MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2015 Owners Manual

Jump-starting
For the jump-starting procedure, use only the jump-starting connection point, consisting of a positive terminal and an earth point, in the engine compartment. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with the skin, eyes or clothing. Do not breathe in any battery gases. Do not lean over the battery. Keep the batteries out of the reach of children. Immediately rinse off battery acid
thoroughly with plenty of clean water and seek medical attention at once. G
WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, naked flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient
ventilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery. G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or sparks
are created, the hydrogen gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
R Make sure that the positive terminal of a connected battery does not come into contact with
vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a battery.
R It is important that you observe the described order of the battery terminals when connecting
and disconnecting a battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the battery poles with identical polarity are connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the described order when connecting and disconnecting
the jump leads.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running. G
WARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point. When jump-starting the
vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before charging it or jump-starting.
! Vehicles with a petrol engine:
avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise,
the non-combusted fuel may damage the catalytic converter.
If the indicator/warning lamps do not light up at low temperatures, it is very likely that the
discharged battery has frozen. In this case you may neither jump-start the vehicle nor charge
the battery. Let the battery thaw first. The service life of a battery that has been thawed may
be reduced. The starting characteristics may be impaired, especially at low temperatures.
Have the thawed battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop. 348
Jump-startingBreakdown assistance

Do not use a rapid charging device to start the vehicle. If your vehicle's battery is discharged,
the engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jump
leads. Observe the following points:
R The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible,
jump-start the vehicle using a second battery or a jump-starting device.
R Do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
R Jump-starting may only be performed using batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
R Only use jump leads that are not damaged and have a sufficient cross-section and insulated
terminal clamps.
R Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
R The jump leads are not damaged.
R Non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps do not come into contact with other metal parts
while the jump leads are connected to the battery.
R The jump leads cannot come into contact with parts which can move when the engine is
running, such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
X Secure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
X Manual transmission: depress the clutch pedal fully and shift to neutral.
X Automatic transmission: shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock and remove it.
X Switch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window heating, lighting etc.
X Open the bonnet. Position number
Bidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-
starting device.
X Press together cover :of positive clamp ;and slide it back.
X Connect positive terminal ;on your vehicle to positive terminal =of donor battery B
using the jump lead, beginning with your own battery. Jump-starting
349Breakdown assistance Z

X
Start the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
X Connect negative terminal ?of donor battery Bto earth point Aof your vehicle using the
jump lead, connecting the jump lead to donor battery Bfirst.
X If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected
for a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the empty battery a little.
X Start the engine.
X Before disconnecting the jump leads, let the engines run for several minutes.
X First, remove the jump leads from earth point Aand negative terminal ?, then from pos-
itive clamp ;and positive terminal =. Begin each time at the contacts on your own vehicle
first.
X Close cover :of positive clamp ;after removing the jump leads.
X Close the bonnet.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
i Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jump-starting cables and further information regarding jump starting can be obtained at
any qualified specialist workshop. Towing away and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Safety relevant functions are restricted or no
longer available if:
R the engine is not running
R the brake system or power steering is mal-
functioning
R there is a malfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system
When your vehicle is towed away or towed
started, you may require considerably more
effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an
accident.
In such cases use a rigid towing bar. Before
being towed away or tow started, make sure
the steering moves freely. G
WARNING
If the steering wheel lock is engaged, the vehi- cle can no longer be steered. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always switch on the ignition when towing
with a tow rope or a towing bar. G
WARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible gross weight of your vehicle, the:
R towing eye may be torn off
R car/trailer combination may swerve or
even overturn
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle
weight of your vehicle can be found on the
vehicle identification plate (Y page 396).
! When COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS, DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func- tion is activated, the vehicle brakes auto-
matically in certain situations. To avoid
damage to the vehicle, deactivate these
systems in the following or similar situa-
tions:
R when towing away
R in a car wash 350
Towing away and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

