Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle Your vehicl e may be equipped with:R
MOExtended tires (tires wit h run-flat proper -
ties) ( Y
page 334)
Vehicl e preparation is no t necessar y on vehi-
cle s wit h MOExtended tiresR
a TIREFI T kit ( Y
page 333)
Vehicles equipped wit h MOExtended tires are
no t equipped wit h a TIREFI T kit at th e factory. It
is therefor e recommended that you additionally
equip your vehicl e wit h a TIREFI T kit if you moun t
tires that do no t feature run-flat properties, e.g.
winte r tires . A TIREFI T kit may be obtained from
a qualified specialist workshop.
Vehicles wit h an mbrace system (US A only) that
are no t equipped wit h a TIREFI T kit : in th e event
of a flat tire, contact th e Custome r Assistanc e
Cente r of th e mbrace emergenc y call system
( Y
page 308).
Information on changing and mounting wheels
( Y
page 370). X
Stop th e vehicl e on solid, non-slippery and
leve l ground , as far away as possible from
traffic. X
Switc h on th e hazard warning lamps.X
Secur e th e vehicl e against rollin g away
( Y
page 158).X
If possible , brin g th e fron t wheels int o th e
straight-ahead position .X
Switc h off th e engine.X
Remove th e SmartKey from th e ignition lock.
or, in vehicles wit h KEY LESS-GO start-function
o r KEYLESS ‑ GOX
Open th e driver' s door .
The vehicl e electronics are no w in position
sparks are created, the hydrogen gas can
ignite. There is a risk of an explosion. R
Make sure that the positive terminal of a
connected battery does not come into con-
tact with vehicle parts. R
Never place metal objects or tools on a bat-
tery. R
It is important that you observe the descri-
bed order of the battery terminals when
connecting and disconnecting a battery. R
When jump-starting, make sure that the
battery poles with identical polarity are
connected. R
It is particularly important to observe the
described order when connecting and dis-
connecting the jumper cables. R
Never connect or disconnect the battery
terminals while the engine is running.
G WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do
not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over
the battery. Keep children away from batter-
ies. Wash away battery acid immediately with
plenty of clean water and seek medical atten-
tion.
All vehicles:
H Environmental note
Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
the household rubbish. They
must be collected separately
and recycled to protect the
environment.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or a special
collection point for used bat-
teries. ! Have the battery regularly checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Comply with the service intervals in the Main-
tenance Booklet, or contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop for more information.
! Always have work on batteries carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop.
Should it, in exceptional circumstances, be
absolutely necessary to disconnect the 12-
volt battery yourself, please observe the fol-
lowing: R
Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away. R
Switch off the ignition. R
Disconnect the negative terminal first and
then the positive terminal.
The transmission is locked in position ]
after disconnecting the battery.
After the work has been done, install the bat-
tery and replace the cover of the positive ter-
minal clamp firmly.
Comply with safety precautions and take pro-
tective measures when handling batteries.
Risk of explosion.
Fire, open flames and smoking are
prohibited when handling the bat-
tery. Avoid creating sparks.
Electrolyte or battery acid is corro-
sive. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or
clothing. Wear suitable protective
clothing, especially gloves, apron
and faceguard. Immediately rinse
electrolyte or acid splashes off with
clean water. Contact a physician if
necessary.
Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's Manual.Battery (vehicle) 339
Breakdown assistance Z
starting characteristics can be impaired, particularly at low temperatures. Have the thawed battery
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
All vehicles:
! Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the catalytic converter could be
damaged by the non-combusted fuel.
Do not start the vehicle using a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a donor battery using jumper cables.
Observe the following points: R
The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible, jump-
start the vehicle using a donor battery or a jump-starting device. R
you may only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust system are cold. R
All vehicles except vehicles with a lithium-ion battery: do not start the engine if the battery
is frozen. Let the battery thaw first. R
Jump-starting may be performed only using batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V. R
Only use jumper cables which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps. R
If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected for
a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the battery slightly. R
Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that: R
The jumper cables are not damaged. R
Bare parts of the terminal clamp do not come into contact with other metal parts while the jumper
cables are connected to the battery. R
The jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts that can move when the engine is running,
such as the V-belt pulley or the fan. X
Secure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake. X
Shift the transmission to position ] .X
Make sure that the ignition is switched off. All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster must be
off. When using the SmartKey, turn the SmartKey to position Z in the ignition lock and remove it
( Y
page 136).X
Switch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window defroster, lighting, etc. X
Open the hood.
i Right-hand-drive vehicle: the jump-starting connection points may be located on the other
side of the vehicle.342
Jump-starting
Breakdown assistance
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.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle weight
of your vehicle can be found on the vehicle iden-
tification plate ( Y
page 376).
! 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: 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.
! 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.
! Do not use the trailer tow hitch for recovery
or towing. Do not use the towing eye for
recovery. this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, have the vehicle recovered using 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 position
\\ and do not open the driver's or front pas-
senger's door during towing. The automatic
transmission may otherwise shift to position
] , which could damage the transmission.
! 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 awa y.
If the vehicle ha s suffered transmission damage,
have it transported on a transporter or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in position
\\ when the vehicle is being towed. If the auto-
matic transmission cannot be shifted to position
\\ , have the vehicle transported on a trans-
porter or trailer.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you: R
cannot turn the SmartKey to position H in
the ignition lock R
cannot release the electric parking brake R
cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position \\
Disarm the automatic locking feature before the
vehicle is towed ( Y
page 85). 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.344
Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance
Transporting the vehicle
Vehicles with ADS PLUS (Adaptive
Damping System PLUS)
G WARNING
The weaker damping forces of the vehicle to
be transported can cause the vehicle/trailer
combination to swing.
As a result, when transporting vehicles with
Adaptive Damping System PLUS, the vehicle/
trailer combination may start to skid. Conse-
quently, you could lose control of the vehicle.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
When transporting, make sure that: R
the vehicle is has been loaded onto the
transporter correctly R
the vehicle is secured at all four wheels with
suitable tensioning straps R
you do not exceed the maximum permissi-
ble speed of 35 mph (60 km/h)
! After loading, the vehicle must be secured at
all four wheels. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
A minimum distance of 8 in (20 cm) up and
4 in (10 cm) down must be maintained to the
transport platform. X
Secure all four wheels after loading the vehi-
cle.
General notes
! 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.
! 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 or trailer tow hitch can be used
to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or transporter if
you wish to transport it. X
Turn the SmartKey to position H in the igni-
tion lock. X
Shift the automatic transmission to position
\\ .
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 position
] . X
Turn the SmartKey to position Z in the igni-
tion lock and remove it. X
Secure the vehicle.
Notes on 4MATIC vehicles
! 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 loaded up
and transported.
If the vehicle's transmission, front, or rear axle is
damaged, have the vehicle transported on a
truck or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical sys-
tem: if the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission 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 341).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter or
trailer.346
Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance