ESP MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2015 Owner's Manual

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.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing
away your vehicle with the front axle raised,
please observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 352).
If the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
continuously, ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the å
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 297) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 258).
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.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
Mercedes‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
You can select between the following sta-
tuses of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated 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.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
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.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the
on-board computer (Y page 248).
ESP ®
deactivated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
ESP ®
activated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. 74
Driving safety systemsSafety

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 flashes. In such situa-
tions, 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 COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no lon-
ger available; nor is it activated if you brake
firmly with assistance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; it is also
not activated if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(Mercedes ‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 69).
You can select between the following sta-
tuses of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated
R SPORT handling mode is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated
ESP ®
is activated every time the engine is
switched on, regardless of whether ESP ®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched
off. 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.
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 Driving safety systems
75Safety Z

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 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 ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly
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 COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no lon-
ger available; nor is it activated if you brake
firmly with assistance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; it is also
not activated if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation General notes
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, ESP
®
assists you in this situation. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and limit-
ing the engine output until the vehicle/trailer combination has stabilised.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high centre of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, you can only stabilise the vehicle/
trailer combination by depressing the brake
firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation is active above
speeds of approximately 65 km/h. 76
Driving safety systemsSafety

ESP
®
trailer stabilisation does not work if
ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a
malfunction. EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General notes EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 69). G
WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 295) as well as dis-
play messages (Y page 260). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In addi- tion to the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE
also has the HOLD function (Y page 204)and
hill start assist (Y page 161). STEER CONTROL
General notes STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering
wheel in the direction required for vehicle
stabilisation. This steering support is provided in particular
if:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake
R the vehicle starts to skid
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 69).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if:
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning
R the steering is faulty
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will be assisted
further by the electrical power steering. Protection against theft
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
X To activate with the key: remove the key
from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO start func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: switch the ignition
off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone can
start the engine if a valid key has been left
inside the vehicle.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated
when you start the engine. Protection against theft
77Safety Z

opened from the inside. Switch off the alarm
(Y page 78). G
WARNING
If persons (particularly children) are exposed
to heat or cold for a prolonged period, there is a risk of serious or even fatal injuries. Never
leave persons (particularly children) unatten-
ded in the vehicle. Key functions
:
& Locks the vehicle
; % Unlocks the vehicle
X To unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton.
If you do not open the vehicle within
approximately 40 seconds of unlocking:
R the vehicle locks again
R protection against theft is reactivated
X To lock: press the &button.
The key centrally locks/unlocks: R the doors
R the tailgate
R the fuel filler flap
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
When the locator lighting is activated in Audio
20/COMAND Online, it lights up when it is
dark after the vehicle is unlocked with the
remote control (see separate operating
instructions). You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audiblesignal can be activated or deactivated using
the on-board computer (Y page 252). KEYLESS-GO
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a key
in the vehicle.
Locking and unlocking You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you need to carry
the key with you. You can combine the KEY-
LESS-GO functions with the functions of a
conventional key. Unlock the vehicle by using
KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it using
the & button on the key.
The driver's door and the door at which the
handle is used must both be closed. The key
must be outside the vehicle. When locking or unlocking with KEYLESS-GO, the distance
between the key and the corresponding door
handle must not be greater than 1 m.
A check which periodically establishes a radio connection between the vehicle and the key
determines whether a valid key is in the vehi-
cle. This occurs, for example:
R when starting the engine
R whilst driving
R when the external door handles are
touched
R during convenience closing Key
83Opening and closing Z

H
Environmental note Batteries contain pollutants.
It is illegal to dispose of them with the household rubbish.
They must be collected sep-
arately and disposed of in anenvironmentally responsible
recycling system. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used batter-
ies.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the battery replaced at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Checking the battery X
Press the &or% button.
The battery is working properly if battery
check lamp :lights up briefly.
The battery is discharged if battery check
lamp :does not light up briefly.
X Replace the battery (Y page 86).
i If the key battery is checked within the
signal reception range of the vehicle, press- ing the &or% button:
R locks or
R unlocks the vehicle
i You can obtain a battery from any quali-
fied specialist workshop. Replacing the battery You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
X Take the emergency key element out of the
key (Y page 85). X
Press emergency key element ;into the
opening in the key in the direction of the
arrow until battery tray cover :opens.
When doing so, do not hold cover :shut.
X Remove battery tray cover :. X
Repeatedly tap the key against your palm
until battery =falls out.
X Insert the new battery with the positive ter-
minal facing upwards. Use a lint-free cloth
to do so.
X Make sure that the surface of the battery is
free of lint, grease and other contamina-
tion.
X Insert the front tabs of battery tray cover :
and then press to close it.
X Insert emergency key element into the key
(Y page 85).
X Check the function of all key buttons on the
vehicle. 86
KeyOpening and closing

