towing MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS HATCHBACK 2011 Owner's Manual

permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be differen tincomparison
to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. Vehicles with
automatic transmission: in order to do so, you
will need to have switched to manual drive
program Min advance (Y page 139).
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to prevent the
vehicle from gaining speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need additional braking,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather
than continuously.
i Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion: if the accelerator pedal is depressed
briefly on downhill gradients while manual
drive program Mis temporarily activated,
the automatic transmission may switch
back to the last active automatic drive pro-
gram Eor S.T he automatic transmission
may shift to a higher gear. This can reduce
the engine's braking effect.
Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X
Do not accelerate.
X Do not counter-steer.
X Brake if necessary. R
Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle in front than when driving without a
trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine,
and consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing altitude. Folding out the ball coupling
G
WARNING
Make sure that the ball coupling is engaged,
either in its folded-out or folded-in position,
and that the indicator lamp is off.
Do not turn the release wheel when a trailer
is coupled up. Otherwise, the trailer might
detach.
Before you can tow a trailer with your vehicle,
you must fold out the ball coupling.
The release wheel is located behind the left-
hand side trim panel in the boot. X
To open the cover: turn handle:anti-
clockwise and fold down cover ;and
remove it. Towing
atrailer
183Driving an d parking Z

X
Pull out release wheel =.
X Turn release wheel =anti-clockwise as far
as it will go.
The ball coupling disengages and folds out
behind the rear bumper. Indicator
lamp ?flashes. X
Pull the ball coupling in the direction of the
arrow until it engages in a vertical position.
Indicator lamp ?goes out. The power
socket folds down automatically.
The multifunction display shows the
Check trailer hitch lock display mes-
sage until the ball coupling is engaged.
X Remove the protective covering from the
ball coupling and store it in a safe place.
X Make sure that the ball of the ball coupling
is clean and that it is either greased or dry
(grease free), depending on the instruc-
tions for the trailer. Coupling up a trailer
G
WARNING
Do not disconnect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your hand could
become trapped between the bumper and
trailer drawbar.
X Make sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Engage the electric parking brake.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer.
X Check that the trailer lighting system is
working. Decoupling
atrailer G
WARNING
As soon as you raise the trailer drawbar, the
unladen vehicle rises slightly. The vehicle then
lowers to driving level.
Make sure tha tnobody is in the vicinity of the
wheel arch or the underbody. You could oth-
erwise trap yourself or others. G
WARNING
The vehicle is lowered as soon as you discon-
nect the trailer cable. Make sure that nobody
is in the vicinity of the wheel arch or the
underbody. You could otherwise trap yourself
or others.
As soon as you decouple the trailer, the unla-
den vehicle rises slightly. Make sure that you
or others are not injured in the process.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an
engaged overrun brake. Otherwise, your
vehicle could be damaged by the rebound-
ing of the overrun brake.
X Make sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Engage the electric parking brake. 184
Towing
atrailerDriving an d parking

X
Secure the traile ragainst rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer. Folding in the ball coupling
G
WARNING
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
the pivoting range of the ball coupling. Other-
wise, they could be injured.
X Fold the ball coupling back in if you are not
using the trailer tow hitch.
X Place the protective covering on the ball
coupling.
The release wheel is located behind the left-
hand side trim panel in the boot. X
To open the cover: turn handle:anti-
clockwise and fold down cover ;and
remove it. X
Pull out release wheel =.
X Turn release wheel =anti-clockwise as far
as it will go.
The ball coupling disengages and folds out
behind the rear bumper. Indicator
lamp ?flashes. X
Press the ball coupling in the direction of
the arrow until it engages behind the
bumper.
Indicator lamp ?goes out and the mes-
sage in the multifunction display disap-
pears. Trailer power supply
! You can connect accessories with a
power rating of up to 240 W to the perma-
nent power supply and with a power rating
of up to 180 W to the power supply that is
switched on via the ignition lock.
The trailer battery may not be charged from
the power supply.
X To switch the connected power supply
on or off: turn the key in the ignition lock
to position 2or 0respectively.
When it leaves the factory, your vehicle's
trailer socket is equipped with a permanent
power supply and a power supply that is
switched on via the ignition lock.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 9.
The power supply that is switched on via the
ignition lock is supplied via trailer socket pin
10. Towing
atrailer
185Driving an d parking Z

