ECO mode MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2012 Owner's Manual

i
If you do not depress the accelerator
pedal within a few seconds, RACE START is cancelled. The multifunction display shows
the RACE START cancelled
RACE START cancelled message.
X Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed is increased.
The RACE START Release brake to RACE START Release brake to
start
start message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
i If the brake pedal is not released after a
short while, RACE START is cancelled. The
multifunction display shows the RACE
RACE
START cancelled START cancelled message.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum accel-
eration.
The RACE RACE START
START active
active message appears
in the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 50 km/h.
Drive program Sis activated. SPORT handling
mode remains activated.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if
you release the accelerator pedal during
RACE START or if any of the activation condi-
tions are no longer fulfilled. The RACE
RACESTART
START
not possible
not possible orRACE START cancelled
RACE START cancelled
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i After using it several times in short suc-
cession, RACE START will be unavailable
until a certain distance has been driven. 4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle when-
ever a drive wheel spins due to insufficient
grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot take account of road, weather and traffic con-
ditions. 4MATIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time, and for staying in the lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R when pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
R accelerate less when driving.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz implied warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground or be fully raised. Observe the instructions for
towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tyres (M+S tyres), with snow
chains if necessary. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a substi-
tute for your attention to the immediate sur-
roundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you.
Make sure that there are no persons, animals
or objects in range while manoeuvring and
parking.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars. PARK-
TRONIC does not detect such objects when they are in the immediate vicinity of the
vehicle. You could damage the vehicle or
the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and
objects which absorb ultrasonic sources.
Ultrasonic sources, such as an automatic
car wash, a lorry's compressed-air brakes 182
Driving systemsDriving and parking

When
Standard is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed for
a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
When Adaptive is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this case, the warnings are suppressed for
a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lane quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when nec-
essary and in good time if you cross the lane marking, the system recognises certain con-
ditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a motor-
way.
R the system recognises solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend. Towing a trailer
Notes on towing a trailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving. G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination if it begins to swerve. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even overturn.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten out the vehicle/trailer combina-
tion by increasing speed. Decrease your
speed and do not countersteer. Brake if nec-
essary. G
WARNING
If the maximum the permissible load for a car- rier system is exceeded, the carrier could
come loose from the vehicle and endanger
other road users. There is a risk of an accidentand injury.
Never exceed the permissible noseweight
when using a carrier.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
Trailer towing is not permissible on the fol-
lowing models: R A 45 AMG 4MATIC
R Vehicles with the AMG Sports package
If you exceed the maximum permissible nose- weight of the trailer drawbar on the ball cou-
pling, the following may become damaged:
R your vehicle
R the trailer
R the ball coupling
R the trailer tow hitch
The vehicle/trailer combination could
become unstable.
If the noseweight used is lower than the min- imum permissible noseweight, the vehicle/ Towing a trailer
201Driving and parking Z

Change of direction announced with a
lane recommendation Example: change of direction announced with lane
recommendation (colour multifunction display)
: Road to which the change of direction
leads
; Distance to change of direction and visual
distance display
= New lane during a change of direction
? Lane continues through change of direc-
tion
A Lane recommendation
B Change-of-direction symbol
On multilane roads, the system can display a
new lane recommendation =for the next
change of direction. During the change of
direction, additional lanes may be displayed.
Lane recommendations are only displayed if
the relevant data is available on the digital
map.
Other status indicators of the naviga-
tion system R
O: you have reached the destination or an
intermediate destination.
R New route... New route... orCalculating route
Calculating route:
calculating a new route
R Off map
Off map orOff road
Off road : the vehicle position
is outside the area of the digital map (off-
map position).
R No route No route : no route could be calculated to
the selected destination. Audio menu
Selecting a radio station :
Waveband
; Station frequency with memory position
i The memory position is only displayed
along with station ;if this has been
stored.
X Switch on the audio system or COMAND
Online and select Radio; see the separate
operating instructions.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Audio Audiomenu.
X To select a stored station: briefly press
the 9 or: button.
X To select a station from the station list:
press and briefly hold the 9or:
button.
If no station list is received: X To select a station using the station
search: press and briefly hold the 9
or : button.
i For information on changing waveband
and storing stations, see the separate oper-
ating instructions.
i DAB radio mode (Digital
AudioBroadcast-
ing); see the separate operating instruc-
tions. 214
Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays

qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Switching Adaptive Highbeam Assist on/
off
This function is only available on vehicles with
the Intelligent Light System.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Lights
Lights submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Adapt. main beam
Adapt. main beam function.
If the Adapt. main beam
Adapt. main beam function has
been switched on, the cone of light and the _ symbol in the multifunction display
are shown in orange.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
For further information about Adaptive High-
beam Assist, see (Y page 109).
Setting the brightness of the ambient
lighting
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Lights
Lights submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Amb. light +/-
Amb. light +/- function.
You will see the selected setting.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to adjust the
brightness to any level from Off
Off toLevel 5Level 5
(bright).
X Press the aor% button to save the
setting.
Activating/deactivating the surround
lighting and exterior lighting delayed
switch-off
If you have activated the Surround light‐
Surround light‐
ing
ing function and the light switch is set to
Ã, the following functions are activated
when it is dark: R
surround lighting: the exterior lighting
remains lit for 40 seconds after unlocking
with the key. If you start the engine, the
surround lighting is switched off and auto-
matic headlamp mode is activated
(Y page 105).
R exterior lighting delayed switch-off: the
exterior lighting remains lit for 60 seconds
after the engine is switched off. If you close all the doors and the tailgate, the exterior
lighting goes off after 15 seconds.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Lights
Lights submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Surround lighting
Surround lighting function.
When the Surround lighting
Surround lighting function is
activated, the light cone and the area
around the vehicle are displayed in orange
in the multifunction display.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
Deactivating delayed switch-off of the exte-
rior lighting temporarily: X Before leaving the vehicle, turn the key to
position 0in the ignition lock.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
The exterior lighting delayed switch-off is
deactivated.
Delayed switch-off of the exterior lighting is
reactivated the next time you start the
engine.
i Depending on your vehicle's equipment,
when the surround lighting and delayed
switch-off exterior lighting are on, the fol-
lowing light up:
R side lamps
R foglamps
R dipped-beam headlamps
R daytime driving lights
R surround lighting in the exterior mirrors 222
Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays

sion surrounding the possible health risk
posed by electromagnetic fields.
Mercedes-Benz recommends the use of an
approved exterior aerial. This ensures:
R optimal mobile phone reception quality in
the vehicle
R mutual influences between the vehicle
electronics and mobile phones are mini-
mised
An exterior aerial has the following advan-
tages:
R it conducts the electromagnetic fields gen-
erated by a wireless device to the exterior.
R the field strength in the vehicle interior is
lower than in a vehicle that does not have
an exterior aerial.
Information on retrofitting two-way radios
and mobile phones (RF transmitters)
(Y page 336).
General notes There are various mobile phone brackets that
may be fitted in your vehicle; in some cases,
these are country-specific.
You can connect a Bluetooth ®
-capable
mobile phone with Audio 20 or COMAND
Online via the Bluetooth ®
interface. This also
applies if your vehicle is equipped with con-
venience telephony.
More information on suitable mobile phones,
mobile phone brackets and on connecting
Bluetooth ®
-capable mobile phones with
Audio 20 or COMAND Online can be obtained:
R at your Mercedes-Benz Service Centre
R on the Internet at http://www.mercedes-
benz.com/connect
i The functions and services available when
you use the phone depend on your mobile
phone model and service provider. Using a mobile phone 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.
X Open the telephone compartment
(Y page 270).
X Place the mobile phone bracket into the
pre-installed fitting (see the separate
installation instructions for the mobile
phone fitting).
X Insert the mobile phone into the mobile
phone bracket (see the separate installa-
tion instructions for the mobile phone fit-
ting).
i On some mobile phone brackets, first you
have to connect the phone to the mobile
phone bracket via Bluetooth ®
(see the sep-
arate operating instructions for the mobile
phone bracket).
If this is the case, the mobile phone does
not have to be inserted into the bracket for you to be able to use the telephone func-
tions. However, the charging function and
aerial function are not available.
Operating the mobile phone You can operate the telephone using the
6
and~ buttons on the multifunction
steering wheel. You can operate other mobile
phone functions via the on-board computer
(Y page 215).
When you remove the key from the ignition
lock, the mobile phone stays switched on.
However, you can no longer use the hands-
free system.
If you have an active call and would like to
take the key out of the ignition lock, first
remove the mobile phone from the bracket.
i If you use a mobile phone bracket which is
connected to your mobile via Bluetooth ®
and you wish to continue a call on your
mobile phone:
You should switch the call to "Private
mode" before you remove the key from the 280
FeaturesStowing and features

