towing MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS SALOON 2008 Owner's Guide

Loading and stowing
203
Inserting the mounting elements into the
loading rail Illustration: Estate
1
Loading rail
2 Mounting element
You can slide mounting element 2in loading
rail 1to various detents and secure it. These
detents are marked and positioned at 5-cm
intervals along loading rail 1.
You can turn the mounting element in the
loading rail to four different positions:
‹ To lock the mounting element
N To release the lashing eyelet, the belt
reel or the telescopic rod L
To remove the mounting element
S To push the mounting element to the
next detent
X Turn mounting element 2toL.
X Insert mounting element 2into loading
rail 1.
X Turn mounting element 2to‹ until
you feel it clearly engage in loading rail
1.
Inserting the lashing eyelet into the
mounting element 1
Lashing eyelet
2 Mounting element G
Risk of injury
Spread the load evenly between the lashing
eyelets. Observe the loading guidelines.
X Turn mounting element 2in the loading
rail to N.
X Insert lashing eyelet 1into mounting ele-
ment 2.
X Turn mounting element 2to‹ until
you feel it clearly engage in the loading rail.
Belt reel Illustration: Estate
1
Belt reel
2 Mounting element
3 Locking button Controls
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Loading and stowing
204
i
The belt reel can be used to secure light
loads against the side wall of the boot/lug-
gage compartment to prevent them from
moving around.
X Insert two mounting elements 2into a
loading rail.
X Turn mounting elements 2in the loading
rail to N.
X Insert belt reel 3into mounting ele-
ments 2.
X Turn mounting element 2to‹ until
you feel it clearly engage in the loading rail.
X Press locking button 1on the belt reel and
pull the safety net out in the direction of the
arrow.
X Place the load between the securing net
and the boot/luggage compartment side
wall.
X Press locking button 3on the belt reel
with one hand.
X With your other hand, slowly extend the net
around the load until it is secure. Telescopic rod Illustration: Estate
1
Telescopic rod
2 Mounting element
i The telescopic rod can be used to secure
the load against the rear seats to prevent it
from moving around.
X Insert one mounting element 2into each
loading rail.
X Turn mounting elements 2in the loading
rail to N.
X Insert telescopic rod 1into mounting ele-
ments 2.
X Turn mounting element 2to‹ until
you feel it clearly engage in the loading rail. EASY-PACK stowage box* (Estate) G
Risk of injury
When you are using the stowage box in the
luggage compartment, the backrests of the
seats directly in front of it must be fully
engaged to the rear and the combined lug-
gage cover and net must be fitted.
The maximum stowage box load is 20 kg. A
greater load could come loose in the event
of an accident or sudden and sharp braking,
and could injure yourself or other occu-
pants. 1
Stowage box
2 Luggage compartment floor
3 Rear seat backrests
4 Catches Controls
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Loading and stowing
205
Installing the stowage box
X
Fold the two backrests 3forward
(Y page 198).
X Guide stowage box 1into the luggage
compartment through one of the rear doors
with the opening facing towards the front
of the vehicle.
X Press catches 4on stowage box 1into
the gap between backrest 3and the lug-
gage compartment floor.
X Fold backrest 3back (Y page 200).
i Stowage box 1is also held in place from
above by the combined luggage cover and
net.
Loading the stowage box
X Fold backrest 3forward (Y page 198).
X Load stowage box 1through the opening
on the front.
i Stowage box 1in the luggage compart-
ment is closed off by the rear bench seat
and can carry a maximum load of 20 kg.
X Fold backrest 3back (Y page 200). Removing the stowage box
X
Fold double backrest 3forward
(Y page 198).
X Slide stowage box 1with catches 4for-
wards to remove it from the mountings.
X Remove stowage box 1sideways through
a rear door.
X Fold backrest 3back (Y page 200). Stowage compartments
G
Risk of injury
The stowage compartments must be closed
when items are stored in them. Luggage
nets are not designed to secure heavy
items of luggage.
You or other vehicle occupants could be
injured by objects being thrown around if
you:
R brake sharply
R change direction suddenly
R have an accident
Sharp-edged and fragile objects must not
be carried in the luggage net. Do not carry hard objects in the ruffled
pockets. Objects must not protrude over
the top of the ruffled pockets.
i You will find an overview of the stowage
compartments on (Y page 36).
