2017 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS Owners Manual

X
Connect negative terminal

! If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehicle.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed away.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission damage,
have it transported on a transporter or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in position
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 .
In the event of damage to the electrical sys-
tem
If the battery is defective, the automatic trans-
mission will be locked in position P . To shift the
automatic transmission to position N , you must
provide power to the vehicle's electrical system
in the same way as when jump-starting
( Y
page 285).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter or
trailer.
Disarm the automatic locking feature before the
vehicle is towed ( Y
page 82). You could other-
wise be locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
G WARNING
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. All vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
The brackets for the screw-in towing eye are
located in the bumpers. They are at the front and
at the rear, behind the covers. X
Remove the towing eye from the vehicle tool
kit ( Y
page 277). X
Pull cover C out of the bumper in the direc-
tion of the arrow by inserting your fingers into
the recess. X
Press the mark on cover D inwards in the
direction of the arrow. X
Remove cover D from the opening.X
Screw in the towing eye clockwise as far as it
will go and tighten it.288
Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

Removing the towing eye X
Unscrew and remove the towing eye. X
Position cover C on top of the bumper and
press it in at the bottom until it engages. X
Attach cover D to the bumper and press until
it engages. X
Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.
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 287).
The automatic transmission automatically shifts
to position P when you open the driver's or front-
passenger door or when you remove the Smart-
Key from the ignition lock. In order to ensure
that the automatic transmission stays in posi-
tion N when towing the vehicle, you must
observe the following points: X
Make sure that the vehicle is stationary. X
Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the Smart-
Key instead of the Start/Stop button
( Y
page 124). X
Depress and hold the brake pedal. X
Shift the automatic transmission to position
N . X
Release the brake pedal. X
Release the parking brake. X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
( Y
page 107). X
Leave the SmartKey in position 2 in the igni-
tion lock.
In order to signal a change of direction when
towing the vehicle with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination switch
as usual. In this case, only the turn signals for
the desired direction flash. After resetting the
combination switch, the hazard warning lamp
starts flashing again. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
! 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 automatic transmission must
not be towed with the rear axle raised. The
vehicle/trailer combination may otherwise
swerve or even roll over.
Transporting the vehicle
4MATIC vehicles/vehicles with auto-
matic transmission
! When the vehicle is loaded for transport, the
front and rear axles must be stationary and on
the same transportation vehicle. Positioning
over the connection point of the transport
vehicle is not permitted. The drive train may
otherwise be damaged.
All vehicles
! 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 pur-
poses. X
Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the ignition
lock. X
Shift the automatic transmission to position
N .Towing and tow-starting 289
Breakdown assistance Z

As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:X
Prevent the veh icle from rolling away by
applyin g the parking brake.X
Sh ift the automat ic transmission to posi-
tion P .X
Turn the Sm artKey to position 0 in the ignition
lock and remove it. X
Secure the veh icle .
Notes on 4MATIC vehicles
! Veh icle s wit h 4MATIC must not be towed
wit h either the front or the rear axle raised, as
doin g so will damage the transmission.
If the veh icle has transmission damage or dam-
age to the front or rear axle, have it transported
on a transporter or trailer.
In the event of da ma ge to the electrical sys-
tem
If the battery is defective, the automat ic trans-
mission will be locked in position P . To shift the
automat ic transmission to position N , you must
pro vide power to the veh icle 's electrical system
in the same way as when jump-starting
( Y
page 285).
Have the veh icle transported on a transporter or
trailer.
Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Veh icle s wit h automat ic transmission must
not be started by tow-starting. This could oth-
erwise damage the transmission.
i You can find information on "Jump-starting"
under ( Y
page 285).
Fuses
Important safety notes
G WAR NING
If you man ipulat e or brid ge a faulty fuse or if
you replace it wit h a fuse wit h a higher amper-
age, the electr ic cables could be overloaded.
This could result in a fire. There is a risk of an
acc iden t and injury. Alwa ys replace faulty fuses wit h the specified
new fuses having the correct amperage.
Blo wn fuses must be replaced wit h fuses of the
same rating, whic h you can recognize by the
color and value. The fuse ratings are listed in the
fuse allocation chart.
The fuse allocation chart is located in the vehicle
tool kit in the stowage compartment under the
trunk floor ( Y
page 277).
If a ne wly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified special-
ist worksho p, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
! Only use fuses that have been appr oved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and whic h have the
correct fuse rating for the system concerned.
Otherwise, components or systems could be
damaged.
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it is
lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture seep-
ing in or dirt could otherwise impair the oper-
ation of the fuses.
The fuses in your vehicle ser ve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions stop
operating.
Before changing a fuse Pay attention to the important safety notes
( Y
page 290). X
Swit ch off the engine. X
Swit ch off all electrical consumers. X
Make sure that the ignition is swit ched off
( Y
page 123).
or X
When using the SmartKey, turn the SmartKey
to position 0 in the ignition lock and remove it
( Y
page 123). X
Secure the vehicle against rolling away
( Y
page 141).
All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
must be off.290
Fuses
Breakdown assistance

