2015 MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class trailer hitch

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip- ment of your vehicle available at the time of
publication of the Operator's Manual.
Country-specific differences are possible.
Please note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all features described. This
also applies to safety-related systems and
functions.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops (Y page 29). Where will I find...?
Vehicle tool kit
General notes The vehicle tool kit can be found in the stow-
age well under the cargo compartment floor.
i Apart from certain country-specific varia-
tions, the vehicles are not equipped with a
tire-change tool kit. Some tools for chang-
ing a wheel are specific to the vehicle. For
more information on which tools are
required to perform a wheel change on your vehicle, consult a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Tools required for changing a wheel may
include, for example:
R Jack
R Wheel chock
R Lug wrench
R Ratchet wrench
R Alignment bolt Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit Vehicle tool kit (example)
0043
Lug wrench
0044 Jack
0087 Alignment bolt
0085 Tire inflation compressor
0083 Tire sealant filler bottle
0084 Folding wheel chock
006B Towing eye
006C Ratchet wrench
Use the TIREFIT kit (Y page 384).
Vehicles with a "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel Example: vehicles with AIRMATIC and trailer tow
hitch
0043
Folding wheel chock
0044 Lug wrench
0087 Alignment bolt
0085 Towing eye
0083 Jack
0084 Ratchet wrench 382
Where will I find...?Breakdown assistance

!
Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
! Do not use the trailer tow hitch for recov-
ery or towing. Do not use the towing eye for
recovery. this could damage the vehicle. If
in doubt, have the vehicle recovered using
a crane.
! When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. Pull the towed vehicle as straight
as possible and not at an acute angle.
Excessive tractive power could damage the
vehicles.
i When towing, it is preferable to use a rigid
towing bar as opposed to a tow rope. A rigid
towing bar helps to keep the tractive power low.
! When towing vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
use the key instead of the Start/Stop but-
ton. 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.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! Vehicles with differential locks: make
sure the differential locks are in automatic
mode. When towing, the differential locks
must not be switched on. The transmission
may otherwise be damaged.
! 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 per- missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
i Information on your vehicle's gross vehi-
cle weight rating can be found on the vehi-
cle identification plate (Y page 446).It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission dam-
age, have it transported on a transporter or
trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in posi-
tion 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 release the electric parking brake
R cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
i Disarm the automatic locking feature
before the vehicle is towed (Y page 279).
You could otherwise be locked out when
pushing or towing the vehicle. Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye Example: towing eye mounting covers
0043 Front cover
0044 Back cover
The brackets for the screw-in towing eyes are
located in the bumpers. They are at the front and at the rear, behind the covers. 394
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

the tire. This specifies the load-bearing capa-
city more precisely.
Curb weight
The weight of a vehicle with standard equip-
ment including the maximum capacity of fuel,
oil and coolant. It also includes the air-condi- tioning system and optional equipment if
these are installed in the vehicle, but does notinclude passengers or luggage.
Maximum load rating
The maximum tire load is the maximum per-
missible weight in kilograms or lbs for which a
tire is approved.
Maximum permissible tire pressure
Maximum permissible tire pressure for one
tire.
Maximum load on one tire
Maximum load on one tire. This is calculated
by dividing the maximum axle load of one axle
by two.
PSI (pounds per square inch)
A standard unit of measure for tire pressure.
Aspect ratio
Relationship between tire height and tire
width in percent.
Tire pressure
This is pressure inside the tire applying an
outward force to each square inch of the tire's surface. The tire pressure is specified in
pounds per square inch (psi), in kilopascal
(kPa) or in bar. The tire pressure should only
be corrected when the tires are cold.
Cold tire pressure
The tires are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked without
direct sunlight on the tires for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has been driven for less than
1 mile (1.6 km). Tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact
with the road.
Bead
The tire bead ensures that the tire sits
securely on the wheel. There are several steel
wires in the bead to prevent the tire from
coming loose from the wheel rim.
Sidewall
The part of the tire between the tread and the bead.
Weight of optional extras
The combined weight of those optional extras
that weigh more than the replaced standard
parts and more than 2.3 kilograms (5 lbs).
These optional extras, such as high-perform-
ance brakes, level control, a roof rack or a
high-performance battery, are not included in the curb weight and the weight of the acces-
sories.
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
This is a unique identifier which can be used
by a tire manufacturer to identify tires, for
example for a product recall, and thus identify
the purchasers. The TIN is made up of the
manufacturer's identity code, tire size, tire
type code and the manufacturing date.
Load bearing index
The load bearing index (also load index) is a
code that contains the maximum load bearing capacity of a tire.
Traction
Traction is the result of friction between the
tires and the road surface.
TWR (Tongue Weight Rating)
The TWR specifies the maximum permissible
weight that the ball coupling of the trailer tow
hitch can support. 422
All about
wheels and tiresWheels and tires

