2019 MERCEDES-BENZ SLC Owners Manual

Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissi-
ble 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 vehi-
cle, its weight should not be greater than
the permissible gross weight of your vehicle.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle weightof your vehicle can be found on the vehicleidentification plate (Ypage 297).
!When Active Brake Assist, Active DistanceAssist DISTRONIC or the HOLD function isactivated, the vehicle brakes automaticallyin certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivatethese systems in the following or similar sit-uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at thetowing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could bedamaged.
!Do not use the towing eye for recovery,this could damage the vehicle. If in doubt,recover the vehicle with a crane.
!When towing, pull away slowly andsmoothly. If the tractive power is too high,the vehicles could be damaged.
!Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Thiscould damage the vehicle.
!When towing away vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the key instead of the Start/Stopbutton. The automatic transmission mayotherwise shift to position]when youopen the driver's or front-passenger door,which could damage the transmission.
!Make sure that the electric parking brakeis released. If the electric parking brake isfaulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
!You may tow the vehicle for a maximumdistance of 30 miles (50 kilometers). A tow-ing speed of 30 mph (50 km/h) must not beexceeded.
For towing distances over 30 miles(50 kilometers), the entire vehicle must beraised and transported.
!When you are tow-starting or towinganother vehicle, its weight must not exceedthe maximum permissible gross weight ofyour vehicle.
It is better to have the vehicle transportedthan to have it towed away.
The automatic transmission must be in posi-tion\\when the vehicle is being towed away.
The battery must be connected and charged.Otherwise, you:
Rcannot turn the SmartKey to positionHinthe ignition lock
Rcannot shift the automatic transmission toposition\\
Deactivate the automatic locking featurebefore the vehicle is towed (Ypage 178). Youcould otherwise be locked out when pushingor towing the vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
GWARNING
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 particu-
lar care when removing the rear cover.
Towing and tow-starting263
Breakdown assistance
Z

The brackets for the screw-in towing eye arelocated in the bumpers. They are at the frontand at the rear, behind the covers.
XRemove the towing eye from the vehicle toolkit (Ypage 252).
XPress the mark on coverCinwards in thedirection of the arrow.
XTake coverCoff the opening.
XScrew in the towing eye clockwise as far asit will go and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye
XUnscrew and remove the towing eye.
XAttach coverCto the bumper and pressuntil it engages.
XPlace the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
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.
The automatic transmission shifts to position]automatically when you open the driver'sor front-passenger door or when you removethe SmartKey from the ignition lock.
In order to ensure that the automatic trans-mission stays in position\\when towingaway the vehicle, you must observe the follow-ing points:
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps(Ypage 99).
XTurn the SmartKey to positionHin the igni-tion lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use theSmartKey instead of the Start/Stop button(Ypage 118).
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
XShift the transmission to position\\.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XLeave the SmartKey in positionHin theignition lock.
In order to signal a change of direction whentowing the vehicle with the hazard warninglamps switched on, use the combinationswitch as usual. In this case, only the indicatorlamps for the direction of travel flash. Whenyou reset the combination switch, the hazardwarning flashers start flashing again.
It is important that you observe the safetyinstructions when towing away your vehicle(Ypage 263).
Permitted towing methods
Mercedes-Benz recommends transporting yourvehicle in the case of a breakdown, rather thantowing it away.
When towing away, use a towing rope or atowing bar with both axles on the ground. Donot use any tow bar systems.
Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
!The ignition must be switched off if youare towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP®could other-wise damage the brake system.
!Vehicles with automatic transmission mustnot be towed with the rear axle raised. Thevehicle/trailer combination may otherwiseswerve or even roll over.
264Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

