2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK-CLASS SUV towing

The automatic transmission must be in posi-
tion 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
iDisarm the automatic locking feature
before the vehicle is towed ( Y page 86). You
could otherwise be locked out when push-
ing or towing the vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be very hot. There is
a risk of burns when removing the rear cover.
Do not touch the exhaust pipe. Take particular
care when removing the rear cover.
Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch: if you intend to use the vehicle for towing, install the ball
coupling and connect the towbar to it
( Y page 214).
X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit ( Y page 314).
The brackets for the screw-in towing eyes are
located in the bumpers. For vehicles without
a trailer tow hitch, they are at the front and at
the rear, under the covers. For vehicles with
trailer tow hitch, it is located under the cover.
Vehicles without the AMG Sports package
Vehicles with the AMG Sports package
X Press the mark on cover : inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
Rear bumpers on vehicles with the AMG
Sports package: lift up cover : from the
bumper by inserting a round, blunt object
into the recess.
X Take cover : off the opening.
X Screw in the towing eye clockwise as far as
it will go and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye
XUnscrew and remove the towing eye.
X Attach cover : to the bumper and press
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.
326Towing and tow-starting
Roadside Assistance

Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 325).
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 119).
iWhen towing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal a change of direc- tion. In this case, only the indicator lamps
for the direction of travel flash. After reset- ting the combination switch, the hazard
warning lamp starts flashing again.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the igni-
tion lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only possible for vehicles without
4MATIC.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions ( Y page 325).
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system.
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 119). X
Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the igni-
tion lock and remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the Smart-
Key or the KEYLESS-GO key with you.
Transporting the vehicle
The towing eyes or trailer tow hitch can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or trans-
porter if you wish to transport it.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the igni-
tion lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the igni-
tion lock and remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
X Secure the vehicle.
! You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as
axle or steering components. Otherwise,
the vehicle could be damaged.
Notes on 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 trans-
ported 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
Towing and tow-starting327
Roadside Assistance
Z

Example: tire pressure table for all tires permitted
for this vehicle by the factory
If a tire size precedes a tire pressure, the tirepressure information following is only valid
for that tire size. The load conditions "partially
laden" and "fully laden" are defined in the
table for different numbers of occupants and amounts of luggage. The actual number of
seats may differ.
Example: tire pressure table with tire dimensions
Some tire pressure tables show only the rim
diameters instead of the full tire size, e.g.
R18 . Rim diameter is part of the tire size and
can be found on the tire sidewall
( Y page 349).
If the tire pressures have been set to the
lower values for lighter loads and/or lower
road speeds, the pressures should be reset to
the higher values:
R if you want to drive with an increased load
and/or
R if you want to drive at higher road speeds
iThe tire pressures for increased loads
and/or higher road speeds, shown in the
tire pressure table, may have a negative
effect on driving comfort.
iFor vehicles towing a trailer, the full load
value on the tire pressure label located on
the inside of the fuel filler flap is valid for the rear axle.
Option 3) The tire pressure for the emer-
gency/collapsible spare wheel (depending
on vehicle equipment) can be found:
R printed in yellow on the rim of the emer-
gency/collapsible spare wheel
R in the "Wheel and tire combinations" sec-
tion ( Y page 360) in this Operator's Manual
R on the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the B-pillar on the driver's side
If the tire pressure is not set correctly, this
can lead to an excessive build up of heat and
a sudden loss of pressure.
For more information, contact a qualified spe- cialist workshop.
Tire pressure337
Wheels and tires
Z

