2015 MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class towing hitch

Maximum load on a tire (defini-
tion) ............................................... 422
Maximum permissible tire pres-
sure (definition) ............................. 422
Maximum tire load .........................4 19
Maximum tire load (definition) ....... 422
MOExtended tires .......................... 402
Optional equipment weight (defi-
nition) ............................................ 422
PSI (pounds per square inch) (def-
inition) .......................................... .422
Replacing ....................................... 423
Service life ..................................... 402
Sidewall (definition) ....................... 422
Speed rating (definition) ................ 421
Storing .......................................... .424
Structure and characteristics
(definition) ..................................... 420
Temperature .................................. 416
TIN (Tire Identification Number)
(definition) ..................................... 422
Tire bead (definition) ..................... .422
Tire pressure (definition) ................ 422
Tire pressures (recommended) ...... 421
Tire size (data) ............................... 428
Tire size designation, load-bearing capacity, speed rating .................... 417
Tire tread ....................................... 401
Tire tread (definition) ..................... 422
Total load limit (definition) ............. 423
Traction ......................................... 416
Traction (definition) ....................... 422
Tread wea r..................................... 416
TWR (permissible trailer drawbar
noseweight) (definition) ................. 422
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards ...................................... 415
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (definition) .................... 421
Wear indicator (definition) ............. 423
Wheel and tire combination ........... 430
Wheel rim (definition) .................... 421
see Flat tire
Top Tether ............................................ 64
Towing a trailer Active Parking Assist ..................... 224
Axle load, permissibl e.................... 460
Cleaning the trailer tow hitch ......... 376 Coupling up a traile
r...................... 259
Decoupling a trailer ....................... 261
Driving tips .................................... 257
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Pro-
gram) ............................................... 74
Important safety notes .................. 256
Installing the ball coupling ............. 258
Mounting dimensions .................... 459
Power supply ................................. 263
Pulling away with a traile r.............. 161
Removing the ball coupling ............ 262
Storing the ball coupling ................ 262
Trailer drive progra m..................... 249
Trailer load s................................... 460
Towing away
Important safety guidelines ........... 393
Installing the towing eye ................ 394
Removing the towing eye ............... 395
With both axles on the ground ....... 395
With the rear axle raised ................ 395
Tow-starting
Emergency engine starting ............ 396
Important safety notes .................. 393
Trailer coupling
see Towing a trailer
Trailer loads and drawbar nose-
weights ............................................... 262
Trailer towing Active Blind Spot Assist ................. 244
Active Lane Keeping Assist ............ 247
Blind Spot Assist ............................ 239
PARKTRONIC ................................. 219
Permissible trailer loads and
drawbar noseweights ..................... 262
Transfer case ..................................... 177
Transmission see Automatic transmission
Transmission position display ......... 168
Transmission position display
(DIRECT SELECT lever) ...................... 168
Transporting the vehicle .................. 395
Traveling uphill Brow of hill ..................................... 195
Driving downhill ............................. 195
Maximum gradient-climbing capa-
bility ............................................... 195 Index
21

Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R,
Nor the vehicle
is rolling back-
wards Rear and front areas
activated
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for approx-
imately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two sec-
onds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC 0043
Indicator lamp
0044 To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp 0043is on then PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock. Towing a trailer !
Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC meas-
ures the minimum detection range to an
obstacle from the bumper, not the ball cou- pling.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer. Driving systems
219Driving and parking Z