ignition lock. Otherwise, it will take up to
20 seconds for the mobile phone to dis-
connect from the system. Only then can
you continue the call on your mobile phone.
Notes on the necessary steps for setting
"Private mode" can be found in the sepa-
rate operating instructions of the mobile
phone.
i Not all mobile phones support "Private
mode".
Mobile phone bracket in the stowage
space You can fold the pre-installed bracket up to
improve access to the stowage space
beneath it. Depending on the vehicle's equip- ment, a USB connection and an AUX-IN con-
nection/Media Interface are fitted in the
stowage compartment (Y page 270).X
To fold the bracket up: press button:.
X To fold the bracket down: press the
bracket down and allow it to engage. Floormat on the driver's side
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
jeopardised. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Fit the floormats securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats. X
Slide the seat backwards.
X To fit: lay the floormat in the footwell.
X Press safety catch knobs :onto retain-
ers ;.
X To remove: pull the floormat away from
retainers ;.
X Remove the floormats. Retrofitted anti-glare film
Retrofitted anti-glare film on the inside of the
windows can interfere with radio/mobile
telephone reception. This is particularly the
case for conductive or metallic-coated films.
You can obtain information about anti-glare
film from a qualified specialist workshop. Features
281Stowing and features Z

Flat tyre
Preparing the vehicle
Your vehicle may be equipped with: R MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat char-
acteristics) (Y page 300)
Vehicle preparation is not necessary on
vehicles with MOExtended tyres.
R a TIREFIT kit (Y page 299)
R an emergency spare wheel (only for certain
countries)
Information on changing/fitting a wheel
(Y page 325).
X Stop the vehicle as far away as possible
from traffic on solid, non-slippery and level
ground.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 162).
X If possible, bring the front wheels into the
straight-ahead position.
X Switch off the engine.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X All occupants must get out of the vehicle.
Make sure that they are not endangered as they do so.
X Make sure that no one is near the danger
area while a wheel is being changed. Any-
one who is not directly assisting in the
wheel change should, for example, stand
behind the barrier.
X Get out of the vehicle. Pay attention to traf-
fic conditions when doing so.
X Close the driver's door.
X Place the warning triangle a suitable dis-
tance away (Y page 298). Observe legal
requirements.
i Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat
characteristics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT kit can be obtained from a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
General notes With MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tyres. The affected
tyre must not show any clearly visible dam-
age.
You can recognise MOExtended tyres by the
MOExtended marking which appears on the
tyre wall. You will find this marking next to the
tyre size designation, the load-bearing capa-
city and the speed index.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with an active tyre pressure loss
warning system.
If the pressure loss warning message
appears in the multifunction display:
R Observe the instructions in the display
messages (Y page 251).
R Check the tyre for damage.
R If driving on, observe the following notes.
The maximum driving distance is approx-
imately 80 km when the vehicle is partially
laden and approximately 30 km when the
vehicle is fully laden.
In addition to the vehicle load, the driving dis-
tance possible depends upon:
R speed
R road condition
R outside temperature
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode may be reduced by extreme driving condi-
tions/manoeuvres, or it can be increased
through a moderate style of driving.
The maximum permissible distance which
can be driven in run-flat mode is counted from
the moment the tyre pressure loss warning
appears in the multifunction display. 300
Flat tyreBreakdown assistance

You must not exceed a maximum speed of
80 km/h.
i When replacing one or all tyres, make
sure that you use only:
R the tyre size specified for the vehicle and
R tyre(s) marked "MOExtended"
If a tyre has gone flat and cannot be
replaced with an MOExtended tyre, a
standard tyre may be used as a temporary
measure. Make sure that you use the
proper size and type (summer or winter
tyre).
i Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat
characteristics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT
kit can be obtained from a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When driving in emergency mode, the driving characteristics deteriorate, e.g. when corner-
ing, accelerating quickly and when braking.
There is a risk of accident.
Do not exceed the stated maximum speed.
Avoid abrupt steering and driving manoeu-
vres, and driving over obstacles (kerbs, pot-
holes, off-road). This applies in particular to a laden vehicle.
Stop driving in emergency mode if:
R you hear banging noises.
R the vehicle starts to shake.
R you see smoke and smell rubber.
R ESP ®
is intervening constantly.
R there are tears in the sidewalls of the tyre.
After driving in emergency mode, have the
wheel rims checked at a qualified specialist
workshop with regard to their further use. The
faulty tyre must be replaced. TIREFIT kit
Important safety notes G
WARNING
In the following situations, the tyre sealant is
unable to provide sufficient breakdown assis- tance, as it is unable to seal the tyre properly:
R there are cuts or punctures in the tyre
larger than those mentioned above.
R the wheel rim is damaged.
R you have driven at very low tyre pressures
or on a flat tyre.
There is a risk of accident.
Do not drive any further. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop. G
WARNING
The tyre sealant is harmful and causes irrita-
tion. It must not come into contact with your
skin, eyes or clothing or be swallowed. Do not inhale TIREFIT fumes. Keep tyre sealant away
from children. There is a risk of injury.
If you come into contact with the tyre sealant,
observe the following:
R Rinse off the tyre sealant from your skin
immediately with water.
R If the tyre sealant comes into contact with
your eyes, immediately rinse them thor-
oughly with clean water.
R If tyre sealant is swallowed, immediately
rinse your mouth out thoroughly and drink
plenty of water. Do not induce vomiting,
and seek medical attention immediately.
R Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with tyre sealant.
R If an allergic reaction occurs, seek medical
attention immediately.
Using the TIREFIT kit TIREFIT is a tyre sealant.
You can use TIREFIT to seal punctures of up to
4 mm, particularly those in the tyre tread. You Flat tyre
301Breakdown assistance Z

