MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2012 Repair Manual

Key to the letters used in the table:
XI SOFIX position that is not suitable for ISOFIX child restraint systems in this weight cat-
egory and/or size category.
IUF Suitable for forward-facing ISOFIX child restraint systems that belong to the "Universal" category which are approved for use in this weight category.
IL Suitable for ISOFIX child restraint systems as recommended; see the following table of "Recommended child restraint systems" (Y page 58).
Suitability of the rear seats for attaching ISOFIX child restraint systems Weight categories Size category Equipment Rear seat, left and
right
Carry-cot
F ISO/L1 X
G ISO/L2 X
0: up to 10 kg
up to approximately
6 months
E ISO/R1 IL
0+: up to 13 kg
up to approximately
15 months
E ISO/R1 IL
D ISO/R2 IL
C ISO/R3 IL
I: 9 to 18 kg
between approx-
imately 9 months and
4 years D ISO/R2
IL
4, 5 C
ISO/R3 IL
B ISO/F2
IUF
4, 5 B1 ISO/F2X IUF
A ISO/F3 IUF
Recommended child restraint systems
When installing a child restraint system without a transponder for automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat:
X Move the front-passenger seat to its rearmost position.
4 Vehicles with the Style or Urban package or with front seats with 4-point or 6-point anchorages: move the
front seat to the uppermost position.
5 Vehicles that have front seats with 2-point anchorages: move the front seat to the uppermost position. 58
Children in the vehicleSafety

Weight catego-
ries Manufac-
turer Type Approval
number
(E1 ...) Order num-
ber
(A 000 ...) 6 Automatic
child seat
recognition
Category 0: up
to 10 kg
up to approx-
imately
6 months Britax
Römer BABY
SAFE
PLUS 03 301146
04 301146 970 10 00 Yes
Group 0+: up
to 13 kg
up to approx-
imately
15 months Britax
Römer BABY
SAFE
PLUS 03 301146
04 301146 970 10 00 Yes
Category I:
9to
18 kg
between
approximately
9 months and
4 years Britax
Römer DUO
PLUS 03 301133
04 301133 970 11 00 Yes
970 16 00 No
Group II/III: 15
to 36 kg
between
approximately
4and 12 years Britax
Römer KIDFIX 04 301198 970 18 00 Yes
970 19 00 No
Suggested "Universal"/"Semi-Universal" category ISOFIX child restraint systems:
Weight
catego-
ries Size cate-
gory Manufac-
turer Type Approval
number
(E1 ...) Order
number 6 Auto-
matic
child seat
recogni-
tion Carry-cot
F – – – – –
G – – – – –
Group 0:
up to
10 kg
E – – – – –
Group 0+:
up to
13 kg
E Britax
Römer BABY SAFE
ISOFIX
PLUS 04 301146 B6 6 86
8224 No
6
Colour code 9H95. Children in the vehicle
59Safety Z

Weight
catego-
ries Size cate-
gory Manufac-
turer Type Approval
number
(E1 ...) Order
number 6 Auto-
matic
child seat
recogni-
tion D – – – – –
C – – – – –
Group I:
9to 18 kg
D – – – – –
C – – – – –
B – – – – –
B1 Britax
Römer DUO PLUS 04 301133 A000 970
11 00 Yes
A000 970
16 00 No
A – – – – –
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
windows when children are travelling in the
vehicle. Otherwise, the children could open
doors or side windows while the vehicle is in
motion and injure themselves or others. G
WARNING
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. They could injure them-
selves on parts of the vehicle. They could also
be seriously or even fatally injured by pro-
longed exposure to extreme heat or cold.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. Parts of the child restraint sys- tem could heat up and the child could burn
herself/himself on them. If a child opens a door, the child or other per-
sons could be injured as a result. They could
get out and injure themselves or be injured by
a passing vehicle.
Observe the general notes on the HOLD func-
tion, which can be found under the same key- word.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors You can secure each door individually with
the child-proof locks on the rear doors. A door
secured with a child-proof lock cannot be
6 Colour code 9H95. 60
Children in the vehicleSafety

opened from inside the vehicle. When the
vehicle is unlocked, the door can be opened
from the outside.
X To activate: press the child-proof lock
lever up in the direction of arrow :.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow ;.
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows X
To activate/deactivate: press button:.
If indicator lamp is lit, operation of the rear side windows is disabled. Operation is only
possible using the switches in the driver's
door. If the indicator lamp is off, operation
is possible using the switches in the rear
compartment. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 61)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 62)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST (adaptive
Brake Assist and distance warning func-
tion) (Y page 62)
R Adaptive brake lamps (Y page 64)R
ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 65)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 68)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 69)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 69) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor over-
ride the laws of physics. Driving safety sys-
tems are merely aids designed to assist driv- ing. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed and forbraking in good time. Always adapt your driv- ing style to suit the prevailing road, weather
and traffic conditions and maintain a safe dis-
tance from the vehicle in front. Drive care-
fully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tyres and
the road surface. Pay particular attention to the information regarding tyres, recom-
mended minimum tyre tread depths etc. inthe "Wheels and tyres" section
(Y page 318).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 61). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition- Driving safety systems
61Safety
Z

ally, further driving safety systems are deac-
tivated. There is an increased danger of skid- ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
If ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 258) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 230).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road-surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently.
The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched on. It goes out when the engine is running.
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit- uation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions, and func-
tions as a reminder to take extra care while
driving. BAS (Brake Assist)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
General notes COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST consists of
the adaptive Brake Assist and the distance
warning signal, which are described in the
following.
Distance warning function Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 61). G
WARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
Thus, the distance warning function cannot
provide a warning in all critical situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations. 62
Driving safety systemsSafety

