2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLC towing

TowingTowingaaTrailerTrailerSeeSeeOperator'sOperator'sManualManualmessage appears in the multifunction display.
Active Lane Keeping Assist
General notes
Active Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area infront of your vehicle by means of multifunctioncameraCat the top of the windshield. Variousdifferent areas to the front, rear and side of yourvehicle are also monitored with the aid of theradar sensor system. Active Lane KeepingAssist detects lane markings on the road andcan warn you before you leave your lane unin-tentionally. If you do not react to the warning, alane-correcting application of the brakes canbring the vehicle back into the original lane.
This function is available in the range between40 mph and 120 mph (60 km/h and 200 km/h).
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Active LaneKeeping Assist can neither reduce the risk of anaccident nor override the laws of physics. ActiveLane Keeping Assist cannot take account ofroad and weather conditions. It may not recog-nize traffic situations. Active Lane KeepingAssist is only an aid. You are responsible for thedistance to the vehicle in front, for vehiclespeed, for braking in good time and for staying inyour lane.
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot continuouslykeep your vehicle in its lane.
GWARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot always
clearly detect lane markings.
In such cases, Active Lane Keeping Assist
can:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
make a course-correcting brake application
Rneither give a warning nor intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and keep within the lane, especially
if Active Lane Keeping Assist alerts you. Ter-
minate the intervention in a non-critical driv-
ing situation.
The system may be impaired or may not functionif:
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficientillumination of the road, or due to snow, rain,fog or heavy spray
Rthere is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, thesun or reflection from other vehicles (e.g. ifthe road surface is wet)
Rthe windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged orcovered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicin-ity of the camera
Rthe radar sensors in the front or rear bumpersor the radiator trim are dirty, e.g. obscured bysnow
Rthere are no or several unclear lane markingsfor one lane, e.g. roadworks
Rthe lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
Rthe distance to the vehicle in front is too shortand thus the lane markings cannot be detec-ted
Rthe lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanesbranch off, cross one another or merge
Rthe road is narrow and winding
Rthere are highly variable shade conditions onthe roadway
If no vehicle is detected in the adjacent lane andbroken lane markings are detected, no lane-cor-recting brake application is made.
Warning vibration in the steering wheel
A warning may be given if a front wheel passesover a lane marking. It will warn you by means ofintermittent vibration in the steering wheel forup to 1.5 seconds.
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the lines on the assistance graphic display areshown in green (Ypage 219). Active LaneKeeping Assist is ready for use.
XTo deactivate:press buttonD.Indicator lampCgoes out. The Active LaneKeeping Assist is deactivated. TheLaneLaneKeeping Assist OffKeeping Assist Offmessage appears inthe multifunction display.
Selecting Standard or Adaptive setting
XIn theDriveAssistDriveAssistmenu on the on-boardcomputer, select theActive Lane Keep‐Active Lane Keep‐ing Assisting Assistfunction (Ypage 221).
XSelect settingStandardStandardorAdaptiveAdaptive.WhenStandardStandardis selected, no warning vibra-tion occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,the warnings are suppressed for a certainperiod of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
WhenAdaptiveAdaptiveis selected, no warning vibra-tion occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,the warnings are suppressed for a certainperiod of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
Ryou accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
Ryou brake hard.
Ryou steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid anobstacle or change lanes quickly.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.
To ensure that you are warned only when nec-essary and in good time if you cross the lanemarkings, the system detects certain conditionsand warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
Ryou approach the outer lane marking on abend
Rthe road has very wide lanes, e.g. a freeway
Rthe system detects solid lane markings
The warning vibration occurs later if:
Rthe road has narrow lanes
Ryou cut the corner on a bend
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you havecorrectly established the electrical connection.
This can be accomplished by checking the trailerlighting.
Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Installing an unsuitable ball coupling may
result in overloading of the trailer tow hitch
and the rear axle. This applies especially if the
ball coupling in question is longer or angled
differently. This could seriously impair the
driving characteristics and the trailer can
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
You should only ever install a ball coupling
that has the permissible dimensions and that
is designed to meet your trailer-towing
requirements. Do not modify the ball coupling
or the trailer tow hitch.
You will find the values approved by the manu-facturer on the vehicle identification plates andthose for the towing vehicle under "Technicaldata" (Ypage 364).
GWARNING
When the vehicle/trailer combination begins
to lurch, you could lose control of it. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even rollover.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten up the vehicle/trailer combination
by increasing the speed. Reduce vehicle
speed and do not countersteer. Apply the
brake as necessary.
!If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,changes to the engine cooling system may benecessary, depending on the vehicle type.
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,observe the anchorage points on the chassisframe.
The installation of a trailer tow hitch is only per-missible if a towing weight is specified in yourvehicle documents. If this is not the case, thenthe vehicle is not approved for the towing of atrailer.
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For more information, please contact a qualifiedspecialist workshop.
Please observe the manufacturer's operatinginstructions for the trailer coupling if a detach-able trailer coupling is used.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If youdo not couple the trailer to the towing vehiclecorrectly, the trailer could become detached.
Make sure that the following values are notexceeded:
Rthe permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
Rthe permissible trailer load
Rthe permissible rear axle load of the towingvehicle
Rthe maximum permissible gross vehicleweight of both the towing vehicle and thetrailer
The applicable permissible values, which mustnot 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 handlingcharacteristics will be different in comparisonwith 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 speedto the current road and weather conditions. Donot exceed the maximum permissible speed foryour vehicle/trailer combination.
Notes on towing a trailer
General notes
RDo not exceed the maximum permissiblespeed for vehicle/trailer combinations in therelevant country.
This lowers the risk of an accident.
ROnly install an approved trailer coupling onyour vehicle.
Further information on availability and oninstallation is available from any authorizedMercedes-Benz Center.
RThe bumpers of your vehicle are not suitablefor installing detachable trailer couplings.
RDo not install hired trailer couplings or otherdetachable trailer couplings on the bumpersof your vehicle.
RIf you no longer need the ball coupling,remove it from the ball coupling recess. Thiswill reduce the risk of damage to the ball cou-pling.
When towing a trailer, set the tire pressure onthe rear axle of the towing vehicle for a maxi-mum load; see the tire pressure table in the fuelfiller flap (Ypage 348).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the fol-lowing driving systems have limited availabilityor are not available at all:
RPARKTRONIC (Ypage 179)
RBlind Spot Assist (Ypage 193)
RActive Lane Keeping Assist (Ypage 200)
On vehicles without level control, the height ofthe ball coupling will alter according to the loadplaced on the vehicle. If necessary, use a trailerwith a height-adjustable drawbar.
You will find permissible trailer loads under"Technical data" (Ypage 364).
Driving tips
Observe the information on ESP®trailer stabili-zation (Ypage 71) and on pulling away with atrailer (Ypage 135).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/trailer combinations depends on the type oftrailer. Before beginning the journey, check thetrailer's documents to see what the maximumpermitted 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 increasedwhen towing a trailer. See the "Technical data"section to find out whether this applies to yourvehicle (Ypage 365). In the event of increasedrear axle load, the vehicle/trailer combinationmay not exceed a maximum speed of 60 mph(100 km/h) for reasons concerning the operat-ing permit. This also applies in countries in
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which the maximum permissible speed for vehi-cle/trailer combinations is above 60 mph(100 km/h).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handlingcharacteristics will be different in comparison towhen driving without a trailer and it will con-sume more fuel.
Shift to a lower gear on long and steep downhillgradients.
This also applies to:
Ractivated DISTRONIC PLUS
Ractivated cruise control
This will use the braking effect of the engine, sothat less braking will be required to maintain thespeed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-tem and prevents the brakes from overheatingand wearing too quickly. If you need additionalbraking, depress the brake pedal repeatedlyrather than continuously.
Driving tips
If the trailer swings from side to side:
XDo not accelerate.
XDo not counter-steer.
XBrake if necessary.
RMaintain a greater distance from the vehiclein front than when driving without a trailer.
RAvoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen-tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,increase the braking force rapidly.
RThe values given for gradient-climbing capa-bilities from a standstill refer to sea level.When driving in mountainous areas, note thatthe power output of the engine and, conse-quently, the vehicle's gradient-climbing capa-bility, decreases with increasing altitude.
Installing the ball coupling
GWARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly installed
and secured, it could come loose while driving
and endanger other road users. There is a risk
of an accident and injury.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions. Make sure that the ball
coupling is correctly installed and secured
before every journey.
GWARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed and secured
correctly the trailer may come loose. There is
a risk of an accident.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling installation instruc-
tions. Make sure that the ball coupling is
installed and secured correctly before every
journey.
XPull protective capCin the direction of thearrow, out of the ball coupling recess.
XStow protective capCso that it cannot bethrown around.
XObserve the manufacturer's installationinstructions.
Observe the loading guidelines (Ypage 278)and the safety notes regarding stowagespaces (Ypage 278).
Coupling up a trailer
!Do not connect the trailer's brake system (iffeatured) to the hydraulic brake system of thetowing vehicle, as the latter is equipped withan anti-lock brake system. Doing so will resultin a loss of function of the brake systems ofboth the vehicle and the trailer.
XApply the vehicle's electric parking brakemanually.
XStart the engine.
XShift the transmission to position].
XVehicles with AIR BODY CONTROL:selecttheComfortdrive program.
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XSwitch off the engine.
XClose the doors and tailgate.
XCouple up the trailer.
XEstablish the electrical connection betweenthe vehicle and the trailer.
XCheck that the trailer lighting system is work-ing.
XPush the combination switch upwards/down-wards and check whether the correspondingturn signal on the trailer flashes.
A trailer that is connected is recognized onlywhen the electrical connection is establishedcorrectly and when the lighting system is work-ing properly. The function of other systems alsodepends on this, for example:
RESP®
RPARKTRONIC
RActive Parking Assist
RActive Blind Spot Assist
RActive Lane Keeping Assist
Vehicles with AIR BODY CONTROL: if you coupleup 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) hasbeen reached, this may be the case.
These restrictions apply to accessories that aresupplied with power via the trailer socket in yourvehicle, e.g. a rear bicycle rack.
Observe the maximum permissible trailerdimensions (width and length).
Most U.S. states and all Canadian provincesrequire by law:
RSafety chains between the towing vehicle andthe trailer. The chains should be cross-woundunder the trailer drawbar. They must be fas-tened to the vehicle's trailer coupling, not tothe bumper or the axle.
Leave enough play in the chains to make tightcornering possible.
RA separate brake system for certain types oftrailer.
RSafety switch for braked trailers. Check thespecific legal requirements applicable to yourstate.
If the trailer becomes detached from the tow-ing vehicle, the safety feature applies thetrailer brakes.
Towing a trailer
There are several legal requirements for towinga trailer, e.g. the maximum permissible speed.Make sure that your car/trailer combinationcomplies 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 accustomyourself to the new handling characteristics,practice the following at a location where thereis 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 aclear 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 thebrake controller and check whether the brakesfunction correctly.
Regularly check that the load is secure.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handlingcharacteristics will be different in comparisonwith 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 gentlyat first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,increase the braking force rapidly.
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When overtaking, pay particular attention to theextended length of your vehicle/trailer combi-nation.
Due to the length of the vehicle/trailer combi-nation, you require additional road space whenovertaking before you can change back to theoriginal lane.
If the automatic transmission repeatedly shiftsbetween gears on uphill or downhill gradients,shift to a lower gear.
