Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
R the engine is not running.
R the brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
R there is a malfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
If your vehicle is being towed, much more
force may be necessary to steer or brake.
There is a risk of an accident.
In such cases, use a tow bar. Before towing,
make sure that the steering moves freely. G
WARNING
You can no longer steer the vehicle if the
steering wheel lock has been engaged. There is a risk of an accident.
Always switch off the ignition when towing the
vehicle with a tow cable or a tow bar. G
WARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible gross weight of your vehicle, the:
R the towing eye could detach itself
R the vehicle/trailer combination could roll-
over.
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
Information on your vehicle's gross vehicle
weight rating can be found on the vehicle
identification plate (Y page 488). !
When COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS, DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func- tion is activated, the vehicle brakes auto-
matically in certain situations. To avoid
damage to the vehicle, deactivate these
systems in the following or similar situa-
tions:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
! Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
! Secure the tow rope or tow bar to the
towing eye only. Otherwise, the vehicle
could become damaged.
! Do not use the towing eyes for recovery
purposes as this could damage the vehicle.
If in doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! Shift the automatic transmission to
Nand
do not open the driver's or front passeng-
er's door during towing. The automatic
transmission may otherwise shift to posi-
tion P, which could damage the transmis-
sion.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! 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.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed away.
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. Towing and tow-starting
435Roadside Assistance Z
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position
Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
In order to ensure that the automatic trans-
mission stays in position Nwhen towing the
vehicle, you must observe the following
points:
X You must use the SmartKey instead of the
Start/Stop button (Y page 189).
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the SmartKey in the ignition lock is in posi-
tion 0.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Leave the SmartKey in position 2in the
ignition lock.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 152).
i In order to signal a change of direction
when towing the vehicle with the hazard
warning lamps switched on, use the com-
bination switch as usual. In this case, only
the indicator lamps for the direction of
travel flash. After resetting the combina-
tion switch, the hazard warning lamp starts
flashing again. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only vehicles without 4MATIC can be
towed with the rear axle raised.
! 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. !
Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as doing so will damage the transmission.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed
away with both axles on the ground or be loa-
ded up and transported.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 152).
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X If necessary, turn the SmartKey in the igni-
tion lock to position 0and remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Take the SmartKey with you when you leave
the vehicle.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 435). Transporting the vehicle
Hybrid vehicles: transportation of the vehi-
cle should only be carried out by professional
recovery companies.
! 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.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in 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 electric parking brake.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P. Towing and tow-starting
437Roadside Assistance Z
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one
or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alternate Tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to
function properly.
It is the driver's responsibility to set the tire
pressure to that recommended for cold tires
which is suitable for the operating situation
(Y page 445). Note that the correct tire pres-
sure for the current operating situation must
first be taught-in to the tire pressure monitor.
If there is a substantial loss of pressure, the
warning threshold for the warning message is aligned to the reference values taught-in.
Restart the tire pressure monitor after adjust-
ing the pressure of the cold tires
(Y page 451). The current pressures are
saved as new reference values. As a result, a warning message will appear if the tire pres-
sure drops significantly.
The tire pressure monitor does not warn you
of an incorrectly set tire pressure. Observe
the notes on the recommended tire pressure
(Y page 445).
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tire is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering maneuvers.
The tire pressure monitor has a yellow warn-
ing lamp in the instrument cluster for indicat-
ing a pressure loss or malfunction. Whether
the warning lamp flashes or lights up indi-
cates whether a tire pressure is too low or the tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning:
R if the warning lamp is lit continuously, the
tire pressure on one or more tires is signif-
icantly too low. The tire pressure monitor is
not malfunctioning.
R if the warning lamp flashes for around a
minute and then remains lit constantly, the
tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning.
i In addition to the warning lamp, a mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display. You can find further information under:
(Y
page 348).
If the tire pressure monitor is malfunctioning,
it may take up to ten minutes for the tire
pressure warning lamp to inform you of the
malfunction by flashing for approximately one minute and then remaining lit. When the mal-
function has been rectified, the tire pressure
warning lamp goes out after a few minutes of driving.
