tow MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS SALOON 2011 Owners Manual

Removing an emergenc
yspare wheel:
Estate with folding benc hseat Emergency spare wheel (example)
X Remove vehicle tool kit tray :by
recess ;.
X Remove the "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel or collapsible emergency spare
wheel 27
=.
For further information on changing a wheel
and fitting the spare wheel, see
(Y page 344).
Stowing aused collapsible emergency
spare wheel Take the following steps to stow a used col-
lapsible emergency spare wheel. Otherwise,
the collapsible emergency spare wheel will
not fit in the spare wheel well. Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you have this work carried
out at a qualified specialist workshop.
! Only place the collapsible emergency
spare wheel in the vehicle when it is dry.
Otherwise, moisture may get into the vehi-
cle.
X Unscrew the valve cap from the valve.
X Use the back of the valve cap to unscrew
the valve insert from the valve and release
the air.
i Fully deflating the tyre can take a few
minutes.
X Screw the valve insert back into the valve. X
Screw the valve cap back on.
X Remove the protective film from the vehicle
tool kit and put it over the collapsible emer-
gency spare wheel.
X Stow the collapsible emergency spare
wheel in the emergency spare wheel well
under the boot. Flat tyre
Preparing the vehicle
Your vehicle may be equipped with:
R a TIREFIT kit
R an emergency spare wheel
R MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat char-
acteristics) (Y page 349)
i Vehicle preparation is not necessary on
vehicles with MOExtended tyres.
i Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory.
It is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit
if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat
characteristics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT
kit can be obtained from a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
X Vehicles with AIRMATIC: make sure that
"normal" level is selected (Y page 197).
X Stop the vehicle as far away as possible
from traffic on solid, non-slippery and level
ground.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps.
X Firmly depress the parking brake.
X Bring the fron twheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
move the selector lever/DIRECT SELECT
lever to P.
27 AMG vehicles only. 340
Flat tyreBreakdown assistance

X
Switch off the engine.
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the key from the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: openthe
driver's door.
The on-board electronics have status 0,
which is the same as the key having been
removed.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(Y page 155).
X All occupants must get out of the vehicle.
Make sure that they are not endangered as
they do so.
X Make sure that no one is near the danger
area whilst a wheel is being changed. Any-
one who is not directly assisting in the
wheel change should, for example, stand
behind the barrier.
X Get out of the vehicle. Pay attention to traf-
fic conditions when doing so.
X Close the driver's door.
X Place the warning triangle (Y page 336) a
suitable distance away.O bserve legal
requirements. TIREFIT kit
Using the TIREFIT kit TIREFIT is a tyre sealant.
You can use TIREFIT to seal punctures of up
to 4 mm, particularly those in the tyre tread.
You can use TIREFIT at outside temperatures
down to
Ò20 †. G
WARNING
In the following situations, the tyre sealant is
unable to provide sufficient breakdown assis-
tance, as it is unable to seal the tyre properly:
R there are cuts or punctures in the tyre
larger than those mentioned above.
R the wheel rim is damaged.
R you have driven at very low tyre pressures
or on a flat tyre.
There is a risk of accident.
Do not drive any further. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
X Do not remove any foreign objects which
have penetrated the tyre, e.g. screws or
nails.
X Remove the tyre sealant bottle, the accom-
panying "max. 80 km/h" sticker and the
tyre inflation compressor from the stowage
well underneath the boot floor/luggage
compartment floor (Y page 337). X
Affix part :of the sticker within the driv-
er's field of vision.
X Affix part ;of the sticker near the valve
on the wheel with the defective tyre. G
WARNING
The tyre sealant is harmful and causes irrita-
tion. It must not come into contact with your
skin, eyes or clothing or be swallowed. Do not
inhale TIREFIT fumes. Keep tyre sealant away
from children. There is a risk of injury. Flat tyre
341Breakdown assistance
Z

