2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLC SUV tow bar

For more information, please contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
Please observe the manufacturer's operating
instructions for the trailer coupling if a detach-
able 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:
Rthe permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
Rthe permissible trailer load
Rthe permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
Rthe 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:
Rin the vehicle documents
Ron the type plate for the trailer
Ron the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
Ris heavier
Ris restricted in its acceleration and gradient-
climbing capability
Rhas an increased braking distance
Ris affected more by strong crosswinds
Rdemands more sensitive steering
Rhas a larger turning circle
This could impair the handling characteristics.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your speed
to the current road and wea
ther conditions. Do
not exceed the maximum permissible speed for
your vehicle/trailer combination.
Notes on towing a trailer
General notes
RDo not exceed the maximum permissible
speed for vehicle/trailer combinations in the
relevant country. This lowers the risk of an accident.
ROnly install an approved trailer coupling on
your vehicle.
Further information on availability and on
installation is available from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
RThe bumpers of your vehicle are not suitable
for installing detachable trailer couplings.
RDo not install hired trailer couplings or other
detachable trailer couplings on the bumpers
of your vehicle.
RIf you no longer need the ball coupling,
remove it from the ball coupling recess. This
will reduce the risk of damage to the ball cou-
pling.
When towing a trailer, set the tire pressure on
the rear axle of the towing vehicle for a maxi-
mum load; see the tire pressure table in the fuel
filler flap (
Ypage 354).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the fol-
lowing driving systems have limited availability
or are not available at all:
RPARKTRONIC (Ypage 175)
RBlind Spot Assist (Ypage 193)
RActive Lane Keeping Assist (Ypage 200)
On vehicles without level control, the height of
the ball coupling will alter according to the load
placed on the vehicle. If necessary, use a trailer
with a height-adjustable drawbar.
You will find permissible trailer loads under
"Technical data" (
Ypage 371).
Driving tips
Observe the information on ESP®trailer stabili-
zation (Ypage 73) and on pulling away with a
trailer (Ypage 135).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check the
trailer's documents to see what the maximum
permitted speed is. Observe the maximum per-
missible speed in the relevant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the maxi-
mum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See the "Technical data"
section to find out whether this applies to your
vehicle (
Ypage 371). In the event of increased
rear axle load, the vehicle/trailer combination
may not exceed a maximum speed of 60 mph
(100 km/h) for reasons concerning the operat-
ing permit. This also applies in countries in
Towing a trailer203
Driving and parking
Z

XSwitch off the engine.
XClose the doors and tailgate.
XCouple up the trailer.
XEstablish the electrical connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.
XCheck that the trailer lighting system is work-
ing.
XPush the combination switch upwards/down-wards and check whether the corresponding
turn signal on the trailer flashes.
A trailer that is connected is recognized only
when the electrical connection is established
correctly and when the lighting system is work-
ing properly. The function of other systems also
depends on this, for example:
RESP®
RPARKTRONIC
RActive Parking Assist
RActive Blind Spot Assist
RActive Lane Keeping Assist
Vehicles with AIR BODY CONTROL: if you couple
up a trailer, the vehicle always remains at high-
way level. Observe the following note when cou-
pling up a trailer:
RUnless highway level has been set manually,
the vehicle is automatically lowered to high-
way level. If a speed of 5 mph (8 km/h) has
been reached, this may be the case.
These restrictions apply to accessories that are
supplied with power via the trailer socket in your
vehicle, e.g. a rear bicycle rack.
Observe the maximum permissible trailer
dimensions (width and length).
Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
RSafety chains between the towing vehicle and
the trailer. The chains should be cross-wound
under the trailer drawbar. They must be fas-
tened to the vehicle's trailer coupling, not to
the bumper or the axle.
Leave enough play in the chains to make tight
cornering possible.
RA separate brake system for certain types of
trailer.
RSafety switch for braked trailers. Check the
specific legal requirements applicable to your state.
If the trailer becomes detached from the tow-
ing vehicle, the safety feature applies the
trailer brakes.
Towing a trailer
There are several legal requirements for towing
a trailer, e.g. the maximum permissible speed.
Make sure that your car/trailer combination
complies with the local regulations:
Rin your place of residence
Rat your destination
The police and local authorities can provide reli- able information.
To accumulate driving experience and accustom
yourself to the new handling characteristics,
practice the following at a location where there
is no traffic:
RCornering
RStopping
RBacking up
Check the following before the journey:
RTrailer tow hitch
RSafety switch for braked trailers
RSafety chains
RElectrical connections
RLighting system
RWheels and tires
RLoad securing
Adjust the exterior mirrors so that you have a
clear view of the rear section of the trailer.
If the trailer is equipped with electronically con-
trolled brakes, pull away carefully in the car/
trailer combination. Brake manually using the
brake controller and check whether the brakes
function correctly.
Regularly check that the load is secure.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
Ris heavier
Ris restricted in its acceleration and gradient-
climbing capability
Rhas an increased braking distance
Ris affected more by strong crosswinds
Rdemands more sensitive steering
Rhas a larger turning circle
Avoid sudden steering movements.
Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gently
at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
Towing a trailer205
Driving and parking
Z