The tire pressure values indicated by the on-
board computer may differ from those meas-
ured at a gas station with a pressure gauge.
The tire pressures shown by the on-board
computer refer to those measured at sea
level. At high altitudes, the tire pressure val-
ues indicated by a pressure gauge are higher
than those shown by the on-board computer. In this case, do not reduce the tire pressures.
The operation of the tire pressure monitor can
be affected by interference from radio trans-
mitting equipment (e.g. radio headphones,
two-way radios) that may be being operated
in or near the vehicle.
Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock (Y page 189).
X Use ò on the steering wheel to call up
the list of menus.
X Press the 9or: button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Service
Service menu.
X Press the abutton.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tire Pressure Tire Pressure.
X Press the abutton.
The current tire pressure of each tire is
shown in the multifunction display.
If the vehicle has been parked for over
20 minutes, the Tire pressure will be Tire pressure will be
displayed after driving a few
displayed after driving a few
minutes minutes message appears.
After a teach-in process, the tire pressure
monitor automatically detects new wheels or 450
Tire pressureWheels and tires
new sensors. As long as a clear allocation of
the tire pressure value to the individual
wheels is not possible, the Tire Pressure
Tire Pressure
Monitor Active Monitor Active display message is shown
instead of the tire pressure display. The tire
pressures are already being monitored.
Tire pressure monitor warning mes-
sages If the tire pressure monitor detects a pressure
loss in one or more tires, a warning message is shown in the multifunction display and the
yellow tire pressure monitor warning lamp
comes on.
R If the Please Correct Tire Pressure
Please Correct Tire Pressure
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play, the tire pressure in at least one tire is too low and must be corrected at the next
opportunity.
R If the Check
Check Tires Tiresmessage appears in the
multifunction display, the tire pressure in
one or more tires has dropped significantly and the tires must be checked.
R If the Warning Tire Malfunction
Warning Tire Malfunction
appears in the multifunction display, the
tire pressure in one or more tires has drop- ped suddenly and the tires must be
checked.
Observe the instructions and safety notes in
the display messages in the "Tires" section
(Y page 348).
i If the wheel positions on the vehicle are
rotated, the tire pressures may be dis-
played for the wrong positions for a short
time. This is rectified after a few minutes of driving, and the tire pressures are displayedfor the correct positions.
Restarting the tire pressure monitor When you restart the tire pressure monitor, all
existing warning messages are deleted and
the warning lamps go out. The monitor uses
the currently set tire pressures as the refer-
ence values for monitoring. In most cases, the
tire pressure monitor will automatically detect the new reference values after you
have changed the tire pressure. However, you
can also define reference values manually as described here. The tire pressure monitor
then monitors the new tire pressure values.
X Set the tire pressure to the value recom-
mended for the corresponding driving sit-
uation on the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver's side
B-pillar (Y page 445).
Additional tire pressure values for different loads can also be found on the tire pressure
table on the inside of the fuel filler flap
(Y page 445).
X Make sure that the tire pressure is correct
on all four wheels.
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.
X Use ò on the steering wheel to call up
the list of menus.
X Press the 9or: button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Service
Service menu.
X Press the abutton.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tire Pressure Tire Pressure.
X Press the abutton.
The multifunction display shows the cur-
rent tire pressure for the individual tires or
the Tire Tire pressure
pressure will
willbe
bedisplayed
displayed
after driving a few minutes after driving a few minutes mes-
sage.
X Press the :button.
The Use Current Pressures as New Use Current Pressures as New
Reference Values
Reference Values message appears in
the multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart: X Press the abutton.
The Tire Press. Monitor Restarted
Tire Press. Monitor Restarted
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
After driving for a few minutes, the system checks whether the current tire pressures
are within the specified range. The new tire
pressures are then accepted as reference
values and monitored. Tire pressure
451Wheels and tires Z
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the %button.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored.
