2016 MERCEDES-BENZ METRIS tow

General notes
RObserve the legally prescribed maximum
speed for vehicle/trailer combinations in the
relevant country, state or Canadianprovince.
Before setting off, check the vehicle docu-
ments of the you rtraile rtof ind out the per-
missible maximu mspeed.
This reduces the risk of accidents.
RInstall only an approved traile rcoupling on
you rvehicle .Only use aballc oupling that is
approved for you rvehicle and Sprinter trailer
tow hitch. More information on the availabil-
ity, mounting and installation of the trailer
electrics is available at any qualified specialist
workshop.
RThe traile rcoupling is one of the most impor-
tant vehicle parts with regard to road safety.
Observe the notes on operation, care and
maintenance of the traile rtow hitch (see the
manufacturer's operating instructions).
RThe bumpers of you rvehicle are not suitable
for installing detachable traile rcouplings.
RDo not attach rented traile rtow hitches or
other detachable traile rtow hitches to the
bumper.
RMinimize the risk of damage to the bal lcou-
pling. If you do not require the bal lcoupling,
remove it from the bal lcoupling recess.
You wil lfind weight information under "Techni-
cal Data" (
Ypage 305).
The heigh tofthe bal lneck changes according to
the loadont he vehicle.Ifthis is case, use a
traile rwith aheight-adjustabl etraile rdrawbar.
Driving tips
The maximu mpermissibl espeed for vehicle/
traile rcombinatio ndepends on the type of
trailer. Before setting off, check the vehicle
documents of the you rtraile rtof ind out the
permissibl emaximu mspeed.O bserve the
legally prescribed maximu mspeed for vehicle/
traile rcombinations in the relevant country,
state or Canadianp rovince.
When towing atrailer, you rvehicle's handling
characteristics wil lbedifferent in comparison to
when driving withou tatraile rand it wil lcon-
sume more fuel.
On long and steep downhill gradients, select a
lower gear.
iThis also appliesifc ruise control is activa-
ted. This enables you to utilize the engine's braking
effect and you do not need to brake so heavily to
keep the correct speed.w
hich protects the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you need to brake additionally, to not depress the brake
pedalc onstantly, but periodically.
Observe the notes on ESP
®traile rstabilization
(Ypage 65).
Driving tips
If the traile rbegins to swing from side to side:
XDo not accelerate.
XDo not counter-steer.
XBrake if necessary.
iYou can reduce the risk of the traile rswing-
ing and rocking by retrofitting anti-roll bars or traile rstability programs. More information is
available from you rauthorized Sprinter
Dealer.
RMaintain agreater distance than you would
when driving withou ttowing atrailer.
RAvoid sudden braking. Apply the brakes gen-
tly at first to allow the traile rbrake to overrun.
Then, increase the brake force quickly.
RThe figures for the gradient climbing capabil-
ities from astandstill refer to sea level.W hen
driving in mountainou sareas, note that the
powe routpu toft he engine, and with it its
gradient climbing capability, decrease with
increasing altitude.
164Towing atrailer
Driving and parking

Coupling upatrailer
Trailer coupled read yfor use
XMakes ure that th eselecto rleveroft heauto-
matic transmission is in position P.
XOn vehicleswithana utomatic transmission,
ensure that th etransmission is in position P.
XEngage thevehicle's parking brake.
XClose all doors.
XPositio nthe trailer horizontally behindy our
vehicle.
iThe height of th eball neck changes accord-
ing to th eload on th evehicle .Inthisc ase, use
at railer withah eight-adjustable trailer draw-
bar.
XCouple th etrailer.
XEstablish all electrical and other connections
to th etrailer.W hen doings o, hook thebreak-
away cabl eofthetrailer int othe eyelet on the
ball coupling.
XRemove th eobject sthata re preventin gthe
trailer from rolling ,e.g.w heel chocks.
XRelease th etrailer parking brake.
iThe subharness of th evehicle has acable
connection to th ebrak elamp indicator lamp.
Observ ethe maximum permissible trailer
dimensions( widthand length).
Mostf ederal state sand all Canadian provinces
require by law:
Rsafety chains between th etow ing vehicle and
th et railer.T he chains should be cross-wound
unde rthe trailer drawbar. They must be fas- tene
dtot hevehicle's trailer coupling, no tto
th eb umpe rortheaxle.
Leavee nough slackint hechains .This allows
you to driv eroun dtight corn
ers.
Raseparate brak esystem for certain type sof
trailer.
Ras afety shut-off for braked trailers. Fin dout
th es pecific requirements according to the
applicable laws.
If th etrailer become sdetached from th etow -
ing vehicle ,the safety shut-off applies the
trailer brakes.
Towin gatrailer
Therea re numerous legal requirements con-
cernin gthe towing of atrailer,e .g.s peedr estric-
tions .Makes ure your vehicle/traile rcombina-
tio nc omplies withl ocal laws. This no tonly
mean swherey ou live ,but also anywhere you
are driving to .Inf ormation is available from the
policea nd local authorities.
Observ ethe followingw hen towing atrailer:
RPractic edriving aroun dbends, stoppinga nd
backing up at aplacew herethere is no traffic.
This enables you to gain experience and get
used to th enew handlingc haracteristics.
RBefore driving ,che ck:
-that th etrailer to whitch and ball coupling
are secure
-that th esafety switch for abraked trailer is
functioning properly
-that th esafety chains are secure and not
damaged
-that th eelectrical connectionsa re secure
-that thelightsa re working
-that thewheelsa re in good order and the
tir ep ressure is correct
RAdjus tthe exterior mirror stoprovide an
unobstructe dview of th erear sectio nofthe
trailer.
RIf th etrailer has electronicall ycontrolled
brakes, pull th evehicle/traile rcombination
away carefully. Brake manually usingt he
brak econtroller and check that th ebrakes
are working.
RSecure th eload on th etrailer according to the
applicable specifications an d currentst and-
ards on securin gloads (Ypage 234).
Towing atrailer165
Driving and parking
Z