Tyre pressure of at least 180 kPa
(1.8 bar/26 psi) is no treached If a pressure of 180 kP
a(1 .8 ba r,26 psi) has
not bee nachieved afte rfive minutes:
X Switch off the tyre inflation compressor.
X Unscrew the filler hose fro mthe valve of
the faulty tyre.
X Very slowly drive forwards or reverse
approximately 10 m.
X Pump up the tyre again.
After a maximum of five minutes the tyre
pressure must be at least 180 kPa (1.8 bar,
26 psi). G
WARNING
If the required tyre pressure is not reached
after the specified time, the tyre is too badly
damaged. The tyre sealant cannot repair the
tyre in this instance. Damaged tyres and a tyre
pressure that is too low can significantly
impair the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics. There is a risk of accident.
Do not continue driving. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
Tyre pressure of 180 kPa (1.8 bar/
26 psi) is reached X
Switch off the tyre inflation compressor.
X Unscrew the filler hose from the valve of
the faulty tyre.
! After use, excess tyre sealant may run out
of the filler hose. This could cause stains.
Therefore, place the filler hose in the plastic
bag that contained the TIREFIT kit.
X Stow the tyre sealant bottle, the tyre infla-
tion compressor and the warning triangle.
X Pull away immediately. G
WARNING
At yre temporarily sealed with tyre sealant
impairs the driving characteristics and is not
suitable for higher speeds .There is a risk of
accident. You should therefore adapt your driving style
accordingly and drive carefully. Do not exceed
the specified maximum speed with a tyre that
has been repaired using tyre sealant.
The maximum speed for a tyre sealed with
tyre sealant is 80 km/h. The "max. 80 km/h"
sticker must be affixed to the instrumentc lus-
ter within the driver's field of vision.
X Stop after driving for approximately ten
minutes and chec kthe tyre pressure with
the tyre inflation compressor.
The tyre pressure must now be at least
130 kPa (1.3 bar, 19 psi). G
WARNING
If the required tyre pressure is not reached
after driving for a short period, the tyre is too
badly damaged. The tyre sealant cannot
repair the tyre in this instance. Damaged tyres
and a tyre pressure that is too low can signif-
icantly impair the vehicle's braking and driv-
ing characteristics. There is a risk of accident.
Do not continue driving. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop.
i In your vehicle, you will find a sticker with
the Mercedes-Ben zService24h telephone
number, e.g. on the B-pillar on the driver's
side.
X Correct the tyre pressure if it is still at least
130 kPa (1.3 bar, 19 psi) (for the values,
see the fuel filler flap).
X To increase the tyre pressure: switch on
the tyre inflation compressor. Flat tyre
343Breakdown assistance Z

X
To reduce the tyre pressure: press pres-
sure release button Enext to pressure
gauge F.
X Stow the tyre sealant bottle, the tyre infla-
tio nc ompressor and the warning triangle.
X Drive to the nearest specialist qualified
workshop and have the tyre changed there.
X Have the tyre sealant bottle replaced as
soon as possible at a qualified specialist
workshop. H
Environmental note
Have the used tyre sealant bottle disposed of
professionally, e.g. at aqualified specialist
workshop.
X Have the tyre sealan tbottle replaced every
four years at a qualified specialist work-
shop. Changing
awheel and fitting the spare
wheel
Preparing the vehicle When using an emergency spare wheel or
spare wheel of a different size, you must not
exceed the maximum speed of 80 km/h.
G
WARNING
The wheel/tyre dimensions and the tyre type
of the spare wheel/emergency spare wheel
and the wheel to be replaced may differ. Fit-
ting a spare wheel/emergency spare wheel
may severely impair the driving characteris-
tics. There is a risk of accident.
To prevent hazardous situations:
R Adap tyour driving style accordingly and
drive carefully.
R Never fit more than one spare wheel/emer-
gency spare wheel if the dimesions are dif-
ferent to those of the wheel being replaced.
R Only use a spare wheel/emergency spare
wheel briefly if the dimesions are different
to those of the wheel being replaced. R
Do not switch off ESP ®
.
R Have the spare wheel/emergency spare
wheel in question replaced at the nearest
qualified specialist workshop. Make sure
that the wheel/tyre dimensions and tyre
type are correct.
i Vehicles without an emergency spare
wheel/spare wheel are not equipped with
wheel-changing tools at the factory. For
more information on which tools are
required to perform a wheel change on your
vehicle, e.g. wheel chock, wheel wrench or
centring pin, consult a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
X Prepare the vehicle as described
(Y page 340).
X If a trailer is coupled to the vehicle, uncou-
ple it.
X Remove the following items (depending on
the vehicle's equipment) from the stowage
well under the boot/luggage compartment
floor:
R
the emergency spare wheel
R the wheel wrench
R the folding wheel chock
R the jack
R the centring pin
R the tyre inflation compressor
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
Securing the vehicle to prevent it from
rolling away If your vehicle is equipped with a wheel chock,
it can be found in the vehicle tool kit
(Y
page 337).
The folding wheel chock is an additional
securing measure to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, for example when changing a
wheel. 344
Flat tyreBreakdown assistance

