tow MERCEDES-BENZ CLA 2019 User Guide

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamplights up and remains lit,even though the front-passenger seat is occu-pied by an adult or a per-son of a stature corre-sponding to that of anadult.
The classification of the person on the front-passenger seat is incor-rect.
XMake sure the conditions for a correct classification of the personon the front-passenger seat are met (Ypage 48).
XIf the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains lit, the front-passenger seat may not be used.
XHave OCS checked as soon as possible at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lampdoes not light up and/ordoes not stay on.
The front-passenger seatis:
Runoccupied
Roccupied by theweight of a child up totwelve months old in achild restraint system
OCS is malfunctioning.
XMake sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the childseat.
XMake sure that the entire base of the child restraint system rests onthe seat cushion of the front-passenger seat. The backrest of theforward-facing child restraint system must lie as flat as possibleagainst the backrest of the front-passenger seat. If necessary,adjust the position of the front-passenger seat.
XMake sure that the seat cushion length is fully retracted.
XWhen installing the child restraint system, make sure that the seatbelt is tight. Do not pull the seat belt tight using the front-passengerseat adjustment. This could result in the seat belt and the childrestraint system being pulled too tightly.
XCheck for correct installation of the child restraint system.
Make sure that the head restraint does not apply a load to the childrestraint system. If necessary, adjust the head restraint accord-ingly.
XMake sure that no objects are applying additional weight onto theseat.
XIf the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp remains off and/orthe PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp lights up, do not installa child restraint system on the front-passenger seat. It is recom-mended that you install the child restraint system on a suitable rearseat.
XHave OCS checked as soon as possible at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Deployment of Emergency Tensioning
Devices and air bags
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The air bag parts are hot after an air bag has
been deployed. There is a risk of injury.
Do not touch the air bag parts. Have a
deployed air bag replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop as soon as possible.
GWARNING
A deployed air bag no longer offers any pro-
tection and cannot provide the intended pro-
tection in an accident. There is an increased
risk of injury.
Have the vehicle towed to a qualified special-
ist workshop in order to have a deployed air
bag replaced.
It is important for your safety and that of yourpassenger to have deployed air bags replaced
52Occupant safety
Safety

GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking positionP.
Rstart the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
GWARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro-
tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants havetheir seat belts fastened correctly and are sittingproperly. Particular attention must be paid tochildren.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt(Ypage 42) and the notes on correct use of seatbelts (Ypage 43).
A booster seat may be necessary to achieveproper seat belt positioning for children over40 lbs (18 kg) until they reach a height where a
three-point seat belt can be properly fastenedwithout a booster seat.
Special seatbelt retractor
GWARNING
If the seat belt is released while driving, the
child restraint system will no longer be
secured properly. The special seat belt retrac-
tor is disabled and the inertia real draws in a
portion of the seat belt. The seat belt cannot
be immediately refastened. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Stop the vehicle immediately, paying atten-
tion to road and traffic conditions. Reactivate
the special seat belt retractor and secure the
child restraint system properly.
All seat belts in the vehicle, except the driver'sseat belt, are equipped with a special seat beltretractor. When activated, the special seat beltretractor ensures that the seat belt cannotslacken once the child seat is secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
XMake sure you observe the child restraintsystem manufacturer's installation instruc-tions.
XPull the seat belt smoothly from the belt out-let.
XEngage seat belt tongue in belt buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor:
XPull the seat belt out fully and let the inertiareel retract it again.While the seat belt is retracting, you shouldhear a ratcheting sound. The special seat beltretractor is enabled.
XPush the child restraint system down so thatthe seat belt is tight and does not loosen.
Removing the child restraint system and deac-tivating the special seat belt retractor:
XMake sure you observe the child restraintsystem manufacturer's installation instruc-tions.
XPress the release button of the seat beltbuckle and guide the seat belt tongue backtowards the belt sash guide.The special seat belt retractor is deactivated.
Children in the vehicle55
Safety
Z

Child restraint system
The use of seat belts and child restraint systemsis required by law in:
Rall 50 states
Rthe U.S. territories
Rthe District of Columbia
Rall Canadian provinces
If you install a rearward-facing child restraintsystem on the center rear seat, the rear arm restmust be folded back as far as possible.
You can obtain further information about thecorrect child restraint system from any author-ized Mercedes-Benz Center.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly on a suitable seat, it cannot protect as
intended. The child cannot then be restrained
in the event of an accident, heavy braking or
sudden changes of direction. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Make sure that you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions and the notes on use. Please ensure,
that the base of the child restraint system is
always resting completely on the seat cush-
ion. Never place objects, e.g. cushions, under
or behind the child restraint system. Only use
child restraint systems with the original cover
designed for them. Only replace damaged
covers with genuine covers.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly or is not secured, it can come loose in
the event of an accident, heavy braking or a
sudden change in direction. The child
restraint system could be thrown about, strik-
ing vehicle occupants. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, even if they are not being used. Make
sure that you observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instructions.
You will find further information on stowingobjects, luggage or loads under "Loading guide-lines" (Ypage 239).
GWARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems which have been damaged or subjected
to a load in an accident can no longer protect
as intended. The child cannot then be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. There
is an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Replace child restraint systems which have
been damaged or subjected to a load in an
accident as soon as possible. Have the secur-
ing systems on the child restraint system
checked at a qualified specialist workshop,
before you install a child restraint system
again.
The securing systems of child restraint systemsare:
Rthe seat belt system
Rthe LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings
Rthe Top Tether anchorages
If it is absolutely necessary to carry a child onthe front-passenger seat, be sure to observe theinformation on the "Occupant ClassificationSystem (OCS)" (Ypage 47). There you will alsofind information on deactivating the front-passenger front air bag.
All child restraint systems must meet the fol-lowing standards:
RU.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards213 and 225
RCanadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards213 and 210.2
Confirmation that the child restraint system cor-responds to the standards can be found on aninstruction label on the child restraint system.This confirmation can also be found in the instal-lation instructions that are included with thechild restraint system.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-rior and on the child restraint system.
56Children in the vehicle
Safety

Drive on carefully. Have ESP®checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Vehicles without 4MATIC:when towing yourvehicle with the front axle raised, it is important
that you observe the notes on ESP®
(Ypage 286).
If the

Meanwhile, the fuel filler flap will not be lockedor unlocked.
You cannot unlock the vehicle centrally from theinside if the vehicle has been locked with theSmartKey or KEYLESS-GO.
You can open a door from inside the vehicleeven if it has been locked. You can open the reardoors from inside the vehicle unless they aresecured by the child-proof lock (Ypage 60).
If the vehicle has previously been locked withthe SmartKey from the outside, opening a doorfrom the inside will trigger the anti-theft alarmsystem. Switch off the alarm (Ypage 68).
If a locked door is opened from the inside, theprevious unlock status of the vehicle will betaken into consideration if:
Rthe vehicle was locked using the locking but-ton for the central locking, or
Rif the vehicle was locked automatically
The vehicle will be fully unlocked if it had previ-ously been fully unlocked. If only the driver'sdoor had been previously unlocked, only thedoor which has been opened from the inside isunlocked.
Automatic locking feature
XTo deactivate:press and hold buttonCforapproximately five seconds until a tonesounds.
XTo activate:press and hold buttonDforapproximately five seconds until a tonesounds.
If you press one of the two buttons and do nothear a tone, the relevant setting has alreadybeen selected.
The vehicle is locked automatically when theignition is switched on and the wheels are turn-ing.
You could therefore lock yourself out if:
Rthe vehicle is being pushed
Rthe vehicle is being towed
Rthe vehicle is on a roller dynamometer
You can also switch the automatic locking func-tion on and off using the on-board computer(Ypage 189).
Unlocking the driver's door (mechan-
ical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be locked orunlocked with the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO,use the mechanical key.
If you use the mechanical key to unlock andopen the driver's door, the anti-theft alarm sys-tem will be triggered. Switch off the alarm(Ypage 68).
XTake the mechanical key out of the SmartKey(Ypage 72).
XInsert the mechanical key into the lock of thedriver's door as far as it will go.
XTurn the mechanical key counter-clockwiseas far as it will go to positionG.The door is unlocked.
XTurn the mechanical key back and remove it.
XInsert mechanical key into the SmartKey(Ypage 72).
Locking the vehicle (mechanical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be locked with theSmartKey or KEYLESS-GO, use the mechanicalkey.
XOpen the driver's door.
XClose the front-passenger door, the reardoors and the trunk lid.
Doors77
Opening and closing
Z

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andPPSolutions
The engine does notstart. You cannot hearthe starter motor.
The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak ordischarged.
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 282).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
XAllow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two minutes.
XTry to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine is not runningsmoothly and is misfir-ing.
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanicalcomponent of the engine management system.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal slightly.Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic converterand damage it.
XHave the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-shop.
The coolant temperaturegauge shows a valueabove 248 ‡ (120 †).The coolant warninglamp may also be on anda warning tone maysound.
The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine is nolonger being cooled sufficiently.
XStop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant tocool down.
XCheck the coolant level (Ypage 263). Observe the warning notesas you do so and add coolant if necessary.
Notes on towing vehicles
The vehicle is not suitable for attaching tow barsystems, such as those used for flat towing ordinghy towing.
Attaching or using tow bar systems may result indamage to the vehicle.
When towing a vehicle with tow bar systems,safe driving characteristics cannot be guaran-teed for the towing vehicle or the towed vehicle.
The vehicle/trailer combination may swerve.
Observe the permissible towing methods(Ypage 287) and the notes on towing with bothaxles on the ground (Ypage 286).
DYNAMIC SELECT button (all vehicles
except Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT button to change thedrive program. Depending on the drive programselected the following vehicle characteristicswill change:
Rthe drive (engine and transmission manage-ment)
Rthe suspension (vehicles with damping sys-tem or AMG adaptive sport suspension sys-tem)
Rthe sound of the exhaust system (vehicleswith sports exhaust system)
Rthe steering
Rthe availability of the ECO start/stop function
Rthe climate control
Each time you start the engine with the Smart-Key or the Start/Stop button, drive programCis
DYNAMIC SELECT button (all vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles)129
Driving and parking
Z

the SmartKey from the ignition, the automatictransmission shifts to]automatically.
With the Start/Stop button:if you then openthe driver's door or the front-passenger door,the automatic transmission shifts to]auto-matically.
If you want the automatic transmission toremain in neutral\\, e.g. when having the vehi-cle cleaned in an automatic car wash with atowing system:
XVehicles with the Start-Stop button:remove the Start-Stop button from the igni-tion lock.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XAll vehicles:switch the ignition on.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep itdepressed.
XEngage neutral\\.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the SmartKeyin the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D
XIf the transmission is in position^or\\:push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past thefirst point of resistance.
XIf the transmission is in position]: depressthe brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECTlever down past the first point of resistance.
Selector lever (Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles)
Overview of transmission positions
]Park position with parking lock
^Reverse gear
\\Neutral
[Drive
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
The current transmission position and drive pro-gram appear in the multifunction display.
CTransmission position display
DDrive program display
If the transmission position display in the mul-tifunction display is not working, you should pullaway carefully to check whether the desiredtransmission position is engaged. Ideally, youshould select transmission position[anddrive programCorS.
Engaging park position P
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, press but-tonC.
Engaging reverse gear R
!Only move the automatic transmission to^when the vehicle is stationary.
XDepress the brake and keep it pressed.
XPush the selector lever forwards past the firstpoint of resistance.
Automatic transmission133
Driving an d parking
Z

Transmission positions
EPark position
This prevents the vehicle from rollingaway when stopped.
Only shift the transmission to posi-tion]when the vehicle is station-ary. The parking lock should not beused as a brake when parking.Always apply the electronic parkingbrake in addition to the parking lockin order to secure the vehicle.
In the event of a malfunction of thevehicle's electronics, the transmis-sion may lock in position]. Havethe vehicle electronics checkedimmediately at a qualified specialistworkshop.
Park position]is automaticallyengaged if:
Ryou switch off the engine using theSmartKey and remove the Smart-Key
Ryou switch off the engine using theSmartKey or using the Start/Stopbutton and open the driver's dooror front-passenger door
Ryou open the driver's door whenthe vehicle is stationary or whendriving at a very low speed and thetransmission is in position[or^
FReverse gear
Only shift the transmission into posi-tion^when the vehicle is station-ary.
DNeutral
Do not shift the transmission to\\while driving. The automatic trans-mission could otherwise be dam-aged.
No power is transmitted from theengine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you tomove the vehicle freely, e.g. to pushit or tow it.
If ESP®is deactivated or faulty: shiftthe transmission to position\\if thevehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with thetransmission in position^or[,the automatic transmission shifts to\\automatically.
!Coasting in neutral\\maycause damage to the drive train.
:Drive
The automatic transmission changesgear automatically. All forward gearsare available.
Driving tips
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts through theindividual gears automatically when it is in trans-mission position[. This automatic gear shift-ing behavior is determined by:
Rthe selected drive program
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
Rthe road speed
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rmore throttle: late upshifts
134Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

To ensure that the vehicle is secured againstrolling away unintentionally:
Rthe electric parking brake must be applied.
Rthe transmission must be in position]andthe transmission position display must show]in the multifunction display.
Rthe SmartKey must be removed from the igni-tion lock.
Ron uphill or downhill gradients, the frontwheels must be turned towards the curb.
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral positionNwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking positionP. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Automatic transmission
XApply the electric parking brake.
XAll vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-cles):shift the transmission to position].
XMercedes-AMG vehicles:press buttonC.
XWith the SmartKey :turn the SmartKey topositionZin the ignition lock and remove it.The immobilizer is activated.
XWith the Start/Stop button:press theStart/Stop button (Ypage 123).The engine stops and all the indicator lamps inthe instrument cluster go out.
If the driver's door is closed, this is the sameas key positionG. If the driver's door is open,this is the same as key positionZ, i.e. theSmartKey having been removed.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-sion in position^or[, the automatic trans-mission shifts to\\automatically.
With the SmartKey:if you then open the driv-er's door or the front-passenger door or removethe SmartKey from the ignition, the automatictransmission shifts to]automatically.
With the Start/Stop button:if you then openthe driver's door or the front-passenger door,the automatic transmission shifts to]auto-matically.
If you want the automatic transmission toremain in neutral\\, e.g. when having the vehi-cle cleaned in an automatic car wash with atowing system:
XVehicles with the Start-Stop button:remove the Start-Stop button from the igni-tion lock.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XAll vehicles:switch the ignition on.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep itdepressed.
XEngage neutral\\.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the SmartKeyin the ignition lock.
Electric parking brake
General notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Roperate the vehicle's equipment
Parking143
Driving and parking
Z

iCanada only: This device complies withRSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation issubject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,and
2. This device must accept any interferencereceived, including interference that maycause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the devicewill void any warranties, and is not permitted.Do not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this devicecould void the user's authority to operate theequipment.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC does not
react to:
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary objects in the road, e.g. stopped
or parked vehicles
Roncoming vehicles and crossing traffic
As a result, Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
may neither give warnings nor intervene in
such situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
GWARNING
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC cannot
always clearly identify other road users and
complex traffic situations.
In such cases, Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC can:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
Rneither give a warning nor intervene
Raccelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, especially if Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC warns you.
GWARNING
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC brakes
your vehicle with up to 50% of the maximum
possible deceleration. If this deceleration is
not sufficient, Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC alerts you with a visual and acous-
tic warning. There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust your speed in these cases and main-
tain sufficient distance.
Apply the brakes yourself and/or take evasive
action.
!When Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC orthe HOLD function is activated, the vehiclebrakes automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivateActive Distance Assist DISTRONIC and theHOLD function in the following or similar sit-uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC can neitherreduce the risk of an accident if you fail to adaptyour driving style, nor override the laws of phys-ics. Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC cannottake into account road, weather or traffic con-ditions. Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC isonly an aid. You are responsible for the distanceto the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, forbraking in good time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC:
RIn road and traffic conditions which do notallow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. inheavy traffic or on winding roads
ROn slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-erating could cause the drive wheels to losetraction and the vehicle could then skid
RIn poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain orsnow
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC may notdetect narrow vehicles driving in front, e.g.motorcycles, or vehicles driving in a staggeredformation.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can beimpaired if:
RThere is dirt on the sensors or anything elsecovering the sensors
RThere is snow or heavy rain
Driving systems153
Driving and parking
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