2008 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS SALOON lock

Trailer towing
241
Driving tips In Germany, the maximum permitted speed
for vehicle/trailer combinations is 80 km/h.
!
A maximum speed of 80 km/h should not
be exceeded, even in countries where
higher speeds are permitted for vehicle/
trailer combinations.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R consumes more fuel
On long and steep downhill gradients you
must select a lower gear in good time, or in
vehicles with automatic transmission*, select
shift range 1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Distronic* or Speedtronic. This uses the braking effect of the engine and
you will not have to brake to such an extent
to maintain the same 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. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu-
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
never cause the brakes to rub by applying
constant slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases
the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely.
Driving tips
R Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle 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,
note that the power output of the engine, and consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing altitude.
If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not counter-steer.
X Brake if necessary. G
Risk of accident
On no account should you attempt to draw
the vehicle/trailer combination out by
increasing speed. Folding in the ball coupling
i Fold in the ball coupling when you are not
using the trailer tow hitch. Operation
* optional
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Trailer towing
2421
Telescopic lever
2 Indicator lamp
X Place the protective cap on the ball cou-
pling. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that no persons or animals are
in the pivoting range of the ball coupling.
Otherwise, they could be injured.
X Pull telescopic lever 1out forwards.
X Pull telescopic lever 1upwards.
The ball coupling disengages and folds
down under the rear bumper. Indicator
lamp 2flashes.
X Guide telescopic lever 1back again. X
Press the ball coupling in the direction of
the arrow by hand until it engages behind
the bumper.
Indicator lamp 2goes out and the mes-
sage in the multi-function display disap-
pears. Trailer power supply
The trailer socket of your vehicle is equipped
at the factory with a permanent power supply.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 9.
! You can connect accessories with a max-
imum power consumption of 240 W to the
permanent power supply.
You must not charge a trailer battery using
the power supply.
You can obtain further information about
installing the trailer electrics from a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. Trailer with 7-pin connector
If your trailer has a 7-pin connector, you can
connect it to the 13-pin socket on the ball
coupling using an adapter or, if necessary, an
adapter cable. Both of these can be obtained
at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. at a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Operation
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Service
243
Fitting the adapter
1
Connector with lug
2 Socket with groove
X Open the socket cover.
X Insert the connector with lug 1into
groove 2on the socket and turn the con-
nector clockwise to the stop.
X Make the cover engage.
X If you are using an adapter cable, secure
the cable to the trailer with cable ties.
! Make sure that there is sufficient cable
play so that the cable cannot become
detached when cornering. Service
Active Service System PLUS
ASSYST PLUS, the Active Service System,
tells you when the next service is due. When-
ever a service is due, this is shown in the
multi-function display:
Service A due in .. days
Service A due in .. km
Service A due now The letter indicates how much time the work-
shop will require to carry out the service work.
The letters displayed range from
Afor a short
service duration to Hfor a long service dura-
tion.
ASSYST PLUS does not record any periods of
time during which the battery is disconnec-
ted. In order to maintain the time-dependent
service schedule, you should call up the
service due date and make a note of it before
you disconnect the battery. The alternative is to subtract the battery-disconnection periods
from the service date shown on the display. Fading out the service message
1
Reset button
X Press reset button 1. Operation
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Care
244 Exceeding the service due date
One of the following messages appears in the
multi-function display:
Service A overdue by .. days
Service A overdue by .. km
You will also hear a warning tone.
A qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre, will reset the
service indicator when it carries out the nec-
essary service work.
i If you fail to have the service performed
by the specified date, you may be contra-
vening the relevant laws, your warranty
may be invalidated and ex gratia claims
may be refused. Calling up the service due date
Use the buttons on the multi-function steer-
ing wheel.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Press èorÿ to select the Basic
display menu (Y page 125).
X Press jork to select the service
information.
The 9 service symbol and the service
due date are displayed.
X To select a different display, press j,
è orÿ. Care
Notes on care
Regular and proper care maintains the value
of your vehicle.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products.
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 immediately, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Repair damage caused by loose chippings
and remove the following substances imme-
diately, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard:
R Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off afterwards.
R Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off afterwards.
R Remove tree resin, oils, fuels and greases
by rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in
petroleum ether or lighter fluid.
R Use silicone remover to remove wax.
R Use tar remover to remove tar stains. Operation
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Care
245H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging, cleaning
cloths and polishing wads in an environ-
mentally responsible manner.
! Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces, otherwise you could
damage the paintwork. Vehicle care
! Do not park the vehicle for a long period
of time directly after cleaning, especially if
the wheels have just been cleaned with a
wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
rapid corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. After cleaning, park
the vehicle when it is at normal operating
temperature. Automatic car wash G
Risk of accident
The vehicle is braked when HOLD is activa-
ted. Therefore, deactivate HOLD before the
vehicle is washed in an automatic car wash.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
! Do not use a touch-free automatic car
wash that uses chemical agents to wash
the vehicle.
Preferably use one with high-pressure jets for
prewashing.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
! Make sure that the automatic car wash is
suitable for the size of the vehicle. Fold in
the exterior mirrors before the vehicle is
washed. There is otherwise a risk of dam-
age to the exterior mirrors.
! Make sure the side windows are com-
pletely closed, the ventilation/heater
blower is fully turned off and the wind-
screen wiper switch is set to 0. The rain
sensor may otherwise be activated, for
instance, leading to inadvertent wiper sweeps being triggered. This could cause
damage to the vehicle.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe any
wax and drying agents off the windscreen and
the wiper blades. This will prevent smears and
reduce wiping noises caused by residue on
the windscreen.