!
Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
! Only secure the tow cable or tow bar to
the towing eyes or, if available, to the trailer
tow hitch. You could otherwise damage the
vehicle.
! Observe the following points when towing
with a tow rope:
R Secure the tow rope on the same side on
both vehicles.
R Make sure that the tow rope is not longer
than legally permitted. Mark the tow rope
in the middle, e.g. with a white cloth
(30 x 30 cm). This will make other road
users aware that a vehicle is being
towed.
R Only secure the tow cable to the towing
eyes or, if available, to the trailer tow
hitch.
R Observe the brake lamps of the towing
vehicle while driving. Always maintain a
distance a distance so that the tow rope
does not sag.
R Do not use steel cables or chains to tow
your vehicle. You could otherwise dam-
age the vehicle.
! Do not use the towing eyes for recovery
purposes as this could damage the vehicle.
If in doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! Pull away smoothly when towing away or
tow-starting a vehicle. If the tractive power
is too high, the vehicles could be damaged.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum of
50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must not be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the front
axle or the entire vehicle must be raised
and transported.
! To tow vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use
the key instead of the Start/Stop button.
The automatic transmission may otherwise switch to position Pwhen you open the driver's or front-passenger door which
could damage the transmission.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. The transmission
may otherwise be damaged.
Observe the legal requirements for the rele-
vant countries when towing and tow-starting. It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
If the vehicle can no longer be driven because
of an accident or breakdown, you have the
following options:
R transporting the vehicle
As a rule, you should have the vehicle trans-
ported.
R towing the vehicle with a tow rope or tow
bar
Only tow the vehicle in exceptional cases.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock
R cannot release the electric parking brake
R cannot shift the transmission to position N
on vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion
The function of the electric parking brake and
the parking lock is dependent on the on-board voltage.
If the on-board voltage is low or if there is a
system malfunction:
R it may not be possible to apply the released
parking brake or
R it may not be possible to shift the trans-
mission to position P
Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. the
radio.
Deactivate the automatic locking feature
before towing the vehicle (Y page 251). You
could otherwise be locked out when pushing
or towing the vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection before tow-
ing away the vehicle (Y page 79). Towing away and tow-starting
351Breakdown assistance Z

Fitting/removing the towing eye
Fitting the towing eye The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
rear and at the front, under covers :.
X Remove the towing eye from the stowage
space.
The towing eye is located with the vehicle
tool kit under the luggage compartment
floor (Y page 339).
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit: the towing eye
is located under the tyre inflation compres-
sor.
X Press the mark on cover :inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Remove cover :from the opening.
X Screw in the towing eye clockwise to the
stop.
Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch only have a
bracket at the front for the screw-in towing
eye. If you intend to use the vehicle for tow-
ing, fold out the ball coupling (Y page 232)
and secure the towbar to it. Removing the towing eye X
Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Position cover :on top of the opening in
the bumper and press it in at the bottom
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the stowage well
under the luggage compartment floor
(Y page 339).
X Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit: replace the tyre
inflation compressor. Towing the vehicle with the front axle
raised
When towing your vehicle with the front axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 350).
Only vehicles without 4MATIC can be
towed with the front axle raised.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise, the transmission may be damaged.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed
away with both axles on the ground or be loa-
ded up and transported.
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the front axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system.
X On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or the
KEYLESS-GO start function: you must
use the key instead of the Start/Stop but-
ton (Y page 159).
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed. 352
Towing away and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

X
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
or X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and engage
neutral.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Deactivate tow-away protection
(Y page 79).
X Deactivate automatic locking (Y page 251).
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 123).
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0 and leave the key in the ignition lock. Towing the vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 350).
X On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or the
KEYLESS-GO start function: you must
use the key instead of the Start/Stop but-
ton (Y page 159).
Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
automatic transmission automatically shifts
to position Pwhen you open the driver's or
front-passenger door or when you remove the
key from the ignition lock. In order to ensure that the automatic transmission stays in posi- tion Nwhen towing away the vehicle, you
must observe the following points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N. Vehicles with manual transmission:
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Depress the clutch pedal fully and shift to
neutral.
Vehicles with manual or automatic trans-
mission:
X Leave the key in position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 123).
i In order to signal a change of direction
when towing the vehicle with the hazard
warning lamps switched on, use the com-
bination switch as usual. In this case, only
the turn signals for the desired direction
flash. When you reset the combination
switch, the hazard warning lamps start
flashing again. Transporting the vehicle
4MATIC vehicles/vehicles with auto-
matic transmission !
When the vehicle is loaded for transport,
the front and rear axles must be stationary
and on the same transportation vehicle.
Positioning over the connection point of the Towing away and tow-starting
353Breakdown assistance Z