Driving in a lower gear and at a reduced speeddecreases 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 openingthe windows and switching the ventilationblower 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 engagedoverrun brake. Otherwise, your vehicle couldbe damaged by the rebounding of the overrunbrake.
XApply the vehicle's parking brake manually.
XShift the transmission to position].
XClose all doors and the tailgate.
XSwitch off the engine.
XSecure the vehicle and trailer against rollingaway.
XRemove the trailer cable.
XRemove the safety chains, if there are any.
XUncouple the trailer.
Removing the ball coupling
XObserve the manufacturer's installationinstructions.
XPress the protective cap into the ball couplingrecess.
XMake sure that the protective cap is firmly inplace.
Observe the loading guidelines (Ypage 278)and the safety notes regarding stowage spaces(Ypage 278).
Information on cleaning and care of the trailertow hitch (Ypage 310).
Trailer power supply
!Accessories with a maximum power con-sumption of 180 W can be connected to thepermanent power supply.
You must not charge a trailer battery using thepower supply.
The trailer socket of your vehicle is equipped atthe factory with a permanent power supply.
The permanent power supply is supplied viatrailer socket pin 4.
The trailer's permanent power supply isswitched off in the event of low vehicle supplyvoltage and after six hours at the latest.
A qualified specialist workshop can providemore information about installing the trailerelectrics.
Permissible trailer loads and trailer
drawbar noseweights
Weight specifications
The gross trailer weight is calculated as theweight of the trailer plus the weight of the loadand the trailer's equipment.
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You will find permissible trailer loads under"Technical data" (Ypage 364).
Loading a trailer
RWhen loading the trailer, make sure that nei-ther the permissible gross trailer weight northe permissible gross vehicle weight areexceeded. The permissible gross vehicleweight is indicated on the identification plateon 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 thetrailer. When calculating how much weightthe vehicle and trailer may carry, pay atten-tion to the respective lowest values.
RThe trailer drawbar load on the ball couplingmust be added to the rear axle load to avoidexceeding 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 loadwhere the trailer drawbar noseweight accountsfor 8% to 15% of the permissible gross trailerweight.
Additional accessories, passengers and loadreduce 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 loadedtrailer weighed on a suitable weighingmachine. This will allow you to ensure that theweights of the towing vehicle and trailer com-ply with the maximum permissible values.
RCheck the gross axle weight rating of the frontand rear axles, the gross weight of the trailerand trailer drawbar load.
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Driving abroad
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network isalso available in other countries. You can obtainfurther information from any authorizedMercedes-Benz Center.
Care
General notes
!When cleaning your car, do not use:
Rdry, coarse or hard cloths
Rabrasive cleaning agents
Rsolvents
Rcleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces and films with hardobjects, e.g. rings or ice scrapers. Otherwise,you may scratch or damage the surfaces andfilms.
!Do not park your vehicle for a long period oftime directly after cleaning, particularly aftercleaning the wheel rim with wheel cleaner.Wheel cleaner can lead to the increased cor-rosion of the brake discs and pads. Therefore,drive for a few minutes after cleaning. Byheating up the brakes, the brake discs andpads dry. The vehicle can then be parked for along period of time.
HEnvironmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible man-
ner.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition forretaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents recom-mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Washing the vehicle and cleaning the
paintwork
Automatic car wash
GWARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
After the vehicle has been washed, brake
carefully while paying attention to the traffic
conditions until full braking power is restored.
!When Active Brake Assist, Active DistanceAssist DISTRONIC or the HOLD function isactivated, the vehicle brakes automatically incertain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivatethese systems in the following or similar sit-uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Never clean your vehicle in a TouchlessAutomatic Car Wash as these use specialcleaning agents. These cleaning agents candamage the paintwork or plastic parts.
!Make sure that:
Rthe side windows and sliding sunroof areclosed completely
Rthe blower is switched off
Rthe windshield wiper switch is in position