trailer MERCEDES-BENZ E-Class SEDAN 2013 W212 Owner's Manual

4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
G
WARNING
If a drive wheel is spinning due to insufficient
traction:
R While driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
4MATIC cannot prevent accidents resulting
from excessive speed.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised.
This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary.
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to
insufficient grip. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The PARKTRONIC is a supplemental system.
It is not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver. G
WARNING
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be
injured.
PARKTRONIC

is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D, R or N
R release the parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper.
Range of the sensors General notes
!
When

parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain. 202
Driving systems
Driving and parking

vehicles. Under some circumstances, Parking
Guidance might therefore issue steering
instructions too soon. This may lead to a
collision. For this reason, you should avoid
using Parking Guidance in such situations.
G
WARNING
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
the maneuvering range. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
! Pay particular attention to low objects or
objects with flat surfaces, such as trailer
drawbars, posts, cross beams and curbs.
These
types of objects cannot be detected
by Parking Guidance and may damage the
vehicle.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at
a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Parking Guidance is an electronic parking aid
with ultrasound. Ultrasound is used to
measure the road on both sides of the vehicle.
A suitable parking space is indicated by the
parking symbol. You receive steering
instructions when parking. You may also use
PARKTRONIC ( Y page 202).
When PARKTRONIC is deactivated, Parking
Guidance is also unavailable.
Use Parking Guidance for parking spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are on straight roads, not bends
R that are on the same level as the road, i.e.
not on the pavement, for example. Parking
Guidance may not detect flat curbs
Parking tips:
R on narrow roads, drive past the parking
space as close as possible.
R parking spaces that are littered, overgrown
or partially occupied by trailer drawbars
might be identified incorrectly or not at all.
R snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately. R
pay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(Y

page 203) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
R when transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you must not use Parking
Guidance.
R never use Parking Guidance with snow
chains or an emergency spare wheel
installed.
R make sure that the tire pressures are
always correct. This has a direct effect on
the steering instructions.
R the way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the
position and shape of the vehicles parked
in front and behind it and the conditions of
the location. In some cases, Parking
Guidance may guide you too far or not far
enough into a parking space. In some
cases, it may also lead you across or onto
the curb. If necessary, cancel the parking
procedure with Parking Guidance.
Detecting a parking space Example: vehicles featuring a DIRECT SELECT lever
:
Detected parking space on the left
; Parking symbol
= Detected parking space on the right
Parking Guidance is automatically activated
when you drive forwards. The system is
operational

at speeds of up to approximately
22 mph (35 km/h). While in operation, the
system independently locates and measures
parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h), you will see parking symbol ; as
a status indicator in the instrument cluster. 206
Driving systems
Driving and parking

You are responsible for safety at all times and
must continue to pay attention to the
immediate surroundings when parking and
maneuvering. This includes the area behind,
in front of, and beside the vehicle. Otherwise
you could endanger yourself and/or others.
G
WARNING
The rear view camera will not function or will
not fully function if:
R the tailgate is open
R it is raining or snowing strongly or if it is
foggy
R it is night or if you are parking/
maneuvering your vehicle in a very dark
area
R a very bright white light is affecting the
camera
R the immediate vicinity is illuminated with
fluorescent light (the display can flicker)
R temperature
changes abruptly, for example
if you drive out of the cold into a heated
garage (condensation on the lens)
R the camera lens is dirty or covered
R the rear of your vehicle is damaged
In this case, have the position and the
setting of the camera checked at a
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you consult a Mercedes-
Benz Center for this purpose.
Do not use the rear view camera in these
situations. You could otherwise injure
yourself and other people and/or cause
damage - including damage to your vehicle -
while parking/maneuvering.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
Activating the rear view camera X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.
X Make sure that the rear view camera
function is selected in COMAND (see the separate operating instructions for
COMAND).
X Engage reverse gear.
The

area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND display with guide lines.
Guide lines in the COMAND display G
WARNING
Use of rear view camera can be dangerous if
you are color-blind or have impaired color
vision.
Only

use rear view camera if you can see and
distinguish all colored guidelines shown by
rear view camera on the COMAND system
display. G
WARNING
Please note that objects that do not touch the
ground may appear to be further away than
they actually are, for example:
R the

bumper of a vehicle parked behind you
R the trailer drawbar
R the ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
R the rear end of a truck
R a slanted post
In such cases, you should not use the guide
lines to judge the distance. You may misjudge
the distance, which increases the risk of
impacting the objects.
Even if the object you approach is directly on
the ground, do not approach the object any
closer than the red guide line. Example: information in the COMAND display Driving systems
209
Driving and parking Z

Information on your vehicle's gross vehicle
weight rating can be found on the vehicle
identification plate (
Y page 405).
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission
damage,
have it transported on a transporter
or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in
position N when the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the SmartKey to position 2 in
the ignition lock
R cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
i Deactivate the automatic locking feature
(Y page 86). You could otherwise be locked
out when pushing or towing the vehicle. Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye 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. Example: Sedan, towing eye covers
The

mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, under the covers.
X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit ( Y page 342).
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 bumper and press
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could
otherwise damage the brake system. Towing and tow-starting
355
Breakdown assistance Z

