trailer MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS SALOON 2017 Owner's Manual

Make sure of
thefo llowing before starting a jour‐
ney:
R the tyre pressure on there ar axle of theto w‐
ing vehicle is set for a maximum load
R the lighting of the connected trailer is opera‐
tional
R Vehicles without LED headlamps or MUL‐
TIBEAM LED headlamps: The headlamps
ha ve been set cor rectl y.
In theeve nt of increased rear axle load, the car/
trailer combination may not exceed a maximum
speed of 100 km/h forre asons concerning the
operating permit. This also applies in countri es
in which the permissible maximum speed for
car/trailer combinations is ab ove100 km/h. Extending/
retracting the ball ne ckfully elec‐
trically &
WARNING Risk of accident due tothe
ball neck not being engaged
If th e ball neck is not engaged, the trailer
may come loose. #
Make sure that the ball neck securely
engages and loc ksinto place. *
NO
TEDama getothe full y-electric trailer
hitch The fully-elect
ric trailer hitch could be
mechanically damaged byapplying additional
pressure when the ball neck is being exten‐
ded or retracted. #
Do not ma kethe ball neck extend/
re tract faster by applying additional
pressure. Re
quirements:
Make sure of thefo llowing before extending/
re tracting the ball neck fully electrically:
R Shift the transmission toposition jori.
R The range of mo vement is clear.
R Only when retracting: remo vethe trailer
cables or adap ter plugs. Extending/r
etra cting the ball neck fully elec‐
trically #
Pull swit ch2.
Indicator lamp 1flashes and theTrailer
coupling extending… display message
appears on the multifunction displa y.
The ball neck extends fully electrically. Driving and pa
rking 245

#
Wait until the ball neck has loc ked in place.
The ball neck is securely loc ked in place
when indicator lamp 1lights up continu‐
ousl y.
If th e ball neck is not securely loc ked in
place, indicator lamp 1flashes and the
Check trailer hitch lock displaymessa ge
appears on the multifunction displa y. #
Pull switch 2.
Indicator lamp 1flashes and theTrailer
coupling extending… display message
appears on the multifunction displa y.
The ball neck retracts fully electrically. #
Wait until the ball neck has loc ked in place.
The ball neck is securely loc ked into place
once indicator lamp 1goes out.
If th e ball neck is not securely loc ked in
place, indicator lamp 1flashes and the
Check trailer hitch lock displaymessa ge
appears on the multifunction displa y.
Obser vethe information on the displa ysinthe
instrument clus ter:
R Warning and indicator lamps (→ page 438)
R Display messages (→ page 381) Coupling up/uncoupling a trailer
&
WARNING Risk of inju ryfrom theve hicle
le ve l being changed
Ve hicles with le vel control sy stem: the
ve hicle le vel may be changed unin tentional ly,
e.g. by ot her persons. You may become trap‐
ped if you couple up or uncouple a trailer
while theve hicle le vel is changing. In addi‐
tion, other people could become trapped if
th eir limbs are between theve hicle body and
th e tyres or underneath theve hicle.
When coupling up or uncoupling a trailer,
make sure that: #
The doors or tailgate are not opened or
closed. #
Do not initiate the le vel control sy stem
and do not operate theDY NA MIC
SELECT switch. #
The vehicle is not loc ked or unloc ked. 246
Driving and pa rking

