2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK SUV tow

X
Pull protective cap :down in the direction
of the arrow out of the ball coupling recess.
X Place protective cap :into the ball cou-
pling recess. X
Pull protective cap ;off the lock in the
handwheel.
X Insert key :into the ignition lock.
The red mark on the handwheel must be
aligned with the green area on the ball cou-
pling (fitting position). If this is not the case:
X Turn key :in the direction of the arrow.
The key is released. X
Pull handwheel ?away from the ball cou-
pling and turn it clockwise until it engages.
The green area on the ball coupling is
aligned with the red mark on the hand-
wheel.
X Insert the ball coupling in the direction of
the arrow into ball coupling recess =until
it engages.
Handwheel ?turns so that green mark
A on the handwheel is aligned with green
area Bon the ball coupling. X
Turn key :to the stop in the direction of
the arrow to lock.
X Remove key :.
X Press protective cap ;onto the lock.
i You can store the key in the ball coupling
stowage compartment in the luggage com-
partment. X
Fold trailer power socket :down. G
Risk of accident
The ball coupling is only securely mounted
when the green mark on the handwheel is
aligned with the green area on the ball cou-
pling and the key can be removed. If the ball
coupling is not securely mounted, it may
come loose.
The ball coupling must be locked and the key
must be removed when towing a trailer. This
is the only way to guarantee that the ball cou-
pling is secured and cannot come loose while
the vehicle is in motion. If the ball coupling
cannot be locked and the key cannot be Trailer towing*
163Operation
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removed, remove the ball coupling and clean
it.
If the ball coupling can still not be fitted
(locked) after it has been cleaned, remove the
ball coupling. The trailer coupling must then
not be used to tow a trailer, as safe operation
is not guaranteed.
Have the entire trailer coupling checked at a
qualified specialist workshop. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre for this purpose. In par-
ticular, work relevant to safety or on safety-
related systems must be carried out at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. Notes on towing a trailer
G
Risk of accident
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
You will find the applicable permissible val-
ues, which must not be exceeded, in the vehi-
cle documents.
You will find the values approved by the man-
ufacturer on the vehicle identification plates
and those for the towing vehicle in the "Tech-
nical data" section. You will find installation dimensions and loads
in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 253).
The maximum drawbar load of the trailer
drawbar on the ball coupling is 80 kg. How-
ever, the actual noseweight must not exceed
the value given on the trailer coupling and
trailer identification plates. The lowest weight
applies.
! Use a noseweight as close as possible to
the maximum permissible noseweight. Do
not use a noseweight of less than 50 kg,
otherwise the trailer may come loose.
Bear in mind that the payload and the rear
axle load are reduced by the actual nose-
weight.
i The height of the ball coupling changes
with the load of the vehicle. If necessary,
use a trailer with a height-adjustable trailer
drawbar.
Coupling up a trailer G
Risk of injury
Do not disconnect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your hand could
become trapped between the bumper and
trailer drawbar.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an
engaged overrun brake. Otherwise, your
vehicle could be damaged by the rebound-
ing of the overrun brake.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer.
Driving tips i
Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lisation (Y page 53).
In Germany, the maximum permitted speed
for vehicle/trailer combinations is 80 km/h. 164
Trailer towing*Operation
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G
Risk of accident
A maximum speed of 80 km/h should not be
exceeded, even in countries where higher
speeds are permitted for vehicle/trailer com-
binations. This lowers the risk of an accident.
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 shift range 1,2or 3in good time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control* or Speedtronic*.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating 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 continuously
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. Removing the ball coupling
X Pull the protective cap off the lock in the
handwheel.
X Insert the key into the lock in the hand-
wheel.
X Turn the key clockwise.
The lock is unlocked.
X Hold the ball coupling. Pull the handwheel
away from the ball coupling and turn it
clockwise until it engages.
The green area on the ball coupling is
aligned with the red mark on the hand-
wheel.
X Pull out the ball coupling downwards.
X Clean the ball coupling if it is dirty.
X Open the stowage well under the luggage
compartment floor. Trailer towing*
165Operation
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X
Remove the protective cap from the ball
coupling recess.
X Press the protective cap into the ball cou-
pling recess until it engages.
X Store the ball coupling with the key inser-
ted in the ball coupling recess.
X Fold the trailer power socket upwards. G
Risk of accident
Do not carry the ball coupling in the vehicle
interior if it is not secured.
Otherwise, you and others could be injured by
the ball coupling being thrown around if you:
R brake sharply
R change direction suddenly
R are involved in an accident Trailer power supply
When it leaves the factory, your vehicle's
trailer socket outlet is equipped with a per-
manent power supply and a power supply that
is switched on via the ignition lock.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 9.
The power supply that is switched on via the
ignition lock is supplied via trailer socket pin
10.
! You can connect consumers with a power
rating of up to 240 W to the permanent
power supply and up to 180 W to the power
supply that is switched on via the ignition
lock.
You must not charge a trailer battery using
the power supply.
The trailer's permanent power supply is
switched off in the event of low vehicle supply
voltage and after six hours at the latest.
The trailer's turn signal lamps are only guar-
anteed to function when bulbs are used.
