2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE parking brake

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 372).
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the key from the ignition lock. In order to
ensure that the automatic transmission stays
in position Nwhen towing the vehicle, you
must observe the following points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the key is in position 0in the ignition
lock.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the key
instead of the Start/Stop button
(Y page 161).
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal.
X Engage neutral.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 129).
X Leave the key in position 2in the ignition
lock.
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. 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 Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion 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:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X Secure the vehicle. Notes for 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it trans-
ported on a transporter or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system 374
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P. To
shift the automatic transmission to position
N, you must provide powert o the vehicle's
electrical system in the same way as when
jump-starting (Y page 370).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. 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 372)
and the legal requirements in each respective
country.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 129).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 373).
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.
X Release the clutch pedal slowly; do not
depress the accelerator pedal while doing
so.
The engine is started.
X Depress the clutch pedal and shift to neu-
tral.
X Stop at a suitable place.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Remove the rigid towing bar or towing rope. X
Remove the towing eye (Y page 373).
X Switch off the hazard warning lamps.
Before tow-starting the following conditions
must be fulfilled:
R the battery is connected.
R the engine has cooled down.
R the exhaust system has cooled down.
You can find information on "Jump-starting"
at (Y page 370). Electrical fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which have the
correct fuse rating for the systems con-
cerned. Do not attempt to repair or bridge
faulty fuses. Using fuses which have not been
approved or attempting to repair or bridge
faulty fuses could cause the fuse to be over-
loaded and result in a fire. Have the cause
traced and rectified at a qualified specialist
workshop.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correc tfuse rating for the system
concerned. Otherwise, components or sys-
tems could be damaged.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If afuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions stop
operating.
Blown fuses must be replace dwith fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognise by
the colour and fuse rating. The fuse ratings
are listed in the fuse allocation chart.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. Electrical fuses
375Breakdown assistance Z

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos-
sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 25). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If wheels and tyres of the wrong size are used,
the wheel brakes or suspension components
may be damaged. There is arisk of accident.
Always replace wheels and tyres with those
that fulfil the specifications of the original part
(designation, manufacturer, model). G
WARNING
Af lat tyre severely impairs the driving, steer-
ing and braking characteristics of the vehicle.
There is a risk of accident.
Tyres without run-flat characteristics:
R do not drive with aflat tyre.
R immediately replace the flat tyre with your
emergency spare wheel or spare wheel, or
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Tyres with run-flat characteristics:
R pay attention to the information and warn-
ing notices on MOExtended tyres (tyres
with run-flat characteristics).
Accessories that are not approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Ben zorare not being
used correctly can impair the operating
safety. Before purchasing and using non-approved
accessories, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop and enquire about:
R suitability
R legal stipulations
R factory recommendations
Information on the dimensions and types of
wheels and tyres for yourv ehicle can be
found under "Wheel/tyre combinations"
(Y page 393).
Information on air pressure for the tyres on
your vehicle can be found:
R on the tyre pressure label on the fuel filler
flap (Y page 180)
R under "Tyre pressure" (Y page 383)
R in the "Tyre pressure" section
Modification work on the brake system and
wheels is not permitted. The use of wheel
spacers or brake dust shields is not permit-
ted. This invalidates the general operating
permit for the vehicle.
i Further information on wheels and tyres
can be obtained at any qualified specialist
workshop. Operation
Information on driving
Check the tyre pressures when the vehicle is
heavily laden and, if necessary, adjust.
While driving, pay attention to vibrations,
noises and unusual handling characteristics,
e.g. pulling to one side. This may indicate that
the wheels or tyres are damaged. If you sus-
pect that a tyre is defective, reduce your
speed immediately. Stop the vehicle as soon
as possible to chec kthe wheels and tyres for
damage. Hidden tyre damage could also be
causing the unusual handling characteristics.
If you find no signs of damage, have the tyres
and wheels checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When parking your vehicle, make sure that
the tyres do not get deformed by the kerb or 380
OperationWheels and tyres

Clean the contact surface
softhe wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is interchanged. Check the tyre pressure and,
if necessary, restart the tyre pressure loss
warning system or the tyre pressure monitor. Direction of rotation
Tyres with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk
of aquaplaning. You will only gain these ben-
efits if the correct direction of rotation is
observed.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tyre indicates
its correct direction of rotation. Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool,
dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tyres against oil, grease, petrol and diesel. Cleaning the wheels
G
WARNING
The water jet of circular-jet nozzles (dirt grind-
ers) can cause damage not visible from the
outside to tyres or chassis components. Com-
ponents damaged in this way can unexpect-
edly fail. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have dam-
aged tyres or chassis components replaced
immediately. Fitting
awheel
Preparing the vehicle X
Stop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Shift the transmission to position P.X
Vehicles with AIRMATIC :make sure that
"normal" level is selected (Y page 208).
X Switch off the engine.
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the key from the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the
driver's door.
The on-board electronics have status 0,
which is the same as the key having been
removed.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(Y page 161).
X If included in the vehicle equipment,
remove the tyre-change tool kit from the
vehicle.
X Secure the vehicle to preven titfrom rolling
away.
i Apart from certain country-specific varia-
tions, the vehicles are not equipped with a
tyre-change tool kit. Some tools for chang-
ing a wheel are specific to the vehicle. For
more information on which tools are
required to perform a wheel change on your
vehicle, consult a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Necessary wheel-changing tools can
include, for example:
R jack
R wheel chock
R wheel wrench
Securing the vehicle agains trolling
away Changing
awheel
389Wheels and tyres Z

If yourv
ehicle is equipped with a wheel chock,
it can be found in the tyre-change tool kit
(Y page 361).
The folding wheel choc kis an additional
securing measure to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, for example when changing a
wheel.
X Fold both plates upwards :.
X Fold out lower plate ;.
X Guide the lugs on the lower plate fully into
the openings in base plate =.Securing the vehicle on level ground (example:
Saloon)
X
On level ground: place chocks or other
suitable items under the front and rear of
the wheel that is diagonally opposite the
wheel you wish to change. Securing the vehicle on slight downhill gradients
(example: Saloon)
X On light downhill gradients: place
chocks or other suitable items in front of
the wheels of the front and rear axle. Raising the vehicle G
WARNING
If you do not position the jack correctly at the
appropriate jacking point of the vehicle, the
jack could tip over with the vehicle raised.
There is a risk of injury.
Only position the jack at the appropriate jack-
ing point of the vehicle. The base of the jack
must be positioned vertically, directly under
the jacking point of the vehicle.
The following must be observed when raising
the vehicle:
R to raise the vehicle, only use the vehicle-
specific jack that has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. If the jack is
used incorrectly, it could tip over while the
vehicle is raised.
R the jack is designed only to raise and hold
the vehicle for a short time while a wheel
is being changed. It is not suited for per-
forming maintenance work under the vehi-
cle.
R avoid changing the wheel on uphill and
downhill slopes.
R before raising the vehicle, secure it from
rolling away by applying the parking brake
and inserting wheel chocks. Never disen-
gage the parking brake while the vehicle is
raised.
R the jack must be placed on a firm, flat and
non-slip surface. On a loose surface, a
large, load-bearing underlay must be used.
On a slippery surface, a non-slip underlay
must be used, e.g. rubber mats.
R do not use wooden blocks or similar
objects as a jack underlay.O therwise, the
jac kw ill not be able to achieve its load-
bearing capacity due to the restricted
height.
R make sure that the distance between the
underside of the tyres and the ground does
not exceed 3 cm.
R never place your hands or feet under the
raised vehicle. 390
Changing
awheelWheels and tyres