R
Run in new tyres at moderate speeds for
the first 100 km. They only reach their full
performance after this distance.
R Do not drive with tyres which have too little
tread depth. This otherwise significantly
reduces the traction on wet roads (aqua-
planing).
R Replace the tyres after six years at the lat-
est, regardless of wear.
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (Y page 332). MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
With MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tyres.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with an active tyre pressure loss
warning system and only on wheels specifi-
cally tested by Mercedes-Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tyres with
a flat tyre (Y page 300).
i Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat
characteristics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT
kit can be obtained from a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (Y page 324). Driving with summer tyres
At temperatures below +7 †, summer tyres
lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tyres on your vehi- cle to M+S tyres. Using summer tyres at very
cold temperatures could cause tears to form, thereby damaging the tyres permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility
for this type of damage. M+S tyres
G
WARNING
M+ Styres with a tyre tread depth of less than
4 mm are not suitable for use in winter as they
do not provide sufficient traction. There is a
risk of accident.
M+S tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced.
At temperatures below +7 †, use winter tyres or all-season tyres. Both types of tyre are
identified by the M+S marking.
Only winter tyres bearing the isnowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking pro-
vide the best possible grip in wintry road con- ditions. Only these tyres will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to
function optimally in winter. These tyres have
been developed specifically for driving in
snow.
Use M+S tyres of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling charac-
teristics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tyres you have
fitted.
If you fit M+S tyres that have a lower maxi-
mum permissible speed than that of the vehi-
cle, affix an appropriate warning sign in the
driver's field of vision. This can be obtained at a qualified specialist workshop.
Under these circumstances, you should also
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
using permanent SPEEDTRONIC so that it 320
Winter operationWheels and ty
res

!
Large wheels: the lower the section width
for a certain wheel size, the lower the ride
comfort is on poor road surfaces. Roll com-
fort and suspension comfort are reduced
and the risk of damage to the wheels and
tyres as a result of driving over obstacles
increases.
Overview of abbreviations used in the follow- ing tyre tables:
R BA: both axles
R FA: front axle
R RA: rear axle
You will find a table with recommended tyre
pressures for various operating conditions on
the inside of your vehicle's fuel filler flap. For
further information on tyre pressure, see
(Y page 321). Check tyre pressures regularly
and only when the tyres are cold.
Notes on the vehicle equipment – always fit
the vehicle:
R with tyres of the same size on a given axle
(left/right)
R with the same type of tyres at a given time
(summer tyres, winter tyres, MOExtended
tyres)
Exception: it is permissible to fit a different
type or make in the event of a flat tyre.
Observe the "MOExtended tyres (tyres with
run-flat characteristics)" section
(Y page 300).
Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It is
therefore recommended that you additionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat characteris-
tics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT kit can be
obtained from a qualified specialist work-
shop. In the following table, the wheel/tyre combi-
nations are allocated to the vehicle models
through variants, e.g. V1, V2 etc.: V1
A 180
12 V2
A 180 CDI
12 V3
A 200
12
, A 220 CDI 12 V4
A 200 CDI
12 V5
A 250
12 V6 A 250 Sport
V7 A 45 AMG 4MATIC
i
Not all wheel/tyre combinations can be
fitted at the factory in all countries.
12 BlueEFFICIENCY 330
Wheel and tyre combinationsWheels and tyres