Get Maintenance and care -> Care Guide for Mercedes A Class 4 Door Third Generation (2012-2017)

Care

329

Driving abroad

Washing the vehicle and cleaning the

paintwork

An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network

is also available in other countries. You can

obtain further information from any

Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

Automatic car wash

WARNING

G

Braking efficiency is reduced after the vehicle

has been washed. There is a risk of an acci-

dent.

Care

After washing the vehicle, brake carefully

while paying attention to the traffic conditions

in order to restore full braking efficiency.

General notes

Environmental note

H

Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning

cloths in an environmentally responsible man-

ner.

! When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD

function is activated, the vehicle brakes

automatically in certain situations.

! For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any

of the following:

To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate

DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in

the following or similar situations:

R

dry, rough or hard cloths

R

when towing away

R

abrasive cleaning agents

R

in a car wash

R

solvents

R

cleaning agents containing solvents

! Make sure that the automatic transmis-

sion is in position N when washing your

vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehi-

cle could be damaged if the transmission is

in another position.

Do not scrub.

Do not touch the surfaces or protective

films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice

scraper. You could otherwise scratch or

damage the surfaces and protective film.

! Make sure that:

! Do not park up the vehicle for an extended

period straight after cleaning it, particularly

after having cleaned the wheels with wheel

cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause

increased corrosion of the brake discs and

brake pads/linings. For this reason, you

should drive for a few minutes after clean-

ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the

brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The

vehicle can then be parked up.

R

the side windows and sliding sunroof are

closed completely.

the blower for the ventilation/heating is

switched off (OFF button is depressed/

airflow control is turned to position 0).

the windscreen wiper switch is at posi-

tion 0.

R

The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.

You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car

wash from the very start.

Wash off excess dirt before cleaning the vehi-

cle in an automatic car wash.

After using an automatic car wash, wipe off

wax from the windscreen and the wiper

blades. This will prevent smears and reduce

wiping noises caused by residue on the wind-

screen.

Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for

retaining the quality in the long term.

Use care products and cleaning agents rec-

ommended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.

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Care

330

Washing by hand

Do not aim directly at any of the following:

R

tyres

In some countries, washing by hand is only

allowed at specially equipped washing bays.

Observe the legal requirements for each indi-

vidual country.

R

door gaps, roof gaps, joints etc.

electrical components

battery

connectors

lights

seals

trim elements

ventilation slots

R

X

Do not use hot water and do not wash the

R

vehicle in direct sunlight.

R

X

Use a soft sponge to clean.

R

X

Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car

R

shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.

R

X

Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a

Damaged seals or electrical components

can lead to leaks or failures.

gentle jet of water.

X

Do not point the water jet directly towards

Edition 1 special model: parts of your

the air inlet.

!

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.

X

Use plenty of water and rinse out the

sponge frequently.

Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry

thoroughly with a chamois.

Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the

paintwork.

X

When using the vehicle in winter, remove all

traces of road salt deposits carefully and as

soon as possible.

Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle

around when cleaning your vehicle.

High-pressure cleaning equipment

Cleaning the paintwork

WARNING

G

! Do not affix:

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.

R

stickers

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.

! 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.

X

Remove impurities immediately, where

possible, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard.

Soak insect remains with insect remover

and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.

Soak bird droppings with water and rinse

off the treated areas afterwards.

X

Care

331

X

Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resins,

oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently

with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or

lighter fluid.

Use tar remover to remove tar stains.

Use silicone remover to remove wax.

Cleaning vehicle parts

Cleaning the wheels

WARNING

G

X

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.

Care and treatment of matt paintwork

! Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy

wheels. Polishing makes the paintwork

shiny.

! The following may cause the paint to

become shiny and thus reduce the matt

effect:

! Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products

to remove brake dust. This could damage

wheel bolts and brake components.

R

vigorous rubbing with unsuitable materi-

als

R

frequent use of car washes

washing the vehicle in direct sunlight

! Do not park up the vehicle for an extended

period straight after cleaning it, particularly

after having cleaned the wheels with wheel

cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause

increased corrosion of the brake discs and

brake pads/linings. For this reason, you

should drive for a few minutes after clean-

ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the

brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The

vehicle can then be parked up.

R

! Never use paint cleaner, buffing or pol-

ishing products, or gloss preserver, e.g.

wax. These products are only suitable for

high-gloss surfaces. Their use on vehicles

with matt finish leads to considerable sur-

face damage (shiny, spotted areas).

Always have paintwork repairs carried out

at a qualified specialist workshop.

Cleaning the windows

! Do not use wash programs with a hot wax

treatment under any circumstances.