Only possible on vehicles without
4MATIC.
X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 125).
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey
from the ignition lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the
SmartKey
or the KEYLESS-GO key with you.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions ( Y page 354).Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
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
vehicle. Adapt your style of driving
accordingly.
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 354).
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts

to position P when you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock. In order
to ensure that the automatic transmission
stays in position N when towing the vehicle,
you must observe the following points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the SmartKey in the ignition lock is in
position 0.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
SmartKey

instead of the Start/Stop button
(Y page 154).
X Depress and hold the brake pedal. X
Shift the automatic transmission to
position N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 125).
X Leave the SmartKey in position 2 in the
ignition lock.
i When towing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal a change of
direction.

In this case, only the turn signals
for the desired direction flash. When the
combination switch is reset, the hazard
warning lamps start flashing again. Transporting 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.
Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey
from the ignition lock.
X Secure the vehicle.356
Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance

Notes for 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles
with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it
transported 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 352).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Tow-starting (emergency starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be started by tow-starting. This
could otherwise damage the transmission.
You can find information on "Jump-starting"
at (Y page 352). Fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and that have the
correct fuse rating for the systems
concerned.

Do not attempt to repair or bridge
faulty fuses. Using fuses that have not been
approved or attempting to repair or bridge
faulty fuses could cause the fuse to be
overloaded and result in a fire. Have the cause
traced and rectified at a qualified specialist
workshop.
! 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
systems could be damaged.
The

fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the
components on the circuit and their functions
stop operating.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
the color and value. The fuse ratings are listed
in the fuse allocation chart.
If a newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Before changing a fuse
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 175).
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove it ( Y page 153).
or
X On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, make sure
the ignition is switched off (Y page 154).
All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
must be off.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
R Fuse

box in the engine compartment on the
left-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
R Fuse box in the trunk/cargo compartment
on the right-hand side of the vehicle, when
viewed in the direction of travel
The fuse allocation chart is located in the
vehicle tool kit in the stowage compartment
under the trunk/cargo compartment floor
(Y page 342). Fuses
357
Breakdown assistance Z

Exampl
e 1 Exampl
e 2 Exampl
e 3
Weight
of the
occupa
nts
Occupan
t 1:
150 lbs
(68 kg)
Occupan
t 2:
180 lbs
(82 kg)
Occupan
t 3:
160 lbs
(73 kg)
Occupan
t 4:
140 lbs
(63 kg)
Occupan
t 5:
120 lbs
(54 kg) Occupan
t 1:
200 lbs
(91 kg)
Occupan
t 2:
190 lbs
(86 kg)
Occupan
t 3:
150 lbs
(68 kg) Occupan
t 1:
150 lbs
(68 kg)
Gross
weight
of all
occupa
nts
750 lbs
(340 kg) 540 lbs
(245 kg) 150 lbs
(68 kg) Step 3
Exampl
e 1 Exampl
e 2 Exampl
e 3
Permiss
ible
load
(maxim
um
gross
vehicle
weight
rating
from
the Tire
and
Loading
Informa
tion
placard
minus
the
gross
weight
of all
occupa
nts)
1500 lbs
(680 kg)
Ò750 lbs
(340 kg)
=
750 lbs
(340 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg)
Ò540 lbs
(245 kg)
=
960 lbs
(435 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg)
Ò150 lbs
(68 kg) =
1350 lbs
(612 kg)
Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total load
carefully, you should still make sure that the
gross
vehicle weight rating and the gross axle
weight rating are not exceeded. Details can
be found on the vehicle identification plate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle
(Y page 373).
Permissible gross vehicle weight: the
gross weight of the vehicle, all passengers,
load and trailer load/noseweight (if
applicable) must not exceed the permissible
gross vehicle weight.
Gross axle weight rating: the maximum
permissible weight that can be carried by one
axle (front or rear axle). 376
Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires

To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible values (gross
vehicle weight and maximum gross axle
weight rating), have your loaded vehicle
(including driver, occupants, cargo, and full
trailer load if applicable) weighed on a
suitable vehicle weighbridge.
All about wheels and tires
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards
Overview of Tire Quality Grading
Standards Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards are
U.S. government specifications. Their
purpose is to provide drivers with uniform
reliable
information on tire performance data.
Tire manufacturers have to grade tires using
three performance factors: : tread wear
grade, ; traction grade and = temperature
grade. These regulations do not apply to
Canada. Nevertheless, all tires sold in North
America are provided with the corresponding
quality grading markings on the sidewall of
the tire.
Where applicable, the tire grading
information can be found on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and maximum
tire width.
Example:
R Treadwear grade: 200
R Traction grade: AA
R Temperature grade: A All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
i
The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific

and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Treadwear The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based

on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
U.S. government course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government course as a
tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm, due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate conditions.
Traction G
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
! Avoid

wheelspin. This can lead to damage
to the drive train.
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on a wet surface as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy
road is always lower than on dry road
surfaces.
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
freezing point. All about wheels and tires
377Wheels and tires Z