2014 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS SALOON trailer

No lane-correcting brake application occurs
if:
R you clearly and actively steer, brake or
accelerate
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend
R you have switched on the turn signal
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake or Active Blind
Spot Assist
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration
R ESP ®
is deactivated
R the transmission is not in position D
R on vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the
electrical connection to the trailer has been
correctly established
R a loss of tyre pressure or a defective tyre
has been detected and displayed
R an obstacle in the lane in which you are
driving has been detected
Active Lane Keeping Assist may not detect
other road users or traffic situations. An inap- propriate brake application may be interrup-
ted at any time if:
R you steer slightly in the opposite direction
R you switch on the turn signal
R you clearly brake or accelerate
A lane-correcting brake application is inter-
rupted automatically if:
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake or Active Blind
Spot Assist
R lane markings are no longer detected Activating Active Lane Keeping Assist X
Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. The Lane Lane
Keeping Assist on
Keeping Assist onmessage appears in
the multifunction display. If all conditions
have been satisfied, a warning or steering
intervention may be made.
If you drive at speeds above 60 km/h and
lane markings are detected, the lines in the assistance graphic display (Y page 306)
are shown in green. Active Lane Keeping
Assist is ready for use.
X To deactivate: press button;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. Active Lane
Keeping Assist is deactivated. The Lane Lane
Keeping Assist off
Keeping Assist off message appears in
the multifunction display.
Selecting Standard or Adaptive setting
X In the Assistance
Assistance menu on the on-board
computer, select the Active Lane Keep‐
Active Lane Keep‐
ing Assist
ing Assist function (Ypage 309).
X Select Standard
Standard orAdaptive
Adaptive.
When Standard
Standard is selected, no warning
vibration occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed
for a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such
as ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
When Adaptive Adaptive is selected, no warning
vibration occurs if: 268
Driving systemsDriving and parking

R
you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed
for a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such
as ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lane quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when nec-
essary and in good time if you cross the lane marking, the system recognises certain con-
ditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a motor-
way.
R the system recognises solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend.
Towing a trailer
If you couple up a trailer, make sure that you have correctly established the electrical con-
nection. This can be accomplished by check- ing the trailer lighting. Hybrid operation
Points to remember
General notes Hybrid technology combines a fuel efficient
internal combustion engine with a powerful
electric motor. The hybrid system automati-
cally selects the most efficient operating
mode for every driving situation. Drive the
vehicle in the usual manner.
To save fuel, the hybrid system switches off
the combustion engine as often as possible
during the journey when power output requirements are low. When power output
requirements are low, the electric motor pow-
ers the vehicle. When power output require-
ments are high, the combustion engine is
switched on, even during a journey. When the vehicle is stationary, the combustion engine
is usually switched off. Consequently, there is
usually no engine idling as with combustion
engine vehicles.
For pulling away and accelerating, the electric motor supports the internal combustion
engine using the power stored in the high-
voltage battery. In addition, the power is used
for partially electric driving, operation of the
electric coolant compressor and to support
the 12 V on-board electrical system. In this
way the hybrid drive helps to reduce your
vehicle's fuel consumption.
Observe the driving tips on hybrid operation
(Y page 278).
RBS (Recuperative Brake System) If you release the accelerator pedal when the
vehicle is in motion, overrun recuperation is
initiated. The electric motor is operated as a
generator when in overrun mode and when
you brake. Hybrid technology converts the
kinetic energy of the vehicle into electricity
and stores it in the high-voltage battery. Important safety notes
All of the vehicle's systems remain active, if: R the vehicle is stationary,
R the combustion engine is switched off and
R the READY-indicator in the instrument clus-
ter is lit.
If you remove your foot from the brake pedal
while in transmission position D or R, the
vehicle could pull away automatically.
Observe the notes on the READY display of
the ECO start/stop function (Y page 279).
Vehicles with an electric motor generate sig-
nificantly less noise than vehicles with inter-
nal combustion engines. As a result, in certain Hybrid operation
269Driving and parking Z

Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving. G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination if it begins to swerve. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even overturn.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten out the vehicle/trailer combina-
tion by increasing speed. Decrease your
speed and do not countersteer. Brake if nec-
essary. G
WARNING
If the maximum the permissible load for a car- rier system is exceeded, the carrier could
come loose from the vehicle and endanger
other road users. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never exceed the permissible noseweight
when using a carrier.
Exceeding the maximum permissible nose-
weight of the trailer drawbar on the ball cou-
pling may cause damage to the following:
R your vehicle
R the trailer
R the ball coupling
R the trailer tow hitch
The vehicle/trailer combination could
become unstable.
If the noseweight used is lower than the min- imum permissible noseweight, the vehicle/ trailer combination could also become unsta-
ble.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R make sure to check the noseweight before
each journey.
R use a drawbar noseweight as close as pos-
sible to the maximum noseweight.
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
noseweight.
R do not use a noseweight lower than the
minimum permissible trailer drawbar nose-
weight.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which
must not be exceeded, can be found:
R in your vehicle documents
R on the identification plates of the trailer tow
hitch and the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
You will find the values approved by the man-
ufacturer on the vehicle identification plates
and those for the towing vehicle under "Tech- nical data" (Y page 478). G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that the ball coupling engages when folding in. Towing a trailer
283Driving and parking Z

!
Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R has a larger turning circle
This can impair the vehicle's handling char-
acteristics. Adapt your driving style accord-
ingly. Maintain a safe distance. Drive care-
fully.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your
speed to the current road and weather con-
ditions. Do not exceed the maximum permis- sible speed for your vehicle/trailer combina-
tion. Notes on towing a trailer
General notes Trailer towing is not permissible on the fol-
lowing models:
R C 180 BlueEFFICIENCY Edition
R C 220 BlueTEC BlueEFFICIENCY Edition
When towing a trailer, set the tyre pressure on
the rear axle of the towing vehicle for a max-
imum load; see the tyre pressure table in the fuel filler flap (Y page 432). On vehicles without level control, the height
of the ball coupling will alter according to the
load placed on the vehicle. If necessary, use a
trailer with a height-adjustable drawbar.
You will find fitting dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 477).
When towing a trailer, the ECO start/stop
function is deactivated. The èECO sym-
bol appears yellow in the multifunction dis-
play. For further information on the ECO
start/stop function; see (Y page 186).
Driving tips Observe the notes on ESP
®
trailer stabilisa-
tion (Y page 82).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/ trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the max- imum permitted speed is. Observe the legally
prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies
to your vehicle (Y page 478). If you utilise any
of the added maximum rear axle load when
towing a trailer, the vehicle/trailer combina-
tion may not exceed a maximum speed of
100 km/h for reasons concerning the oper-
ating permit. This also applies in countries in
which the permissible maximum speed for
vehicle/trailer combinations is above
100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients.
This also applies if cruise control, DISTRONIC
PLUS or SPEEDTRONIC are activated.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the 284
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you
need additional braking, depress the brake
pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in
front than when driving without a trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine,
and consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing altitude. Folding out the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly engaged,
the trailer can detach. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always engage the ball coupling as described. G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that the ball coupling engages when folding in.
Before you can tow a trailer with your vehicle, you must fold out the ball coupling.
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary. X
Open the boot lid.
X Pull release knob :until the ball coupling
unlocks.
The ball coupling folds out from under the
rear bumper.
The indicator lamp on the release knob
flashes. The trailer socket folds away auto- matically. X
Press the ball coupling in the direction of
the arrow until it engages in a vertical posi-
tion.
The indicator lamp on the release knob
goes off.
The multifunction display shows the
Trailer Trailer hitch
hitchCheck
Checklock
lockmech.
mech. mes-
sage until the ball coupling is engaged.
X Remove the protective covering from the
ball coupling and store it in a safe place.
Hybrid vehicles: observe the safety instruc-
tions for hybrid vehicles (Y page 269). Towing a trailer
285Driving and parking Z