When overtaking, pay particular attention to the
extended length of your vehicle/trailer combi-
nation.
Due to the length of the vehicle/trailer combi-
nation, you require additional road space when
overtaking before you can change back to the
original lane.
If the automatic transmission repeatedly shifts
between gears on uphill or downhill gradients,
shift to a lower gear.
Driving in a lower gear and at a reduced speed
decreases the risk of engine damage.
If the coolant temperature increases signifi-
cantly when climate control is switched on,
switch climate control off.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by opening
the windows and switching the ventilation
blower and the interior temperature to the high-
est level.
Decoupling a trailer
GWARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with the overrun
brake engaged, you could trap your hand
between the vehicle and the trailer drawbar.
There is a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer if the overrun brake
is engaged.
GWARNING
Vehicles with level control:
The vehicle is lowered as soon as you discon-
nect the trailer cable. This could result in your
limbs or those of other people that are
between the vehicle body and tires or under-
neath the vehicle being trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel housings or under the
vehicle when you disconnect the trailer cable.
!Do not disconnect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your vehicle could
be damaged by the rebounding of the overrun
brake.
XApply the vehicle's parking brake manually.
XShift the transmission to position j.
XClose all doors and the tailgate.
XSwitch off the engine.
XSecure the vehicle and trailer against rolling
away.
XRemove the trailer cable.
XRemove the safety chains, if there are any.
XUncouple the trailer.
Removing the ball coupling
XObserve the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
XPress the protective cap into the ball coupling
recess.
XMake sure that the protective cap is firmly in
place.
Observe the loading guidelines (
Ypage 278)
and the safety notes regarding stowage spaces
(
Ypage 278).
Information on cleaning and care of the trailer
tow hitch (
Ypage 316).
Trailer power supply
!
Accessories with a maximum power con-
sumption of 180 W can be connected to the
permanent power supply.
You must not charge a trailer battery using the
power supply.
The trailer socket of your vehicle is equipped at
the factory with a permanent power supply.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 4.
The trailer's permanent power supply is
switched off in the event of low vehicle supply
voltage and after six hours at the latest.
A qualified specialist workshop can provide
more information about installing the trailer
electrics.
Permissible trailer loads and trailer
drawbar noseweights
Weight specifications
The gross trailer weight is calculated as the
weight of the trailer plus the weight of the load
and the trailer's equipment.
206Towing a trailer
Driving and parking

You will find permissible trailer loads under
"Technical data" (Ypage 371).
Loading a trailer
RWhen loading the trailer, make sure that nei-
ther the permissible gross trailer weight nor
the permissible gross vehicle weight are
exceeded. The permissible gross vehicle
weight is indicated on the identification plate
on the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehi-
cle.
You can find the maximum permissible valueson the type plates of your vehicle and the
trailer. When calculating how much weight
the vehicle and trailer may carry, pay atten-
tion to the respective lowest values.
RThe 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 indi-
cated on the identification plate on the B-pil-
lar on the driver's side of the vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a trailer load
where the trailer drawbar noseweight accounts
for 8% to 15% of the permissible gross trailer
weight.
Additional accessories, passengers and load
reduce the permissible trailer load and nose-
weight that your vehicle can tow.
Checking the vehicle and trailer weight
RHave the towing vehicle, including the driver,
passengers and load, and completely loaded
trailer weighed on a suitable weighing
machine. This will allow you to ensure that the
weights of the towing vehicle and trailer com-
ply with the maximum permissible values.
RCheck the gross axle weight rating of the front
and rear axles, the gross weight of the trailer
and trailer drawbar load.
Towing a trailer207
Driving and parking
Z

