently open the
cup holder.
i The release remains in the open position
after armrest 1has been removed.
! Do not press the release down when the
armrest has been removed, otherwise the
armrest mechanism could be damaged.
Fitting the armrest 1
Red area X
Align the armrest.
X Slide the armrest back until it engages.
The release drops down. Make sure that the
red area 1of the release is no longer visi-
ble. If it is still visible, the armrest is not
locked in position. G
Risk of injury
The armrests must be locked in position
when the vehicle is being driven.
Otherwise, vehicle occupants could
be injured by the armrest being thrown
around in the event of sharp braking, a sud-
den change in direction or an accident.
Nobody should travel in the vehicle sitting
in the centre position in the rear compart-
ment if the armrest has been removed.
! Do not close the armrest unless it has
been locked in position, otherwise the arm-
rest mechanism could be damaged. EASY-VARIO system*
On 3-door vehicle variants, the "Variable lug-
gage compartment floor" (Y page 155) and
"Removing the rear seat cushion"
(Y page 151) functions are combined in the
EASY-VARIO system. EASY-VARIO-PLUS system*
On 5-door vehicle variants, the "Removing the
rear seat cushion" ( Ypage 151), "Removing
the backrest" (Y page 152), "Removable
front-passenger seat" (Y page 156) and
"Folding backrest on the front-passenger
seat" (Y page 158) functions are combined
in the EASY-VARIO-PLUS system. Controls
* optional
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Loading and stowing
1531
Connector
2 Connector holder
3 Lever Warning symbol on the connector of the rear seat
belt status indicator X
Press seat belt buckle 1on the grooved
surface and remove seat belt buckle 1
from holder 3.
i When the ignition is switched on an indi-
cator is shows the status of the corre-
sponding rear seats in the upper multi-
function display. If, for example, neither
seat belt buckle are is engaged, the mes-
sage: engaged appears.
X Stow seat belt buckle 1on seat belt
buckle holder 2on the vehicle floor.
X Pull holder 3upwards and hold it securely. 4
Backrest release handle
5 Backrest X
Pull left-hand or right-hand release handle
4 on backrest 5.
Corresponding backrest 5is unlocked.
X Fold backrest 5forwards past the vertical
to an angle of approximately 20°.
X Hold backrest 5with your free hand and
lift the backrest by pulling lever 3.
i For greater convenience, there is a recess
on the rear of the 2/3 backrest which
makes it easier to grasp the backrest.
X Remove backrest 5from the vehicle
through the rear door.
Fitting the backrest* 1
Recesses Controls
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Loading and stowing
1571
Connector
2 Lever
3 Cable box
X Swing lever 2forwards and pull upwards.
The seat slides out of the front mounting
cups.
X Take hold of the seat at the back of the
backrest and at the front edge of the seat
cushion.
X Guide the seat through the front-passenger
door opening. X
Open cable box 3and place connector
1 inside.
X Close cable box 3. G
Risk of injury
The front-passenger seat which has been
removed contains an active sidebag. Do not
attach a power source to the connector on
the seat, otherwise the airbag could inflate.
Store the seat out of the reach of children.
Fitting the front-passenger seat G
Risk of injury
The mounting cups must be free from dirt
and other items in order for the front-
passenger seat to engage securely.
You must connect up the connector, so that
the front-passenger airbag can deploy in
the event of an accident.
If it is not connected and the engine is run-
ning, the 5PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
warning lamp flashes and the 1warning
lamp lights up after a short time. 1
Rear mounting cups
2 Front mounting cups
3 Connector
4 Cable box
5 Lever
6 Seat frame
X Take connector 3out of cable box 4and
place it at the front.
X Take hold of the seat at the back of the
backrest and at the front edge of the seat
cushion. Controls
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Loading and stowing
158
X
Guide the seat through the front-passenger
door opening.
X Move the seat into position over the mount-
ing cups.
X Insert the seat hook into rear mounting
cups 1.
X Push the front of the seat down until it
engages.
Lever 5springs back to its starting posi-
tion. Only then is the seat correctly locked
in position.
X Route connector 3over seat frame 6.
X Insert connector 3into the coupling on
the seat. G
Risk of injury
Before starting off, make sure that the seat
has engaged properly. Folding backrest on the front-
passenger seat*
Folding the front-passenger seat back-
rest forward 1
Release handle
X Push the backrest back slightly.