the
Park Assist Finished
Park Assist Finished message
appears in the multifunction display. You will
then have to steer and merge into traffic on
your own. PARKTRONIC is still available. You
can take over the steering, before the vehicle has exited the parking space completely. This
is useful, for example when you recognize
that it is already possible to pull out of the
parking space.
Canceling Active Parking Assist X
Stop the movement of the multifunction
steering wheel or steer yourself.
Active Parking Assist will be canceled at
once. The Park Assist Canceled
Park Assist Canceled mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
or X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the cen-
ter console (Y page 219).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately canceled.
The Park Assist Canceled Park Assist Canceled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled automati-
cally if: R the electric parking brake is engaged
R transmission position Pis selected
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible
R you are driving faster than 6 mph (10 km/h)
R a wheel spins, ESP ®
intervenes or fails. The
00E5 warning lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster.
A warning tone sounds. The parking symbol
goes out and the Park Assist Canceled
Park Assist Canceled
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
If Active Parking Assist is canceled, you must
steer again yourself.
Towing a trailer For vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the min-
imum length for parking spaces is slightly
increased. If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle,
you should not use Active Parking Assist.
Once the electrical connection is established
between your vehicle and the trailer, Active
Parking Assist is no longer available. PARK-
TRONIC is deactivated for the rear area. Rear view camera
General notes Rear view camera
0043is in the handle on the
tailgate.
Rear view camera 0043is an optical parking and
maneuvering aid. It shows the area behind
your vehicle with guide lines in the COMAND display.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
i The text of messages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of rear view camera messages in the COMAND
display.
Important safety notes The rear view camera is only an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your imme- diate surroundings. You are always responsi-
ble for safe maneuvering and parking. When
maneuvering or parking, make sure that there are no persons, animals or objects in the area
in which you are maneuvering. 224
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

R
uphill or downhill gradient in percentage
R on-road/off-road program selected
R condition of the differential lock for the
transfer case
R the LOW RANGE off-road gear is selected
R condition of the LOW RANGE off-road
gear
R the on-road trailer program is selected Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Installing an unsuitable ball coupling may
result in overloading of the trailer tow hitch
and the rear axle. This applies especially if the ball coupling in question is longer or angled
differently. This could seriously impair the
driving characteristics and the trailer can
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
You should only ever install a ball coupling
that has the permissible dimensions and that
is designed to meet your trailer-towing
requirements. Do not modify the ball coupling
or the trailer tow hitch.
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 460). G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed correctly or not secured with the bolt provided and the
corresponding spring cotter, the trailer may
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
Always install and secure the ball coupling as
described. Before every journey, ensure that
the ball coupling is secured with the bolt and
the corresponding spring cotter. G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time. G
WARNING
When the vehicle/trailer combination begins
to lurch, you could lose control of it. The vehi- cle/trailer combination could even rollover.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten up the vehicle/trailer combination
by increasing the speed. Reduce vehicle
speed and do not countersteer. Apply the
brake as necessary.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
Please observe the manufacturer's operating instructions for the trailer coupling if a
detachable trailer coupling is used.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
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 the vehicle documents
R on the identification plates for the trailer
tow hitch and the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies. 256
Towing a trailerDriving and pa
rking

Ball coupling recess
Holes in the ball coupling and ball coupling recess
X Insert the ball coupling horizontally into ball
coupling recess 0044in the direction of the
arrow until the holes in ball coupling 0087are
in line with the holes in ball coupling
recess 0085. Bolt
X Slide bolt 0083into the hole in the ball cou-
pling recess and the ball coupling to the
stop. Bolt and spring cotter
X Secure the bolt using spring cotter 0084. Correctly installed and secured ball coupling
X Check the ball coupling, bolt and spring
cotter for correct installation.
If the ball coupling cannot be correctly moun-
ted, remove the ball coupling. Under these
circumstances, the ball coupling must not be used for trailer towing.
If the ball coupling cannot be locked and the
key cannot be removed, remove the ball cou-
pling and clean it. If the ball coupling can still
not be installed (locked) after it has been
cleaned, remove the ball coupling. The trailer tow hitch must then not be used to tow a
trailer, as safe operation cannot be guaran-
teed.
Have the entire trailer tow hitch checked at aqualified specialist workshop. Coupling up a trailer
! Do not connect the trailer's brake system
(if featured) to the hydraulic brake system Towing a trailer
259Driving and parking Z

