ESP MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2015 Service Manual

=
v Switches the rear interior lighting
on/off
? | Switches the front interior lighting/
automatic interior lighting control off
A p Switches the right-hand front read-
ing lamp on/off
B Switches the automatic interior lighting
control on
Rear compartment control panel :
p Switches the left-hand reading lamp
on/off
; p Switches the right-hand reading
lamp on/off Interior lighting control
General notes In order to prevent the vehicle's battery from
discharging, the interior lighting functions are
automatically deactivated after some time
except when the key is in position 2in the
ignition lock.
The colour and brightness for the ambient
lighting may be set using COMAND Online or
Audio 20 (see the separate operating instruc-
tions).
Automatic interior lighting control X
To switch on: set the switch to centre
position B.
X To switch off: set the switch to the |
position. The interior lighting automatically switches
on if you:
R unlock the vehicle
R open a door
R remove the key from the ignition lock
The interior lighting is activated for a short
time when the key is removed from the igni-
tion lock. This delayed switch-off can be
adjusted using COMAND Online or Audio 20
(see the separate operating instructions).
Manual interior lighting control X
To switch the front interior lighting on:
set the switch to the cposition.
X To switch off the interior lighting: set the
switch to the |position or (if the door is
closed) to the centre position.
X To switch the rear interior lighting on or
off: press the ubutton.
X To switch the reading lamp on or off:
press the pbutton. Crash-responsive emergency lighting
The interior lighting is activated automatically
if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
X To switch off the crash-responsive
emergency lighting: press the hazard
warning lamp button.
or X Lock and then unlock the vehicle using the
key. Replacing bulbs
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Bulbs, lamps and plug connectors can
become very hot during use. When replacing a bulb, you could burn yourself on these com-
ponents. There is a risk of injury. Replacing bulbs
125Lights and windscreen wipers
Z

!
Vehicles with a rain sensor: if the wind-
screen becomes dirty in dry weather con-
ditions, the windscreen wipers may be acti- vated inadvertently. This could damage the
windscreen wiper blades or scratch the
windscreen.
For this reason, you should always switch
off the windscreen wipers in dry weather.
Vehicles with a rain sensor: in the Äor
Å position, the appropriate wiping fre-
quency is automatically set according to the
intensity of the rain. In the Åposition, the
rain sensor is more sensitive than in the Ä
position, causing the windscreen wiper to
wipe more frequently.
If the wiper blades are worn, the windscreen
will no longer be wiped properly. This could
mean you are unable to observe the traffic
conditions. Switching the rear window wiper on/
off Combination switch
:
è Switch
2 ô Wipes with washer fluid
3 ISwitches on intermittent wiping
4 0Switches off intermittent wiping
5 ô Wipes with washer fluid X
Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X Slide switch :on the combination switch
to the corresponding position.
When the rear window wiper is switched on,
the è symbol appears in the assistance
graphic in the instrument cluster. Further
information on the assistance graphic
(Y page 248). Replacing the wiper blades
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the windscreen wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiper blades, you can be trapped by the wiper arm. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windscreen wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades.
! To avoid damaging the windscreen wiper
blades, make sure that you touch only the
wiper arm of the windscreen wiper.
! Never open the bonnet/tailgate if a wiper
arm is folded away from the windscreen/
rear window.
Never fold a windscreen wiper arm without a wiper blade back onto the windscreen/
rear window.
Hold the windscreen wiper arm firmly when
you change the wiper blade. If you release
the wiper arm without a wiper blade and it
falls onto the windscreen/rear window, the windscreen/rear window may be damaged
by the force of the impact.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the wiper blades changed at a qualified
specialist workshop. 130
Windscreen wipersLights and windscreen wipers

Only change the temperature setting in
small increments. Start at 22 †.
Setting the air distribution
Air-conditioning system Air distribution settings
¯
Directs the airflow through the demis-
ter vents
P Directs the airflow through the centre
and side air vents
O Directs the airflow through the foot-
well air vents
i You can also activate several of the air
distribution settings simultaneously. In
order to do this, press several of the air
distribution buttons. The air is then routed
through different air vents.
i Regardless of the air distribution setting,
airflow is always directed through the side
air vents. The side air vents can only be
closed if the adjusters are turned clockwise until they engage.
Setting the air distribution X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X Press one or more of the P,O,¯
buttons.
The corresponding indicator lamp comes
on.
THERMOTRONIC automatic climate
control Air distribution settings
¯
Directs the airflow through the demis-
ter vents
P Directs the airflow through the centre
and side air vents
O Directs the airflow through the foot-
well air vents S
Directs the airflow through the centre
and side air vents as well as the foot-
well air vents
b Directs the airflow through the centre
and side air vents as well as the demis-
ter vents
a Directs the airflow through the foot-
well and demister vents
_ Directs the airflow through the demis-
ter vents, the centre and side air vents
as well as the footwell air vents
i Regardless of the air distribution setting,
airflow is always directed through the side
air vents. The side air vents can only be
closed if the adjusters are turned clockwise until they engage.
Setting the air distribution
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X Press the ÉorË button repeatedly
until the desired symbol appears in the dis- play. Setting the airflow
Air-conditioning system X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X To increase/reduce: turn controlAanti-
clockwise or clockwise (Y page 137).
THERMOTRONIC automatic climate
control X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 157).
X To increase/reduce: press theKor
I button. Switching the ZONE function on/off
This function is only available with
THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control. Operating the climate control system
143Climate control

Switching on/off
X
Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock or remove it (Y page 157).
X To activate: press theÌbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ìbutton lights
up.
X To deactivate: press theÌbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ìbutton goes
out.
i Residual heat is deactivated automati-
cally:
R after approximately 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops
R when the auxiliary heating is switched on Auxiliary heating
Important safety notes G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or sufficient
ventilation is not possible, toxic exhaust
fumes can enter the vehicle, especially car-
bon monoxide. This is the case, e.g. in
enclosed spaces, or if the vehicle is stuck in
snow. There is a risk of fatal injuries.
You should switch off the auxiliary heating in
enclosed spaces which do not have an extrac- tion system, e.g. a garage. If the vehicle is
stuck in snow and you must leave the auxiliary
heating running, keep the exhaust pipe and
the area around the vehicle clear of snow. To guarantee a sufficient supply of fresh air, open
a window on the side of the vehicle away from the wind. G
WARNING
When the auxiliary heating is switched on,
parts of the vehicle can become very hot. Flammable materials such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact
with:
R hot parts of the exhaust system
R the exhaust gas itself
There is a risk of fire.
When the auxiliary heating is switched on,
make sure that:
R no flammable materials come into contact
with hot vehicle components
R the exhaust gas can escape from the
exhaust pipe unhindered
R the exhaust gas does not come into contact
with flammable materials.
The auxiliary heating and the exhaust gas out-
let are situated in front of the right-hand front
wheel.
! Operating the auxiliary heating/ventila-
tion draws on the vehicle battery. After you
have heated or ventilated the vehicle a
maximum of two times, drive for a longer
distance.
Switch the auxiliary heating on regularly once
a month for about ten minutes.
The auxiliary heating timer function calcu-
lates the switch-on time according to the out-
side temperature so that the vehicle is pre-
heated by the departure time. When the
departure time is reached, the auxiliary heat- ing continues to heat for a further five
minutes and then switches off.
The auxiliary heating heats the air in the vehi-
cle interior to the set temperature. This
occurs without using the heat of the running
engine. The auxiliary heating is operated
directly using the vehicle's fuel. For this rea-
son, the fuel tank must be at least Õfull to
ensure that the auxiliary heating functions.
The auxiliary heating/ventilation automati-
cally adjusts to changes in temperature and
weather conditions. For this reason, the aux- iliary heating could switch from ventilation
mode to heating mode or from heating mode to ventilation mode. 148
Operating the climate control systemClimate control