X Pull the release handle 1and swing the
backrest fully onto the seat cushion until it
engages. Folding back the front-passenger seat
backrest X
Push the backrest down slightly and pull
release handle 1.
X Swing the backrest back until it engages. Bag hook
There is a bag hook in the luggage compart-
ment on the left-hand side.
! The bag hook can bear a maximum load
of 5 kg. Do not use it to secure a load. 1
Bag hook
X To open: press bag hook 1(arrow).
Bag hook 1slides out. Controls
* optional
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Loading and stowing
159
X
To close: press bag hook 1until it
engages. Luggage compartment cover*
1
Luggage compartment cover
Pulling out the luggage compartment
cover X
Pull luggage compartment cover 1back
and clip it into the retainers on the left and
right-hand sides. Rolling up the luggage compartment
cover X
Unclip luggage compartment cover 1and
guide it forwards.
i You can fold up the part of the luggage
compartment cover which remains visible.
Removing the luggage compartment
cover 1
Luggage compartment cover
2 To release X
Make sure that luggage compartment
cover 1is rolled up.
X Press the handle on the right underside in
the direction of the arrow 2.
X Remove luggage compartment cover 1.
Fitting the luggage compartment cover X
Align luggage compartment cover 1in the
hole on the left-hand side when viewed in
the direction of travel.
X Press the handle in the opposite direction
to the arrow.
X Allow luggage compartment cover 1to
engage in the appropriate recess. Stowage compartments
G
Risk of injury
The stowage compartments must be closed
when items are stored in them. Luggage
nets are not designed to secure heavy
items of luggage.
You or other vehicle occupants could be
injured by objects being thrown around if
you: Controls
* optional
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Loading and stowing
161
X
To open: briefly press the cover of stowage
compartment 1.
Stowage compartment 1opens.
Stowage boxes* under the driver's seat
and front-passenger seat The stowage boxes can store up to 2.5 kg.
The illustration shows the driver's seat
1
Stop for CD jewel case
2 CD jewel case
3 Recess X
To open: raise the stowage box slightly and
pull it out using handle 3.
i Several CD jewel cases 2can be stacked
in the stowage box. There is a catch 1fit-
ted to stop the CD cases moving around.
Stowage compartment under the arm-
rest* 1
Stowage compartment G
Risk of injury
There is the risk of entrapment when sliding
the armrest forwards or backwards.
X To open: slide the armrest forwards. Stowage compartment in the rear com-
partment
1
Stowage compartment
X To open: pull out the top of stowage com-
partment 1by the edge of the handle.
Stowage compartments in the luggage
compartment G
Risk of injury
The stowage boxes can store up to 1.5 kg.
The objects in the left-hand stowage com-
partment should only be placed in the des-
ignated spaces and secured using the
appropriate holders. Otherwise, the stow-
age compartment could open and you and
other vehicle occupants could be injured by Controls
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Features
165
mobile phone bracket installation instruc-
tions.
X Insert the mobile phone into the mobile
phone bracket; see the separate mobile
phone bracket installation instructions.
If the mobile phone is inserted in the mobile
phone bracket, you can speak to the person
you are calling using the hands-free system.
You can operate the telephone using the
s andt buttons on the multi-function
steering wheel. You can operate other mobile
phone functions via the on-board computer
(Y page 113).
When you take the key out of the ignition lock,
the mobile phone stays on but you can no
longer use the hands-free system.
If you are making a call and you would like to
take the key out of the ignition lock, first
remove the mobile phone from the bracket.
Otherwise, the call will be terminated. Floormat on the driver's side
G
Risk of accident
Make sure that there is sufficient clearance
around the pedals when floormats are
used, and that the floormats are properly
secured.
The floormats must be secured at all times
using retainers and studs.
Before you drive off, make sure that the
floormats are secure and rectify if neces-
sary. A floormat which is not properly
secured can slip and thereby interfere with
the movement of the pedals.
Do not place floormats on top of one
another. 1
Press-studs
2 Retainers
X Slide seat backwards.
X To fit: place the floormat in position.
X Press stud 1onto retainer 2.
X To remove: pull floormat off retainers 2.
X Remove the floormat. Cont
rols
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