of the towing vehicle, as the latter is equip-
ped with an anti-lock brake system. Doing
so will result in a loss of function of the
brake systems of both the vehicle and the
trailer.
X Make sure that the automatic transmission
is set to position P.
X Apply the vehicle's electric parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
select highway level.
X Vehicles with ADS: set ADS toAUTOor
COMF.
X Switch off the engine.
X Close all doors and the tailgate.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish all electrical connections.
X Check that the trailer lighting system is
working.
i Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
with a trailer attached, the vehicle will
always remain at highway level. When cou-
pling up a trailer, please observe the fol-
lowing:
R Unless highway level has been set man-
ually, the vehicle is automatically low-
ered to highway level. This is the case if a
speed of 5 mph (8 km/h) is reached.
R High-speed level is not available.
These restrictions apply to all accessories
powered through a connection to the trailer power socket of your vehicle, e.g. a bicycle
carrier.
Observe the maximum permissible trailer
dimensions (width and length).
Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
R Safety chains between the towing vehicle
and the trailer. The chains should be cross-
wound under the trailer drawbar. They must be fastened to the vehicle's trailer cou-
pling, not to the bumper or the axle. Leave enough play in the chains to make
tight cornering possible.
R A separate brake system for certain types
of trailer.
R A safety switch for braked trailers. Check
the specific legal requirements applicable
to your state.
If the trailer detaches from the towing vehi- cle, the safety switch applies the trailer's
brakes. Towing a trailer
There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed
restrictions. Make sure that your car/trailer
combination complies with the local regula-
tions: R in your place of residence
R in the location to which you are driving
The police and local authorities can provide
reliable information.
Observe the following when towing a trailer:
R To gain driving experience and to become
accustomed to the new handling charac-
teristics, you should practice the following
in a traffic-free location:
- cornering
- stopping
- backing up
R Before driving, check:
- trailer tow hitch
- safety switch for braked trailers
- safety chains
- electrical connections
- lights
- wheels
R Adjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the trailer.
R If the trailer has electronically controlled
brakes, pull away carefully. Brake manually 260
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

X
Detach the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine. Permissible trailer loads and drawbar
loads
Weight specifications Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight rating
The gross trailer weight is calculated by add-
ing the weight of the trailer to the weight of
the load and equipment on the trailer.
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 459).
Permissible noseweight
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 459).
Loading a trailer R
When loading the trailer, make sure that
neither the permissible gross weight of the
trailer nor the gross vehicle weight is
exceeded. The permissible gross vehicle
weight is indicated on the identification
plate on the B-pillar on the driver's side of
the vehicle.
You can find the maximum permissible val-
ues on the type plates of your vehicle and
the trailer. When calculating how much
weight the vehicle and trailer may carry,
pay attention to the respective lowest val-
ues.
R The trailer drawbar load on the ball coupling
must be added to the rear axle load to avoid exceeding the permissible gross axle
weight. The permissible gross vehicle
weight is indicated on the identification
plate on the B-pillar on the driver's side of
the vehicle.
i Mercedes-Benz recommends a trailer
load where the trailer drawbar noseweight accounts for 8% to 15% of the trailer's per-
missible gross weight.
i The weight of additional accessories, pas-
sengers, and cargo reduces the permissi-
ble trailer load and drawbar load for your
vehicle.
Checking the vehicle and trailer weight R
To check that the weights of the towing
vehicle and the trailer comply with the max-
imum permissible values, have the vehicle/
trailer combination (including the driver,
passengers, and cargo with a fully laden
trailer) weighed on a calibrated weigh-
bridge.
R Check the gross axle weight rating of the
front and rear axles, the gross weight of the
trailer and trailer drawbar load. Removing the ball coupling
X Remove the spring cotter.
X Remove the bolt from the ball coupling
recess.
X Remove the ball coupling from the ball cou-
pling recess.
X Clean the ball coupling if it is dirty.
X Stow the ball coupling so that it cannot be
thrown around.
Observe the loading guidelines (Y page 334)
and the safety notes regarding stowage
spaces (Y page 335).
Information on cleaning and care of the trailer tow hitch can be found at (Y page 376). Storing the ball coupling
G
WARNING
Do not carry the ball coupling in the vehicle
interior if it is not secured.
Otherwise, you and others could be injured by the ball coupling being thrown around if you: 262
Towing a trailerDriving an
d parking

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