2021 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS ESTATE Owners Manual

Using Trailer Manoeuvring AssistEngage reverse gear 005E.Press button 1.
The camera image is shown in the media dis-
play.
You can select various manoeuvres in the Trailer
Manoeuvring Assist menu. The manoeuvres avail-
able depend on the current articulation angle and
length of the trailer.
To adjust the articulation angle: select 3.
Swipe les or right anywhere in the camera
image in the media display to change the
articulation angle.
or
To activate the straightening manoeuvre:
select 1.
The system calculates the articulation angle in such a way that the direction of the trailer at
the time of activation is maintained. There is ashort countersteering movement of the trailer
while the vehicle is reversed, which then
guides it back to the desired line. In this way, the vehicle is aligned straight with the trailer
and, at the same time, the direction of the
trailer is maintained.
or
To activate the 90° manoeuvre: = Align the vehicle in the same direction
(line) as the trailer.
= Select (les or right) 2.
The system calculates the articulation angle
so that the trailer can be manoeuvred into a
space perpendicular to the vehicle using the
smallest possible angle. Aser the manoeuvre,
the vehicle is aligned again in the direction of
the trailer.Accelerate and brake as required.Driving and parking255

%The maximum articulation angle depends on
the length of the trailer. This is calculated by
the system by driving the vehicle forwards,
including cornering. Before the length of the
trailer has been calculated, the maximum articulation angle is approximately 23°. The
longer the trailer is, the higher the maximum articulation angle (max. approximately 60°).%Pay attention to your surroundings and beready to brake at all times.
Trailer hitch
Notes on trailer operation
Observe the following notes on the tongue weight:
= Do not use a tongue weight that exceeds or
falls below the permissible tongue weight
= Use a tongue weight as close as possible to
the maximum tongue weight
Do not exceed the following values:
=
Permissible towing capacity
=
Permissible rear axle load of the towing vehi- cle
=Permissible gross weight of the towing vehicle
=
Permissible gross weight of the trailer
=
Maximum permissible speed of the trailer
Ensure the following before starting a journey: = The tyre pressure on the rear axle of the tow-
ing vehicle is set for a maximum load
= The lighting of the connected trailer is opera-
tional
In the event of increased rear axle load, the car/ trailer combination must not exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h for reasons concerning theoperating permit. This also applies in countries inwhich the permissible maximum speed for car/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
%When you are reversing with a trailer, remem-
ber to use the Trailer Manoeuvering Assist
function (  page 253).Folding the ball neck out and in&WARNING Risk of accident due to the ball
neck not being engaged
If the ball neck is not engaged, the trailer may
come loose.
Always engage the ball neck as descri-
bed.&WARNING Risk of injury from ball neck
swinging outwards
The ball neck may swing outwards when
unlocking or when it has not been properly
engaged.
There is a risk of injury within the ball neck's range of movement!
Unlock the ball neck only when its range
of movement is unobstructed.Always be sure the ball neck is engaged
when folding inwards.256Driving and parking

*NOTE Increased risk of damage to prop-
erty due to folded-out ball neckWhen the trailer is not coupled or the bicycle rack is attached, fold in the ballneck or, in the case of a fully electric
trailer hitch, retract the ball neck.*NOTE Damage to the vehicle due to incor-
rect use of the trailer hitch
When a trailer hitch is used to recover a vehi-
cle, the vehicle may be damaged in the proc- ess.
Use the trailer hitch only for pulling a
trailer or attaching approved carrier sys-
tems (e.g. a bicycle rack).
Requirements: = The vehicle is secured against rolling away.
= The swivel range is clear.
= The trailer cables or adapter plugs have been
removed.
Folding the ball neck outPull switch 2 until the ball neck unlocks.
The ball neck will fold out from under the rear
bumper.
Indicator lamp 1 will Oash.Pull the ball neck in the direction of the arrow
until it engages audibly in a vertical position.
Indicator lamp 1 on the ball neck release
switch will go out.
If the ball neck is not securely locked in place, the Check trailer hitch lock display message
will appear on the driver's display.Remove the cover cap from the ball head and
store it in a safe place.Driving and parking257

Make sure that the ball on the ball neck is clean.Check that it is either greased or dry (grease-
free), depending on the instructions for the trailer.
Folding the ball neck inPull switch 2 until the ball neck unlocks.
The ball neck will fold up under the rear
bumper.
Indicator lamp 1 will Oash.Push the ball neck in the direction of the
arrow until it engages audibly behind the
bumper.
Indicator lamp 1 and the display on the driv-
er's display will disappear.
Observe the information about the notiNcations
on the driver's display:
= Indicator and warning lamps (  page 525)
= Display messages (  page 463)
Coupling up/uncoupling a trailer
Requirements:
= The ball neck is extended and engaged in a
securely locked position.
Trailers with a 7-pin plug can be connected to the vehicle with the following adapters:
= Adapter plug
= Adapter cable
The trailer will be correctly detected by the vehi-
cle only if the following conditions are met:
= The trailer is connected correctly.
= The trailer lighting system is in working order.
The functions of the following systems will be
aMected by a correctly connected trailer:
= ESP n
trailer stabilisation
= Trailer Manoeuvering Assist
= Active Lane Keeping Assist
= Parking Assist PARKTRONIC
= Active Parking Assist
= Blind Spot Assist or Active Blind Spot Assist
= Drive Away Assist
= Cross traPc warning
= Manoeuvering brake function
= Reversing camera=360° Camera
Coupling up a trailer*NOTE Damage to the starter battery due
to full discharge
Charging the trailer battery using the power
supply of the trailer can damage the starter
battery.
Do not use the vehicle's power supply to
charge the trailer battery.Remove the cover cap from the ball head and
store it in a safe place.Position the trailer on a level surface behind
the vehicle and couple it up to the vehicle.258Driving and parking

