warning MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2015 Owners Manual

lever up
:to the pressure point for a
higher speed or down ?for a lower speed.
or X Keep the cruise control lever pressed to the
pressure point until the desired speed is
set. Press the cruise control lever up :for
a higher speed or down ?for a lower
speed.
Switching SPEEDTRONIC to passive
If you depress the accelerator pedal beyond
the pressure point (kickdown), SPEED-
TRONIC is switched to passive mode. The fol-
lowing message appears in the multifunction
display: SPEEDTRONIC passive
SPEEDTRONIC passive.
You can then exceed the stored speed.
SPEEDTRONIC is activated again if you:
R drive slower than the stored speed without
kickdown
R set a new speed or
R call up the last speed stored again
The SPEEDTRONIC passive SPEEDTRONIC passive message in the
multifunction display disappears.
Deactivating variable SPEEDTRONIC
It is not possible to deactivate variable
SPEEDTRONIC by braking.
There are several ways to deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards B.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Variable SPEEDTRONIC is
deactivated.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is selec-
ted.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
SPEEDTRONIC switches off if you shift to a
higher gear and as a result, the engine speed
is too low.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. Permanent SPEEDTRONIC You can use the on-board computer to limit
the speed permanently to a value between
160 km/h(e.g. for driving on winter tyres) and
the maximum speed (Y page 251).
Shortly before the stored speed is reached, it appears in the multifunction display.
Permanent SPEEDTRONIC remains active
even if variable SPEEDTRONIC is deactivated.
You cannot exceed the stored limit speed
even if you depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown). DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. Vehi-
cles are detected with the aid of the radar
sensor system. DISTRONIC PLUS brakes
automatically to avoid exceeding the set
speed or to maintain the designated distance from the vehicle in front.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. Take particular note of this when driving a laden vehicle. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine. This relieves the load on
the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. Without your intervention,
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot prevent a collision.
An intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the distance warning lamp will light up in
the instrument cluster. Brake immediately to
increase the distance to the vehicle driving in front, or take evasive action, provided it is
safe to do so.
DISTRONIC PLUS operates in the range
between 0 km/h and 200 km/h.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients. 196
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to:
R people or animals
R stationary obstacles on the road, e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles
R oncoming and crossing traffic
As a result, DISTRONIC PLUS may neither give
warnings nor intervene in such situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly rec-
ognise other road users and complex traffic
conditions.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
R accelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be prepared to
brake, particularly if DISTRONIC PLUS warns
you. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up to 50 %of the maximum possible deceleration.
If this deceleration is not sufficient,
DISTRONIC PLUS alerts you with a visual and
acoustic warning. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Apply the brakes yourself in these situations
and try to take evasive action.
! When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD
function is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk
of an accident nor override the laws of phys-
ics. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take road and
weather conditions or traffic conditions into
account. DISTRONIC PLUS 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 lane.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or
accelerating can cause the drive wheels to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
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 the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example, in multi-storey car parks
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi- cle in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate tothe speed stored.
This speed can:
R be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high in the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the left
R be so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the right Driving systems
197Driving and parking Z

message appears in the multifunction dis-
play. The set distance to a slower-moving
vehicle in front will then not be maintained. The position of the accelerator pedal will
determine the speed.
You can also activate DISTRONIC PLUS when
stationary. The lowest speed that can be set is
30 km/h.
Driving with DISTRONIC PLUS Pulling away and driving
The vehicle can also pull away when it is
facing an unidentified obstacle or is driving on
a different line from another vehicle. The vehi-
cle then brakes automatically. Be ready to
brake at all times.
DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated when you
depress the brake, except when the vehicle is
stationary.
X If you want to pull away with
DISTRONIC PLUS: remove your foot from
the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
If no vehicle is detected in front, your vehi-
cle accelerates to the set speed.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in front has slowed down, it brakes your vehicle.
In this way, the distance you have selected is maintained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed.
The vehicle is only accelerated up to the
speed you have stored. Selecting the drive program
DISTRONIC PLUS supports a sporty driving
style when you select the S+drive program
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles only), S
(Y page 175) or the manual drive program
(Y page 177). Acceleration behind the vehicle
in front or to the set speed is then noticeably
more dynamic. If you have selected the E(C in
Mercedes-AMG vehicles:) drive program, the
vehicle accelerates more gently. This setting
is recommended in stop-start traffic.
Changing lanes
If you change to the overtaking lane,
DISTRONIC PLUS supports you if:
R you are driving faster than 70 km/h
R DISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the dis-
tance to a vehicle in front
R you switch on the respective turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision
If these conditions are met, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted
if changing lanes takes too long or if the dis-
tance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front becomes too small.
Stopping G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident. Driving systems
199Driving and parking
Z