Re
quirements:
R the ball neck must be extended fully electri‐
cal lyand engaged in the securely loc ked
position.
Tr ailers with a 7-pin plug can be connec tedto
th eve hicle with thefo llowing adap ters:
R adap ter plug
R adapte r cable
The trailer will be cor rectly de tected bytheve hi‐
cle only if thefo llowing conditions are me t:
R the trailer is connected cor rectly
R the trailer lighting sy stem is in working order
The operation of thefo llowing sy stems depends
on the trailer being connected cor rectly:
R Active Lane Keeping Assist
R ESP ®
R Parking Assist PARKTRONIC
R Active Parking Assist
R Blind Spot Assist or Active Blind Spot Assi stCoupling up a trailer
* NO
TEDama getothe battery due tofull
discharge Charging
the trailer battery using the po wer
supply of the trailer can damage the batter y. #
Do not use the po wer supp lyto charge
th e trailer batter y. #
Remo vethe co ver from the ball head and
st ore it in a safe place (→ page107). #
Position the trailer on a le vel sur face behind
th eve hicle and couple it up totheve hicle. #
Open the soc ket co ver. #
Insert the plug connector with lug 1into
groo ve3 onthe soc ket. #
Turn bayonet coupling 2clockwise as far as
it will go. #
Let the co ver engage. #
Secure the cable tothe trailer with cable ties
(if you are using an adap ter cable). #
Make sure that cable is alw ays slack for ease
of mo vement during cornering. #
Push the combination switch upwards and
down wards and check whe ther the cor re‐
sponding turn signal light on the trailer is
fl ashing.
A display message may appear on the multifunc‐
tion display even if the trailer has been connec‐
te d cor rectly:
R LEDs ha vebeen ins talled on the trailer light‐
ing sy stem
R the cur rent has fallen below the trailer light‐
ing sy stem's minimum cur rent (50 mA) Driving and pa
rking 247

%
Accessories can be connected tothe perma‐
nent po wer supp lyup to180W, and tothe
po we r supp lythat is swit ched on via the igni‐
tion loc k.
Un coupling a trailer &
WARNING Risk of being crushed and
becoming trapped when uncoupling a
trailer
When uncoupling a trailer wi than engaged
ine rtia-activated brake, your hand may
become trapped between theve hicle and the
trailer dr awbar. #
Do not uncouple trailers with an
engaged overrun brake. &
WARNING Risk of becoming trapped
when disconnecting the trailer cable
Ve hicles with le vel control sy stem: the
ve hicle lo werswhen the trailer cable is dis‐
connected. This could
result in you or other people
becoming trapped if your or their limbs are
between theve hicle body and the tyres or
underneath theve hicle. #
Make sure nobody is underneath the
ve hicle or in the immediate vicinity of
th e wheel ar ches when you disconnect
th e trailer cable. *
NO
TEDama getothere ar bumper from
ins talling adap ter cables or adapte r plugs The
following parts could be damaged when
re tracting the ball neck fully electrically:
R bumper
R adap ter cable
R adapte r plug #
Alw aysre mo vethe adap ter cable or
adapte r plug before retracting the ball
neck fully electrically. #
Safeguard the trailer against rolling away. #
Disconnect the electrical connection
between theve hicle and the trailer. #
Uncouple the trailer. #
Place the co ver on the ball head. Bicycle
rack &
WARNING Risk of an accident when
using the bicycle rack incor rectly
The bicycle rack may become de tach ed from
th eve hicle in thefo llowing cases:
R the permissible load capacity of the
trailer hitch is exceeded.
R the bicycle rack is used incor rectl y.
R the bicycle rack is secured tothe ball
neck beneath the ball head.
Obser vethefo llowing foryo ur ow n sa fety
and that of other road users:
R always adhere tothe permissible load
capacity of the trailer hitch. 248
Driving and pa rking

R
only use the bicycle rack totranspo rt
bicycles.
R always mount the bicycle rack properly by
attaching tothe ball head and the ball
neck guide pin, if possible.
R when transporting four bic ycles, alw ays
use bic ycle rack s which ha veadditional
suppo rton the ball neck guide pin.
R only use bicycle rack s appr ovedby
Mercedes-Benz.
R always obser vethe bicycle rack operating
instructions. *
NO
TEDama getoor crac kson the trailer
hitch due tounsuitable bic ycle rack s or
bicycle rack s being used incor rectly #
Only use bicycle rack s appr ovedby
Mercedes-Benz. Tr
ailer hit ch(examp le with additional guide pins)
Depending on the design, up tofour bic ycles can
be transpor ted on the bicycle rack:
R when moun tedby attaching toball head 1,
th e maximum load capacity is 75kg.Up to
th re e bicycles can be transpor ted. R
when mounted on ball head 1and guide pin
2, the maximum load capacity is 100kg.
Up tofour bic ycles can be transpo rted.
The load capacity is calculated from thewe ight
of the bicycle rack and the bicycle rack load.
Fo r bicycles weighing a total of between 75kg
and 100kg only use bicycle rack s with addi‐
tional support on guide pin 2.
The vehicle's handling characteristics change
when a bicycle rack isfitted. The vehicle:
R is heavier
R isrestricted in its accele ration ‑and slope
climbing ability.
R has an increased braking di stance
This can impair theve hicle's handling character‐
istics. Adapt your driving style accordingly. Drive
carefully and maintain a safe dis tance.
When using a bicycle rack , set the tyre pressure
fo r maximum load on there ar axle of theve hicle.
Fu rther information on the tyre pressure can be
fo und in the tyre pressure table (→ page 346). Driving and parking
249