RWhen driving withatrailer, check at regular
intervals that the load is secured and that the
brakes and lights are working.
RBear in mind that the handling will be less
stable when towing atrailer than when driving
without one. Avoid sudden steerin gmove-
ments.
RThe vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowly and has adecreased
gradient climbing capability and alonger
braking distance.
It is more susceptible to crosswinds and
requires cautious steering.
RIf possible, do not brake suddenly, but rather
moderately at first so that the trailer can acti-
vate its brakes. Then increase the forceont he
brake pedal.
RIf the automatic transmission repeatedly
shifts between gears when driving on inclines,
restrict the shift range. Select shift range 4,3,
2 or 1.
Drivin ginal ow gear and at alow speed
reduces the risk of damaging the engine.
RWhen driving on adownhill gradient, shift to a
low gear and take advantage of the engine's
braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if instal-
led, the trailer brakes.
RIf the coolant temperature increases dramat-
ically while the air-conditionin gsystem is
switched on, switch off the air-conditioning
system.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by
switchin gthe airflow and the temperature of
the air conditioning to the maximum level.
Open the windows if necessary.
RWhen overtaking, pay particular attention to
the extended length of your vehicle/trailer
combination.
Due to the length of your vehicle/trailer com- bination you need an additional distance
before you can return to your original lane.
Uncoupling atrailer
GWARNING
If you uncouple atrailer with the overrun
brake engaged, you could trap your hand
between the vehicle and the trailer drawbar.
There is arisk of injury.
Do not uncouple atrailer if the overrun brake
is engaged.
!Do not disconnect atrailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your vehicle could
be damaged by the rebounding of the overrun
brake.
XMake sure that the selector lever of the auto-
matic transmission is in position P.
XEngage the vehicle's parking brake.
XClose all doors.
XApply the parking brake of the trailer.
XIn addition, secure the trailer against rolling
away withawheel chock or similar object.
XRemove the trailer cable and safety chains
and decouple the trailer.
Permissible trailer loads and trailer
drawbar noseweights
Weight information
!For vehicles with apermissible gross vehicle
weight of 6724 lbs (3050 kg), the permissible gross combination weight is less than the sum
of the permissible gross vehicle weight plus
the permissible trailer load. Exceeding the
permitted gross combination weight could
damage the powertrain ,transmission or
trailer tow hitch.
If either the vehicle or the trailer is fully laden,
the permitted gross vehicle weight or the per- mitted trailer load values are reduced accord-
ingly. In this case, you may only partially load
the trailer or the vehicle.
The gross trailer weight (GTW) is calculated by
adding the weight of the trailer to the weight of
the load and equipment. The permissible gross
trailer weight is 5000 lbs (2268 kg).
The maximum noseweight of the trailer drawbar
on the ball coupling is 500 lbs (227 kg). The
actual noseweight may not exceed the value
given on the identification plates of the trailer
tow hitch or the trailer. If the values vary, the
lowest value alwaysa pplies.
The gross combination weight rating (GCWR) is
calculated by adding the gross weight of the
trailer to the gross vehicle weight including a
166Towing atrailer
Driving and parking