XSpecification for maximum permissible
load : is listed on the Tire and Loading
Information placard: "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kilograms or XXX lbs."
The gross weight of all vehicle occupants,
load, luggage and trailer load/noseweight (if
applicable) must not exceed the specified
value.
Number of seats
iThe specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the illustra-
tion are examples. The number of seats is
vehicle-specific and can differ from the
details shown. The number of seats in your vehicle can be found on the Tire and Load-
ing Information placard.
Maximum number of seats : indicates the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
Determining the correct load limit
Step-by-step instructions
The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under Title 49,
Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575
pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1966". X Step 1: Locate the statement "The com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s Tire and Loading Information
placard.
X Step 2: Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
X Step 3: Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX kilo-
grams or XXX lbs.
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 capa-
city 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. Refer to
this Operator's Manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and lug-
gage load capacity of your vehicle
( Y page 346).
344Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires

Example 1Example 2Example 3
Step 3Permissible load and
trailer load/nose-
weight (maximum
permissible load rat-
ing from the Tire and Loading Information
placard minus the
gross weight of all
occupants)1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
750 lbs (340 kg) = 750 lbs
(340 kg)1500 lbs
(680 kg) –
540 lbs (245 kg)= 960 lbs
(435 kg)1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
150 lbs (68 kg) =1350 lbs
(612 kg)
The greater the combined weight of the occupants, the lower the maxim um luggage load.
Further information can be found under "Towing a trailer" ( Y page 346).
Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total cargo
carefully, you should still make sure that the
gross vehicle weight rating and the gross axle
weight rating are not exceeded. Details can
be found on the vehicle identification plate on the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle
( Y page 343).
Permissible Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR): the gross weight of the vehicle, all
passengers, load and trailer load/noseweight (if applicable) must not exceed the permissi-
ble gross vehicle weight.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR): the
maximum permissible weight that can be car- ried by one axle (front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible values (gross vehi-
cle weight and maximum gross axle weight
rating), have your loaded vehicle (including
driver, occupants, cargo, and full trailer load if applicable) weighed on a suitable vehicle
weighbridge.
Trailer load/noseweight
The trailer load/noseweight affects the gross
weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is attached,
the trailer load/noseweight is included in the
load along with occupants and luggage. The trailer load/noseweight is usually approx-
imately 8% of the gross weight of the trailer
and its cargo.
Maximum load rating
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum permissi-
ble load can be found on the vehicle's Tire and
Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on
the driver's side ( Y page 343).
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Maximum tire load : is the maximum per-
missible weight for which the tire is approved.
346Maximum load rating
Wheels and tires

! Always use wheel bolts ; to mount the
collapsible spare wheel. Using other wheel
bolts to mount the collapsible spare wheel could damage the brake system.
Be sure to use the original-length wheel bolts
when re-mounting the original wheel after it
has been repaired.
! To prevent damage to the paintwork, hold
the wheel securely against the wheel hub
while screwing in the first wheel bolt.
X Clean the wheel and wheel hub contact
surfaces.
X Place the new wheel on the wheel hub and
push it on.
X Tighten the wheel bolts until they are fin-
ger-tight.
X Inflate the collapsible spare wheel
(Y page 367).
Only then lower the vehicle.
Lowering the vehicle
GWARNING
The wheels could work loose if the wheel nuts and bolts are not tightened to the specified
tightening torque. There is a risk of accident.
Have the tightening torque immediately
checked at a qualified specialist workshop
after a wheel is changed.
! Inflate the collapsible spare wheel using
the tire inflation compressor before lower-
ing the vehicle. The wheel rim could other-
wise be damaged.
X Place the ratchet wrench onto the hexagon
nut of the jack so that the letters AB are
visible.
X Turn the ratchet wrench until the vehicle is
once again standing firmly on the ground.
X Place the jack to one side.
X Tighten the wheel bolts evenly in a cross-
wise pattern in the sequence indicated ( :
to A ). The tightening torque must be
110 lb-ft (150 Nm) .
X Turn the jack back to its initial position and
store it together with the rest of the tire-
change tool kit in the cargo compartment.
X Transport the faulty wheel in the cargo
compartment.
X Check the tire pressure of the newly moun-
ted wheel and adjust it if necessary.
Observe the recommended tire pressure
( Y page 336).
For further information on stowing the col-
lapsible spare wheel, see ( Y page 367).
iWhen you are driving with the emergency
spare wheel mounted, the tire pressure
monitor cannot function reliably. Only
restart the tire pressure monitor when the
defective wheel has been replaced with a
new wheel. All wheels mounted must be
equipped with functioning sensors.
Mounting a wheel359
Wheels and tires
Z

