Mercedes-Benz A-Klasse 169 A 170, 115 PS, 5-speed manual (2004–2008)

Research for this car

• Generation guide Mercedes-Benz A-Class W169 (2004-2012): known problems and buying guide

  Check the Autotronic CVT fluid record and door seam rust before paying, and walk away from a gearbox that stalls in gear.

Known issues for this car

Before you buy this car

From the generation guide

1. Ask for the Autotronic fluid change records. Fluid should change every 50,000-60,000 km. No records is a bad sign, because a faulty control unit costs about 1,500 EUR (AUTO BILD, Germany, year not stated).
2. On the test drive, check for stalling in gear, a car that will not move, or a gear that hangs in first. A gearbox warning that says visit the workshop is a bad sign. A scanner reads the gearbox fault codes.
3. Look at the door seams, lower door edges and tailgate for rust. Tiny dark dots under the sealant are early rust. Bubbles in the paint mean advanced rust. Five doors cost about 1,000 EUR to replace (AUTO BILD, Germany, 2008).
4. Open and close the slatted sunroof. Look for water marks inside. A jammed slat or a leak is a bad sign.
5. Switch on every light, the wipers and the display. A dead item can come from a failing SAM module, which controls them.
6. Turn the steering at parking speed. Stiff steering when parking points to a failing electric steering.
7. Look for worn brake discs and cracked brake hoses. Plan to replace them if they are worn.

Running costs

ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months

ADAC versions