Glove compartment 1
Spectacles compartment/compartment
for mobile phone
2 Opening button for the glove compart-
ment
The glove compartment can be locked and
unlocked using the emergency key element
(Y page 306).
X To open: press opening button 2.
X To close: fold the cover upwards. Controls
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Loading and stowing
206
Spectacles compartment/compartment
for mobile phone
X To open: press lightly on compart-
ment 1.
X To close: slide compartment 1back in
until it clicks into place.
Stowage compartment in the centre
console 1
Cover
2 Insert
X To open: press lightly on the marking on
the bottom of cover 1.
The stowage compartment opens.
i Insert 2can be removed for cleaning. Stowage compartment in front of the
armrest
X
To open: press lightly on the marking at the
rear of the cover.
The cover opens. 1
Handle X
To remove the insert: pull out the insert
by handle 1.
Stowage compartment/telephone
compartment under the armrest 1
Handle
X To open: pull handle 1. Controls
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217
Running-in notes
............................... 218
Refuelling ........................................... 218
Engine compartment ........................222
Tyres and wheels .............................. 227
Winter driving ................................... 234
Driving tips ........................................ 236
Driving abroad ................................... 238
Trailer towing .................................... 239
Service ............................................... 243
Care .................................................... 244 Operation
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Tyres and wheels
231pressure, e.g. if the tyre is penetrated by a
foreign object.
In the event of a sudden loss of pressure,
bring the vehicle to a halt by braking care-
fully. Do not make any sudden steering
movements when doing so.
While the vehicle is in motion, the tyre pres-
sure loss warning system monitors the set
tyre pressure using the rotational speed of
the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tyre. If the speed
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of
a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appear in the multi-function dis-
play.
The function of the tyre pressure loss warning
system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are fitted to your vehicle's
tyres
R road conditions are wintry
R you are driving on sand or gravel
R you adopt a very sporty driving style (cor-
nering at high speeds or driving with high
rates of acceleration)
R you are towing a very heavy or large trailer
R you are driving with a heavy load (in the
vehicle or on the roof) Restarting the tyre pressure loss warn-
ing system Restart the tyre pressure loss warning system
if you have:
R
changed the tyre pressure
R changed the wheels or tyres
R fitted new wheels or tyres
X Before restarting, consult the table of tyre
pressures on the inside of the fuel filler flap
to ensure that the tyre pressure in all four
tyres is set correctly for the operating con-
ditions concerned.
X Also observe the notes in the section on
tyre pressures (Y page 229). G
Risk of accident
The tyre pressure loss warning system can
only give reliable warnings if you have set
the correct tyre pressure.
If an incorrect tyre pressure is set, these
incorrect values will be monitored.
A tyre with insufficient pressure results in
an instability of the vehicle when driving,
thus increasing the risk of an accident. X
Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
The standard display appears in the multi-
function display (Y page 125).
X Press korj to select the tyre pres-
sure function:
Run Flat Indicator active
Menu: R-Button æ
X Press the reset button on the left of the
instrument cluster.
The following message appears in the
multi-function display:
Restart Run Flat Indicator?
Yes Cancel
If you wish to confirm the restart:
X Press the æbutton.
The following message appears in the
multi-function display:
Run Flat Indicator restarted
After a teach-in period, the tyre pressure
loss warning system will monitor the set
tyre pressures of all four tyres.
If you wish to cancel the restart:
X Press the çbutton.
or
X Wait until the message Operation
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Driving
tips 236 Driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off
G
Risk of accident
Do not switch off the engine while the vehi-
cle is in motion.
There is no power assistance for the steer-
ing or the service brake when the engine is
not running.
Steering and braking require significantly
more effort and you could lose control of
the vehicle and cause an accident as a
result. Braking
G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking. Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill stretches, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must shift to a lower gear in good time or,
on vehicles with automatic transmission*,
select shift range
1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Speedtronic or Distronic*.
This uses the braking effect of the engine and
you will not have to brake to such an extent
to maintain the same 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.