WARNING

G

Observe these notes if your vehicle has a

clear matt finish. This will help you to avoid

damage to the paintwork due to incorrect

treatment.

If the windscreen wipers are set in motion

when cleaning the windscreen or wiper

blades, you could become trapped. There is a

danger of injury.

These notes also apply to light-alloy wheels

with a clear matt finish.

The vehicle should preferably be washed by

hand using a soft sponge, car shampoo and

plenty of water.

Use only insect remover and car shampoo

from the range of approved Mercedes-Benz

care products.

Always switch off the windscreen wipers and

the ignition before cleaning the windscreen or

wiper blades.

! Only fold the windscreen wipers away

from the windscreen when vertical. Other-

wise, you will damage the bonnet.

! Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,

solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-

vents to clean the insideof the windows. Do

not touch the insides of the windows with

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Care

332

Cleaning the exterior lighting

hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or ring.

There is otherwise a risk of damaging the

windows.

! Only use cleaning agents or cleaning

cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.

Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning

cloths could scratch or damage the plastic

lenses of the exterior lighting.

! Clean the water drainage channels of the

windscreen and the rear window at regular

intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals

and pollen may under certain circumstan-

ces prevent water from draining away. This

can lead to corrosion damage and damage

to electronic components.

X

Clean the plastic lenses of the exterior

lighting using a wet sponge and a mild

cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Benz car

shampoo or cleaning cloths.

X

Clean the inside and outside of the win-

dows with a damp cloth and a cleaning

agent that is recommended and approved

by Mercedes-Benz.

Cleaning the mirror turn signal

! Only use cleaning agents or cleaning

cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.

Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning

cloths could scratch or damage the plastic

lenses of the mirror turn signals.

Cleaning the wiper blades

WARNING

G

If the windscreen wipers are set in motion

when cleaning the windscreen or wiper

blades, you could become trapped. There is a

danger of injury.

Always switch off the windscreen wipers and

the ignition before cleaning the windscreen or

wiper blades.

X

Clean the plastic lenses of the mirror turn

signals in the exterior mirror housing using

a wet sponge and mild cleaning agent, e.g.

Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or cleaning

cloths.

Cleaning the sensors

! If you clean the sensors with a high-pres-

sure cleaner, make sure that you keep a

distance of at least 30 cm between the

vehicle and the high-pressure cleaner noz-

zle. Information about the correct distance

is available from the equipment manufac-

turer.

! Only fold the windscreen wipers away

from the windscreen when vertical. Other-

wise, you will damage the bonnet.

! Do not pull on the wiper blade. Otherwise,

the wiper blade could be damaged.

! Do not clean wiper blades too often and

do not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the

graphite coating could be damaged. This

could cause wiper noise.

! Hold the wiper arm securely when folding

back. The windscreen could be damaged if

the wiper arm hits against it suddenly.

X

Fold the wiper arms away from the wind-

screen.

X

Clean the wiper blades carefully using a

damp cloth.

X

Fold the windscreen wipers back again

before switching on the ignition.

Care

333

Cleaning the exhaust tail pipes

WARNING

G

The exhaust tail pipe and tail pipe trim can

become very hot. If you come into contact

with these parts of the vehicle, you could burn

yourself. There is a risk of injury.

Always be particularly careful around the

exhaust tail pipe and the tail pipe trim. Allow

these components to cool down before touch-

ing them.

! Do not clean the exhaust pipe with acid-

based cleaning agents, such as sanitary

cleanser or wheel cleaner.

! Mercedes-AMG vehicles with black

exhaust pipes: the black-chrome tailpipe

finishers should not be polished with a

chrome polish. They will otherwise lose

their black sheen. For optimal care, the fin-

ishers should be rubbed with a lightly oiled

cloth after every car wash. Commercially

available engine and care oils are suitable

for this.

X

Clean sensors : of the driving systems

with water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.

Cleaning the reversing camera

! Do not clean the camera lens and the area

around the reversing camera with a high-

pressure cleaner.

For heavier soiling, you can apply a fine

paintwork polish with a microfibre cloth.

Remove the excess polish residue after pol-

ishing.

Impurities combined with the effects of road

grit and corrosive environmental factors may

cause flash rust to form on the surface. You

can restore the original shine of the exhaust

pipe by cleaning it regularly, especially in win-

ter and after washing the vehicle.

X

Clean the exhaust pipe with a care product

tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.

X

Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and

that the key is in position 2 in the ignition

lock.

Cleaning the trailer tow hitch

X

Open the camera cover for cleaning using

COMAND Online or Audio 20 (see separate

operating instructions).

To clean the reversing camera: use clean

Environmental note

H

Dispose of oily and greasy cloths in an envi-

ronmentally-responsible manner.

