2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS COUPE trailer

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
!
The yellow ABS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running. A
warning tone also
sounds. EBD is not available due to a malfunction. Therefore, ABS, BAS,
BAS PLUS, ESP
®
, PRE-SAFE ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake, the HOLD func-
tion, hill start assist, the adaptive brake lights and ESP ®
trailer
stabilisation, for example, are not available either.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The front and rear wheels could therefore
lock if you brake hard, for example.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely affec-
ted. The braking distance in an emergency braking situation can
increase.
If ESP ®
is not operational, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
The danger of skidding and having an accident increases.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Jäå!
The red brake warning
lamp, the yellow ESP
®
and ESP ®
OFF warning
lamps and the yellow
ABS warning lamp are
lit while the engine is
running. ABS and ESP
®
are not available due to a fault. Therefore, BAS, BAS
PLUS, EBD,P RE-SAFE®
,P RE-SAFE ®
Brake, the HOLD function, hill
start assist, the adaptive brake lights and ESP ®
trailer stabilisa-
tion, for example, are no tavailable either.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The front and rear wheels could therefore
lock if you brake hard, for example.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely affec-
ted. The braking distance in an emergency braking situation can
increase.
If ESP ®
is not operational, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
The dange rofskidding and having an accident increases.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visi taqualified specialist workshop. 278
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument clusterOn-board computer and displays

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
ä
The yellow ESP
®
warn-
ing lamp flashes while
the vehicle is in motion. ESP
®
or traction control has intervened because there is a risk of
skidding or at least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary when
pulling away.
X Accelerate more gently while the vehicle is in motion.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions, see: (Y page 67).å
The yellow ESP
®
OFF
warning lamp is lit while
the engine is running. ESP
®
is deactivated.
G WARNING
If ESP ®
is switched off, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
The danger of skidding and having an accident increases.
X Reactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions, see: (Y page 67).
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
If ESP ®
cannot be activated:
X Drive on carefully.
X Have ESP ®
checked at a qualified specialist workshop. äå
The yellow ESP
®
and
ESP ®
OFF warning
lamps are lit while the
engine is running. ESP
®
, BAS, BAS PLUS, PRE-SAFE ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake, the HOLD
function, hill start assist, the adaptive brake lights and ESP ®
trailer
stabilisation are not available due to a malfunction.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above.
The braking distance in an emergency braking situation can thus
increase.
If ESP ®
is not operational, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
The danger of skidding and having an accident increases.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
279On-board computer and displays Z

Mercedes-Ben
zcar 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 cleane rnoz-
zle. Information about the correct distance
is available from the equipment manufac-
turer. 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. X
Use clear water and a soft cloth to clean
camera lens :.
Cleaning the exhaust tail pipes !
Do not clean the exhaust pipe with alka-
line-based cleaning agents, such as wheel
cleaner.
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.
X Clean the exhaust pipe with a chrome care
product tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
Cleaning the trailer tow hitch H
Environmental note
Dispose of oily and greasy cloths in an envi-
ronmentally-responsible manner.
! Do not clean the ball coupling with a high-
pressure cleaner. Do not use solvents.
! Observe the note on care provided by the
trailer manufacturer. The ball coupling must be cleaned if it
becomes dirty or corroded.
X
Remove rust, e.g. with a wire brush.
X Remove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or
a brush. Care
317Maintenance and care Z

X
After cleaning, lightly oil or grease ball cou-
pling :.
X Check tha tthe vehicle's trailer tow hitch is
working properly.
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. Interior care
Cleaning the display !
For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing:
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.
X Before cleaning the display, make sure that
it is switched off and has cooled down.
X Cleant he display surface using a commer-
cially available microfibre cloth and TFT/
LCD display cleaner.
X Dry the display surface using a dry micro-
fibre cloth.
Cleaning the plastic trim G
WARNING
When cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard, do not use cockpit sprays or
cleaning agents containing solvents. Cleaning
agents containing solvents cause the surface
to become porous, and as aresult plastic
parts may break away and be thrown around
the interior when an airbag is deployed, which
may result in severe injuries. !
Do not affix the following to plastic surfa-
ces:
R stickers
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.
X Wipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free
cloth, e.g. a microfibre cloth.
X 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.
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.
Cleaning wooden trim and trim ele-
ments !
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.
X Wipe the wooden trim and trim elements
with a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfi-
bre cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the seat covers !
Observe the following when cleaning:
R clean genuine leather covers carefully
with a damp cloth and then wipe the cov-
ers down with a dry cloth. Make sure that 318
CareMaintenance and care

Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you tow the vehicle, you must use a rigid
towing ba rif:
R the engine is not running.
R there is a brake system malfunction.
R there is a malfunction in the power supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will need more
force to steer and brake, you may have to
depress the brake pedal with maximu mforce.
Before towing away, make sure that the steer-
ing can be moved and is not locked.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehicle. G
WARNING
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate HOLD and DISTRONIC PLUS if the
vehicle is to be towed.
! Only secure the tow rope or towing bar to
the towing eyes. The vehicle may otherwise
be damaged.
! Observe the following points when towing
with a tow rope:
R secure the tow rope on the same side on
both vehicles.
R the tow rope must not be longer than is
legally permitted. It should be marked in
the middle, e.g. with a white cloth
(30 x30c m) so thatothe rroad users are
aware that a vehicle is being towed.
R the tow rope may only be attached to the
towing eyes.
R observe the brake lamps of the towing
vehicle while driving. Always maintain a distance so that the tow rope does not
sag.
R do not use steel cables or chains to tow
your vehicle. The vehicle could be dam-
aged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
this could damage the vehicle. If in doubt,
recover the vehicle with acrane.
! Pull away smoothly when towing away or
tow-starting a vehicle. If the tractive power
is too high, the vehicles could be damaged.
! On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
key instead of the Start/Stop button. Turn
the key to position 2in the ignitio nlock and
shift the automatic transmission to N.
Then, turn the key back to 0and leave it in
the ignition lock.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the entire
vehicle must be lifted up and transported.
! If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximu mper-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
Information on your vehicle's gross vehicle
weight rating can be found on the vehicle
identification plate (Y page 371).
Observe the legal requirement sfor the rele-
vant countries when towing and tow-starting.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission dam-
age, have it transported on a transporter or
trailer.
When towing a vehicle with an automatic
transmission, the transmission must be in
position N. Towing and tow-starting
333Breakdown assistance Z

The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2
R cannot shift the transmission to position
N on vehicles with automatic transmission
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P(Y page 173).
i Deactivate the automatic locking feature
(Y page 84). You could otherwise be locked
out when pushing or towing the vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection
(Y page 71) before the vehicle is towed. Fitting/removing the towing eye
Fitting the towing eye G
WARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be hot. You could
burn yourself if you touch the tail pipe. Be
particularly careful when removing the rear
cover. Example: Cabriolet, towing eye covers Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch: if you intend
to use the vehicle for towing, fold out the ball
coupling and connect the towbar to it
(Y
page 222).
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, under the covers.
X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 323).
X Press the mark on cover :inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Take cover :off the opening.
X Screw the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye X
Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Position cover :on the bumper and press
it until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 127).
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0 and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the key or
the KEYLESS-GO key with you.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is importan tthat you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 333).334
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

Towing the vehicle with both axles on
the ground G
WARNING
The powe rassistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will then need
much more effort to brake and steer the vehi-
cle. Adapt your style of driving accordingly.
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 333).
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 127).
i When towing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal achange of direc-
tion. In this case, only the turn signals for
the desired direction flash. When the com-
bination switch is reset, the hazard warning
lamps start flashing again.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal.
X Engage neutral.
or
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake. Transporting the vehicle
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eyes or trailer tow hitch can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or trans-
porter if you wish to transport it. X
Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Move the selector lever to N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
move the selector lever to P.
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X Secure the vehicle. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. The transmission
may otherwise be damaged.
When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety instructions (Y page 333)
and the legal requirements in each respective
country.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 127).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 334).
X Secure the rigid towing bar or the towing
rope.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Depress the clutch pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Engage neutral.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Tow-start the vehicle.
X Engage second gear. Towing and tow-starting
335Breakdown assistance Z

R
Check the tyre for foreign objects.
R Chec kwhether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking.
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop. H
Environmental note
Check the tyre pressure regularly, at least
every 14 days.
You will find a table of tyre pressures for var-
ious operating conditions on the inside of
your vehicle's fuel filler flap.
Operation with the emergency spare
wheel(Y page 363).
Operation with a trailer: the applicable
value for the rear tyres is the maximum tyre
pressure value stated in the table inside the
fuel filler flap.
The table inside the fuel filler flap may state
tyre pressures for different load conditions.
These are defined in the table as different
numbers of passengers and amounts of lug-
gage. The actual number of seats may vary;
for more information, please refer to the vehi-
cle's registration documents.
If tyre sizes are not specified, the tyre pres-
sures stated on the tyre pressure information
label apply for all tyres approved for this vehi-
cle. If a tyre size precedes a tyre pressure, the
following tyre pressure information is only
valid for that tyre size.
Use a suitable pressure gauge to check the
tyre pressure. The outer appearance of a tyre does not permit any reliable conclusion about
the tyre pressure.
If possible, only correct tyre pressures when
the tyres are cold.
The tyres are cold:
R
if the vehicle has been parked with the tyres
out of direct sunlight for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has not been driven further
than 1.6 km
Depending on the ambient temperature, the
speed at which you are driving and the load
on the tyres, the tyre temperature and thus
the tyre pressure change by approximately
10 kPa per 10 † (0.1 ba r/1.5 psi). Take this
into account whe nchecking the pressure of
warm tyres. Only correct the tyre pressure if
it is too low for the current operating condi-
tions.
Driving with tyre pressure that is too high or
too low can:
R shorten the service life of the tyres
R cause increased tyre damage
R have a negative effect on handling charac-
teristics and thus the driving safety (e.g.
aquaplaning)
i The tyre pressure values given for low
loads are minimum values which offer you
good ride comfort characteristics.
However, you can also use the values given
for higher loads. These are permissible and
will not adversely affect the running of the
vehicle. Tyre pressure loss warning system
Important safety notes While the vehicle is in motion, the tyre pres-
sure loss warning system monitors the set
tyre pressure using the rotational speed of
the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tyre. If the speed
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of
a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning344
Tyre pressureWheels and tyres