Coupling up a trailer
X Make sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Position the trailer horizontally behind the
vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electric connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.
X Check that the trailer lighting system is
working.
X Push the combination switch upwards/
downwards and check whether the corre-
sponding turn signal on the trailer is flash-
ing.
A connected trailer is only recognised when the electrical connection is established
correctly and when the lighting system is
working properly. The functioning of other
systems, e.g. ESP ®
, PARKTRONIC, Active
Parking Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist or
Lane Keeping Assist also depends on this. Uncoupling a trailer
G
WARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with an engaged over- run brake, you could trap your hand between
the vehicle and the trailer drawbar. This poses a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
If you disconnect the trailer cable, the vehicle is lowered. This can cause you or others to
become trapped between the vehicle body
and tyres, or underneath the vehicle. This
poses a risk of injury.
Make sure that no-one is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel arch or underneath the
vehicle when disconnecting the trailer cable. !
Do not disconnect a trailer with an
engaged overrun brake. Otherwise, your
vehicle could be damaged by the rebound- ing of the overrun brake.
! Remove the installed adapter cable
before folding in the ball coupling. Other-
wise, damage may occur to the rear
bumper and the adapter cable.
X Make sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer. Folding in the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that the ball coupling engages when folding in.
Fold the ball coupling back in if you are not
using the trailer tow hitch. X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the trailer cables are disconnected.
X Place the protective covering on the ball
coupling.
X Open the boot lid. 286
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

X
Pull release knob :until the ball coupling
unlocks.
The ball coupling folds down from under the rear bumper. The indicator lamp on the
release knob flashes.
Do not attempt to speed this process up by
applying additional pressure with your foot. The system could otherwise be mechani-
cally damaged. X
Press the ball coupling in the direction of
the arrow until it engages audibly behind
the bumper.
The indicator lamp on the release knob
goes out and the message in the multifunc-
tion display disappears. Trailer power supply
! You can connect accessories with a
power rating of up to 240 W to the perma-
nent power supply and with a power rating of up to 180 W to the power supply that is
switched on via the ignition lock. The trailer battery may not be charged from
the power supply.
When it leaves the factory, your vehicle's
trailer socket is equipped with a permanent
power supply and a power supply that is
switched on via the ignition lock.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 9.
The power supply that is switched on via the
ignition lock is supplied via trailer socket pin
10.
The trailer's permanent power supply is
switched off in the event of low vehicle supply
voltage and after six hours at the latest.
You can find more information about fitting
the trailer electrics at a qualified specialist
workshop.
X To switch the connected power supply
on or off: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or 0respectively (Y page 181). Bulb failure indicator for LED lamps
If LED lamps are fitted in the trailer, an error
message may appear in the multifunction dis-
play even if there is no fault. The reason for
the error message may be that the current
has fallen below the minimum of 50 mA.
To ensure reliable operation of the bulb failure indicator, each LED chain in the trailer lighting
must be guaranteed a minimum current of
50 mA. Trailer with 7-pin connector
General notes Trailer with 7-pin connector:
you can con-
nect to the 13-pin socket on the ball coupling
using an adapter or, if necessary, an adapter
cable. Both can be obtained at a qualified
specialist workshop. Towing a trailer
287Driving and parking Z

Fitting the adapter
!
Make sure that there is sufficient cable
play so that the cable cannot become
detached when cornering.
! Remove the installed adapter cable
before folding in the ball coupling. Other-
wise, damage may occur to the rear
bumper and the adapter cable. X
Open the socket cover.
X Insert the plug connector with lug :into
groove =on the socket. Turn bayonet con-
nection ;clockwise to the stop.
X Let the cover engage.
X If you are using an adapter cable, secure
the cable to the trailer with cable ties. 288
Towing a trailerDriving and pa
rking