Transporting the vehicle
Vehicles with automatic transmission
!When the vehicle is loaded for transport,the front and rear axles must be stationaryand on the same transportation vehicle.Positioning over the connection point of thetransport vehicle is not permitted. The drivetrain may otherwise be damaged.
All vehicles
!You may only secure the vehicle by thewheels, not by parts of the vehicle such asaxle or steering components. Otherwise, thevehicle could be damaged.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicleonto a trailer or transporter for transportingpurposes.
XTurn the SmartKey to positionHin the igni-tion lock.
XShift the transmission to position\\.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away byapplying the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position].
XTurn the SmartKey to position

XMake sure that the ignition is switched off(Ypage 118).
or
XWhen using the SmartKey, turn the Smart-Key to position

Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you install wheels and tires with incorrect
dimensions, the service brake or wheel sus-
pension components may be damaged.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always replace wheels and tires with ones
that comply with the specifications of the
original part.
When replacing wheels, pay attention to the:
RDesignation
RModel
When replacing tires, pay attention to the:
RDesignation
RManufacturer
RModel
GWARNING
A flat tire will severely affect the driving
characteristics as well as the steering and
braking of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Tires without run-flat characteristics:
RDo not drive on with a flat tire.
RChange the flat tire immediately with an
emergency spare wheel or spare wheel.
Alternatively, consult a qualified specialist
workshop.
Tires with run-flat characteristics:
RObserve the information and warning
notes on MOExtended tires (run-flat tires).
Accessories that are not approved for yourvehicle by Mercedes-Benz or are not beingused correctly can impair the operating safety.
Before purchasing and using non-approvedaccessories, visit a qualified specialist work-shop and ask about:
Rsuitability
Rlegal stipulations
Rfactory recommendations
Further information regarding wheels and tirescan be found under "Wheel/tire combinations"(Ypage 292).
You can ask for information regarding permit-ted wheel/tire combinations at an authorizedMercedes-Benz Center.
Information on tire pressure can be found:
Ron the Tire and Loading Information placardon the B-pillar on the driver's side(Ypage 279)
Rin the tire pressure table in the fuel filler flap(Ypage 133)
Rin the "Tire pressure" section
Operation
Information on driving
Check the tire pressure when the vehicle isheavily laden and adjust prior to a trip.
While driving, pay attention to vibrations,noises and unusual handling characteristics,e.g. pulling to one side. This may indicate thatthe wheels or tires are damaged. If you sus-pect that a tire is defective, reduce your speedimmediately. Stop the vehicle as soon as pos-sible to check the wheels and tires for dam-age. Hidden tire damage could also be causingthe unusual handling characteristics. If youfind no signs of damage, have the tires andwheels checked at a qualified specialist work-shop.
When parking your vehicle, make sure that thetires do not get deformed by the curb or otherobstacles. If they cannot be avoided, driveover obstacles such as curbs slowly and at anobtuse angle. Otherwise, you may damage thewheels or tires.
Regular checking of wheels and tires
GWARNING
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 dam-
age and replace any damaged tires immedi-
ately.
Operation267
Wheels and ti res
Z

Check wheels and tires for damage at leastonce a month. Check wheels and tires afterdriving off-road or on rough roads. Damagedwheels can cause a loss of tire pressure. Payparticular attention to damage such as:
Rcuts in the tires
Rpunctures in the tires
Rtears in the tires
Rbulges on tires
Rdeformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tire tread depth and thecondition of the tread across the whole widthof all tires (Ypage 268). If necessary, turn thefront wheels to full lock in order to inspect theinner side of the tire surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protectthe valve against dirt and moisture. Do notmount anything onto the valve other than thestandard valve cap or other valve capsapproved 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 tiresparticularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tirepressure as necessary (Ypage 270).
Observe the notes on the emergency sparewheel (Ypage 293).
The service life of tires depends, among otherthings, on the following factors:
RDriving style
RTire pressure
RDistance covered
Notes on tire tread
GWARNING
If there is insufficient tire tread, the tire trac-
tion decreases. The tire tread is no longer
able to dissipate water. This increases the
risk of hydroplaning when the road surface
is wet, particularly when the vehicle's speed
is not adapted to the road conditions. There
is a risk of an accident.
When the tire pressure is too high or too
low, tires may wear differently at different
points on the tire tread. Therefore, regularly
check the tire tread depth and the condition
of the tread across the whole width of all
tires.
Minimum tire tread depth on:
RSummer tires:

RDo not drive with tires which have too littletread depth. This significantly reduces thetraction on wet roads (hydroplaning).
RReplace the tires after six years at the lat-est, regardless of wear.
MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties)
With MOExtended tires (tires with run flatcharacteristics), you can continue to drive yourvehicle even if there is a total loss of pressurein one or more tires.
MOExtended tires may only be used in con-junction with an active tire pressure loss warn-ing system or with an active tire pressure mon-itor and on wheels specifically tested byMercedes-Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tires with aflat tire (Ypage 253).
Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires arenot equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory.It is therefore recommended that you addition-ally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if youmount tires that do not feature run-flat charac-teristics, e.g. winter tires. A TIREFIT kit can beobtained from a qualified specialist workshop.
Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualifiedspecialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"section (Ypage 288).
Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), summertires lose elasticity and therefore traction andbraking power. Change the tires on your vehi-cle to M+S tires. Using summer tires at verycold temperatures could cause cracks to form,thereby damaging the tires permanently.Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibilityfor this type of damage.
GWARNING
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 dam-
age and replace any damaged tires immedi-
ately.
M+S tires
GWARNING
M+S tires with a tire tread depth of less than

Snow chains
GWARNING
If snow chains are installed to the front
wheels, they may drag against the vehicle
body or chassis components. This could
cause damage to the vehicle or the tires.
There is a risk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations:
Rnever install snow chains to the front
wheels
Ralways install snow chains in pairs to the
rear wheels.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-mends that you only use snow chains thathave been specially approved for your vehicleby Mercedes-Benz, or are of a correspondingstandard of quality. For more information,please contact a qualified specialist workshop.
If you intend to mount snow chains, pleasebear the following points in mind:
RSnow chains may not be mounted on allwheel/tire combinations. Permissiblewheel-tire combinations (Ypage 292).
ROnly use snow chains when driving on roadscompletely covered by snow. Remove thesnow chains as soon as possible when youcome to a road that is not snow-covered.
RLocal regulations may restrict the use ofsnow chains. Observe the appropriate regu-lations if you wish to mount snow chains.
RDo not exceed the maximum permissiblespeed of 30 mph (50 km/h).
You may wish to deactivate ESP®when pullingaway with snow chains installed (Ypage 61).You can thereby allow the wheels to spin in acontrolled manner, achieving an increaseddriving force (cutting action).
Information about driving with an emergencyspare wheel (Ypage 293).
Tire pressure
Tire pressure specifications
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Underinflated or overinflated tires pose the
following risks:
Rthe tires may burst, especially as the load
and vehicle speed increase.
Rthe tires may wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which may greatly impair tire
traction.
Rthe driving characteristics, as well as
steering and braking, may be greatly
impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
Follow recommended tire inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tires
including the spare wheel:
Rmonthly, at least
Rif the load changes
Rbefore beginning a long journey
Runder different operating conditions, e.g.
off-road driving
If necessary, correct the tire pressure.
The data on the Tire and Loading Informationplacard and tire pressure table shown here areexamples. Tire pressure specifications arevehicle-specific and may deviate from the datashown here. The tire pressure specificationsthat are valid for your vehicle can be found onthe Tire and Loading Information placard andtire pressure table on the vehicle.
General notes
The recommended tire pressures for the tiresmounted at the factory can be found on thelabels described here.
Operation with an emergency spare wheel:information on operation with an emergencyspare wheel can be found in the general notesin the "Emergency spare wheel" section(Ypage 294).
Further information on tire pressures can beobtained at a qualified specialist workshop.
270Tire pressure
Wheels and tires