driver'sweight of approximately 150 lbs (68 kg).
The permissible Gross Combination Weight Rat-
ing is vehicle-specific and depends on the equip-
ment level.
When driving with atrailer, you should not
exceed the permitted Gross Combination
Weight Rating (GCWR).
The permissible values, which must not be
exceeded, can be found in your vehicle docu-
ment sand on the trailer tow hitc htype plates for
the trailer and the vehicle (
Ypage 294). The
basic values approved by the manufacturer can
also be found in the "Technical data" section
(
Ypage 305). If the values vary, the lowest
value always applies.
Loading atrailer
!Utiliz ethe maximum permissible nose-
weight as fully as possible. Do not allow the
weight to fall below the minimum permissible
noseweight ,otherwise the trailer may come
loose.
RThe load must be distributed over the vehicle
and the trailer so as not to exceed either the
maximum permissible values for the gross
vehicle weight ratin g(GVWR) and gross trailer
weight (GTW), the gross combination weight
ratin g(GCWR), nor the maximum permissible
gross axle weight ratin g(GAWR) and trailer
drawbar noseweight ratin gofyour vehicle.
RAdd the drawbar noseweight on the ball cou-
pling (TWR) to the rear axle load. This will pre-
vent you from exceeding the permissible
gross axle weight (GAWR).
RAdd the drawbar noseweight on the ball cou-
pling (TWR) to the vehicle payload. This will
ensure that you do not exceed the permissi-
ble gross vehicle weight ratin g(GVWR).
Checking the vehicle and trailer weight
RMake sure the weights of the towing vehicle
and the trailer comply with the maximum per-
missible values. Have the vehicle/trailer com-
bination weighed on acalibrated weigh-
bridge. The vehicle/trailer combination con-
sists of the towing vehicle includin gthe driver,
passenger sand load, as well as the loaded
trailer.
RCheck the maximum permissible gross axle
weight ratin gofthe fronta nd rear axles
(GAWR), the gross trailer weight (GTW), the gross combination weight ratin
g(GCWR) and
the noseweight of the trailer drawbar (TWR).
Trailer power supply
!
Incorrectw iring of the connector plug could,
under certain circumstances, cause malfunc-
tion sint he vehicle's other electronic sys-
tems .Wet herefore recommend having the
connector plug wired at aqualified specialist
workshop.
!You can connec taccessories with amaxi-
mum power consumption of 240 Wtothe
permanen tpower supply.
You must not charge atrailer battery using the
power supply.
Your vehicle may be equipped with various elec-
trical installations for trailer towing .Depending
on your trailer, you may need an adapter to con-
nec tthe electrical system of the trailer with that
of the vehicle.
The trailer socket of your vehicle is equipped at
the factory with apermanen tpower supply.
The permanen tpower supply is on the trailer
socket pin assignmen t4.
Note that the permanen tpower supply of the
trailer is not switched off when the on-board
voltage is low. This can completely discharge
the starter battery of your vehicle.
Further information on the electrical equipment currently installed on your vehicle and on instal-
ling trailer electrics can be obtained at any quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Towing atrailer167
Driving and parking
Z

Change of direction announced without
lane recommendation
:Road to whichthechange of direction leads
;Distance to th echange of direction and dis-
tance graphic
=Change-of-direction symbol
If ac hange of direction is required, adynamic
bar is shownasadistanc egraphic above the
distanc etothechange of direction ;.The bar
shortens towards th etop of th edisplay as you
approach th epointoft heannounced change of
direction.T he change of direction start sonce
th ed istanc egraphic no longer showsab ar.
Other navigation system status indica-
tors
RNew Route...orCalculating Route
An ew rout eiscalculated.
ROff Maporac ompass needle pointin ginthe
direction of th edestination
The vehicle position is outside th earea of the
digital map (off-map position)ort heroad is
no trecognized, e.g .unpaved roads (off-road).
RNo Route
No rout ecoul dbec alculate dtotheselected
destination.
RO
You have reached th edestination or an inter-
mediate destination.
Audio menu
Selecting aradio station
:Waveband with statio npreset
;Station
Station ;is displayedw ith thestatio nfre-
quency or statio nname. The statio npreset is
only displayeda longwith waveband :if the
statio nhas been stored.
Usingt hesteering wheel buttons
XSwitch on th eaudio system and selectt he
radio function (see separate operating
instructions).
XPress =or; to selectt heAudiomenu.
The display showsc urrently selectedsta-
tion ;.
XTo select astored stati on:press 9
or : briefly.
XTo select astatio nfromt hestation list:
pres sand hold 9or:.
If as tatio nlist is no treceived:
XTo select astatio nusingthe station
search: pressand hold 9or:.
180On-boardc omputer (vehicles with steerin gwheel buttons)
On-boardc omputer and displays

