ESP MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2015 Manual Online

Notes on towing a trailer
General notes Trailer towing is not permissible on the fol-
lowing models:
R
A 250 Sport
R A 250 Sport 4MATIC
R Mercedes‑AMG A 45 4MATIC
R A 180 d BlueEFFICIENCY Edition
R Vehicles with AMG Line
When towing a trailer, set the tyre pressure on the rear axle of the towing vehicle for the
maximum load. Further information on the
tyre pressure table in the fuel filler flap
(Y page 362).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the
following driving systems have limited avail-
ability or are not available at all.
R PARKTRONIC (Y page 209)
R Blind Spot Assist (Y page 226)
The height of the ball coupling changes with
the load of the vehicle. If necessary, use a
trailer with a height-adjustable drawbar.
You will find fitting dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 405).
Driving tips Observe the notes on ESP
®
trailer stabilisa-
tion (Y page 76).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/ trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the max-imum permitted speed is. Observe the legally
prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies
to your vehicle. If you utilise any of the added maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer,
the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h for reasons concerning the operating permit.
This also applies in countries in which the
permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. For vehicles
with automatic transmission, you need to
have selected manual drive program M
(Y page 177).
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, SPEEDTRONIC or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you
need additional braking, depress the brake
pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal on
downhill gradients while the manual drive
program Mis temporarily activated (vehicles
with automatic transmission): the automatic
transmission may switch back to the last
active automatic drive program Eor S. The
automatic transmission may shift to a higher
gear. This can reduce the engine's braking
effect.
Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in
front than when driving without a trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas, Towing a trailer
231Driving and parking Z

Coupling up a trailer
X Make sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Position the trailer horizontally behind the
vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electric connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.
X Check that the trailer lighting system is
working.
A connected trailer is only recognised when
the electrical connection is established
correctly and when the lighting system is
working properly. The function of other sys-
tems, such as ESP ®
or PARKTRONIC also
depends on this. Uncoupling a trailer
G
WARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with an engaged over- run brake, you could trap your hand between
the vehicle and the trailer drawbar. This poses a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an
engaged overrun brake. Otherwise, your
vehicle could be damaged by the rebound- ing of the overrun brake.
! Remove the installed adapter cable
before folding in the ball coupling. Other-
wise, damage may occur to the rear
bumper and the adapter cable.
X Make sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer. Folding in the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that the ball coupling engages when folding in.
Fold the ball coupling back in if you are not
using the trailer tow hitch.
The release wheel is located behind the left-
hand side panelling in the luggage compart-
ment.
X Place the protective covering on the ball
coupling. X
To open the cover: turn handle:anti-
clockwise, then fold down and remove
cover ;. Towing a trailer
233Driving and parking Z

X
Pull out release wheel =.
X Turn release wheel =anti-clockwise as far
as it will go.
The ball coupling disengages and folds out
behind the rear bumper. Indicator lamp ?
flashes. X
Press the ball coupling in the direction of
the arrow until it engages behind the
bumper.
The indicator lamp on the release knob and
the message in the multifunction display go
out. Trailer power supply
! You can connect accessories to the per-
manent power supply up to a maximum of
240 W.
You cannot charge a trailer battery using
the power supply.
When it leaves the factory, your vehicle's
trailer socket is equipped with a permanent
power supply and a power supply that is
switched on via the ignition lock.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 9.
The power supply that is switched on via the
ignition lock is supplied via trailer socket pin
10.
The trailer's permanent power supply is
switched off in the event of low vehicle supply
voltage and after six hours at the latest. You can find more information about fitting
the trailer electrics at a qualified specialist
workshop.
X To switch the connected power supply
on or off: turn the key to position 2or 0
respectively (Y page 157). Failure check for LEDs
If LED lamps are fitted in the trailer, a mal-
function message may appear in the multi-
function display even if there is no fault. The
reason for the error message may be that the
current has fallen below the minimum of
50 mA.
To ensure reliable operation of the failure
indicator, each LED chain in the trailer lighting
must be guaranteed a minimum current of
50 mA. Trailer with 7-pin connector
General notes Trailer with 7-pin connector:
you can con-
nect to the 13-pin socket on the ball coupling
using an adapter or, if necessary, an adapter
cable. Both can be obtained at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Fitting the adapter !
Make sure that there is sufficient cable
play so that the cable cannot become
detached when cornering.
! Remove the installed adapter cable
before folding in the ball coupling. Other-
wise, damage may occur to the rear
bumper and the adapter cable. 234
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

R
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
(except
Mercedes-AMG vehicles) (Y page 248)
R Activating/deactivating COLLISION PRE-
VENTION ASSIST PLUS (Y page 249)
R Activating/deactivating ATTENTION
ASSIST (Y page 249)
R Activating/deactivating Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 249)
R Activating/deactivating Lane Keeping
Assist (Y page 249)
Showing the assistance graphic X
Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Assist. Assist.menu.
X Press 9or: to select Assistance
Assistance
graphic
graphic.
X Press ato confirm.
The assistance graphic shows you the sta-
tus of and/or information from the follow-
ing driving systems or driving safety sys-
tems:
R Traffic Sign Assist (Y page 223)
R DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 196)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Y page 70)
R ATTENTION ASSIST (Y page 222)
R Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 228)
X Press :to display the ATTEN-
TION ASSIST assessment. Traffic Sign Assist In the
Traffic Traffic Sign
SignAssist
Assist menu, you can
switch the Traffic Sign Assist message func-
tion on or off. When the message function is
activated, detected traffic signs and informa-
tion appear in the multifunction display for
five seconds.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Assist. Assist.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Traffic Sign Assist
Traffic Sign Assist .
X Press ato confirm.
The current selection appears.
X To activate/deactivate the message
function: pressaagain.
Further information about Traffic Sign Assist
(Y page 223).
Deactivating/activating ESP ® Observe the important safety notes on ESP
®
(Y page 73). 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
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
on Mercedes-
AMG vehicles (Y page 75).
For further information about ESP ®
, see
(Y page 73).
X Start the engine.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Assist. Assist.menu.
X Press 9or: to select ESP
ESP. 248
Menus and submenusOn-board computer/
Displays

X
Press ato confirm.
The current selection appears.
X To activate/deactivate: pressa
again.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ andå warning lamps light up
continuously, ESP ®
is not available due to a
malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 297).
Observe the information on display messages
(Y page 258).
Activating/deactivating COLLISION
PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS X
Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Assist.
Assist. menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Collision Prevent. Assist Collision Prevent. Assist.
X Press ato confirm.
The current selection appears.
X To activate/deactivate: pressa
again.
When COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS is deactivated, the æsymbol
appears in the multifunction display in the
assistance graphic display.
For further information about COLLISION
PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS, see (Y page 70).
Activating/deactivating ATTENTION
ASSIST X
Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Assist. Assist.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Attention Assist
Attention Assist.
X Press ato confirm.
The current selection appears.
X Press ato confirm. X
Press the :or9 button to set Off Off,
Standard Standard orSensitive
Sensitive .
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
When ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated,
the é symbol appears in the multifunc-
tion display in the assistance graphic dis-
play.
For further information about ATTENTION
ASSIST, see (Y page 222).
Activating/deactivating Blind Spot
Assist X
Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Assist. Assist.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Blind Spot Assist
Blind Spot Assist.
X Press ato confirm.
The current selection appears.
X To activate/deactivate: pressa
again.
Further information about Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 226).
Activating/deactivating Lane Keeping
Assist X
Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Assist. Assist.menu.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Lane Keeping Assist
Lane Keeping Assist.
X Press ato confirm.
The current selection appears.
X Press aagain to confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to set Off
Off,
Standard
Standard orAdaptive
Adaptive.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
When Lane Keeping Assist is activated, the
multifunction display shows the lane mark- ings as bright lines in the assistance
graphic.
For further information about Lane Keeping
Assist, see (Y page 228). Menus and submenus
249On-board computer/Displays Z

Activating/deactivating the acoustic
locking confirmation
If you switch on the Acoustic
Acoustic Lock Lockfunction,
an acoustic signal sounds when you lock the
vehicle.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings
Settings menu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Vehicle
Vehicle submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Acoustic Lock
Acoustic Lock function.
If the Acoustic
Acoustic Lock
Lockfunction is activated,
the & symbol in the multifunction dis-
play lights up orange.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
Heating Auxiliary heating departure time
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.
! 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.
Only vehicles with auxiliary heating have this
function.
In the Heating
Heating submenu, you can select a
stored departure time or change a departure time.
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 adopts the set air conditioning or
THERMOTRONIC temperature setting.
You can switch off the auxiliary heating by
using the remote control or the auxiliary heat- ing button on the centre console.
i Switch the auxiliary heating on regularly
once a month for about ten minutes.
Further information on auxiliary heating
(Y page 148).
Selecting the departure time or deactivat-
ing a selected departure time
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings
Settings menu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Heating Heating submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
The current setting appears. 252
Menus and submenusOn-board computer/Displays