High-pressure cleaners G
Risk of accident
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with cir-
cular-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean
your vehicle or - especially - the tyres. You
could otherwise damage the tyres and
cause an accident.
! Observe the instructions issued by the
equipment manufacturer concerning the
distance to be maintained between the
nozzle of the high-pressure cleaner and the
vehicle (at least 30 cm).
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door joint
R electrical components Operation
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Care
246R
battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to failures or leaks.
Cleaning the wiper blades and the out-
side of the windscreen G
Risk of injury
Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock before cleaning the windscreen or the
wiper blades. There is otherwise a risk of
the windscreen wipers being set in motion
and causing injury.
X Turn the key to position 1in the ignition
lock (Y page 76).
X Set the windscreen wipers to position
u on the combination switch
(Y page 105).
X Turn the key to position 0or remove it when
the wiper arms are vertical (Y page 76).!
Only fold the wiper arms away from the
windscreen when they are in a vertical posi-
tion, otherwise you will damage the bonnet.
X Fold the wiper arms away from the wind-
screen until you feel them engage.
X Clean the windscreen and the wiper blades.
X Fold the windscreen wipers back again
before the ignition is switched on.
! Do not clean the wiper blades too often,
otherwise the rubber may become porous,
resulting in wiper noise.
Cleaning the windows !
Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows.
Clean the insides of the windows with a
damp cloth or commercially-available glass
cleaner. Avoid touching the inside of the
rear windscreen and the side windows with
hard objects, e.g. ice scrapers or rings. You
could otherwise cause damage to the win-
dows, rear window heating or aerial on the
rear window. i
Anti-glare film retrofitted to the insides of
the windows could interfere with radio or
mobile phone reception, especially if it is
conductive or metal-coated film. Informa-
tion about anti-glare film can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Cleaning the headlamps X
Clean the headlamp lenses with a wet
sponge.
! Only use washer fluid which is suitable
for plastic lenses. Unsuitable washer fluid
could damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.
Do not use the following:
R dry cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvent
You could otherwise scratch or damage the
surface of the lenses. Operation
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Care
247
Plastic trim !
Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. Doing so will scratch or dam-
age the surfaces.
X Wipe plastic parts with a damp, lint-free
cloth (e.g. a microfibre cloth).
X Light soiling: use a low-foaming soap (e.g.
a light liquid hand soap) diluted in water.
X Heavy soiling: use a cleaning agent that is
solvent-free and non-corrosive. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz cleaning product for this
purpose.
Cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard X
Moisten a clean lint-free cloth with water.
X Clean the plastic parts and the dashboard.
X If particularly dirty, use a mild detergent. G
Risk of injury
Do not use cleaners and cockpit care
sprays containing solvents to clean the
cockpit and steering wheel boss. Cleaners
containing solvents cause the surface to
become porous and in the event of an air- bag being triggered, plastic parts that have
become loose could cause considerable
injuries.
Leather upholstery* !
Cleaning
R Clean genuine leather covers using a
damp cloth, then wipe the covers down
using a dry cloth. When doing this, make
sure that the leather does not become
soaked. For leather care, you should use
leather care foam A 001 986 59 71 10.
You can purchase this from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
R Clean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e. g. washing up liquid).
R Clean fabric covers with a microfibre
cloth moistened with a solution contain-
ing 1% detergent (e. g. washing up liquid).
When cleaning, take care not to rub too
vigorously 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.
R Clean Alcantara covers with a damp
cloth. Make sure you wipe entire seat
sections to avoid leaving visible lines.
i Note that leather covers are a natural
product and as such are subject to a natural
ageing process and may react differently
(e.g. increased formation of wrinkles) to
certain environmental influences (such as
high humidity, intense heat).
Note that regular care is essential to ensure
that the quality (both appearance and com-
fort) of the covers is retained over time.
Care of exhaust tail pipes (AMG vehi-
cles) Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may
cause flash rust to form on the surface.
Regular care of the exhaust tail pipes will
ensure that their original shine is restored.
!
Do not clean exhaust tail pipes with alka-
line-based cleaning agents such as wheel
cleaner. Operation
* optional
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Care
248Use the chrome cleaning agent recommen-
ded by Mercedes-Benz for cleaning. Infor-
mation about chrome cleaning agents can
be obtained from any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
Cleaning Distronic* 1
Distronic* cover
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock.
X Clean cover 1in the radiator grille with
water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.
! Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. Doing so will scratch or dam-
age the surfaces. Cleaning Parktronic* The sensors are located in the front and rear
bumpers.
1
Parktronic* sensors in the front bumper
(left-hand side)
X Clean sensors 1in the bumper with water,
car shampoo and a soft cloth.
! Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and
do not scrub. You will otherwise scratch or
damage the sensors. If you intend to use a
high-pressure cleaner or a steam cleaner to
clean the sensors, observe the instructions
issued by the equipment manufacturer
concerning the distance to be maintained
between the nozzle of the high-pressure
cleaner and the vehicle. Trailer coupling*
The ball coupling must be cleaned if it
becomes dirty or corroded.
X Remove any rust using a wire brush.
X Remove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or
a brush.
! Do not clean the ball coupling with a high-
pressure cleaner. Do not use solvents. 1
Ball neck head
X After cleaning, lightly oil or grease ball cou-
pling 1.
X Check that the vehicle's trailer coupling is
working properly. Operation
* optional
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