ing temperature is reached. If this is the case,
the y symbol appears in the remote con-
trol display and the running time is zero
minutes.
Setting the departure time
Make sure that the time set in the vehicle is
correct before setting the departure time (see the separate operating instructions). Other-
wise, the auxiliary heating may switch on at
the wrong time and at an unsuitable location.
When setting the departure time, observe the important safety notes (Y page 148).
X Briefly press the ubutton.
X Press the ,or. button repeatedly
until the time to be changed appears in the display.
X Press the uand^ buttons at the
same time.
The Îsymbol in the remote control dis-
play flashes.
X Press the ,or. button to set the
desired departure time.
i The longer you press the
,or.
button, the faster the time changes.
X Press the uand^ buttons at the
same time.
The new departure time is stored.
Activating the set departure time X Briefly press the ubutton.
X Press the ,or. button repeatedly
until the desired departure time appears in the display.
X Press the ubutton.
The Ísymbol, the departure time and,
depending on the selected departure time, the letter A, BorCappear in the display. Deactivating the set departure time
X Briefly press the ubutton.
The status of the auxiliary heating is shown in the display.
X Press the .button.
The first departure time stored appears in
the display.
X Press the ^button.
OFF is shown in the remote control display.
Replacing the remote control battery Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Batteries contain toxic and corrosive substan- ces. If batteries are swallowed, it can result in
severe health problems. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children. If
a battery is swallowed, seek medical attention immediately. 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. Operating the climate control system
151Climate control Z

Pressing the Start/Stop button several times
in succession corresponds to the different
key positions in the ignition lock. Pre-requi-
site for this is that:
R you do not depress the brake pedal (vehi-
cles with automatic transmission)
R you do not depress the clutch pedal (vehi-
cles with manual transmission)
If you depress the brake pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts immedi- ately (vehicles with automatic transmission).
If you depress the clutch pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts immedi- ately (vehicles with manual transmission).
To start the vehicle without actively using the
key:
R the Start/Stop button must be inserted in
the ignition lock
R the key must be in the vehicle
R the vehicle must not be locked with the key
or KEYLESS-GO (Y page 83)
Do not keep the KEYLESS-GO key:
R with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another key
R with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
film
R inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can affect the functionality of KEYLESS-
GO.
If you lock the vehicle with the key's remote
control or with KEYLESS-GO, after a short
time:
R you will not be able to switch on the ignition
with the Start/Stop button
R you will not be able to start the engine with
the Start/Stop button until the vehicle is
unlocked again
If you lock the vehicle centrally using the but- ton on the front door (Y page 90), you can
continue to start the engine with the Start/
Stop button.
The engine can be switched off while the vehi-
cle is in motion by pressing and holding the
Start/Stop button for three seconds. This function operates independently of the ECO
start/stop automatic engine switch-off func-
tion.
Key positions with the Start/Stop button
:
Start/Stop button
; Ignition lock
When you switch on the ignition, all of the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light up. Further information on situations where
an indicator lamp either fails to go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving
(Y page 294).
If Start/Stop button :has not yet been
pressed, this corresponds to the key being
removed from the ignition.
X To switch on the power supply: press
Start/Stop button :once.
The power supply is switched on. You can
now activate the windscreen wipers, for
example.
The power supply is switched off again if:
R the driver's door is opened and
R you press Start/Stop button :twice when
in this position
X To switch on the ignition: press Start/
Stop button :twice.
The ignition is switched on.
If you press Start/Stop button :once
when in this position, the ignition is deac-
tivated again. 158
DrivingDriving and parking