an accident. There is a risk of injury, particu-
larly in the event of sharp braking or sudden
changes of direction.
RAlways stow objects in such a way that theycannot be tossed about in these or similar
situations.
RAlways make sure that objects do not pro-
trude out of the stowage spaces, luggage
nets or stowage 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.
Observe the following notes:
RObserve the loading guidelines (Ypage 278).
RTo avoid damaging the side trim panels in the
cargo compartment, maintain a sufficient dis-
tance from the side trim panels in the cargo
compartment when removing and inserting
the cargo compartment floor.
Installing the parcel net
XOpen cargo compartment floor ;
(Ypage 288), raise by approximately 45° and
remove to the rear.
XPlace cargo compartment floor ;on a clean
surface.
XStretch parcel net :over cargo compart-
ment floor ;as shown.
Make sure that:
Rparcel net :is aligned with the center of
cargo compartment floor ;
Rrubber band=is below mountings ?
RtabAis facing forward
XSlide cargo compartment floor ;horizon-
tally into the cargo compartment until mount-
ings ?are positioned in guides Eon both
sides.
XRaise cargo compartment floor ;by approx-
imately 45° so that mountings ?engage
audibly.
Make sure that:
Rrubber band Cis below clasp B. The rubber
band must not block the clasp.
Rrubber band =is below base D.
XFold cargo compartment floor ;down and
press down until it engages.
Coat hooks on the tailgate
:Coat hook
Cargo compartment plug-in module
(telescope bars)
General notes
The cargo compartment plug-in module allows
you to use your cargo compartment for a variety
of purposes.
Stowage areas287
Stowage and features
Z

!Do not operate the tire inflation compressor
for longer than ten minutes at a time without
a break. It may otherwise overheat.
The tire inflation compressor can be operated
again once it has cooled down.
Comply with the manufacturer’s safety instruc-
tions on the sticker on the tire inflation com-
pressor.
Using the TIREFIT kit
XDo not remove any foreign objects which have
penetrated the tire, e.g. screws or nails.
XRemove the tire sealant bottle, the accompa-
nying TIREFIT sticker and the tire inflation
compressor from the stowage well under-
neath the cargo compartment floor
(
Ypage 320).
XAffix part :of the TIREFIT sticker to the
instrument cluster within the driver's field of
vision.
XAffix part ;of the TIREFIT sticker near the
valve on the wheel with the defective tire.
XPull connector ?with cable and hose Aout
of the tire inflation compressor housing.
XPush connector on hose Ainto flange Bon
tire sealant bottle :until the connector
engages.
XPlace tire sealant bottle :head down into
recess ;of the tire inflation compressor.
XRemove the cap from valve Con the faulty
tire.
XScrew filler hose Donto valve C.
XInsert plug ?into cigarette lighter socket
(Ypage 292) or into another 12 V socket in
your vehicle (Ypage 293).
XTurn the SmartKey to position 1in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 132).
XPress on and off switch =on the tire inflation
compressor.
The tire inflation compressor is switched on.
The tire is inflated.
First, tire sealant is pumped into the tire. The
pressure may briefly rise to approximately
500 kPa (5 bar/73 psi).
Do not switch off the tire inflation com-
pressor during this phase.
XLet the tire inflation compressor run for a
maximum of ten minutes. The tire should then
have attained a pressure of at least 200 kPa
(2.0 bar/29 psi).
If a pressure of 200 kPa (2.0 bar/29 psi) has
been attained after five minutes, see "Tire pres-
sure reached" (
Ypage 324).
If a tire pressure of 200 kPa (2.0 bar/29 psi) has
not been attained after five minutes, see "Tire
pressure not reached" (
Ypage 324).
If tire sealant has escaped, clean it off affected
areas as quickly as possible. Use plain water if
possible.
Flat tire323
Breakdown assistance
Z