!
AMG vehicles with "Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel: use the "Minispare"
emergency spare wheel only on the rear
axle. If you mount the "Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel on the front axle, this
could result in damage to the brake system.
If a tire on the front axle is defective, an
intact wheel from the rear axle must first be
replaced with the "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel. The defective wheel on the
front axle can then be replaced with the
intact wheel from the rear axle.
Make sure to note the placard on the
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel.
When using an emergency spare wheel or
spare wheel of a different size, you must not
exceed the maximum speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h).
Snow chains must not be mounted on emer-
gency spare wheels. General notes
Mounting the emergency spare wheel is
described under "Mounting a wheel"
(Y page 424).
You should regularly check the pressure of
the emergency spare wheel, particularly prior
to long trips, and correct the pressure as nec-
essary (Y page 404). The value on the wheel
or as given in the "Wheels and tires" section is
valid (Y page 443).
An emergency spare wheel may also be
mounted against the direction of rotation.
Observe the time restriction on use as well as
the speed limitation specified on the emer-
gency spare wheel.
Replace the tires after six years at the latest, regardless of wear. This also applies to the
emergency spare wheel.
i When you are driving with the collapsible
spare wheel mounted, the tire pressure
loss warning system or the tire pressure
monitor cannot function reliably. Only
restart the tire pressure loss warning sys- tem/the tire pressure monitor when the
damaged wheel has been replaced with a
new wheel.
Vehicles with tire pressure monitor:
after mounting an emergency spare wheel,
the system may still display the tire pres-
sure of the removed wheel for a few
minutes. The value displayed for the moun-
ted emergency spare wheel is not the same as the current tire pressure of the emer-
gency spare wheel. Removing the emergency spare wheel
Emergency spare wheel (example: vehicle without
lockable cargo compartment floor)
The "Minispare" emergency spare wheel can
be found in the stowage well under the cargo
compartment floor.
X Lift the cargo compartment floor up
(Y page 344).
X Vehicles with trailer tow hitch: remove
the ball coupling stowage tray
(Y page 258).
X Vehicles without a lockable cargo com-
partment floor: turn emergency spare
wheel retainer 0044counter-clockwise and
remove it.
X Remove "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel 0043. Emergency spare wheel
441Wheels and tires Z

Useful information
............................446
Information regarding technical
data .................................................... 446
Identification plates .........................446
Service products and filling capaci- ties ..................................................... 447
Vehicle data ...................................... 456
Vehicle data for off-road driving .....457
Trailer tow hitch ................................ 459 445Technical data

wheels accordingly. The rear wheel torque
is increased, making it easier to drive off.
For further information about the maximum
gradient climbing ability, see (Y page 195).Trailer tow hitch
Mounting dimensions
! If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the cooling system and drive
train may be necessary, depending on the
vehicle type.
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
observe the anchorage points on the chas- sis frame. Anchorage points for the trailer tow hitch (exam-
ple)
0043 Anchorage points
0044 Rear axle center line Trailer tow hitch
459Technical data Z

Trailer loads
Trailer loads, trailer drawbar noseweights and axle loads Missing values were not available at time of going to print.
ML 250 BlueTEC 4MATIC
Permissible trailer load, unbraked
Permissible trailer load, braked (at a min-
imum gradient-climbing capability of
12% from a standstill) 6613 lbs (3000 kg)
Maximum drawbar noseweight (the
drawbar noseweight is not included in
the trailer load)
529 lbs (240 kg)
Permissible rear axle load when towing a
trailer 3637 lbs (1650 kg)
ML 350 and ML 400
Permissible trailer load, unbraked
Permissible trailer load, braked (at a min-
imum gradient-climbing capability of
12% from a standstill) 6613 lbs (3000 kg)
Maximum drawbar noseweight (the
drawbar noseweight is not included in
the trailer load)
529 lbs (240 kg)
Permissible rear axle load when towing a
trailer 3527 lbs (1600 kg)
ML 350 4MATIC, ML 400 4MATIC and
ML 550 4MATIC Permissible trailer load, unbraked
Permissible trailer load, braked (at a min-
imum gradient-climbing capability of
12% from a standstill) 7198 lbs (3265 kg)
Maximum drawbar noseweight (the
drawbar noseweight is not included in
the trailer load)
575 lbs (261 kg)
Permissible rear axle load when towing a
trailer 3527 lbs (1600 kg)460
Trailer tow hitchTechnical data

ML 63 AMG 4MATIC
Permissible trailer load, unbraked
Permissible trailer load, braked (at a min-
imum gradient-climbing capability of
12% from a standstill) 6724 lbs (3050 kg)
Maximum drawbar noseweight (the
drawbar noseweight is not included in
the trailer load)
309 lbs (140 kg)
Permissible rear axle load when towing a
trailer 3858 lbs (1750 kg)
ML 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC
Permissible trailer load, unbraked
Permissible trailer load, braked (at a min-
imum gradient-climbing capability of
12% from a standstill) 7198 lbs (3265 kg)
Maximum drawbar noseweight (the
drawbar noseweight is not included in
the trailer load)
575 lbs (261 kg)
Permissible rear axle load when towing a
trailer 3637 lbs (1650 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 identification plates. The lowest weight applies.
The maximum permissible trailer drawbar noseweight is the maximum weight with which the
trailer drawbar can be loaded. Limit for Mercedes-Benz-approved trailer couplings.
Ball position Ball position of the ball coupling When choosing a ball coupling, the dimen-
sions stated in the illustration must not be
exceeded. Trailer tow hitch
461Technical data Z