In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation; do not rely on the distance warning
function alone.
Function X To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate the distance warning function in the
on-board computer (Y page 218).
Vehicles with a black and white multi-
function display: when the distance warning
function is activated, the Äsymbol
appears in the status overview in the multi-
function display.
Vehicles with a colour multifunction dis-
play: when the distance warning function is
deactivated, the æsymbol appears in the
assistance graphics in the multifunction dis-
play.
The distance warning function can help you to
minimise the risk of a front-end collision with a vehicle ahead or reduce the effects of such
a collision. If the distance warning function
detects that there is a risk of a collision, you
will be warned visually and acoustically. With- out your intervention, the distance warning
function cannot prevent a collision.
The distance warning function issues a warn- ing at speeds:
R of around 30 km/h or more, if, over several
seconds, the distance maintained to the
vehicle travelling in front is insufficient. The · distance warning lamp then lights up
in the instrument cluster.
R of around 7 km/h or higher, if you very
quickly approach a vehicle in front. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound,
and the ·distance warning lamp will
light up in the instrument cluster. X
Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving condi-
tions may also cause the system to display a
warning.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the distance warning function can detect obsta-
cles that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
Up to a speed of around 70 km/h, the dis-
tance warning function can also react to sta-
tionary obstacles, such as stopped or parked vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and the distance
warning function detects a risk of a collision,
the system will alert you both visually and
acoustically.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line
Following damage to the front end of the vehi- cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
Adaptive Brake Assist i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 61). Driving safety systems
63Safety Z

G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions. In these cases, Adaptive Brake Assist
may not intervene. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R to stationary obstacles
R when cornering
As a result, Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
Adaptive Brake Assist aids you in braking dur-
ing hazardous situations at speeds above
30 km/h and uses the radar sensor system to evaluate the traffic situation.
With the help of a sensor system, adaptive
Brake Assist can detect obstacles that are in the path of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
Should you approach an obstacle and adap-
tive Brake Assist has detected a risk of colli-
sion, adaptive Brake Assist calculates the
braking force necessary to avoid a collision.
Should you apply the brakes forcefully, adap- tive Brake Assist will automatically increase
the braking force to a level suitable for the
traffic conditions.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking. The brakes will work normally again if:
R you release the brake pedal
R there is no longer any danger of a collision
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Vehicles with PRE-SAFE ®
:if adaptive Brake
Assist requires particularly high brake pres-
sure, preventative passenger protection
measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are deployed simul-
taneously.
Up to vehicle speeds of around 250 km/h,
adaptive Brake Assist is capable of reacting to
moving objects that have already been rec-
ognised as such at least once over the period of observation. Adaptive Brake Assist does
not react to stationary obstacles.
If adaptive Brake Assist is not available due to a malfunction in the radar sensor system, thebrake system remains available with full
brake boosting effect and BAS.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else cover-
ing the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example, in multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line
Following damage to the front end of the vehi- cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle. Adaptive brake lamps
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS 64
Driving safety systemsSafety

or adaptive Brake Assist, the brake lamps
flash rapidly. In this way, traffic travelling
behind you is warned in an even more notice-
able manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/ht o a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning switch button (Y page 108).
i Adaptive brake lamps are only available in
certain countries. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tyres
and the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP ®
assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
ETS/4ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
.
ETS brakes the drive wheels individually if
they spin. This enables you to pull away and
accelerate on slippery surfaces, for example
if the road surface is slippery on one side. In
addition, more drive torque is transferred to
the wheel or wheels with traction. ETS remains active when you deactivate
ESP
®
.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! When testing the electric parking brake
on a braking dynamometer, switch off the
ignition. Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may otherwise destroy the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: switch off the igni-
tion when the electric parking brake is
being tested using a dynamometer.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or per-
formance tests may only be carried out on
a 2-axle dynamometer. Before operating
the vehicle on such a dynamometer, please
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
! Do not tow vehicles with 4MATIC with the
front or rear axle raised.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with the front axle raised, it is impor-
tant that you observe the notes on
ESP ®
(Y page 312).
Vehicles with 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with both axles on the ground, it is
important that you observe the notes on
ESP ®
(Y page 312).
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åESP®
OFF
warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up continuously when the engine is running. Driving safety systems
65Safety Z

If the
÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the å
ESP ®
OFF warning lamp are lit continuously,
ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 260) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 230).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ®General notes
If the
÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving. When pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when
the engine is switched on again.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving. When pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when
the engine is switched on again. Deactivating/activating ESP
®
(AMG
vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R SPORT handling mode is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is a greater risk of skidding and acci-
dents.
Only activate SPORT handling mode in the sit- uations described in the following. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
In the following situations, it may be better to activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP ®
:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
R on specially designated roads when the
vehicle's own oversteering and understeer-
ing characteristics are desired
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP ®
requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety

Deactivating/activating ESP
®X
To activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up. The
SPORT handling mode
SPORT handling mode message appears
in the multifunction display.
X To deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out.
X To deactivate ESP ®
:press button :until
the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
The ÷OFF OFFmessage appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷
ESP ®
ON
ON message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
Characteristics of activated SPORT han-
dling mode
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a
limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R traction control is still activated. R
engine torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels are able to
spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur- faces.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-faces.
R traction control is still activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; nor is it
activated if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
.
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no lon-
ger available; nor is it activated if you brake
firmly with assistance from ESP ®
.
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no lon-
ger available; nor is it activated if you brake
firmly with assistance from ESP ®
.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
You can select between the following states
of ESP
®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. Driving safety syste
ms
67Safety Z