The fuses are located in various fuse boxes: R
Fuse box in the engine compartment on the
left-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed in
the direction of travel R
Fuse box in the trunk on the right-hand side of
the vehicle, when viewed in the direction of
travel
Fuse box in the engine compartment Pay attention to the important safety notes
( Y
page 290).
G WARNING
When the hood is open and the windshield
wipers are set in motion, you can be injured by
the wiper linkage. There is a risk of injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before opening the hood.
X
Make sure that the windshield wipers are
turned off. X
Open the hood ( Y
page 265).X
Use a dry cloth to remove any moisture from
the fuse box. X
To open: take lines C out of the guides.X
Move lines C to one side.X
Open retaining clamps D .X
Remove the fuse box cover forwards. X
To close: check whether the seal is lying cor-
rectly in the cover. X
Insert the cover at the rear of the fuse box into
the retainer. X
Fold down the cover and close clamps D .X
Secure lines C in the guides.X
Close the hood. Fuse box in the trunk Pay attention to the important safety notes
( Y
page 290).
X
Open the trunk lid. X
To open: release cover C at the top right and
left-hand sides with a flat object. X
Open cover C downwards in the direction of
the arrow. Fuses 291
Breakdown assistance Z

Important safety notes
G WARNIN G
If wheels and tires of th e wrong siz e are used,
th e whee l brakes or suspension component s
may be damaged. Ther e is a ris k of an acci-
dent.
Always replace wheels and tires wit h those
that fulfill th e specification s of th e original
part .
When replacing wheels, mak e sur e to use th e
correct: R
designation R
model
When replacing tires , mak e sur e to use th e
correct: R
designation R
manufacturer R
model
G WARNIN G
A flat tire severely impairs th e driving , steer -
ing and braking characteristics of th e vehicle.
Ther e is a ris k of accident.
Tires without run-flat characteristics :R
do no t driv e wit h a flat tire.R
immediately replace th e flat tire wit h your
emergenc y spar e whee l or spar e wheel, or
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Tires wit h run-flat characteristics :R
pay attention to th e information and warn -
ing notice s on MOExtended tires (tire s wit h
run-flat characteristics).
Accessories that are no t approve d for your vehi-
cle by Mercedes-Ben z or are no t bein g used cor-
rectl y can impair th e operating safety.
Before purchasing and usin g non-approve d
accessories, visit a qualified specialist work-
sho p and ask about :R
suitabilit yR
legal stipulation sR
factory recommendation s Further information regarding wheels and tires
can be foun d under "Wheel/tire combinations"
( Y
page 317).
You can ask for information regarding permitte d
wheel-tire combination s at an authorize d
Mercedes-Ben z Center.
Information on tire pressur e can be found:R
on th e Tir e and Loading Information placard
on th e B-pillar on th e driver' s side
( Y
page 302) R
in th e tire pressur e table in th e fuel filler flap
( Y
page 139) R
under "Tir e pressure" ( Y
page 295)
Operation
Information on driving Chec k th e tire pressur e when th e vehicl e is
heavily laden and adjust prio r to a trip.
While driving , pay attention to vibrations, noises
and unusual handlin g characteristics , e.g. pull-
ing to on e side . This may indicat e that th e
wheels or tires are damaged. If you suspec t that
a tire is defective, reduce your spee d immedi-
ately. Stop th e vehicl e as soo n as possible to
chec k th e wheels and tires for damage. Hidden
tire damag e could also be causing th e unusual
handlin g characteristics . If you fin d no sign s of
damage, hav e th e tires and wheels checke d at a
qualified specialist workshop.
When parking your vehicle, mak e sur e that th e
tires do no t get deformed by th e cur b or other
obstacles. If they canno t be avoided, driv e ove r
obstacles suc h as curbs slowly and at an obtuse
angle. Otherwise, you may damag e th e wheels
or tires .
Regular checking of wheels and tires
G WARNIN G
Damaged tires can caus e tire inflation pres-
sur e loss . As a result , you could lose control of
your vehicle. Ther e is a ris k of accident.
Chec k th e tires regularly for sign s of damag e
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
Chec k wheels and tires for damag e at least once
a month . Chec k wheels and tires after driving292
Operation
Wheels and tires

off-road or on rough roads. Damaged wheels
can cause a loss of tire pressure.
Pay particular attention to damage such as: R
cuts in the tires R
punctures in the tires R
tears in the tires R
bulges on tires R
deformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tire tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width of
the tire ( Y
page 293). If necessary, turn the
front wheels to full lock in order to inspect the
inner side of the tire surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect the
valve against dirt and moisture. Do not mount
anything onto the valve other than the standard
valve cap or other valve caps approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle. Do not use any
other valve caps or systems, e.g. tire pressure
monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tires par-
ticularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tire pres-
sure as necessary ( Y
page 295).
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel ( Y
page 317).
The service life of tires depends, among other
things, on the following factors: R
Driving style R
Tire pressure R
Distance covered
Notes on tire tread
G WARNING
Insufficient tire tread will reduce tire traction.
The tire is no longer able to dissipate water.
This means that on wet road surfaces, the risk
of hydroplaning increases, in particular where
speed is not adapted to suit the driving con-
ditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tire pressure is too high or too low, tires
may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tire tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tires. Minimum tire tread depth for: R
Summer tires:

MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties) With MOExtended tires (tires with run flat char-
acteristics), you can continue to drive your vehi-
cle even if there is a total loss of pressure in one
or more tires.
MOExtended tires may only be used in conjunc-
tion with an active tire pressure loss warning
system or with an active tire pressure monitor
and on wheels specifically tested by Mercedes-
Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tires with a
flat tire ( Y
page 278).
Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires are
not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you additionally
equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you mount
tires that do not feature run-flat properties, e.g.
winter tires. A TIREFIT kit can be obtained from
a qualified specialist workshop.
Winter operation
General notes Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section ( Y
page 312).
Driving with summer tires At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), summer
tires lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tires on your vehicle
to M+S tires. Using summer tires at very cold
temperatures could cause cracks to form,
thereby damaging the tires permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility for
this type of damage.
G WARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of
your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately. M+S tires
G WARNING
M+S tires with a tire tread depth of less than