For safety reasons, not all functions are reset:
the Limit
Limit speed
speed(winter
(winter tyres)
tyres)function
in permanent SPEEDTRONIC can only be set
in the Vehicle
Vehicle submenu.
If you want to reset the Daytime driving
Daytime driving
lights
lights function in the Lights
Lights submenu, you
must turn the key to position 1in the ignition
lock. AMG menu (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
WARMUP :
Digital speedometer
; Gear indicator
= Upshift indicator
? Engine oil temperature
A Coolant temperature
B Transmission oil temperature
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the AMG
AMG menu.
Upshift indicator: upshift indicatorUP
UP=
indicates that the engine has reached the
overrevving range when in the manual drive
program.
Engine and transmission oil tempera-
ture: when the engine and transmission
are at normal operating temperature, oil
temperature ?and Bare displayed in
white in the multifunction display.
If the multifunction display shows oil tem-
perature ?orB in blue, the engine or the
transmission are not yet at normal operat-
ing temperature. Avoid using the full output
of the engine during this time. SETUP :
Drive system Comfort Comfort/Sport
Sport/Sport +Sport+
; Suspension Comfort
Comfort/SportSport/Sport +
Sport +
= Transmission D
D/MM
? ESP ®
On
On/ Off
Off or SPORT handling mode
Sport
Sport
SETUP displays the following information and
functions:
R the digital speedometer
R the gear indicator
R the drive system setting
R the suspension mode
R the transmission position
R the ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program) sta-
tus
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the AMG
AMGmenu.
X Press 9repeatedly until SETUP
appears.
RACETIMER Displaying and starting the RACETIMER
:
Lap
; RACETIMER
The RACETIMER is only intended for use on a closed race circuit. Do not use the function on
public roads. 254
Menus and submenusOn-board computer/Displays

Display messages
Introduction
General notes Display messages appear in the multifunction display.
Display messages with graphic symbols are simplified in the Owner's Manual and may differ
from the symbols in the multifunction display.
Please respond in accordance with the display messages and follow the additional notes in this Owner's Manual.
Certain display messages are accompanied by an audible warning tone or a continuous tone.
When the ignition is switched off, all display messages are deleted apart from some high-
priority display messages. Once the causes of the high-priority display messages have been
rectified, these display messages are deleted as well.
When you stop and park the vehicle, please observe the notes on:
R HOLD function (Y page 204)
R Parking (Y page 184)
Hiding display messages X
Press the aor% button on the steering wheel.
The multifunction display hides the display message.
The multifunction display shows high-priority display messages in red. Some high-priority dis- play messages cannot be hidden.
The multifunction display shows these messages continuously until the causes for the mes-
sages have been remedied.
Message memory The on-board computer saves certain display messages in the
message memory. You can call
up the display messages:
X Press the =or; button on the steering wheel to select the Service Servicemenu.
If there are display messages, the multifunction display shows 2 messages
2 messages, for example.
X Press the 9or: button to select the entry, e.g. 2 messages
2 messages.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the 9or: button to scroll through the display messages. Display
messages
257On-board computer/Displays Z

Safety systems
Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions !÷
currently unavail‐ currently unavail‐
able See Owner's able See Owner's
Manual Manual ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), BAS (Brake Assist System), ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program), ESP ®
trailer stabilisation, the HOLD
function, hill start assist and PRE-SAFE ®
are temporarily unavail-
able.
The adaptive brake lights and COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS may also have failed.
In addition, the !,÷andå warning lamps may light up
in the instrument cluster.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
Possible causes:
R Self-diagnosis is not yet complete
R The on-board voltage may be insufficient.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely affec-ted. The braking distance may increase in an emergency braking
situation.
If ESP ®
is not operational, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
There is an increased danger of skidding and risk of an accident.
X Carefully drive on a suitable stretch of road, making slight steer-
ing movements, at a speed above 20 km/h.
If the display message disappears, the functions mentioned
above are available again.
If the multifunction display still shows the display message:
X Drive on carefully.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop immediately. !÷
inoperative See inoperative See
Owner's Manual Owner's Manual ABS, BAS, ESP
®
, ESP ®
trailer stabilisation, the HOLD function, hill
start assist and PRE-SAFE ®
are not available due to a malfunction.
The adaptive brake lights and COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS may also have failed.
The !, ÷, åandJ warning lamps may also light up
in the instrument cluster.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
G WARNING 258
Display messagesOn-board computer/Displays

Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely affec- ted. The braking distance may increase in an emergency braking
situation.
If ESP ®
is not operational, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
There is an increased danger of skidding and risk of an accident.
X Drive on carefully.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop immediately. ÷
currently unavail‐ currently unavail‐
able See Owner's able See Owner's
Manual Manual ESP
®
, ESP ®
trailer stabilisation, BAS, the HOLD function, hill start
assist and PRE-SAFE ®
are temporarily unavailable.
The adaptive brake lights and COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS may also have failed.
In addition, the ÷andå warning lamps may light up in the
instrument cluster.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
The self-diagnosis function, for example, may not be complete.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the functions listed above.
The braking distance may thus increase in an emergency braking
situation.
If ESP ®
is not operational, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
There is an increased danger of skidding and risk of an accident.
X Carefully drive on a suitable stretch of road, making slight steer-
ing movements at a speed above 20 km/h.
If the display message disappears, the functions mentioned
above are available again.
If the multifunction display still shows the display message:
X Drive on carefully.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop immediately. Display
messages
259On-board computer/Displays Z