Driving and operating123Towing
General information
Only use towing equipment that has
been approved for your vehicle.
Vehicles with natural gas engine may
require special towing equipment.
Entrust retrofitting of towing
equipment to a workshop. It may be
necessary to make changes that
affect the cooling system, heat
shields or other equipment.
Fitting of towing equipment could
cover the opening of the towing eye.
If this is the case use the coupling ball bar for towing. Always keep the
coupling ball bar in the vehicle.
Driving characteristics and
towing tips Before attaching a trailer, lubricatethe coupling ball. However, do not do
so if a stabiliser, which acts on the
coupling ball, is being used to reduce snaking movements.For trailers with low driving stability
and caravan trailers with a permitted
gross vehicle weight of more than
1300 kg the use of a stabiliser is
strongly recommended when driving
above 50 mph.
If the trailer starts snaking, drive more slowly, do not attempt to correct the
steering and brake sharply if
necessary.
When driving downhill, drive in the
same gear as if driving uphill and
drive at a similar speed.
Adjust tyre pressure to the value
specified for full load 3 174.
Trailer towing Trailer loads
The permissible trailer loads are
vehicle and engine-dependent
maximum values which must not be
exceeded. The actual trailer load is the difference between the actual
gross weight of the trailer and the
actual coupling socket load with the
trailer coupled.The permissible trailer loads are
specified in the vehicle documents. In general, they are valid for gradients
up to max. 12 %.
The permitted trailer load applies up to the specified incline and up to an
altitude of 1000 metres above sea
level. Since engine power decreases
as altitude increases due to the air becoming thinner, therefore reducing
climbing ability, the permissible gross
train weight also decreases by 10 %
for every 1000 metres of additional
altitude. The gross train weight does
not have to be reduced when driving
on roads with slight inclines (less than 8 %, e.g. motorways).
The permissible gross train weight
must not be exceeded. This weight is
specified on the identification plate
3 161.
Vertical coupling load
The vertical coupling load is the load
exerted by the trailer on the coupling
ball. It can be varied by changing the
weight distribution when loading the
trailer.
146Vehicle care
8. Set the rocker switch on thecompressor to I. The tyre is filled
with sealant.
9. All of the sealant is pumped into the tyre. Then the tyre is inflated.
Tyre pressure 3 174. When the
correct pressure is obtained,
switch off the compressor.
10. If a pressure of 1.5 bar is not obtained within 5 minutes,
remove the tyre repair kit. Move
the vehicle one tyre rotation.
Reattach the tyre repair kit and
continue the filling procedure for 5 minutes. If a pressure of
1.8 bar is still not obtained within
5 minutes, the tyre is too badly
damaged. Seek the assistance of
a workshop.
Do not run the compressor longer
than 20 minutes.
11. Detach the tyre repair kit.
12. Remove any excess sealant using a cloth.
13. Take the label indicating maximum permitted speed from
the sealant bottle and affix in the
driver's field of view.
14. Continue driving immediately so that sealant is evenly distributed
in the tyre. After driving approx.
6 miles (but no more than 10 minutes), stop and check tyre
pressure. Screw compressor air
hose directly onto tyre valve and
compressor when doing this.
If tyre pressure is more than 1.8 bar , set it to the correct value.
Repeat the procedure until there
is no more loss of pressure.
If the tyre pressure has fallen
below 1.8 bar, the vehicle must
not be used. Seek the assistance
of a workshop.
15. Stow away tyre repair kit in load compartment.
Vehicle care149
With the jack correctly aligned,
rotate until wheel is clear of the
ground.
5. Unscrew the wheel nuts. 6. Change the wheel. Spare wheel 3 149.
7. Screw on the wheel nuts.
8. Lower vehicle.
9. Install the wheel wrench ensuring that it locates securely and tighten
each nut in a crosswise
sequence. Tightening torque is
85 Nm (steel wheel) or 120 Nm
(alloy wheel).
10. Align the valve hole in the wheel cover with the tyre valve before
installing.