R
the vehicle is skidding
R you activate Active Parking Assist
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS off
DISTRONIC PLUS off message in the multi-
function display for approximately five sec-
onds.
DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the instru-
ment cluster Displays in the speedometer
Example: DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the speed-
ometer
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated and there
are no vehicles detected in front, one or two
segments ;in the set speed range light up.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front, segments ;between speed of the vehicle in
front =and stored speed :light up.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from the speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS.
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is deacti-
vated
In the Assistance menu (Y page 247) of the
on-board computer, you can select the assis- tance graphic. Assistance graphic
: Vehicle in front, if detected
; Distance indicator: current distance to
the vehicle in front
= Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
? Own vehicle
X Select the Assistance graphic
Assistance graphic function
using the on-board computer
(Y page 248).
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is activa-
ted
You will initially see the stored speed for
about five seconds when you activate
DISTRONIC PLUS. Assistance graphic
: Vehicle in front, if detected
; Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
= Own vehicle
? DISTRONIC PLUS active (text only
appears when the cruise control lever is
actuated) 202
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

detected vehicle turns a corner and reveals
an obstacle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC PLUS will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS may detect vehicles that
are crossing your lane by mistake. Activating DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with cross-
ing traffic, for example, could cause your vehi-
cle to pull away unintentionally. HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when manoeuvring on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is cancelled and the HOLD function is deactivated when you depress theaccelerator pedal to pull away. Important safety notes G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator pedal being depressed, e.g. by
a vehicle occupant
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
! When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD
function is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function
(Y page 205).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R the driver's door is closed or if your seat
belt is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated
R the transmission is in position D,Ror Non
vehicles with automatic transmission 204
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Activating the HOLD function
X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until :appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
R you accelerate. On vehicles with automatic
transmission: only when the transmission
is in position Dor R.
R the transmission is in position Pon vehicles
with automatic transmission.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until :disap-
pears from the multifunction display.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
i After a short period, the vehicle is secured
by the electric parking brake, thus relieving the service brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission When the HOLD function is activated, the
transmission is shifted automatically to posi-
tion Pif:
R the driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle automatically if the HOLD function is activa-
ted, the vehicle is stationary and:
R a system fault occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
Vehicles with manual transmission The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activa-
ted and:
R the driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R a system fault occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
The Brake immediately Brake immediately message may also
appear in the multifunction display.
X Immediately depress the brake pedal firmly
until the warning message in the multifunc- tion display goes out.
The HOLD function is deactivated.
A horn will sound at regular intervals if you
turn off the engine, take off your seat belt or
open the driver's door when the HOLD func-
tion is activated. The horn alerts you to the
fact that the HOLD function is still activated.
If you attempt to lock the vehicle, the tone
becomes louder. The vehicle cannot be
locked until you have deactivated the HOLD
function.
i Once you have switched off the engine,
you cannot restart it until you have deacti-
vated the HOLD function. Driving systems
205Driving and parking Z

Start-off assist (except Mercedes-
AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you use start-off assist, individual wheels
may start to spin and the vehicle may skid. If
ESP ®
is deactivated, there is a greater danger
of skidding and having an accident. Make sure that no persons or obstacles are in the area
around the vehicle.
Start-off assist enables optimum acceleration
from a standstill. For this, a suitably high-grip road surface is required, along with the tyresand vehicle being in good condition.
Do not activate start-off assist on public
roads.
Observe the safety notes on driving safety
systems (Y page 69).
Be sure to read the safety notes and informa-
tion on ESP ®
(Y page 73).
Activating start-off assist X
Deactivate ESP ®
(Y page 248).
X Turn the steering wheel to the straight-
ahead position.
X Depress the brake pedal firmly with your
left foot and keep the brake pedal
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Use the DYNAMIC SELECT button to select
the Sdrive program (Y page 166).
X Quickly depress the accelerator pedal fully.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum accel-
eration.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the acceleration
process has ended. ESP ®
will otherwise not
be able to stabilise the vehicle if the vehicle
starts to skid or a wheel starts to spin. Cancelling start-off assist
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
X Reactivate ESP. RACE START (AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes i
RACE START must not be used on normal
roads. RACE START must only be activated and used on dedicated road circuits, out-
side of public road use.
i RACE START is only available in
Mercedes‑AMG vehicles. G
WARNING
If you use RACE START, individual tyres may
get into a spin and the vehicle could skid.
Depending on the selected ESP ®
mode, there
is an increased risk of skidding and having an accident. Make sure that no persons, animals
or obstacles are within range of the vehicle.
RACE START enables optimum acceleration
from a standing start. For this, a suitably high-
grip road surface is required, along with the
tyres and vehicle being in good condition.
i Observe the safety notes on driving safety
systems (Y page 69).
Be sure to read the safety notes and infor-
mation on ESP ®
(Y page 73).
Activation conditions You can activate RACE START if:
R the doors, the bonnet and the boot lid are
closed
R the engine is running and the transmission,
traction control and engine are at operating temperature
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake
pedal is depressed (left foot) 206
Driving systemsDriving and parking

:
Example: sensors in the front bumper,
left-hand side
The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and
slush. Otherwise, they may not function cor-
rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y page 332).
Range Front sensors
Centre Approx. 100 cm
Corners Approx. 60 cm Rear sensors
Centre Approx. 120 cm
Corners Approx. 80 cm
Minimum distance
Centre Approx. 20 cm
Corners Approx. 20 cm
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a warn- ing tone sounds. If the distance falls below
the minimum, the distance may no longer be
shown.
Warning displays :
Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
; Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
= Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located
on the dashboard above the centre air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is loca-
ted on the roof lining in the rear compart-
ment.
The warning display for each side of the vehi- cle is divided into five yellow and two red seg-ments. PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow
segments showing operational readiness =
light up. 210
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

The gear lever position or the transmission
position of the automatic transmission and
the direction in which the vehicle is rolling
determine which warning display is active
when the engine is running.
Manual transmission: Gear lever posi-
tion Warning display
Forward gear
or
Neutral
Front area activated
Reverse gear
or
the vehicle is rolling backwards Rear and front areas
activated
Automatic transmission:
Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R,
Nor the vehicle
is rolling back-
wards Rear and front areas
activated
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for approx-
imately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two sec-
onds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance. Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC :
Indicator lamp
; To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp :lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock. Driving systems
211Driving and parking Z

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated and the
indicator lamp on the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has been deactivated.
X If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 332).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Active Parking Assist
General notes Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. It measures the road on
both sides of the vehicle. A parking symbol
indicates a suitable parking space. Active
steering intervention and brake application
can assist you during parking and when exit-
ing a parking space. You may also use
PARKTRONIC (Y page 209).
i The active braking application is only
available on vehicles with automatic trans-
mission.
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is only an aid. It is not a
substitute for your attention to the immediate
surroundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you. Make sure that no persons, animals or
objects are in the manoeuvring range.
When PARKTRONIC is deactivated, Active
Parking Assist is also unavailable. G
WARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
cause you to collide with other road users.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Park- ing Assist parking procedure.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as kerbs slowly and not at a
sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tyres. 212
Driving systemsDriving and parking