MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2008 Owners Manual

Towing and tow-starting
268 Towing and tow-starting
Points to remember
G
Risk of accident
If you have the vehicle towed, you must use
a rigid towing bar if:
R the engine is not running.
R there is a brake system malfunction.
R there is a malfunction in the voltage sup-
ply or the vehicle's electrical system.
The electric power steering and the brake
force booster do not work when the engine
is not running. Greater braking force will
then be required and brake pedal travel will
be longer. If necessary, depress the brake
pedal with full force.
Do not tow the vehicle if the key cannot be
turned in the ignition lock. If this is the case,
the steering is locked and the vehicle can-
not be steered.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed. When towing, observe the legal requirements
in all countries concerned.
!
When towing, pull away slowly and with-
out jerking. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
as this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50 km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
With towing distances over 50 km, the
entire vehicle needs to be lifted up and
transported.
! Only secure the tow cable or towing bar
to the towing eyes. You may otherwise
damage the vehicle.
R Vehicles with AUTOTRONIC* must not be
tow-started.
R If the engine does not start, try jump-start-
ing it (Y page 266).
R If it is not possible to jump-start the vehicle,
have it towed to the nearest qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. R
The selector lever must be in position N
when towing a vehicle with AUTO-
TRONIC*.
R If you are towing the vehicle over a consid-
erable distance, this must only be done
with the front axle raised.
R The ignition must be switched off if you are
towing the vehicle with the front/rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system.
R Before towing the vehicle, make sure that
the battery is connected and charged. Oth-
erwise:
-you cannot switch on the ignition
- you cannot move the selector lever
to N(on vehicles with AUTOTRONIC*)
- you have no support when braking
i Switch off the automatic locking feature
before the vehicle is towed (Y page 111).
You could otherwise be locked out when
pushing or towing the vehicle. Practical advice
* optional
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Towing and tow-starting
269Fitting the towing eye
Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch: if you
intend to use the vehicle for towing, fit the ball
coupling (Y page 186) and connect the tow-
bar to this.
Opening the front cover The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are in the bumpers. They are located at the
front and rear behind covers on the right-hand
side of the vehicle when viewed in the direc-
tion of travel.
1
Cover
X Press cover 1back in the direction of the
arrow.
X Take cover 1off the opening. Opening the rear cover
1
Cover
X Press cover 1back in the direction of the
arrow.
X Take cover 1off the opening.
Securing the towing eye X
Take the towing eye and the wheel wrench
from the vehicle tool kit ( Ypage 200).
X Screw in the towing eye clockwise to the
stop.
X Insert the wheel wrench handle into the
towing eye and tighten it. Towing the vehicle
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50 km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
With towing distances over 50 km, the
entire vehicle needs to be lifted up and
transported.
! The engine must be switched off (key in
ignition lock in position 0or position 1) if
the vehicle is being towed with the front
axle raised or if the parking brake is being
tested on a dynamometer. Intervention by
ESP ®
could otherwise damage the brake
system.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Turn the key to position 2(Y page 62) in
the ignition lock.
X Fully depress the clutch pedal.
X Shift to neutral. Practical advice
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Towing and tow-starting
270
Vehicles with AUTOTRONIC* X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Move the selector lever to N.Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
Please note:
R Vehicles with AUTOTRONIC* must not be
tow-started.
R The battery must be connected.
R The engine and catalytic converter must be
cold.
R Avoid repeated and lengthy starting
attempts.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Turn the key to position 2(Y page 62) in
the ignition lock.
X Fully depress the clutch pedal.
X Shift to neutral. X
Tow the vehicle or let it roll.
X Shift to a suitable gear and bring the clutch
pedal up slowly. Do not depress the accel-
erator pedal.
The engine is started. Removing the towing eye
X Take the wheel wrench from the vehicle
tool kit ( Ypage 200).
X Insert the wheel wrench handle into the
towing eye and turn it anti-clockwise.
X Unscrew the towing eye.
X Replace the cover and press it until it
engages.
X Return the towing eye and the wheel
wrench to the vehicle tool kit. Transporting the vehicle
The towing eyes or trailer coupling *can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or trans-
porter if you wish to transport it.
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components. The
vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to neutral.
Vehicles with AUTOTRONIC* X
Turn the key to position 2(Y page 62) in
the ignition lock.
X Move the selector lever to N.Practical advice
* optional
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Fuses
271Fuses
Notes on changing fuses
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions will
fail.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognise by
the colour and value. The fuse ratings are lis-
ted in the fuse allocation chart. A Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre will be happy to advise
you. G
Risk of fire
Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which have
the correct fuse rating for the systems con-
cerned. Do not attempt to repair or bridge
faulty fuses. Otherwise, a circuit overload
could cause a fire. Have the cause traced
and rectified at a qualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which have the correct fuse rating for the system
concerned. Otherwise, components or sys-
tems could be damaged.
The fuses are located in the main fuse box in
the front-passenger footwell.
Fuse allocation chart The fuse allocation chart is in the main fuse
box in the front-passenger footwell.
Before changing a fuse
X Park the vehicle.
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock. Main fuse box
The main fuse box is in the front-passenger
footwell in front of the seat. 1
Cover
2 Retaining screw
X Remove the footmats*.
X Turn retaining screw 2anti-clockwise, e.g.
with a coin.
X Lift up cover 1.
X Remove the cover mat from the battery. Practical advice
* optional
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Fuses
2721
Fuse allocation chart
2 Main fuse box Practical advice
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273
Introduction to technical data
.........274
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts .........274
Vehicle electronics ...........................275
Vehicle identification plates ............276
Engine ................................................ 278
Performance ...................................... 280
Tyres and wheels .............................. 282
Vehicle dimensions ..........................286
Vehicle weights ................................. 286
Trailer coupling* ............................... 290
Service products and capacities .....292 Technical data
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Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
274 Introduction to technical data
i The technical data was determined in
accordance with EU directives. All data
applies to the vehicle's standard equip-
ment. The data may therefore differ for
vehicles with optional equipment. You can
obtain further information from a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
Mercedes-Benz tests genuine parts and con-
version parts and accessories which have
been specifically approved for your vehicle for
their reliability, safety and suitability. Despite
ongoing market research, Mercedes-Benz is
unable to evaluate other parts. Therefore,
Mercedes-Benz accepts no responsibility for
the use of such parts in Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles, even if they have been independently or
officially approved.
In Germany and some other countries, certain
parts are only officially approved for installa-
tion or modification if they comply with legal
requirements. All genuine Mercedes-Benz
parts meet this requirement. The use of non-
approved parts may invalidate the vehicle's
general operating permit. This is the case if:
R they cause a change of the vehicle type
from that for which the vehicle's general
operating permit was granted
R other road users could be endangered
R the emission or noise levels are adversely
affected
The use of non-approved parts could affect
your vehicle's operating safety. Therefore,
Mercedes-Benz recommends genuine Mercedes-Benz parts and conversion parts
and accessories that have been approved for
your vehicle. H
Environmental note
Daimler also supplies reconditioned
assemblies and parts which are of the same
quality as new parts. For these, the same
warranty applies as for new parts.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts and approved
conversion parts and accessories are availa-
ble from Mercedes-Benz Service Centres.
There, you can also receive advice about tech-
nical modifications and have the parts pro-
fessionally fitted.
Always quote the vehicle identification num-
ber and the engine number when ordering
genuine parts. For example, you will find
these numbers on your vehicle's identifica-
tion plates (Y page 276). Technical data
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Vehicle electronics
275Vehicle electronics
Tampering
with the engine electron-
ics G
Risk of accident
Only have work on the engine electronics
and related components carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools
to carry out the work required. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-related systems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
The vehicle's roadworthiness could other-
wise be affected.
! Only have work done on the engine elec-
tronics and its associated parts, such as
control units, sensors and connector leads,
carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre. Otherwise, vehicle components
may wear more quickly and your vehicle's
warranty and operating permit may be inva-
lidated. Retrofitting electrical and electronic
equipment
Electrical and electronic equipment can jeop-
ardise the operating safety of your vehicle. If
equipment of this kind is retrofitted, it must
be type-approved and bear the emark. The
e mark may be obtained from the equipment
manufacturer or an authorised testing centre.
! Damage or consequential damage arising
from fitting equipment not approved by
Mercedes-Benz is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz warranty.
If you wish to install two-way radios in the
vehicle, you must obtain formal approval.
Mercedes-Benz approves the installation of
two-way radios if such equipment is installed
professionally and a low-reflection exterior
aerial is used.
The transmission output of the two-way radio
must not exceed the maximum transmission
outputs listed. G
Risk of accident
Two-way radios may interfere with the vehi-
cle electronics and thereby jeopardise the
operational safety of the vehicle and your
own safety if: R
they do not have an exterior aerial
R the exterior aerial is not a low-reflection
aerial
R the exterior aerial has been fitted incor-
rectly G
Risk of injury
Excessive electromagnetic radiation may
also cause damage to your health and the
health of others. Using an exterior aerial
takes into account current scientific dis-
cussions relating to the possible health haz-
ards that may result from electromagnetic
fields.
For this reason, only have the exterior aerial
fitted at a qualified specialist workshop
which has the necessary specialist knowl-
edge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre for this purpose. In particular, work
relevant to safety or on safety-related sys-
tems must be carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
i Mercedes-Benz recommends the use of
an approved exterior aerial. This ensures
optimal reception quality for mobile tele- Technical data
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Vehicle identification plates
276phones/wireless devices in the vehicle.
This also ensures that interference
between these devices and the vehicle's
electronics is kept to a minimum. If instal-
led, the exterior aerial conducts the elec-
tromagnetic fields transmitted by a mobile
phone to the exterior of the vehicle. Frequency range Maximum trans-
mission output
(watts)
Short wave
(< 50 MHz) 100
4 m waveband 20
2 m waveband 50
70 cm waveband 35
25 cm waveband 10
!
If electrical or electronic equipment
which does not comply with the above
installation conditions is operated inside
the vehicle, the vehicle's operating permit
may be invalidated (EU Directive
95/54/EC - Automotive EMC directive) Vehicle identification plates
Vehicle identification plate with vehi-
cle identification number (VIN) and
paint code number
The vehicle identification plate is located at
the bottom of the door frame on the front-
passenger side. 1
Vehicle identification plate
X Open the driver's door.
You will see vehicle identification plate
1. Vehicle identification plate (example)
1
Vehicle identification plate
2 Vehicle manufacturer
3 EU type approval number
4 Vehicle identification number (VIN)
5 Maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight
6 Maximum permissible towing weight
7 Maximum permissible front axle load
8 Maximum permissible rear axle load
9 Paint code number Technical data
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Vehicle identification plates
277Vehicle identification number (VIN)
In addition to the information on the vehicle
identification plate, the vehicle identification
number (VIN) is also stamped onto the vehicle
body. It is located in the engine compartment
below the windscreen frame. 1
Vehicle identification number (VIN) X
Open the bonnet (Y page 171).
You will see vehicle identification number
(VIN) 1. Engine number
The engine number is stamped on the engine
block (crankcase). More information can be
obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre. Technical data
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