Open the socket cap.Insert the plug with lug 1 in groove 3 on
the socket.Turn bayonet coupling 2 to the right as far as
it will go.Let the cap engage.Secure the cable to the trailer with cable ties (only if you are using an adapter cable).Make sure that the cable is always slack forease of movement during cornering.Under the following conditions, a message may
appear on the driver's display even if the trailer
has been connected correctly:
= LEDs have been installed in the trailer lighting
system.
= The current has fallen below the trailer lighting
system's minimum current (50 mA).%Accessories can be connected to the perma-
nent power supply up to 180 W and to the power supply that is switched on via the igni-
tion lock.
Uncoupling a trailer
&WARNING Risk of being crushed and
becoming trapped when uncoupling a
trailer
When uncoupling a trailer with an engaged
inertia-activated brake, your hand may
become trapped between the vehicle and the
trailer drawbar.
Do not uncouple trailers with an engaged
overrun brake.*NOTE Damage when uncoupling in a state
of overrun
Uncoupling in a state of overrun can damage
the vehicle.
Do not uncouple trailers with an engaged
overrun brake.Secure the trailer against rolling away.Disconnect the electrical connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.Uncouple the trailer.Place the cover cap on the ball head.
Bicycle rack function
&WARNING Risk of an accident when using
the bicycle rack incorrectly
The bicycle rack may become detached from
the vehicle in the following cases:
= the permissible load capacity of the trailer
hitch is exceeded.
Driving and parking259

=the bicycle rack is used incorrectly.
= the bicycle rack is secured to the ball neck
beneath the ball head.
Observe the following for your own safety and
that of other road users:
= always adhere to the permissible load
capacity of the trailer hitch.
= only use the bicycle rack to transport bicy-
cles.
= always mount the bicycle rack properly by
attaching to the ball head and the ball
neck guide pin, if possible.
= when transporting four bicycles, always
use bicycle racks which have additional
support on the ball neck guide pin.
= only use bicycle racks approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
= always observe the bicycle rack operating
instructions.*NOTE Damage to, or cracks on, the trailer
hitch due to unsuitable bicycle racks or
bicycle racks being used incorrectlyuse only bicycle racks approved by
Mercedes-Benz.*NOTE Increased risk of damage to prop-
erty due to folded-out ball neckWhen the trailer is not coupled or the bicycle rack is attached, fold in the ballneck or, in the case of a fully electric
trailer hitch, retract the ball neck.
Trailer hitch (example with additional guide pin)
Depending on the bicycle rack's design, diMerent
numbers of bicycles can be transported.
The following bicycle rack designs are possible:
= When mounted by attaching to ball head 1,
the maximum load capacity is 75 kg. You can transport up to three bicycles.
260Driving and parking

=When mounted on ball head 1 and guide pin
2 , the maximum load capacity is 100 kg. You
can transport up to four bicycles.
The maximum load capacity is calculated from the
weight of the bicycle rack and the bicycle rack
load.
Observe the notes on driving with a roof load, trailer or fully laden vehicle (  page 163).
When using a bicycle rack, set the tyre pressure
for increased load on the rear axle of the vehicle.
Further information on the tyre pressure can be found in the tyre pressure table (  page 351).
Notes on loading
The larger the distance between the load's centre
of gravity and the ball head, the greater the load
on the trailer hitch.
Observe the following notes: = mount heavy bicycles as close to the vehicle
as possible
= always distribute the load on the bicycle rack
as evenly as possible across the vehicle's lon-
gitudinal axis
Mercedes-Benz recommends removing all detach- able parts from bicycles (e.g. baskets, child seats,
rechargeable batteries) before loading them onto
the bicycle rack. This will improve the aerody-
namic resistance and centre of gravity of the bicy- cle rack.
Always secure the bicycles to prevent them from moving around and check them at regular inter- vals to ensure that they are secure.
Do not use tarpaulins or other covers. The driving
characteristics and rear view may be impaired. In
addition, aerodynamic resistance and the load on the trailer hitch will increase.Load distribution on the bicycle rack1Vertical distance between centre of gravity
and ball head2Horizontal distance between centre of gravity and ball head3The centre of gravity is on the vehicle's centre
axis
Observe the following information when loading
the bicycle rack:
Driving and parking261

Loading the bicycle rack3 bicycles4 bicyclesTotal weight of
bicycle rack and
loadUp to 75 kgUp to 100 kgMax. distance
1420 mm420 mmMax. distance
2300 mm400 mm
When transporting four bicycles or a total weight
between 75 kg and 100 kg, always use bicycle
racks with additional support on the trailer hitch
guide pin.
Vehicle towing instructions
The vehicle is not suitable for the use of tow bar
systems that are used for Oat towing or dinghy
towing, for example. Attaching and using tow bar
systems can result in damage to the vehicle. When you are towing a vehicle with tow bar sys-
tems, safe driving characteristics cannot be guar-
anteed for the towing vehicle or the towed vehicle.
The vehicle-trailer combination may swerve from side to side.
Observe the following information:
= Permitted towing methods (  page 341)
= The notes on towing the vehicle with both
axles on the ground (  page 342)262Driving and parking