If your clothes are soiled with tire sealant, have
them cleaned with perchloroethylene at a dry
cleaner as soon as possible.
Tire pressure not reached
If a tire pressure of 200 kPa (2.0 bar/29 psi) has
not been attained after ten minutes:
XSwitch off the tire inflation compressor.
XUnscrew the filler hose from the valve of the
faulty tire.
Tire sealant may escape when the filler hose is
unscrewed.
XVery slowly drive forwards or reverse approx-imately 30 ft (10 m).
XPump up the tire again.
After a maximum of ten minutes, the tire pres-
sure must be at least 200 kPa (2.0 bar/
29 psi).
GWARNING
If the required tire pressure is not reached
after the specified time, the tire is too badly
damaged. The tire sealant cannot repair the
tire in this instance. Damaged tires and a tire
pressure that is too low can significantly
impair the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics. There is a risk of accident.
Do not continue driving. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
Tire pressure reached
GWARNING
A tire temporarily sealed with tire sealant
impairs the driving characteristics and is not
suitable for higher speeds. There is a risk of
accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
accordingly and drive carefully. Do not exceed the specified maximum speed with a tire that
has been repaired using tire sealant.
The maximum permissible speed for a tire
sealed with tire sealant is 50 mph (80 km/h).
The upper part of the TIREFIT sticker must be
affixed to the instrument cluster in the driver's
field of vision. If a tire pressure of 200 kPa (2.0 bar/29 psi) has
been attained after ten minutes:
XSwitch off the tire inflation compressor.
XUnscrew the filler hose from the valve of the
faulty tire.
Tire sealant may escape when the filler hose is
unscrewed.
XStow the tire sealant bottle and the tire infla-
tion compressor.
XPull away immediately
.
XStop after driving for approximately ten
minutes and check the tire pressure with the
tire inflation compressor.
The tire pressure must now be at least
130 kPa (1.3 bar/19 psi).
GWARNING
If the required tire pressure is not reached
after driving for a short period, the tire is too
badly damaged. The tire sealant cannot repair
the tire in this instance. Damaged tires and a
tire pressure that is too low can significantly
impair the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics. There is a risk of accident.
Do not continue driving. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
In cases such as the one mentioned above, con- tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Or
call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA) or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
XCorrect the tire pressure if it is still at least
130 kPa (1.3 bar/19 psi). See the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on
the driver's side or the tire pressure table in
the fuel filler flap for values.
XTo increase the tire pressure: switch on the
tire inflation compressor.
324Flat tire
Breakdown assistance

XSlide coverAof positive terminal :in the direction of the arrow.
XConnect positive terminal :on your vehicle to positive terminal ;of donor battery Busing the
jumper cable, Always begin with positive terminal :on your own vehicle first.
XStart the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
XConnect negative terminal =of donor battery Cto ground point ?of your vehicle using the
jumper cable, connecting the jumper cable to battery of other vehicle Bfirst.
XStart the engine.
XBefore disconnecting the jumper cables, let the engine run for several minutes.
XFirst, remove the jumper cables from ground point ?and negative terminal =, then from pos-
itive clamp :and positive terminal ;. Begin each time at the contacts on your own vehicle first.
XClose coverAof positive terminal :after removing jumper cables.
XHave the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
iJumper cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any qualified
specialist workshop.
Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
Rthe engine is not running.
Rthe brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
Rthere 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.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible
gross weight of your vehicle, the:
Rthe towing eye could detach itself
Rthe 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.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle weight
of your vehicle can be found on the vehicle iden-
tification plate (
Ypage 363).
!When Active Brake Assist, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC or the HOLD function is activated,
the vehicle brakes automatically in certain
situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
these systems in the following or similar sit-
uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Make sure that the electric parking brake is
released. If the electric parking brake is faulty,
visit a qualified specialist workshop.
!Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes, or the trailer tow hitch, if availa-
ble. You could otherwise damage the vehicle.
330Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance