trailer MERCEDES-BENZ CLS 2014 Owners Manual

Load compensation
The vehicle can compensatedifferences in
thevehicle level by raisingorlowering the
rear axle. This is the case, for example, if
people get out or if luggage is being loaded.
Load compensation takes place if:
Radoor or the trunk lid/tailgate is opened
Rthe parked vehicle is unlocked
For larger level changes, the engine must be
running.
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic
conditions. 4MATIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front,for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in your lane.
Ifadrive wheel spins due to insufficientgrip:
ROnly depress the accelerator pedalasfar
as necessary when pulling away.
RAccelerate less when driving.
!Never tow the vehiclewith one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damageofthis sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remaineitheronthe ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
iIn wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires(M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary.
4MATIC ensures that allfour wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP®,it
improves the traction of yourvehicle
wheneveradrive wheel spins due to
insufficient grip.
PARKTRONIC
Important safetynotes
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parkingaid with
ultrasonic sensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distancebetween your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a
replacementfor your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exitingaparkingspace. When
maneuvering, parkingorpulling out of a
parkingspace, make sure that thereare no
persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
!When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detectsuch objects
when they are in theimmediatevicinity of
thevehicle. You could damagethe vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objectsthat absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck orapneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
Rswitch on the ignition
Rshift the transmission to positionD,RorN
Rrelease the parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper.
Driving systems193
Driving and parking
Z

Parking tips:
ROn narrow roads, drive as close to the
parking space as possible.
RParking spaces that are littered or
overgrown might be identified or measured
incorrectly.
RParking spaces that are partially occupied
by trailer drawbars might not be identified
as such or be measured incorrectly.
RSnowfall or heavy rain may lead toaparking
space being measured inaccurately.
RPay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(Ypage 195) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
RYou can intervene in the steeringprocedure
to correctitatany time. Active Parking
Assist will then be canceled.
RWhen transportingaload which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use
Active Parking Assist.
RNever use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are installed.
RMake sure that the tire pressures are
alwayscorrect. This hasadirectinfluence
on the parking characteristics of the
vehicle.
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces:
Rthatare paralleltothe direction of travel
Rthat are on straight roads, not bends
Rthat are on the same levelasthe road,e.g.
not on the pavement
Detectingparking spaces
Objects located above the height range of
Active Parking Assist willnot be detected
when the parking space is measured. These
are not taken into account when the parking
procedure is calculated,e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles.
GWARNING
If there are objects above the detection range,
Active Parking Assist may turn prematurely.
You may causeacollision asaresult. There is
arisk of an accident.
If there are objects above the detection range,
stop and deactivate Active Parking Assist.
For further information on the detection
range (Ypage194).
Active Parking Assist does not support you
with parking spaces paralleltothe direction
of travel if:
Rthe parking space is onacurb
Rtheparking spaceappearsblockedtothe
system, for example,byfoliage or grass
pavingblocks
Rthearea that thevehicleneeds to
maneuveristoo small
Rthe parking space is bordered by an
obstacle, such asatree,apost oratrailer
Example: detected parking space
Detected parking space on the left
Parking symbol
$Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist is switched on
automaticallywhen driving forwards. The
system is operational at speeds of up to
approximately 22 mph (35 km/h). While in
operation, the system independently locates
and measures parking spaces on both sides
of the vehicle.
Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
Rthat are parallel to the direction of travel
Rthat are at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
Rthat are at least 51 in (1.3 m) longer than
your vehicle
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h), you will see parking symbol as a
Driving systems197
Driving and parking
Z

Rif the camera is exposed to very bright light
Rif the area is lit by fluorescentlight or LED
lighting (thedisplay may flicker)
Rif there isasudden change in temperature,
e.g. when drivingintoaheatedgarage in
winter
Rif the camera lens is dirtyorobstructed
Rif the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In
this event, have the camera position and
settingchecked ataqualified specialist
workshop.
General notes
Example: Coupe
Rear view camerais located in the handle
strip of the trunk lid.
Rear view camerais an optical parking and
maneuveringaid. It shows the area behind
your vehicle with guide lines in the COMAND
display.
The area behindthe vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
iThe textofmessages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of rear
view camera messages in the COMAND
display.
Activating/deactivating the rear view
camera
XTo activate:make sure that the SmartKey
is in position2in the ignition lock.
XMake sure that the "Activation byRgear"
setting is active in COMAND,see the
separate COMAND operatinginstructions.
XEngage reversegear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND display with guide lines.
To deactivate:the rear view camera is
deactivated if you:
Rshift the transmission to positionP
Rdrive 33 ft (10 m) forwards
Rshift the transmission fromRto another
position after 15 seconds
Rdrive forwards ataspeed of over5mph
(10 km/h)
Displays in the COMAND display
The rear view camera may showadistorted
view of obstacles, show them incorrectly or
not at all. The rear view camera does not show
objects in the following positions:
Rvery close to the rear bumper
Runder the rear bumper
Rin the area immediately above the tailgate
handle
!Objects not at ground level may appear to
be further away than they actually are, e.g.:
Rthe bumper ofaparked vehicle
Rthe drawbar ofatrailer
Rthe ball coupling ofatrailer tow hitch
Rthe rear section of an HGV
Raslanted post
Use the guidelines only for orientation.
Approachobjects no further than the
bottom-most guideline.
200Driving systems
Driving and parking

XFirst, remove the jumper cablesfrom earth pointand negative terminal!,then from
positiveclampand positiveterminal$.Begineachtime at the contacts on your own
vehicle first.
XClose coverof positiveclampafterremoving the jumper cables.
XHave the battery checkedataqualified specialist workshop.
iJump-startingisnot considered to beanormal operatingcondition.
iJumper cables and further information regardingjump-starting can be obtained at any
qualified specialist workshop.
Towing and tow-starting
Importantsafetynotes
GWARNING
Functionsrelevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
Rthe engineisnot running.
Rthe brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
Rthereisamalfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
If your vehicle is being towed, much more
forcemay be necessary to steer or brake.
There isarisk of an accident.
In such cases, useatow bar. Beforetowing,
make sure that the steering moves freely.
GWARNING
If the weight of the vehicle to be towed or tow-
started is greater than the permissible gross
weight of your vehicle:
Rthe towingeye could detach itself
Rthe vehicle/trailer combination could
rollover.
There isarisk of an accident.
When towingortow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the
permissible gross weight of your vehicle.
Information on your vehicle's gross vehicle
weight ratingcan be found on the vehicle
identification plate (Ypage 372).
!If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
preventdamage to thevehicle,deactivate
DISTRONICPLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise,the vehicle could
be damaged.
!Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
this could damage the vehicle.Ifindoubt,
recover the vehicle withacrane.
!When towing, pullawayslowly and
smoothly.Ifthe tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
!Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
!When towing vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
use the key instead of the Start/Stop
button. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission may shift to positionPwhen
the driver's or front-passenger door are
opened, which could lead to damage to the
transmission.
!The vehicle can be towedamaximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of
30 mph (50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles(50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
328Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission
damage, have it transported onatransporter
or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in
positionNwhen the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise,you:
Rcannot turn the SmartKey to position2in
the ignition lock
Rcannot shift the automatic transmission to
positionN
iDeactivate the automatic locking feature
(Ypage 83). You could otherwisebelocked
out when pushing or towing the vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be very hot. There
isarisk of burns when removing the rear
cover.
Do not touch the exhaust pipe.Take particular
carewhen removingtherear cover.
Example:towing eye covers
Towing eye covers (AMG vehicles)
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, behind the covers.
XRemove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Ypage 320).
XPull coverout of the bumper in the
direction of the arrow by inserting your
fingers into the recess.
XPress the mark on coverinwards in the
direction of the arrow.
Towing and tow-starting329
Breakdown assistance
Z