On right-hand-drive vehicles, turn the
emergency key element clockwise.
The door is unlocked.
X Turn the emergency key element back and
remove it.
X Insert the emergency key element into the
key (Y page 85). Locking the vehicle (emergency key
element)
If the vehicle can no longer be locked with the key or KEYLESS-GO, use the emergency key
element.
X Open the driver's door.
X Close the front-passenger door, the rear
doors and the tailgate.
X Press the locking button on the driver’s
door (Y page 90).
X Check whether the locking knobs on the
front-passenger door and the rear doors
are still visible. Press the locking knobs
down by hand if necessary.
X Close the driver's door.
X Take the emergency key element out of the
key (Y page 85).
X Insert the emergency key element into the
lock of the driver's door as far as it will go. X
Turn the emergency key element clockwise
as far as it will go to position 1.On right-hand-drive vehicles, turn the
emergency key element anti-clockwise.
X Turn the emergency key element back and
remove it.
X Make sure that the doors and the tailgate
are locked.
X Insert the emergency key element into the
key (Y page 85).
i If you lock the vehicle as described above,
the fuel filler flap is not locked. The anti-
theft alarm system is not primed. Luggage compartment
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the tailgate is open when the engine is running, particu-
larly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust fumes
could enter the passenger compartment.
There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the tail-
gate. Never drive with the tailgate open. G
WARNING
If objects, luggage or loads are not secured or not secured sufficiently, they could slip, tip
over or be flung around and thereby hit vehicle
occupants. There is a risk of injury, especially when braking or abruptly changing directions.
Always store objects so that they cannot be
flung around. Secure objects, luggage or
loads against slipping or tipping before the
journey.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened. Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and behind the tailgate.
The opening dimensions of the tailgate can be
found in the "Vehicle data" section
(Y page 404). 92
Luggage compartmentOpening and closing

Side windows
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
While opening the side windows, body parts
could become trapped between the side win- dow and the door frame as the side window
moves. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody touches the side win-
dow during the opening procedure. If some-
body becomes trapped, release the switch or pull the switch to close the side window again. G
WARNING
While closing the side windows, body parts in the closing area could become trapped. There is a risk of injury.
When closing make sure that no parts of the
body are in the closing area. If somebody
becomes trapped, release the switch or press
the switch to open the side window again. G
WARNING
If children operate the side windows they
could become trapped, particularly if they are left unsupervised. There is a risk of injury.
Activate the override feature for the rear side
windows. When leaving the vehicle, always
take the key with you and lock the vehicle.
Never leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle. Side window reversing feature
The side windows are equipped with an auto-
matic reversing feature. If a solid object
blocks or restricts a side window from trav-
elling upwards during the automatic closing
process, the side window opens again auto-
matically. During the manual closing process, the side window only opens again automati-
cally after the corresponding switch is
released. The automatic reversing feature is
only an aid and is no substitute for your atten-
tion when closing a side window. G
WARNING
The reversing function does not react:
R to soft, light and thin objects, e.g. small fin-
gers
R while resetting
This means that the reversing feature cannot
prevent someone being trapped in these sit-
uations. There is a risk of injury.
When closing, make sure that no parts of the
body are in the closing area. If someone
becomes trapped, press the switch to open
the side window again. Opening and closing the side win-
dows
The switches for all side windows are located
on the driver's door. There is also a switch on
each door for the corresponding side window.
The switches on the driver's door take prec-
edence. :
Front left
; Front right
= Rear right
? Rear left
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X To open manually: press and hold the cor-
responding button.
X To open fully: press the button beyond the
point of resistance and release it.
Automatic operation is started. 94
Side windowsOpening and closing