The trailer's permanen
tpower supply is
switched off in the event of low vehicle supply
voltage and after six hours at the latest.
You can find more information about instal-
ling the trailer electric sataqualified special-
ist workshop. Bulb failure indicator for LED lamps
i If LED lamps are fitted in the trailer, an
error message may appear in the multi-
function display even if there is no fault. The
reason for the error message could be that
the curren thas falle nbelow the minimum
of 50 mA.
To ensure reliable operation of the bulb failure
indicator, each LED chain in the trailer lighting
must be guaranteed a minimum current of
50 mA. Trailer with 7-pin connector
General notes If your trailer has a 7-pin connector, you can
connect it to the 13-pin socket on the ball
coupling using an adapter or, if necessary, an
adapter cable. Both can be obtained in a
qualified specialist workshop.
Fitting the adapter
!
Make sure that there is sufficien tcable
play so that the cable canno tbecome
detached when cornering. X
Open the socket cover.
X Insert the connector with lug :into
groove ;on the socket and turn the con-
nector clockwise to the stop.
X Let the cover engage.
X If you are using an adapter cable, secure
the cable to the trailer with cable ties. 186
Towing
atrailerDriving an d parking

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Blind Spot Assist
currently unavail‐
able See Owner's
Manual Blind Spot Assis
tis temporarily inoperative. Possible causes:
R you have established the electrical connection between the
trailer and your vehicle.
R the sensors are dirty.
R function is impaired due to heavy rain or snow.
R the radar sensor system is outside the operating temperature
range.
R the radar sensor system is temporarily inoperative, e.g. due to
electromagnetic radiation emitted by nearby TV or radio sta-
tions or other sources of electromagnetic radiation.
The yellow 9indicator lamps also light up in the exterior mir-
rors.
X When towing a trailer, confirm the display message with a.
If you are driving without a trailer and the displaym essage does
not disappear:
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Engage the electric parking brake.
X Clean the sensors (Y page 270).
X Restart the engine.
If the system detects that the sensors are fully operational, the
display message disappears.
Blind Spot Assist is operational again. Blind Spot Assist
inoperative Blind Spot Assist is faulty.
The yellow
9indicator lamps also light up in the exterior mir-
rors.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Park Assist
cancelled The driver's door is open and the driver's seat belt has not been
fastened.
X
Repeat the parking process with the seat belt fastened and the
driver's door closed. You have inadvertently touched the multifunction steering wheel
while steering intervention was active.
X
While steering intervention is active, make sure that the multi-
function steering wheel is not touched. The vehicle has started to skid and ESP
®
has intervened.
X Use Active Parking Assist again later (Y page 166).224
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays

Useful information
............................244
Loading guidelines ............................244
Stowage areas .................................. 244
Features ............................................. 255 243Stowing and features

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment
available to your vehicle at the time of pub-
lication of the Owner's Manual. Country-
specific deviations are possible. Please
note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all features described. This also
applies to safety-relevan tsystems and
functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 22).Loading guidelines
G
WARNING
Secure and position the load as described in
the loading guidelines.
Otherwise, vehicle occupants could
be injured by the load being throw naround in
the event of sharp braking, a sudden change
in direction or an accident.
You will find further informatio ninthe "Secur-
ing a load" section.
Even if you follow all the loading guidelines,
the load will increase the risk of injury in the
event of an accident. G
WARNING
Keep the tailgate closed when the engine is
running. Otherwise, you could be poisoned by
exhaust fumes entering the vehicle.
The handling characteristics of a laden vehi-
cle are dependent on the distribution of the
load within the vehicle. For this reason, you
should observe the following notes when
transporting a load:
R when transporting a load, never exceed the
maximum permissible gross vehicle weight or the permissible axle loads for the vehicle
(including occupants).
R position heavy loads as far forwards as pos-
sible and as low down in the load compart-
ment as possible.
R the load must not protrude above the upper
edge of the seat backrests.
R always place the load against the rear or
front seat backrests. Make sure that the
seat backrests are securely locked into
place.
R hook in the safety net when loading.
R the maximum load capacity of the stowage
well under the luggage compartmentf loor
is 25 kg.
R always place the load behind unoccupied
seats if possible.
R secure the load with sufficiently strong and
wear-resistan tlashing material. Pad sharp
edges for protection.
i Lashing material is available at any quali-
fied specialist workshop.
! Do no tposition the load on one part of the
folding luggage compartment floor only.
The maximum load capacity of the folding
luggage compartment floor is 100 kg.
Spread the weight evenly to avoid damag-
ing the luggage compartment floor. Place a
solid board under the load if necessary.
Please note that the load on the luggage
compartment floor will be increased when
the load is lashed down. Stowage areas
Stowage compartments
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The stowage compartments must be closed
when items are stored in them. Luggage nets
are not designed to secure heavy items of
luggage. 244
Stowage areasStowing and features