Inflating the collapsible emergency
spare wheel !
Inflate the collapsible emergency spare
wheel using the tyre inflation compressor
before lowering the vehicle. The wheel rim
could otherwise be damaged. X
Pull plug ?and the air hose out of the
housing.
X Remove the cap from the valve on the col-
lapsible emergency spare wheel.
X Screw air hose unio nnut: onto the valve.
X Make sure the tyre inflation compressor's
on/off switch Ais set to 0.
X Inser tplug ?into the socket of the ciga-
rette lighter (Y page 311) or into a 12 V
power socket (Y page 311)inyour vehicle.
X Make sure that the key is in position
1(Y page 155) in the ignition lock.
X Press on/offs witchAon the tyre inflation
compressor to I.
The tyre inflatio ncompressor is switched
on. The tyre is inflated. The tyre pressure is
read at pressure gauge =.
! Do not operate the tyre inflation com-
pressor for longer than eight minutes at a
time without a break. It may otherwise
overheat.
The tyre inflation compressor can be oper-
ated again once it has cooled down.
X Pump the tyre to the specified tyre pres-
sure. The specified tyre pressure is printed on
the yellow label of the emergency spare
wheel.
X When the specified tyre pressure has been
reached, press on/offs witchAon the tyre
inflatio ncompressor to 0.
The tyre inflation compressor is switched
off.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock.
X If the tyre pressure is higher than the speci-
fied pressure, press pressure release but-
ton ;until the correct tyre pressure has
been reached.
X Unscrew air hose union nut :from the
valve.
X Screw the valve cap ontot he collapsible
emergency spare wheel valve again.
X Stow plug ?and the air hose in the lower
section of the compressor housing.
X Stow the tyre inflation compressor in the
vehicle.
Lowering the vehicle G
WARNING
Tyre pressure that is too high or too low can
lead to a blow-out of the fitted emergency
spare wheel/spare wheel, particularly when
driving with a heavy load and increasing
speed. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tyre pressure of the emergency
spare wheel or spare wheel and adjust it.
When doing so, observe the specified tyre
pressure.
! Inflate the collapsible emergency spare
wheel using the tyre inflation compressor
before lowering the vehicle. The wheel rim
could otherwise be damaged.
X Turn the crank of the jack anti-clockwise
until the vehicle is once again standing
firmly on the ground.
X Place the jack to one side. 348
Flat tyreBreakdown assistance

G
WARNING
The wheels could work loose if the wheel nuts
and bolts are not tightened to the specified
tightening torque .There is a risk of accident.
Have the tightening torque immediately
checked at a qualified specialist workshop
after a wheel is changed.
X Tighten the wheel bolts evenly in a cross-
wise pattern in the sequence indicated
(: toA ). The specified tightening torque
is 130 Nm.
X Turn the jack back to its initial position and
store it together with the rest of the tyre-
change tool kit in the boot/luggage com-
partment.
X AMG vehicles and vehicles with AMG
equipment: insert the cover into the outer
sill.
Vehicles with an emergency spare wheel:
X Transport the faulty wheel in the boot/lug-
gage compartment.
or
X Depending on the size of the wheel, you
may also be able to secure the faulty wheel
in the spare wheel well. In this case, you
will have to remove the stowage well casing
from the spare wheel well and stow it
securely in the boot/luggage compart-
ment.
For further information on stowing the col-
lapsible emergency spare wheel, see
(Y page 340). i
When you are driving with the collapsible
emergency spare wheel fitted, the tyre
pressure loss warning system or the tyre
pressure monitor cannot function reliably.
Only restart the tyre pressure loss warning
system/tyre pressure monitor when the
defective wheel has been replaced with a
new wheel.
Vehicles with tire pressure control system:
all fitted wheels must be equipped with
functioning sensors. The defective wheel
should no longer be in the vehicle. MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
With MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tyres.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with an activated tyre pressure loss
warning system or with an activated tyre pres-
sure monitor.
The driving distance possible is 80 km when
the vehicle is partially laden, and 30 km when
the vehicle is fully laden.
In addition to the vehicle load, the driving dis-
tance possible depends upon:
R speed
R road condition
R outside temperature
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode
may be reduced by extreme driving condi-
tions/manoeuvres, or it can be increased
through a moderate style of driving.
The maximum permissible distance which
can be driven in run-flat mode is counted from
the moment the tyre pressure loss warning
appears in the multifunction display.
You must not exceed a maximum speed of
80 km/h. Flat tyre
349Breakdown assistance Z

