Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
R the engine is not running.
R the brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
R there 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. 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 383).
! When Active Brake Assist, Active Distance
Assist 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.
! Observe the following points when towing
with a tow rope:
R Secure the tow rope on the same side on
both vehicles.
R Make sure that the tow rope is not longer
than legally permitted. Mark the tow rope in
the middle, e.g. with a white cloth
(11.8 x 11.8 in). This will make other road
users aware that a vehicle is being towed.
R Only secure the tow cable to the towing
eyes or, if available, to the trailer tow hitch.
R Observe the brake lamps of the towing
vehicle while driving. Always maintain a dis-
tance a distance so that the tow rope does not sag.
R Do not use steel cables or chains to tow
your vehicle. 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. Pull the towed vehicle as straight as possible and not at an acute angle. Excessive
tractive power could damage the vehicles.
When towing, it is preferable to use a rigid tow-
ing bar as opposed to a tow rope. A rigid towing bar helps to keep the tractive power low.
! When towing away vehicles with KEYLESS-
GO, use the key instead of the Start/Stop
button. The automatic transmission may oth-
erwise shift to position 005Dwhen you open the
driver's or front-passenger door, which could damage the transmission.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment. This
could damage the vehicle.
! Vehicles with differential locks: make sure
the differential locks are in automatic mode.
When towing, the differential locks must not
be switched on. The transmission may other- wise be damaged.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum dis-
tance of 30 miles (50 kilometers). A towing 346
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance
ponents may also be damaged. There is a risk
of an accident.
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the wheels
and tires are of the same dimensions.
! On vehicles equipped with a tire pressure
monitor, electronic components are located
in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used near
the valve. This could damage the electronic
components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Always observe the instructions and safety
notes in the "Mounting a wheel" section
(Y page 373).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tires
differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Rotate the wheels before a clear wear pattern
has formed on the tires. Front tires typically
wear more on the shoulders and the rear tires in
the center.
On vehicles that have the same size front and
rear wheels, you can rotate the wheels accord-
ing to the intervals in the tire manufacturer's
warranty book in your vehicle documents. If no
warranty book is available, the tires should be
rotated every 3,000 to 6,000 miles (5,000 to
10,000 km). Depending on tire wear, this may
be required earlier. Do not change the direction
of wheel rotation.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel is rota-
ted. Check the tire pressure and, if necessary,
restart the tire pressure loss warning system or
the tire pressure monitor (Y page 359).Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation have
additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk of hydro-
planing. These advantages can only be gained if the tires are installed corresponding to the
direction of rotation.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates its
correct direction of rotation. Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool,
dry and preferably dark place. Protect the tires
from oil, grease, gasoline and diesel. Mounting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle X
Vehicle with emergency spare wheel:
when mounting the emergency spare wheel in
the event of a flat tire, follow the additional
notes on vehicle preparation under "Flat tire" (Y page 335).
X Stop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
X Apply the electric parking brake manually.
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-ahead
position.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position
005D.
X Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
make sure that the normal vehicle level is
selected (Y page 187).
X Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering
package:
make sure that the normal level is
selected (Y page 180).
X Switch off the engine.
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the driv-
er's door.
The vehicle electronics are now in position
0092. This means no SmartKey is in the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(Y page 140).
X If included in the vehicle equipment, remove
the tire-change tool kit from the vehicle.
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away.
i Apart from certain country-specific varia-
tions, vehicles are not equipped with a tire-
change tool kit. For more information on
which tools are required to perform a wheel
change on your vehicle, consult a qualified
specialist workshop. Changing a wheel
373Wheels and tires Z