XTake coveroff the opening.
XScrew in and tighten the towing eye
clockwise to the stop.
Removing the towing eye
XUnscrew and remove the towing eye.
XPosition the top of coverin the bumper
and press it in at the bottom until it
engages.
XAttach coverto the bumper and press
until it engages.
XPlace the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.
Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
!The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP®could
otherwise damage the brake system.
Only possible for vehicles without
4MATIC.
XSwitchonthe hazard warning lamps
(Ypage 120).
XTurn the SmartKey to position0in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey
from the ignition lock.
XWhen leaving the vehicle, take the
SmartKey or the KEYLESS-GO key with you.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is importantthat you observe the
safety instructions (Ypage 328).
Towingavehicle with both axles on
theground
It is importantthat you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Ypage 328).
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to positionPwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock. In order
to ensure that the automatic transmission
stays in positionNwhen towing the vehicle,
you must observe the following points:
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the SmartKey in the ignition lock is in
position0.
XTurn the SmartKey to position2in the
ignition lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
SmartKey instead of the Start/Stop button
(Ypage 147).
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
XShift the automatic transmission to
positionN.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the parking brake.
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
(Ypage 120).
XLeave the SmartKey in position2in the
ignition lock.
iWhen towing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usualtosignalachange of
direction. In this case, only the indicator
lamps for the direction of travel flash. After
resetting the combination switch, the
hazard warning lamp starts flashing again.
Transporting the vehicle
!Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components.
Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
ontoatrailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
330Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

XTurn the SmartKey to position2in the
ignition lock.
XShift the automatic transmission to
positionN.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.
XShift the automatic transmission to
positionP.
XTurn the SmartKey to position0in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey
from the ignition lock.
XSecure the vehicle.
Notes on 4MATIC vehicles
!Vehicles with 4MATICmust not be towed
with either the frontorthe rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it
transported onatransporter or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system
If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in positionP.To
shift the automatic transmission to position
N,you must provide power to the vehicle's
electrical system in the same way as when
jump-starting (Ypage 326).
Have the vehicle transported onatransporter
or trailer.
Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
!Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be started by tow-starting. This
could otherwise damage the transmission.
You can find information on "Jump-starting"
at (Ypage 326).
Fuses
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you manipulate or bridgeafaulty fuse or if
you replace it withafuse withahigher
amperage, the electric cables could be
overloaded. This could result inafire. There
isarisk of an accident and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with the specified
new fuses having the correct amperage.
!Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benzvehicles and which
have the correct fuse ratingfor the system
concerned. Otherwise, componentsor
systems could be damaged.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. Ifafuse blows,all the
componentsonthecircuit and their functions
stop operating.
Blown fusesmust be replacedwith fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
the color and value. The fuse ratings are listed
in the fuse allocation chart.
Ifanewly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified ataqualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-BenzCenter.
Beforechangingafuse
XSecure the vehicle against rolling away
(Ypage 167).
XSwitchoff all electrical consumers.
XTurn the SmartKey to position0in the
ignition lock and remove it (Ypage 147).
or
XOn vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, make sure
the ignition is switched off (Ypage 147).
All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
must be off.
Fuses331
Breakdown assistance
Z

Step 3
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Permissible load
(maximumgross
vehicle weight rating
fromthe Tire and
Loading Information
placard minus the
gross weight of all
occupants)
1500 lbs(680kg)
"750 lbs(340kg) =
750 lbs(340kg)
1500 lbs(680kg)
"540 lbs(245kg)
=960 lbs(435kg)
1500 lbs(680kg)
"150 lbs(68 kg) =
1350 lbs(612kg)
Vehicle identificationplate
Even if youhavecalculatedthe totalcargo
carefully, youshouldstill make sure thatthe
gross vehicle weight rating and the gross axle
weight rating are not exceeded. Details can
be found on the vehicle identification plate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle
(Ypage 345).
Permissible gross vehicle weight:the
gross weight of the vehicle, all passengers,
load and trailer load/noseweight (if
applicable) must not exceed the permissible
gross vehicle weight.
Gross axle weight rating:the maximum
permissible weight that can be carried by one
axle (front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible values (gross
vehicle weight and maximum gross axle
weight rating), have your loaded vehicle
(including driver, occupants, cargo, and full
trailer load if applicable) weighed on a
suitable vehicle weighbridge.
All about wheelsand tires
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards
Overview of Tire Quality Grading
Standards
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards are
U.S. governmentspecifications. Their
purpose is to provide drivers with uniform
reliableinformation on tire performance data.
Tire manufacturers have to grade tires using
three performance factors:tread wear
grade,traction grade and$temperature
grade. These regulations do not apply to
Canada.Nevertheless, all tires sold in North
America are provided with the corresponding
quality grading markings on the sidewall of
the tire.
Where applicable, the tire grading
information can be found on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and maximum
tire width.
All about wheels and tires349
Wheels and tires
Z