transport vehicle is not permitted. The drive
train may otherwise be damaged.
All vehicles !
You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as axle or steering components. Otherwise,
the vehicle could be damaged.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and engage
neutral.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
turn the key to position 2in the ignition lock
(Y page 157).
X Shift the transmission to position N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded: X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and engage
first or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
X Secure the vehicle.
The towing eyes or trailer tow hitch can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or trans- porter if you wish to transport it. Notes for 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise, the transmission may be damaged.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may only be either
towed away with both axles on the ground or be loaded up and transported.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it trans-
ported on a transporter or trailer. In the event of damage to the electrical
system:
If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P. To
shift the automatic transmission to position
N, you must provide power to the vehicle's
electrical system in the same way as when
jump-starting (Y page 348).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Do not tow-start vehicles with automatic
transmission. You could otherwise damage the automatic transmission.
i You can find information on "Jump-start-
ing" under (Y page 348).
Before tow-starting, the following conditions
must be fulfilled: R the battery is connected
R the engine has cooled down
R the exhaust system has cooled down
When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety notes (Y page 350)and the
legal requirements in each respective coun-
try.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 123).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 352).
X Secure the rigid towing bar or the towing
rope.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X Depress the clutch pedal fully, engage sec-
ond gear and continue to keep the clutch
pedal fully depressed.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Tow-start the vehicle. 354
Towing away and tow-startingBreakdo
wn assis tance

X
Release the clutch pedal slowly; do not
depress the accelerator pedal while doing
so.
X When the engine has been started, imme-
diately depress the clutch pedal fully and
shift to neutral.
X Pull over at a suitable place and stop the
vehicle safely, paying attention to road and
traffic conditions.
X Use the electric parking brake to secure the
vehicle and prevent it from rolling away.
X Remove the rigid towing bar or towing rope.
X Remove the towing eye (Y page 352).
X Switch off the hazard warning lamps. Electrical fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you manipulate, bridge or replace a faulty
fuse with a fuse of a higher amperage, the
electric cables could be overloaded. This may result in a fire. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with specified new fuses of the correct amperage.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognise by
the colour and fuse rating. The fuse ratings
are listed in the fuse allocation chart.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Ser-
vice Centre.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system concerned. Only use fuses marked with an
"S". Components or systems could other-
wise be damaged.
The fuses in your vehicle disconnect faulty
circuits. If a fuse blows, all the components on the circuit and their functions will fail. Before replacing a fuse
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 184).
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the key from the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: open the driver's
door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the key having been
removed.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes: R fuse box in the engine compartment on the
left-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
R fuse box in the front-passenger footwell
The fuse allocation chart is on the fuse box in
the front-passenger footwell (Y page 356). Fuse box in the engine compartment
G
WARNING
When the bonnet is open, and the windscreen wipers are set in motion, you can be injured by
the wiper linkage. There is a risk of injury.
Always switch off the windscreen wipers and
the ignition before opening the bonnet.
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it
is lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture
seeping in or dirt could otherwise impair
the operation of the fuses. Elect
rical fuses
355Breakdown assis tance Z

X
Open the bonnet.
X Remove any existing moisture from the
fuse box using a dry cloth.
X To open: open clamps ;.
X Fold cover :up in the direction of the
arrow and remove it. X
To close: check whether the seal is lying
correctly in cover :.
X Insert cover :at the back into openings
= on the fuse box.
X Fold down cover :.
X Hook clamps ;into the fuse box and
close.
X Close the bonnet. Fuse box in the front-passenger foot-
well
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it
is lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture seeping in or dirt could otherwise impair
the operation of the fuses.
X
To open: open the front-passenger door.
X Remove the floormat.
X Fold out perforated floor covering :in the
direction of the arrow. X
To release cover =, press retaining
clamp ;.
X Fold out cover =in the direction of the
arrow to the catch.
X Remove cover =forwards.
Fuse allocation chart ?is located on the
lower right-hand side of cover =.
X To close: insert cover =on the left-hand
side of the fuse box into the retainer.
Cover =engages in the retainers.
X Fold down cover =until clamps ;lock
audibly.
X Fold back perforated floor covering :.
X Fit the floormats. 356
Electrical fusesBreakdown assistance

Useful information
............................358
Important safety notes .....................358
Operation ........................................... 358
Winter operation ............................... 360
Tyre pressure .................................... 362
Changing a wheel .............................. 367
Wheel and tyre combinations ..........372
Emergency spare wheel ...................389 357Wheels and tyres