Useful information
This Operator's Manual describes all models as
well as standard and optional equipment of your
vehicle that were available at the time of going
to print.Country-specific variation sare possi-
ble. Note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the described functions. This also
applies to system sand function srelevantt o
safety.
Read the information on qualified specialist
workshops (
Ypage 29).
Stowage spaces and stowage com-
partments
Important safetyn otes
GWARNING
If you transport objects in the vehicle interior
and thes eare not adequately secured, they
could slip or be flung around and thereby
strike vehicle occupants .Inaddition ,cup
holders, open stowage spaces and mobile
phone brackets may not always be able to
hold the objects placed in them in the evento f
an accident. There is arisk of injury, particu-
larly in the eventofs harp brakingorsudden
changes of direction.
RAlways stow objects in such away that they
cannot be tossed about in thes eorsimilar
situations.
RAlways make sure that objects do not pro-
trude out of the stowage spaces, luggage
net sors towage nets.
REnsure that closable stowage spaces are
shut before beginning your journey.
RAlways stow and secure heavy, hard, poin-
ted, sharp-edged, fragile or large objects in
the cargo compartment.
Observet he "Loading guidelines" (
Ypage 232).
Glove box
Glove box (example: glove box with alockable lid)
1
Unlocked
2Locked
=Glove box handle
You can lock and unlock the glove box using the mechanical key (
Ypage 68).
When you open the glove box flap, acoin holder,
ap en holder and acredit card holder are inte-
grated on the inside.
XTo open: unlock the glove box lid if neces-
sary.
XPull glove box handle =in the direction of the
arrow.
XTo close: fold the glove box up and press it
until it engages.
Eyeglasses compartment in the over-
head control panel
Eyeglasses compartmen t(example: luxury over-
head contro lpanel)
228Stowage spaces and stowage compartments
Stowing and features

XTo open:brieflypress cover :.
The eyeglasses compartment opens down-
wards.
XTo close: press the eyeglasses compartment
into the overhead contro lpan el unti lit
engages.
Make sure thatt he eyeglasses compartment is
always closed whil ethe vehicl eisinmotion.
Stowage net
Youc an us ethe stowag enets on the back of the
sea tbackrests to stor esmall ,lig htweight items.
Observ ethe loading directions (
Ypage 232)
and the safety informatio nabout the stowage
spaces (
Ypage 228).
Sun visors
Overview
GWARNING
If the mirror cove rofthe vanity mirror is folded
up when the vehicl eisinmotion, yo ucould be
blinded by incident light. There is ariskofa n
accident.
Alway skeept he mirror cove rfolde ddown
whil edriving.
Sun visor (exampl ewithi llum inated vanity mirror)
:
Mirror light
;Retainer
=Retaining clip, e.g .for ac ar park ticket
?Vanity mirror
AMirror cover
Vanity mirrori nthe sun visor
If yo ufoldm irror cover Aup and the key is in
position 1or 2in the ignition lock, mirror
light :lights up.
Glare from the side
XFoldthe sunv isor down.
XPull the sunv isor outofbracket;.
XSwing the sunv isor to the side.
Cup holder
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The cup holde rcanno tholdac ontaine rsecure
whilst traveling .Ifyouuseac up holde rwhilst
traveling ,the containe rmaybe flung around
and liquid maybes pilled.The vehicl eoccu-
pants mayc ome into contact with the liquid
and if it is hot, they maybes calded.You may
be distracted from the traffic conditions and
yo uc ould lose contro lofthe vehicle. There is
ar iskofana ccident and injury.
Onlyu sethe cup holde rwhent he vehicl eis
stationary .Onlyu sethe cup holde rfor con-
tainers of the right size. Alway sclose the con-
tainer, particularly if the liquid is hot.
!Onlyu sethe cup holders for containers of
the right size and which have lids. The drinks could otherwise spill.
Observe the loading guideline s(
Ypage 232).
Cuph older229
Stowing an dfeatures
Z

Cup holders in thedashboard
Cup holder in th edashboar d(example :left side of
vehicle )
Cup holders :are locate dontheleft and the
righ tont opof th edashboard and on th ecenter
console.
Bottle holder
The bottle holders are in frontoft hestowage
compartments in th efront doors.
Therea re additional bottle holders on th eleft
and righ tintherear compartmen tside paneling.
Observ ethe safety note s(
Ypage 228).
Ashtray
Ashtray
Ashtray withl id: can be inserted int oacup
holder on th edashboard or int oacup holderi n
th er ear compartment.
Cigarett elighter
GWARNING
You can burn yourself if you touch th ehot
heating elementort hesocke tofthecigarette
lighter.
In addition,f lammable materialsc an ignite if:
Rtheh ot cigarette lighter falls
Rachild holdst hehot cigarette lighter to
objects, for example
Thereisar iskoff irea nd injury.
Always hold th ecigarette lighter by th eknob.
Always mak esure that th ecigarette lighter is
out of reac hofchildren. Never leave children
unsupervised in th evehicle.
Above all, pay attentio ntotraffic conditions. You
coul dotherwise caus eanaccidenta nd injure
yourself and others. Only operate th ecigarette
lighter if traffic conditionsp ermit.
230Cigarettelighter
Stowing and features