Position number
Bidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-
starting device.
X Slide cover :of positive terminal ;in the direction of the arrow.
X Connec tpositive terminal ;on your vehicle to positive terminal =of donor battery B
using the jump lead, beginning with your own battery.
X Start the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
X Connect negative terminal ?of donor battery Bto earth point Aof your vehicle using
the jump lead, connectingt he jump lead to donor battery Bfirst.
X Start the engine.
X Before disconnecting the jump leads, let the engine run for several minutes.
X First remove the jump leads from earth point Aand negative terminal ?, then from positive
terminal ;and positive terminal =, each time beginning at the contacts on your own
vehicle first.
X Close cover :of positive terminal ;after removing the jump leads.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
i Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jump-starting cables and further information regarding jump starting can be obtained at
any qualified specialist workshop. Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
Observe the legal requirements for the rele-
vant countries when towing and tow-starting. G
WARNING
If you tow the vehicle, you must use a rigid
towing bar if: Towing and tow-starting
355Breakdown assistance
Z

R
the engine is not running.
R there is a brake syste mmalfunction.
R there is a malfunctio ninthe power supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will need more
force to steer and brake, you may have to
depress the brake pedal with maximum force.
Before towing away, make sure that the steer-
ing can be moved and is not locked.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehicle. G
WARNING
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate HOLD and DISTRONIC PLUS if the
vehicle is to be towed.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the entire
vehicle must be lifted up and transported.
! Only secure the tow rope or towing bar to
the towing eyes. The vehicle may otherwise
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.
! Pull away smoothly when towing away or
tow-starting a vehicle. If the tractive power
is too high, the vehicles could be damaged.
! To tow vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use
the key instead of the Start/Stop button.
The automatic transmission may otherwise
switch to position Pwhen you open the
driver's or front-passenger door which
could damage the transmission. When towing a vehicle with an automatic
transmission, the transmission must be in
position
N.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2
R cannot shift the transmission to position
N on vehicles with automatic transmission
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P(Y page 172).
i Before the vehicle is towed, switch off the
automatic locking feature (Y page 89). You
could otherwise be locked out when push-
ing or towing the vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection
(Y page 78) before the vehicle is towed. Fitting/removing the towing eye
Fitting the towing eye Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch: if you intend
to use the vehicle for towing, fold out the ball
coupling and connect the towbar to it
(Y page 223).
X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 337). G
WARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be hot. You could
burn yourself if you touch the tail pipe. Be
particularly careful when removing the rear
cover.
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, under the covers. 356
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

Example: Saloon
X
Press the mark on cover :inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Take cover :off the opening.
X Screw the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye X
Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Attach cover :to the bumpe rand press
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only possible on vehicles without
4MATIC.
Whe ntowing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 355).
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system. X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 125).
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the key or
the KEYLESS-GO key with you. Towing the vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 355). G
WARNING
The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will then need
much more effort to brake and steer the vehi-
cle. Adapt your style of driving accordingly.
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the key from the ignition lock. In order to
ensure that the automatic transmission stays
in position Nwhen towing the vehicle, you
must observe the following points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the key in the ignition lock is in position
0.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the key
instead of the Start/Stop button
(Y page 155).
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal.
X Engage neutral.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake. Towing and tow-starting
357Breakdown assistance Z

X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 125).
X Leave the key in position 2in the ignition
lock.
i Whe ntowing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal achange of direc-
tion. In this case, only the turn signals for
the desired direction flash. When the com-
bination switch is reset, the hazard warning
lamps start flashing again. Transporting the vehicle
The towing eyes or trailer tow hitch can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or trans-
porter if you wish to transport it.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to first gear or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X Secure 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. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle could be damaged. Notes for 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it trans-
ported on a transporter or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system
If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P. 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 (Y page 354).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety instructions (Y page 355)
and the legal requirements in each respective
country.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. The transmission
may otherwise be damaged.
You can find information on "Jump-starting"
at (Y page 354).
Before tow-starting the following conditions
must be fulfilled:
R the battery is connected.
R the engine has cooled down.
R the catalytic converters have cooled down.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 125).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 356).
X Secure the rigid towing bar or the towing
rope.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock. 358
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance