Page 517 of 572

clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
Otherwise, the vehicle's electronic
system may be damaged.
R in vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The
vehicle is secured against rolling away.
You can
then no longer move the vehicle.
The battery and the cover of the positive
terminal clamp must be installed securely
during operation.
In order for the battery to achieve the
maximum possible service life, it must always
be sufficiently charged.
The vehicle battery, like other batteries, can
discharge over time if you do not use the
vehicle. In this case, have the battery
disconnected at a qualified specialist
workshop. You can also charge the battery
with a charger recommended by Mercedes-
Benz. Contact a qualified specialist workshop
for further information.
Have the battery charge level checked more
frequently if you use the vehicle mainly for
short trips or if you leave it standing idle for
a lengthy period. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop if you wish to leave your vehicle
parked up for a long period of time.
Only replace a battery with a battery that has
been recommended by Mercedes-Benz.
i Remove the SmartKey if you park the
vehicle and do not require any electrical
consumers. The vehicle will then use very
little energy, thus conserving battery
power.
i After an interruption to the power supply,
e.g. due to a discharged battery, you must
reset the clock (Y page 289). Charging the battery
G
WARNING
Never charge a battery still installed in the
vehicle unless
a battery charger unit approved by Mercedes-Benz is being used. Gases may
escape
during
charging and cause explosions
that may result in paint damage, corrosion or
personal injury.
A battery charger unit specially adapted for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz is available as an
accessory. It permits the charging of the
battery in its installed position. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for further
information and availability.
Charge the battery in accordance with the
separate instructions for the battery charger. G
WARNING
There is a risk of acid burns during the
charging process due to the gases which
escape from
the battery. Do not lean over the
battery during the charging process. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. Avoid contact with the
skin, eyes or clothing.
! Only use battery chargers with a
maximum charging voltage of 14.8 V.
! Only charge the battery using the jump-
starting connection point.
The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment.
Read the battery charger's operating
instructions before charging the battery.
X Open the hood (Y page 496).
X Connect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and ground point in the same
order as when connecting the donor
battery in the jump-starting procedure
(Y page 516). Battery
515
Roadside Assistance Z
Page 520 of 572

Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you tow the vehicle, you must use a rigid
towing bar if:
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 maximum force.
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. 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 tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
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 P when
the driver's or front-passenger door are opened, which could lead to damage to the
transmission.
! 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.
! If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum
permissible gross vehicle weight of your
vehicle.
Information on your vehicle's gross vehicle
weight rating can be found on the vehicle
identification plate ( Y page 559).
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
The automatic transmission must be in
position N when the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the SmartKey to position 2 in
the ignition lock
R cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
i Deactivate the automatic locking feature
(Y page 218). You could otherwise be
locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle. Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing 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. 518
Towing and tow-starting
Roadside Assistance
Page 522 of 572

X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 113).
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in 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.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions ( Y page 518).Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
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 P when 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 N when towing
the vehicle, you must observe the following
points:
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 113).
i In order to signal a change of direction
when towing the vehicle with the hazard
warning lamps switched on, use the
combination switch as usual. In this case,
only the turn signals for the desired
direction flash. When the combination
switch is reset, the hazard warning lamps
start flashing again.
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 2 in the
ignition lock. On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
SmartKey
instead
of the Start/Stop button
(Y page 135).
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.
X Leave the SmartKey in position 2 in the
ignition lock.
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 518). 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.
Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in 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 0 in the
ignition lock and remove it.
X Secure the vehicle. Tow-starting (emergency starting)
! Vehicles with an automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. You could
otherwise damage the automatic
transmission. 520
Towing and tow-starting
Roadside Assistance