depress the brake pedal. Only then can the
parking lock be deactivated.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): if you do not depress the brake pedal,
the DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved
but the parking lock remains engaged.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: if you do not
depress the brake pedal, the selector lever
can still be moved but the parking lock
remains engaged.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: at
transmission fluid temperatures below
Ò20 †, you can only shift out of position Pinto
another transmission position when the
engine is running.
i Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion: upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
information on automatically releasing the
electric parking brake (Y page 185).
Pulling away with a trailer To ensure that you do not roll backwards
when pulling away on an uphill slope, apply
the electric parking brake.
X Press and hold handle :.
The electric parking brake continues to
brake and prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards. The red
!indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster remains lit.
X Depress the accelerator pedal.
X As soon as the vehicle/trailer combination
is held by the driving force of the engine,
release lever :.
the electric parking brake is released
The red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
For further information on the electric parking
brake, see (Y page 185).
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It
holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move your foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll. G
WARNING
After a while, hill start assist no longer holds
the vehicle and it may roll away. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist is not active if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is in position N
R the electric parking brake is applied
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning
Further information on holding the vehicle
stationary on uphill gradients (Y page 174). Driving
161Driving and parking Z

Problems with the engine
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The engine does not
start. The HOLD function or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
X Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 204) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Y page 196).
X Try to start the engine again. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.
Before attempting to start the engine again:
X Turn the key back to position 0in the ignition lock.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button repeatedly until all indicator lamps
in the instrument cluster go out.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 159). Avoid excessively
long and frequent attempts to start the engine, as this will drain the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts: X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. The
reserve fuel warning
lamp is lit and the fuel
gauge display shows 0. The fuel tank is empty.
X Refuel the vehicle. The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak or
discharged.
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 348).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
X Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two
minutes.
X Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Driving
165Driving and parking Z

In addition, the current drive program set-
tings are displayed briefly in the Audio 20 or
COMAND Online display.
i In a few countries, the ECO start/stop
function is deactivated at the factory due to the quality of the available fuel. In this case,
the ECO start/stop function is not available in any drive program, regardless of the dis-
play in the Audio 20 or COMAND Online
display.
Available drive programs: C
Comfort Comfortable and econom-
ical driving characteristics S
Sport Sporty driving character-
istics
I
Individual Individual settings
E
Economy Particularly economical
driving characteristics
Additional information for drive programs
(Y page 175).
You can also change gear yourself using the
steering wheel gearshift paddles. Further
information on the manual drive program
(Y page 177). DYNAMIC SELECT controller
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program. Depending on the drive program selected, the following vehiclecharacteristics will change:
R the drive
R the transmission management
R ESP ®
R the suspension (vehicles with AMG RIDE
CONTROL)
R the availability of the ECO start/stop func-
tion
R the availability of gliding mode If the ignition is switched off for less than four
hours, the previously selected drive program
is activated when the engine is next started. Ifthe ignition is switched off for more than four
hours, drive program Cis activated when the
engine is next started. X
Turn DYNAMIC SELECT controller :as
many times as necessary until the desired
drive program is selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds
the display goes out and the status icon of the selected drive program appears.
The drive program indicator on DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :lights up in red.
Available drive programs: I
Individual Individual settings
C
Comfort Comfort-orientated,
engine and transmission
settings optimised for
economy
S
Sport Sporty engine and trans-
mission settings
S+
Sport Plus Particularly sporty trans-
mission settings
RACE
Maximum sportiness and
engine and transmission
settings suitable for the
racetrack
Additional information for drive programs
(Y page 175). DYNAMIC SELECT controller (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
167Driving and parking Z

You can also change gear yourself using the
steering wheel gearshift paddles. Further
information on the manual drive program
(Y page 177). Manual transmission
Gear lever
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
! When shifting to
5thand 6thgear, you
must press the shift lever to the right. Oth-
erwise, you could shift unintentionally into
3rd or4th gear and damage the engine or
transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine to overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
clutch.
! On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a
trailer, you must shift into gear 1, 2or3in
good time. This uses the engine's braking
effect. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over- heating and wearing too quickly. k
Reverse gear
1 -6
Forward gears Shifting to neutral N
X
Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Shift the gear lever to position N:. Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear
Rwhen the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
X Pull the gear lever up, push it to the left and
then pull it back.
The ECO start/stop function is not available
when reverse gear is engaged. Further infor-
mation on the ECO start/stop function
(Y page 162). Gearshift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
X Shift gear according to gearshift recom-
mendation :when shown in the multi-
function display of the instrument cluster. 168
Manual transmissionDriving and parking