Install wheel nut caps.
11. Stow the replaced wheel 3 149
and the vehicle tools 3 142.
12. Check the tyre pressure of the installed tyre and the wheel nut
torque as soon as possible.
Have the defective tyre renewed or
repaired as soon as possible.Spare wheel
Some vehicles are equipped with a
tyre repair kit 3 145 instead of a spare
wheel.
The spare wheel can be classified as
a temporary spare wheel depending
on the size compared to the other
mounted wheels and country
regulations.Caution
The use of a spare wheel that is smaller than the other wheels or in combination with winter tyres
could affect driveability. Have the defective tyre replaced as soon as
possible.Depending on model variant, the
spare wheel is stored beneath the
floor or in the load compartment.
1. Attach the extension bar 2 to the
wheel wrench 1. Vehicle tools
3 142.
154Vehicle careCaution
The towing eye must only be usedfor towing and not for recovering
the vehicle.
Switch on ignition to release steering
wheel lock and to permit operation of
brake lights, horn and windscreen
wiper.
Transmission in neutral.
Notice
If neutral cannot be selected on
vehicles with manual transmission
automated (MTA), the vehicle must
only be towed with the drive wheels
raised off the ground.
Caution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
When the engine is not running,
considerably more force is needed to
brake and steer.
To prevent the entry of exhaust gases from the towing vehicle, switch on the
air recirculation and close the
windows.
Seek the assistance of a workshop.
After towing, unscrew the towing eye
and replace the cap.
Towing another vehicle
Insert a screwdriver in the slot at the
side of the cap. Release the cap by
carefully levering the screwdriver. To
prevent damage it is recommended to place a cloth between the screwdriver
and the frame.
The towing eye is stowed with the vehicle tools 3 142.
Screw in the towing eye as far as it will
go until it stops in a horizontal
position.
Attach a tow rope – or even better a tow bar – to the towing eye.
The towing eye must only be used for
towing and not for recovering a
vehicle.Caution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
After towing, unscrew the towing eye.
Insert cap.
156Vehicle care
Windows and windscreen wiperblades
Use a soft lint-free cloth or chamois leather together with window cleanerand insect remover.
When cleaning the rear window from
inside, always wipe in parallel to the
heating element to prevent damage.
For mechanical removal of ice, use a
sharp-edged ice scraper. Press the
scraper firmly against the glass so
that no dirt can get under it and
scratch the glass.
Clean smearing wiper blades with a
soft cloth and window cleaner.
Glass panel
Never clean with solvents or abrasive agents, fuels, aggressive media (e.g.
paint cleaner, acetone-containing
solutions etc.), acidic or highly
alkaline media or abrasive pads. Do
not apply wax or polishing agents to
the glass panel.
Wheels and tyres Do not use high-pressure jet
cleaners.Clean rims with a pH-neutral wheel
cleaner.
Rims are painted and can be treated
with the same agents as the body.
Paintwork damage
Rectify minor paintwork damage with a touch-up pen before rust forms.
Have more extensive damage or rust areas repaired by a workshop.
Underbody Some areas of the vehicle underbody
have a PVC undercoating while other critical areas have a durable
protective wax coating.
After the underbody is washed, check
the underbody and have it waxed if
necessary.
Bitumen/rubber materials could
damage the PVC coating. Have
underbody work carried out by a
workshop.
Before and after winter, wash the
underbody and have the protective
wax coating checked.Natural gas system
Do not direct the steam jet or high-
pressure jet towards natural gas
system components. It is particularly
important to protect the natural gas
tank and the pressure valves on the
vehicle underbody and the bulkhead
in the engine compartment.
These components must not be
treated using chemical cleaners or
preservatives.
Have components of the natural gas
system cleaned by a workshop
authorised to carry out maintenance
of natural gas vehicles.
Towing equipment Do not clean the coupling ball bar with
a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Interior care Interior and upholsteryOnly clean the vehicle interior,
including the instrument panel fascia
and panelling, with a dry cloth or
interior cleaner.