
346If and when
Note
The vehicle can only be towed if the electronic parking brake and steering
lock are deactivated. If the vehicle has no power supply or there is an elec-
tric system fault, the engine must be started using jump leads to deactivate
the electronic parking brake and electronic steering lock.
Fitting the front tow ring
Fig. 220 On the right-
hand side of the front
bumper: Screw in the
towing ring.
The location for the removable tow ring is on the right-hand side of the front
bumper ⇒ fig. 220. The towing eye should always be kept in the vehicle.
Note the instructions for towing ⇒ page 345.
To fit the tow ring
● Take the tow ring from the vehicle tool kit ⇒ page 324.
● Press on the upper cover and carefully remove it forwards. Allow the cov-
er to hang. ●
Screw in the tow ring into its position anticlockwise as far as it will go
⇒ fig. 220 ⇒
. Use a suitable tool to firmly tighten the tow ring in its loca-
tion.
● After towing, remove the tow ring by turning it clockwise and put the
cover back in place.
CAUTION
The tow ring must always be completely and firmly tightened. Otherwise, it
could be released while towing and tow-starting.
Fitting the rear tow ring
Fig. 221 On the rear
bumper, to the right hand
side: Tow ring in position.
The location for the removable tow ring is on the right-hand side of the rear
bumper ⇒ fig. 221. For vehicles with a factory fitted trailer system , there is
no fitting behind the cover to insert the tow ring. For towing, fit and use the
trailer hitch ⇒ page 237, ⇒
.
Note the instructions for towing ⇒ page 345.

347
If and when
Fitting the tow ring to the rear for vehicles without factory fitted tow hitch
● Take the tow ring from the on-board tools ⇒ page 324.
● Press on the upper cover and carefully remove it back. This may require
some strength. Allow the cover to hang.
● Screw in the tow ring into its position anticlockwise as far as it will go
⇒
. Use a suitable tool to firmly tighten the tow ring in its location.
● After towing, remove the tow ring by turning it clockwise and put the
cover back in place.
CAUTION
● The tow ring must always be completely and firmly tightened. Other-
wise, it could be released while towing and tow-starting.
● Vehicles with a factory fitted towing device, can only be used for towing
with a tow-bar, specially designed to fit on a tow hitch ball. Otherwise, the
tow hitch ball and the vehicle may be damaged. Otherwise, a tow rope
should be used.
Towing advice
Towing requires some experience, especially when using a tow-rope. Both
drivers should be familiar with the technique required for towing. For this
reason, inexperienced drivers should abstain.
While driving, avoid excessive traction forces and jerking. When towing on
an unpaved road, there is always a risk of overloading and damaging the
anchorage points.
If the vehicle is towed, with the hazard warning lights on and the ignition
switched on, the turn signal may be used to indicate changes of direction.
Simply operate the turn indicator lever as usual. Meanwhile, the hazard
warning lights will go off. When the turn signal lever is returned to the rest
position, the hazard warning lights will be turned on automatically. Notes for the driver of the towed vehicle
●
Leave the ignition on to avoid locking the steering wheel, to release the
electronic parking brake and to activate the turn signal indicators, the horn
as well as the window wipers and window washers.
● As the power assisted steering does not work if the engine is not run-
ning, you will need more strength to steer than normally.
● The brake must be depressed must harder as the brake servo does not
operate. Avoid hitting the towing vehicle.
● Note the instructions and information contained in the instruction man-
ual for the vehicle to be towed.
Notes for the driver of the towing vehicle
● Accelerate gently and carefully. Avoid sudden manoeuvres.
● Brake well in advance than usual and brake gently.
● Note the instructions and information contained in the instruction man-
ual for the vehicle to be towed.
Safety FirstOperating instructionsPractical tipsTechnical Specifications

Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305, 351All-wheel drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Sockets 12 Volts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Spanner symbol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Spare fuel canister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Spare parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Special features Automatic car wash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Folding exterior mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
High pressure cleaning equipment . . . . . . 248
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185, 189, 367
Pushing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Radio reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Removing the vehicle key . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Washing the vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Windscreen wipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Special notes High-pressure cleaning system . . . . . . . . . 239
Long parking times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344, 345
Tow starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Specifications Combined weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Drawbar load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Trailer weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Specific notes Electric sliding doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Spectacle case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Speed rating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Stabilising the vehicle and trailer combina- tion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Start-Stop function
Driving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Start-Stop Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Start assist See "Start assist systems" . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Starting assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Jump leads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Positive pole on the starting assistancepoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Starting using an external battery See Starting assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Steering Control lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Counter steering assistance system . . . . . 170
Electromechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Power steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Steering column lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Tendency to pull to one side . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Steering wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Rocker switches (Tiptronic) . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Storage compartment on the roof console . . . 143
Storage compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Glove compartment lighting . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Sudden braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Sun blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Sun blinds Rear side windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Sunshade
Anti-trap function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Sun visor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Symbols See "Lamps" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
System Automatic dipped beam control . . . . . . . . . 99
Systems ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Adaptive headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . 191
ASR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192, 193
Auto Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
BAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Brake assist system (BAS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Braking assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
EDL and XDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Electronic differential lock system (EDL andXDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . 191
ESC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Lane Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Lane Assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Launch-Control Programme . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Optical parking system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Park assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Park Assist system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Parking sensor system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Rear Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
381
Index