Page 208 of 283

206Driving and operatingTrailer hitch
General information
Only use towing equipment that has
been approved for your vehicle. If
using non-factory fitted towing
equipment, deactivation of the hands- free tailgate operation may be
required 3 30.
Entrust retrofitting of towing
equipment to a workshop. It may be
necessary to make changes that
affect the cooling system, heat
shields or other equipment.
The bulb outage detection function for
trailer brake light cannot detect a
partial bulb outage. E.g. in case of
four bulbs with a power of 5 W each,
the function only detects light outage
when only a single 5 W light remains
or none remain.
Trailers equipped with LED lights are
not suitable for the wiring harness of
this trailer hitch.
Fitting of towing equipment could
cover the opening of the towing eye.
If this is the case use the coupling ballbar for towing. Always keep the
coupling ball bar in the vehicle to have
it on hand if needed.
Driving characteristics andtowing tips
Before attaching a trailer, lubricate the coupling ball. However, do not do
so if a stabiliser, which acts on the
coupling ball, is being used to reduce snaking movements.
During trailer towing do not exceed a speed of 80 km/h. A maximum speed
of 100 km/h is only appropriate if an
oscillation damper is used and the
permissible gross trailer weight does
not exceed the vehicle’s curb weight.
For trailers with low driving stability
and caravan trailers, the use of an
oscillation damper is strongly
recommended.
If the trailer starts snaking, drive more slowly, do not attempt to correct the
steering and brake sharply if
necessary.
When driving downhill, drive in the same gear as if driving uphill and
drive at a similar speed.Adjust tyre pressure to the value
specified for full load 3 267.
Trailer towing Trailer loadsThe permissible trailer loads are
vehicle and engine-dependent
maximum values which must not be
exceeded. The actual trailer load is
the difference between the actual
gross weight of the trailer and the
actual coupling socket load with the
trailer coupled.
The permissible trailer loads are
specified in the vehicle documents. In general, they are valid for inclines up
to 12%.
The permissible trailer load applies
up to the specified incline and at sea
level. Since engine power decreases
as altitude increases due to the air
becoming thinner, therefore reducing
climbing ability, the permissible gross
train weight also decreases by 10%
for every 1000 m of altitude. The
gross train weight does not have to be
Page 209 of 283

Driving and operating207reduced when driving on roads with
slight inclines (less than 8%, e.g.
motorways).
The permissible gross train weight must not be exceeded. This weight is
specified on the identification plate
3 257.
Vertical coupling load
The vertical coupling load is the load
exerted by the trailer on the coupling
ball. It can be varied by changing the
weight distribution when loading the
trailer.
The maximum permissible vertical
coupling load (70 kg) is specified on
the towing equipment identification
plate and in the vehicle documents.
Always aim for the maximum vertical
coupling load, especially in the case
of heavy trailers. The vertical coupling load should never fall below 25 kg.Rear axle load
When the trailer is coupled and the
towing vehicle fully loaded, the
permissible rear axle load (see
identification plate or vehicle
documents) may be exceeded by
60 kg , the gross vehicle weight rating
must not be exceeded. If the
permissible rear axle load is
exceeded, a maximum speed of
100 km/h applies.
Towing equipmentCaution
When operating without a trailer,
remove the coupling ball bar.
Fitting the coupling ball bar
Disengage and fold down the socket. Remove the sealing plug from the
opening for the coupling ball bar and
stow it.
Page 234 of 283

232Vehicle careTyre designationsE.g. 225/55 R 18 98 V225:tyre width, mm55:cross-section ratio (tyre height
to tyre width), %R:belt type: RadialRF:type: RunFlat18:wheel diameter, inches98:load index e.g. 98 is equivalent
to 750 kgV:speed code letter
Speed code letter:
Q:up to 160 km/hS:up to 180 km/hT:up to 190 km/hH:up to 210 km/hV:up to 240 km/hW:up to 270 km/h
Choose a tyre appropriate for the
maximum speed of your vehicle.
The maximum speed is achievable at kerb weight with driver (75 kg) plus
125 kg payload. Optional equipment
could reduce the maximum speed of
the vehicle.
Performance 3 264.
Directional tyres
Directional tyres should be mounted
so that they rotate in the correct
direction. The proper rotation
direction is indicated by a symbol
(e.g. an arrow) on the sidewall.
Tyre pressure
Check the pressure of cold tyres at
least every 14 days and before any
long journey. Do not forget the spare
wheel. This also applies to vehicles
with tyre pressure monitoring system.
Tyre pressure 3 267.
The tyre pressure information label
on the left door frame indicates the
original equipment tyres and the
correspondent tyre pressures.
The tyre pressure data refers to cold
tyres. It applies to summer and winter tyres.
Always inflate the spare tyre to the
pressure specified for full load.
Incorrect tyre pressures will impair
safety, vehicle handling, comfort and
fuel economy and will increase tyre
wear.
Tyre pressures differ depending on
various options. For the correct tyre
pressure value, follow the procedure
below:
1. Identify the engine identifier code.
Engine data 3 261.
2. Identify the respective tyre.
The tyre pressure tables show all
possible tyre combinations 3 267.
For the tyres approved for your
vehicle, refer to the EEC Certificate of Conformity provided with your vehicle
or other national registration
documents.
Page 260 of 283

258Technical dataInformation on identification label:1:manufacturer2:type approval number3:vehicle identification number4:permissible gross vehicle weight
rating in kg5:permissible gross train weight
in kg6:maximum permissible front axle
load in kg7:maximum permissible rear axle
load in kg8:vehicle-specific or country-
specific data
The combined total of front and rear
axle loads must not exceed the
permissible gross vehicle weight.
Vehicle's kerb weight depends on the
specification of the vehicle, e.g.
optional equipment and accessories. Refer to the EEC Certificate of
Conformity provided with your vehicle
or other national registration
documents.
The technical data is determined in
accordance with European
Community standards. We reserve
the right to make modifications.
Specifications in the vehicle
documents always have priority over
those given in this manual.
Engine identification
The technical data tables show the
engine identifier code.
Engine data 3 261.
To identify the respective engine,
refer to the engine power in the EEC
Certificate of Conformity provided
with your vehicle or other national
registration documents.