brake sensor MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2015 User Guide

Vehicles with Adaptive Highbeam Assist:
when Adaptive Highbeam Assist is active, it
controls activation and deactivation of the
main-beam headlamps (Y page 123).
Headlamp flasher X
To switch on: turn the key in the ignition
lock to position 1or 2, or start the engine.
X Pull the combination switch in the direction
of arrow =. Hazard warning lamps
X
To switch on the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on a turn signal using the combination switch,
only the turn signal lamp on the corre-
sponding side of the vehicle will flash.
X To switch off the hazard warning lamps:
press button :.
The hazard warning lamps switch on auto-
matically if:
R an airbag is deployed or
R the vehicle decelerates rapidly from a
speed of above 70 km/h and comes to a
standstill
The hazard warning lamps switch off auto-
matically if the vehicle reaches a speed of
above 10 km/h again after a full brake appli- cation.
The hazard warning lamps continue to oper-
ate even if the ignition is switched off. Adaptive Highbeam Assist
General notes You can use this function to set the head-
lamps to change between dipped beam and
main beam automatically. The system recog-
nises vehicles with their lights on, either
approaching from the opposite direction or
travelling in front of your vehicle, and conse-
quently switches the headlamps from main
beam to dipped beam.
The system automatically adapts the dipped- beam headlamp range depending on the dis-
tance to the other vehicle. Once the system
no longer detects any other vehicles, it
switches on the main-beam headlamps again.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windscreen near the overhead control
panel. Exterior lighting
123Lights and windscreen wipers Z

Bulb holder
A
Reversing light
B Turn signals
C Rear foglamp
X Brake and rear foglamps: press the rele-
vant bulb gently into the bulb holder, turn it
anti-clockwise and remove it from the bulb holder.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder and
turn it clockwise.
X Turn signal: press the bulb gently into the
bulb holder, turn it anti-clockwise and
remove it from the bulb holder.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder and
turn it clockwise.
X Secure the bulb holder to attachment =on
the tail lamp and tighten nuts ?.X
Insert the tail lamp into the vehicle and
make sure that it sits correctly in guides D.
X Tighten wing nut :and re-establish con-
tact with connector ;.
X Close the side trim panel (Y page 128). Windscreen wipers
Switching the windscreen wipers on/
off
! Do not operate the windscreen wipers
when the windscreen is dry, as this could
damage the wiper blades. Moreover, dust
that has collected on the windscreen can
scratch the glass if wiping takes place when the windscreen is dry.
If it is necessary to switch on the wind-
screen wipers in dry weather conditions,
always operate them using washer fluid.
! If the windscreen wipers leave smears on
the windscreen after the vehicle has been
washed in an automatic car wash, this may
be due to wax or other residue. Clean the
windscreen with washer fluid after an auto- matic car wash. Combination switch
1
$ Windscreen wipers off
2 Ä Intermittent wipe, low (rain sensor
set to low sensitivity)
3 Å Intermittent wipe, high (rain sensor
set to high sensitivity)
4 ° Continuous wipe, slow
5 ¯ Continuous wipe, fast
B í Single wipe/î wipes the wind-
screen using washer fluid
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X Turn the combination switch to the corre-
sponding position. Windscreen wipers
129Lights and windscreen wipers Z

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos- sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 24). Running-in notes
Important safety notes
In certain driving and driving safety systems,
the sensors adjust automatically while a cer-
tain distance is being driven after the vehicle has been delivered or after repairs. Full sys-
tem effectiveness is not reached until the end
of this teach-in process.
Brake pads/linings and discs that are either
new or have been replaced only achieve opti- mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Compensate for the
reduced braking effect by applying greater
force to the brake pedal. The first 1500 km
If you treat the engine with sufficient care
from the very start, you will be rewarded with excellent performance for the remainder of
the engine's life.
R Drive at varying vehicle speeds and engine
speeds for the first 1500 km.
R Avoid overstraining the vehicle during this
period, e.g. driving at full throttle.
R Change gear in good time, before the rev
counter needle is Ôof the way to the red
area of the rev counter. R
Do not shift down a gear manually in order
to brake.
R Vehicles with automatic transmission:
try to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the point of resistance (kick- down).
After 1500 km, you may gradually bring the
vehicle up to full road and engine speeds.
Additional notes on running in Mercedes-
AMG vehicles:
R for the first 1,500 km do not drive at speeds
above 140 km/h.
R only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
You should also observe these notes on run-
ning-in if the engine or parts of the drive train on your vehicle have been replaced.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell may restrict
the clearance around the pedals or block a
depressed pedal. This jeopardises the oper-
ating and road safety of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Stow all objects securely in the vehicle so that
they do not get into the driver's footwell.
Always fit the floormats securely and as pre-
scribed in order to ensure that there is always sufficient room for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats and do not place several floor-mats on top of one another. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers 156
DrivingDriving and parking

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

Also select the
Comfortdrive program when
driving fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches of motorway.
X Press DYNAMIC SELECT button :
(Y page 166) repeatedly until the Comfort
drive program is selected.
Selecting Sport mode The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
the Sport drive program ensures even better
contact with the road. Select this drive pro-
gram when employing a sporty driving style,
e.g. on winding country roads.
X Press DYNAMIC SELECT button :
(Y page 166) repeatedly until the Sport
drive program is selected. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area
around your vehicle using six sensors in the
front bumper and six sensors in the rear
bumper. PARKTRONIC indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
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.
PARKTRONIC 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
or a pneumatic drill, could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
! Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC meas-
ures the minimum detection range to an
obstacle from the bumper, not the ball cou-
pling.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift to position D,Ror Non vehicles with
automatic transmission
R release the electric parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
18 km/h. It is reactivated at lower speeds.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer.
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take into account
obstacles located:
R below the detection range, e.g. persons,
animals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g. overhang-
ing loads, tail sections or loading ramps of
goods vehicles Driving systems
209Driving 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

Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions J
Check brake fluid Check brake fluid
level level There is insufficient brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir.
In addition, the red Jwarning lamp lights up in the instrument
cluster and a warning tone sounds.
G WARNING
Braking efficiency may be impaired.
There is a risk of an accident. X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions. Do not continue driving
under any circumstances.
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 184).
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
X Do not top up the brake fluid. This does not correct the fault. #
Check brake pad Check brake pad
wear wear The brake pads/linings have reached their wear limit.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. G
Inoperative
Inoperative One or more main features of the Mercedes-Benz Contact system
are malfunctioning.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Collision Preven‐
Collision Preven‐
tion Assist Plus tion Assist Plus
currently unavail‐ currently unavail‐
able See Owner's able See Owner's
Manual Manual COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is temporarily inoperative.
Possible causes:
R the radar sensor system is temporarily inoperative, e.g. due to
electromagnetic radiation emitted by nearby TV or radio sta-
tions or other sources of electromagnetic radiation
R the system is outside the operating temperature range
R the on-board voltage is too low.
Once the causes listed above no longer apply, the display message goes out.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is operational again.
If the display message does not disappear:
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 184).
X Restart the engine. Collision Preven‐ Collision Preven‐
tion Assist Plus tion Assist Plus
inoperative inoperative COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is temporarily inoperative
due to a malfunction. Adaptive Brake Assist may also have failed.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop immediately. Display
messages
265On-board computer/Displays Z

Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions DISTRONIC
DISTRONIC
PLUS
PLUScur‐
cur‐
rently
rently unavailable
unavailable
See Owner's Manual
See Owner's Manual DISTRONIC PLUS is temporarily inoperative.
Possible causes:
R the radar sensor system is temporarily inoperative, e.g. due to
electromagnetic radiation emitted by nearby TV or radio sta-
tions or other sources of electromagnetic radiation
R the system is outside the operating temperature range
R the on-board voltage is too low.
A warning tone also sounds.
Once the causes listed above no longer apply, the display message goes out.
DISTRONIC PLUS is operational again.
If the display message does not disappear:
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 184).
X Restart the engine. DISTRONIC PLUS DISTRONIC PLUS
inoperative inoperative DISTRONIC PLUS is faulty. Adaptive Brake Assist may also have
failed.
A warning tone also sounds.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. DISTRONIC DISTRONIC
PLUS
PLUSsus‐
sus‐
pended
pended You have depressed the accelerator pedal. DISTRONIC PLUS is no
longer controlling the speed of the vehicle.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal. DISTRONIC PLUS
DISTRONIC PLUS
- - - km/h - - - km/h An activation condition for DISTRONIC PLUS is not fulfilled.
X Check the activation conditions for DISTRONIC PLUS
(Y page 196). DISTRONIC
DISTRONIC
PLUS
PLUSand
and
SPEEDTRONIC inop‐
SPEEDTRONIC inop‐
erative erative DISTRONIC PLUS and SPEEDTRONIC are faulty. A warning tone
also sounds.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Cruise Cruise
control
control and
and
SPEEDTRONIC inop‐
SPEEDTRONIC inop‐
erative erative SPEEDTRONIC and cruise control are malfunctioning.
A warning tone also sounds.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Display
messages
281On-board computer/Displays Z

Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Tyre press. moni‐
Tyre press. moni‐
tor currently tor currently
unavailable unavailable No signals can be received from the tyre pressure sensors due to
strong RF interference. The tyre pressure monitor is temporarily
malfunctioning.
X Drive on.
The tyre pressure monitor restarts automatically as soon as the
cause has been rectified. Wheel sensor(s) Wheel sensor(s)
missing missing There is no signal from the tyre pressure sensor of one or several
wheels. The pressure of the affected tyre is not displayed in the
multifunction display.
X Have the faulty tyre pressure sensor replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Tyre press. moni‐ Tyre press. moni‐
tor tor
inoperative
inoperative No
No
wheel sensors
wheel sensors The wheels fitted do not have suitable tyre pressure sensors. The
tyre pressure monitor is deactivated.
X Fit wheels with suitable tyre pressure sensors.
The tyre pressure monitor is activated automatically after driv-
ing for a few minutes. Tyre press. moni‐ Tyre press. moni‐
tor inoperative tor inoperative The tyre pressure monitor is faulty.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Vehicle
Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Depress brake to
Depress brake to
start engine start engine You have attempted to start the engine with the transmission in
position
Nwithout depressing the brake pedal.
X Depress the brake pedal. To shift out of P To shift out of P
or N, depress or N, depress
brake and start brake and start
engine engine You have attempted to shift the transmission to position
Ror D
without starting the engine.
X Start the engine.
X Depress the brake pedal.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission from position
Pto
the desired position if you depress the brake pedal. Only then
can the parking lock be deactivated. If you do not depress the
brake pedal, the DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but the parking lock remains engaged.
i At transmission fluid temperatures below
Ò20 † you can only
shift out of position Pinto another transmission position when
the engine is running. Display
messages
285On-board computer/Displays Z