Breakdown assistance243
Using the system
Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
– Release the clutch particularly gently wh
en starting off or depress the accelerator
particularly gently if your vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
Driver of the towed vehicle– Switch the ignition on so that the steeri ng wheel is not blocked and you can also
operate the turn signal lights, the headlight flasher, the windscreen wipers and
windscreen washer system.
– Take the vehicle out of gear or move the selector lever into position N if your
vehicle is fitted with an automatic gearbox.
– Note that the brake servo unit and power steering only operate if the engine is running. You will require significantly grea ter physical force to depress the brake
pedal and to steer th e vehicle if the engine is not running.
– Ensure that the tow rope is always kept taught.
Tow rope or tow bar
A tow bar is safest way of towing a vehicle an d also minimizes any shocks. You can use
a tow rope only if a suitable tow bar is not available.
The tow rope must be elastic to protect the vehicle. Thus one should only use plastic
fibre rope or a rope made out of a similarly elastic material.
Only attach the tow rope to the towing eyes provided for this purpose page 243
and page 244.
Driving style
Towing another vehicle requires a certain am ount of practice. Both drivers should be
familiar with the particular points about to wing a vehicle. Unskilled drivers should not
attempt to tow in another vehicle or to be towed in.
One should be constantly vigi lant not to allow impermissibly high towing forces or
jerky loadings. There is always a risk of excessive stresses and damage resulting at the
points to which you attach the tow rope or tow bar when you attempt to tow a vehicle
which is not standing on a paved road.
Caution
If the gearbox of your vehicle no longer contains any oil because of a defect, your
vehicle must only be towed in with the driven wheels raised clear of the ground, or on
a special vehicle transporter or trailer.
Note
Please comply with any national legal provisions particularly regarding the
switched on signal systems, when towi ng in or tow-starting another vehicle.
The tow rope must not be twisted as it may in certain circumstances result in the
front towing eye being unscrewed out of your vehicle.
Front towing eye
The towing eye is stored in th e box for the vehicle tool kit.Fig. 203 Front bumper: Removing the cover / installing the towing eye– Take the cover out of the front bumper fig. 203 - left.
– Screw in the towing eye by hand to the left up to the stop fig. 203 - right and
tighten it as much as po ssible. For tightening, we recommend that you use for
example the wheel wrench*, the lashing eye of another vehicle or a similar object
which you can push through the eye.
– Put the cover in place after screwing out the towing eye again and press into place.
The cover must engage firmly.
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Breakdown assistance
244Caution
The towing eye must always be screwed in fully and firmly tightened, otherwise the
towing eye can tear when to wing in or tow-starting!Rear towing eyeFig. 204 Rear bumper: Removing the cover / installing the towing eye– Press onto the bottom part of the cover in the rear bumper fig. 204 - left and
take it out.
– Screw in the towing eye by hand to the left up to the stop fig. 204 - right and
tighten it as much as possible. For ti ghtening, we recommend that you use for
example the wheel wrench*, the lashing eye of another vehicle or a similar object
which you can push through the eye.
– Put the cover in place after screwing out the towing eye again and press into place.
The cover must engage firmly.
Caution
The towing eye must always be screwed in fully and firmly tightened, otherwise the
towing eye can tear when to wing in or tow-starting!
Tow-starting a vehicleIf the engine does not start, we generally do not recommend to tow-start your vehicle.
One should attempt to start the engine using jump start cables page 241 or call on
the services of the SERVICE mobile.If your vehicle has to be towed– Engage 2nd or 3rd gear with the vehicle stationary.
– Depress the clutch pedal fu lly and keep it depressed.
– Switch on the ignition.
– Wait until both vehicles are moving then release the clutch pedal slowly.
– Depress the clutch pedal fully when the engine fires and take the vehicle out of
gear.
For technical reasons it is not possibl e to tow-start a car fitted with an automatic
gearbox .
WARNING
There is high risk of having an accident when tow-starting a vehicle, when for
example the towed vehicle r uns into the towing vehicle.
Caution
Vehicles which are fitted with a catalytic converter should not be tow-started over a
distance of more than 50 metres. Unburnt fu el may get into the catalytic converter and
damage it.Towing in a vehicle fitted with a manual gearboxPlease refer to the additional instructions page 242.
The vehicle can be towed in with a tow bar or a tow rope or with the front or rear
wheels raised. The maximum towing speed is 50 km/h.
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