winter tyres MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2015 Owners Manual

LIM (variable SPEEDTRONIC) .........1
95
Overview .......................................... 31
PASSENGER AIR BAG ..................... .41
Reserve fuel .................................. .301
Seat belt ........................................ 292
Tyre pressure monitor ................... 304
Warning triangle ................................ 338
Washer fluid
Display message ............................ 290
Wheel and tyre combinations
Tyres .............................................. 374
Wheel bolt tightening torque ........... 372
Wheel chock ...................................... 369
Wheels
Changing a wheel .......................... 367
Changing/replacing ....................... 367
Checking ........................................ 359
Cleaning ......................................... 331
Emergency spare wheel ................. 389
Fitting a new wheel ........................ 371
General notes ................................ 372
Important safety notes .................. 358
Information on driving .................... 358
Removing a wheel .......................... 371
Storing .......................................... .368
Tightening torque ........................... 372
Wheel size/tyre size ..................... .372
Windowbag
Display message ............................ 268
Operation ......................................... 49
Windows
Cleaning ......................................... 331
see Side windows
Windscreen
Demisting ...................................... 144
Windscreen washer fluid
see Windscreen washer system
Windscreen washer system
Important safety notes .................. 403
Topping up ..................................... 327
Windscreen wipers
Display message ............................ 291
Problem (malfunction) ................... 134
Rear window wiper ........................ 130
Replacing the wiper blades ............ 130
Switching on/off ........................... 129
Winter driving
General notes ................................ 360 Winter operation
Slippery road surfaces ................... 191
Snow chains .................................. 361
Winter tyres
Limiting the speed (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 251
M+S tyres ...................................... 360
Wiper blades
Cleaning ......................................... 332
Important safety notes .................. 130
Replacing (on the rear window) ..... 132
Replacing (windscreen) .................. 131
Wooden trim (cleaning instruc-
tions) ................................................. .335
Workshop
see Qualified specialist workshop Z
ZONE function Switching on/off ........................... 143 Index
21

Pets in the vehicle
G
WARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may push a button
or a switch, for example.
They could:
R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R switch vehicle systems on or off, thus
endangering other road users
In the event of an accident, sudden braking or
abrupt changes of direction, unsecured ani-
mals could be flung around the vehicle, injur-
ing the vehicle occupants. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals correctly during a
journey, e.g. in an animal transport box. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 69)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 70)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Y page 70)
R Adaptive brake lights (Y page 73)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 73)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 77)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 77)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 77) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor
override the laws of physics. Driving safety
systems are merely aids designed to assist
driving. You are responsible for maintaining
the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time, and for stay-ing in lane. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions and maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there is
adequate contact between the tyres and the
road surface. Please pay special attention to
the notes on tyres, recommended minimum
tyre tread depths etc. (Y page 358).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary, snow
chains. Only in this way will the driving safety systems described in this section work as
effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched on. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h,
regardless of road-surface conditions. ABS
works on slippery surfaces, even when you
only brake gently.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 69). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition- Driving safety systems
69Safety
Z

Driving on flooded roads
!
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans- mission.
If you must drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R in the case of standing water, the water
level must be no higher than the lower edge
of the vehicle body
R you should drive no faster than walking
pace Winter driving
G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter. You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres. Do
not use cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing point.
Further information on driving with snow
chains (Y page 361).
Further information on driving with summer
tyres (Y page 360).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 360). Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid exceeding the set speed. You must
select a lower gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. For vehi-
cles with automatic transmission, you need tohave selected manual shift drive program M
(Y page 177). By doing so, you will make use Driving syste
ms
191Driving an d parking Z

i
Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For exam-
ple, if you accelerate briefly to overtake,
cruise control adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the last speed stored after you have fin- ished overtaking.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards B.
or
X Brake.
or X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM
indicator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if: R the vehicle is secured with the electric
parking brake
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R while driving a vehicle with manual trans-
mission, you shift into neutral or depress
the clutch pedal for longer than six seconds
R on vehicles with manual transmission, you
shift to a gear that is too high, and as a
result the engine speed is too low
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
you shift to position Nwhile driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise con‐
Cruise con‐
trol off trol off message in the multifunction dis-
play for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. SPEEDTRONIC
General notes SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that
you do not exceed the set speed. You must
select a lower gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. For vehi-
cles with automatic transmission, you need to have selected manual shift drive program M
(Y page 177). 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 you need additional
braking, depress the brake pedal repeatedly
rather than continuously.
You can set a variable or permanent limit
speed:
R variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up
areas
R permanent for long-term speed restric-
tions, e.g. when driving with winter tyres
fitted (Y page 196)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of an
accident nor override the laws of physics.
SPEEDTRONIC cannot take into account
road, weather or traffic conditions. SPEED-
TRONIC 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 stay-
ing in lane.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new driver of the speed stored. 194
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

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

Sport mode
The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
Sport mode ensures even better contact with
the road. Select this mode when employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country
roads.
X Press button :once.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. You have selec-
ted Sport mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT
AMG Ride Control SPORT message
appears in the multifunction display.
Comfort mode In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you prefer a more comfortable
driving style, but also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. motorways.
X Press button :again to switch off indica-
tor lamp ;.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG Ride Control COMFORT
AMG Ride Control COMFORT mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display. 4MATIC
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the differential.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz implied warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground or be fully raised. Observe the instructions for
towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground. 4MATIC, together with ESP
®
, improves the
traction of your vehicle whenever a drive
wheel spins due to insufficient grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic con-
ditions. 4MATIC 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.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R when pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
R accelerate less when driving.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tyres (M+S tyres), with snow chains if necessary. Suspension with Adaptive Damping
System
General notes A suspension with the Adaptive Damping Sys-
tem provides improved driving comfort and
continuously controls the calibration of the
dampers. The damping characteristics adapt
to the current operating and driving situation.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface conditions
R the drive program selected
R the vehicle level setting
The drive program can be set using the
DYNAMIC SELECT button (Y page 166).
Selecting Comfort mode In the
Comfort drive program, the driving
characteristics of your vehicle are more com- fortable. Therefore, select this drive program
if you prefer a more comfortable driving style. 208
Driving systemsDriving and parking