Heavy and light loads If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu-
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
never cause the brakes to rub by applying constant slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases
the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet roads If driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes, when brak-
ing for the first time. You must brake harder.
You must therefore maintain a greater dis-
tance from the vehicle in front.
Brake firmly after driving on a wet road. This
way the brake discs will become warm, drying
more quickly, which will protect them against
corrosion. Operation
* optional
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Trailer towing
2391
Switchover lever
X Switch lever 1over.
X Replace the cap. G
Risk of accident
Have your headlamps switched back to
asymmetrical dipped beam if you visit a
country in which traffic drives on the same
side of the road as in the country in which
your vehicle was registered. You may oth-
erwise dazzle the oncoming traffic and
could cause an accident. Trailer towing
Folding out the ball coupling
Before you can tow a trailer with your vehicle,
you must fit the ball coupling.
i In vehicles with a folding bench seat, first
remove the folding bench seat cushion
(Y page 86) and fold up the luggage com-
partment floor ( Ypage 195).
The telescopic lever is under the boot/lug-
gage compartment mat on the left-hand side. 1
Telescopic lever
2 Indicator lamp G
Risk of accident
Make sure that the ball coupling is fully
engaged both when it is folded in and when
it is folded out. The indicator lamp is not lit.
Do not pull the telescopic lever if a trailer
is attached. The trailer could otherwise
come loose.
X Pull telescopic lever 1out forwards.
X Pull telescopic lever 1upwards.
The ball coupling disengages and folds out
from under the rear bumper.
Indicator lamp 2flashes. The trailer power
socket folds away automatically.
X Guide telescopic lever 1back again. Operation
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Trailer towing
240
X
Press the ball coupling in the direction of
the arrow by hand until it engages in a ver-
tical position.
Indicator lamp 2goes out.
The message Trailer tow hitch
Check locking mech. is shown in the
multi-function display until the ball cou-
pling is engaged.
X Remove the protective cap from the ball
coupling. Notes on towing a trailer
G
Risk of accident
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R The permitted trailer drawbar nose-
weight
R The permitted trailer load R
The permitted rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R The maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
You will find the applicable permissible val-
ues which must not be exceeded in the
vehicle documents.
You will find the values approved by the
manufacturer on the vehicle identification
plates and those for the towing vehicle in
the “Technical data” section.
You will find installation dimensions and loads
in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 375).
The maximum permissible trailer drawbar
noseweight on the ball coupling is 76 kg
(Saloon) or 84 kg (Estate). However, the
actual noseweight must not exceed the value
given on the trailer coupling and trailer iden-
tification plates. The lowest weight applies.
! Use a noseweight as close as possible to
the maximum permissible noseweight. Do
not use a noseweight of less than 50 kg,
otherwise the trailer may come loose. Bear in mind that the payload and the rear
axle load are reduced by the actual nose-
weight.
i On vehicles without level control, the
height of the ball coupling will alter accord-
ing to the load placed on the vehicle. In this
case, you should use a trailer with a height-
adjustable drawbar.
Coupling up a trailer G
Risk of injury
Do not connect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your hand could
become trapped between the bumper and
drawbar.
! Do not uncouple a trailer with overrun
brake between the bumper and drawbar,
otherwise your vehicle could be damaged
by the spring action of the overrun 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. Operation
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Trailer towing
241
Driving tips In Germany, the maximum permitted speed
for vehicle/trailer combinations is 80 km/h.
!
A maximum speed of 80 km/h should not
be exceeded, even in countries where
higher speeds are permitted for vehicle/
trailer combinations.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R consumes more fuel
On long and steep downhill gradients you
must select a lower gear in good time, or in
vehicles with automatic transmission*, select
shift range 1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Distronic* or Speedtronic. This uses the braking effect of the engine and
you will not have to brake to such an extent
to maintain the same 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. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu-
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
never cause the brakes to rub by applying
constant slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases
the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely.
Driving tips
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.
If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not counter-steer.
X Brake if necessary. G
Risk of accident
On no account should you attempt to draw
the vehicle/trailer combination out by
increasing speed. Folding in the ball coupling
i Fold in the ball coupling when you are not
using the trailer tow hitch. Operation
* optional
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