X

water and a soft cloth to clean camera

lens :.

! Do not clean the ball coupling with a high-

pressure cleaner. Do not use solvents.

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Care

334

X

Before cleaning the display, make sure that

it is switched off and has cooled down.

Clean the display surface using a commer-

cially available microfibre cloth and

TFT/LCD display cleaner.

! Please note the care instructions in the

trailer coupling manufacturer's operating

instructions.

X

Dry the display surface using a dry micro-

fibre cloth.

Cleaning the plastic trim

WARNING

G

Care products and cleaning agents containing

solvents can cause surfaces in the cockpit to

become porous. This could result in plastic

parts breaking away when the airbags are

deployed. There is a danger of injury.

X

Remove rust, e.g. with a wire brush.

Remove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or a

X

brush.

Do not use care products and cleaning agents

containing solvents to clean the cockpit.

X

After cleaning, lightly oil or grease ball cou-

pling :.

! Do not affix the following to plastic surfa-

ces:

X

Check that the vehicle's trailer tow hitch is

working properly.

R

stickers

i You can also have the maintenance work

on the ball coupling and the trailer tow hitch

carried out by a qualified specialist work-

shop.

R

films

R

scented oil bottles or similar items

You could otherwise damage the plastic.

! Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent

or sunscreen to come in contact with the

plastic trim. This maintains the high-quality

look of the surfaces.

Interior care

Cleaning the display

X

Wipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free

cloth, e.g. a microfibre cloth.

Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning

products recommended and approved by

Mercedes-Benz.

The surface may change colour tempora-

rily. Wait until the surface is dry again.

! For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-

lowing:

X

R

alcohol-based thinner or petrol

R

abrasive cleaning agents

R

commercially-available household clean-

ing agents

These may damage the display surface. Do

not put pressure on the display surface

when cleaning. This could lead to irrepara-

ble damage to the display.

Cleaning the steering wheel and gear or

selector lever

X

Thoroughly wipe with a damp cloth or use

leather care agents that have been recom-

mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.

Care

335

Cleaning wooden trim and trim ele-

ments

These are characteristics of leather and not

material faults.

! Do not use solvent-based cleaning agents

such as tar remover, wheel cleaners, pol-

ishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk of

damaging the surface.

Seat covers from other materials

! Observe the following when cleaning:

R

clean artificial leather covers with a cloth

moistened with a solution containing 1%

detergent (e.g. washing-up liquid).

X

Wipe the wooden trim and trim elements

with a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfi-

bre cloth.

R

clean cloth covers with a microfibre cloth

moistened with a solution containing 1%

detergent (e.g. washing-up liquid). Rub

carefully, and always wipe entire seat

sections to avoid leaving visible lines.

Leave the seat to dry afterwards. Clean-

ing results depend on the type of dirt and

how long it has been there.

X

Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning

products recommended and approved by

Mercedes-Benz.

Cleaning the seat covers

General notes

R

Clean DINAMICA covers with a damp

! Do not use a microfibre cloth to clean

covers made out of real leather, artificial

leather or DINAMICA. If used frequently,

this can damage the cover.

cloth. Make sure that you wipe entire

seat sections to avoid leaving visible

lines.

Cleaning the seat belts

Note that regular care is essential to make

sure that the appearance and comfort of the

covers are retained over time.

WARNING

G

Seat belts may be severely weakened if

bleached or coloured. This may lead to the

seat belts, for example, tearing or failing in an

accident. There is an increased risk of injury,

possibly even fatal.

Genuine leather seat covers

! To retain the natural appearance of the

leather, observe the following cleaning

instructions:

Never bleach or colour seat belts.

R

Clean genuine leather covers carefully

with a damp cloth and then wipe the cov-

ers down with a dry cloth.

Make sure that the leather does not

become soaked. It may otherwise

become rough and cracked.

Only use leather care agents that have

been tested and approved by Mercedes-

Benz. You can obtain these from a quali-

fied specialist workshop.

! Do not clean the seat belts using chemical

cleaning agents. Donotdrythe seatbeltsat

temperatures above 80 † or in direct sun-

light.

R

X

Use clean, lukewarm water and soap solu-

R

tion.

Cleaning the roof lining and carpets

X

Leather is a natural product.

Roof lining: if it is very dirty, use a soft

brush or dry shampoo.

Carpets: use the carpet and textile clean-

ing agents recommended and approved by

Mercedes-Benz.

It has natural surface properties, e.g.:

X

R

unevenness in structure

R

marks caused by growth and injury

R

subtle colour differences

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336

Maintenance and care -> Care for Your Mercedes A Class 4 Door Third Generation (2012-2017)

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