Inflating the collapsible spare wheel
! Inflate the collapsible spare wheel using
the tire inflation compressor before lower-
ing the vehicle. The wheel rim could other-
wise be damaged.
X Pull connector ? and the air hose out of
the housing.
X Remove the cap from the valve on the col-
lapsible spare wheel.
X Screw union nut : on the air hose onto the
valve.
X Make sure on/off switch A of the tire
inflation compressor is set to 0.
X Insert plug ? into the socket of the ciga-
rette lighter ( Y page 284) or into a 12 V
power socket ( Y page 284) in your vehicle.
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
1 (Y page 149) in the ignition lock.
X Press on/off switch A on the tire inflation
compressor to I.
The tire inflation compressor is switched
on. The tire is inflated. The tire pressure is
shown on pressure gauge =.
! Do not operate the tire inflation compres-
sor for longer than eight minutes at a time
without a break. It may otherwise overheat.
The tire inflation compressor can be oper-
ated again once it has cooled down.
X Inflate the tire to the specified tire pres-
sure. The specified tire pressure is printed on the
yellow label of the emergency spare wheel.
X When the specified tire pressure has been
reached, press on/off switch A on the
electric air pump to 0.
The tire inflation compressor is switched
off.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the igni-
tion lock.
X If the tire pressure is higher than the speci-
fied pressure, press pressure release but-
ton ; until the correct tire pressure has
been reached.
X Unscrew union nut : on the air hose from
the valve.
X Screw the cap onto the valve of the col-
lapsible spare wheel again.
X Stow plug ? and the air hose in the lower
section of the blower housing.
X Stow the tire inflation compressor in the
vehicle.
Stowing a used collapsible spare wheel
Take the following steps to stow a used col-
lapsible spare wheel. Otherwise, the collaps-
ible spare wheel will not fit in the spare wheel
well. Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
have this work carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
! Only place the collapsible spare wheel in
the vehicle when it is dry. Otherwise, mois-
ture may get into the vehicle.
X Remove the valve extractor from the vehi-
cle tool kit.
X Unscrew the valve cap from the valve.
X Unscrew the valve insert from the valve and
release the air.
iFully deflating the tires can take a few
minutes.
X Screw the valve insert back into the valve.
X Screw the valve cap back on.
Emergency spare wheel367
Wheels and tires
Z

All models
Turning radius38.2 ft (11.65 m)
Maximum roof load165 lb (75 kg)
ModelVehicle height
GLK 250 BlueTEC
4MATIC66.7 in (1694 mm)
All other models66.7 in (1693 mm)
ModelGround clearance
GLK 250 BlueTEC
4MATIC8.0 in (204 mm)
All other models8.2 in (208 mm)
Trailer tow hitch
Mounting dimensions
!
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the engine cooling system and
drive train may be necessary, depending on
the vehicle type.
Anchorage points for the trailer tow hitch (exam-
ple) :
Anchorage points
;Rear axle center line
Trailer loads
Missing values were not available at time of
going to print.
All models
Permissible trailer load,
unbraked
Permissible trailer load,
braked 173500 lbs
(1588 kg)
Maximum drawbar nose-
weight 18280 lbs
(127 kg)
Permissible rear axle
load when towing a trailer3108 lbs
(1410 kg)
The actual noseweight may not be higher than
the value which is given. The value can be
found on the trailer tow hitch or trailer iden-
tification plates. The lowest weight applies.
17 At a minimum gradient-climbing capability of 12% from a stan dstill.
18 The drawbar noseweight is not included in the trailer load.
Trailer tow hitch381
Technical data
Z