X
Press the :or9 button to select the
Dig. speedo [mph]
Dig. speedo [mph] function.
You will see the selected setting: on
onoroff
off.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
Selecting permanent display
United Kingdom: this function is unavailable.
The Permanent display: Permanent display: function allows
you to choose whether the multifunction dis- play always shows the outside temperature or the speed.
The speed display is inverse to your speed-
ometer.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings
Settings menu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Instrument cluster
Instrument cluster submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Permanent display: Permanent display: function.
The current setting, outside tempera‐
outside tempera‐
ture
ture orDig. speedo [mph]:
Dig. speedo [mph]:, appears.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
Lights Switching the daytime driving lights
on/off
The
Daytime driving lights Daytime driving lights function can
only be switched on with the engine turned
off.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Lights
Lights submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Daytime driving lights
Daytime driving lights function.
If the Daytime driving lights
Daytime driving lights function
has been switched on, the cone of light and the W symbol in the multifunction dis-
play are shown in orange.
X Press the abutton to save the setting. Further information on daytime driving lights
(Y
page 120).
Vehicle Setting permanent SPEEDTRONIC
You can set permanent SPEEDTRONIC using
the
Limit Limit speed
speed(winter
(winter tyres)
tyres)function.
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings
Settingsmenu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Vehicle
Vehicle submenu.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press :or9 to select the Limit
Limit
speed (winter tyres):
speed (winter tyres): function.
You will see the current setting.
X Press ato confirm.
X Press the :or9 button to adjust
permanent SPEEDTRONIC in increments of
ten (160 km/h 160 km/h to240 km/h
240 km/h). The Off
Offset-
ting switches permanent SPEEDTRONIC
off.
X Press the abutton to store the entry.
For further information on permanent SPEED- TRONIC (Y page 196).
Activating/deactivating the automatic
locking feature
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
Automatic door locks
Automatic door locks function.
If the Automatic door locks
Automatic door locks function is
switched on, the multifunction display
shows the doors in orange.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
If you activate the Automatic door locks
Automatic door locks
function, the vehicle is centrally locked above
a speed of around 15 km/h.
For further information on the automatic lock- ing feature; see (Y page 91). Menus and submenus
251On-board computer/Displays Z

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

Washing by hand
In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements for each indi-
vidual country.
X Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use a soft sponge to clean.
X Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlet.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
High-pressure cleaning equipment G
WARNING
The water jet of circular-jet nozzles (dirt grind- ers) can cause damage not visible from the
outside to tyres or chassis components. Com-
ponents damaged in this way can unexpect-
edly fail. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have dam- aged tyres or chassis components replaced
immediately.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
30 cm between the vehicle and the high-
pressure cleaner nozzle. Information about
the correct distance is available from the
equipment manufacturer.
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle. Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door gaps, roof gaps, joints etc.
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
R trim elements
R ventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to leaks or failures.
! Edition 1 special model: parts of your
vehicle are covered with a decorative foil.
Maintain a distance of at least 70 cm
between the foil-wrapped parts of the vehi-
cle and the nozzle of the high pressure
cleaner.
Information about the correct distance is
available from the equipment manufac-
turer.
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Cleaning the paintwork !
Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
X Remove impurities immediately, where
possible, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off the treated areas afterwards. 330
CareMaintenance and care

Flat tyre
Preparing the vehicle
Your vehicle may be equipped with: R MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat char-
acteristics) (Y page 340)
Vehicle preparation is not necessary on
vehicles with MOExtended tyres.
R a TIREFIT kit (Y page 339)
R an emergency spare wheel (certain coun-
tries only) (Y page 389)
Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It is therefore recommended that you additionallyequip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat characteris-
tics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT kit can be
obtained from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Information on changing and fitting a wheel
(Y page 367).
X Stop the vehicle as far away as possible
from traffic on solid, non-slippery and level
ground.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 184).
X If possible, bring the front wheels into the
straight-ahead position.
X Switch off the engine.
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.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: remove the Start/
Stop button from the ignition lock
(Y page 157).
X Make sure that the passengers are not
endangered as they do so. Make sure that no one is near the danger area while a
wheel is being changed. Anyone who is not
directly assisting in the wheel change
should, for example, stand behind the bar-
rier.
X Get out of the vehicle. Pay attention to traf-
fic conditions when doing so.
X Close the driver's door.
X Place the warning triangle at a suitable dis-
tance (Y page 338). Observe legal require-
ments. MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
General notes With MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tyres. The affected
tyre must not show any clearly visible dam-
age.
You can recognise MOExtended tyres by the
MOExtended marking which appears on the
tyre wall. You will find this marking next to the
tyre size designation, the load-bearing capa-
city and the speed index.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with an activated tyre pressure loss
warning system or tyre pressure monitor.
If a pressure loss warning message
appears in the multifunction display:
R observe the instructions in the display mes-
sages (Y page 283)
R check the tyre for damage
R if driving on, observe the following notes
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode is approximately 80 km when the vehicle is
partially laden and approximately 30 km
when the vehicle is fully laden. 340
Flat tyreBreakdown assistance