You can obtain further information about
installing the trailer electrics from a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. X
To switch the connected power supply
on or off: turn the key in the ignition lock
to position 2or 0, respectively. 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.
Fitting the adapter X
Open the socket cover.
X Insert connector with lug :into
groove ;on 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. 166
Traile
r towing*Operation
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and rinse off the treated surface afterwards.
Remove:
R tree resin, oils, fuels and greases by rub-
bing gently with a cloth soaked in petro-
leum ether or lighter fluid.
R tar stain with tar remover
R wax with silicone remover
! Do not affix to painted surfaces or plastic
surfaces:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates
R scented oil bottles or similar items
Otherwise, you could damage the paint fin-
ish or plastic. H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging, cleaning cloths
and polishing wads in an environmentally
responsible manner. 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 You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the beginning.
! Do not use a touch-free automatic car
wash that uses chemical agents to wash
the vehicle.
Preferably use automatic car washes without
brushes.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash 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 that the automatic transmis-
sion is not in position Pwhen washing your
vehicle in a tow-through car wash.
Do not remove the key from the ignition
lock. Do not open the driver's or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off, as this automatically shifts
the automatic transmission to park posi-
tion Pand locks the wheels, unless you
have previously shifted the automatic
transmission to N.
! Make sure that the side windows are com-
pletely closed, that the ventilation/heater
blower is fully turned off and that the wind-
screen wiper switch is set to 0. Otherwise,
the rain sensor may be activated, triggering
unintended wiper movements. This could
cause damage to the vehicle.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax and drying agents from 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 circu-
lar-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean your
vehicle, in particular the tyres. Otherwise, you
could damage the tyres and cause an acci-
dent.
! 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. 168 CareOperation
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Where will I find...?...........................174
Display messages ............................. 176
Troubleshooting ................................ 199
Locking/unlocking in an emer-
gency ................................................. 213
Resetting triggered NECK-PRO
head restraints .................................. 215
Changing the batteries .....................216
Changing bulbs ................................. 217
Replacing the wiper blades ..............220
Flat tyre ............................................. 222
Battery ............................................... 232
Jump-starting .................................... 234
Towing and tow-starting ..................236
Fuses .................................................. 238
173
Practical advice
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The fire extinguisher is located underneath
the front of the driver's seat.
X
Pull tab :upwards.
X Remove fire extinguisher ;.
Vehicle tool kit, jack, TIREFIT kit and
collapsible spare wheel* The vehicle tool kit, TIREFIT kit and jack can
be found on the left-hand side (when viewed
in the direction of travel) of the stowage well
under the luggage compartment floor.
X
Open the stowage well under the luggage
compartment floor (Y page 136). G
Risk of injury
The jack is designed only to raise and hold the
vehicle for a short time while a wheel is being
changed.
You must use axle stands if you are carrying
out work on the vehicle.
Make sure that the jack is placed on a firm,
non-slip, level surface. Do not use wooden
blocks or similar objects as a jack underlay.
Otherwise, the jack will not be able to achieve
its load-bearing capacity due to the restricted
height.
Do not start the engine at any time while a
wheel is being changed.
Do not lie under the vehicle when it is being
supported by the jack. If you do not raise the
vehicle as described, it could slip off the jack
(e.g. if the engine is started or if a door or the tailgate is opened or closed) and you could be
seriously injured.
i When using the jack, you should also
observe the safety notes in the "Flat tyre"
section (Y page 222).
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit :
Wheel wrench
; Towing eye
= Jack
? Folding wheel chock
A Electric air pump
B TIREFIT kit (behind the left-hand side pan-
elling)
Vehicles with collapsible emergency
spare wheel* Example
X
Remove stowage well :. Where will I find...?
175Practical advice
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Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
X XSolutions 7
After the engine
starts, a warning
tone sounds for
up to 6 sec-
onds31
. G
Risk of injury
The driver's seat belt is not fastened.
X Fasten your seat belt (Y page 70).
The warning tone ceases. 7
The red seat belt
warning lamp
lights up after
the engine
starts, as soon
as the driver's
door or the
front-passenger
door is closed. G
Risk of injury
The driver or front passenger have not fastened their seat belt.
X Fasten your seat belt (Y page 70).
The warning lamp goes out. G
Risk of injury
There are objects on the front-passenger seat
X Remove the objects from the front-passenger seat and stow
them safely.
The warning lamp goes out. 7
The red warning
lamp flashes and
an intermittent
audible warning
sounds. G
Risk of injury
The driver or front passenger have not fastened their seat belt.
and you are driving faster than 25 km/h or have briefly driven
faster than 25 km/h.
X Fasten your seat belt (Y page 70).
The warning lamp goes out and the intermittent audible warning
ceases. G
Risk of injury
There are objects on the front-passenger seat and you are driving
faster than 25 km/h or have briefly driven faster than 25 km/h.
X Remove the objects from the front-passenger seat and stow
them safely.
The warning lamp goes out and the intermittent audible warning
ceases. 8
The yellow
engine diagnos-
tics warning
lamp lights up
while the engine
is running. The fuel level has fallen below the reserve range.
X
Refuel at the nearest filling station. 31
Only for certain countries. 204 TroubleshootingPractical advice
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