2013 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class towing

The
ABC Active Body Control COMFORT message appears in the
multifunction display. 4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to
insufficien tgrip. G
WARNING
If a drive wheel is spinning due to insufficient
traction:
R While driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adapt yours peed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
4MATIC cannot prevent accidents resulting
from excessive speed.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The PARKTRONIC is a supplemental system.
It is not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver. G
WARNING
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering .Otherwise, they could be
injured.
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasoni csensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
R release the electric parkin gbrake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front and four
sensors in the rear. 0002
Example: sensors in the front bumper,
left-hand side 350
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Roadside Assistance button
X
Ope nthe stowage compartmentu nderthe
armrest (Y page 439). X
Press and hold Roadside Assistance
button 0002for more than two seconds.
This initiates a call to the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center. The indicator
lamp in Roadside Assistance button 0002
flashes while the call is active. The
Connecting Call message appears in the
multifunction display and the COMAND
display. The audio output is muted.
If a connection can be established, the CallConnected message appears in the
multifunction display and in the COMAND
display.
If a cellularp hone network is available and
there is sufficient GPS reception, the mbrace
system transmits data to the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center, for example:
R current location of the vehicle
R vehicle identification number
i The multifunction display and COMAND
display show that an mbrace call is active.
You can change to the navigation menu by
pressing the 0011button during the call,
for example.
Voice output is not available.
Av oice connection is established between
the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center and the vehicle occupants.
X Describe the type of assistance needed. The Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center either sends a qualified Mercedes-
Benz technician or organizes for your vehicle
to be transported to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. You may be charged
for services such as repair work and/or
towing. Further details are available in your
mbrace manual.
i
The mbrace system failed to initiate a
Roadside Assistance call if:
R the indicator lamp in Roadside
Assistance button 0002is flashing
continuously.
R no voice connection to the Mercedes-
Benz Customer Assistance Center was
established.
This may be because the corresponding
mobile phone network is not available.
The Call Failed message appears in the
multifunction display.
The COMAND display shows the Call could not be connected! message.
Press 0021to confirm the message.
X To end acall: press the 001Fbutton on the
multifunctio nsteering wheel.
or
X Press the corresponding button for ending
a phone call on the COMAND telephone
keypad.
MB Info call button X
Open the stowage compartment under the
armrest (Y page 439).452
FeaturesSto
wage an d features

damage to the major assemblies or the
vehicle.
Driving abroad
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. You can
obtain further information from any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Care
Notes on care
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. G
WARNING
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the
particular container .Always open your
vehicle's doors or windows when cleaning the
inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not
designed for cleaning your vehicle.
Always lock away cleaning products and keep
them out of reach of children.
! For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any
of the following:
R dry, rough or hard cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective
films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film. H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible
manner.
! Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosio nofthe brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after
cleaning. Braking heats the brake discs and
the brake pads/linings, thus drying them.
The vehicle can then be parked. Exterior care
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. This could cause an accident. For
this reason, you must drive particularly
carefully after washing the vehicle until the
brakes have dried.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
! Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
! In car washes with a towing mechanism,
make sure that the automatic transmission
is in transmission position N, otherwise the
vehicle could be damaged.
R Vehicles with a SmartKey:
Do not remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock. Do not open the driver's
door or front-passenger door when the
engine is switched off. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission selects park 470
CareMaintenance and care

Useful information
............................478
Where will I find...? ...........................478
Flat tire .............................................. 479
Battery ............................................... 484
Jump-starting .................................... 488
Towing and tow-starting ..................490
Fuses .................................................. 492 477Breakdown assistance

Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Hybrid vehicles: be sure to read the "HYBRID"
supplement. Otherwise, you could fail to
recognize dangers. 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
steering can be moved and is not locked.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum
permissible gross vehicle weight of your
vehicle.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
! The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of
30 mph (50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
! Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
! Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
as this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane. !
When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! When towing vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
use the key instead of the Start/Stop
button. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission may shift to position Pwhen
the driver's or front-passenger door are
opened, which could lead to damage to the
transmission.
The automatic transmission must be in
position Nwhen the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock
R cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
i Switch off the automatic locking feature
(Y page 269) You could otherwise be
locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle. Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye X
Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 478). 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.
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, under the covers. 490
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

X
Press the mark on cover 0002inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Take cover 0002off 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 Attach cover 0002to the bumper and press
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only possible on vehicles without
4MATIC.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is importan tthat you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 490).
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could
otherwise damage the brake system. X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 283).
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey
from the ignition lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the
SmartKey or the KEYLESS-GO key with you. Towing
avehicle with both axles on
the ground
When having your vehicle towed, observe the
important safety notes (Y page 490). G
WARNING
The power assistance 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
vehicle .Adapt your style of driving
accordingly.
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the SmartKey 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
the SmartKey in the ignition lock is in
position 0.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the key
instead of the Start/Stop button
(Y page 307).
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake. Towing and tow-starting
491Breakdown assistance Z

X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 283).
X Leave the SmartKey in position 2in the
ignition lock.
i Whe ntowing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal a change of
direction .Inthis case, only the turn signals
for the desired direction flash. When the
combination switch is reset, the hazard
warning lamps start flashing again. Transporting the vehicle
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey
from the ignition lock.
X Secure 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.
Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged. Notes for 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it
transported on a transporter or trailer. In the event of damage to the electrical
system
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 power to the vehicle's
electrical system in the same way as when
jump-starting (Y page 488).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Tow-starting (emergency starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be started by tow-starting. This
could otherwise damage the transmission.
For further information on "Jump-starting"
see (Y page 488). Fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Ben zvehicles and that have the
correct fuse rating for the systems
concerned. Do not attempt to repair or bridge
faulty fuses. Using fuses that have not been
approved or attempting to repair or bridge
faulty fuses could cause the fuse to be
overloaded and result in afire. Have the cause
traced and rectified at a qualified specialist
workshop.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If afuse blows, all the
components on the circuit and their functions
stop operating.
Blown fuses must be replace dwith fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
the color and value. The fuse ratings are listed
in the fuse allocation chart.
If a newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified 492
FusesBreakdown assistance

X
Step 4: The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs and there will be
five 150 lbs passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs (1 400 - 750 (5 x 150)
= 650 lbs).
X Step 5: Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in step 4.
X Step 6 (if applicable): If your vehicle will
be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle (Y page 512).510
Loading the vehicleWheels and tires