X
To close manually: pull the corresponding
button and hold it.
X To close fully: pull the button beyond the
point of resistance and release it.
Automatic operation is started.
X To interrupt automatic operation:
press/pull the corresponding switch again.
i If you press/pull the switch beyond the
point of resistance, automatic operation is
started in the corresponding direction. You
can stop automatic operation by pressing/ pulling again.
i You can continue to operate the side win-
dows after switching off the engine or
removing the key. This function remains
active for five minutes or until the driver's
or front-passenger door is opened.
i The side windows cannot be operated
from the rear when the override feature for
the side windows is activated (Y page 68).Convenience opening feature
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, the KEYLESS-
GO start function, Exclusive Package or
AMG Exclusive Package: you can ventilate
the vehicle before you start driving.
The key can also be used to carry out the fol- lowing functions simultaneously:
R unlock the vehicle
R open the side windows
R open the panorama sliding sunroof and the
roller sunblind
The convenience opening feature can only be
operated using the key.
The "convenience opening" feature is also
available when the vehicle is unlocked.
X Vehicles with Exclusive Package or
AMG Exclusive Package but without
KEYLESS-GO and the KEYLESS-GO start
function: for the following operations,
point the tip of the key at the door handle on the driver's door. The key must be close
to the driver's door handle.
i Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or the KEY-
LESS-GO start function: the key must be
in close proximity to the vehicle.
X Press and hold the %button until the
side windows and the panorama sunroof
are in the desired position.
If the roller sunblind of the panorama slid-
ing sunroof is closed, the roller sunblind is
opened first.
X Press and hold the %button once more
until the panorama sliding sunroof reaches the desired position.
X To interrupt convenience opening:
release the %button. Convenience closing feature
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When the convenience closing feature is oper- ating, parts of the body could become trapped
in the closing area of the side window and the
sliding sunroof. There is a risk of injury.
Observe the complete closing procedure
when the convenience closing feature is oper-
ating. When closing make sure that no parts of the body are in the closing area.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, the KEYLESS-
GO start function, Exclusive Package or
AMG Exclusive Package: at the same time
you can:
R lock the vehicle
R close the side windows
R close the panorama sliding sunroof
On vehicles with a panorama sliding sunroof, you can then close the roller sunblind. Side windows
95Opening and closing Z

i
Notes on the automatic reversing feature
for:
R the side windows (Y page 94)
R the panorama sliding sunroof
(Y page 99)
R the roller sunblind (Y page 101)
Using the key X
Vehicles with Exclusive Package or
AMG Exclusive Package but without
KEYLESS-GO and the KEYLESS-GO start
function: for the following operations,
point the tip of the key at the door handle
on the driver's door. The key must be close
to the driver's door handle.
i Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or the KEY-
LESS-GO start function: the key must be
in close proximity to the vehicle.
X Press and hold the &button until the
side windows and the panorama sliding
sunroof are fully closed.
X Make sure that all the side windows and the
panorama sliding sunroof are closed.
On vehicles with a panorama sliding sunroof: X Press and hold the &button again until
the roller sunblind of the panorama sliding
sunroof closes.
X To interrupt convenience closing:
release the &button.
Using KEYLESS-GO The driver's door and the door at which the
handle is used must both be closed. The key
must be outside the vehicle. The gap between
the key and the corresponding door handle
should not be greater than 1 m. X
Touch recessed sensor surface :on the
door handle until the side windows and the panorama sliding sunroof are fully closed.
i Make sure you only touch recessed sen-
sor surface :.
X Make sure that all the side windows are
closed.
X Make sure that all the side windows and the
panorama sliding sunroof are closed.
On vehicles with a panorama sliding sunroof: X Touch recessed sensor surface :on the
door handle again until the roller sunblind
of the panorama sliding sunroof closes.
X To interrupt convenience closing:
release recessed sensor surface :on the
door handle. Resetting the side windows
If a side window can no longer be closed fully, you must reset it.
X Close all doors.
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X Pull the corresponding switch on the door
control panel until the side window is com-
pletely closed (Y page 94).
X Hold the switch for an additional second. 96
Side windowsOpening and closing