Radio type approval for the tire pres-
sure monitor Country Radio type approval number
USA FCC ID: MRXMW2433A
FCC ID: MRXGG4
FCC ID: MRXMC34MA4
Canada IC: 2546A-MW2433A
IC: 2546A-GG4
IC: 2546A-MC34MA4
Tire pressure loss warning system
(Canada only)
General notes While the vehicle is in motion, the tire pres-
sure loss warning system monitors the set
tire pressure using the rotational speed of the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tire. If the speed
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appear in the multifunction dis- play.
You can recognize the tire pressure loss warn-
ing by the Run Flat Indicator Active
Run Flat Indicator Active
Press 'OK' to Restart Press 'OK' to Restart message which
appears in the Service
Servicemenu of the multi-
function display. Information on the message
display can be found in the "Restarting the tire
pressure loss warning system" section
(Y page 452).
Important safety notes The tire pressure warning system does not
warn you of an incorrectly set tire pressure.
Observe the notes on the recommended tire
pressure (Y page 445). The tire pressure loss warning does not
replace the need to regularly check the tire
pressure. An even loss of pressure on several
tires at the same time cannot be detected by
the tire pressure loss warning system.
The tire pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tire is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering maneuvers.
The function of the tire pressure loss warning system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are mounted on your vehicle's
tires.
R road conditions are wintry.
R you are driving on sand or gravel.
R you adopt a very sporty driving style (cor-
nering at high speeds or driving with high
rates of acceleration).
R you are driving with a heavy load (in the
vehicle or on the roof).
Restarting the tire pressure loss warn-
ing system Restart the tire pressure loss warning system
if you have:
R changed the tire pressure
R changed the wheels or tires
R mounted new wheels or tires
X Before restarting, make sure that the tire
pressures are set properly on all four tires
for the respective operating conditions.
The recommended tire pressure can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the B-pillar on the driver's side.
Additionally, a tire pressure table is
attached to the fuel filler flap. The tire pres-
sure loss warning system can only give reli-
able warnings if you have set the correct
tire pressure. If an incorrect tire pressure is 452
Tire pressureWheels and ti
res
set, these incorrect values will be moni-
tored.
X Also observe the notes in the section on tire
pressures (Y page 445).
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock (Y page 189).
X Use ò on the steering wheel to call up
the list of menus.
X Press the 9or: button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Service
Service menu.
X Press the abutton.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tire Pressure Tire Pressure.
X Press the abutton.
The Run Flat Indicator Active
Run Flat Indicator Active
Press 'OK' to Restart
Press 'OK' to Restart message
appears in the multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart: X Press the abutton.
The Tire Pressure Now OK?
Tire Pressure Now OK? message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Yes
Yes.
X Press the abutton.
The Run Flat Indicator Restarted
Run Flat Indicator Restarted
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
After a teach-in period, the tire pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tire pressures of all four tires.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the %button.
or
X If the Tire Pressure Now OK? Tire Pressure Now OK? message
appears, use the 9or: button to
select Cancel
Cancel.
X Press the abutton.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored. Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
G
WARNING
Overloaded tires can overheat, causing a
blowout. Overloaded tires can also impair the steering and driving characteristics and lead
to brake failure. There is a risk of accident.
Observe the load rating of the tires. The load
rating must be at least half of the GAWR of
your vehicle. Never overload the tires by
exceeding the maximum load.
Two instruction labels on your vehicle show
the maximum possible load.
(1) The Tire and Loading Information placard is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The
Tire and Loading Information placard
shows the maximum permissible number
of occupants and the maximum permis-
sible vehicle load. It also contains details
of the tire sizes and corresponding pres-
sures for tires mounted at the factory.
(2) The vehicle identification plate is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The vehicle
identification plate informs you of the
gross vehicle weight rating. It is made up
of the vehicle weight, all vehicle occu-
pants, the fuel and the cargo. You can
also find information about the maximum gross axle weight rating on the front and
rear axle.
The maximum gross axle weight rating is the maximum weight that can be carried
by one axle (front or rear axle). Never
exceed the maximum load or the maxi-
mum gross axle weight rating for the
front or rear axle. Loading the vehicle
453Wheels and tires Z