You or other vehicle occupants could be
injured by objects being thrown around if you:
R brake sharply
R change direction suddenly
R are involved in an accident
Sharp-edged and fragile objects must not be
placed in the luggage net.
Front stowage compartments Glove compartment
X
To open: pull handle :and open glove
compartment flap ;.
X To close: fold glove compartmen tflap ;
upwards until it engages.
i There is a pen holder at the top of the
glove compartmen tflap.
Spectacles compartment X
To open: press marking :. Stowage compartment in the centre con-
sole
X
To open: press the marking on cover :.
i Depending on the vehicle's equipment,
there is an open instead of a closed stow-
age compartment or an ashtray in the
centre console.
Stowage compartment in front of th earm-
res t(vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion) X
To open: press the marking on cover :.
i You can remove the non-slip mat and the
insert for cleaning. Stowage areas
245Stowing and features Z

Stowage compartment/telephone com-
partment under the armrest
X
To open: on vehicles with moveable armr-
ests, make sure that the armrest is in the
rearmost position.
X Press button :and fold the armrest up.
i Depending on the vehicle's equipment, a
USB port and an AUX-IN jack or a Media
Interface are installed in the stowage com-
partment. A Media Interface is a universal
interface for portable audio equipment, e.g.
for an iPod ®
or MP3 player (see the sepa-
rate Audio or COMAND Online operating
instructions).
Stowage compartment under the driver's
and front-passenger seat G
WARNING
Only load the stowage compartmen twith the
maximum permissible load of 1. 2kg. Othe r-
wise, the transported load could, for example,
be thrown out of the stowage compartment if
you change directio nsuddenly or brake
sharply, and you or other scould be injured. X
To open: pull handle :up and fold
cover ;forwards.
i On vehicles with a fire extinguisher
instead of a stowage compartment, the fire
extinguisher is installed under the driver's
seat.
Rear stowage compartments Stowage compartment in the rear centre
console
X
To open: pull down the top of stowage
compartment :by the edge of the handle.
i Depending on the vehicle's equipment,
there may be an open stowage space above
the stowage compartment.
Folding table G
WARNING
Keep the folding table closed while the vehicle
is in motion. Otherwise, in the event of sharp
braking, a sudden change in direction or an
accident, you could be injured by objects on
the table or by the folding table itself.
! Do not load the folding table beyond the
maximum permissible load of 2kg. 246
Stowage areasStowing and features

X
To fold out: pull folding table :up in the
direction of the arrow to the desired posi-
tion.
X To fold away: push folding table :down
onto the backrest. Luggage nets
G
WARNING
Only place lightweight items in the luggage
net. Do not use it to transport heavy, bulky,
sharp-edged or fragile objects. In the event of
an accident, the luggage net will not secure
the transported goods.
Luggage nets are located in the front-
passenge rfootwell and on the back of the
driver's and the front-passenger seat. Folding backrest on the front-
passenger seat X
To fold forward: gently push the backrest
back.
X Pull release handle :and fold the back-
rest fully onto the seat cushion until it
engages.
X To fold back: gently push the backrest
down and pull release handle :.
X Fold the seat backrest back until it
engages. Through-loading facility in the rear
compartment
G
WARNING
Do not transport unsecured objects in the
through-loading facility.
Otherwise, you and other vehicle occupants
could be injured by object sbeing thrown
around the vehicle in the event of sharp brak-
ing, a sudden change in direction or an acci-
dent. X
To open: fold down seat armrest :.
X Pull the cover, which can now be seen, for-
wards by the grip until it lies on arm-
rest :.
X Pull the centre head restraint on the rear
bench seat into the uppermost position
(Y page 88). Stowage areas
247Stowing and features Z