ignition MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS HATCHBACK 2008 Manual PDF

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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