Note
s on loads
The larger the dis tance between the load's
cent reof gr avity and the ball head, the greater
th e load on the trailer hitch.
Obser vethefo llowing no tes:
R mount heavy bicycles as close totheve hicle
as possible.
R always distribute the load on the bicycle rack
as eve nly as possible across theve hicle's
longitudinal axis.
Mercedes-Benz recommends removing all
de tach able parts from the bicycles, e.g. bask ets,
ch ild seats or rech arge able bat teries, before
loading them onto the bicycle rack . This
impr ovesth e wind resis tance and centre of gr av‐
ity of the bicycle rack.
Alw ays secure the bicycles toprev ent them from
moving around and check they are secured at
re gular inter vals.
Do not use tarp aulins or other co vers. The han‐
dling characteristics and rear view may be impaired. In addition,
the wind resis tance and
load on the trailer hitch increase. Distribution of
the load on the bicycle rack
1 Vertical dis tance between the cent reof gr av‐
ity and ball head
2 Horizon tal dis tance between centre of gr av‐
ity and ball head
3 The centre of gr avity is on theve hicle's cen‐
tral axis Obser
vethefo llowing information when
loading the bicycle rack: Nu
mber
of bicy‐
cles To
tal
we ight
of bicy‐
cle rack
and load Max. dis‐
tance
1 1Max. dis‐
tance
2 2
3U pto
75 kg 420 mm 300 mm
4 1
Upto
90 kg1 420 mm 400 mm
4 1
Upto
10 0kg 1 420 mm 400 mm
1 When transpo rting four bic ycles or with a
tot alwe ight between 75kgand 100kg,
alw ays use bicycle rack s with additional sup‐
port on the trailer hitch guide pin. 1
When transporting four bicycles or with a totalwe ight between 75kgand 100kg , alw ays use bicycle rack s with additional support on the trailer hitch guide pin. 250
Driving and parking

Note
s on cleaning and car eA voiding vehicle damage
Exhaust pipes Clean with cleaning agents recommended byMercedes-Benz,
particular lyin the winter and af terwa shing theve hicle. Do not use acidic cleaning agents.
Tr ailer tow hit ch R
Remo vetraces of rust on the ball, e.g. with a wire brush.
R Remo vedirt with a lint-free clo th.
R After cleaning, oil or grease the ball coupling lightl y.
R Obser vethe no tes on care in the trailer tow hit chmanu‐
fa cturer's ope rating instructions. Do not clean
the ball coupling with a high-pressure cleaner or
solvent. Note
s on care of the interior &
WARNING Risk of inju ryfrom pla stic
parts breaking off af terth e use of sol‐
ve nt-based care products
Ca reand cleaning products con taining sol‐
ve nts can cause su rfaces in the cockpit to
become porous. When
the airbags are deplo yed, plastic parts
may break away. #
Do not use any care or cleaning prod‐
ucts containing sol vents toclean the
cockpit. &
WARNING Risk of inju ryor death from
bleached seat belts
Bleaching or dyeing seat belts can se verely
we aken them.
This can, forex ample, cause seat belts to
te ar or fail in an accident. #
Never blea chor dye seat belts. Maintenance and care
319

#
Vehicles with manual transmission:
switch on the ignition, otherwise thesteering
wheel locking may engage. &
WARNING Risk of accident due tolimi‐
te d saf ety-re lated functions during the
to wing process
Saf ety-re lated functions are limited or no lon‐
ge rav ailable in thefo llowing situations:
R the ignition is switched off.
R the brake sy stem or po werst eering sys‐
te m is malfunctioning.
R the energy supply or the on-board electri‐
cal sy stem is malfunctioning.
When your vehicle is then towe daw ay, signif‐
icantly more ef fort may be requ ired tosteer
and brake than is no rmally requ ired. #
Use a tow bar. #
Make sure that thesteering wheel can
mo vefreely, before towing theve hicle
aw ay. *
NO
TEDama gedue toexcessive tracti ve
po wer If
yo u pull away sharpl y,the tractive po wer
may be too high and theve hicles could be
damaged. #
Pull away slowly and smoo thly. Loading the
vehicle for transport #
Obser vethe no tes on towing away
( → page 336). #
Connect theto w bar totheto wing eyeto
load theve hicle.
% You can also attach theto w bar tothe trailer
hitch. #
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission toposition
i.
% Ve
hicles with automatic transmission:
th e automatic transmission may be loc ked in
position jintheeve nt of dama getothe
electrical sy stem. Toshift toi , pr ovide the on-board electrical sy
stem with po wer
( → page 332). #
Vehicles with manual transmission: shift
to neutral. #
Load theve hicle onto the transpor ter. #
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission toposition
j. #
Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage firs t or reve rsege ar. #
Use the electric parking brake tosecure the
ve hicle and pr event it from rolling away. #
Only secure theve hicle bythe wheels.
Ve hicles with ADS PLUS (Adaptive Damping
Sy stem PLUS) &
WARNING Risk of an accident when
transporting vehicles with Adaptive
Damping Sy stem PLUS
The reduced damping forc es on theve hicle
being transpor ted can cause theve hicle/
trailer combination tostart toswing. 338
Breakdown assis tance

As a
result, when transporting vehicles with
th eAd aptive Damping Sy stem PLUS, the
ve hicle/trailer combination may start toskid.
Consequentl y,yo u could lose cont rol of your
ve hicle. #
When transporting, ensure that:
R theve hicle has been loaded onto
th e transpor ter cor rectly
R theve hicle is secured at all four
wheels with suitable tensioning
st ra ps
R the maximum permissible speed of
60 km/h is not exceeded when
transporting *
NO
TEDama getotheve hicle from secur‐
ing it incor rectly #
After loading, theve hicle must be
secured on all four wheels. Otherwise,
th eve hicle could be damaged. #
A minimum dis tance of 20 cm up wards
and 10cm down wards must be kept to
th e transport platform. #
Secure theve hicle on all four wheels af ter
loading.
4MATIC vehicles/ vehicles with automatic
transmission #
Make sure that the front and rear axles come
to rest on the same transpor tation vehicle.
* NO
TEDama getothe driv etra in due to
incor rect positioning #
Do not position theve hicle abo vethe
connection point of the transport vehi‐
cle. To
wing eyesto rage location To
wing eye1 is attached tothe edge of the
boot under the boot floor. Breakdown assis
tance 339

Installing
theto wing eye #
Press the mark on co ver1 inwa rds and
re mo ve. #
Screw intheto wing eyeclockwise as far as it
will go and tighten.
Ve hicles with a trailer tow hit ch:ve hicles with
a trailer hitch do not ha veare ar brac ketfo rthe to
wing eye. Fasten theto w bar tothe trailer tow
hitch.
% Make sure that co ver1 engages in the
bumper when youre mo vetheto wing eye.
* NO
TEDama gedue toincor rect use of
th eto wing eye When a
towing eye is used toreco ver a vehi‐
cle, theve hicle may be damaged in the proc‐
ess. #
Only use theto wing eyeto to waw ay or
to w start theve hicle. To
w- starting theve hicle (eme rgency engine
st arting) Ve
hicles with automatic transmission
* NO
TEDama getothe automatic trans‐
mission due to tow-starting The automatic transmission may be damaged
in the process of tow- starting vehicles with
automatic transmission. #
Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow- star ted. #
Vehicles with automatic transmission must
not be tow- star ted.
Ve hicles with manual transmission #
Obser vethe no tes on towing away
( → page 336). #
If necessar y,allow the engine and exhaust
sy stem tocool down. #
Switch the ignition on. #
Enga gesecond gear. #
Release the electric parking brake. #
Tow- start theve hicle while the clutch pedal
is fully depressed. #
Slowly release the clutch pedal. #
Immediately shift toneutral if the engine
st arts. #
Pull over and stop theve hicle, in accordance
with the traf fic conditions. #
Remo vetheto w bar. 340
Breakdown assis tance